12 Weeks in Review
So here's a quick rundown on the LWCoaching 'Winter Training Plan for Endurance Distance Mountain Bikers'. I'll attempt to describe my experience w/o giving too many details about the workouts. If you want that, buy the plan. :)
Disclaimer to Effectiveness: I do these intervals using perceived effort. I foresee going to power sometime in '09.
General stuff:
- The plan consists of three periods: Long Anaerobic Endurance, Muscular Endurance, and Short Anaerobic Endurance.
- Each period had core, weight lifting and skill work interleaved with the limiter that is being worked on for such period.
- Three weeks on / one week off is the schedule.
- I didn't do any of the power tests, instead riding outside those days.
- Spinervals were used to time the intervals when on the trainer. It's easy to match the interval length to a portion of one of the workouts on the DVDs. Troy screams and yells, I put my head down and pedal.
- Outside riding was done on a singlespeed. 2-1 gearing on 26".
- Most of this plan is just as much the physical work as it is mentally hanging on at the end each rep. No matter if the interval were 30 seconds or 30 minutes, they each had their own twisted way of making sure both bases were covered.
- Each week has a long endurance ride, which ended up being Sunday for me.
I start my 'year' in December, so that's when I started the plan.
It starts out with long anaerobic endurance intervals- 'max effort' seated for a few minutes at a crack. Lung and leg searing stuff for sure. The first week I found it hard to hold the 'max effort' w/o falling off the edge into power loss. Weeks two and three were more consistent staying right on the edge, keeping a consistent rhythm throughout each interval. Not to say that I didn't want to quit on some of 'em.
Luckily, the rest week was Xmas week, so there was minimal interference between life and getting the workouts in. We made an impromptu decision to hit up Kalahari on Xmas day. They have a swim up bar. :)
New Years week was the start of the muscular endurance phase. I like to call these the 'bring the legs to a simmer and ride it out' intervals, lasting up to 30 mins per repetition. Not so much about the lung burn but at the end of the three weeks, my legs were cooked.
After a rest week, the last week in January started more anaerobic intervals. Shorter than the first round back in December, these were all standing and under a minute. These continued for the first two weeks into February. With the standing up, it was easy to go too hard at the onset of each rep. It took some doing to control the early pace.
With two rest weeks to cash out February, my miles are tanked, but March is starting with the opportunity to try another plan and redeem myself.
All in all, I think this plan does what it's supposed to- give you a structure for building a solid foundation to build your endurance base on by building anaerobic and muscular fitness. Does it work? I'll find out soon.
So saying goodbye to 'training to train'- spring training is in session. Say hello to another round of crispy.
Disclaimer to Effectiveness: I do these intervals using perceived effort. I foresee going to power sometime in '09.
General stuff:
- The plan consists of three periods: Long Anaerobic Endurance, Muscular Endurance, and Short Anaerobic Endurance.
- Each period had core, weight lifting and skill work interleaved with the limiter that is being worked on for such period.
- Three weeks on / one week off is the schedule.
- I didn't do any of the power tests, instead riding outside those days.
- Spinervals were used to time the intervals when on the trainer. It's easy to match the interval length to a portion of one of the workouts on the DVDs. Troy screams and yells, I put my head down and pedal.
- Outside riding was done on a singlespeed. 2-1 gearing on 26".
- Most of this plan is just as much the physical work as it is mentally hanging on at the end each rep. No matter if the interval were 30 seconds or 30 minutes, they each had their own twisted way of making sure both bases were covered.
- Each week has a long endurance ride, which ended up being Sunday for me.
I start my 'year' in December, so that's when I started the plan.
It starts out with long anaerobic endurance intervals- 'max effort' seated for a few minutes at a crack. Lung and leg searing stuff for sure. The first week I found it hard to hold the 'max effort' w/o falling off the edge into power loss. Weeks two and three were more consistent staying right on the edge, keeping a consistent rhythm throughout each interval. Not to say that I didn't want to quit on some of 'em.
Luckily, the rest week was Xmas week, so there was minimal interference between life and getting the workouts in. We made an impromptu decision to hit up Kalahari on Xmas day. They have a swim up bar. :)
New Years week was the start of the muscular endurance phase. I like to call these the 'bring the legs to a simmer and ride it out' intervals, lasting up to 30 mins per repetition. Not so much about the lung burn but at the end of the three weeks, my legs were cooked.
After a rest week, the last week in January started more anaerobic intervals. Shorter than the first round back in December, these were all standing and under a minute. These continued for the first two weeks into February. With the standing up, it was easy to go too hard at the onset of each rep. It took some doing to control the early pace.
With two rest weeks to cash out February, my miles are tanked, but March is starting with the opportunity to try another plan and redeem myself.
All in all, I think this plan does what it's supposed to- give you a structure for building a solid foundation to build your endurance base on by building anaerobic and muscular fitness. Does it work? I'll find out soon.
So saying goodbye to 'training to train'- spring training is in session. Say hello to another round of crispy.
posted by JimL at 7:08 AM
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