Traditional thinkng tells you to spend most or all of your off season riding easy, in order to build your aerobic base. WRONG!
Cycling is an aerobic sport. Cycling is an endurance sport. However, riding easy all winter does little to prepare you for the demands of your season.
Tradition says to ride z1-2 all winter, then slowly ramp up your intensity as race day approches. At the same time, you’re attempting to build your endurance through longer and longer rides. It’s very, very difficult to increase both intensity and training hours without getting sick, injured or burned out.
The more practical approach to winter training is to increase those factors that will benefit you this season — namely, your VO2 Max and your Threshold. Whether you ride indoors or out in the winter, training time is limited….either by cold and dark conditions, or by the challenges inherent to indoor training.
So while riding time is limited, work hard and improve your cycling-specific abilities. Then once the “outdoor riding season” arrives in the spring, you’ll be able to safely increase your riding volume. And since you’re raised your muscular endurance (theshold), your endurance rides will be at a faster pace/higher power output than in the past.
Base training is NOT easy training. Add plenty of quality to your winter rides and be stronger this spring!
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