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Base Training and limiters

SwizzlenapSwizzlenap Posts: 160
in General Chat
I'm putting together a plan for the coming year and as instructed will be putting in plenty of long, slow endurance stuff. However, I know I've got a weak spot in my cycling with hills. Would you leave that until later in the year or start to mix it in right from the beginning?

The thought of not doing anything about it for months makes me a bit twitchy.

Comments

  • TRIumphantTRIumphant Posts: 850
    I've just finalised my plan, and I've generally left cycling out until mid January. I've limited myself to two one-hour spin classes per week just to keep the legs ticking over. Main focus until then is LSD running (for a spring Marathon), and swim technique.

    Come mid January start adding in cycling and distance swimming, witht he aim of getting up to HIM in June and IM in August.

    (I based my plan on the intermediate plan from IronFit, but then adapted for other comitments I've got earlier in the year).
  • md6md6 Posts: 969
    I haven't sorted my plan yet i am going to do that in mid novemeber, aim to star in decemeber. My big limiter is bike and in particular hills too. I plan to start on the hills asap along with the LSD stuff. I don't think there is anything wrong with throwing a few hills into a LSD ride, get the HR up for a few mins then let it drop back down into the 'correct' zone. Also I will plan once every other week a short ride just of hills, Be Ironfit suggests about 10% of training (max) to be high intensity, so I would alternate between a high intesity run one week and ride the next. But then, I really don't have a clue about this training lark.
  • jacjac Posts: 452
    Swizzle,
    The only way to improve your hills is to hit the hills!
    My advice is don't be scared of them. None last forever and you almost always get a great descent afterwards.
    Concentrate on technique and find your best cadence for successfully tackling them. Personally I prefer to spin up hills maintaining around 90rpm. And if you need to get out of the saddle to give you an extra burst of power do so! Aim to relax your arms and don't grip the bar too tight. And maintain good pedalling technique.
    Generally speaking the more upright you are the more oxygen you will get into your lungs so try different grips on the bars. Personally I prefer hands quite close together in the middle of the bar. I find it's the best positioning for opening the lungs and making breathing easier.
    There will be pain..but it's all worth it!
    If it's a long hill don't hit it hard at the base..try and maintain good form and technique all the way up, perhaps with enough in the tank for powering over the top.
    Practice is what it's all about. Get going on them asap!
  • SwizzlenapSwizzlenap Posts: 160
    Thanks all, v helpful. I think I'll add in a few hills now and increase the frequency a bit later in the year.
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