Training Plan for first season racing

michael196 · 03-03-2013 11:32pm

hills maketh the man !!!!

Keep going Slo....

all cyclists suffer badly on hills

Slo_Rida · 03-03-2013 11:40pm

Ye had a good crew down..were you riding?
I'll have to practice a lot more to get strong on them, I might have to take up TT'ing!!

Hmmzis · 04-03-2013 10:22am

I find that on hills weight is quite a factor. Just getting rid of a kilo or two can give some noticeable results. It could be the difference between drifting back and keeping up on a climb. On the climbs tactics matter less than on the flats, the power to weight ratio becomes more dominant with each percent added to the slope.

If it's a short race (less that 70k) and it has a climb or two in it consider taking only one bottle with you, food will not be necessary and if a broomwagon is available then leave the spare tube, leavers and pump in the car. That combo can save you about a kilo in overall weight.

Slo_Rida · 04-03-2013 10:38am

Hmmzis wrote: »

I find that on hills weight is quite a factor. Just getting rid of a kilo or two can give some noticeable results. It could be the difference between drifting back and keeping up on a climb. On the climbs tactics matter less than on the flats, the power to weight ratio becomes more dominant with each percent added to the slope.

If it's a short race (less that 70k) and it has a climb or two in it consider taking only one bottle with you, food will not be necessary and if a broomwagon is available then leave the spare tube, leavers and pump in the car. That combo can save you about a kilo in overall weight.

Yes, I agree, I'm still at the 80kg mark and a lot of it is muscle, my body fat is extremely low (well it was low early last year and has certainly dropped since then). So after losing a stone, I think I will struggle to lose much more aytime soon. And unfortunately I have already taken those steps...1 bottle, no pump no food etc. I read Morisee's post on the Broadford race and he feels that that course comes too early in the season for him so maybe if it was August I would climb better. I definitely think I should avoid the out-and-out climber races for a while and get more experience racing the flat or slightly lumpy courses.

Opera_Leonardo · 04-03-2013 10:09pm

Stick with it Slo remember its you're first season. Apparently it takes years to build up the legs for cycling. It is worth trying to get yourself to the front (or near enough) of the pack approaching a climb. That way if you drop off you might still be able to hang on at the back going over the top.

Slo_Rida · 05-03-2013 10:35am

I've a few hours to spare tomorrow and I'm gonna hit the road. How should a body be training between 2 consecutive races? Last week I did and 8km run on the Monday and a relatively handy turbo session on the Thursday night, just about 45 minutes with 2 5 minute digs and one 100% effort ~30 or 40 secs. I am planning on doing the race circuit for the following Sunday, not too hard and not too easy and maybe put in a couple of intervals.
Any suggestions will be considered...
Slo

Hmmzis · 05-03-2013 1:19pm

Slo_Rida wrote: »

I've a few hours to spare tomorrow and I'm gonna hit the road. How should a body be training between 2 consecutive races? Last week I did and 8km run on the Monday and a relatively handy turbo session on the Thursday night, just about 45 minutes with 2 5 minute digs and one 100% effort ~30 or 40 secs. I am planning on doing the race circuit for the following Sunday, not too hard and not too easy and maybe put in a couple of intervals.
Any suggestions will be considered...
Slo

It depends on how you are feeling mentally and physically. If you are feeling coocked from the races then take it easy, do some z1/2 stuff with the odd form sprint and cadence drill. If you don't feel any fatigue then focus on your strenghts. After the first block of racing you'll know your limiters much better and that will help to figure out the workouts between the peaks.

michael196 · 06-03-2013 9:53am

there are laods of lumpy draggy circuits, not rated overly tough from a hills perspective

frank O rourke in Wexford a prime example, 2 long drags rather than hills ,

use those to get ur fitness higher while ur legs build up strength for hills.

