Dubliner Anthony Walsh rode for Chicago-based Astellas Oncology this year. He also has his own coaching practice and in this column he imparts some of his knowledge about winter training.
Having raced in the North American pro peloton with the Chicago-based Astellas Oncology team and also ridden in France and with UCD CC at home, Anthony Walsh last year established his coaching practice - www.a1coaching.net .
In this column he outlines what he believes is common sense advice for the winter months. He says riders should not be afraid to maintain intensity in their training during the winter, just as long as they don't peak and become a "winter champion'.
It’s important at the end of the season to take some time away from structured training. You’ve had a long season and your body needs time to relax, regenerate and repair existing injuries.
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This down time is great for mentally recharging. Training every day to a schedule can take a mental toll. You’ll emerge from this period with vigour and a motivation which will carry you through the off season.
The following advice will hopefully benefit new and experienced riders alike.
How long should I take off?
I recommend athletes take two weeks where they forget about a structured approach to training. This doesn’t mean it’s time to go wild. Use this time to engage in other activities which aren’t always possible throughout the season.
We forego a lot in the pursuit of athletic glory during the year. Weary of injury or residual fatigue we choose not to play football with our friends or golf with our co-workers – use this time to remedy that.
We are what we eat!
It’s not the time of the year to be obsessive about diet but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be mindful of what we eat. Our caloric output is much reduced at this time of the year – we need to adjust our food intake accordingly.
In cycling, power and weight are the two dominant barometers of performance. It’s not a good idea to start winter training 5kg overweight.
Attempts to shed excess pounds during the base period can often lead to insufficient fuelling, impaired immune function and/or compromised recovery.
Respect Tradition
While scientific advances in cycling are welcomed, we are confronted with the reality that cycling is a primal sport which has century old traditions.
The winter is not the time to ride your state of the art carbon frame and Zipp 404 wheels. Durability and function trump style and speed.
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Ensure your bike:
- Is heavy, durable and easy to maintain.
- Is fitted with mudguards and lights.
- Has tyres which are in good condition and offer grip on slippery winter roads.
Some riders are uncomfortable with being labelled as ‘leaders’ and it can often be difficult to give advice or direction to a nouveau cyclist with an SRM and a €0,000 bike.
Other riders shirk the responsibility of being a leader. Unwilling to ‘waste’ their time by training with ‘lesser’ riders, they choose to train with a subset of approved training partners: this is disingenuous.
Riders must respect the hierarchy that exists within clubs and within the peloton. It is the very same hierarchy which fostered their development and facilitated their progression.
Senior riders must embrace their role as facilitators and endeavour to lead both vocally and by example. New members learn by instruction and osmosis.
Only in this environment will new members be indoctrinated into the customs and traditions that make group riding both a safe and mutually beneficial experience.
Winter group rides should be about:
- Learning to dress appropriately (check the weather forecast the night before and have your kit ready)
- Learning how to ride in a single or double pace line.
- How to ‘pull’ at the front of the group without ‘half wheeling’.
- How to hold one’s line while cornering.
- Getting comfortable with riding in close proximity to others.
- Learning how to look around without altering course.
- How to get out of the saddle without endangering the rider behind.
- Developing on-bike nutrition strategies to keep fuelled.
- Practising changing clothes on the move
- Building team spirit and trust!
Winter Racers
The term ‘winter racer’ has been coined to refer to riders who train too hard in the winter. However, the term has become a shield for unmotivated/uninformed riders to justify low training intensity for the bulk of the year.
The term would be more accurately used to describe riders who peak during winter months. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with training hard over the winter as long as that isn’t as good/hard as it gets.
A training season should be periodised with progression being emphasised. As the season approaches, one’s training should be more intense but also should begin to closely mirror the specific demands of racing.
Don’t be afraid to include some Sweet Spot workouts into your training routine (88 -91% of threshold power). An example would be to include 2 x 20 minute Sweet Spot Intervals into a Z1 endurance ride.
These sessions will do wonders for your aerobic capacity and work on every rider’s limiter – threshold power.
Embrace the Turbo
The time for intervals isn’t on your weekend club ride. These are best preformed while training alone or with a small group of friends. If you struggle to train during daylight hours, a turbo trainer can be a great investment.
Although some loath the trainer and claim it can make time stand still, it is an excellent place for structured quality training.
While on the road, the obstacles to interval training are numerous: traffic, stop signs, poor surface, wind, terrain etc. The turbo trainer offers a controlled environment where none of these are a concern.
The winter is a period that offers new hope for riders who didn’t quite get it right last season and a fresh challenge to those entering the sport - whatever your motivation this winter, be sure to have fun and be safe!
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