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Slowtwitch Forums: Triathlon Forum:
local Bike Teams? Who rides for one?

Fr.Tri

Apr 10, 08 18:50

Post #1 of 12 (362 views)

local Bike Teams? Who rides for one?	Can't Post

I rode with a local group ride. A lot of people on that ride also race in bike races around the mid west. I rode really well the other day because my fitness is good. Because of this I was asked to ride with the "a" ride the harder group, and I was asked to race with the team. Here is my question.
Triathlon is my first priority... With that being said how many of you ride with local teams? I am willing to be flexible on what days I train in order to get in the extra group rides, but are there gains that will happen or can this be a detriment. I love riding with other people, but I also look forward to my long solo rides on my tt bike. on that ride i get a lot of thinking done and it is a huge part of who I am as a person (I hope that makes sense).... Obviously I am looking forward to ironman CDA and I would hate to screw that up? I am looking for advice.... thanks in advance.
mitch

(This post was edited by Fr.Tri on Apr 10, 08 19:02)

TRIWI~08

Apr 10, 08 19:05

Post #2 of 12 (347 views)

Re: Bike Teams? Who rides for one? [Fr.Tri] [In reply to]	Can't Post

I don't know where you're located, but I am signed up for IM WI (where I live) so I joined an Ironman training team in Middleton; the Endurance House. There are about 40+ members half of which usually come regularly to group training days. I'll tell you what....the group totally got me through the winter's 2 hour trainer rides!!
I am like you where I also like my alone training time....but 80 mile rides are much easier mentally and push me physically with my team!!

PLUS......I am very proud of this group! I cannot wait to wear my uniform to my races this season! If you're in the area...check us out!!
"Fall down 7 times....get up 8!!"

cerveloguy

Apr 10, 08 19:08

Post #3 of 12 (338 views)

Re: Bike Teams? Who rides for one? [Fr.Tri] [In reply to]	Can't Post

I agree with you about the group rides. They're a blast.

There's a young guy that was in our local group ride that road races, in fact he's now on a semi pro team this year. He's been trying to convince a few of us older guys to give a road race a try. I've seriously thought about it but I'm no spring chicken, so will just stick to the "Cat 6" group ride road races on Tues/Thurs nights.

I think road racing would take an entirely different type of commitment if you were serious. For a start running and swimming would get in the way.

trackie clm

Apr 10, 08 19:09

Post #4 of 12 (338 views)

Re: local Bike Teams? Who rides for one? [Fr.Tri] [In reply to]	Can't Post

If you are doing IM CdA, I might wait until after to join a team. You should be heading into your main training block for that race.

I joined a bike race team and am having some serious trouble doing tri training. I swim twice a week, but I've not run much at all (like about 40 miles TOTAL for 2008). The bike is much more fun.

clm

http://ironclm.typepad.com

jolenewilkinson

Apr 10, 08 19:28

Post #5 of 12 (314 views)

Re: local Bike Teams? Who rides for one? [Fr.Tri] [In reply to]	Can't Post

check out what they offer. If it fits into your training, it is nice to ride with a group. The roadies know all the good places to ride and can help push the pace-if that is what you need that day.
Jolene Wilkinson
Triathlon Coaching http://www.pacificfit.net

Khai

Apr 10, 08 19:49

Post #6 of 12 (296 views)

Re: local Bike Teams? Who rides for one? [Fr.Tri] [In reply to]	Can't Post

Riding with roadies can make you a monster on the bike, but it isn't specific training for tri - and especially for IM distance racing. You'll very likely end up compromising some of your CDA training if you get heavy into training with the club. If CDA is a major focus for this season you might want to limit you involvement with the club until afterwards. Given that you were asked to ride and race with the A's, you're probably already pretty strong on the bike. How's your run/swim? If tri is your main priority, you're going to want to make sure that your swim and ride don't suffer. Having said that, riding with roadies and racing road is awesome.

