How to Start Training?

[li10up]

The full title should be "How to start training for someone who hates training?" I hate "exercise" but I like to play. What I mean is I hate stationary bikes, treadmills, rowing machines, stair-climbers, etc. But I love to play...ie, racquetball, volleyball, softball, bike riding, etc. I can play for hours but when I exercise I'm ready to quit in like 10 minutes.

On the other side of that coin is me being tired of being the worst rider in the group. The Sat. morning easy/beginner ride I lead is the only time I'm not the slowest rider. When I ride with my bike friends they are all stronger than me. This is good because I am getting better. But I'm not getting better fast enough. It would be nice for me to be able to pull into the wind for a change rather than having to sit on all the time.

I used to ride alone but now I've found I prefer the company. But I probably need to ride alone at least once a week to do some training. So, what can I do - and I'm talking baby steps here - to start training. Once I get out there any thoughts of training are gone and I just decide to ride for fun. I really need some help on how to start training for someone who hates that type of stuff.

Anyone have some advice for me? Remember - BABY STEPS.

[Veronica]

Do you have a local ride that you just like to do? Turn it into a training ride. Time yourself on it, pick certain parts of it where you'll work on different things.

V.

[li10up]

On the local rides I'm just trying to stay caught up.

[Veronica]

I meant go out and ride them by yourself.

V.

[RoadRaven]

If this was one of my students telling me they 'can't' write essays, or that theory is 'too hard' to understand, I would tell them to change the messages and explain how we can change the way we think by repeating something every day for a few weeks - even something we don't believe - and our brain will begin to believe the words we say... kinda like self-imposed brain-washing.

Veronica has given great advice. Start with a course you enjoy and make the ride a specific ride.

You want to get faster to stay with a group... I am guessing you need to increase your hearts ability to work at a higher power output. Intervals are a one way to do this. So make one ride a week a specific training ride, and if you choose intervals, then start with 2-3 intervals during that ride.

Ride as hard as you can for a minute and then rest for a minute then repeat.

Ideally you should work up to riding as hard as you can (if you use a HR monitor, ride into - or as near as possible to - your lactate threshold zone and stay there for 3mins, resting still for only one and repeat about 6-7 times. Its exhausting, but it is one way to improve pack-riding skills on a solo training ride.

Like V says, just start with one ride a week and vefore and during that ride, change the messages you are telling yourself.

Stop telling yourself you hate training. Start telling yourself, this ride might be tough but I will not keep getting dropped. Training rides build my mental toughness, not just my legs. I am an athelete and one thing atheletes do is ride with a purpose.

When you are ready to make a second ride a week a training ride, do it with one of your faster friends. Ask them to ride just above what you feel is your top comfortable speed (they sit at that speed, no surging or slowing) and you just hang on and sit behind them. This is a great way to improve your speed. Not only do your legs learn to go faster and push harder, you get a psychological edge... because suddenly you know you CAN ride at that speed and that is a great thing to know.

Yes... baby steps... yes... time... but if you make even one ride a week specific, you'll find it easier to achieve your goal.

[li10up]

RoadRaven - I'm not saying I can't do it; I'm saying I don't like to do it. I don't enjoy it. And since I'm a grownup (sort of) nobody can make me do it. You have some very good points/suggestions. But I was hoping for some suggestions to make it fun at first and then maybe I might actually sort of enjoy "training rides." Intervals, and heart rates and training zones and thresholds...yuk...just makes me want to go watch TV instead. I quit wearing my heart rate monitor just because I kept watching it all the time and wasn't enjoying my rides. Once I took it off I enjoyed my rides a lot more.

I've been thinking about this quite a bit. What about if during a solo ride I sprint for a road sign, or a specific tree, or the next intersection. And if I did that several times during my ride, not necessarily at any certain time interval, would that be of any benefit? Wouldn't that be sort of like interval training without the regimented aspect of it?

I'm just trying to come up with "fun" ways of introducing myself to "training"...of just getting in the mindset and hoping it will take over. Maybe by slowly introducing my body to this additional stress my mind and body will accept it more easily?

[maillotpois]

Why are you training? What are you training for? I find that a concrete goal is the first step to beginning a training plan. You say you just don't want to be the slowest rider in your group - that may not be specific, achievable, etc. enough to be a real goal. How about finding a ride you want to do - a century or metric - and use that as your inspiration. Or if it really is just "be faster", how about a goal of doing a usual ride in a specific time - and then work on that?

