# Interval Training Questions



## chaosandfury (Apr 21, 2010)

I need some help making me faster and I am not sure where to start. I just recently started racing this year as a CAT 5. My goal is to complete as many races, USAC and a few centuries, that I can this year to gain experience and move up to CAT 4. Currently I have been building a base from February to April, with 500, 600, 750 miles for respective months. This month I have added an interval day each week, with the plan being to cut my volume in May and add more intensity, and June and July would be heavy racing months.

I guess my questions are; Am I on the right track? If not then what should my plan look like, from base to season end, for the CAT 4 season? What type of interval training should I be doing? How often should I be doing intervals?

A little more background: I work with a Garmin edge 305 and will probably get a PM sometime before the next season. I have completed 1 CAT 5 race, where I got spit out the back, but still managed a 21.5 AVG and was only 7 min behind the winner and about 4 from the peloton, and I have also completed 1 Century in 6 hrs with 6000ft ascended.

Thanks for all the help I really appreciate you taking the time.


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## Alex_Simmons/RST (Jan 12, 2008)

I'm sure some on here will give you some advice, but if you'd like professionally prepared custom training plan, then have a look at the service I provide - just click the link in my sig line below.


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## iliveonnitro (Feb 19, 2006)

What Alex said. You should find a coach. If you're looking for someone local, search for level 02 or 01. Ignore the L3's, for now.

http://usacycling.org/news/user/story.php?id=95

I also coach, so you can send me a PM. But, the above link is a good place to start.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

You're probably alright as far as training goes. I know the general sentiment is to get out of Cat 5 and upgrade ASAP, but if you're getting spit out of a Cat 5 pack, perhaps work on that before you think about upgrading. I've known a few guys who upgraded the moment they had enough mass starts and suffered in Cat 4.


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## Sonomasnap (Feb 10, 2010)

Your monthly volume is very low. Even at 750 for a month that is only 25 miles per day. If you take a day off each week leaving you roughly 25-26 days a month to ride and you put in 2 longer weekend rides (60-75 miles) you will build a base much faster. Toss in some intervals but don't forget to ride easy the following day. As the guy mentioned if you are getting spit out the back and 4-7 minutes off the pace on what I am guessing is a 25-30 mile Cat5 race you should be in no rush to upgrade to Cat4. Yes Cat5 races are scary but you are not even close to racing Cat4. Take the whole season to improve fitness and bike handling skills in the peloton.


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## srosenfeld (Sep 21, 2009)

chaosandfury said:


> I have completed 1 CAT 5 race, where I got spit out the back, but still managed a 21.5 AVG and was only 7 min behind the winner and about 4 from the peloton . . ..


Why rush to Cat 4? Cat 5 was intended as a training category to get cyclists used to racing, riding with a pack, etc. If you're getting spit off the back and finish 1-2 miles behind the peloton, you still can use the benefit from Cat 5. Moving to Cat 4 before you build your fitness and racing skills will just get you spit out earlier and turn every race into a solo ride. Nothing to be ashamed of racing Cat5 until you get your sea legs.


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## ph0enix (Aug 12, 2009)

srosenfeld said:


> Why rush to Cat 4? Cat 5 was intended as a training category to get cyclists used to racing, riding with a pack, etc. If you're getting spit off the back and finish 1-2 miles behind the peloton, you still can use the benefit from Cat 5. Moving to Cat 4 before you build your fitness and racing skills will just get you spit out earlier and turn every race into a solo ride. Nothing to be ashamed of racing Cat5 until you get your sea legs.


But you ain't got no legs, Lieutenant Dan!


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

srosenfeld said:


> Why rush to Cat 4?


So he can upgrade to Cat 3 next year? :idea:


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## chaosandfury (Apr 21, 2010)

Well I guess I need to increase my volume, and I will keep that in mind for the next season. Right now I believe that I have enough of a base to stay with the group just not the anaerobic depth needed. I think the accordian effect really punished my legs more than I knew. So I guess the original question remains: What should I be doing for interval work and how often should I be doing that?

Thanks again for the help.


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## shomyoface (Nov 24, 2007)

I was wondering if these 750 miles you are doing are at a leisurely aerobic pace, and so you are not ready to race because you have no race speed in your legs. I would suggest doing intervals now, multiple days a week, and some tempo sessions. Doing the long slow stuff is old school - there is no question you can ride the distance in Cat 5 races, but get spat out when the speed picks up, so you need to practice that portion of the race.


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## srosenfeld (Sep 21, 2009)

chaosandfury said:


> Right now I believe that I have enough of a base to stay with the group just not the anaerobic depth needed. I think the accordian effect really punished my legs more than I knew. So I guess the original question remains: What should I be doing for interval work and how often should I be doing that?


If you lack the "anaerobic depth," then you need to do some VO2 intervals (i.e., multiple 30s, 1min or even 5min all out efforts).


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## Alex_Simmons/RST (Jan 12, 2008)

srosenfeld said:


> If you lack the "anaerobic depth," then you need to do some VO2 intervals (i.e., multiple 30s, 1min or even 5min all out efforts).


Maybe, but it ain't "anaerobic depth" that is the likely limiter.

The limiter is still an aerobic metabolic one (and race nouse). The higher one's threshold power, the lower the overall effort they race at relative to that threshold, the fresher they are to respond to attacks/surges etc, the less they go "into the red" for each effort/surge/attack and the more quickly you recover from such efforts when pace settles again.

Improved aerobic condition is the primary mechanism for enabling "repeatability" of anaerobic efforts.


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## Kram (Jan 28, 2004)

I'm not a coach nor do I play one on the innerwebs but isn't just 1 interval training day/week a little on the light side?


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## Sonomasnap (Feb 10, 2010)

*Typical Interval Schedule*

Most will do 2 sessions a week, Tues/Thur. Easy on Fri. Race on weekend and/or long ride.

Don't need to do intervals every week. Sometimes you need a base and/or recovery week.


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## Kram (Jan 28, 2004)

Generally what I do is intervals either mon/wed or tues/thurs, depending if or when I have a race. Usually do a total of 6 weeks with recovery weeks after each set of 2 weeks.


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