Kosecki - The bicycling big book of training: everything you need to know to take your riding to the next level

The information in this book is meant to supplement, not replace, proper exercise training. All forms of exercise pose some inherent risks. The editors and publisher advise readers to take full responsibility for their safety and know their limits. Before practicing the exercises in this book, be sure that your equipment is well-maintained, and do not take risks beyond your level of experience, aptitude, training, and fitness. The exercise and dietary programs in this book are not intended as a substitute for any exercise routine or dietary regimen that may have been prescribed by your doctor. As with all exercise and dietary programs, you should get your doctors approval before beginning.

Mention of specific companies, organizations, or authorities in this book does not imply endorsement by the author or publisher, nor does mention of specific companies, organizations, or authorities imply that they endorse this book, its author, or the publisher.

Internet addresses and telephone numbers given in this book were accurate at the time it went to press.

2015 by Rodale Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any other information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher.

Bicycling magazine is a registered trademark of Rodale Inc.

Book design by Kara Plikaitis

Photo and illustration credits can be found .

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file with the publisher

ISBN-13: 9781623362997 paperback

eISBN: 9781623363000

We inspire and enable people to improve their lives and the world around them.

rodalebooks.com

To all cyclists with a budding competitive streak.

Your love of the bike and willingness to challenge yourself inspires us.

Contents

Foreword

TRAINING. WHAT DOES IT TAKE? WHAT IS REQUIRED? AND HOW CAN WE train better, smarter, and more efficiently?

Those are time-honored questions for all athletes, ones that came up quite a bit during my training journey over the years.

When I was growing up in East Germany, much of my training was based around long, low-intensity rides. As we prepared for the season each spring, we based our training around three-day blocks. For example, we would do 120 kilometers, 150 kilometers, and 180 kilometers in the first three-day block. In the next block we would do 150 kilometers, 180 kilometers, and 200 kilometers, and then, in the final block, 180 kilometers, 210 kilometers, and 240 kilometers. This program gave me lots of endurance, but I found it hard to increase my heart rate at races.

When I turned professional in 1998, my coach on the GAN team asked me, Jens, why does a rider get dropped? Its not because he cannot do 200 kilometers at 40 kph. Its because he cannot do 450 watts for 5 minutes! As a result, we adjusted my training to follow a more modern, sophisticated program. Suddenly I was spending fewer hours on the bike, but those hours were much more intense. And later in my career, when I started working with Bjarne Riis on the CSC team, the training became even more specific. We had intervals to build stamina. We had intervals to build maximum power. We had intervals to build speed, and we had intervals to work on our lactic acid tolerance. We were basically the first team to work in such a specific way, and for a couple of years it gave us a real edge because we simply trained smarter than other teams.

This book is designed to help athletes of all levelsnot just racing prosimprove by providing a comprehensive understanding of the many dynamics involved in successful training and helping each cyclist find their perfect plan. As Danielle Kosecki has laid out in this book, youll need a strong understanding of your body stats in order to establish your starting point. Invest in a proper ergometer so that when you measure your power output and your heart rate, you can analyze your results, or even pass them along to an expert at some point. As you modify your training, you will see your strength and your watts increasing, and with that, your speeds will increase as well. Make sure to conduct these tests in the same place, under the same conditions, as you need a constant reference point in order to produce accurate results.

It is also important to have goals. Regardless of what youre training for, goals provide focus, and all goals, be they climbing a hill faster or burning fat from your hips, are valid. Identifying your goals also needs to take into consideration the personal investment youre willing to provide.

Before you delve into the wonderful world of training, let me give you some general advice that Ive picked up after 33 years of training and racing at the highest level of cycling.

1. Dont overdo it. This is especially true for beginners. I see it again and againthey want too much too fast and they get frustrated.

2. Give your body enough rest. So often people get so focused on the training that they overlook the need to recover.

3. However, any training is better than no training. On the occasions where you have had enough rest and recovery but lack motivation, even just an hour of training is still better than hanging out on the sofa at home watching television.

4. Keep company. Socialize with others. Talk about your training and try to learn what others are doing. Its always easier to train when you have a partner or a group waiting for you.

5. Keep it in perspective: A piece of chocolate every now and then wont kill you. As my old coach Bjarne Riis used to say, Only a happy team is strong team!

6. Have fun. This is the most important thing really. You have to like what you are doing; otherwise your efforts will be fruitless.

Jens Voigt,

former professional road bicycle racer

for UCI ProTeam Trek Factory Racing

Introduction

LIMITLESS

MY FIRST BIKE RACE DIDNT EXACTLY GO AS PLANNED. IT WAS A COLD, wet winter morning in Central Parkless than ideal conditions, to say the least. Before the start, my teammates and I nervously waited off to the side, letting the other spandex-clad women roll their bikes to the line before tucking ourselves in behind them. We had been training hard for 3 months, but as former triathletes none of us had any idea what to expect. My oatmeal was threatening to reappear.

The race director stood in front of us and shouted our objective: three 6-mile loops ending where we were beginning: at the top of Cat Hill. Without any further fanfare, he turned the lead motos loose and blew his whistle. There was no time to be nervous now. I pushed down on my right pedal and scrambled to clip in my left while women whizzed by me. By the time I got situated I was at the back of the peloton, a place I would repeatedly find myself during the race.

At check-in that morning, an experienced rider on our mens squad had given me one piece of advice: When the pace gets tough, dont give up. Work hard to stay connected. Youll be able to rest when the pace slows back down. It always slows back down, he said.