Michael Lucey is part of a very strong Strata3-VeloRevolution squad that will look to challenge for all the major races in 2016.
The 29 year-old Killarney man is a real powerhouse of a rider with a top class pedigree; he is a former national junior road race champion from 2003, after all.
He’s in the middle of building his house at the moment and as well as some farm work, he puts himself through the ringer week in, week out.
Being so busy, he’s had to cut the longer midweek spins in favour of shorter, harder efforts on the turbo – but he doesn’t feel in any way that decreasing the hours will retard his progress with the season a matter of weeks away.
“In other years I was able to get an extra couple of hours in on the bike midweek but lately that time is spent in and out to the local builders suppliers as well as mixing cement and closing cavities,” he said.
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“However, with the help of my coach, I feel the legs are still where they should be a couple of weeks out from the start of the season.”
Name: Michael Lucey
Team: Strata3-VeloRevolution
Date of birth: March 28, 1986
Here is the breakdown of Lucey's most recent training week...
Monday
Today is usually a complete rest day for me – and most other cyclists from what I can see. It’s a good chance to get some ‘real’ work done, even if I am pretty tired!
Tuesday
Today is one of the hardest sessions of the week and it consists of an hour and a half on the turbo.
After I do a good warm-up building to a minute at threshold I do 4 x 5 minute efforts at zone 5 of my power. I’ll take a rest after each of these 5-minute efforts.
I usually struggle to finish the last effort.
Wednesday
Back on the turbo today but slightly less intensity to start with.
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Instead of zone 5 I’ll do two 10-minute zone 3 efforts at around 60 RPM, just pushing a BIG gear to help build strength.
I finish off the session with 3 or 4 x 10-seconds sprints from a stopped position. These are pretty savage.
Thursday
Today is a day I’ve termed TABATA day.
I do an hour with 3 x 4-minute TABATAs; that’s a 15-second sprint followed by a 15-second rest, for 4 minutes. So, basically, 8 x 15 second sprints altogether. It doesn’t sound like much but try it…
The legs are screaming at me by the end of the 4 minutes.
Friday
Today is another rest day, so another ‘real work’ day!
Saturday
I have some more free time so I do 3 – 4 hours with 3 x 15 minute power efforts at zone 3.
There are plenty of hills near where I live in Kerry but I find it hard to find long steady climbs so I fit a 55 chain ring and that allows me keep the cadence down on flatter roads and I can stay in my zones for all of the effort.
If the legs are still feeling okay I try and do a few sprints in the last hour.
Sunday
I try and get 3-4 hours in again either on my own or in a small group with the last hour done on my own at the top of zone 3.
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