January 8, 2007 – Here is an excerpt from Stieda’s January newsletter:

LSD Base Miles are King

2007 is upon us and I hope that you’ve all planned out your ’07 cycling season with some achievable short and long term goals. Here are a few recommendations to help keep your Winter training season on track:

Train Smart:

-Use a Heart Rate monitor and your training zones to monitor your riding intensity
-Riding at lower intensities (below your Anaerobic Threshold – AT) for longer periods (1-4 hours) is the key to a high performance season. This is called Long, Slow Distance (or LSD) training.
-During Quad # 1 resist the urge to put your HR into the red zone (over AT) for extended periods of time. Many spin and indoor cycling classes put you through the grinder every workout without thinking of an overall season plan.
-Take an easier “Rest Week” once every month or work it into a busy period in your schedule.

Periodize Your Season:

-Divide the 12 month year in 4 Quadrants depending on when you want your best performance. As an example for a typical July/August peak:
-Quad # 1: December, January, February – gradually increase LSD base miles at lower intensities (Base)
-Quad # 2: March, April, May – increase intensity & training volume, training races, enforce rest weeks (Build)
-Quad # 3: June, July, August – lower training volume, specific event training, taper for event(s) (Build, Peak & Race)
-Quad # 4: September, October, November – last events, de-tune end of season with cross training (Transition & Preparation)
-Divide each Quadrant Period in 4, week-long segments. In general:
-Try to gradually increase training volume/intensity over 3 weeks.
-Take 1 week with active rest (low intensity/volume) – Rest Weeks are VERY important.
-Depending on how you feel (i.e. 3 weeks of constant training is too hard), you may need to move to a 3 week total Period instead of 4 weeks.

-Remember to listen to your body, hydrate with lots of water throughout the day, eat smart and get enough sleep. It all adds up to healthy living!

Have a great Winter season!

www.stiedacycling.com

January 20, 2006 – Well, it’s about time to get the Winter training going if you haven’t already! One of the most important lessons that I learned as a Pro is that training (i.e. improving your fitness from one level to another) requires consistency. I highlighted the term “training” because it is often misused.

v. train·ing
1. To coach in or accustom to a mode of behaviour or performance.
2. To make proficient with specialized instruction and practice. See Synonyms at teach.
3. To prepare physically, as with a regimen: train athletes for track-and-field competition.
4. To focus on or aim at (a goal, mark, or target); direct. See Synonyms at aim.

I can certainly remember many riders who “trained” like maniacs, showed improvement and then faded away after they rested on their laurels. Whatever you are “training” for, it’s imperative that you set up a plan with goals in mind and then work the plan. If your goal is to say, take a cycling vacation to the Tour de France (!) in July, you will want to think about putting base miles in now through April by riding at least 3x/week, then adding hill rides until you can ride at a high tempo for at least an hour. A sample weekly program during the Winter for a recreational rider might look like this: Level 2 – Week 1 Monday: Rest day or alternate training (weights, Pilates, etc) Tuesday 1 hour. Include 3 short sprints Wednesday Rest day or alternate training (weights, Pilates, etc) Thursday 1 hour. Include 3, 3′ climbs in the saddle Friday Rest day or alternate training (weights, Pilates, etc) Saturday 1 hour Sunday 2:30 hours with group ride if you can

There’s lots more to tell than I can describe here but the main ‘take away’ is that you don’t need to do huge miles, you DO need to be consistent and include rest days, no matter what level you’re riding at. Adding a “training camp” in the March/April timeframe can really help get the season rolling, esp if you’ve had to do a lot of indoor riding in the Winter.

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Deadlines Approaching

Majorca spring cycling vacation February 15th is the sign up deadline for our Majorca spring cycling vacation taking place from March 25 to April 2. This is a perfect opportunity to take your non-cycling spouse (or riding spouse for that matter!)on an 8-day active vacation and get away together from the cold weather. You’ll kick-start your season with easy morning miles in a temperate climate and then relax all afternoon pool-side or take a stroll on the nearby beach. I’ll be there to help improve your cycling skills, set up a “training” program for you and generally share the fun of riding the road!
More details on this vacation can be found at: http://www.stiedacycling.com/tours_majorca.html


Tour de France 2006
February 28th is the deadline for our spectacular ‘Alps to Paris’ and ‘Pyrenees’ trips.
Details at: http://www.stiedacycling.com/tours_06tdf1.html and http://www.stiedacycling.com/tours_06tdf2.html

I hope that you can join me for a memorable cycling experience this year.

Regards,

Alex Stieda
The Alex Stieda Cycling Experience
“Feel the Road”

Mobile: 780.970.0378
Email: alex@stiedacycling.com
Web: www.stiedacycling.com

“You’ve got to take risks, and you’ve got to make hard decisions – even when you yourself are in doubt. It’s not failure, but the fear of failure that stops most people” Philip Anschutz