Achieving Best Results
Discussion
Father of a 10 week old, who is asleep on me now.
Several brief observations.
1) with disrupted sleep and absolutely no time to myself, I'm finding that there is nothing in my legs at the moment.
2) SPDs certainly help. Firstly your pedellling motion is much improved, and secondly the shoe itself is hugely stiffer.
3) rule 5
Several brief observations.
1) with disrupted sleep and absolutely no time to myself, I'm finding that there is nothing in my legs at the moment.
2) SPDs certainly help. Firstly your pedellling motion is much improved, and secondly the shoe itself is hugely stiffer.
3) rule 5
1) Patience: you won't become Wiggins overnight.
2) Rest: as important as the riding. This means sleep and (referring back to 1, here!) deliberate days off from EVERYTHING. No bikes, no gym.
3) Lay off the fags. Why limit the amount of oxygen reaching your muscles if you want to get fitter and faster? May as well not bother riding IMO.
4) Shifts make life difficult: been there, done that. But that said, some of the fastest guys I know also work shifts: just a question of getting out there when you can and beating yourself when you feel good, steady mileage when not so.
5) Lycra and pedals = essential. Right kit = efficient and comfortable, means you're going further, faster, more frequently. From that come the gains.
6) Eat well, drink well (less!): you've enough in reserve for a good 1.5 hrs or so, so not always necessary to stuff 100000KCals down you immediately beforehand. Lay off the booze, chocolate, crisps, cheeses etc.
EDIT: Do what you can to ride with others (clubs runs, etc). Worth 10000000000x more than any bling carbon frame, lightweight wheels, rules etc. I'd go so far as saying every Km in a club run is worth 5 on your own. The motivation is something else.
2) Rest: as important as the riding. This means sleep and (referring back to 1, here!) deliberate days off from EVERYTHING. No bikes, no gym.
3) Lay off the fags. Why limit the amount of oxygen reaching your muscles if you want to get fitter and faster? May as well not bother riding IMO.
4) Shifts make life difficult: been there, done that. But that said, some of the fastest guys I know also work shifts: just a question of getting out there when you can and beating yourself when you feel good, steady mileage when not so.
5) Lycra and pedals = essential. Right kit = efficient and comfortable, means you're going further, faster, more frequently. From that come the gains.
6) Eat well, drink well (less!): you've enough in reserve for a good 1.5 hrs or so, so not always necessary to stuff 100000KCals down you immediately beforehand. Lay off the booze, chocolate, crisps, cheeses etc.
EDIT: Do what you can to ride with others (clubs runs, etc). Worth 10000000000x more than any bling carbon frame, lightweight wheels, rules etc. I'd go so far as saying every Km in a club run is worth 5 on your own. The motivation is something else.
Jimbo. said:
1) Patience: you won't become Wiggins overnight.
2) Rest: as important as the riding. This means sleep and (referring back to 1, here!) deliberate days off from EVERYTHING. No bikes, no gym.
3) Lay off the fags. Why limit the amount of oxygen reaching your muscles if you want to get fitter and faster? May as well not bother riding IMO.
4) Shifts make life difficult: been there, done that. But that said, some of the fastest guys I know also work shifts: just a question of getting out there when you can and beating yourself when you feel good, steady mileage when not so.
5) Lycra and pedals = essential. Right kit = efficient and comfortable, means you're going further, faster, more frequently. From that come the gains.
6) Eat well, drink well (less!): you've enough in reserve for a good 1.5 hrs or so, so not always necessary to stuff 100000KCals down you immediately beforehand. Lay off the booze, chocolate, crisps, cheeses etc.
EDIT: Do what you can to ride with others (clubs runs, etc). Worth 10000000000x more than any bling carbon frame, lightweight wheels, rules etc. I'd go so far as saying every Km in a club run is worth 5 on your own. The motivation is something else.
+1 on all that2) Rest: as important as the riding. This means sleep and (referring back to 1, here!) deliberate days off from EVERYTHING. No bikes, no gym.
3) Lay off the fags. Why limit the amount of oxygen reaching your muscles if you want to get fitter and faster? May as well not bother riding IMO.
4) Shifts make life difficult: been there, done that. But that said, some of the fastest guys I know also work shifts: just a question of getting out there when you can and beating yourself when you feel good, steady mileage when not so.
5) Lycra and pedals = essential. Right kit = efficient and comfortable, means you're going further, faster, more frequently. From that come the gains.
6) Eat well, drink well (less!): you've enough in reserve for a good 1.5 hrs or so, so not always necessary to stuff 100000KCals down you immediately beforehand. Lay off the booze, chocolate, crisps, cheeses etc.
EDIT: Do what you can to ride with others (clubs runs, etc). Worth 10000000000x more than any bling carbon frame, lightweight wheels, rules etc. I'd go so far as saying every Km in a club run is worth 5 on your own. The motivation is something else.
As I said to you before, you'll be amazed what you will be capable of in 6 months if you stick at it.
I started by doing 6 miles a day, and my legs hurt every day. Needless to say it isn't an issue now!
Rest is important, however the more you ride, the more you can ride, as they say. I tend to have 1 or 2 days off a week and ride every other if I can, not every week is like that, but its the ideal. This week just yesterday off and I'll ride the others, probably end up being 275 miles this week. Not something I could have done this time last year.
Regarding smoking, I feel your pain, I also smoke every now and again, and drink too (my job does tend to demand I have a drink every now and then) but if you can try to knock the fags on the head, I have just about managed that now.
Don't know what else to add really. If you REALLY want to get fit fast, then go and join a club and go on some of the quicker rides they do. You will get dropped, but you'll find you can go further each week. More than enough clubs in your area to try too.