Hill work builds body / core strength : improved core strength helps on hills... apparantly squats helps core building and strengthening

considering continuing strength work in between races ( pushing higher gears at lower cadence than spinning, uphills. u will be going ridicously slow, but ciricle the hill again and the second time up notice the climbing difference. Ur core kicking in

conside that ur racing isproviding ur high intensity works outs, and train the remainder of the week on the other elemenst of training : aerobic, strength , tempo, and specialist stuff: sprinting etc

Slo_Rida · 08-03-2013 1:56pm

Right. I went out Wednesday and did the A4 Ras Luimni circuit. 2 of 31km laps. Moderate effort, not crawling but not hard. I put in a dig for the last 1km of each lap which is the short hill and finishing straight for Sunday. The wind was quite a hindrance so it was hard to tell how I felt...ok I suppose. Looking forward to Sunday so hopefully I'll go well.
My car is sick at the minute so I've ended up commuting the last 2 days, 26km with a back-pack on my winter bike. I did a personal best of over 29km/h average so that will do nicely!

I can't wait for Sunday now, hopefully the lack of any ball-busting hill will mean I can stay with the bunch or hopefully try my luck/legs in a break, that would be awesome and a major goal achieved.

Slo_Rida · 12-03-2013 2:49pm

Right, a bit late but here's how I got on! I felt really good starting out, very comfortable sitting in the bunch. So much so that I was happy enough to roll around to the front in the early stages. I stayed in the front 10-20 riders and kept an eye on things progressing. I got boxed in a few times with fellas haring up the wrong side of the road and then cutting in but nothing too stressfull! Once, when I was boxed in I decided to go right out to the outside and power up to the front to do a turn and stay out of trouble but as I was doing this, 2 guys jumped off the front and I just used my momentum to go with them. We tried for a minute or 2 but the pack caught us pretty quick. Again during the first lap I went around the outside to get up the front and this time I just kept pedalling and 4 guys came with me and we tried for a km or 2 and got a small gap but it was short lived. I was on the limit just to stay with them anyway to be honest. But this took it's toll on my legs and when the pace went up during the second lap I fell away from the lead bunch. Eventually we got a group of I'd guess 12 together and worked quite well and got home reasonably quick.

All in all, I was thrilled to get a feel for what breaks are like even if they were short lived. I realise they are harder to be in than they look! Next time out I think I will keep my powder dry and see if I can sit in til the finish and maybe try my luck there. Either way I'm learning as I go and still enjoying it. I'd like to try another reasonably flat race and see how I get on in a finish.
5 weeks until my main race of the year, the Visit Nenagh classic. I'm hoping to get a nice bit of training in between now and then, lot's of hard hills! I'd love to make it to the finish in that one with my legs still in tact!

Anyway, another race down, more lessons learned and the itch for racing is getting stronger.

lennymc · 12-03-2013 4:18pm

Slo_Rida wrote: »

I'd love to make it to the finish in that one with my legs still in tact!

if you make it to the end of a race with your legs intact your doing it wrong

well done on your races so far.

Slo_Rida · 12-03-2013 4:24pm

lennymc wrote: »

if you make it to the end of a race with your legs intact your doing it wrong
QUOTE]

Tru dat!

Slo_Rida · 12-03-2013 4:27pm

Actually if anyone reding this can reccomend a flattish A4 race in the next 4 weekends I might do it...for kicks!
What is the Orwell wheelers race in Roundwood like? I know the profile is roughly a 'U' shape as in it's downhill, then flat and the lap finishes with an uphill. How bad is the uphill? I could do that one this Sunday.

Morrisseeee · 12-03-2013 6:36pm

Next Sunday's Carrick Wheelers Cup isn't too bad, there's a drag 1/4 way round and up to the finish line but it's pretty flat otherwise.
My file from last year, note: I clicked the Start button a bit late.

Silver Pail is on 2 weeks later in Fermoy, as flat as it gets !

Opera_Leonardo · 12-03-2013 10:00pm

Sounds like you enjoyed you're day out Slo. Having got my first run out on Sun, I hear what you're saying about guys coming round on the outside. I have been nursing a knee injury the last two weeks and didn't get any time out on the bike last week so not ideal prep for my first race! Held on for the first lap but the final drag of it was too much and I felt the knee give way. A lap on my own then the A4's cought me. Done two laps with them but again the final drag of the lap was too much for me and I dropped of the back. Not the start I was hoping for but good to get out and see what its all about. Another race this Sun so it will be interesting to see how that goes.

