A light week and "What training is that?"

After yet another morning of rain, and yet another session on the trainer, I am reflecting on my growing fondness for the trainer! The thing I like about it is that it provides an objective measure of your output on a given day. So progress (if there is any) can be seen when doing the same session after a period of training. I think my attitude is also framed by a lighter volume week overall.

Thinking about that, an explanation of my training program might interest some. My coach Josh's view is that strength and power are the most significant things to train at this stage of preparation (now 8 months to the event) for someone my age. Although I am a bit over that phrase about age already, I suspect I might be hearing it a bit more yet! So each week for this 8 week strength phase of the training program, I do three different types of strength training on the bike.

Firstly, the least stressful are the short neuromuscular intervals (referred to as NM intervals elsewhere in this blog). These are 30" intervals with 2'30" recovery and I do 6 of them at this stage once each week prior to a long group ride. I start at walking pace on 53/14 and accelerate as fast as I can (staying seated) clicking up through the two remaining cogs as soon as I have more than about 40 rpm of cadence. I usually finish on about 50 km/h and with a bit of lactic acid developed. I try to do these on the road on the way to a group ride.

Second are the short strength/endurance intervals (referred to as short SE intervals). These have just gone from 6 X 1' duration with 5' recovery to 4 X 2' and 5' recovery this week. The cadence for these has gradually dropped from 60-65 rpm initially to 50-55 rpm now. The number of intervals will now gradually increase over the next 4 weeks. I do these once each week and then go out to either a solid 50 km solo ride or a group ride with some speed. Where possible these are done on the trainer as you need an uphill of consistent grade and down at the beach, where I am now, there aren't many that are suitable. On the trainer 5 weeks ago I was doing 1' reps of these on 53/15 on the hardest setting on the trainer. Yesterday I did the 2' reps on 53/13 - measurable progress, I think.

The third strength sessions are long strength/endurance intervals (long SE intervals). These too have just increased from 6 X 4' duration with 5' recovery to 5 X 5' and 5' recovery this week. The cadence for these is the same as the short SE intervals. The number of long SE intervals will also gradually increase over the next 4 weeks. These are done on the trainer and I began doing the 4' reps on 53/17 and today did the 5' reps on 53/15. Again, good progress.

I am also looking forward to getting back to Ballarat and riding with my usual groups over the usual hills. This will give a gauge of progress against known other athletes. However, in the interim, I will keep chipping away at the intervals, the long endurance ride each Saturday and race the Sunday, Hendry's group ride to Josh's instructions. It's very pleasant to not be so tired for a change but looking at the program for the next two weeks, I have a feeling it will not last!