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Katy

Apr 10, 08 20:02

Post #7 of 12 (287 views)

Re: local Bike Teams? Who rides for one? [Fr.Tri] [In reply to]	Can't Post

I agree with clm, maybe because we are on the same cycling team. But now I find myself more and more drawn to cycling and away from triathlon. The social aspect is really fun, but I don't know that our team is a typical cycling team. Our team is also very diverse as far as cycling goes. Road, mnt, CX, track. We do it all.
---------------------------------------
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rroof

Apr 10, 08 20:09

Post #8 of 12 (274 views)

Re: local Bike Teams? Who rides for one? [Fr.Tri] [In reply to]	Can't Post

Do you use a tri coach? Discuss with him (or her) this so he can work the hard group rides/hammerfests into your program. I have done a little of both. Yes, a big time commitment, but makes you MUCH stronger on the bike, which helps in a tri obviously, but not so obvious is how easy the run is after a strong bike leg by going easy. Probably the same thing the fish think coming out of the water before biking (but I sure wouldn't know anything about that) :)
____________________________________
Fatigue is biochemical, not biomechanical.
- Andrew Coggan, PhD

ianpeace

Apr 10, 08 20:34

Post #9 of 12 (251 views)

Re: local Bike Teams? Who rides for one? [Fr.Tri] [In reply to]	Can't Post

I've been riding with a local road club for a few years and it's a huge benefit. We launched our own cycling team - all built of triathletes who turned roadie.... two of our guys won the state champs in crit last year. Short, entertaining youtube clip speaks to that...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SINj3gwfCs

Ian
Ian Murray
www.TriathlonTrainingSeries.com the adult pathway to your best performances..
If you're into Twitter - @triathlondvd.

jascott

Apr 11, 08 6:05

Post #10 of 12 (192 views)

Re: local Bike Teams? Who rides for one? [Fr.Tri] [In reply to]	Can't Post

I agree with most others who've posted here-- you'll get stronger on the bike riding with roadies. I raced tris for 4 years with average results on the bike. I joined a local cycling team and, after a year, made significant improvements on the bike. I didn't improve in swimming or running, but I didn't lose anything either. I only do cycling races now (road, crits, and TTs). I was tired of being average at tris considering the amount of work I was putting in and I wasn't willing to put in more, so I picked cycling to focus on. I don't think I'll ever go back to racing tris, but I still love the sport.

Fr.Tri

Apr 11, 08 7:12

Post #11 of 12 (154 views)

Re: local Bike Teams? Who rides for one? [rroof] [In reply to]	Can't Post

I talk with a few people, but I don't really work with a coach. Mainly I planned my year using a couple of books about the sport and while I have not been in the sport long by slowtwitch standards, I have built an okay base from the past few years. I am a sub 1 hour ironman swimmer and have been sub 50 in several stand alone ocean races. One thing that is intriguing about this offer is that It would be cool to put a fast swim with a fast bike, but like many "fish" My run pretty much sucks (and fixing that is getting most of my attention).
I like the suggestions about after CDA. I have my largest training block coming up in the first three weeks of May and I don't want to compromise that and my build now while not intense, is definitely time consuming. Thanks for the advice! I guess I am one of the people who talks to someone and then wants to respond right away. There is a ton of time left in the season after June.
Mitch
ps... I don't want to be misleading. On a visit out west I realized that a hard group ride in my home town and a hard group ride in a larger city are two completely different animals.

baxnelly

Apr 11, 08 7:36

Post #12 of 12 (133 views)

Re: local Bike Teams? Who rides for one? [Fr.Tri] [In reply to]	Can't Post

I got invited to join a local bike shop team this spring based on my results in a few TT's and the fact that one of their riders rides in the local group ride I occasionally join in and he put in a good word for me.

If I was road racing again I would have joined in a heartbeat. But since I'm IM training I couldn't commit to all of the requirements, which basically were a minimum # of races that you had to enter each year. With that said, I still will do a group ride 1-2 times a month to get that 'hammerfest' in that you just can't get when training solo. Granted you will hit efforts and heartrates that should you do them in an IM you would probably pay for later on, but the benefits are, as other's have mentioned, you will simply get stronger on the bike. Think of it as 'weight room time' for cycling, only it's on the bike instead of at the gym. I'm lucky that our local group rides Tuesday and Thursday nights so anytime I want to get a good hard short (2hrs or so) ride in I can do it during the week then go long and steady on my own on the weekend.
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