Slo_Rida · 20-03-2013 11:53am

Morrisseeee wrote: »

Silver Pail is on 2 weeks later in Fermoy, as flat as it gets !

Silver pail!?? Silver pail!? That's pure lumpy! I think I'm on Daddy duty that day so I probably can't do it anyway.

The Lucan GP this Saturday looks daycent...any comments?

Slo_Rida · 20-03-2013 12:02pm

So I'm off the bike since Ras Limnui. Partly because I want to and partly because I have to (busy busy!). I think a week and a half off is probably no harm but I really need to be getting stuck in now for a few weeks. The visit Nenagh classic is 4 weeks from Sunday and I want to be fit for that.
I have entered a team in the TTT the day before which will harm my progress in the RR but it will be worth it for the fun. Actually if anyone is looking for a team and is reasonably handy on a 28km course I'll probably have a spare place you can PM me. Only thing is you'd have to get down for a practice or (or 2).
So tonight the plan is a turbo session with 2x20 threshold. These seem to be all the rage at the minute so I'm gonna try one. It's good practice for a TT as well I believe.
Re this weekend, I have the visa from home to go where I like racing so it's either the Cork TT league in Blarney or the Lucan GP. I intend doing something decent anyway.
That'll do for now, I must keep this log more up-to-date by trainig more

Slo

michael196 · 20-03-2013 12:25pm

Slo_Rida wrote: »

Actually if anyone reding this can reccomend a flattish A4 race in the next 4 weekends I might do it...for kicks!
What is the Orwell wheelers race in Roundwood like? I know the profile is roughly a 'U' shape as in it's downhill, then flat and the lap finishes with an uphill. How bad is the uphill? I could do that one this Sunday.

May 5th Frank O Rourke Camross Wexford. Flat. Full max 80K for A4

Slo_Rida · 20-03-2013 12:41pm

michael196 wrote: »

May 5th Frank O Rourke Camross Wexford. Flat. Full max 80K for A4

Would love to but my friends back home have started a Tri club and are running a duathlon that Sunday. I looked into it when you posted/pm'd it before and I'd love the course.

Slo_Rida · 30-03-2013 12:21am

I raced the Lucan GP last weekend. I was flying and feeling very strong with 3km to go. Crashed with the others and broke my nose and thumb.
Great race and was delighted with how I felt pre crash so that was progress.
I've been getting a turbo session or 2 done between each race too which is good.
I got the cast off my hand Thursday morning and went out on the bike that evening to test the hand. It was sore but bearable so I'm gonna do Ros an Laois Sunday. Should be good aul craic! I'll try update this thing more in the next few weeks...

ratracer · 30-03-2013 11:45am

Slo_Rida wrote: »

I raced the Lucan GP last weekend. I was flying and feeling very strong with 3km to go. Crashed with the others and broke my nose and thumb.
Great race and was delighted with how I felt pre crash so that was progress.
I've been getting a turbo session or 2 done between each race too which is good.
I got the cast off my hand Thursday morning and went out on the bike that evening to test the hand. It was sore but bearable so I'm gonna do Ros an Laois Sunday. Should be good aul craic! I'll try update this thing more in the next few weeks...

Glad to heer the racing is going well Slo and that the injuries from the crash weren't too bad. Any damage to the bike? Reading the you're training blogs from earlier in the year and now the race reports has me already saying next year i'm going racing...

Keep it up

Slo_Rida · 30-03-2013 2:52pm

ratracer wrote: »

Glad to heer the racing is going well Slo and that the injuries from the crash weren't too bad. Any damage to the bike? Reading the you're training blogs from earlier in the year and now the race reports has me already saying next year i'm going racing...

Keep it up

Bike was fine TG, just twisted the brake levers so just turned them back and it was fine.
Well I had an ok winter training. I have a young fella so I can't be out training all weekend but I have just enough done to take part really. Maybe next year I'll be a bit stronger and so the same amount of training should have me a bit fitter. The racing is good craic though, highly reccommended!

