Training this winter

which is why they love you, non?

I don't really know what to do for winter training. It's the first time I've ever considered such a concept, to be honest, and no doubt may lead to some 'summer training' next year...
Last winter we just went out for a long (50-90 miles) ride each weekend, and that seemed to lead me into the season just fine, and that's what I was planning for this winter, to ride and enjoy it. Having made improvements over the summer I do wonder if I could/should do more/different/better than this? But as I've mentioned elsewhere I am a bit like a dog with a rabbit - show me the rabbit and I will chase it ragged, but with no rabbit I'm happy to curl up in front of the fire and do sod all apart from dream about rabbits. So all this chat of turbos and rollers just makes me go "really?! Nah...."

maybe I should try to address this motivational issue. But first I want to know exactly how many of the people who claim to be hopping on their rollers every 5 minutes really are doing that? Maybe you are? Am I really so lax because I know I won't be?

Apart from BMMF, I know he is because I can hear him trundling away, planning hilltop domination from the comfort of his turbo...

In my opinion you need motivation that is cast iron to ride the rollers or turbo. If you don't have the appetite for it then don't bother, as all it'll do is put you off riding.

If the training you did last year was good enough for what you achieved this year then I'd replicate it if I were you. You might want to work on your weaknesses (if you have any - I've not seen them!) but that's hard to do for track racing when you don't have access to a track for 4 months.

If the training you did last year was good enough for what you achieved this year then I'd replicate it if I were you.

But Stelle went from being quite fast at the start of the season, to being very fucking fast halfway through. I would imagine she would like to keep up the strength so that next season she'll go from very fucking fast to something better, whatever that is. I'd imagine its a combination of a bit of rest and a bit of hard training? But what is it the ideal? Thats the question.

She also sounds similar to me, in that as soon as someone starts talking about putting structure onto training (in fact I don't 'train', instead I ride my bike) then motivation becomes an issue.

I think a lot of my motivation is that the more I ride, the more I can get away with eating.
I like eating.

I wouldn't call it 'training' as I have nothing to train for, but the onset of the winter is happening at the same time as a change in my circumstances which means the amount that I ride has been massively curtailed, so I'll need to sort something drastic out. For the last year or so I was writing my book, which meant I would get up when I wanted, work for an hour, go for a long ride, work for another hour, sleep, then the minute the sun came out I'd go for a long ride, no matter the day. 70 mile ones about once a week, 30 or 40 another couple of times at least, and almost that most days.

I've just handed the book in and started a 9-5 office job, my first in 7 years or something, and am experiencing what most people must do all the time... and it's exhausting. I ride in and out of the office, a really short central ride, and that's it - the weekend just past I barely had the energy to get drunk, let alone go on a long ride. Coupled with the fact I've left my best cycling buddy behind in Glasgow. I know it's insane, but not riding as much is really depressing me. I guess that's just being a grown-up and not getting to do the thing you enjoy all the time. Maybe some structured 'training' is the way to go. I'm considering forcing myself out of bed before work to do Regent's Park laps.

I find it hard to get up earlier than I need to, but when I do and put in some decent miles before work, even if it is round and round regents park, I feel so much happier and alert. It is an amazing antidepressant.

I find it hard to get up earlier than I need to, but when I do and put in some decent miles before work, even if it is round and round regents park, I feel so much happier and alert. It is an amazing antidepressant.

You've inspired me. Tomorrow morning I'm there :-)

You've inspired me. Tomorrow morning I'm there :-)

it's raining tomorrow.

Apart from BMMF, I know he is because I can hear him trundling away, planning hilltop domination from the comfort of his turbo...

I haven't actually been on my turbo for a month or so. Combination of good weather, and needing to add specificity to my training.

But now I realise I could've done with a few more intervals.

But then again, I had to cut back due to over-reaching, and that possibly helped more than anything.

I do have a 40min thing planned on the turbo tonight though ;)

it's raining tomorrow.

And so it goes.

The thing I have found that helps motivation the most is having a plan, as in a yearly schedule of what training you think you need to do to have the form/win the races you want. Then break this down into phases, weeks, days then individual sessions, its much easier to do something if you know what it is you are meant to do....

Sounds like there are some secret dancers on this forum. Maybe we should have Forumengers come dancing or something

Well, I'm gonna put up my plan so people can rip it apart.

10 minutes spinning on the rollers every morning
2 or 3 gym session a week, beasting weights, with 2-5 minute spin bike session between leg sets
2 session of Capoeira a week for general fitness
1 long(ish) gentle ride a week

Whether I will actually do any of this is another matter, I suspect I will get side tracked, go snowboarding, get drunk and generally loose any gains I've made this year.

If you want to get quicker at sprinting you need to practice sprinting, just my thoughts.....

Specificity ftw

Doing the same thing every week for 6 months is going to drive you nuts; a training plan at the very minimum will be breaking things up and varying what you do every week/month and keeping things interesting. Endurance, strength, speed and power work can all be trained separately (I think??) and you just mix them up in a plan.

Record what you do and plot yer progress, if any ;), using something basic that hopefully shows you the more you do of x means you get better at y.

And with the interwebz there are so many free training resources available from national sports institutes to individual coaches and the training blogs/podcasts you can easily get the gist of what works and why.

A coach will give you the added value of something custom tailored to you but for now I think I'm happy with an OTP.

The problem is there's so much training literature and opinions you'd be sat inside all winter reading them?! I've used Joel Friel's stuff for a few years and done ok for road stuff but now his plans are disputed by others and the easy winters are viewed as less effective than throwing in harder stuff and resting better, more like what you'd normally be doing in Friel's Build phase.
Friel and others talk about lifting weights during winter but again their plans are road specific and you will probably want to be doing something completely for more explosive power.
It's all these questions that a coach can help answer. They might not be perfect but you can help you suggest training ideas. Talk about goals. Help you flesh out what you want to achieve next season and try and build something around your schedule they think will work. You then try this (adjusting along the way) and then you see how you go based on what you did and note things that do or don't work and then adjust slightly and re-test.

http://www.cyclingforums.com/cycling-training/420332-friel-making-fall-winter-training-program.html

http://ashwinearl.blogspot.com/2005/11/off-season-training-index-and.html

http://www.biketechreview.com/performance/stripped_down.htm

I'm at a loss for goals these days.. worried I won't have the cash next year to spend entering 'events'. It was knocking over these rides that was what kept me motivated. Without any special little trips away to ride I'm going to be doing a lot of nothing.. :S

hmm, nobody interested in working on upper body strength, then?

hmm, nobody interested in working on upper body strength, then?

for what event/s?

I came along to the track day on Saturday and I'd definitely like to get more involved next year so a bit of extra winter training seems like a good idea. I'd be up for some Richmond Park weekend sessions if anyone is?

hmm, nobody interested in working on upper body strength, then?

Planning on riding a hand cycle next year?
Surely your focus is legs and core and you'll find some residual arm strength comes from holding weights during dead lifts and stuff.

Good point, I still don't know what to try and focus on, I think I'm generally a bit shit, I feel a bit trapped by not having the top end gas to take the pure sprinters and not enough endurance to boss the enduro races, but being just off on both rather than miles off.

I'm thinkng I should run some home tests alla the Aussie instisute of sport to find out what I should try and focus on.

What do you enjoy more?

After RPM and JC's track session on Saturday I had a most extraordinary endorphin high which lasted well into the evening.

This winter I will seek to recreate that as often as possible.