Winter training Goals

[Doc_d]

I normally sit on the couch all winter and get fat. I generally won't ride outside unless it's above 40 (preferably 50). I come into the cycling season completely out of shape. It normally takes me until July to restore a decent level of form. That always *beep* me off because so many of the guys in my club ride all winter long and start the season strong. I've also passed up on an early season century (Michigan Mountain Mayhem) because my early season fitness just wasn't there. This winter I've committed to coming into the season in much better shape. I started dieting right after Christmas. A couple week ago I started a structured 16 week cycling training plan.

In the past few weeks I've put 700 miles on the trainer. I really despise riding on the trainer, but I think I'm starting to get used to it. I ride the trainer 6 days per week. My long endurance rides (80% of threshold power) are up to 3 hours which I thought I'd never be able to do on the trainer. Strangely enough, I find my interval days easier (shorter and less boring). Based on my training plan I should come into the cycling season (late March / early April) with over 2,000 miles already on the trainer.

I'm down from 165 to 145 pounds since I started dieting the day after Christmas. My goal is sub-10% body fat.

I have my rides logged from my garmin for the last 4 years or so. So I have an excellent idea of what kinds of pace I run at the beginning of every year. It should be really interesting to see if all this work pays off this spring. I just hope I can stay focused and committed until the weather breaks.

So has anyone else gone from winter coach potato to training seriously? If so did it pay off?

[nailgunn]

Grumble grumle 165 to 145
So to answer yes I have been. I am not a ricky racer..... for me it is an attempt to be more fit.

Jan 1 265 lbs Feb 13 249 lbs I am bouncing @ 27% now was at 33% Visceral is down from 17 to 15
My goal is to get down to 200-210. I should be nearing 10%-15%
Trainer got too boring. Doing a lot of Urban rides.. Weather has been cooperating this year.
Off riding days I walk treadmill.. Program increases to 12% incline; I also have been strength training with free weights.

I am trying to attack this differently than other years. I am not going for the big loss but small weekly loss. I was always looking for a 3+ loss a week goal. Now I am happy with .5 lbs.
I am hoping I can establish a lifestyle/eating habit I can maintain.

[utabintarbo]

Got a Pugsley last year. Rode (just about) all Winter. Helped a bit at Barry-Roubaix.

This year got another fat bike (see sig). Trying to follow a kinda logical training regimen. We'll see how it improves my times on March 24 (though I will be rolling fat).

My weight? No real change. I started out fat, and will likely stay there. Riding more just makes my legs grow.

[gossamer]

remember, you can over train... you need rest days.

I ride 2 maybe 3 days a week, and very rarely ever over 3 hours at a time

[mtbfree]

Your program sounds like it's paying off. I don't ride much in the winter, but usually cross train to stay in shape. In past years it has been racquetball or handball, but this year I've been rock climbing 3 days a week (indoors). I'm sure my cardio will suffer in the spring, but my core and shoulders have never been stronger, and I've never been more flexible.

One word of caution: Spending a lot of time on the trainer will make you faster early in the season, but it won't improve your technical ability on a bike, which also tends to drop off when you don't ride for months. You might feel better/stronger than ever come spring time, but don't try and ride 100% on you first trail-ride of the year. Give yourself some time to regain your technical ability.

I've known too many people that spent their season in a sling because they tried to ride their first 10 miles in march at the same pace as their last 10 miles in December.

[dirtjunkie]

I normally sit on the couch all winter and get fat. I generally won't ride outside unless it's above 40 (preferably 50). I come into the cycling season completely out of shape. It normally takes me until July to restore a decent level of form. That always me off because so many of the guys in my club ride all winter long and start the season strong. I've also passed up on an early season century (Michigan Mountain Mayhem) because my early season fitness just wasn't there. This winter I've committed to coming into the season in much better shape. I started dieting right after Christmas. A couple week ago I started a structured 16 week cycling training plan.

In the past few weeks I've put 700 miles on the trainer. I really despise riding on the trainer, but I think I'm starting to get used to it. I ride the trainer 6 days per week. My long endurance rides (80% of threshold power) are up to 3 hours which I thought I'd never be able to do on the trainer. Strangely enough, I find my interval days easier (shorter and less boring). Based on my training plan I should come into the cycling season (late March / early April) with over 2,000 miles already on the trainer.

I'm down from 165 to 145 pounds since I started dieting the day after Christmas. My goal is sub-10% body fat.

I have my rides logged from my garmin for the last 4 years or so. So I have an excellent idea of what kinds of pace I run at the beginning of every year. It should be really interesting to see if all this work pays off this spring. I just hope I can stay focused and committed until the weather breaks.

So has anyone else gone from winter coach potato to training seriously? If so did it pay off?

Congrats on the work, commitment and weight loss. That's awesome.

I'm doing the same thing. This is the first winter that I've trained.....first trainer I've owned....etc.

Does it pay off?? A guy I ride with regularily went from being a mid-pack rider to winning his class at Iceman. Yeah, it's gonna pay huge dividends.

Excellent advice on the first few rides of the season....don't go all "whiskey throtle" thru the trees on your first ride. I'm fortunate to live so close to Yankee Springs...and this winter has been mild. The trail riding there has been nothing short of spectacular this winter, so I've been able to get in some ride time on the trail. No mud....BTW....

Hope we're not in the same class......

[c0nsumer]

I've known too many people that spent their season in a sling because they tried to ride their first 10 miles in march at the same pace as their last 10 miles in December.

