Cycle Training: Should Have, Could Have, Would Have....

Isn't hindsight an amazing thing.  So in that vain here are some quick hindsight learnings from my training for the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge.  The context here is that I am up to week 9 of my training and the body is starting to present a few niggles!

1.  Bike Fit
My road riding bike is a flat bar road bike, purchased about ten years ago.  It has had a great deal of 'time off' whilst I did my baby producing and rearing bit.  I did have it well fitted to me when I bought it, so figured I would not need to take the precaution of having a professional bike fit prior to starting serious training.  What I did not factor in was: 1.  Woman's bodies change with babies (e.g. my feet are a full size bigger), 2.  My husband had borrowed my bike and altered a few things, 3.  There was a different saddle added somewhere along the way.
Hindsight: If you bike or you have changed, go for a proper bike fit.

2.  Cycling shoes
My beloved ten year old, much travelled, cycling shoes were showing signs of age and wear.  I boldly denied the need for new ones, applied some glue and generally ignored reality.  The result: shoes literally falling apart 20 km into a 120 km training ride!  Some electrical tape got me through the ride, and I had  them repaired, but there was no denying the need for new shoes.  Being tight, I bought some on sale, and was assured they would stretch.   So far, not so good.
Hindsight: Buy the shoes that best fit your feet when needed.  Get repairs done professionally before they become urgent.

3.  Muscle balance assessment
As a regular gym goer whose training is broad and includes both strength and flexibility workouts, I figured I would be okay not not need a muscle balance assessment by a physiotherapist.  My current niggles would suggest otherwise.
Hindsight: if you are over 40 and/or have had previous injuries, prevention is better than cure.  Get an assessment done prior to the training season so you can work on any potential problem areas before they become real problems.

Some great training rides around Lower Hutt

All my previous cycle training was done around the northern reaches of Sydney.  I was fortunate to belong to the very active 'Bike North' bicycle user group, whose rides enabled me to learn great places to ride and ride with a lovely bunch of people.  Fast forward to living in Lower Hutt, New Zealand.... after years of parenting taking priority over riding time, I had no idea where to ride for longer training rides.  Here are the results of some exploration, along with approximate distances.  For more detailed route information you can check me out on Strava.

1.  Round the bays - 75 km return
Cycling from Lower Hutt toward the city, around Oriental Bay, out to Scorching Bay, through the pass of Banda to Happy Valley Road, back into the city and out to the Hutt again.  A fairly flat route, great for a longer easy ride.  Very scenic.

2.  Moonshine Hill, various distances, starting at 30 km return
This was a celebrated find!  Cycle from Lower Hutt up  SH2, turning off at Haywards.  Cycle up to Moonshine Road turn off on right.  Long steady upward climb of around 6 km.  Then choose whether to descend to Riverstone Terraces and return via SH2 or descend, climb back up the steeper side back the way you came.  Sometimes I like to cycle up SH2 to Riverstone Terraces turn-off and do some hill repeats on the steeper side, which gives you a meaty 3km odd climb.  A beautiful scenic route.  The road is narrow, so not sure how it would be with weekend traffic.

3.  Blue Mountains, various distances with Te Marua route clocking in at 75 km return.
Head up to Silverstream, either via SH2 or Western Hutt road.  At Silverstream follow signs for Blue Mountains.  A lovely big climb takes you to Whitemans Valley road.  From there you can do a shorter route returning either via Wallaceville Hill or Mangaroa Hill, or the full route via Mangaroa to Te Marua, where you can head back to the Hutt via SH2.  I have also completed this one as a 107 km circuit.  On the first loop headed back to the Blue Mountains for a second climb after turning back at Te Marua, then made the second circuit smaller by turning back via Wallaceville hill.

4.  Akatawara, Waikanae, Haywards, 107 km loop
Head up SH2 to Akatawara turn off.  Enjoy a lovely rolling climb to the summit.  A glorious descent to Waikanae.  A fast ride along SH1 to the Paekakariki turn off, a great climb to a amazing view at the top.  A rolling descent to Pauatanui, then more climbing to return to the Hutt via the Haywards.  A great work out!

5.  Hill Repeats - a 2.5 km 7% climb to repeat to your hearts content
From Normandale Road turn off to end of Poto Rd gives you a great 2.5 km 7% climb to practice hill repeats on.  There is other lovely riding up there too, with Sweetacres drive and Belmont Hill Road to enjoy.  A great change from the valley floor and easy to access.

Learning Curve and Other Hills

The Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge is a hilly 160 km.  It is a bigger days cycling than I've done before, and will be busy, with 10,000 odd cyclists participating in a variety of events.  As such I figured I needed to not only train, but also do my homework.  Here is some things I have learned so far:

1.  Nutrition

I eat pretty healthy, but not for 'performance'.  On long rides in the past, I've drunk water and casually munched various muesli bars or whatever food is available along the way. Scotland meant oat cakes and tablet (like fudge, yum); in Vietnam it was noodle in beef broth and long necks of beer (along with some mysterious packaged things we called 'roadfill' because of its texture!); in France it was bread and cheese.  Get the picture?  So after seeing various  info about personalised nutrition plans, etc etc I figured I had better get informed.  What I learned, in a nutshell is that when you  are out riding hard for more than an hour or so, you  need a plan for eating and drinking right from the start.  That will ensure performance, recovery, best possible training outcome and avoid the dreaded bonk (which I think in me manifests itself in a lower form known as extreme grumpiness!!!!)   I follow the this formula:

After 15 mins drink water (sips)
After 30 mins drink carb mix (powdered sports drink made up with water)
After 45 mins have a bite (literally!) of food to eat plus some water
then alternate, every 15 mins, between drinking carb mix and bite of food and water.

This seems to work pretty well.  It is advisable to find out what carb mix will be available at aid stations on the day and try it out ahead of time.

Another useful piece of  advise is about refuelling after the ride.  For best recovery, which helps consolidate the training, consume at least 50 gm carbs within 30 mins post exercise.  This is a stop gap to having a good square meal with plenty of carbs.  Consuming carbs within 4 hours of exercise apparently has lots of beneficial effects - which you can read more about in this article.

2.  Recovery, graduation and intervals

A good training plan allows time for recovery, both active recovery and full rest.  A plan may include increased training over a period of 3 - 4 weeks, and then a rest week with a much much lighter training schedule.  Each training week should incorporate 1 -2 rest days.  Week over week increases, measured in distance or time, should not exceed 10% else there is risk of over training.  I am following a 12 week training plan suggested in the book Taupo 101 (Matt Oliver), aimed at beginners.  I've adjusted it a bit for my own purposes.

3.  Group riding

Cycling with my kids is sort of good preparation for cycling in a bunch.  In that I tend to be very very aware of what the rider in front of me might do and expect the unexpected.  On the downside, cycling with kids has taught me to hang back and allow a decent following space so I can avoid their somewhat erratic manoeuvres!  Given I've not done real bunch riding before, I am really stepping outside my comfort zone to try and learn this skill.  I seem to have found a lovely bunch of riders tolerant to a beginner such as myself, so I look forward to learning and improving in this area and will share any tips I might learn as I go.

4.  I love hills

I think I knew this one already, but it has been way fun to be reminded of it.  I make up assorts of natty hill climbing songs, often based on kids songs, to keep me occupied as I make my way up up up!!!