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The
Need for Speed Two...
Quality Workouts for Cycling
Steve Elton
Well,
I realized after writing down a list of workouts to
increase your running speed (“The Need For Speed,”)
that I should give cycling an equal billing as well.
I have also noticed this topic reoccurring on the
Discussion Forum and thought some of you would benefit
from these workouts. When incorporating speed work into
your cycling program always be safe, build your efforts
gradually and avoid doing to much too soon. Always err
on the side of less than more.
Most of these can be performed alone, on the
trainer as well as the road. But, for maximum
effectiveness and FUN, I recommend working out on the
road with a group. Oh, by the way, always be aware of
your surroundings and the traffic around you. We want
you to get faster, but preferably ALIVE! That said, here
they are.
*Heart
rate upper limit =(180-age), lower limit=upper limit
–10 (note that heart rate on the bike is usually 5-10
bpm lower that when running, so adjust the above formula
accordingly)
#1
The pyramid
Warm
up 5-10 miles, do the following repeats: 1 minute
hard/30 seconds rest, 2 minutes hard/30 seconds rest, 3
minutes hard/30 seconds rest, 4 minute hard/30 seconds
rest, 5 minutes hard/30seconds rest, 4 minutes hard/30
seconds rest, 3 minutes hard/30 seconds rest, 2 minutes
hard/30 seconds rest, 1 minute hard/30seconds rest, cool
down 5-10 miles.
Work
interval should be 5-10 bpm above upper limit, recovery
at or below lower limit.
Too
hard? Recover for 1 minute instead of 30 seconds. If on
the trainer, your warm-up and warm-down can be 110-20
minutes.
#2
The Jack and Jill
Best
done with at least one other rider, preferably a group.
Warm up 5-10 miles, find a hill of moderate slope
approximately 1 mile in length, riders leave in 15
second intervals and try and catch the person in front
before he or she reaches the top of the hill. Work
effort should be all out and recovery very easy. Start
with 4 repeats and gradually work up to 6-8. Cool down
5-10 miles.WARNING: THESE REALLY SUCK and I LOVE ‘M!
#3
The Burner
Warm
up 5-10 miles; do 4-6 repeats of 5 minutes hard/2minutes
recovery. Best done with a buddy leaving 15 seconds
apart (remember these Hazen J).
Work interval 5-10 bpm above upper limit, recovery at or
below lower limit. Cool down 5-10 miles. Those with less
cycling base may want to start with 3 minutes hard/2
minutes easy.
#4
The time trial
Find
a slightly rolling road and mark it off in 1-mile
increments up to 5 miles. Warm up 5-10 miles then do a
5-10 mile time trial, depending on your level of
fitness, trying to stay at your upper limit +5-10 bpm.
This should be about a 90% effort, so you may have to
adjust your heart rate range for the bike if you are not
at 90% effort at 5-10 bpm above upper limit. Cool down
5-10 miles.
#5
The Miler
Holy
heart rate Batman! This one will push it up there guys.
Find a few buddies and warm up for 5-10 miles. Find a
one-mile section of road and mark it off. “Toe the
line ladies and gentlemen” and race one another for
one mile. Recover below lower limit back to the start
line. Start with 3-4 repeats and work up to 6-8. Cool
down for 5-10 miles. THESE HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO INDUCE
VOMITING J.
#6
Team time trial
Definitely
need a few buddies for this (3 total usually works
best), warm up 5-10 miles, then each person take 5 turns
in the front for 1 mile at 5-10 bpm above upper limit
(this should be about 90%). After your mile “pull”
peel off and draft the other riders until they peel off
and it’s your turn to pull again. Cool down 5-10
miles. This is one of my favorites and even though you
only do 5 “pulls” the total workout is intense and
should leave you wasted! Sorry, you loners will have to
sit this one out.
#7
The brick
SEE “THE NEED FOR SPEED” IN THE RUNNING ARTICLE
SECTION!
Remember
these workouts are intense so you only need to do one of
them per week. If you are tapering for an important race
you probably don’t need to do these during the week of
the race. If you are just training through the race then
go for it!
Happy
training.
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