how much training hours per week?
- Thread starter madammolecular
- Start date
madammolecular said:
I started out at 8 hrs/ week this year and am doing around 10 hours this week. My goal is to hit 20 hours a week for 3 weeks before SuperWeek here in the midwest. 20 hours for me would be around 300 miles/ 486 kms. But only around 250 kms for me this week. When I think about it, top pros ride about 800-1000 kms a week at their best. Nearly 40,000 kms per year. Thats 1400 hours of training or 3.8 hours per day. I got this from an old magazine advertizement from 2002, where Danilio Di Luca was advertising Pinarello or something. It said he did 25,000 miles in a year to become Word Champ. I dont think I can beat out a new car for miles, but hey, Danilio would. He's putting on a lot leading the Giro, 2100 miles in 23 days or so. It blows my mind, doing that at 39 km/hr. I think this Giro will cover it that quickly.
i aked it because i started to train 2 months ago,and my trainer gave me some plan for april and it was over 400km,and for my over 500km.i am a student and it takes a lot from me so i am tired!are there real needs for so many kms...i am far away from serius cycling.My avs is aout 30 and less because i train alone.
Realize that a guy's schedule should be different than a woman's...and goals have to be taken into consideration. Also, the body does not know distance in the saddle -- only time. That being said, 400km/wk is at LEAST 14-15+hrs in the saddle. If your coach is making you do this 2 months into your training and you don't have a few seasons of training behind you, and/or you aren't a serious cyclist, it's time to look for a new coach.madammolecular said:
*edit* looks like you're on the cat1 track:
http://www.yale.edu/cycling/calendar.html
iliveonnitro said:
You dont need to do that much if your time is limited. Doing "tempo" paced efforts can help lessen the time you spend riding (volume) while working the aerobic engine the same. Discuss this with your coach. These are aerobic capacity intervals you can incorporate into your rides. You would warm up for 15 min at 65-70% of your max hr then complete 15 minute intervals at 75-80% of your max. Recover at 65% of your max in between efforts for 5 minutes. Start out with 2-3 intervals with a 15 min cooldown when your done. So like 1.5 hours or so twice a week. On the other days, just ride easy like you normaly do, with one rest day every week. That would give you the same load with less time, only 8-10 hours per week or so. If your a female beginner, thats pretty strenous I would say. I only did a couple hours more per week than that last year and I'm a male cat. 3. Your coach probably knows more than me, but discuss the tempo intervals in place of the volume.
Cool?
When you get better, the intervals or time can increase, but no more than 10% per week.
If she's getting tired doing 400km/wk adding more intense effort will just make her overtrained or lead to burnout, the only gambling is which one will come first.
Also, bikerboy, 75-80% of your max HR isn't an interval, HR should be at least 85% for 15min efforts.
The bottom line is that her coach isn't doing his job correctly.
Also, bikerboy, 75-80% of your max HR isn't an interval, HR should be at least 85% for 15min efforts.
The bottom line is that her coach isn't doing his job correctly.
400km is not problem,but 500km takes a lot of time especially because of preparation(bike,food...).i already have 3xflat intervals and low-hill,also 2xhill intrvals and aout 100km endurance.in some flat rides i do some crits elements.he wants me to go on national champ,and it maybee ssound silly but i have no rival here(only few woman riders are in my country- am from Serbia).my problem is that i can not make it this month.firstly i was sick and then faculty obligations and some rainy days...i feel very bad...national championship for amateurs is in jun,and ligue is in august.i also do not know how to tell him about my problem,i am afraid that he will be disappointed in me,esspecially because i firstly said that i want this ut then i didnt work so hard on my studies...
To reverborate on that, 85% would be threshold training, not aerobic capacity. Starting out with threshold intervals, 5 minutes is a good length repeated about 4-5 times. This ensures a gradual weaning into it. But it sounds like she's already doing a lot of that. I think she needs to focus on one thing, whether it be school or racing.iliveonnitro said:
It sound like it could be fairly easy for her to win nationals, and that could be a very positive outcome for the future. I would encourage you to race national championships then. Whatever problem you have is outweighed by training 400km/week. As long as your not sick, or tired; I would try to race. Try to talk to some race organizers and get help with traveling to races. If you can beat a lot of the men in these races, thats really encouraging, or atleast its supposed to be.
madammolecular - Tell your coach. Things change. School is going to make you money in the future, not bike racing. Also, if he really gets disappointed in you, then he is just using you as a tool to add prestige to his resume. Not someone you want to be around.
bikerboy - it was implied that she has been doing plenty of "aerobic capacity" work in her 400+km weeks.
/me thinks coach might be a fraud.
bikerboy - it was implied that she has been doing plenty of "aerobic capacity" work in her 400+km weeks.
/me thinks coach might be a fraud.
iliveonnitro said:
Most coaches are frauds. I do think though, she shouldnt just give up on cycling, the training weeks she's managing to complete is the result of structured training. I girl cant just make it through 400km every week without some good advice. However, you dont need to pay someone to tell you to increase your training 10% a week.
i have already considerate your suggestions and i feel much better .tomorrow i am going to speak with my coach,advices mean so much to me ,now i feel better and with no guiltiness if i skip my training...
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