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A4 Racing Training

  • 04-07-2012 8:25pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,221 ✭✭✭


    Hey all,

    Just looking for some advice with regards to racing and training for racing?

    How many km's should I be doing a week? How much should be hills/ flats etc

    Also with intervals, how do you do it on the road or are interval sessions possible on stationary bikes? (I'm just looking for some suggestions for a, music playlist to use when doing interval training. I'll be going this on a stationary bike, not out on the road)

    Cheers


Comments

  • Administrators, Social & Fun Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 78,393 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Beasty


    How much are you doing at present?

    Have you done any racing at all (eg Club League)

    The answer to your question "how much?" is really dependent on you, your level of fitness and background

    I'm in A4 this year for the first time, having ridden club league and IVCA races for the past 2 years. I've been dropped in the 2 open races I've done, but they were both CPs with faster categories catching us. I'm hoping to give an A4 race a go later this month - I'm led to believe it may not be as hard as the Swords league, but we will see - a lot depends on the course (I struggle on hills, mainly because of my weight)

    To get to my current level of fitness I was averaging 200km a week (year-round) a couple of years ago, a bit less (with correspondingly more racing) last year, and it's up at around 250km this year, when I've started getting some decent results. Now part of that is because I have lost some weight and get dropped on the hills less often, but most of it is down to better experience and more miles in the legs.

    Having said all that, a lot of A4 riders get away with a lot less training than that (most are quite a bit younger and lighter than me though).

    If you've not done so already, I would suggest joining a club (it may be a bit late for this season though), see how their training spins go, and aim to race at club level initially - you'll then be able to benchmark yourself against others, and look to progress to open races once you are ready.

    One thing I will say - the more you put into this sport (in terms of time and effort), the more, over the long term, you will get out of it

    In terms of music, do a search in the main forum - there are a couple of threads on what others listen to on the turbo or bike, such as this one


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,221 ✭✭✭A_Sober_Paddy


    Beasty wrote: »
    How much are you doing at present?

    Have you done any racing at all (eg Club League)

    The answer to your question "how much?" is really dependent on you, your level of fitness and background

    I'm in A4 this year for the first time, having ridden club league and IVCA races for the past 2 years. I've been dropped in the 2 open races I've done, but they were both CPs with faster categories catching us. I'm hoping to give an A4 race a go later this month - I'm led to believe it may not be as hard as the Swords league, but we will see - a lot depends on the course (I struggle on hills, mainly because of my weight)

    To get to my current level of fitness I was averaging 200km a week (year-round) a couple of years ago, a bit less (with correspondingly more racing) last year, and it's up at around 250km this year, when I've started getting some decent results. Now part of that is because I have lost some weight and get dropped on the hills less often, but most of it is down to better experience and more miles in the legs.

    Having said all that, a lot of A4 riders get away with a lot less training than that (most are quite a bit younger and lighter than me though).

    If you've not done so already, I would suggest joining a club (it may be a bit late for this season though), see how their training spins go, and aim to race at club level initially - you'll then be able to benchmark yourself against others, and look to progress to open races once you are ready.

    One thing I will say - the more you put into this sport (in terms of time and effort), the more, over the long term, you will get out of it

    In terms of music, do a search in the main forum - there are a couple of threads on what others listen to on the turbo or bike, such as this one

    Well at the moment I'm over coming an injury and unable to train as my doctor won't allow me.

    I raced in the Limerick RAS this year(finished very much at the back), currently in a club, but only do weekly spins with them(when I'm not injured)

    Well I've cut myself from 15st 2lbs to around 12st 5lbs since xmas time.

    I'm looking to get myself to around 73kg, but I know weight means sweet f all unless I get the miles in the saddle.

    Can you suggest any good meals, or places were I'd be able to get meal idea's that are ideal for cyclists.

    Cheers for the reply


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