Power & Effort

[Peter Armstrong]

How do you manage power and effort?

I do most of my cycling a weekend like a lot of people, I got out on the Friday and do a smaller faster run, about 10-20 miles, then rest on the Saturday then back out on the Sunday for a long ride, 30+.

But when I go out for the Long ride I have no power in my legs from the start, I will be riding a lot slower.

I can tell as well because all my PB’s on strava.com are all set on Fridays.

Should I be pushing it so hard on the Friday? How much effort are you suppose to be putting into your rides? Is the Long ride suppose to be slow like in running on a LSR? What are the effort rates for each type of training? Advise please. J

 

[Rob3rt]

I would suggest you buy The Cyclist Training bible by Joe Friel and read it. Even if you don't implement it, it will give you a good understanding of how to train.

Google also will return lots and lots of good information.

 

[MattHB]

On the Friday ride your legs have had 4 days of rest, the Sunday ride only 1.

If time permits have you tried switching the longer to the Friday? You might find that a gentler, longer ride prpares you better for the faster ride than the other way around.

 

[Peter Armstrong]

Well If weather permits ill do a shorter ride med week so I’m out at least 3 times on my bike, Do I need the power though on the long ride on Sunday? or is a long ride purely a endurance ride? getting my legs used to shifting the lactic acid? I have it in my mind to get 3 types of training in, Long ride, Fast ride, and a random ride.

 

[Rob3rt]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Cyclist...0201/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344248971&sr=8-1

 

[Peter Armstrong]

Pay! Money! Noo!

 

[Rob3rt]

Then google "cycling training" or similar. Not trying to be a dick but this same question comes up fairly often both on this forum and other cycling forums, furthermore there is no shortage of websites or even youtube video's on the subject.

This is a case of needing to understand not only training techniques but also, how they apply to you in specific terms. It's a huge topic and it will take more space than a forum post to explain the physiology of training and how to apply this to your predicament. Short of just prescribing you something and just telling you to do it, which you wont understand the basis of, it's hard to summarise the answers to all of your questions.

TBH, telling you to MAN UP is about as useful as prescribing you some arbitrary training techniques.

 

[Peter Armstrong]

Then google "cycling training" or similar. Not trying to be a dick but this same question comes up fairly often both on this forum and other cycling forums, furthermore there is no shortage of websites or even youtube video's on the subject.

This is a case of needing to understand not only training techniques but also, how they apply to you in specific terms. It's a huge topic and it will take more space than a forum post to explain the physiology of training and how to apply this to your predicament. Short of just prescribing you something and just telling you to do it, which you wont understand the basis of, it's hard to summarise the answers to all of your questions.

TBH, telling you to MAN UP is about as useful as prescribing you some arbitrary training techniques.

Chears, No probs!

 

[black'n'yellow]

Well If weather permits ill do a shorter ride med week so I’m out at least 3 times on my bike, Do I need the power though on the long ride on Sunday? or is a long ride purely a endurance ride? getting my legs used to shifting the lactic acid? I have it in my mind to get 3 types of training in, Long ride, Fast ride, and a random ride.

'Power' is not really relevant. What you really need at this stage is better aerobic fitness. Put simply, that means riding your bike more often, and for longer.

 

[Peter Armstrong]

I also forgot to mention I run 3 times a week and swim twice a week too, so my base fitness is there.

 

[black'n'yellow]

I also forgot to mention I run 3 times a week and swim twice a week too, so my base fitness is there.

Your 'base' cycling fitness is not there. Don't assume that fitness in one sport readily transfers to another. If that were true, then your original question would not have arisen...

 

[Peter Armstrong]

I assumed, and was corrected!

 

[Andrius.B]

Your 'base' cycling fitness is not there. Don't assume that fitness in one sport readily transfers to another. If that were true, then your original question would not have arisen...

True...
your Friday 10-20 miles are just a warm up for a fit cyclist.

 

[Peter Armstrong]

Also I did a 12 mile run up and down a 1500 ft hill on saturaday, oops

 

[Peter Armstrong]

True...
your Friday 10-20 miles are just a warm up for a fit cyclist.

I dont know how you can say 10-20 miles is just a warm up for a fit cyclist, What if a fit cyclist was doing 15 mile maximum effort? Is it still a warm up then?
I've come from running so dont fully understand, but in terms of running, so correct me if its totaly different is like saying.

3 mile run is a warm up run for a fit runner, but if they are doing tempo work its not, you get me?