[Heidi]

OK, so I haven't done any speed work in over a month since I have been ramping up mileage for the Brian Head 100. I was looking through Velo News at one of their training articles and it said to do intervals of 1 mile long - relatively flat, at 90% of your max. It said to then record your time, spin back to the start line, and repeat the same interval. You were supposed to do this until you could no longer beat your original time. Hnmm, guess my interval workout is gonna be pretty short, I doubt I could beat my time more that once.

I stuck to my regular spinups instead.

 

[El Jefe]

Originally posted by Heidi
OK, so I haven't done any speed work in over a month since I have been ramping up mileage for the Brian Head 100. I was looking through Velo News at one of their training articles and it said to do intervals of 1 mile long - relatively flat, at 90% of your max. It said to then record your time, spin back to the start line, and repeat the same interval. You were supposed to do this until you could no longer beat your original time. Hnmm, guess my interval workout is gonna be pretty short, I doubt I could beat my time more that once.

I stuck to my regular spinups instead.

You're trying to freshen up for Am Cup right? I'd say go 90% for 1 minute, but maybe not till you drop. Maybe just 10 times. Spinning back to the start should give you at least a 2:1 rest interval, if not longer. That should keep you fresh and sharp and help tune up for an XC race. Remember, nothing you do this week will do too much to benefit your physiology for this weekend, but doing too much could really make you feel flat on Sunday.

Also, try a nice little tempo ride, keeping your HR right at your anaerobic threshold, but only for about 20 minutes. Nice easy warm-up and long easy cool down and you have a 90 minute ride that leaves you feeling good.

Just my $.02 Good luck!

 

[Heidi]

Yah, I actually spent last week doing sprints and intervals but just now got around to posting this. I threw a couple tempo workouts in there too.

 

[El Jefe]

Originally posted by Heidi
Yah, I actually spent last week doing sprints and intervals but just now got around to posting this. I threw a couple tempo workouts in there too.

Cool. You'll rock!

 

[kuma]

Lesse...90% max for 1 mile.

That would be like almost sprinting for me. Even if I could theoretically hit 30 mph, I really doubt I could hold it for the 2 minutes it would take to complete a mile. What kind of sadist training is this!?!? :devil:

 

[BigJV]

yeah, i'm confused. did you mean 1-mile interval or 1-minute interval?

I guess either way would work. 1-minute interval is pretty short, almost a sprint workout. I find I can hold my sprint out of the saddle up a hill, decreasing gears slowly as I go, for about 45 seconds, before getting hardcore burn.

anyway, my two favorite workouts to get ready for a short (ie not a 100 miler, crazy people) race are

15-20 minute climb at just about as hard as you can go, without puking. probably 95%. with 20-min warmup and cool down.

and

intervals, either 4-5 X 4 minutes up a hill, or 5-6 X 2 minutes up a hill. with good warmup and cool down.

just enough to prime the heart and lungs without blowing out the legs before the race.

another good trick is rather than go for a set distance and trying to beat your time, go for a set time, from the same starting point, and try to beat your distance.

so, i pick a line in the trail or pavement, and start, and go hard for 4 minutes. i note where I am when i stop. if on trail, I draw a line int ehdirt . if on pavement, I pick a landmark, fence, garbage can, car, whatever.

then i rest and spin and do it again. I can almost always beat my distance each time by a few meters. there is something about seeing that line and trying to pass it before the clock runs out that makes you go hard like in a race, and it is hard to duplicate that effort.

so, anyhow, hope whatever you decided to do works out. sounds like the race is coming up soon? good luck to you on that Heidi.

kick butt.

 

[M.W.]

Be sure to down a beer between each interval to negate any benefits...