By Joe and Dirk Friel
Dear Mr. Friel;
As a serious, mostly self-coached junior racer I have a couple questionswith regards to planning my season. This past year was my first season racing(as well as my first experience cycling seriously at all) and I found shortlythat I had some amount of potential, winning the senior sport classes inlocal mountain bike races, and doing well in group rides. Encouraged by thismodest success, I began putting in substantial miles of training on the road.I ended up riding an average of 500 miles a week (25+hrs) for a little overthree months of the summer, all at very low intensity, except for the occasionalgroup ride and race.
Not surprisingly, I gained an immense amount of fitness (from being a relativelyunathletic snowboarder and hiker) in a short time. I won my first road race(junior state championships) after pulling a three person break to an almostten minute lead over the pack, with no knowledge of tactics and awful bikepositioning/handling skills.
I’m ready to start training again for 2003, with my big “A” priority racefor next season being Junior Nationals, on July 5th. While I’m beginningmy training in the fashion you indicate, by putting in long, gentle mileson an indoor (wind) trainer and outside when possible, as well as some plyometricsand weight lifting, I’m curious about where to go next. Specifically, dueto the truncated nature of my season (needing to reach my highest peak inearly July) how would you recommend splitting up the six months or so priorto that race?
My plan was to continue doing base training until April or so, incorporatinglocal racing casually in the early spring, then begin doing some intensitywork. I would taper in the week preceding my events (the national road raceand time trial championship events.) Since I’m so new to the sportI don’t have a very confident idea of what my limiters are, but the Cat 1& 2 racers I have the opportunity to ride with feel as though I havea lot of time trialing and climbing talent, but my sprint is horrible, andI seem to have trouble reacting to quick changes in pace.
Sincerely,
Grey Anderson
Dear Grey;
I will do my best to help answer your concerns but this is a large subjectto cover. With an A-race in July may I suggest trying to create another earlierpeak sometime in May or early June.
The reason I say this is because many times athlete’s second peak withina season is of higher quality than their first. The body has already beenthrough the process once before earlier in the year and adapts faster tothe peaking process. I’d also suggest reducing your total volume down from500-mile weeks.
As a junior you have a lot of abilities yet to improve and large trainingvolume can be a detriment when it comes to recovery and muscle development.Large training volume can also make your limiters worse if they happen tobe speed, anaerobic endurance, or power based. To figure out when tostart your base period I’d say to work backwards from your A-races. Betweennow and your first A-race add in a peak phase, then a 6-8 week build phaseand then your 9-12 week base period.
Between now and the beginning of your base phase concentrate on strength,speed/skills and endurance. When the base begins start incorporating moremuscular endurance, speed and force work. The build will then be a naturalprogression into higher race-intensity workouts that focus on your limiters.If you do not wish to work this all out by hand on paper please feelfree to try our software which is based on “The Cyclist’s Training Bible”book located at www.TrainingBible.com.By using this software you may find the answers to many of your questionsand concerns as it relates to you and your unique goals.
Good luck,
Joe and Dirk What to do when you can’t train
Dear Joe and Dirk,
I have been training very hard this off-season for the upcoming raceseason.I am about to go on a vacation for 10 days in Europe where I willhave limited to no gym or bike access in a remote village where my familylives. I am very committed to keep my current level of fitness and strength,what can I do to maintain or at least minimize my losses?
Thanks
Simon Alexander
Dear Simon;
I can suggest trying to do at least three times a week very short,high-intensity workouts to help you maintain your fitness. If you are awayfrom your bike for more than a week you will inevitably lose some bike fitness,speed and economy, but you can maintain cardiovascular fitness for severalweeks without your bike. Try to do workouts that are very short and intensesuch as running stairs, or up a hillside.
Try to elevate your heart rate to near your lactate threshold for short boutsof time. You may also be able to maintain strength by simply bringingan elastic exercise band with you which can be used to do resistance work.These bands are very easy to find and can be purchased at many discount retailers.They can also be used in almost any location. Even on an airplane!
Good luck,
Joe and Dirk
Joe Friel is the author of “The Cyclist’sTraining Bible” and a collection of other successful training guides, including those targeted to mountain-bike racers and triathletes Dirk Friel races professionally and coaches along with Joe at Ultrafit Associates. For related software go to www.TrainingBible.com, and for coaching services and a free training newsletter go to www.Ultrafit.com. Questions can be sent to WebLetters@7Dogs.com.