Effective Bike Training

Ride harder.  Use intervals if it helps keep you motivated.

One word: Fartlek!

You could use some of your commutes for interval, fartlek, or tempo rides.  On the rides I do over and over, there always ends of spots on the course that I like to hammer.  A series of good hills,  a 5 mile flat stretch of uninterupted road, etc....

eg. workout  -  warm up 5 miles,  main set, cool down 5 miles

main sets could be
     - 5 mile tempo, 5 miles easy, 5 miles tempo
     - 7 x (1 mile fast, 1 mile easy)
     - 5 x (2 miles fast, 1 mile easy)
     - attack every hill you climb, rest between hills
     - just use your imagination and mix it up

my advice is probably worth what you paid for it.

I was in your same boat about two years ago. I had 2 routes I rode over and over and simply just pushed it, thinking I would get faster by simply "getting the miles in." I couldn't break through. I spoke to many riders, both triathletes and cyclists, looking for a way to break through. Now, a couple of years later, I'm more than happy, encouraged and excited about my bike.

Things I've done:
1. Hills - seek them out, learn to love them. Living in Iowa it's difficult, but they're around. I find the steepest and/or longest (don't just ride one) hills around and make sure I abuse them. I have one day a week where all I do is hill repeats on a uber-steep hill. Start by pushing the biggest gear you can and drop down as needed to complete as many repeats as you can. I also ride the repeats in the saddle opposed to standing up.
2. Long Rides - Depending on your level of fitness, incorporate long rides in to your training. You mention longer rides on the weekend, but how much longer? I usually ride 20-25 miles a few times(2-3) after work during the week and roll a 60-80 mile ride over the weekend. Helps tremendously with my endurance. Keep the best tempo you can without jeaopardizing completing the ride.
3. Intervals / HITs(High Intensity Training) - everyone has their own ways of doing them, but ultimately, you've got to make it hurt. You can Google a ton of stuff on this. I usually find a 1-2 mile stretch of highway and open it up as hard as I can for as long as I can. Do different drills such as 30sec. on, 30 sec. recover(x10), ride hard into the wind... whatever. If you aren't suffering and wanting to quit, you're likely not working hard enough. (my two cents).
4. Be Careful & Recover - Ultimately to get faster/stronger on the bike, your going to have to work hard. Very hard. It's uncomfortable and is stressful on you body. Know your level of fitness and be smart about how much stress you add. We all want to improve as triathletes, but getting laid up for a month, year or even longer is not worth it. Injury sucks.

Everyone has ways of getting stronger in each discipline, but all require focus, HARD work, pain and suffering and time. It doesn't happen overnight, but develop a plan and stick with it and you'll see improvement!

Good luck!

This thread has helped a bunch of BTers to increase their cycling power based on the feedback I've gotten ffrom them.

WINTER CYCLING PLAN THREAD

Certainly helped me.  Plan on doing it again next winter.

xxx

Edited by mtnchic 2009-05-12 1:12 PM

It sounds like you simply need to be more directed in your bike riding.

Have you taken the time to do any testing? Do you use heart rate? Perceived exertion? A cycle computer? A Power meter?

You can turn your commute to work into interval training and make the time spent doing your longer rides more productive by cycling at specfic intensities.

There are a lot more specifics but before spendign a long time typing I just wanted to test the waters with those questions.