Training this winter

Or restrict binge-drinking to one night per week. Every plan needs some flexibility.

I gave up beer and lost a stone & 1/2.

Ive got a geared road bike this year, so im gonna be doing that long steady distance/club ride thang when i get the time, and the weather isn't too hellish. last year there was only a couple of weeks when it was snowing and shit that i barely rode, and i have much better clothing this year.

im also gonna get some rollers so i can do intervals indoors. intervals are never fun, but they do make a big difference to my riding ability.

Ok guys so what are you planning to do over this winter to make you a better rider for 2010?

Your saturday training rides again hopefully!

I plan to get the miles in this winter, get my endurance up and play to what I am better suited at. At least one long ride at the weekend and a turbo session midweek. That's about as much as I can fit in with work.

Last winter, I focussed to much on strength work and fucked my knees about a month into the season. Still factor in seated hill climbing and overgear efforts but miles will be the key factor. I'm no sprinter and need to train accordingly.

thanks for this thread its a great peek at how it can be done and how improvements can be made.

You have to train in the winter too? :-(

CX, rowing, and occasional road riding.
I hope to be around for the track season this year.

Give up beer, carry on the 1 hour swims in the mornings before work. Ride my polo bike everywhere for that fixie spinney work out and keep up the twice weekly football + polo league
Maybe the head out for the odd long ride - weather permit. but i lost my turbo so thats a set back.

You have to train in the winter too? :-(

thats explains a lot...

Your saturday training rides again hopefully!

I plan to get the miles in this winter, get my endurance up and play to what I am better suited at. At least one long ride at the weekend and a turbo session midweek. That's about as much as I can fit in with work.

Last winter, I focussed to much on strength work and fucked my knees about a month into the season. Still factor in seated hill climbing and overgear efforts but miles will be the key factor. I'm no sprinter and need to train accordingly.

starting this saturday at 10am sharp same place as last year, will be pretty easy first 2/3 weeks

Shall we try and set up a list of do's and don'ts to help people get started?

No's:

1. Wimmins
   
2. Sexing
   
3. Beer
   
4. Jazz fags
   

I gave up drinking 20 years ago and got fat afterwards.

I am very substantially thinner than I once was but would dearly like to be thinner still. I have issues with eating, hunger and boredom as well as a lifestyle that requires me to entertain clients to up to three meals a day. I am about to go on an 18 day business trip to Bermuda and the Land of the Free and Obese. When I return, I will focus on gradual weight loss. I have to maintain self belief. Everyone else just thinks that I am a fat cunt.

Shall we try and set up a list of do's and don'ts to help people get started?

Yes.

This winter I will be out getting muddy in the dark. A lot more mileage than last year. Turbo set up in the shed, needless to say that quitting smoking earlier this year has been a great help.

@cliveo - try to follow some of my advice, and go for the opposite of Alan Partridge's big plate. Small plates are great for portion control.

If you're with clients, and the restaurant only has massive plates/portions, take the opportunity to build a more intimate rapport by erotically feeding them morsels from your plate. It's a win-win situation.

WRT winter training. Am going to try and keep up a decent number of sessions per week. Although the motivation to do stuff when finish a long work day and it's dark is not really there.

I tend to work out what number of days i can fit in a proper session and what days i will need to stay in the office later and then arrange sessions around that. General plan is for 1 long ride at weekend (or two if i am really bored), 1 weights/core/body weights (pressups,situps etc) session, 1 turbo session, 1 regents park intervals session and hopefully one cross-training session possibly running or swimming just to mix it up.
And the commuting 4 days a week will continue to be as fast as i can go unless it snows.

I don't think training should be changed particularly in volume towards the beginning of the season...although perhaps the type of sessions should change. When leading up to a rowing competition our coach had us doing shorter sessions but with more intense brief efforts. And in fact the sessions then got easier and shorter in the last week before anything so we were chomping at the bit to get some serious speed in the actual race!

Weight loss FAIL.

Your body goes into starvation mode, metabolism slows drastically, then when it's time to eat, WAAAAAYHEEEEEY shovel shit down your gullet like your life depended on it.

Getting some aerobic stuff done before breakfast (but after coffee) is the only thing close to 'fasting' that actually works. Then eat a decent breakfast. Then graze little/often/healthy between meals. Carbs at lunch. Don't eat dinner too late. Be moderate with booze. Save those treats for after the week's long ride.

Lose no more than 1lb per week, or be prepared to put it all back on again. 1lb per fortnight is enough, anyway.

For me its all or nothing - in March I was 86kg by June I was 78 kg by September I was back up to 86kg - July August I lived on McDonalds and Hagen Daz - now I am back on the double cardio - step machine and training ride - x4 per week - that and I bought a fruit making machine - cabbage juice anyone - I find it easy to lose weight but I like periods of idleness too

I'm going to try with 2 to 3 half hour roller sessions in the morning, then a long sunday ride. If I get around to it I might build up a fixed gear for the sunday ride.

I don't think training should be changed particularly in volume towards the beginning of the season...although perhaps the type of sessions should change. When leading up to a rowing competition our coach had us doing shorter sessions but with more intense brief efforts. And in fact the sessions then got easier and shorter in the last week before anything so we were chomping at the bit to get some serious speed in the actual race!

That's tapering; same intensity but less volume just before a key event.

If you look (I know its bad) at that training plan thing I posted it shows he changes his mix of weights to riding and the type of sessions being done in each through the year though volume stays the same with lots and lots of recovery.

I think the one thing I will do is calm the fuck down on the commute and leave the really hard stuff /efforts for proper training sessions on ze toibo.

Oh and have a recovery drink/chocolate milk after every session; it works.

Oh and have a recovery drink/chocolate milk after every session; it works.

What after weights?

Just add tuna after the weights.

i always look forwards to my chocolate recovery drink!!!

I like the idea of getting a few sessions in on rollers - early am. Has anyone picked up any bargain rollers recently?

Would the neighbours appreciate a session on the rollers early am though? That's the question

They'd probably not hear a thing. Anyway, I put up with them doing DIY around midnight, and then galloping around upstairs doing fuck knows what at about 3-4am every fucking day, so who gives a fucking shit if they mind 30 mins low decibel spinning.

Mornings are for childcare anyway.