How early do you start training?

[agkidrive2]

How many months before your first race do you start training? ???

[sizlinseagulsoup]

It's better to never stop.

[agkidrive2]

Does wrestling count as training?

[gungywump]

Does wrestling count as training?



Mud or Jello?

[splat]

mmmmmmmmm ..... Jello ( which Color ? )

[agkidrive2]

high school wrestling

[I Are Baboon]

"Training"?? What's that?

[The Toninator]

mmmmmmmmm ..... Jello ( which Color ? )


ummm purple

[The Toninator]

How many months before your first race do you start training? ???





7 weeks is the cycle. Chris Carmichael has a training program based on a 7 week training cycle.

[gaberator]

If you want to ride then ride. If you want to think about the ride then think. Just don't burn out and if you ever dread getting on the bike then start golfing or something ridiculous.

[EricM3]

Actually, about 3 weeks after 'cross season ends. Build base mileage. Ride with fenders and layers in the cold and carppy conditions. And rollers. Do mind-numbing workouts for hours in junk weather.

In march add intensity. Do intervals and start to cut back on the lng distance low intensity mileage. Lose sensitivity on the bottom of the sack.

Start racing in early April. Commit to sacrificing another spring summer and fall of weekends, and weekday early mornings and afternoons to the bike and the racing scene.

Stay away from the beach and cookouts- there's races to be finished as an also-ran in the expert class! I could be 21st out of 43 in my age group this week! Or better yet place in the top 5 and take home another seatbag in an ugly colour that the local shop couldn't sell!

Strap a light on the head and be a toal freak to the rest of the world - but they just don;t understand I'm FIT! I'm hardcore!

Ride at night in the cold while the G/F is finding a new B/F.

Repeat for 8 years or so - (next year I'm going to beat that other also ran that kept spanking my butt in the expert class) and get burnt out, be a skinny looking - but FIT! _ freak with no real friends other than other geeky bike racers and nothing to talk about but bikes.

The G/F was gone a long time ago.

Realize what a waste it all was and find something different and interesting to do.

Sell a cellar full of bikes for pennies on the dollar because everyone else who got into racing in the early 90's is burnt out too and trying to offload stuff.


OK rant over. Some things are exaggerated, some aren't but you get the idea. For me racing took all the fun out of riding. I've seen it happen to a bunch of others. It's not all it's cracked up to be and the *truly* great races are no longer around.

eg
Lynn Woods spring and fall
Nor'Easter Challenge
Knox 2 day fest
Needham town forest race
Quit yer Snivelin
Wrath of Valley Falls

Ski slope races are no fun.

Just get out and ride and have fun.

You want to get fit? Go ride hills, or with people who are just faster than you. Eventually if you ride enough and rest and eat properly you'll be as fast or faster than them.