Anna Does The Etape: Barker is back!

Monday, 10 May 2010

Barker is back!

After a couple of test rides in the week I did my first long ride for 4 weeks on Saturday, it was 86Km and much harder work than it should have been! However, the knee held out and I don't seem to have any aches and pains. I could kiss my physio! I have definately lost a lot of fitness though, I was struggling to keep up and am going to have to work very hard over the next few weeks.

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Dictionary of cycling terms!

Cadence- revolutions of the crank per minute

Cycling computer- these measure various things such as speed and cadence and a whole host of of other things I don't understand.

ITB- Iliotibial band, not strictly a cycling term, but this pesky little band extends from the outside of the pelvis over the hip and knee and causes all sorts of knee and leg problems.

Over shoes- covers to put over your cycling shoes, they keep your feet warm and dry.

Sportive: a cycling "race"

Turbo Trainer- piece of kit you can attach your bike to to train indoors. Good for spinning training which is hard to do outside and good for rainy days. Requires something good on TV as potentially very dull.

Heart rate zones

Most of our training is heart rate based and you'll see in the training plans I post it'll say Z3 or Z4 etc. Below explains the zones, there are personal to everyone

Zone Range BPM Purpose

Recovery Short rides (non-training) for recovery

Zone 1
60-65% Development of economy and efficiency with very high volume, low stress work. Very long sessions improve the combustion and storage of fats. Combine with Zone 2 for practical unstructured low stress rides.

Zone 2
65-75% Development of economy and efficiency with high volume, moderate stress work. An important intensity for establishing a firm base for all riders. Combine with Zone 1 for practical unstructured low stress rides

Zone 3
75-82% Development of aerobic capacity and endurance with moderate volume work at a controlled intensity. Should be done alone or in a small group to stay in zone. Possible (but boring) on a turbo trainer for up to one hour in bad weather. 'Modules' can be incorporated into Zone 1 or 2 rides to increase intensity whilst maintaining volume.

Zone 4
82-89% Typical 'mean' intensity of most road races. Useful for tapering and as preparation, to simulate race pace, rather than as training. Sessions should be ended when the effort starts to tell.

Zone 5
89-94% Raising of anaerobic threshold, improvement of lactate clearance and adaptation to race speed. Should be done alone and:-
(1) as a specific road or 'turbo' session or
(2) for controlled periods within a shortened Zone 1 or 2 session or
(3) in a 10 or 25 mile time trial.

Zone 6
94-100% High intensity interval training to increase maximum power and improve lactate production or clearance. Probably best done on hills or a 'turbo' trainer.
NOTE 1. Should be done only when completely recovered from previous work.
NOTE 2. Heart rates are not the best guide for this type of training. Intensity should be such that the effort can just be held to the end of the interval. Ride on feel and use heart rate for feedback.

Anna Does The Etape

Monday, 10 May 2010

Barker is back!

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Training links and the Sky Etape Page

Dictionary of cycling terms!

Heart rate zones

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