FROM THE TOP
Editor’s Notes:1) I will be taking some much-needed time off during an upcoming visit by my German in-laws, so we will not be publishing an issue June 6. Instead, I’ll be speaking a little German and drinking a little extra beer. Warum nicht? Ich bin im Urlaub! (That’s German for: Why not? I’m on vacation!) See you next Thursday, and then again June 13.
2) I’m expecting the jerseys any day now; I will mail them out immediately the day I receive them.
Last July, we published the first title in what has turned out to be a superb 4-part series of eArticles by Coach John Hughes – the “Past 50” series. Today, we’re proud to publish the final installment in that series, Performance Cycling Past 50. Here’s how Coach Hughes starts off the new eArticle:
Do you strive to be a better rider? To go faster or farther, in addition to being fit and healthy? In this eArticle I describe the different factors that go into improving your performance as an older rider. As you age your body can still handle stressful riding and get stronger as a result; however, it takes longer to recover.
Thus, the key to improving your performance is systematic, focused training, working on the factors that make a difference and not wasting time and energy on unnecessary riding. You still do rides just for fun—they’re active recovery!
Coach Hughes provides two specific training programs to improve your performance:
- A 12-week program to ride a century, which can be adapted to other, longer distances
- A 9-week program to increase power and speed
But first he walks you through the various aspects of training, planning, nutrition and recovery to help you accomplish your own program of systematic, focused training, including: assessing events; setting goals; identifying performance requirements; assessing your own strengths and weaknesses. And rolling those into a season-long plan that builds on itself in phases.
He also teaches you how to train by intensity, establishing training zones based on Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE), Heart Rate, or Power (depending on the technology you use), and how to use your training zones across various types of workouts to help achieve your specific riding goals.
He stresses the importance of recovery as an elemental factor in training gains. “High-quality recovery is the secret to improvement,” he says. “Your season-long plan, your weekly pattern of workouts, and the mix of hard and easy riding within a workout should all provide sufficient recovery.”
So whether your goals include accomplishing a ride of a certain length that you’ve never done before, or boosting your power and speed to wow your riding or racing buddies, or something else entirely regarding increased performance on the bike – Performance Cycling Past 50 is for you.
If you haven’t already, check out Coach Hughes’ other stellar “Past 50” series eArticles:
On tap this summer from the prolific Coach Hughes are 3 more terrific articles (in keeping with RBR’s baseline mission) to help you improve your riding and enjoy our great sport even more.
Enjoy Your Ride!
John Marsh
Editor & Publisher
