05/19/2016
Hey All,
We are full on into SPRING and I am sure you have many plans, goals, desires, races or long rides for the cycling or tri season coming up. Keep in mind, if you have not been training inside for more than 12 weeks on a trainer (spin class not included) on your OWN bike, then you have some transition to work into. Even if you have, take it easy the first few rides outside.
First, cardio on a spin bike over the last few months or more is good but not adequate enough. Time in the saddle on your own bike on the road with wind and hills is vastly different then the sweat fests of a spin class or Sufferfest videos or even the power metrics and performance Zwift of other indoor apps may elude to. The load outside will likely feel harder, the speed not as desired, the fatigue sooner than you might expect.
Even if you have been trainer riding there is a difference. Unless you have been training with a power meter then you are somewhat blind as to the training you have been doing and even then, you are more likely to produce more power per pedal stroke outside yet feel every watt or effort is harder to generate. Heart rate is an acceptable metric as long as you account for the lag in reaction to effort. Since the holidays, however, good training will have dictated a high level of interval training and an adequate amount of recovery in between efforts. This is hard to do with heart rate since the duration of intervals or recovery may be as short as 15 seconds and your heart rate may take 30 seconds to a minute to react to the demand depending on your current fitness level, and the same for the recovery periods.
So, when hitting the road this spring, depending on your training plan or what you think might be a good effort, think about these tips I am giving you.
Use your first four rides or as much as two weeks as an acclimation period. No more than a perceived 75% of maximal effort. Start with an easy to moderate distance but the longer the ride the less intensity. It is hard to resist the first ride or two of the season by not testing the supposed training you have done during the winter, but keep it throttled back. It is going to take a few rides for your muscles to chime in on their need and timing. They will adapt easier and learn faster if you do not call for a maximal performance in the first few rides.
Do not do a lot of deep stretching before a ride. Save it for the end of the workout and do lots of deep stretching, especially the hip flexors, hamstrings, calves, quads, and glutes. Make sure you give yourself at least 20 (yes, 20) minutes of warming up at the start of the first 4 rides by not going into Zone 3 on HR or power. Always give yourself 10 or more minutes of cooling down or very easy riding before you stop. This is the most important part of the recovery process. Group rides tend to not adhere to any of this, so do your first week or two of riding either by yourself or with others who understand the need for a proper warm up and cool down.
The transition from indoor training or spin is a gradual process just like when you first started your training program. Remember, your not at your peak now and it might be several weeks or months before you are, so don't try to set any personal best overall than you did last year or best your early season results versus last year before making the proper transition into outside riding versus indoor training over the winter.
As always, get plenty of sleep and stay fueled and hydrated before every ride. Drain a 24-26oz bottle of water for every hour of riding. More for harder workouts or for higher temperature and get some protein in if your rides will last for more than two hours regardless of the effort and you will see performance gains faster with less fatigue and soreness.
More training tips will follow as the season progresses.
Train smart, be safe, and good luck in your training.
Nick at Victory
