Winter Training

FishFluff

FishFluff

FishFluff

Soldato
Joined
7 Nov 2003
Posts
5,615
Location
Scotland
Hi all

I’ve decided that next year is going to be the year that I start racing. At the age of 38...

Normally my ‘winter training’ consists of eating all of the mince pies and putting the bike in the cellar until April. I’m determined that this year is going to be different. Has anyone got a decent training plan for the winter months or some useful tips? I have a turbo trainer and might try Zwift this year now I have a power meter. I’m thinking 2 turbo sessions a week plus one outdoor ride on a weekend. Will that be enough to have me in decent shape for the start of the 2019 season? My FTP at the moment is only 260, so there’s lots of room for improvement!
 
A lot of the guys I follow on strava who race, in the winter are doing something 5 days a week, mix of outdoor intervals and turbo/spin/zwift.
 
I'm 47 and have just done my first race season off the back of probably no more than average 60 ish miles a week of high intensity training.

Pretty low training mileage but seemed to work well for me.

I used a combination of the real world and Zwift.

I'm planning to do much the same this Autumn and Winter.

Nice ftp to get started, with but what's your weight?! :)
 
Weight is currently 80kg so plenty of scope for weight loss! I think I can get that down to 75kg over winter if I really focus, I’ve managed it in the past when I have a goal at least.

Congrats on getting out there and racing. I’m looking forward to giving it a bash but am petrified of getting dropped out the back on my first lap!
 
That was exactly my fear too, I was also very nervous - I remember trembling on the start fence of my first race and almost just wanting it to be over. I was also super scared of attacking - several times I held back just because of the fear of trying failing and getting spat - now I just don't care, I'm happy to gamble, I'm happy to try stuff.

All of the nervousness and cautiousness soon dissolves though - really it doesn't last long at all. End of first race and the fear just vanishes.
The cautiousness might last two or three races - but eventually that goes too.

Your own mind is the biggest obstacle, not your legs.
 
I’m always nervous at a road race until it rolls out.

Wouldn’t worry about the weight, focus on the power.

Hills aren’t long enough for it to matter in the UK, once you start riding more it will come down or balance muscle/fat better.
 
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