Training this winter

Well, my 40min turbo session turned into a 30min session (half of which was warming up/down). That's the way it goes sometimes. All I needed was something to nudge my VO2 Max 'pathways', and nudge my lower cadence (well, 85rpm) seated muscles in that context. No point burying myself, as I'm just trying to hold form. But I did do 10 minutes of arm/core work, seeing as I'd put aside 40 minutes in the first place.

I think you have to remain flexible enough in your training program to make ad hoc adjustments to duration/intensity/reps, based on perceived stress and exertion, and in relation to whatever competitions are currently on the go, or the horizon.

Of course having a coach who knows you inside out and can recognise symptoms based on your performance and attitude is the ideal, but for those without that luxury, a strong sense of physiological and psychological awareness is the best bit of 'kit' you can have. Some people achieve this through keeping training logs, and I think a diary of that sort is particularly useful if you're fairly new to the whole training thing.

Er, I've sort of lost the thread of where I was going with that :/

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.

Ive raced with you a couple of times and youre not 'a bit shit'. I think, if anything, you just dont ride enough track to specialise in either sprint or endurance (if track is what youre into) I would urge you to have an aim to get a license and ride the league next year (if you havent done this before)
In my (very limited) experience this very quickly shows up your strengths and weaknesses and can give you a very clear picture of what you need to work on, not to mention being the best way to get fit. Monday night race training at HH is ace, but is nothing compared to actual racing. I reckon you'd improve pretty dramatically.

for what event/s?

oh, nothing in particular! just general fitness, really. i know neglecting it and concentrating on my legs will make me a better rider, but i don't really want to work my body for just one sport, cycling. i like football, swimming, etc. i've never raced properly, and have no plans to. i do love cycling, but it isn't my life.

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.

how about a danger wank? family coming home at 6.00? start tossing in the front room at 5.55

Dangerwank and Penisfold.

I would urge you to have an aim to get a license and ride the league next year

Something of a recruitment drive - are you getting commission?

I agree with the need for some structure. I won't do anything other than weekend rides unless i make myself sit down and write some kind of programme even if it is only "Sunday - club run, Wednesday - regents park laps".

But currently i am taking on some advice and chilling out for a couple of weeks while deciding what to do with myself. I think I need to look carefully at how much I will ACTUALLY do rather than what I may INTEND to do. Hmmm. And for me it has to be really flexible as work goes from 9am-5pm some days to 7.30am-8pm or so on others.

I've been told that i may not be allowed to ride B cat next year at HH (oops) so should probably pick my pace up some to be even slightly competitive with the As.

Who told you that James? Might need to bribe them...

Something of a recruitment drive - are you getting commission?

Only in that if you want to get good at racing, you have to race.
But I can see how it seems Im recruiting. Its like ive sen the light and need to spread the word.... BELIEVE brothers and sisters...

be careful my cousin snapped his achilles tendon doing capoeira.

i am sure he was told that the stresses and flex he puts on his tendons cycling (he likes long cycle rides and did the london to paris ride recently) confict somewhat with the stretches and flexes involved in capoeira.

somebody please correct me if i am wrong in any way.

That's quite funny actually because, have not done any for years, I jumped back in with both feet so to speak, did a couple of crazy moves and strained my Achilles! Couldn't really walk properly over the weekend, although riding seem ok. I will take it more gently until I get my strength back.

I also have a new training plan.

'Whatever Miles does'

You failed in that plan last night then Guy by not beating allcomers on the rollers! :-)

Copying other people's training plans almost never works. Everyone responds to training load differently, recovers differently, has more/less free time, works at a desk/works standing up, etc.

I've been told that i may not be allowed to ride B cat next year at HH (oops) so should probably pick my pace up some to be even slightly competitive with the As.

Who told you that, and when?

I think it's more a peer pressure thing :-). Jason and Simon and a couple of other As are ganging up on me. Wasn't actually the organisers or anyone really official. Might actually try it though...although would probably mean not much winning i suspect and I DO need to get a bit faster first to make it worthwhile racing with them or i will just get dropped all the time. So that is my winter training aim! Get fitter and stronger enough to at least be slightly competitive!

Well theres no point winning the Bs constantly, wheres the fun in that?!

I have to admit, I love the turbo. But I didn't train today like I'd planned to because I had to lend out my bike again...feels like a lazy excuse. grrr.

"its much easier to do something if you know what it is you are meant to do...."

just to be perverse, I find the exact opposite to be true.

if I know it is "training" then I'll probably go off and do something else more spontaneous. I think it's because cycling isn't work for me, and my work is very self-motivated and so I have to structure that intensely.

Richmond Park - I'll start doing night laps in the new year if not sooner. need to check when they close the gates and shoot the deers first.

drop me a line when you start doing that Tom. I have a very bright light now!

I still want to know the definitive " how much road (and what sort) should a track rider who errs towards sprinting be doing in the winter"? if he can only manage 3 big sessions in a week, at least 1 of which is weights..

If you can only fit in 3 sessions a week dont bother with weights

I'm not including active recovery in that, I'd probably be able to do more, but 3 would be a realistic amount if work is busy this winter.

As I may have mentioned before, the weights are the thing I do have time for, I can do that without advance planning. I could do three weights sessions per week, but would probably only manage one road ride (on a saturday or sunday) then I would fit rollers/turbo around that.

To do road work only would be difficult, I don't have the time to get kitted up and ride out in the dark all the time, yet I can do an hour's weights most evenings provided I am at home.

an hour on the rollers or turbo would be more benificial

hmmm, well I do rollers after weights usually. I'm loathe to give up on weights because they have really sorted my back and core out, I don't get back trouble any more.

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?

Jumping on the rollers with the stereo on, or putting up squat stands and loading the bar is a darn sight easier for me to get motivated for than actually riding a bike, especially on the road in the winter.

Despite the time benefit of not having to leave the house, there's the other factors like traffic, weather, kit etc that add up and weigh-in on the training in a big way.

I am unashamedly lazy when it comes to road riding, but rollers/turbo/weights is just me Vs them, I have nothing to put me off and can push myself hard.