Start training for major event next year

[2pies]

Hi all. I've been a member of this forum for about 10 years but really only come here when I'm looking to buy a new bike. I've now decided to change my cycling habits a bit and would like some advice from some knowledgeable people here. Thanks in advance!

I'm in my late 40s and have always thought of myself as being in fairly good health, not overweight and quit smoking at least 5 years ago. I tend to do a medium length club ride (60k ish) on Sundays and, weather permitting, do a ride or two before work on my own for an hour (25k) . That has broadly served me well for the last 10 years and when I did a tour of the Pyrenees this year with some work colleagues I thought I'd be fine. I was wrong. My fitness levels weren't what I thought they would be and I really struggled. I've now signed up to another tour next year, this time in the Dolemites, and want to up my game for it.

I think it's more than just getting the miles in though, as that's what I did last year. Aside from cycling I don't do any other kind of exercise, so I expect my core strength is pretty poor and flexibility is terrible. Improving both would probably help. Also, my diet isn't perfect. I try to eat fruit and veg each day, but that's often just an apple with lunch and a green vegetable as part of dinner. I also eat a lot of sugary foods and drink a little more alcohol than is recommended (probably 25 units a week, if I'm honest).

So, I want to start the new year off in a positive way and give myself at least 6 months to prepare for the event in July, but also make some more permanent changes to my health. Of course, it's difficult to know where to start. My general thoughts are:

1. Join a gym and try to focus on some exercises that will help with core strength, a balance of weights and light cardio like rowing machine. Maybe do a yoga class or just stretches on floor mats.
2. Try to change my diet a little to have a healthier start to the day, rather than cereals and toast. Drink less and cut down on the chocolate.
3. Continue with the cycling, but maybe mix in a few HIIT training sessions at the gym (I don't have an expensive turbo trainer at home and don't really have the space for it).

Does that sound like a plan or am I missing a trick here?

Also, any recommendations for books, YouTube subscriptions or paid video content that would help with those. I'd love to have a personal trainer that could spend the time to guide me through all of this but I don't think I could afford that and the gym membership. Or would one session be really helpful?

Cheers

 

[HLaB]

Hi all. I've been a member of this forum for about 10 years but really only come here when I'm looking to buy a new bike. I've now decided to change my cycling habits a bit and would like some advice from some knowledgeable people here. Thanks in advance!

I'm in my late 40s and have always thought of myself as being in fairly good health, not overweight and quit smoking at least 5 years ago. I tend to do a medium length club ride (60k ish) on Sundays and, weather permitting, do a ride or two before work on my own for an hour (25k) . That has broadly served me well for the last 10 years and when I did a tour of the Pyrenees this year with some work colleagues I thought I'd be fine. I was wrong. My fitness levels weren't what I thought they would be and I really struggled. I've now signed up to another tour next year, this time in the Dolemites, and want to up my game for it.

I think it's more than just getting the miles in though, as that's what I did last year. Aside from cycling I don't do any other kind of exercise, so I expect my core strength is pretty poor and flexibility is terrible. Improving both would probably help. Also, my diet isn't perfect. I try to eat fruit and veg each day, but that's often just an apple with lunch and a green vegetable as part of dinner. I also eat a lot of sugary foods and drink a little more alcohol than is recommended (probably 25 units a week, if I'm honest).

So, I want to start the new year off in a positive way and give myself at least 6 months to prepare for the event in July, but also make some more permanent changes to my health. Of course, it's difficult to know where to start. My general thoughts are:

1. Join a gym and try to focus on some exercises that will help with core strength, a balance of weights and light cardio like rowing machine. Maybe do a yoga class or just stretches on floor mats.
2. Try to change my diet a little to have a healthier start to the day, rather than cereals and toast. Drink less and cut down on the chocolate.
3. Continue with the cycling, but maybe mix in a few HIIT training sessions at the gym (I don't have an expensive turbo trainer at home and don't really have the space for it).

Does that sound like a plan or am I missing a trick here?

Also, any recommendations for books, YouTube subscriptions or paid video content that would help with those. I'd love to have a personal trainer that could spend the time to guide me through all of this but I don't think I could afford that and the gym membership. Or would one session be really helpful?

Cheers

Get yourself on a Training Plan, you don't need an expensive turbore, just a cheap one and use RPE (Rate of Perceived Effort) or virtual power. That's probably the biggest trick you are missing. Trainer Road do some good plans and virtual power but its a subscription, that's the package I use, I think you can get them free or cheaper elsewhere. Number 2 in your list won't do much harm either. Good luck!

 

[Jameshow]

If you can, running is a good high intensity exercise.

You'll get more fitness per hour than cycling gym or swimming etc.

It's also free.

Not everyone can or wants to run though.

Just doing more is sure to help.

Also do a hill session on the bike.

Find a hill and ride up it and down again and again for an hour... Will prep you like nothing else.

 

[CXRAndy]

You've covered what you need to do and what not.

Get lots of Z2 miles in, building up to longer and more regular riding.

