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If I'm entering in a pair, what is the best way to improve my preparation?
Reasonably fit, riding 12 miles each way to work a few times a week, plus a bit at the weekend, but I don't get time to go out and put 60/70/80 miles a time in on the road bike.
Can interval training prepare me as well for the ~hour on, ~hour off recovery of racing as a pair, or will I get more benefit if I can get some distance miles in somehow?
Yes.
Intervals, but some longer rides too I'd say, if only to get your bum in shape. Just do a few.
Yes & Yes
its not that hard really...ive done a few with no training and a solo and im no whippet
I've done a fews 12hr's as a 3 before now but that last lap or so becomes a real grind. I just can't do slow and steady, I need to feel like I'm pushing flat out. I've never paced myself, first two laps or so, fine, last few are an ever slower slog.
As ever, just looking to improve my speed a bit
If you can't do slow and steady you might benefit muchly from some long slow rides. Maybe 🙂
I've tried, I find it boring 🙂
MTFU then 🙂
I am far from an expert, but any fool can go flat out (his / her version of flat out) for a few hours. Sitting in a saddle grinding for a third of 12 or 24 hours without some previous saddle time is going to be sore: sit bones, cramp etc. I'd suggest at least some long slow rides a few weeks before.
I've been asking about interval training recently and it seems most people recommend them for increasing speed.
For endurance racing though, you need to work on your endurance first.
You say you don't get time to train.
How about getting up an hour earlier and going for a short ride. Another one after you get home and another one late in the evening.
This should simulate a team event by getting you used to going out for a ride before you've fully recovered from the last one.
Try to ride 6 hours in 24.
I've found the step up from 4 man to 3 man 24hour quite a step up. As mentioned above its down to lack of any decent recovery time. Suggest you get plenty of 6hr rides in
to condition yourself. I can only imagine 2 man 24 to be very hard.
If you find slow and long rides boring, then why enter a 2man 12/24 race?
Am fine with 12 hours as a 3 man team...have normally come in the top 25%...but was thinking my preparation could be a bit better without getting too serious.
I like doing alternate laps on and off, not grinding out hours and hours in the saddle. I'm fine with being in the saddle for a long time comfort wise whenever I've done it, its more the tiredness and vague feeling of sickness towards the end.
its more the tiredness and vague feeling of sickness towards the end.
That's a lack of endurance. You'd benefit from doing more endurance rides. Not sure that's what you want to hear though...
Yep, I thought my endurance is lacking but wondered if interval training would boost it in any way, given that I don't really do any training at the moment, I just ride my bike.
Possibly, but if you have no decent base I just dunno if intervals will help, then.