For what it's worth, I found that biking in the snow helps my technical handling ability tremendously. Riding small circles/paths around the basement also helps, but it's a LOT more tedious.

[mtbfree]

I've known too many people that spent their season in a sling because they tried to ride their first 10 miles in march at the same pace as their last 10 miles in December.

For what it's worth, I found that biking in the snow helps my technical handling ability tremendously. Riding small circles/paths around the basement also helps, but it's a LOT more tedious.

+1 on the snow riding. It really teaches you how to keep the wheels beneath you. I also spent one winter with my bike sitting in the living room next to my tv. I would practice track standing (without the fixed gear, of course) while I watched tv. By the end of the winter, my balance was so good I felt like a trials rider

[gossamer]

I've known too many people that spent their season in a sling because they tried to ride their first 10 miles in march at the same pace as their last 10 miles in December.

For what it's worth, I found that biking in the snow helps my technical handling ability tremendously. Riding small circles/paths around the basement also helps, but it's a LOT more tedious.

+1 on the snow riding. It really teaches you how to keep the wheels beneath you. I also spent one winter with my bike sitting in the living room next to my tv. I would practice track standing (without the fixed gear, of course) while I watched tv. By the end of the winter, my balance was so good I felt like a trials rider

Great idea!

[jonw9]

This year, I am gonna start riding by March 1st, no matter what!

I want to be in shape for Barry-Roubaix.
I want to drop some seight too, but 145 seems pretty unreachable. How tall are you OP?

[Mack]

I've known too many people that spent their season in a sling because they tried to ride their first 10 miles in march at the same pace as their last 10 miles in December.

For what it's worth, I found that biking in the snow helps my technical handling ability tremendously. Riding small circles/paths around the basement also helps, but it's a LOT more tedious.

I also spent one winter with my bike sitting in the living room next to my tv. I would practice track standing (without the fixed gear, of course) while I watched tv. By the end of the winter, my balance was so good I felt like a trials rider

You're not married are you. I can see the look on the wifes face with the bike in the living room and me
doing track stands . I used to ride around the basement before we finished it. Then one day for some reason
I will never figure out I decided to bunnyhop a couple 2x4's, bout knocked myself out when my head hit one of the floor joists.

[AllMountin']

First year of regular winter riding this year. I generally ride 200 to 300 miles(mostly trail) during the season. I had a bad December with only 43 miles. Set a goal to hit 200 miles in January. Got 205.

My weight was at 205 pounds, so I decided to eat a lot less and ride a lot more in February. 1,500 calorie intake. 10 to 30 miles almost everyday on the mountain bike. Down about 10 pounds in two weeks. I'm certain it's not healthy to run such a caloric deficit, and maybe even counter productive. I'll normalize the diet a bit by April. Hard to gauge exactly where I'm at, but I feel pretty good on the trail.

Are there consequences to riding 15 to 20 miles most days, with no recovery days? I've seen some roadies that ride for obscene mileage, that I assume is every day riding.

[centralRH]

First year of regular winter riding this year. I generally ride 200 to 300 miles(mostly trail) during the season. I had a bad December with only 43 miles. Set a goal to hit 200 miles in January. Got 205.

My weight was at 205 pounds, so I decided to eat a lot less and ride a lot more in February. 1,500 calorie intake. 10 to 30 miles almost everyday on the mountain bike. Down about 10 pounds in two weeks. I'm certain it's not healthy to run such a caloric deficit, and maybe even counter productive. I'll normalize the diet a bit by April. Hard to gauge exactly where I'm at, but I feel pretty good on the trail.

Are there consequences to riding 15 to 20 miles most days, with no recovery days? I've seen some roadies that ride for obscene mileage, that I assume is every day riding.

It is not necessarily a major problem to ride everyday, but it depends on the intensity of the rides. If you are riding everyday, at least one ride should be a "recovery ride" at very low intensity. Your muscles need some time to heal from the higher intensity work. Many riders consistently ride at the same intensity for every ride and they tend to eventually level off in their fitness gains and/or get "burned out." Joe Friel's Cyclist Training Bible is a good read if you are serious about training and racing.

[AllMountin']

Joe Friel's Cyclist Training Bible is a good read if you are serious about training and racing.

I'm serious about hitting my ideal weight and enjoying the *whole* riding season. The jury is out on the race thing. I'll run Yankee and the local stuff. As for the rest of it, I'll reevaluate after Yankee.

I'm more or less fine with where I was at last fall, but would like to be there in the spring.

[mtbfree]

I've known too many people that spent their season in a sling because they tried to ride their first 10 miles in march at the same pace as their last 10 miles in December.

For what it's worth, I found that biking in the snow helps my technical handling ability tremendously. Riding small circles/paths around the basement also helps, but it's a LOT more tedious.

I also spent one winter with my bike sitting in the living room next to my tv. I would practice track standing (without the fixed gear, of course) while I watched tv. By the end of the winter, my balance was so good I felt like a trials rider

You're not married are you. I can see the look on the wifes face with the bike in the living room and me
doing track stands . I used to ride around the basement before we finished it. Then one day for some reason
I will never figure out I decided to bunnyhop a couple 2x4's, bout knocked myself out when my head hit one of the floor joists.

Haha, no, I'm not married. That was actually one year in college, and the only reason my bike was in the living room is because that was the only place it fit.

And as for bunnyhopping in the basement... ouch.