Winter Is On Its Way … Bank Some Fitness

When I coach athletes about time trialling, the primary key to nailing your best time is riding a steady pace. Don’t start too fast!

You cannot go way over your threshold effort in the first third or half of the race and “bank some time.” You’ll almost always blow up in a spectacular fashion in the last half of the race and lose all the time … and more … in the last half.

Same thing applies to interval training. If you have a 10 minute interval, it makes no sense going super hard in the first 3 minutes, only to turn your legs into searing sticks of pain that stop pedalling during the last 7 minutes. You won’t achieve the training effect of a steady 10 minute effort in just 3 minutes of peak-and-fade.

This is the “micro” view of racing and training.

Zoom out to a “macro” view, and the picture changes.

I’m betting very few of you enjoy 3+ hour rides on your indoor trainer. Granted, virtual ride tools like Zwift help. I used to ride 4 hour sessions on my CompuTrainer in 3D mode (in those early days of indoor riding, the CompuTrainer was our equivalent of Zwift). But it doesn’t really need to be that way.

If you strategically put some long endurance hours into your legs between now and the return of sub-zero temperatures, you can “bank some fitness.”

Then, when snow covers our roads, and all you have are indoor rides, you can probably keep them under 2 hours long.

Want to bank some fitness for yourself? Then join us for the ride this Saturday.

It has always used a physically distanced format this season. A single pace line, with about a half to one wheel distance between each of us. The ride has been helpful to reinforce everybody’s skills to follow a wheel, and point out road hazards to riders behind – 2 skills that disappear quickly when you’ve been riding solo too much.

So if you don’t join us before the snow flies (I’ll be keeping the Saturday ride on the schedule until snow and/or freezing temperatures arrive) then plan to start coming out again next spring. Being a safe predictable Cyclist while riding around others is always an important skill to have.

New Start Time: 11:00am This Saturday

Morning temperatures are dipping as we enter the middle of autumn. To ride in more moderate daytime temperatures, we are moving the Saturday ride start time to 11am.

Winds have swept away many of the colourful fall leaves, but we’ll still head out west of the city. Last week, we had a spectacular ride with vibrant leaves and golden-coloured harvested fields all standing in contrast against a clear blue sky!

The route is about 113kms. Expect around 3:30hrs of ride time. Layer up, as the end of the ride will likely be warmer than the beginning. You can peel off the layers as needed. Bring on-bike food and at least 2 water bottles.

Meet at the Hampton Terrace shopping complex, on the very west end of Lessard Road (head west off the Lessard Road exit from the Henday).

Sign up for the Saturday ride HERE >>>Ride Registration Form

Riding details are:

• Hold an active 2020 Club Membership. If not, you must have it in order to ride. Go >> HERE NOW
• If you joined the club before June 6 you’ll need to send us your signed ABA COVID Waiver in order to participate for the season. Download it  HERE >>> ABA – Adult Waiver COVID 2020 and email your completed form to Coach Kevin Coaching@VelocityCyclingClub.ca
• All new memberships from June 6 onward will automatically require your agreement to the waiver.
• Meet Saturday, October 10, 11am at the Hampton Terrace shopping complex. Staging allowed in groups of up to 15. The ride is about 113kms. See all the Event details HERE >>October 10 Ride
• You must PREREGISTER before 8:30AM on Saturday, October 10, for this ride using this >> GOOGLE FORM If you do not preregister, sorry you cannot ride that day. Absolutely no drop-ins will be accepted.

Talent sets the floor, character sets the ceiling. – Bill Belichick (New England Patriots head coach)