Training Races

[jonnow]

I was browsing an online entries page for mtb events, and was wondering if the triathletes out there use many road races as part of their training for triathlons. There is such a wide range of races coming up it seems, that I was thinking of entering a few. I noticed that there was a time trial series listed too.

 

So if you do enter races, which ones do you enter, and what distances do you do?

[Seeker911]

Its winter gasp have'nt been on my bike for weeks ! concentrating on improving my running and swimming and trying to curb those winter kilos. Time and logistics allowing I think enter as many races as possible the best kind of training ever. The biggest issue I have is I usually end up cycling on my own and not having much competition. Road races provide ample companionship and lots of aggressive competition. Distance depends on whether you intend doing Iron man, 70.3, 5050 or Sprint tri's come this summer. Personally anything below 60k's is a waste of time

[jonnow]

I'm going to do a series of sprint distances as I want to have a good base before I step up to an olympic distance. I have started training on the swimming and running, but haven't had much time on my new bike yet (which is killing me). This weekend I am hoping to get my toy a little more used.

 

The thought process was that I should do 40km races as that would be good and adequate distance for the sprint. Being new to the sport has it's challenges of not knowing what to do...

[Tankman]

Nope, race races and train training rides!

[Trubie]

As a roadie, I also use a lot of races for training.

One can only plan and race x number of "A" races per year. The rest are treated as "B or C" (ie , less important)races and part of the training for the "A's".

Fancy word is periodisation....

 

My advice would be, use as much of the road races as you can for training.

[jonnow]

Trubie - So you select a few major races (94.7, Argus) and then use the smaller ones as training for those? If I am understanding it right, you use the small races as a build-up to the big ones. Ok, I think I am on track with that thought process.

 

Tankman - is this simply a personal preference? How much time do you spend training?

 

I suppose the best thing is just to spend as much time as possible in the saddle. With work atm, i'm going to have to spend a lot of time on the spinning class

[Trubie]

Trubie - So you select a few major races (94.7, Argus) and then use the smaller ones as training for those? If I am understanding it right, you use the small races as a build-up to the big ones. Ok, I think I am on track with that thought process.

 

Tankman - is this simply a personal preference? How much time do you spend training?

 

I suppose the best thing is just to spend as much time as possible in the saddle. With work atm, i'm going to have to spend a lot of time on the spinning class

 

You have it spot on. One can't peak for every race(I do about 30 races a year), so I select 3/4 per year as features, and plan according to that. Whatever races fall in the training period will be that, a fast training ride at race pace.

[tombeej]

jonnow, with the understanding being that high intensity workouts do much, much more for your speed and endurance than long slow sessions, people use shorter regional races to get their high intensity sessions in.

 

1. If you've entered one of these events, it takes away any excuse in the back of your mind to skip the session.

 

2. With everyone around you going for it, it makes it much easier to really push the limit (compared to being on your own down a lonely road trying to summon up the motivation to hit intervals as hard as you can. Never happens. Even though you don't want to admit it, they're never as intense as you can make it in a race situation).

 

3. It's just so much more fun than doing hard sessions out on your own. A day out at an event is a jol, no matter how small it is.

 

4. You're supporting local clubs/charities/etc when entering.

 

5. If you're on Vitality, you'll probably be able to claim points as well

 

Some people are lucky in that they're members of a club that has a weekly 'club dice' that you can race in. Short and extremely hard. Probably the best session of the week for most. For the rest of us who don't have this luxury, racing as often as possible is the best form of training.

 

Once I'm done with my ITB & hammie issues and my tendons are all 100% strong again, I'll be doing the same.

Edited May 20, 2011 by tombeej

[jonnow]

Tombeej - Thanks for the feed back. I am going to look into which races I want to use as my key events and then find a few races in between. Which site can i use to check which races i can can claim vitality points for?

 

My biggest problem is time, as i have to be at work by 7:15 in the morning and the light isn't in my side anymore. So i've committed to doing as much spinning as possible for the moment.

[tombeej]

Here you go:

 

http://www.sa-active.com/index_sa.asp?goTo=affiliate&affiliateId=30&pageType=home