Your diet is terrible. Cut out all the sugars, alcohol and reduce fruit to absolute minimum.

Eat high fat, medium protein and leafy vegetables based diet This will after about 2 weeks help your body switch over to burning body fat for fuel.

Low carb high fat diet LCHF do some research.

You become fat adapted -able to access over 200000 calories of the fat you have stored.

Doing multi day tours is all about riding steady state for many hours.

When you become fat adapted

You won't need to rely so much on sugars while riding, only to the later part of the day.


I've done several multiday tours in Tenerife, and the Alps. I trained solely on a turbo using a 16 week training plan with Trainer road. My biggest ride was 3 hours on the turbo.

I had a strict diet of good food, very little carbohydrates. Only drank water whilst on the bike. I lost a fair bit of weight which also helps with cycling up mountains

I only took carbs when riding on the tour days when I began to feel tired later on each day. This was like rocket fuel having abstained for 16 weeks beforehand.

I coped extremely well, riding upto 8 hours per day ate loads of food, mainly fatty foods , steak. I did have a bit of carbs but most of my intake fats/proteins

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Am I understanding correctly that your currently typical weekly routine is two 25km rides during the week and the 60km club run on a Sunday? Is this every week and consistent?

You said you struggled on your tour. In what way did you struggle?

I’ll also ask if you tried to keep up with others fitter than yourself on your tour? That’s a recipe for disaster.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Oh and 25 units of alcohol a week isn’t a little bit over the maximum recommended healthy intake of alcohol, it’s way over 14 units.

 

[cougie uk]

60k on a Sunday isn't exactly a huge ride.
How far were you riding in the mountains ?
What did your riding pals do - the ones who didn't struggle ? I'd just take a leaf out of their books.

Riding mountains is hard. You have to put a bit of effort in on your rides. You can make a huge difference over the next 6 months.

 

[2pies]

Get yourself on a Training Plan, you don't need an expensive turbore, just a cheap one and use RPE (Rate of Perceived Effort) or virtual power. That's probably the biggest trick you are missing. Trainer Road do some good plans and virtual power but its a subscription, that's the package I use, I think you can get them free or cheaper elsewhere. Number 2 in your list won't do much harm either. Good luck!

OK, I'll look into that. Turbo is just so unbearably dull. At least a gym varies the equipment and offers the chance of meeting others, could go with the mrs.

 

[2pies]

If you can, running is a good high intensity exercise.

You'll get more fitness per hour than cycling gym or swimming etc.

It's also free.

Not everyone can or wants to run though.

Just doing more is sure to help.

Also do a hill session on the bike.

Find a hill and ride up it and down again and again for an hour... Will prep you like nothing else.

Not a fan of running, find it too hard on knees and back. Treadmill is bearable though so that could be a HIIT once a week.

Yes, there is a nice 2k climb very near me, so planning to do some reps of it.

 

[2pies]

Oh and 25 units of alcohol a week isn’t a little bit over the maximum recommended healthy intake of alcohol, it’s way over 14 units.

Yeah, not great. Covid, boredom, stress at work etc.

Should be easy to cut down. In the past I have cut out beer altogether for a month and the weight falls off.

I'll def. do a dry Jan.

 

[2pies]

Am I understanding correctly that your currently typical weekly routine is two 25km rides during the week and the 60km club run on a Sunday? Is this every week and consistent?

You said you struggled on your tour. In what way did you struggle?

I’ll also ask if you tried to keep up with others fitter than yourself on your tour? That’s a recipe for disaster.

Yes, 100k a week average. I got up to 200k in the weeks preceding the ride this year. Hard to do any more than that, while working and family life.

I struggled in the second half of the day. I managed the first col OK, 2nd was hard, third was impossible. Tried to ride at a steady pace, not with others. Just had no energy despite eating bananas, drinking water etc.

 

[HLaB]

OK, I'll look into that. Turbo is just so unbearably dull. At least a gym varies the equipment and offers the chance of meeting others, could go with the mrs.

I would have said similar a few years ago (I nickname it a Turbore) but once I got into interval training and a structured plan it's not an issue, you're too busy focussing on a countdown timer and HR and it varies often. Virtual power or even power make it less of an issue again when you're too busy focusing on watts, the timer and maybe HR.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Yes, 100k a week average. I got up to 200k in the weeks preceding the ride this year. Hard to do any more than that, while working and family life.

If you can’t find time for more frequency and volume, you’re going to struggle to increase your cycling fitness. The drinking won’t help as that’s blunt any improvements.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I struggled in the second half of the day.

Did you wear a heart rate monitor, how did you pace the day, and how far were the days?

 

[cougie uk]

Yes, 100k a week average. I got up to 200k in the weeks preceding the ride this year. Hard to do any more than that, while working and family life.

I struggled in the second half of the day. I managed the first col OK, 2nd was hard, third was impossible. Tried to ride at a steady pace, not with others. Just had no energy despite eating bananas, drinking water etc.

You might have tired yourself out jumping up to 200k for the few weeks before.

I'd go for energy drink rather than water in the bottle.