snowroo
02-01-2010, 03:40 PM
I'm a 40 year old newbie biker. I've been biking through August last summer. In October I did a 52km single track challenge - slowly but hey I made it!
I've signed up to do an adventure race in mid may (15 weeks away). It's 30km biking, 10km run and 9km kayak. There's another race in June where I have 2 x 8km ish runs, a 10km bike, and a 4km kayak.
I need strength. I've always been a OK distance runner. I can do 10km (6mile) just under an hour. I'm not terribly fast, but I have good staying power.
On the bike, I die as soon as I have to push faster. I can get up hills, but no power. Still really working on technique. Bit the same way with running. I'm slow and die if I push it, but can putter away at a moderate speed aaaaalll day.
I do 4 cardios and 2 (pushing for 3) strengths a week. I try to get in a long run/bike (slower but building base - 1 hour) and a short run/bike (intervals, trying to build speed) - 4 cardios, plus somewhere another strength training (2 total). I'm also alpine skiing a couple of hours 2-3 nights a week just for fun.
I am going to the gym with a personal trainer once a week. It's half hour of "guided" cardio and 1/2 hours strength. She gives a great workout in that half hour, most is strength training in motion rather than using static machines. The cardio just feel like a warmup (but hey it's moving, right). She did have me box stepping and sliding (that slider skating thing) last week which was great.
I don't feel like I'm building enough leg strength. I do squats, lunges, but don't have access to something like a leg press.
I have the ability to join a big chain gym for cheap - $30 a month that I thought I might join so I can use their leg press. I talked to a trainer there, just to see what they have to offer. He's a mountain biker. He races during the summer, does quite respectably. He's telling me I should be at the gym 4 times a week, of course at a price for training. But would that not be too much too quickly? Where would I have time to bike/run/kayak. He also offered spin classes.
What do you think. Seems like a lot of strength training and not enough sport. I'd think the spin classes would be better than no bike, but wouldn't bike on the trainer be better than a spin bike? Would not that much strength training starting all at once be lending itself to injury? Is this guy just wanting to make money, or does he really know his stuff.
What would you do in terms of training for this event. Is what I have OK. Could I be training smarter? Should I switch trainers and go to this new guy?
Many thanks for getting this far through this essay. I appreciate your help.
I've signed up to do an adventure race in mid may (15 weeks away). It's 30km biking, 10km run and 9km kayak. There's another race in June where I have 2 x 8km ish runs, a 10km bike, and a 4km kayak.
I need strength. I've always been a OK distance runner. I can do 10km (6mile) just under an hour. I'm not terribly fast, but I have good staying power.
On the bike, I die as soon as I have to push faster. I can get up hills, but no power. Still really working on technique. Bit the same way with running. I'm slow and die if I push it, but can putter away at a moderate speed aaaaalll day.
I do 4 cardios and 2 (pushing for 3) strengths a week. I try to get in a long run/bike (slower but building base - 1 hour) and a short run/bike (intervals, trying to build speed) - 4 cardios, plus somewhere another strength training (2 total). I'm also alpine skiing a couple of hours 2-3 nights a week just for fun.
I am going to the gym with a personal trainer once a week. It's half hour of "guided" cardio and 1/2 hours strength. She gives a great workout in that half hour, most is strength training in motion rather than using static machines. The cardio just feel like a warmup (but hey it's moving, right). She did have me box stepping and sliding (that slider skating thing) last week which was great.
I don't feel like I'm building enough leg strength. I do squats, lunges, but don't have access to something like a leg press.
I have the ability to join a big chain gym for cheap - $30 a month that I thought I might join so I can use their leg press. I talked to a trainer there, just to see what they have to offer. He's a mountain biker. He races during the summer, does quite respectably. He's telling me I should be at the gym 4 times a week, of course at a price for training. But would that not be too much too quickly? Where would I have time to bike/run/kayak. He also offered spin classes.
What do you think. Seems like a lot of strength training and not enough sport. I'd think the spin classes would be better than no bike, but wouldn't bike on the trainer be better than a spin bike? Would not that much strength training starting all at once be lending itself to injury? Is this guy just wanting to make money, or does he really know his stuff.
What would you do in terms of training for this event. Is what I have OK. Could I be training smarter? Should I switch trainers and go to this new guy?
Many thanks for getting this far through this essay. I appreciate your help.