Looking at my training schedule (using Ironfit plan) for my first IM, I was considering adding 1 or 2 days where I would commute to work. It is only 10 miles to/from work so I am wondering if the short ride to work has much training benefit? I plan to add more distance to the ride home. Would there be much benefit to lengthening the morning ride too? I was thinking that there is more training affect if you add all the distanace to the evening ride, but what do others think or do?
Thanks, Pat
Pat-you would be in good company if you bike commuted to work. I did for many years and actually miss it some. It does require a bit of planning but once you get the hang of it, it becomes routine. For me, swimming before hospital rounds, the challenge was getting up at 4:30 to be at the pool for a 5:30 am opening, then biking to the hospital…you get the picture.
That said, many evenings after a particularly strenuous day, the ride home (especially ones after dark) find you with a clear head when you walk in the door at home. Light yourself up with lots of strobes, take the safe route and exercise maximum caution. But, I highly recommend it. It helped me finish IMH 6 X’s. Good luck.
I’m not a coach and I quit analyzing and training with a strict protocol a few years ago, but I have been commuting to work for the past 3 years and I think it is free mileage that I cant get any other time. I have a longer commute (40 miles one way) but still if I drove it would take 45-70 minutes, but riding is around 2:00-2:15 depending on pace etc. So essentially I’m getting 2+ hrs of training with roughly half of the time…I have tried and no other way would I be able to ride my bike every day of the week for 2-4 hours…My cycling strength increases dramatically when I’m commuting. If I take a month off I notice a huge loss…
So in short…yes commute for training!
I have a nine mile commute each way. I use it for a fast training session. Try to go full out till stop sign , red light or some jerk is not paying attention. I tri to brick sometimes after. I do not follow a training schedule. But I am sure any ride to work can be fit into a schedule with some creative work.
I use commuting to fit in more time in the saddle. It is obvious when you do the math that you are essentially giving yourself X minutes in the day where X is the time it takes you to drive to and from work. I feel much more energetic when I get home via an easy bike ride and find it easier to run compared to driving. Other days I take the long way home on the bike.
Also, if you are training for an IM, don’t discount running into work as well. It takes even more planning, but plenty of people do the alternating ride in/run home, run in/ride home. It does help that I have a safe place I can leave my bike and showers at work.
I used to make the way to work a longer ride and then use the ride home as a recovery ride. Often what I do is a group ride in the morning, then keep going to work, used to do up to 100km. Another thing that works well if you live that far away is the odd run to work, I used to leave my bike at work, run in and then ride home as a recovery.