Looking for fitness plan.

mossie

Hi.

I just purchased a road bike in an attempt to improve my fitness. I used to do a lot of walking, but that's fallen a little by the wayside. I bought the bike because I used to love riding a bike in the past and also because a number of my friends have taken it up and having a group to participate in and encourage each other would help my application. A couple of those would be a little ahead of me in terms of fitness and I'd like to catch up before I begin going for longer rides with them.

I want to build up my fitness over the next few months and would hope by summer to be comfortably able to cycle 30km at a time and increase that over the summer. My question is, has anyone got any suggestions of a beginners fitness plan that would help me get there?

Just to give a little background, I'm 49 and in addition to being unfit have mild asthma which should improve with my fitness. In terms of nearby roads I have a 5km loop I can cycle which, depending on whether I go clockwise or anti clockwise, has a long slow climb or a shorter, sharper one and other loops that would be around 12km, 18km, 25km, 30km and 40km, all with a number of pretty decent climbs, and would be hoping to work up gradually through these.

Thanks for any suggestions.

not yet

mossie wrote: »

Hi.

I just purchased a road bike in an attempt to improve my fitness. I used to do a lot of walking, but that's fallen a little by the wayside. I bought the bike because I used to love riding a bike in the past and also because a number of my friends have taken it up and having a group to participate in and encourage each other would help my application. A couple of those would be a little ahead of me in terms of fitness and I'd like to catch up before I begin going for longer rides with them.

I want to build up my fitness over the next few months and would hope by summer to be comfortably able to cycle 30km at a time and increase that over the summer. My question is, has anyone got any suggestions of a beginners fitness plan that would help me get there?

Just to give a little background, I'm 49 and in addition to being unfit have mild asthma which should improve with my fitness. In terms of nearby roads I have a 5km loop I can cycle which, depending on whether I go clockwise or anti clockwise, has a long slow climb or a shorter, sharper one and other loops that would be around 12km, 18km, 25km, 30km and 40km, all with a number of pretty decent climbs, and would be hoping to work up gradually through these.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Just try get out 3-4 times a week and vary it between 5k and 20k. Simular age myself and started last year, you'll be up to 30k in weeks...

Just enjoy it and blog on here about your progress.

nilhg

I started 2 yeas ago from roughly the same position as you OP, had to stop to get my breath twice the first time I did 10km, but if you stick at it you'll be seeing improvement in a few weeks. Rather than focusing on the length of any one spin try to get your weekly distance up, a few short spins are probably better for you than one long spin, easier said than done I know but the mornings and evenings are stretching now so opportunities will come.

When the time comes to go with your friends don't be too worried if they are a little fitter, it's quite a bit easier cycling in a group than on your own and if you do come under a little pressure near the end I'm sure they won't mind you sitting in and taking a tow, the day will come when you'll get to return the favour.

Keep at it, for someone who hasn't had much exercise for a while (ie: me back then) the first couple of weeks are the worst but once you get going you'll be surprising yourself in no time.

joxerjohn

Here's a suggested plan below you could follow. (I have previously posted this in response to a similar question elsewhere on this forum)

I suggest rather than thinking in terms of distances, you should think in terms of time or duration of your cycle. Start off with the aim of being comfortable with 30 minute spins and then gradually build up your spin duration to one hour, two hours and then three hours in length.

A simple start up plan to follow for beginners over a ten week period could be as set out below.


Week 1 - 3 X Spins of 30 minutes each
Week 2 - 2 X Spins of 30 minutes and 1 Spin of 45 minutes
Week 3 - 2 X Spins of 45minutes and 1 X 60 minutes
Week 4 - 2 X Spins of 55 minutes and 1 X 1 hour and 15 minutes
Weeks 5/6 - 2 X Spins of 60 minutes and 1 X 1 hour and 30 minutes
Weeks 7/8 - 2 X Spins of 60 minutes and 1 X 1 hour and 45 minutes
Weeks 9/10 2 X Spins of 60 minutes and 1 X 2 hours.

2 hours on a road bike will be 45/50Km approx
2 hours on a hybrid (or MTB with thinner tyres) will be 35/40Km approx.

The idea with this plan is to get out three times a week for two short spins and one spin getting progressively longer with the goal of getting to a two hour spin duration over a 10week period. Don't be tempted to do the longer distances straight away as it is important to build it up slowly and to get into the habit of getting out regularily.

It doesn't really matter what type of bike you use initially and you could even do some of the shorter spins in the gym if you like or if the weather is bad.

If you were to follow this plan by mid- May you would be ready to consider joining a club where you could extend the duration of the longer weekly spin up to 3 hours. You would also be comfortably able to take part in the shorter distance 50Km sportives.

So best of luck, what's stopping you ?

mossie

Thanks for that. There's a 50/100k sportive in Newmarket, which is close by, on July 26 and we're looking at that as a target, most probably the 50k option but you never know.

crosstownk

Similar position to OP (I'm 44) but without the asthma. I walk a lot but as my two children came of bike age I got them bikes. I even convinced my wife to get a bike on the BTW scheme.

So I started cycling a bit last August with the family at a fairly low 12/15 km/h on my hybrid (so the kids could keep up) and then started going out for 20/25km spins on my own.

I got bitten by the cycling bug again. I used to race in my teens/early 20s.

Before Christmas I bought myself a half decent road bike and now I'm getting 50km spins in most weekends. I've signed up for the Wicklow 100 and I'll probably sign up for a couple more sportives later in the year.

Take it easy, stay within your limits and try to do a bit more each time. Slowly you'll build up your endurance and power. Be sure take rest days to allow recovery. Once you fall in love with your bike it's a one way street to bliss!!