This is the first serious winter training block. Sufferfest training videos are hard at any time but a concerted effort to do 11 workouts on a daily basis is not an easy option.
It will boost CTL but will leave a large negative TSB - so end result , you will be fitter but knackered.
Saturday 25 January 2014
Monday 20 January 2014
Easier week
The training target for the month of January is a 10 point increase in TSS.
At the moment just having an easier few days before the Tour of Sufferlandria.
Above is the predicted CTL (blue line) for January.
At the moment just having an easier few days before the Tour of Sufferlandria.
Saturday 18 January 2014
Saturday 11 January 2014
Reason to be careful
The simple fact is winter riding is risky.
Sometimes too much so when it can impact a training plan.
The best advice I can give is just be so much more viigilant.
Black ice was the culprit. I thought it was a flat back tyre until I hit the tarmac hard. Nearly a week later and it is only just starting to heal and I consider my self with getting away with it as I could have chipped the bone very easily.
An injury like that would really have put all that training into the skip.
Luckily I have been able to maintain a training load.
Sometimes too much so when it can impact a training plan.
Black ice was the culprit. I thought it was a flat back tyre until I hit the tarmac hard. Nearly a week later and it is only just starting to heal and I consider my self with getting away with it as I could have chipped the bone very easily.
An injury like that would really have put all that training into the skip.
Luckily I have been able to maintain a training load.
Saturday 4 January 2014
How I Turbo
Picking the correct profile to turbo train to is actually quite hard.
No one wants to spend precious training time with wasted efforts.
This profile ticks all the boxes as far as I am concerned and I will talk you through the session as best as I can.
The session is split into 5 blocks of 'work' divided by 'rest' or 'recovery' periods.
The first interval is the warm up phase. This is critical to get right as it will decide if you will carry on successfully to the end.
Ensure the bike is in the small ring and a very easy gear to start with. Concentrate on easy pedalling but with a cadence over 90.
There are 5 steps with the final one at threshold level. Try to do this with the small ring. I use a standard 39. You may struggle if you have a compact 34 ot end up with the chain very crossed although that is not really going to harm the bike. After turbo training season is over you will be replacing the chain anyways as it willl have stretched with all the use you have given it making it unsuitable for road riding! Hopefully you have loosened up the legs muscles and prepared them
Phase 2 and you should be thinking of still keeping to the inner ring.
The opportunity here is to think about using a higher cadence 0f 100, 110+ if possible. Gear selection will dictate this range. A steady start but the extra efforts will be reflected in heart rate response.
Use those recoveries wisely i.e. shift up the block to your easist gear and just unload the legs whilst keeping the cadence up.
Phase 3 will take above threshold. Not for long but by the finish your heart rate response will be very noticeable. If not then you may have that threshold line in the wrong place.
As soon as it is finished ... unload , unload. I can't emphasise that enough. Racing is about recovering as much as actual balls out work.
Phase 4 is a 10 minute stint with 5 minutes of classic underovers to finish with. These will also find chinks in your armoury.
Phase 5 is also a classic of pyramid. The final thrash is as hard you want it.
Your heart rate should be going to its limit as close to max out as it will ever do in indoor training without the added surge of andrenaline.
Close down with some minutes of spinning out to recover.
No one wants to spend precious training time with wasted efforts.
This profile ticks all the boxes as far as I am concerned and I will talk you through the session as best as I can.
The first interval is the warm up phase. This is critical to get right as it will decide if you will carry on successfully to the end.
Ensure the bike is in the small ring and a very easy gear to start with. Concentrate on easy pedalling but with a cadence over 90.
There are 5 steps with the final one at threshold level. Try to do this with the small ring. I use a standard 39. You may struggle if you have a compact 34 ot end up with the chain very crossed although that is not really going to harm the bike. After turbo training season is over you will be replacing the chain anyways as it willl have stretched with all the use you have given it making it unsuitable for road riding! Hopefully you have loosened up the legs muscles and prepared them
Phase 2 and you should be thinking of still keeping to the inner ring.
The opportunity here is to think about using a higher cadence 0f 100, 110+ if possible. Gear selection will dictate this range. A steady start but the extra efforts will be reflected in heart rate response.
Use those recoveries wisely i.e. shift up the block to your easist gear and just unload the legs whilst keeping the cadence up.
Phase 3 will take above threshold. Not for long but by the finish your heart rate response will be very noticeable. If not then you may have that threshold line in the wrong place.
As soon as it is finished ... unload , unload. I can't emphasise that enough. Racing is about recovering as much as actual balls out work.
Phase 4 is a 10 minute stint with 5 minutes of classic underovers to finish with. These will also find chinks in your armoury.
Phase 5 is also a classic of pyramid. The final thrash is as hard you want it.
Your heart rate should be going to its limit as close to max out as it will ever do in indoor training without the added surge of andrenaline.
Close down with some minutes of spinning out to recover.
Wednesday 1 January 2014
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