Training for Century, need to know how to use HR Manitor

[Blueberry]

Veronica-

How do you measure your average grade for a hill? I have no idea how that compares to what I normally ride - guess I need an excuse for my HR to be sky high

Carrie Anne

[Veronica]

My HRM monitor software calculates % of grade for me. You can do it the old fashioned way. If you know how tall something is you can divide that by the length you traveled to get up it.

When I first started riding my HR would rocket on hills. Since I'm training to do Ultra Distance events, I've been focusing on controlling my HR. I don't want to burn out on the climbs.

V.

[FreshNewbie]

yesterday, I did my double cycling class, i noticed that my HR is starting to improve. I do my sprints in 90's zone and hill work is in 85% On short recovery intervals it gets down to 75%.

Veronica, share the secret of how do you deal with saddle problems on long distance training? This weekend i went for a ride that was longer than usual since it was only 3 time out this year. We went for about 35 miles and at the end the saddle nose was hurting me a lot. What do you do on your endurance rides to minimize this? I just ordered the Sell SMP saddle, hoping that maybe that will help. Are there any other tricks?

[Veronica]

I have a Brooks leather saddle and I wear shorts with a chamois that works for me, currently the wicked expensive Louis Garneaus from TE. And I ride a lot.

It took some experimentation to find what worked.

V.

[Blueberry]

What HR monitor do you use, Veronica?? I seem to recall you were the one who posted a really cool graph of a ride with elevation and HR. No altimiter, so no way to do it the old fashoined way (unfortunately).

I posted under another thread - I'm looking for something to track elevation (long story, but I'm training for a hill ride and want to make sure I'm riding enough elevation to prepare myself...) - but I want to make sure I can still use my "normal" wireless very simple bike computer...

Many thanks!

Carrie Anne

[SadieKate]

Joe Friel (Cyclist's Training Bible) suggests a schedule for over 40 athletes that includes 2-3 weeks of training (with increasing intensity of training over those weeks) followed by a week of low intensity training to aid in recovery.

Friel's book is still in the big pile next to my bed, but the periodization concept is generally accepted. It is also important to mix up your daily rides. You should not do high intensity rides every day, or even consecutive days. Very important to mix up your daily plan and have rest days.

If you try to ride fast all the time, you'll end up too tired for speed. You'll be able to maintain a decent pace but not really be able to put out the power when you want to.

If you want something a little less daunting than Friel's book, you could try Gale Bernhardt's The Female Cyclist. She has some simple training plans based on various goals and methods to test your lactate threshold. Everyone's resting heart rate is different so you can't use someone else's numbers.

On another topic for those that may be interested, she has some interesting chapters on female physiology, anatomy, menstruation and cycling during pregnancy.

[Veronica]

I use a Polar 710. The newest model is the 720 I think. I use it and a speedometer. And soon I'll be adding a GPS.

V.

[Veronica]

It is also important to mix up your daily rides. You should not do high intensity rides every day, or even consecutive days. Very important to mix up your daily plan and have rest days.

If you try to ride fast all the time, you'll end up too tired for speed. You'll be able to maintain a decent pace but not really be able to put out the power when you want to.

Yep, SK is right. I don't ride that hard every day. More like every other day.

V.

[maillotpois]

What HR monitor do you use, Veronica?? I seem to recall you were the one who posted a really cool graph of a ride with elevation and HR. No altimiter, so no way to do it the old fashoined way (unfortunately).

I posted under another thread - I'm looking for something to track elevation (long story, but I'm training for a hill ride and want to make sure I'm riding enough elevation to prepare myself...) - but I want to make sure I can still use my "normal" wireless very simple bike computer...

Many thanks!

Carrie Anne

Carrie Anne -

I have the Ciclosport HAC 4. It works great.

How much climbing is there in the ride you are training for? You'll want to get a long ride close to that amount of climbing in a similar way to how you would train for distance (for example: to ride a century, get a long ride of 80 miles under your belt.)

I'm presently coaching a group of riders for the Death Ride in California. I'm working with a program developed for us by Wenzel with some modifications of our own. The Death Ride has about 14,000 feet of climbing in 130 miles. My longest training ride will probably have about 11 - 12,000 feet in 120 miles. I say probably, because I'm developing new ruotes that I have not ridden yet (this is all a test program for a larger coaching undertaking for team in training), so it may be more. Topo says our one ride is 19,000 feet but Topo TOTALLY lies!! I expect this ride closer to 10 -12,000.

Anyway, make sure you know how much climbing is in your goal ride and get a training ride with 80 - 90% of that.

[Blueberry]

Sarah-

Thanks for the advice!

The first ride I'm plannig is www.bloodsweatandgears.org. I'll probably shoot to do the 47 mile version with 5800 feet of climbing, as realistically given where I am now, I'm not sure I can be ready for a century with 13k feet of climbing in 2 months.

The second is the Hilly Hellacious Hundred http://www.blueridgebicycleclub.org/hilly/ It's 2 months later - I'm shooting for the full century which is 8k feet of climbing.

I live in an area with some hills, but nothing like there will be on these rides - so I think I have lots of hill repeats in my future

Of course, all of this is job dependent - I left a bad (for me) job last fall and am really ramping up my search for a new firm now. Could be a relocation in my future...which would likely interfere with the biking plans, unfortunately....

-Carrie Anne

[maillotpois]

The other thing I forgot to mention is: what is the climbing like? Is it mostly rollers and short climbs, or is it long, sustained climbs. Familiarize yourself with the route profile and train for that as well.

Those rides sound like a good challenge. Good luck with the job thing. I know that makes things tough.

[Blueberry]

The other thing I forgot to mention is: what is the climbing like? Is it mostly rollers and short climbs, or is it long, sustained climbs. Familiarize yourself with the route profile and train for that as well.

Those rides sound like a good challenge. Good luck with the job thing. I know that makes things tough.

Thanks - I'll let you ladies know how it goes Choices right now are stay in NC or move to DC. Should be interesting

Good point - the rides have lots of long and steep climbs (they're in the blue ridge mountains). So...what's the best way to train for those when you only have "little" hills?? Just ride lots of repeats, or ?????

[maillotpois]

If it is long steep climbs and all you have are short hills, do repeats. I like to do drills where you time yourself on the first repeat and try to keep the time the same for subsequent repeats. This is harder than it seems, and requires you dial it back a bit on the first ones. I'd suggest hill repeats 2 times a week (not on consecutive days) and try to go one more repeat further each time than the time before.

[Nanci]

You should probably move to Florida- the biking opportunities make up for the low salaries!

Nanci

[Blueberry]

You should probably move to Florida- the biking opportunities make up for the low salaries!

Nanci

Hee hee -

I'd consider it, except that it would mean taking another bar exam - YUCK!!!!!

...DC is kind enough to let you waive in, which is why it's in the running...

Would be nice to truly be able to bike year round - would get rid of the problems associated with the fun rides being too early in the training season Guess I just need more warm biking clothes

As an aside - my last job assured me I would be paid in "sand and surf" if not $ - the week before I left, they told me they expected 12 hours per day, 7 days per week. Um....not a hard decision to leave!