Training Intensity for Starting Over



mgrides

New Member
Nov 26, 2014
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Hello! I am a former club racer/triathlete who has taken some time away from training to spend more time with my kids. I have raced as a cat 4 and done a few triathlons. At my best, I weighed 148 pounds and could ride 26 mph for 10-15 min intervals. Nothing outrageous, I know. But now I am 180 lbs and go for 60-90 miin rides averaging 17 mph on flat roads. I am planning to do a couple of triathlons next summer. Should I spend time this winter doing "long slow distance" on the indoor trainer or I would I be better off adding some higher intensity from the start? Thanks for your feedback and help!
 
I think it really depends on what you want to accomplish, lose weight, build endurance, get fast or all the above. Long durations on a trainer for me is an hour and a half for sanity purposes.
 
Good point. Goal #1 is to lose weight. Second would be getting faster. Even if I should be, I'm not too worried about endurance since I'll be doing short distance (1000 meter swim, 20 mile bike, 4 mile run).
 
Higher intensity from the get go. 2-3x 10min intervals, extending those out. Some group rides with short/sharp efforts or some short kom attempts, etc.

Keep it interesting, keep it fun, but definitely keep harder efforts as well, both longer, tempo/threshold stuff and shorter vo2 + stuff.