Increasing My Endurance/Performance

[N_laplaca]

Hello all I am somewhat new to this forum and cycling in general. I just want to get some tips on what I should do to become a faster rider. I don't have any plans of racing at this point I just want to be able to hang with some of the stronger riders I ride with.

I have been doing some reading on AT and max vo2 and do have a basic understanding of it but I don't really know How I would go about calculating those things and how to put them to use if I did know them. I don't have a heart rate monitor right now but I did order one and should have it soon. I am 34 years old. I got my bike(trek 2300), towards the end of last year and put about 800 miles on in 1.5 months. I hope to ride much more frequently this year than last. the rides I usually do are very hilly so I have that as an advantage. I didn't have much of a strategy last year I just rode hard whenever I got a chance and I did get increasingly faster but this year I want to make every ride count.

I have no problem pushing myself but I have read that it's not best to always beat your brains out.I am not in a club yet but I do visit my brother in Boston and ride with his club when I can. Oh and if anyone knows of a club in upstate N.Y. I'm all ears. If I have failed to state any useful information let me know and I will be glad to reply with it. Nick

 

[ABogoni]

Is the stuff you read new because training strategies have changed in the past few years, and there getting more complex. You might of read about the 5 different zones, recovery (1), anaerobic, tempo, sup threshold, and super threshold (5). The only real way to calculate these zones is to go to a specialist.
But here are my estimated zones calculated form some book I read.

Zone 1 = 126 to 158
Zone 2 = 158 to 171
Zone 3 = 172 to 177
Zone 4 = 179 to .....(can't remember the rest)

I've currently given up on the whole zone thing but if you’re really serious about training talk to a guy how does in for a job. I just go by the old rule which is to rest easy ride hard. And if you want to improve interval training is the key.

 

[biker-linz]

Originally posted by N_laplaca
Hello all I am somewhat new to this forum and cycling in general. I just want to get some tips on what I should do to become a faster rider. I don't have any plans of racing at this point I just want to be able to hang with some of the stronger riders I ride with.

I have been doing some reading on AT and max vo2 and do have a basic understanding of it but I don't really know How I would go about calculating those things and how to put them to use if I did know them. I don't have a heart rate monitor right now but I did order one and should have it soon. I am 34 years old. I got my bike(trek 2300), towards the end of last year and put about 800 miles on in 1.5 months. I hope to ride much more frequently this year than last. the rides I usually do are very hilly so I have that as an advantage. I didn't have much of a strategy last year I just rode hard whenever I got a chance and I did get increasingly faster but this year I want to make every ride count.

I have no problem pushing myself but I have read that it's not best to always beat your brains out.I am not in a club yet but I do visit my brother in Boston and ride with his club when I can. Oh and if anyone knows of a club in upstate N.Y. I'm all ears. If I have failed to state any useful information let me know and I will be glad to reply with it. Nick

Hi Nick.

This is a very general query, and so kind of hard to answer, but here goes.
The thing to always bear in mind is that you need to be specific, and that involves setting some goals for yourself. If you want to ride with 'stronger' riders you need to understand how they are 'stronger'.
For example, is endurance the problem? Can you ride with them for an hour or more but eventually you just tire? Do you eat on the bike?
Are they just too fast for you? Do you get dropped on the climbs?

I'm sorry to ask all these questions, but the key to improving is to be specific about what you want to improve, and where your weaknesses and strengths are.
TBH, my advice to you this early in your cycling 'career' is just try to get some mileage in your legs. Heart rate monitors are ok, but mostly over-rated. Their purpose is to measure intensity. However, a very effective way to measure intensity is just by listening to your body as you ride. Try to maintain a pace that would allow you to hold a conversation and you should be ok.

Hope this helps, please ask if you want something more specific.

Lindsay.

 

[ewitz]

I found that Viagra helps with endurance and performance. Although I hear some people swear by Levitra.