Bike training.

My bike training, out of the 3 disciplines, is the one thing I am not sure about right now. I haven’t tested myself significantly in my build up so far and, as I am looking to take up to 20 minutes off last year’s bike split in Shepparton (2 hours 39 minutes), it is essential that I see considerable gains in this area.

I have a plan to achieve this over the next 2 months. During the next 4-week training cycle, I will do 3 key bike sessions per week, each with a different focus. Here they are:-

Ø  Tuesday – 2 hour session done on my wind trainer. I will warm up for 20 minutes then, in a medium gear, alternate 5 minute intervals. 5 minutes done at a high cadence up to 100+rpm and 5 minutes at a more comfortable 85-90rpm. This is to simulate a burst when needing to pass someone and get a gap ahead of them before settling back into my race pace. I will do the 5 minute intervals for 60 minutes, followed by some single-leg work. I will do one minute intervals as 1 minute left leg, 1 minute right leg and 1 minute both legs recovery and do a total of 30 minutes. Single-leg work is essential for me in order to work on symmetry, as well as developing the ‘dead spots’ of the pedal stroke.  A 10 minute cool down and I’m done.

Ø  Thursday is an over gear session. 90 minutes the first 2 weeks and 2 hours during the third week. I will warm-up and then do a series of 10 minute efforts in a large gear above what I would use in a race, with a 5 minute spin in between. This is to build strength and push my lactate threshold.

Ø  My third session is a long Saturday ride of 4 and ½ hours. This will include a long steep climb up Mount Macedon after about 60km. This climb is approximately 7km long with an average gradient of 9% with parts up to 13%. This ride covers the essential over-distance session, with the added bonus of a hard 20minute+ effort up hill.

The bike course in Shepparton is flat. It is like one large square so there is a few 90 degree turns but most of the time I will need to be down in the aero position. Therefore, most of my training will be done that way.

I will, also, do a 30 minute ride prior to my long Sunday run as a slight simulation to running off the bike and ride to work once or twice a week as active recovery.

The following 4-week training cycle will be slightly different:-

Ø  Tuesday – Big brick session with 3 – 4 x 30 minutes on the wind trainer at race pace followed by 10-12 minutes on the treadmill at above race pace.

Ø  I will have a steady ride of 60 minutes after my Monday and Friday swim and 90 minutes after my Wednesday swim. I will continue my pre-long run 30 minute ride.

Ø  I won’t ride on Thursday but my long ride on Saturday will be 4 hours with four 15km efforts above race pace.

This 4-week training cycle will be more race specific in order to train my body to ride after the swim and run off the bike with some ease and comfort.

Through both training cycles I will be doing a weekly weights session. It will be a power based workout using deadlifts, power cleans, single-leg squat jumps, stiff-leg deadlifts, swiss-ball leg curls, calf raises and skipping.

I am very excited about the next couple of months and the possibility of seeing big gains in my cycling ability. I am confident that, barring injury or illness, I will reach my goal in Shepparton.