Cycling training Tips: Summer Fitness

It's easy to feel good midsummer. You've ridden a bunch of miles, and perhaps even some races or events. You're nearing peak fitness. At this point, most of us continue to motor on, with lots of volume and no plan—a recipe for burnout, says Jason Tullous, general manager and head coach of Carmichael Training Systems's Tucson Regional Center. n The biggest mistake people make this time of year is not taking a recovery week, he says. "If you rest now, you'll allow your body to adapt to the training stress you've put it through so far." Instead of grinding yourself down with week after week of big miles, you'll feel refreshed and ready to build back to your peak level—then surpass it through the fall season. n Happily, the keys to this plan are easy: Rest and avoid high mileage. If you've been riding all summer, you need shorter, more focused rides, not more miles. The payoff is a stronger, longer season.

Phase 1
RECOVERY
(1 week)
The Workout: Don't ride—really. If you can't stand being off the bike, then restrict yourself to no more than two 1-hour Recovery rides (see below). Otherwise, walk the dog or play with the kids.
Why: You're not doing nothing; you're laying the foundation for your second season.

Phase 2
BUILD
(4 weeks)
The Workout: Four or five eight-minute intervals at Threshold pace, with four minutes of recovery between efforts.
Why: Sublactate threshold intervals build strength, but because you're not going into the red zone you won't accrue a lot of fatigue.
How Much: Do the workout twice a week during a 1.5-hour Endurance ride. Start with four intervals and build to five. In the last week of this phase, cut back to four and do the workout once for a mini recovery cycle. During this phase include a three- to four-hour group ride on weekends.
Weekly Volume: Seven to 10 hours

Phase 3
SHARPEN
(3 weeks)
The Workout: Three sets of four 30-second intervals at Max pace, with 30 seconds recovery between.
Why: Max efforts will help your legs build explosive power. They don't need to be long because you've already built up fitness; it just needs honing.
How Much: Do the workout twice a week during a 1- to 1.5-hour Endurance ride, with only one recovery day between workouts. Your long weekend ride should be no more than three hours or, if you're racing, skip the long ride and do the Max workout only once, on Thursday.
Weekly Volume: Seven to nine hours

Phase 4
PEAK
(4 weeks)
The Workout: Four 8-minute intervals at Threshold with four minutes recovery.
How Much: Do the Threshold intervals once a week for the first two weeks of this phase, then back off to Endurance and Recovery riding. By doing less, you'll feel fresh, whether your goal is to keep up with your local group or to become a star on the cyclocross circuit. Be sure to do one hard effort per week, whether it's a race or group ride, to take advantage of your hard-earned fitness.
Weekly Volume: Seven hours, tapering to three to four the week before a goal event

NOTES
Throughout this plan, take at least one day off per week, and do one or two weekly recovery rides of 30 minutes to 1 hour at RPE 1 or 2.

RPE stands for rate of perceived exertion, measured on a scale of 1 to 10.
Recovery=RPE 1 to 4; you can breathe and talk effortlessly
Endurance=RPE 5 to 6; you can still speak in full sentences
Threshold=RPE 7 to 8; you're breathing rhythmically and can speak only a few words at a time
Max=RPE 10; all-out effort

The Second-Season Plan
Note that this program starts off with a week of rest, assuming you have just peaked for the summer season—this week off is the most important part; don't skip it. This guide lets you sketch out your own training week, planning rides and workouts for days when you have time; you can also adjust it to accommodate your race calendar. And if you've been slacking all summer, this program can serve as a quick get-fit guide, but just be sure that you have a base of a few weeks of endurance-paced riding before adding intensity.

4 Ways to Take It to the Next Level
It's easy to follow a training plan, but use these simple strategies and you'll get faster—without pedaling more

1. Rest. "You need at least a day, maybe two, to recover from hard intervals," says Carmichael Training Sytems coach Jason Tullous. "If you go hard too soon, you're creating a hole of fatigue you can't climb out of."

2. Mind the details. A training log should show more than miles and heart rate, he says. "Log how you feel during an interval, and the next day—and what you eat and how you respond to it." You'll have a wealth of data to learn from, so you can keep what works and toss what doesn't.

3. Hire a conscience. Coaches can motivate athletes to work harder, but in Tullous's experience, they can be even more valuable as voices of reason. "Competitive, successful people aren't so good about laying off," he says.

4. Work your core. It's trite but true—a strong core is critical for cyclists. Work yours for 20 minutes, three or four times a week. Try this: bicycling.com/fitcore.