How long should your longest weekly ride be?

[hogut]

Assuming your base and fitness are reasonably good, 10+ hours riding per week, relative racing newbie 35+ cat 4, a desired peak in 3-4 months for races that are generally under 3 hours, should any of your weekly rides be over 3 hours? Is ridng more than 3 hours a waste of time or even counterproductive?

Thanks in advance for this general question which I know has been touched on in the past. Just curious on your training thoughts. I'm guessing most would answer that there is no reason to train on rides longer than your longest races. HOGUT

 

[daveryanwyoming]

Assuming your base and fitness are reasonably good, 10+ hours riding per week, relative racing newbie 35+ cat 4, a desired peak in 3-4 months for races that are generally under 3 hours, should any of your weekly rides be over 3 hours? I...

The only reasons I can see to ride over your target race durations is if you want to lose weight or you simply enjoy long bike rides. From the standpoint of developing race fitness it won't help you unless you have a few pounds to drop in which case long rides can be real useful. I do enjoy long rides and do a few from time to time because it's great to get on the bike on a nice weekend day and really cover some distance. I don't believe they'll help me in the shorter races I do, but it doesn't stop me from having a long day when I feel like it.

 

[hogut]

Thanks for the reply. I agree with you. I also like doing the occasional long ride but I want to focus on getting faster for my target races which are about 2.5 hours long. HOGUT

 

[ric_stern/RST]

Thanks for the reply. I agree with you. I also like doing the occasional long ride but I want to focus on getting faster for my target races which are about 2.5 hours long. HOGUT

in the season where i scored my most amount of points the majority of my races were about 3.5 to 4.5 hours long (mainly 1/2 road races). Apart from one sportive ride (7 hrs) all my training rides were under 3 hrs long (apart from one other ride, where i blew badly one day and had to grovel home really slowly!).

Ric

 

[hogut]

in the season where i scored my most amount of points the majority of my races were about 3.5 to 4.5 hours long (mainly 1/2 road races). Apart from one sportive ride (7 hrs) all my training rides were under 3 hrs long (apart from one other ride, where i blew badly one day and had to grovel home really slowly!).

Ric

Thanks. good to hear.