Winter Training

royrogers

Looking for some guidance here as regards getting a decent winter's training behind me. This year was my first racing, done about 8 or so races, no points but never out the back either. Basically just rode as often as I could throughout the winter last year with not a whole lot of structure to it. What's a good base (or is it horse's for course's), when to start intervals, hill repeats etc.

Any advice much appreciated.

spoke2cun

A good set of lights and good clothing. That way you can train just as much as you did in the summer. Unless there's a long winter of frost and snow you should be in good shape come the spring. That's my simple plan anyway.

07Lapierre

Long steady rides in the small chainring. Concentrate on improving your cadence. Then in Jan/feb start some intervals and do shorter more intense rides.

All this from someone who knows very little about racing!

Bahra12

I'm going to go rather controversial here. This off season I'll be training with more intensity. Spent last October through December in zone 2 and got dropped like hot stone when racing began in March.

I lost way to much of my top end by going easy all winter. Took a while to get it back and started going well end of May. Not sayin you shouldn't do long easy rides but I think you also need to challenge your lactic threshold with longer 20-30 minute intervals at around 7/10 effort. Keep it aerobic.

Just my opinion of course and I say it cos that's what I'll be doing. Bit of cross training might be an idea also.

Welshkev

Bahra12 wrote: »

Spent last October through December in zone 2 and got dropped like hot stone when racing began in March.

I lost way to much of my top end by going easy all winter. Took a while to get it back and started going well end of May.

This is exactly the same as me. In fairness it was my first season racing, but it took me a good couple of months to get up to speed (ironically, just as there seemed to be a lull in races around June/July).
I'll be watching this post with interest, but I think the suggestion of putting some half-decent long(ish) efforts in is something worth trying

Bahra12

Yeah long rides are critical. I try to get in a good 5-6 hour spin at the weekend up to a 150k if possible. Loads of hills.

During the week it's working on the lactic threshold with intervals 2 x 30 mins at the moment but I'll see if I can work up to 3 x 30 mins eventually. I find these intervals (7/10 effort) done on the turbo increase the sustainable speed a lot. Their very boring though and it takes a lot if motivation to get through them week after week.

Come January I'll hit the high end with shorter harder intervals. We do these on the road during club race training practicing up and overs, rolling through, lead out trains, sprints etc. it's all about bike handling in a bunch at high speed. Brilliant race training, can't recommend it enough.

One final though - sufferfest videos can help with the boredom of turbo sessions. It might be worth looking into downloading some.

Beasty

Bahra12 wrote: »

Yeah long rides are critical. I try to get in a good 5-6 hour spin at the weekend up to a 150k if possible. Loads of hills.

We're talking someone who is just getting into racing, presumably at A4 level. 150km are in no way "critical" at that level. I feel I could probably hold my own in A4, and the longest spin I have done in the past 5 years is around 120km. I did a very focussed training plan last winter which never involved anything over 3 hours and I rarely did more than 200km on the road in a week (plus maybe an hour or two on the Wattbike). I felt fitter coming into this past racing season that I ever had before I would have picked up a little more towards the summer if injury had not already destroyed my season

What was critical in my own training plan was leaving plenty of time for recovery after harder spins/efforts

Andalucia

Was that an individual plan specifically for you Beasty? I'm thinking it maybe worthwhile myself to get a coach to do a plan for me, the internet has my head melted trying to get bits and pieces to suit me

killalanerr

Ah the winter training question and what is best ,first and foremost no one training plan will suit all,how you plan yours will depend on where your at now and where you want to be ,somebody @ year 3or4 will have a completely different approach then someone going into year 1or2
What i will say regardless of where you start form a structured plan is the best way forward,identify your strengths and weakness, set out your goals,work out the number of hour per week you would have for training be realistic about your time also keep in mind that you should not increase your mileage to much,now you have the base to start working out a plan
Work on your weakness be consistent include some intensity early in the plan and come march you will be blowing us all away
Easy

Beasty

Andalucia wrote: »

