This is a good point. After doing a 5+ hour hard ride or race on the weekend, its can be hard to exist as a normal human. Lots of eating, napping and laying on the couch. It takes quite a while to dig out of that kind of a calorie hole. Since you are racing very often in the season you find yourself in that kind of state regularly.
Since I don't race as frequently, and I can't regularly run long runs at race pace, I don't really feel depleted in the same way from a long run as I did from a long ride (which can be high intensity) or race.
Yes, exactly. A long ride takes longer than a long run, and then the recovery is also longer. It basically takes out your entire day. Even if I can justify leaving my kids with my spouse for a long ride, I'm also unable to really contribute to the family when I return because I'm so tired.
The people I know who train relatively hard for triathlons or Ironmans: 1) don't have kids, or 2) don't have much of a social life...or they cancel family/friends plans often to train, or 3) Have no partner or have a partner that is also a triathlete that understands the obsession with training.
One particular guy I knew would often bike 6-8 hours every Sunday/Saturday with his friends (including beers or coffee after the ride). This was a married guy with two kids. I still get the stink eye from my wife when I run for 2 hours on Sunday at 6am, so I don't know how he pulled it off.
Yea, people that I know who train seriously for triathlons made me realize that I have zero desire to train for triathlons. Would rather get in my run or other cross training and then spend the rest of my leisure time doing something else.
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Reason provided:
changed a few words
I enjoy cycling, but how do regular 9-5'ers find time to train seriously on the bike? I can easily fit in 80-100 miles a week all year by getting runs in before work. It would seem like I would need to find AT LEAST 20 hrs a week to get the equivalent volume of training in on the bike, or am I missing something?
Not to mention the risk of getting stranded with a mechanical issue when you need to get to work in the morning. And what do people do in the winter when it's dark outside of work hours? Running with a headlamp is one thing but I'd feel wary of moving at bike speeds in the dark
Is bike training structured differently? Every year around the Tour de France I get excited about the prospect of doing more cycling but just can't see how to make it work logistically.
Time? Not a clue
Mechanical issues? Most are familiar with basic bike repair and have something like a spare tube and pump . Its also a lot easier to carry a cell phone while cycling than running (it seems).
Dark outside? Same as runners, use a headlamp. Just like with running, you get used to it. They also spend a lot of time on the trainer (google bike trainer if you haven't seen one) in the winter.
Training structure? Yes, very different. Some principles of endurance training are the same, but their workouts are a lot different than any runner's, even marathoners. For instance facebook video free download, a 100 mile ride once a week isn't uncommon and thats only a long ride to an amateur. Even marathoners don't typically do 25-30 mile runs.
Also, eating it once in a while (at least once or 2x a year or so) seems to be a given for cyclists, whereas for a runner, falling on the road could lead to a season ending injury.
Source: friends with triathletes
Finding time to train seriously on the bike while working a regular 9-5 job can indeed be challenging, but it's not impossible. Many cyclists who balance work and training effectively use various strategies to make the most of their available time and resources. Here are some tips to help you fit in more cycling training: Structured Training Plans: Professional cyclists and serious amateurs often follow structured training plans that prioritize quality over quantity. Shorter, focused workouts can be highly effective in improving performance. Look into interval training and other time-efficient workouts that target specific aspects of your cycling fitness. Commute by Bike: If possible, consider commuting to work by bike. This way, you can turn your daily commute into training time. It may not be feasible every day, but even a few days a week can add up. Weekend Long Rides: Utilize your weekends for longer rides when you have more time available. Consider early morning or afternoon rides to maximize daylight hours. Indoor Training: During the winter or when the weather is unfavorable, indoor cycling on a stationary trainer or using virtual training platforms like Zwift can be a valuable way to maintain and improve your cycling fitness. Group Rides: Join local cycling groups or clubs that organize group rides. Group rides can be efficient as they often involve higher intensity and can push you to improve. Time Management: Plan your week ahead and be disciplined with your schedule. Identify available time slots for cycling and stick to them as much as possible. Combine Work and Training: If your workplace allows, consider organizing lunchtime rides or riding during breaks. Cross-Training: Incorporate cross-training activities like strength training and flexibility exercises to complement your cycling fitness. Safety: When riding in the dark, invest in good quality lights and reflective gear to increase visibility and safety. If you're not comfortable cycling at high speeds in the dark, focus on indoor training during those times. Remember that consistency and commitment are essential for progress. Find a balance that works for you, and be flexible with your training approach based on your work schedule and other commitments.
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If you live in Arizona, Texas or Florida running 80-100 miles a week just isn't feasible for much of the year, but you can bike year-round in those places. Plus as others have mentioned you can do a pretty long commute by bike, and the thousands of dollars a year you save will pay for some pretty nice equipment.
Nobody serious about cycling is doing a significant amount of training on the trainer, Zwift, Peloton, etc (beyond maybe a month or two in the offseason). You just can't train at the same intensity on a trainer as you can on the road.
Same goes for commuting. Its a nice mileage add-on, but its not taking the place of more focused sessions where you really build your TSS.
Im assuming "seriously" means racing at a decently high level (at least competitive at cat 3 or higher). Below cat 3 (or maybe even cat 2) I'd be hard pressed to call it "serious" and you can definitely get away with a lower training load and more fluff.
