Training To Train

By Zach Lail, Precision Cycle Coach

Fall is the transition time of year for cyclist, usually October-early
November. You are generally winding down the race season, (unless you are
racing cross) and recovering mentally and physically from your hard summer
of training and racing. It is the time of year to recharge your batteries
and clean the slate for a fresh start for next year. The weather is cool,
the days are short, the fall foliage is in, time to enjoy yourself and
relax. Here are some tips for preparing for a successful upcoming
training/racing season, training to train.

Relax. As already mentioned you need to totally recharge your batteries,
both mentally and physically. All of the training and racing for the last 10
months takes its toll and now is the time of year to enjoy the down time.
Spend time with friends and family, perhaps take that vacation you deserve.
Significant others can sometimes feel neglected during the riding season so
now is the time to give them the attention they deserve. Get plenty of rest.
It can take weeks to fully recharge after a burnout especially so catch up
on all of that missed sleep.

Crosstrain. While you want to get plenty of rest, you don't want to
completely lose your base fitness. You will spend hours and hours on the
bike in the next 10 months so I usually recommend a change of pace for the
transition period. Some of my favorites are hiking, swimming, rowing, golf
(walking), Frisbee. I am not a big fan of running as it takes a while for
your body to adapt and is high impact and usually does more harm than good.
Two to three times a week for 1 hour or less is usually enough to maintain
most of your aerobic capacity. It is also the time to think about
supplementing your fitness and working on things like core stability,
flexibility, and balance. Sign up for a beginner Yoga class. It is great for
your physical and mental fitness. The thing to always remember is you are
recharging so stay away from any high intensity exercise. Ideally you should
stay in your prescribed Z1 and Z2 heart rate zones.

Review. Take a good look at your past year and review things. This is where
a diary is VERY helpful. Did you reach your goals? If not, why? What were
your strengths and weaknesses? What did you enjoy or despise about your
season? Try to identify patterns in your training. Can you identify periods
of overtraining or burnout? Schedule a review with your coach and tell
him/her everything you have on your mind relating to your training. You
would be surprised how many aspects there are to your training and what you
might think is meaningless may actually be very important.

Prepare. Think about what your goals are going to be for next year and
formulate a plan to reach them. The first step again is to talk with your
coach. This is probably best done immediately after the review period. It is
also important to reserve your spot with your coach as many coaches only
take on a limited number of clients and begin to fill up this time of year.
Choose your races and their priority. You may not have exact dates this far
from the next season but try to give your coach an estimated date for your
"A" races. If you are on a team or club, this is also the time of year to
review the season with your teammates and meet new teammates. It is also
time to work on things like sponsorship, budgets, uniform design/ordering.
Remember, teams always work better when everyone shares the work load. This
also facilitates teamwork later on during races.

Equipment. This goes along with preparing. This is the best time to get that
new bike, change your position, adjust your cleats, get custom cycling
footbeds, overhaul your bikes, etc. The bike shops are slower this time of
year so you don't get caught up in the spring rush. It's also a good idea to
review the new products that are released this time of year. Stock up on
tires, tubes, chains, and nutrition. Make sure the trainer is ready to go
and you have the appropriate winter riding gear. Having these things taken
care of now will allow you to focus on your training when the time comes.

Stay Motivated. Come November/December you need to be excited and motivated
to start training. Along with doing all the things already mentioned, stay
enthusiastic. I love to watch old recorded races, read old issues of
VeloNews, go to the cyclocross races and cheer on my cross buddies. It's
also a great time of year to have a club or team party to celebrate the
season.