How soon before my first A race(a 1/2 IM in May) should I start bike intervals. I’ve been very patient about slowly building my base. I’ve heard great things about doing 2 x 20 minute intervals at cp30. Should these be done first then as I get closer to the race move to shorter intervals?
I’d start doing them now.
Personally, I like to alternate long and slow intervals each week. I’m not sure if it makes a difference physiologically, but it’s helps to avoid burnout/boredom from doing the same workouts every week.
I started doing 2x 20 the second week on the bike (after almost a year off). I do them every week; twice some weeks. Even while I am adding volume, I do my long, high-intensity aerobic efforts. Don’t think of them as “intervals”, by the way. “Intervals” makes many people think of anerobic or speed work. These are fully aerobic, and will raise your pace at all aerobic effort levels.
Be rested before each session. Have an easy day before. I find I can still do an endurance ride the day after, but the day before needs to be easy or a day off. These are enormously valuable workouts, so make them count.
BTW – these should be done at your one-hour power level, not 30 min. It’s not really possible to do 2x 20 at 30-minute power (it’s 40 minutes of work!). Rest period should be nothing longer than a break to sip a drink and get your butt off the saddle; about a minute or two. Keep it rolling.
Francois,
I agree with you – if we use the longer break like you suggest. It probably works either way just fine. I prefer the short-break version at the 60-minute power since I find I am more likely to complete the workout without dropping power near the end.
I do the exact same workout on the run, too. 2x 20 with 1-minute mental break to stop, pant a bit, turn around and run back home.
Francois, when should I start these. I’m beginning Base 3 (in Friel terms) this week. Should I begin now or do some shorter intervals and begin these 6-8 weeks out from my A race.
Thanks
Francois, this helps a bunch, thanks!!!
John
My assumption is that you are not near the top of your age group.
I just checked my training log from last year in which I was training for a 1/2 IM in June. the training bible web site had me start 40’ of CP90 in Base 2. By base 3 I was working in CP60. The best “intervals” I did for a 1/2 IM was working up to 1 interval of 60’ in zone 3.
Why should someone training for 2:30 - 3:00 on the bike be doing 20’ intervals? My relatively uneducated belief has always been that anyone going over 5:30 in a 1/2IM is limited by endurance and experience. Shorter (20’) intervals would not seem to be focused on endurance.
tom wrote: Why should someone training for 2:30 - 3:00 on the bike be doing 20’ intervals?
A previous RAAM winner, that went on to break the record for the fastest RAAM, said the only difference in his training between the two years was the addition of a group time trial once a week. That speedwork, he reported, is what made a big difference. He made a statement to the effect that: If speedwork can help a RAAM length racer, it can help anyone.
Like Julian, I think too many people get caught in the long slow distance mantra. Sure, you need a base from which to launch, but, if you want to develop your speed potential, you MUST do harder efforts. See Francois’ suggestions…
Because Lactace Threshold (and thus VO2max) are the biggest predcitors of performance in any race at any distance. Period. Intervals aim to raise that.