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07-16-2003, 10:34 PM

"archer" <ns_archer1960@ns_hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.197f637c2a3e7c57fc@news.ids.net...
> In article <vhb5oo8ldltvfa@corp.supernews.com>, sonarrat@postmark.net
> says...
> > "archer" <ns_archer1960@ns_hotmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:MPG.197f0c89e4e7d1a0fa@news.ids.net...

> > > It's simple: start riding a lot. Mix some longer, slower rides with
> > > shorter harder ones, and throw in a few intervals just for fun.
> >
> > That sounds good. I would appreciate a definition of "intervals," though.
Is
> > it the same as in inline racing - several back-to-back sprints?
>
> Yep; same as in running, too. AFAIK, the term "intervals" means
> essentially the same thing in most sports, though often implies slightly
> longer distances than the term 'wind sprints'. When I was running track,
> "intervals" were usually 200m to 800m, while "wind sprints" were usually
> 40 to 100m. When I think of intervals on a bike, I am usually referring
> to timed intervals from 30 sec to 5 min.

Well, I took to the hills... there's a 2-mile loop around my home which is full
of them. I went around it twice and into a mountain-bike trail which shoots off
for several more miles, about an hour and a half of hilly roads, and there were
many points when my legs just couldn't turn any longer and I had to rest...
after all that, I took your advice and topped off with some interval training,
scaling a 20% grade four times in a row. I can already feel a difference.
Yesterday, I couldn't even get up that hill without taking a breather... and
that was when I was fresh. Today, I did it six times, four of them after I was
already really hurting. I was expecting to not see results for a long while,
but that is not proving to be the case.

To compensate for my lack of endurance in the hills, I plan on going out several
times over the course of the day - before and after each meal, around the same
hilly course. Once I'm strong enough to do this confidently, I'll start
venturing further away from home where the topology is more varied.

Thank you for helping me on my way.

-Sonarrat.

07-16-2003, 10:34 PM	#3 (permalink)
Sonarrat Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Training "archer" <ns_archer1960@ns_hotmail.com> wrote in message news:MPG.197f637c2a3e7c57fc@news.ids.net... > In article <vhb5oo8ldltvfa@corp.supernews.com>, sonarrat@postmark.net > says... > > "archer" <ns_archer1960@ns_hotmail.com> wrote in message > > news:MPG.197f0c89e4e7d1a0fa@news.ids.net... > > > It's simple: start riding a lot. Mix some longer, slower rides with > > > shorter harder ones, and throw in a few intervals just for fun. > > > > That sounds good. I would appreciate a definition of "intervals," though. Is > > it the same as in inline racing - several back-to-back sprints? > > Yep; same as in running, too. AFAIK, the term "intervals" means > essentially the same thing in most sports, though often implies slightly > longer distances than the term 'wind sprints'. When I was running track, > "intervals" were usually 200m to 800m, while "wind sprints" were usually > 40 to 100m. When I think of intervals on a bike, I am usually referring > to timed intervals from 30 sec to 5 min. Well, I took to the hills... there's a 2-mile loop around my home which is full of them. I went around it twice and into a mountain-bike trail which shoots off for several more miles, about an hour and a half of hilly roads, and there were many points when my legs just couldn't turn any longer and I had to rest... after all that, I took your advice and topped off with some interval training, scaling a 20% grade four times in a row. I can already feel a difference. Yesterday, I couldn't even get up that hill without taking a breather... and that was when I was fresh. Today, I did it six times, four of them after I was already really hurting. I was expecting to not see results for a long while, but that is not proving to be the case. To compensate for my lack of endurance in the hills, I plan on going out several times over the course of the day - before and after each meal, around the same hilly course. Once I'm strong enough to do this confidently, I'll start venturing further away from home where the topology is more varied. Thank you for helping me on my way. -Sonarrat.