Los Gatos Bicycle Racing Team Ride Guidelines: January - February
Training Overview | Team Rides | Training Zone Explanation
Training Overview:
Mid January – Late February training should start to become a bit more focused on structured intensity. In addition to continued development of aerobic base you should start working both the Lactate Threshold (also termed anaerobic threshold, maximal lactate steady state, OBLA…etc.). If you don’t know your Lactate Threshold I’ve included a simple road test at the end of this to help you bracket your LT Heart Rate (LTHR) using a heart rate monitor. Anecdotally it is the point at which your breathing becomes labored and your legs feel that first “twinge” of burn. It is commonly termed your 1 Hour Heart Rate. If you would like to schedule a formal test with me on the Compu-Trainer let me know. There are a variety of protcols to test including LT, Maximal Aerobic Power, etc. and club members are eligible for a 15% discount on all testing. From a training perspective you want to develop this area consistently, specifically and gradually. Among my favorite workouts to develop both Lactate Tolerance and Muscle Endurance are these workouts:
- ME 1 Intervals (muscle endurance) Level 1:
2 – 3 hours with HR in zones 2 mostly. For the last hour or so please do 3 x 15 minute intervals with your HR at the top of Zone 3 (within 5 beats, but not over) with 8 minutes rest between each interval. They can be done on either hills or flats. The goal is to ride a big gear at 75-80 rpm on the flats and really work the leg muscles during the interval (RPE: ~8). If you are unable to maintain the HR zones for the full 15 minutes, do as long as you can handle and recover for as long as the interval (ie 10 minute interval w/10 minutes recovery between intervals or 8/8, etc.). You should feel like you’re working the muscles well but not overly hard aerobically on these. Default to the HR guidelines if the RPM/Workload causes HR to rise above Zone 3…gear down!
- Criss Cross Intervals Level 1:
2 hours total time. After a good 30 minute warm up do the following: Gradually bring your HR to the top of Zone 3 and ride there for 5 minutes then alternate between upper Zone 3 and the top of Zone 4 every five minutes, 20 minutes total for the set. Do 2 – 3 sets. Recover for 10 minutes between efforts, more if you need it. Add 1 minute to each part every time you do the workout.
- ME 2 Intervals (muscle endurance) Level 2:
2 – 3 hours with HR in zones 2 – 3 mostly. For the last hour or so please do 2 x 20 minute intervals with your HR at the top of Zone 4 (within 5 beats, but not over) with 8 minutes rest between each interval. They should be done on either hills or flats. The goal is to ride a big gear at 90-100+ rpm on the flats and really work the leg muscles during the interval (RPE: 8 .5 – 9). If you are unable to maintain the HR zones for the full 20 minutes, start with 10 or 15 and build.
- Criss Cross Intervals Level 2:
2 hours total time. After a good 30 minute warm up do the following: Gradually bring your HR to the top of Zone 3 and ride there for 5 minutes then alternate between upper zone 4 and 5a for five minutes (alternating 4-5a every 1 – 2 minutes) cross back down to the top of Zone 3 for two minutes steady tempo then back up to Zones 4 – 5a for five minutes (~20 minutes total for the set). Do 2 – 3 sets. Recover for 10 minutes between efforts in Zone 1/2, more if you need it.
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