Well, this just isn't true. Have you been on a trainer recently? You're riding your real bike with simulated elevation. You can do workouts in erg mode at the exact power you want. Plus there aren't stretches where you're not pedaling -- you can't coast on the indoor trainer. It's a ton safer than riding outside. You don't have to slow for cars/turns/stop signs. If your bike is in your basement/garage, it might be more hot/humid compared to outdoor cycling. I know tons of people putting in a good chunk of mileage on the trainer. Unless you're at the pro level, where you're getting away to training camps in the mountains in places that aren't super populated, most could do quite well with a good indoor set up.
I used to run competitively in college, but suffered from a lot of injuries and switched over to cycling after college. Currently work a 9-5 job and riding 12-15 hrs per week although I do not yet have kids, most of the cyclists I know with kids are down in the 8-10 hr range and do a lot of early AM or lunch time riding to be at home during the evening. Here is a typical training week:
Monday - Off
Tuesday - Intervals of some kind 2 hr
Wednesday - Endurance Z2 ride 2.5hrs
Thursday - Easy, 1 hr
Friday - Off
Saturday - Group ride 4-5hr
Sunday - Endurance ride 4-5hr
Group rides are normally done early in the morning. After a group ride (often feels like a race) you are normally pretty tired the rest of the day, but after a z2 endurance ride, I normally still feel all right and can get a lot of chores done. Plenty of time for socializing Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Hardest part for me is actually just staying on top of things like stretching and general strength exercises during the week.
As someone said above, you don't learn bike handling skills on an indoor trainer. They're not going to want you in the pack or in a crit unless you know how to ride inches away from someone(s) railing a turn/corner.
As someone said above, you don't learn bike handling skills on an indoor trainer. They're not going to want you in the pack or in a crit unless you know how to ride inches away from someone(s) railing a turn/corner.
On top of that, the reality of bike racing is saving as much as you can for one or two big moments of a race. The ways an experienced rider saves his energy and keeps speed with little to no effort can’t be learned on a trainer (fake drafting on zwift is the closest I guess).
Nobody serious about cycling is doing a significant amount of training on the trainer, Zwift, Peloton, etc (beyond maybe a month or two in the offseason). You just can't train at the same intensity on a trainer as you can on the road.
Same goes for commuting. Its a nice mileage add-on, but its not taking the place of more focused sessions where you really build your TSS.
Im assuming "seriously" means racing at a decently high level (at least competitive at cat 3 or higher). Below cat 3 (or maybe even cat 2) I'd be hard pressed to call it "serious" and you can definitely get away with a lower training load and more fluff.
I disagree. I put in a lot of time indoors over the winter or when the weather sucks, and I'm pretty serious. I'm also able to push myself pretty damn hard on a trainer. In case you don't think I'm serious, I averaged over 390W for a one hour test last week at 74-75kg.
Totally but you might already have those skills or can do bike handling specific sessions. I'm not saying 100% of your training should be on a trainer but you can get plenty fit doing most of your sessions on there. Yes, you still need to know how to ride a bike.
This is a good point. After doing a 5+ hour hard ride or race on the weekend, its can be hard to exist as a normal human. Lots of eating, napping and laying on the couch. It takes quite a while to dig out of that kind of a calorie hole. Since you are racing very often in the season you find yourself in that kind of state regularly.
Since I don't race as frequently, and I can't regularly run long runs at race pace, I don't really feel depleted in the same way from a long run as I did from a long ride (which can be high intensity) or race.
Yes, exactly. A long ride takes longer than a long run, and then the recovery is also longer. It basically takes out your entire day. Even if I can justify leaving my kids with my spouse for a long ride, I'm also unable to really contribute to the family when I return because I'm so tired.
There's masters national champ in my area that bike commutes daily. The VAST majority of their mileage is on these commutes with some hard weekend rides thrown in.
I'm sure it's years and years of aerobic base buoying those commute miles but I've compared our times on segments here and they are unbelievably fast
Nobody serious about cycling is doing a significant amount of training on the trainer, Zwift, Peloton, etc (beyond maybe a month or two in the offseason). You just can't train at the same intensity on a trainer as you can on the road.
Same goes for commuting. Its a nice mileage add-on, but its not taking the place of more focused sessions where you really build your TSS.
Im assuming "seriously" means racing at a decently high level (at least competitive at cat 3 or higher). Below cat 3 (or maybe even cat 2) I'd be hard pressed to call it "serious" and you can definitely get away with a lower training load and more fluff.
I’m the opposite. Long rides outside for fun but I can get much better high quality workout on the indoor training in half the time. A lot easier to do a structured interval workout minus the outdoor variables like wind, hills (up or down, traffic etc.
Wow -- amazing how many posters have missed the answer here. Cycling isn't just one discipline or distance. You can effectively train for crits and shorter road events with 6-12 hours a week of riding and maybe some strength training. Longer road events and stage races are pretty rare to find for amateurs these days, but if that's all you want to do you's need to double those hours to be competitive above the novice/intermediate levels. There's also cyclocross which is similar to 10K or 10-mile distance road training, short-course mountain bike races, even track cycling if live near a velodrome. All of those can fit with a professional life and a family. Will you win nationals? Prolly not, but you can be competitive at the local/regional level for sure.
A triathlete friend with whom I was pretty evenly matched returned the next season and was at a whole new level, which he reached through increasing his cycling training time. This is a guy who worked at a car dealership, had a family (including kids). He would ride an hour and a half or two most weekday mornings, but the big change was on weekends: he would get up ridiculously early, and ride in his basement on an indoor trainer a mind-numbingly long time - something like 5 hours one weekend morning and 3 1/2-4 hours the other. He did this for a year and became a completely different athlete. The best cyclists I speak with always have the same mantra - "time in the saddle." No doubt, it is crazy how time-consuming a sport it is!