Don't understand training jargon

[Stonechat]

HI

Signed up for London to Brighton for British Heart Foundation
There training schedule for intermediate cyclists is here

http://www.bhf.org.uk/pdf/intermediate cycling training schedule.pdf

Can someone explain what those intervals mean?
I have really just cycled and never trained to date though I have done 40 miles (on a hybrid) and road bike is on its way.

 

[cyberknight]

Intervals are normally where you go full gas for a set number of seconds then rest or hill intervals where you do similar but up a hill ?

 

[Dusty Bin]

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40011&t=12749048

That plan is a bit OTT for a 60 mile bike ride to be honest. All you need to do in order to complete L2B is just ride your bike IMO. Many people won't even have done that, and will still get round...

 

[Ernie_RBR]

Interval training is an excellent way to improving your fitness level / CV ...On your training programme 30/30 means go flat out for 30secs and then rest / go easy for 30secs .. I try and do 1 interval sessions every other week one at 45 /45 and 60/60 .. Hope this helps ..

 

[Stonechat]

OK sure my garmin (500) could help here but not really used to it yet

 

[Kies]

Intervals make more sense on a turbo or rollers

 

[Stonechat]

Well I don't have a turbo
Will try to do something like it anyway

 

[400bhp]

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40011&t=12749048

That plan is a bit OTT for a 60 mile bike ride to be honest. All you need to do in order to complete L2B is just ride your bike IMO. Many people won't even have done that, and will still get round...

wayyyyyyy OTT

In fact I'm struggling to see the point.

The object is to finish isn't it?

Weird. Sounds like someone doesn't understand cycling to me and has just assumed general fitness can be translated to a bike.

 

[50000tears]

The training plan is also set up poorly. Hills sessions followed by a hard ride the day after and intervals the day after that! Where is the balance?

 

[Dusty Bin]

The training plan is also set up poorly. Hills sessions followed by a hard ride the day after and intervals the day after that! Where is the balance?

Some of the back to back sessions are hard - but they're not particularly long, so I don't really have a problem with that. The plan is viable as a training schedule, but it is also well OTT just to complete L2B. Certainly if you are a new cyclist, I would be looking at something a bit less ambitious...

 

[50000tears]

Some of the back to back sessions are hard - but they're not particularly long, so I don't really have a problem with that. The plan is viable as a training schedule, but it is also well OTT just to complete L2B. Certainly if you are a new cyclist, I would be looking at something a bit less ambitious...

They may not be long for what an already fit cyclist would undertake but given that the people doing it are likely to be far less fit, due to them "training" for a 60 mile ride, it does not look balanced to me. I know after a hard hills session I need an easy day or even a rest/recovery ride day.

Also sprint intervals need to be done fresh not after two days training. Otherwise you will never get to the intensity needed to affect your VO2 max, which is normally the purpose of doing them.

 

[Stonechat]

Thanks for the feedback - well will do my thing - the distance is a bit more than I have done but doesn't faze me, climbing is more that I do normally so need to up my performance there

 

[Dusty Bin]

Also sprint intervals need to be done fresh not after two days training. Otherwise you will never get to the intensity needed to affect your VO2 max, which is normally the purpose of doing them.

Sorry, I don't agree. By definition, sprints are anaerobic - not Vo2 max. Given that in a race situation you are most likely to be sprinting at the end of a race, then it does no harm to do them on less-than-fresh legs. There are no sprint intervals in that program anyway. The shortest interval is 30/30, which may be hard, but it's not anaerobic.

 

[50000tears]

Sorry, I don't agree. By definition, sprints are anaerobic - not Vo2 max. Given that in a race situation you are most likely to be sprinting at the end of a race, then it does no harm to do them on less-than-fresh legs. There are no sprint intervals in that program anyway. The shortest interval is 30/30, which may be hard, but it's not anaerobic.

Yeah 30/30 is a slightly awkward intensity structure to pigeonhole accurately. At least for me. Understand the point of a sprint being at the end of big miles when competing. Don't know whether that makes practicing them when tired correct or not though.

 

[Stonechat]

I just want to
1 Improve my general endurance
2 Improve hill climbing

Both have been improving anyway under my regime of increasing length rides with hill content
Today (On the hybrid soon to be usurped by Felt Z95) I did 44 miles including about 1590 feet of climbs im 3 1/2 hours.
Pretty tired by the end though.