I'm entered in the solo category of the Lake Taupo Cycle challenge (see tab), so am training for a 160 km ride with plenty of hills. Bearing in mind my cycling has been pretty much confined to trips to the shops and around town for 8 years, I knew I would need a good plan. I also needed to ensure my ramp up was gradual enough to avoid knee problems I had experienced in the past. As an avid gym go-er, and active transport enthusiast, I had a good base level of fitness to build from. But could I build up to 160 km?
I started by figuring out what my base weekly cycling added up to in kilometres. I then devised a plan figuring out where I would get to if I added 10-20% to that each week. I also factored in the training information given on the Lake Taupo Challenge website. Time available to train was another big consideration. However my daughter was due to start school in mid August, and the challenge is end November, so I knew I would have some extra training time available. Putting all of that together helped me be confident that I could put in the training required, so I booked our Taupo accommodation and made a note to enter the challenge on the day entries opened in July!
My plan has evolved... I read a few books on the topic and have taken the plan from the book "Taupo 101" and adjusted it to factor in the Les Mills RPM sessions I do each week. It is a 12 week plan, but I started training prior to that, enabling me to build up my base slowly and ensure I had time to adapt. I'm also doing plenty of cross training at the gym, as I want to ensure my body is well balanced, with plenty of core strength and flexibility work, as well as working the parts of my body that get less of a work out with cycling.
So I am now in Week 5, which is a recovery week. Probably why I have time and energy to be writing this. Training on the bike affords lots of good thinking time, and I often think of things I would like to write, or people I would like to contact. Perhaps I need some dictation device! Last week I did 10 hours 21 minutes riding. Actually a bit more than planned, but I wanted to join a group ride on Saturday to practice my bunch skills which are practically non-existent. Thankfully cycling with kids has made me a vary aware rider, the downside is it has taught me to hang back a bit more than is best in bunch riding. My typical training week includes a couple of Les Mills RPM sessions, a hill training session of two hours or more, and a long ride, four hours or more, with plenty of hills. I also do a strength session at the gym, one or more core training sessions and a couple of yoga/pilates classes to balance it out.
Two weeks ago I completed my first 100 km ride since I became pregnant with my son more than 8 years ago! It was so exciting to be out there doing that kind of distance. It felt good. Yes I was super tired afterward, and it is a whole different deal to come home to family duties as opposed to the no-kids life of coming home and flopping on the sofa!