Was that an individual plan specifically for you Beasty? I'm thinking it maybe worthwhile myself to get a coach to do a plan for me, the internet has my head melted trying to get bits and pieces to suit me

It was specific with an aim to get me through the early part of the season, probably doing the odd open race but mainly IVCA and TTs. The second half of the season would have been very track focussed aiming at possible national, European and World Masters - alas a crash in my first race of the season put paid to it all. However up to then I am convinced I was better prepared than I had ever been and will be adopting a similar approach this winter

harringtonp

Bahra12 wrote: »

I'm going to go rather controversial here. This off season I'll be training with more intensity. Spent last October through December in zone 2 and got dropped like hot stone when racing began in March.

I lost way to much of my top end by going easy all winter. Took a while to get it back and started going well end of May. Not sayin you shouldn't do long easy rides but I think you also need to challenge your lactic threshold with longer 20-30 minute intervals at around 7/10 effort. Keep it aerobic.

Just my opinion of course and I say it cos that's what I'll be doing. Bit of cross training might be an idea also.

I'd say you're on the right track and not controversial at all. Look how triathletes train in the winter, it is all intervals and intensity.

Long slow stuff comes from the pro ranks where requirements (up to several hours per day for 3 weeks) are a world apart from A4 races where typical race time is 90 minutes..... and much close to a triathlete's race time.

Bahra12

Beasty wrote: »

We're talking someone who is just getting into racing, presumably at A4 level. 150km are in no way "critical" at that level. I feel I could probably hold my own in A4, and the longest spin I have done in the past 5 years is around 120km. I did a very focussed training plan last winter which never involved anything over 3 hours and I rarely did more than 200km on the road in a week (plus maybe an hour or two on the Wattbike). I felt fitter coming into this past racing season that I ever had before I would have picked up a little more towards the summer if injury had not already destroyed my season

What was critical in my own training plan was leaving plenty of time for recovery after harder spins/efforts

Sorry to hear your season was disrupted with injury. You are of course right about that distance being way to excessive for A4. I really should have said to the OP in my post that a longish ride 3-4 hours done consistently will ensure there is plenty in the tank for end of the race and give a chance of picking up a few points. The very long weekend ride for 5-6 hours is my own strategy for winter training this year as I have the time and enjoy it. I'm hoping it will give me a strong endurance base that I can build on in the spring. We'll see if the time investment pays off next season.

Stevo1983

Any tips on tyres for roadbikes throughout the Winter ?
My Gatorskins were ok last year but came of twice in the one spin last year 60k from home.
The 60k home wasn't pleasnt.

pprendeville

killalanerr wrote: »

Ah the winter training question and what is best ,first and foremost no one training plan will suit all,how you plan yours will depend on where your at now and where you want to be ,somebody @ year 3or4 will have a completely different approach then someone going into year 1or2
What i will say regardless of where you start form a structured plan is the best way forward,identify your strengths and weakness, set out your goals,work out the number of hour per week you would have for training be realistic about your time also keep in mind that you should not increase your mileage to much,now you have the base to start working out a plan
Work on your weakness be consistent include some intensity early in the plan and come march you will be blowing us all away
Easy

Hit the nail on the head there. Everyone is different and depending on what goals you have in mind then you structure your training to suit. A good place to start on how to plan is The Cyclists Training Bible. Plan out your year and then work backwards from times where you want to be at peak fitness. So for example if you have an event in June 10 you want to be hitting top form for you plan backwards from there.

Beasty

Bahra12 wrote: »

The very long weekend ride for 5-6 hours is my own strategy for winter training this year as I have the time and enjoy it. I'm hoping it will give me a strong endurance base that I can build on in the spring. We'll see if the time investment pays off next season.

Absolutely no harm in it - the more general point I was alluding to is that a lot of riders can manage at this and indeed some of the higher categories on a lot less but more targetted time in the saddle. If you have the time and inclination then great, and if it's working for you to deliver improvement in performance even better.