Since reading January’s Procycling magazine, which was guest edited by Greg Lemond, I have become fascinated by the argument in favour of training less. Less purely in terms of time spent out on the bike but more in terms of the intensity required.
So more intervals and few slow slogs around the countryside. According to Lemond’s methodology those long rides just result in the sort of chemical build up that inhibits proper improvement and which leads to depressive episodes. Obviously I should be quoting properly here but it’s a Sunday evening, I’ve been working all weekend and I’ve no idea where I put my copy of the mag.
As a training method it suits me fine as I’ve never really enjoyed the Sunday rides with the battle to not be last up the hill and the having to write down the whole of the day for recovering, napping and cleaning after the ride. I’ve always enjoyed going out for an hour or two at most and blasting round in spurts of effort, in effect ad hoc intervals. Perhaps if I’m more disciplined about it I might show some improvement, perhaps I might even get a turbo trainer (Tacx Flow I think).
Next weekend I’m looking forward to a double-header of racing: Saturday’s 4th Cat circuit race down at Hillingdon, my first of the year; and Sunday’s final cyclocross race of the season at Hainault Forest Country Park. I may be a little tired and sore by Monday but I do enjoy my racing.
I got my new 2008 licence through the post this week so I am intent on making best use of it and getting it upgraded to a 3rd Cat one before the Spring Classics come round. that gives me about 2 months to either get in a break or to nail a couple of finishes in the bunch sprint.
Best start training seriously again then and getting down to a race weight. I’m currently hovering around 75kg, which is a good place to be starting from, certainly better than the 79kg or so I started at last year.