Opera_Leonardo · 07-04-2013 8:26pm

I havn't had as much free time lately so I havn't been logging in as much here but just wanted to let you know I'm still following your thread.

Sorry to hear about your crash Slo. Glad to hear your back on the bike. It does seem to be a rather addictive sport, the more you do the more you want to do. Did you get your team sorted for the TT?

Slo_Rida · 08-04-2013 10:37am

Opera_Leonardo wrote: »

I havn't had as much free time lately so I havn't been logging in as much here but just wanted to let you know I'm still following your thread.

Sorry to hear about your crash Slo. Glad to hear your back on the bike. It does seem to be a rather addictive sport, the more you do the more you want to do. Did you get your team sorted for the TT?

How's the racing going for you?
Re the TTT I think there are plenty of lads from the club interested though I don't have names yet.

Opera_Leonardo · 08-04-2013 8:50pm

I have done two races so far but I had a knee injury back then so didn't get much training done for them. I just couldn't stick the pace. Getting a bit of training in now the injury has cleared up. Got 250 "good" miles in last week, happy days. I was able to put in a good shift and was strong enough to lead and push on for the last few miles on the 50 mile club run yesterday (Sun) and finish in the first group of seven or so home. So its nice to see some progress.

Are you back to 100% yourself?

Slo_Rida · 18-04-2013 8:51am

Ros an Laois

So I did Ros an Laois. It was mainly to make sure I was comfortable on the bike post crash and it turned out I was ok-ish. I never went to the front and spent most of the race at the back of the bunch steering clear of trouble. I had no problem staying with the winning bunch and did so until we got back to the village. There was no way I was getting involved in a srint up a narrow street and I sat up as we approached. My decision was justified too as there was a nasty smash during the gallop, it is well documented here on boards.
At least I was able to complete the race pretty easily while most of the pack were shelled out on that little drag in the middle of the lap. So it's all good!

Slo_Rida · 18-04-2013 8:58am

Oh and all I've done since Ros an Laois is a few training spins and 2 league races.
Week 1 of the league wasn't great as I was very tired going into it so I did minimal work and just finished with the group.
Week 2 was much better, I was able to work and finished strong.

From now on I think I'll just give a quick report on races I enter. There's not a lot of "training" going on now!

michael196 · 12-05-2013 12:51am

Whats the latest with u slo ?

the Frank o rourke

http://www.wexfordwheelers.com/index.php/2013/05/pics/

Slo_Rida · 02-09-2013 2:23pm

Bless me father it's been 4 months since my last confession.
Quick summary of Slo_Rida's first race season:
Lot's of races, not a lot of training in between them, 2 crashes, 2 nearly good finishes, one good finish.
I only hit form after I did the Wexford Wheelers 2 Day. I put in a good TT there.
The league races then started becoming easier so I was able to attack more and this brought me on more.
Then yesterday, my last race of the year, I did Ras Kilmallock. I tried a couple of proper attaks on Lap 1 but nothing was happening so sat in til the end. With 500 to go I went for the sprint and held out almost all the way. I ended up getting 5th place so I'm fairly pleased to have scored.
I just wish I had time for another race but family matters mean I'm hanging up the bike for this season. Although if there's a sneaky one-day on somewhere next weekend I might risk divorce and do it, ssshhhhhhh.

I must look back at my goals now and see which ones I achieved and which ones I didn't.
Slo

Slo_Rida · 02-09-2013 2:28pm

Goals:
1 - Compete consistently in club league
1b - Win a club league race
2 - Be competitive in more than 2 A4 races
2b - Score a point in an A4 race
5 - Complete Charleville 2 day and make some kind of mark eg initiate/join a break or attempt some kind of sprint finish or try for a kom type thing or something similar.

1 - Check
1b - No, but everyones a winner in the game of life

2 - Check
2b- Check
5 - Family matters ruled this one out but I did the Wexford 2 day instead and put in a semi decent hill TT so that was good enough! We'll say Check!

Training Plan for first season racing

Comments