Thursday 26 January 2012

Winter Base Training – Week 4

This week marks the end of the first 4 week block of base training (base 1). Hopefully you will have had three solid weeks of base training by now and this week will have reduced the volume to allow the body to rebuild form the stresses that you have put upon it. It is during these periods of recovery that the body builds on the benefits of the training.

This weeks ride is designed to be a little shorter than usual to reflect the needs of the recovery week but has an optional additional loop for those that want a longer ride or maybe have missed one of the long rides in base 1.

Please note that the start point is in Brocke3nhurst outside St Saviours Church. It’s on the junction of Burley Road and Wilverley Road in Brockenhurst near the Watersplash.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=brookley+road+brockenhurst&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x4873860bde7f371b:0xab142b984af20eda,Brookley+Rd,+Brockenhurst&gl=uk&ei=-r8hT9eUNI78sgaCzuDmBw&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CCUQ8gEwAA

Start time is 0900 as usual. There is a risk of frost / ice form the forecast at present so please check your email if you’re subscribed to the alias newforestcc@yahoogroups.com or check on the training blog http://nfcc-training.blogspot.com/ before leaving on Saturday for any last minute change of plans. For those that need to drive to the start point there is parking in The Rise on Saturdays. This is a road opposite the start point.

I’m away on a coaching course this weekend so Chris Hughes has kindly agreed to lead the ride.

The plan is a 30 mile loop to Lepe and back.
From Brock, Balmer Lawn, Hatchet Pond, Beaulieu, Exbury, Lepe, Blackfield, Exbury and return.

Option for a second 15 mile loop
Brock, Hinchelsea, Burley, Burley Lawn, Ornamental Drive, Brock.

I hope you have a good ride and loop forward to seeing you next week for the start of Base2. I’ll post a plan for the next block of training next week. We will be starting to gradually increase the pace, distance and difficulty of the rides through base 2 and 3. This is all part of a programme to give you the best chance of being at your peak in the crucial summer months. So be patient, build a big base gradually and be at peak performance when it matters.

Regards
Barry
barry.wootten@gmail.com

Wednesday 25 January 2012

Turbo Session 25th Jan – Power

Here is the plan that we followed on the 25th Jan.

Object of the training was to increase power. The intervals were ever increasing and the recovery intervals decreasing. Each time the intervals were powering a large gear at slightly less than usual cadence. Whilst focussing on power the session will also hep develop leg strength and aerobic endurance. If you repeat this set I suggest an easy recovery ride the day after. Small gear and easy spinning.

Warm up
10 minutes spinning an easy gear
4 sets of the following drill:
15 seconds at a cadence of 105
15 seconds at a cadence of 110
15 seconds at a cadence of 115
15 seconds at a cadence of 120
30 seconds recovery

Main set
5 minutes in a hard gear. One in which it is hard to pedal at a cadence of 80 RPM and that takes you to around 80% of max heart rate.
5 minutes recovery in an easy gear to get back to around 70% MHR

6 minutes in a hard gear. One in which it is hard to pedal at a cadence of 80 RPM and that takes you to around 80% of max heart rate.
4 minutes recovery in an easy gear to get back to around 70% MHR

7 minutes in a hard gear. One in which it is hard to pedal at a cadence of 80 RPM and that takes you to around 80% of max heart rate.
3 minutes recovery in an easy gear to get back to around 70% MHR

8 minutes in a hard gear. One in which it is hard to pedal at a cadence of 80 RPM and that takes you to around 80% of max heart rate.
2 minutes recovery in an easy gear to get back to around 70% MHR

9 minutes in a hard gear. One in which it is hard to pedal at a cadence of 80 RPM and that takes you to around 80% of max heart rate.
1 minutes recovery in an easy gear to get back to around 70% MHR

10 minutes in a hard gear. One in which it is hard to pedal at a cadence of 80 RPM and that takes you to around 80% of max heart rate.

You may find the latter intervals take you beyond 80% (I did), your choice, either push yourself and go up to 90% or reduce the gear to keep around 80%.


Cool down
10 minutes easy spin and stretch

This is an extremely hard set to do as those that attended the class can testify. Suggest you have two bottles on the bike for this one.

I must also say congratulations to all those that did this class. Not only did everybody make it to the end but everybody paced it really well.




Regards
Barry
barry.wootten@gmail.com

Tuesday 24 January 2012

Turbo Session 18th Jan – Leg Strength

Last week we did a slightly different session that was an aid to both aerobic endurance and leg strength. Thanks to Richard Stannard of Turbo Torture fame for the inspiration for this one.

Warm up for 20 mins, 10 mins easy spinning then some cadence drills followed by a couple of sets of single leg drills. All drills performed for 1 minute with 30 second recoveries.

- 2mins hardish gear (Cadence 90-100rpm), we referred to this as our baseline, it was a gear harder than you would use for a long ride but one less than you would use for a time trial.

- 1min recovery on easy gear (90-100rpm)

- 1min biggest gear that you could push – (40-50 RPM)

- 1min 30sec recovery on easy gear (90-100rpm)

Do the above sequence 8 TIMES through.