Lycra isn't stopping you getting faster, you're right. But its more comfortable, and people wear it for a reason, forget the b
ks, wear it, its made for it. You wouldn't go running in ice skates, so why cycle in civies?
Or if you ever want someone to push you, then I'm happy to pace you on your limit for a couple of hours.
I started by doing 6 miles a day, and my legs hurt every day. Needless to say it isn't an issue now!
Rest is important, however the more you ride, the more you can ride, as they say. I tend to have 1 or 2 days off a week and ride every other if I can, not every week is like that, but its the ideal. This week just yesterday off and I'll ride the others, probably end up being 275 miles this week. Not something I could have done this time last year.
Regarding smoking, I feel your pain, I also smoke every now and again, and drink too (my job does tend to demand I have a drink every now and then) but if you can try to knock the fags on the head, I have just about managed that now.
Don't know what else to add really. If you REALLY want to get fit fast, then go and join a club and go on some of the quicker rides they do. You will get dropped, but you'll find you can go further each week. More than enough clubs in your area to try too.
Lycra isn't stopping you getting faster, you're right. But its more comfortable, and people wear it for a reason, forget the b
ks, wear it, its made for it. You wouldn't go running in ice skates, so why cycle in civies?Or if you ever want someone to push you, then I'm happy to pace you on your limit for a couple of hours.
Riding further and harder is really the best way to get faster, you've got to do the miles to build a base and add the tough efforts to increase your power. The more you put in the more you'll get out.
Decent shorts, jersey, clip-in pedals and shoes will make you more comfortable and more efficient. You don't have to spend a lot, just make sure it all fits well. When it gets a bit cooler knee and arm warmers will come in handy.
Don't drink several pints of anything before a ride! If you're going out for 2+ hours then energy drink like High 5 should help, other wise just water. Different people drink different amounts, but based on stuff I read on here a fair few less experienced people get through a huge amount of liquids on rides, so don't over do it.
Food wise it depends on how long it is since you last ate, and what you had, but on shorter rides nothing and for 2+ hours something like a Kellogg's Elevenses is good. Porridge is good for a long release of energy, and ideally try to finish eating an hour or so before you start your rides.
Take it easy for the first 10 minutes to get your legs etc going, and 10 minutes to warm down at the end. As mentioned, if you're feeling good then ride hard, if not then just cruise and enjoy the countryside. Listen to your body.
Going out with a club won't just make you ride faster, it'll make you ride smarter too ie. you'll pick up things like how to climb efficiently, what's a good cadence, pacing etc etc. They'll take you on lots of interesting routes too.
Oh, and enjoy it. Riding bikes is one of the best things you can possibly do
Decent shorts, jersey, clip-in pedals and shoes will make you more comfortable and more efficient. You don't have to spend a lot, just make sure it all fits well. When it gets a bit cooler knee and arm warmers will come in handy.
Don't drink several pints of anything before a ride! If you're going out for 2+ hours then energy drink like High 5 should help, other wise just water. Different people drink different amounts, but based on stuff I read on here a fair few less experienced people get through a huge amount of liquids on rides, so don't over do it.
Food wise it depends on how long it is since you last ate, and what you had, but on shorter rides nothing and for 2+ hours something like a Kellogg's Elevenses is good. Porridge is good for a long release of energy, and ideally try to finish eating an hour or so before you start your rides.
Take it easy for the first 10 minutes to get your legs etc going, and 10 minutes to warm down at the end. As mentioned, if you're feeling good then ride hard, if not then just cruise and enjoy the countryside. Listen to your body.
Going out with a club won't just make you ride faster, it'll make you ride smarter too ie. you'll pick up things like how to climb efficiently, what's a good cadence, pacing etc etc. They'll take you on lots of interesting routes too.
Oh, and enjoy it. Riding bikes is one of the best things you can possibly do
Edited by Rouleur on Thursday 16th August 23:00
Eating is a funny one.
If I have a training ride then I'll ride the 17 miles from work, run indoors, have a honey sandwich, swap bikes and run back out in the space of ten mins then go and do a hard 35 miles.
I had a tuna sandwich 20 mins before a tt the other day, was fine. I think eating is a personal thing.
If I have a training ride then I'll ride the 17 miles from work, run indoors, have a honey sandwich, swap bikes and run back out in the space of ten mins then go and do a hard 35 miles.
I had a tuna sandwich 20 mins before a tt the other day, was fine. I think eating is a personal thing.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
10: It never gets easier. You just get faster.Available here:
http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/
Rather than ride segments (which you can blow up on) why not look at the total ride and plan accordingly.
I generally start easy and end hard even if its a 50 miler. I have also started interval training on the steepest longest hill I can find which should really help.
If you arn't clipped in you are loosing power.
Also if you feel generally tired perhaps you are overdoing it.
(I am pretty local to you if you fancy a ride out just let me know btw)
I also have some Lycra spare that should fit you, bought 2 sizes as wasn't sure and the bigger size was the right one, never used, don't want anything for it.
I generally start easy and end hard even if its a 50 miler. I have also started interval training on the steepest longest hill I can find which should really help.
If you arn't clipped in you are loosing power.
Also if you feel generally tired perhaps you are overdoing it.
(I am pretty local to you if you fancy a ride out just let me know btw)
I also have some Lycra spare that should fit you, bought 2 sizes as wasn't sure and the bigger size was the right one, never used, don't want anything for it.
Edited by crisisjez on Friday 17th August 01:12
Jimbo. said:
They are of course tongue in cheek however some people seem to treat them like The Koran. 
paulmon said:
They are of course tongue in cheek however some people seem to treat them like The Koran.
I do particularly like the rules about appearance (tan lines, kit, bike presentation etc). As a baggy short wearing mud plugger I honestly couldn't give a rats arse what the bike looks like as long as it goes.Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff