How to train for distance without injury?

[montage]

Use a 7 day routine.

Day 1 is a high mileage day. Day 2 is a recovery slow ride. Day 3 and 4 are medium distance days. Day 5 is the strength interval sessions and days 6 and 7 are days off.

After a few weeks, day 4 can be strength intervals day as well as day 5.

I try to arrange my commute to this routine, but it doesn't always work due to work commitments.
Monday, I ride an extended ride home.
Tuesday, I don't ride all the way, I drive some of the distance.
Weds and Thurs I take it easy and Friday, I blast the hills.

I don't reckon a 7 day routine gives enough flexibility for training...especially building up for races...what with needing to get in sprint training, hill training and TT like efforts in....that makes for three different types of intervals a week = overdoing it!

Anyway I need to stop thinking this far ahead and start from scratch after being off the bike for "n" amount of days (sodding knees) .... case of putting in lots of miles nice and slowly for a couple of weeks me thinks

 

[jimboalee]

The OP asked about training for a distance ride.
Let's consider a beginner signing up for a 200km Brevet.
I would recommend training starts 12 weeks before the event.
The seven day plan is employed to accumulate 1.25 x 200 km in the first fortnight. That's only 25km per day for 10 days out of fourteen.
The third and fourth week should be 1.25 x 200km each, = doubling the distance.

During the second month, the first day is extended to half the 200km, with a short, slow second day, followed by two 50km days and a hill session day 5.

During the third month, the 1st day distance is steadily increased until on the last week before the event, the rider can do 1.25 x 200km on the first day of the training week. This is to ENSURE the distance can be completed.
In the last week before the event, the 'Hill sessions' day should be brought forward to allow two days rest and carboloading before Event day.

Now not all 'casual' cyclists think they can afford the time to do this training, but if the beginner is silly enough to commit to a 200km Brevet, they should buy a set of lamps.

Pros ride 1.25 x a long stage distance on day 1. A short stage distance at slower speed on day 2. Stage distance on day 3. Sprint and hill sessions on days 4 and 5. They might accumulate 800km in the week.

 

[vorsprung]

Hi,
I want to train to ride longer and longer distances ...do i do lots of long rides where im taking it easy or shorter ones where im really pushing?

also, what sort of milage can i safely increment my total by each week?

The simple plan for this is to plan to do two rides a week (at least)
One ride is mid week. After warming up try to go as fast as possible for what seems a challenging but achievable amount of time.
The other ride is at the weekend and should be as long as possible. Throw in a few sprints or hills but generally this should be at a "steady" rather than fast pace

Increase your mileage by approximately 10% per week

If you want to ride additionally to these two

• if you want to ride the day after one of your "long" or "fast" rides, do an "easy" ride. Go so slow that old folks on shopper bikes overtake you
• If you want to add an extra "fast" or "long" ride then do it in the "gap" in your schedule. For instance if you ride on weds for the fast and sunday for the long then you might fit in an extra "fast" on friday

You may wonder what the reasons are for doing the "fast" ride although your aim is to ride "long". Raising your top speed means that at lower speeds you put in less effort. This means long distances are less tiring. To look at it another way, if you can ride easier at higher speed then longer distances won't take so long, making them more achievable

I am not a coach or anything but I have belonged to the AUK long distance cycling club for 5 years and completed many long distance events. So I think my insights on this are worth considering as they are based on actual experience.

 

[arallsopp]

Sounds like well grounded and thoroughly good advice from Vorsprung.

 

[jimboalee]

I did some hill sessio*s o* a* exte*ded comm*te last *ight. s*pposed to be doi*g a DIY 100 Sat*rday mor*i*g.

Withi* the thirty miler are a co*ple of 13% grades of abo*t the le*gth of a football pitch.

Really pleased with myself as I climbed the seco*d steady o* 42 x 21 ( 53" ) at 5.5 mph, which m*st be abo*t 34 cade*ce.
B*m off seat p*lli*g all the way ro**d.

The first was o* 42 x 23 ( 48" ) at same speed which is abo*t 40 cade*ce. ( that's spi**i*g for me !! )

Certai*ly did feel 'The b*r*'...B)