On the 4th and 5th times through go one gear harder for the 2min rep.

Then on the 6th, 7th and 8th time through one go one gear harder again for the 2min rep.

10 minute cool down and stretch

Whole session was about 75 mins



Regards
Barry
barry.wootten@gmail.com

Monday 16 January 2012

Winter Base Training – Week 3

Well done to the hardy 15 souls who braved the cold and the delayed start last Saturday. We still managed to get 40-60 miles in depending on who did the extra loop and where people dropped off so some good base training was still achieved.

The decision to delay the start was definitely the right one and one that we’ll take again given similar conditions. For those that weren’t there we decided not to take the Test Valley route as the roads could have been more risky given the hard frost and instead Nick Tattersall expertly led us through an alternative route using roads that were largely frost free. By the time we started our second loop at 1200 the roads were totally defrosted. This has given rise to the idea of the club having a number of “frost” routes that we can fall back on when the published route is considered to be too dangerous. If you know any routes that are good for days when there’s frost around please let me know. Even if they’re shorter loops that we can do repeats on or ride for an hour before going further afield.

There is a slight change of plan for this week’s ride. The “Deadmans Ride” route published in the winter training plan will be done in reverse. There is good reason for this, the regular Saturday group has been practising a double pace line when traversing Fritham / Ocknells Plain on recent rides. The road surface when heading from North to South is infinitely more preferable than the other way. It also means that we tackle that section into the prevailing wind so get the benefit of the through and off.

The route is listed as 50 miles, I make it about 37. Therefore there will be an option of an additional 15 mile loop at the end. Plan is still to ride Long Steady Distance. Please remember that your fitness is always increasing or decreasing. Therefore, we start slow and build it up along with the endurance over the three months of base training. We don’t want to peak too early.

“Deadmans Ride” (reversed) 37 miles – Depart 0900 – estimate finish time 1130
Holmsley Tea Rooms, Burley, Crow, Ringwood, Moyles Court, Mockbeggar, South Gorley, Ogdens, Frgoham, Blissford Hill, Godshill, Fritham, Bolderwood, Ornamenal Drive, Brockenhurst, Holmsley Tea Rooms.

Lap 2 (optional) 15 miles
Holmsley Tea Rooms, Bisterne Close (White Buck), Burley Lawn, A35, Ornamenal Drive, Brockenhurst, Holmsley Tea Rooms.


Regards
Barry
barry.wootten@gmail.com

Friday 13 January 2012

Winter Base Training – Week 2 (14th Jan) - UPDATE

Please note that tomorrows ride will start at 1000 from Ashurst not 0900. There is a strong chance of frost overnight and we want to give it another hour to clear. Please check your email and the blog site http://nfcc-training.blogspot.com/ for any updates before leaving in the morning.
Regards
Barry

Thursday 12 January 2012

Turbo Session 11th Jan – Lactate Threshold

Well done to all those that completed the session on the 11th Jan. For those wishing to repeat it or for those who didn't attend it here are the details of what we did:

Easy warm up for 10 mins
Cadence ramp, 1 min intervals of increasing cadence, 100/105/110/115/120+ with 30 second recovery between each interval.
Single leg drill
3 x 1 min of each leg with 30 second recovery

Main set
5 mins in a reasonably hard gear followed by 5 mins 1 gear harder.

Aiming for a gear that takes us just past Lactate Threshold (LTH). For most of us the is around 85% of max heart rate. It's usually between 80 and 90% of MHR but without undergoing blood tests it's hard to be certain so we used the 85% average. I had mine measured some years ago at 145BPM with a max of 171 so 85% is about right for me.

5 mins recovery

Repeat 5/5/4 as above

You see the affects of cumulative loading on my heart rate data below. The first set between 22 and 32 mins I just crossed my LTH. The second set between 36 and 46 mins my heart rate was higher for the same work and the recovery less.

3 mins in the gear that we finished the last 5 min interval in
1 min recovery
Repeat the 3 + 1 in the same gear.

You can see from the graph between 50 and 58 mins that this made me cross my LTH twice. Repeated crossing of LTH and then going below it is a method to increase LTH which is very beneficial for being able to work harder for longer in time trials.

2 mins in 1 gear harder than the last set
1 min recovery

Repeat 2 + 1

1 mins in 1 gear harder than the last set
1 min recovery

Repeat 1 + 1, use the biggest gear you can power through at a cedence of 90+

These last 4 sets are anaerobic intervals and will get the body used to working with that system.





Hope that set is useful to you.

Barry

Sunday 8 January 2012

Winter Base Training – Week 2

Firstly, congratulations to all for a stunning turnout on Saturday. 30 riders for one endurance ride must be a club record. We’ll see if it was new year’s resolutions, the good weather or a strong intent to make it a good season over the coming weeks. I hope that everybody enjoyed the ride and got the right training benefit. Well done to those in the group that managed to keep a double pace line running from Alderholt. There was some good club riding there and we’ll aim to repeat that where road conditions permit. Thanks also to Konnor and Richard for looking after other members and ensuring that everybody got round.

