Training For Randonneur Cycling

BC Randonneurs Cycling Club
 

Training For Randonneur Cycling, Case 4: Ted Milner

Expert Opinion
(fitness and training notes from Ted Milner)

Ted Milner was a Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at Simon Fraser University for many years - he's now at McGill. He is an authority on, among other things, training for long distance cycling, and is one of Canada's fastest randonneurs. He has organized workshops for randonneur cyclists that explore fitness, training, nutrition, and cycling physiology, and has himself always given the talk on training. What follows is a reprinting of the notes from his contribution to the most recent workshop.

Simply reprinting the notes doesn't do justice to the material. In his presentations over the years Ted has expanded on many of these points and emphasized some features of the program more than others. Still, a lot can be inferred from these notes - draw from them what you can. I would like to thank Ted for allowing us to post this material. (Eric Fergusson, March 2001)

The photo shows Ted Milner at the start of Boston Montreal Boston, 1992. (His time at the event was 55 hours, 15 minutes [for the 1200 km route] a time which stood as a record for a Canadian at BMB for nine years.)

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      An Overview:

Workouts:
Warm-up
Level 1 Speed Workout
Level 2 Speed Workout
Level 4 Pace Workout (below AT)
Level 4 Intervals (below AT)
Training Phases

Riding
Strength Training
Back, abdominals, neck, shoulders and arms
Legs
Stretching
Pre- and post-workout stretches
On bike stretching
Psychology

Cross-Training
Example of five day schedule
Example of four day schedule

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(The notes from) Ted Milner's Training Workshop:

Workouts

Warm-up

- Always warm up at Level 1 or 2. The warm up time is included as part of the Level 1 or 2 training time.

Level 1 Speed Workout

- Every 10-15 min during a leisurely ride (Level 1) gradually increase speed over a 10 second interval to 10-20% faster that race speed, hold for 10 seconds the return to original pace.

Level 2 Speed Workout

- Use a level stretch of road 600-800 m. long, gradually increase speed to race speed, pedal smoothly (relax)

- Ride slowly between repeats to bring heart rate down to 120 bpm

- Decrease time by about 10 seconds every 2-3 weeks aiming for 5-10 seconds per km faster than race speed

Level 4 Pace Workout (below AT)

- Time Trial (measured distance)

- Alternate courses on alternate weeks

- Don't go too hard early in season

Level 4 Intervals (below AT)

- Begin with 1 minute intervals and work up to 6-10 minute intervals

- Recover to 130 bpm between intervals

- Increase duration every 1-2 weeks

- Include both flat and uphill intervals

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Training Phases

- Early pre-season: 70% Level 1 workouts, 10% Level 2 (endurance) workouts, 20% strength workouts

- Late pre-season: reduce Level 1 workouts (60%), Level 2 workouts (5%) and strength workouts (10%), include intervals (15%), speed and pace workouts (10%)

- Brevet season: reduce Level 1 workouts (55%), intervals (10%) and strength workouts (5%), increase speed and pace workouts (25%)

- Off-season: 60% Level 1 workouts, 40% Level 2 workouts

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Riding

- Brevets are like time trials (maintain steady pace for long distance).

- Build up mileage to achieve a total distance in the week before the event of at least 50% farther that the distance of the event (preferably closer to twice the distance of the event).

- Try to train 4-5 days per week (6 days is probably excessive).

- Commute by bicycle as much as possible.

- Vary the distances and intensities of workouts.

- Try to do one intense effort (30-40 km) each week. Precede this by a warm up and warm down of about 10 km.

- Ride at least one long ride (> 120 km) each week.

- The rides during the week should be harder efforts than the long weekend ride.

- Take a rest day after a long ride.

- Concentrate on a uniform effort. Choose a pace that you can maintain through the entire ride. Your average speed should not drop by more than 2-3 km/hr from the beginning to the end of the ride.

- Peddle at 90-100 rpm on the flats. Pedal smoothly. Think about circular motion.

- When training for a 200 km, 300 km or 400 km brevet try to make the weekend ride before the event about 2/3 the distance of the event.

- Reduce the daily distance in the week of the event and take a rest day the day before the event.

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Strength Training

- Warm-up 10-20 minutes (e.g.., light ride on trainer, aerobics)

- Use weights that allow 10-20 reps per set

- Allow 30-60 seconds recovery between sets

Back, abdominals, neck, shoulders and arms

- Back extensions
- Good mornings
- Situps (bent knees, incline)
- Leg raises (incline)
- Shrugs
- Neck pulls
- Bench press
- Behind neck press
- Bent over rowing
- Upright rowing
- Cleans
- Pushups
- Triceps extensions
- Curls
- Side bends

Legs

- Squat machine
- Leg press
- Lunges

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Stretching

- Ease into stretch
- Stretch smoothly (don't bounce)
- Don't stretch to the point that it becomes painful
- Hold stretch for 20-30 seconds

Pre- and post-workout stretches

- Side bends
- Reverse hurdler's stretch
- Hurdler's stretch
- Knee-to-chest
- Human pretzel
- Sprinter's stretch
- Calf stretches
- Trunk twists
- Shoulder stretch
- Back stretch

On bike stretching

- Legs and back
- Neck
- Shoulders

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Psychology

- Positive attitude
- Vary training routes and distance. Go exploring.
- Be creative. Compose songs, poems. Solve problems. Make plans.
- Set achievable goals.
- Ride with a group

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Cross-training

- In-line skating
- Rowing
- Running (uphill)
- Cross-country skate skiing
- Speed skating

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Example of five day schedule:

200 km:

- 60 km
- 50 km (30 km Time Trial)
- 40 km
- 40 km
- Weekend 120 km
Total: 310 km

300 km:

- 80 km
- 50 km (30 km Time Trial)
- 60 km
- 60 km
- Weekend 200 km
Total: 450 km

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Example of four day schedule:

200 km:

- 60 km
- 50 km (30 km Time Trial)
- 60 km
- Weekend 140 km
Total: 310 km

300 km:

- 100 km
- 50 km (30 km Time Trial)
- 100 km
- Weekend 200 km
Total: 450 km

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© Ted Milner

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