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Road Cycling: new rider trying to get serious

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    • CommentAuthorFree Membergrittsm8
    • CommentTimeDec 2nd 2008
     
    grittsm8

    Hello, i recently bought a road bike just for transportation, but i have fallen in love with riding it.

    I was just wondering how to go about training? I have read that when you are just starting you need to log some base miles just to get comfortable in the saddle, and on the road. In the last two weeks or so i have logged about 75 miles. I ride to work when i can, a 7 mile ride in, and an 8 mile ride home, and on weekends, when i can i ride as long as i can. Last saturday i went for about 20 miles, but halfway through my pedal broke, so i turned around.

    anyways, i am a little confused on how interval training works, and hill training and what not. so i was just wondering if i could get any advice? i am looking to become a better overall rider, so any advice will be great, whether it is saddle height, to a training program, it is much appreciated. thanks. (oh, and it is winter here in reno, mornings are low thirties till about 10 am, and nights cool off to the low fourties at around 6pm or so.)

  2.  
    kissofaugustan

    Start with making a longer route back and forth to work. You do need a good base to train from.

    Don't worry about hill workouts, intervals, and sprints just yet. I recommend you start doing around 20-30 miles a day for a couple months(10-15 miles to work, 10-15 miles from work) with the occasional long ride on the weekend or when you can fit it in (40+). Once you feel good about that then maybe increase your daily ride 10 miles longer and weekend ride 10+ miles longer also. 

     Interval training is best after having properly warmed up, you go hard for maybe 2 minutes and go easy for 2 minutes, and you do that...i dont know maybe 10 times? or for 30 mins? Depends on what condition you are in when you start doing your interval workouts. 

     I'm no expert, but i've done pretty well in the past. Just don't be a rush because racing fitness takes time and you don't want to burn yourself out. 

     I ride back and forth to work every morning  and evening and its usually around 32 degrees (give or take 10 degrees), like this morning was 20 but a couple nights ago it was 45. 

     This past summer i just started riding/racing again after about 4 years. I started riding to work (7.5 miles) and did that for a couple months and occasionally worked in a longer route and i'm still upping my millage back and forth. 

     

    Good Luck and have fun! 

    • CommentAuthorFree MemberKWellborn
    • CommentTimeDec 3rd 2008
     
    KWellborn

    http://www.bicycling.com/article/0,6610,s-1-21-16775-1,00.html

    This was linked in my recent Bicycle.com newsletter.  Pretty good stuff.

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