I notice many triathletes and road cyclists fail to reach their Cycling Time Trials goals although they are doing a lot of training. So they become frustrated and disappointed and more than anything they don’t know how to face the situation. I believe that the following points could change your attitude towards Cycling Time Trial and get you out of this plateau/ black hole:
- Increase the maximum watts at the aerobic scale test. The higher is this value the better chances to have a good performance. So we need training with high training power close to the maximum. The training stimulus must be higher than these of the race day in order to have the best and fastest improvement.
- Don’t do a lot of miles, especially in weekends in low power resistance. It’s not needed for 20-40kms TT Cycling/ Triathlon Events. There isn’t much of a difference between the training sessions during base or pre season period for age groupers with limited amount of time. From day one of our training we have training sessions at VO2 max (e.g. 6 X 2’ (2’) ) or at AT (e.g. 6-8 X 5’ (1’).
- Train hard by feeling and your coach will do the analysis afterwards. If you have to do 8 X2’ (2’) or T30 then go by feeling and forget heart rate monitors, power meters. “Do the best you can and afterwards we will analyse the training session”. Challenge yourself in every “A quality” training. Don’t hesitate to go harder than you think you can handle, don’t hesitate to risk at training as far as intensity is concerned.
- Don’t train alone even if you are a TT cyclist or a Triathlete. When you train with others you will be able to push harder.
- Variety is vey important. Instead of doing a well structured training session like 10 minutes at VO2 max I make individual pursuits in a straight line 100 meters course into a park or TTT of 2-3 persons. I change all the time the training session at group sessions following my feeling and my instinct.
- Sports Mentality and Team Culture are more important than anything else even if this means to do something totally different than the initial strategic plan.
Text : Giannis PsarelisEditor of Triathlonworld.gr & Cycliworld.gr- Chemist, MSC –MBA
Email : info@triathlonworld.gr & mobile +003069371702606937170260
- Triathlon New Zeeland Level 2 Accredited Coach (Candidate for Level 3)- Endorsed by International Triathlon Union (Level 1)
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