Long post warning! Newbie to road bikes here. Real ones that is, I spent my childhood between my Columbia 3 spd and Dad's Raleigh, then picked up a $25 tag sale 10 spd to tool around in when I moved out of the house. That was replaced by a Huffy hybrid in the mid-90's and last year I started mountain biking (bought a Haro for that). DH gave himself a nice road bike for xmas and I'd really like to train and ride with him. His goal is to do a century this year (but not necessarily a race).
Now to training. I have the Huffy on an old wind trainer and he has his new bike on a new magnetic trainer.
I bought Sally Edwards book on indoor/outdoor cycling training (had her heart rate monitor book already) but am a little disappointed on the structure of training, ie I don't think there is much structure at all. The workouts are great, I just don't know if I should be doing them in a particular order.
This is what I use for weight training at the gym: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0679754814/ref=pd_cpt_gw_2/102-6222926-8050556 (plus the abs, shoulders etc books). They have very detailed workout plans in them. I'm very detailed oriented, but have a hard time starting something new and making a plan. Hence my disappointment in the Sally E book.
I also looked at the Training Bibles by Joe Friel and they seemed a little better but realize I should read them a bunch of times before they make complete sense.
So in your collective wisdom, what do you think is a decent direction to go in? I like doing the different workouts (they keep me from getting bored). I understand the importance of varying workouts, in length and intensity. I painfully showed that to myself by "training" myself to do 30 minute step classes and then trying a 45 min one.
Should I continue with the Edwards workouts or is there something else I should be reading? My goal is really to keep up with DH. He seems to be working more on building seat time right now, he's up to 90 mins or so (I'm still around 45 max from a weird work schedule and a knee acting up a bit).
We also went to the LBS the other night and they started to fit me to a Cannondale, I think it was the R500. Feels nice. Not sure of the possibility of an outside ride with the weather up here in the northeast. I am not planning on spending a fortune on my first road bike (although the price does seem like a fortune to me LOL).
Thanks for any advice, sorry for the length!
Diane
Now to training. I have the Huffy on an old wind trainer and he has his new bike on a new magnetic trainer.
I bought Sally Edwards book on indoor/outdoor cycling training (had her heart rate monitor book already) but am a little disappointed on the structure of training, ie I don't think there is much structure at all. The workouts are great, I just don't know if I should be doing them in a particular order.
This is what I use for weight training at the gym: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0679754814/ref=pd_cpt_gw_2/102-6222926-8050556 (plus the abs, shoulders etc books). They have very detailed workout plans in them. I'm very detailed oriented, but have a hard time starting something new and making a plan. Hence my disappointment in the Sally E book.
I also looked at the Training Bibles by Joe Friel and they seemed a little better but realize I should read them a bunch of times before they make complete sense.
So in your collective wisdom, what do you think is a decent direction to go in? I like doing the different workouts (they keep me from getting bored). I understand the importance of varying workouts, in length and intensity. I painfully showed that to myself by "training" myself to do 30 minute step classes and then trying a 45 min one.
Should I continue with the Edwards workouts or is there something else I should be reading? My goal is really to keep up with DH. He seems to be working more on building seat time right now, he's up to 90 mins or so (I'm still around 45 max from a weird work schedule and a knee acting up a bit).
We also went to the LBS the other night and they started to fit me to a Cannondale, I think it was the R500. Feels nice. Not sure of the possibility of an outside ride with the weather up here in the northeast. I am not planning on spending a fortune on my first road bike (although the price does seem like a fortune to me LOL).
Thanks for any advice, sorry for the length!
Diane