If we continue to get such large numbers we will split the group into smaller sections so that do not cause a major obstacle to other road users.

This Saturday (14th) we will start the ride from one of our other start points. This is the car park at Ashurst station. I believe it is still free to park there, if anybody from that part of the forest can confirm in the comments field of the blog I’d be grateful.
The route will be a bit longer that the first ride (45 miles) and a little hillier. We will still aim to keep the pace steady as it’s very early in the base phase of our training plan.

The Test Valley route is as follows:

Ashurst, Woodlands, Hill Street, Kents Oak, Timsbury, Kings Somborne, Little Somborne, Stockbridge, Houghton, Mottisfont, Kents Oak, Wellow, Furzley, Bartley, Ashurst.

We will leave at 0900 sharp, please be there and ready by 0850 for ride briefing. We should return to Ashurst around 1200 punctures permitting. As ever, please check your bike over this week and ensure that your tyres are in good condition and suitable for winter riding. The road around Mottisfont can get a bit muddy.


Regards
Barry
barry.wootten@gmail.com

Thursday 5 January 2012

Turbo Session 4th Jan – Progressive Intervals

For those of you who were at the session and may wish to repeat it or for those who are looking to do sessions on their own at home here are the details of the club turbo session form the 4th Jan:

Easy warm up for around 10 mins. Cadence 90 RPM, easy gear.

Cadence pyramid
1 min 105 RPM, 30 seconds easy spin at 90 RPM
1 min 110 RPM, 30 seconds easy spin at 90 RPM
1 min 115 RPM, 30 seconds easy spin at 90 RPM
1 min 120+ RPM, 30 seconds easy spin at 90 RPM
1 min 115 RPM, 30 seconds easy spin at 90 RPM
1 min 110 RPM, 30 seconds easy spin at 90 RPM
1 min 105 RPM, 30 seconds easy spin at 90 RPM

Main Set
7 x 4 minute intervals with 2 min 30 recovery
Each interval one gear harder than the previous
You can vary the intervals / recovery and number of intervals to suit your needs.
10 minutes easy spin to recover.
The screen dump below is the output from my heart monitor from that session






From 0-10 minutes easy pedalling
From 10 to 20 minutes the cadence pyramid
From 20 minutes to 1 hr 10 you can see the 7 x 4 minute intervals. Each one progressively harder and consequently a higher heart rate and less recovery as the session progresses.
The gearing one my bike and the resistance on my turbo suited this session well. I was able to start in the large ring on the 3rd largest sprocket and change to finish on the smallest sprocket on the last interval. Your gearing and resistance may well differ so work out your gear ratios so that you know when changing form the small ring to the large what sprocket changes are required.

Hope this helps your winter training.
Barry

Sunday 1 January 2012

Winter Base Training – Week 1

Winter Base Training – Week 1

Weather permitting Saturday 7th Jan will be the first week of the clubs winter base training. The ride will be on a well practiced ride known as Vic’s Route.
We’ll depart from the Station House at Holmsley at 0900 sharp http://newforesttearooms.co.uk/. In the event of a strong possibility of black ice or any other weather that makes it dangerous to ride I will post a message on the email e—group and the training blog. So please check your mail and the blog site http://nfcc-training.blogspot.com/ before leaving home. The route will be around 37 miles and we will aim to keep the average pace to around 15MPH, so assuming no punctures or mechanical incidents we should return around 1130. For those wanting to go a bit longer there is always the option to top and tail the ride with the journey from home. I’ll be leaving Brockenhurst at 0825 from the usual meeting point so that I’ll be at the tea rooms got 0845 for anybody that wants to ride down together.
The pace might feel slow to some of you that have been out on the Saturday rides but don’t worry about that. It is the right thing to be doing this time of year and the gradual build up of pace and distance over the next 3 months will pay dividends in the long run. If in doubt please read the previous post about Long Steady Distance.
We will aim to include a couple of intervals at a slightly increased pace and subject to traffic practice some through and off drills and keeping a double pace line.
Please ensure that you’ve prepared your bike as well as possible for the group rides. We all get punctures and suffer the odd mechanical problem but you fellow club members will appreciate these being minimised as nobody wants to stop unnecessarily on a winter’s day. So please give your tyres a check before Saturday, remove any stones that may have got embedded, check that they are in good condition and the right type of tyres for winter riding. Also ensure that you have two spare tubes, levers, multi-tool and a pump. All bikes should have front and rear lights as we can easily get caught out in poor visibility. A bit of hi-vis gear is also a good idea. Lastly, wear club jackets if you can, we want to create a good impression of NFCC and cyclists in general. If we ride well and display our colours we will help that image for our club and our sport.

“Vics Route”
Holmsley Tea Rooms,
Burley,
Ringwood,
Moyles
Court,
Fordingbridge,
Ringwood,
Hurn,
Sopley,
Burley





I look forward to seeing a strong turnout from the Saturday regulars and getting re-acquainted with those that I’ve not seen since last winter’s base training. Any questions please email me or leave a comment.
Regards
Barry
barry.wootten@gmail.com