[Veronica]

There is no easy answer. You have to make it work for you. We could all tell you what our training routines are, but ultimately, you have to make yourself get there. Change come from within.

V.

[SnappyPix]

RoadRaven - I'm not saying I can't do it; I'm saying I don't like to do it.

And the difference is? (Yes I realise you're physically capable of training, but if you lack the motivation, there is no difference).
As someone who's recently struggled with motivation (or lack thereof), I can certainly relate, but I think you have to start by being honest with yourself and concentrate on WHY you want to train and the specific goals you're aiming for.
Without specific goals, you'll never find the inspiration to do something you dislike.

Unfortunately there isn't a quick fix for power and strength without putting in the legwork.
I realise you know this, but RR's right - a change of attitude is definitely the first key. Concentrate on the positives, your goals. Trust me, concentrating on the negatives will never get you off the starting blocks (I know, I've been there) - and sometimes a complete change of attitude is better than baby steps - it's as much psychological as physical. Baby steps are just one step away from sliding back into not going training at all.

But be realistic - don't tell yourself you're going to do an hour of intervals, if you know in your heart of hearts that you'll only do 3 separate sets.
If you're not doing any intervals at all, even one set on a solo ride would be an easy start and a realistic base to work from - just decide before you go what you'll do.
Don't call them intervals, if that turns you off before you start.
Power surges, sprints - find the jargon that works for you.

I heard a good tip recently for the days when you really don't feel like going out on a ride. Put your gear on anyway, before you decide. Chances are, once you're standing there in full kit, you'll go out for a spin - even just a short one.
Good luck with the training.

[SnappyPix]

Took me so long to write that, I was pipped to the post by V and Maillotpois!

[li10up]

There is no easy answer. You have to make it work for you. We could all tell you what our training routines are, but ultimately, you have to make yourself get there. Change come from within.
V.

Isn't that one of the main purposes of this forum? To help others learn from our experiences? Telling me that I basically need to figure it out for myself isn't really all that helpful...even though I believe you were trying to be helpful.

Why are you training? What are you training for? I find that a concrete goal is the first step to beginning a training plan. You say you just don't want to be the slowest rider in your group - that may not be specific, achievable, etc. enough to be a real goal. How about finding a ride you want to do - a century or metric - and use that as your inspiration. Or if it really is just "be faster", how about a goal of doing a usual ride in a specific time - and then work on that?

I didn't realize how difficult this question was. Why isn't wanting to be able to keep up on group rides a specific enough goal? When I ride on my own I don't have others to help push me. So my rides are slower than when I ride with others. I'm hoping to learn a way of riding by myself that is productive without seeming a chore. Isn't there a way to introduce recreational riders to training without getting into all the technical aspects of it?

[li10up]

SnappyPix-you and I must have been posting at the same time. You and the others are right about motivation. It's just that so many things are learned in life by making games or making it fun somehow. I guess I was just hoping for something like that to translate to this. If I could just find something to make it fun at first I might see improvments in my riding and that would then generate more motivation and make me wanting to train in a more serious way.

I guess I'm just not making my thoughts clear...or maybe there really isn't any easy transition into training.

[SnappyPix]

Telling me that I basically need to figure it out for myself isn't really all that helpful

To be fair, lots of people seem to have taken the time to give you advice, just because it's not the advice you particularly want to hear, doesn't make it unhelpful.

[Veronica]

I'm not telling you to figure it out for yourself. I'm telling you to do it yourself. Your reply to RR makes it sound to me like it's all about attitude and no training plan is going to fix that. You want it to be fun, you have to make it be fun.

I find it fun to keep my HR in my zone. It beeps at me when I go out of the zone. It's a game to see how fast I can get the beep off. But you don't want to wear your HR monitor.

MP is right, you have to figure out exactly what you want.

V.

[SnappyPix]

Oops, slow on the uptake again!

I think that to make it fun you have to focus on the good stuff. I honestly do understand how hard the lack of motivation is. Just making the conscious decision to start a training programme can be a boost. You don't have to go the whole hog of intervals and power blasts, keep at it in small doses and the gradual improvement WILL become fun. Honestly.