How to train for a Kilo

CYCLING PERFORMANCE TIPS
Structuring a Training Program

Developing and refining a training program for a specific event is the ultimate challenge for a coach. And it is their insight in this area that often makes the difference between a good coach and a great one. As you work to develop your own program, I'd offer these thoughts. (sources include Andy Reid, a PhD candidate at the Otago University School of Physical Education in Dunedin, New Zealand, and comments by Chris Carmichael, Lance Armstrong's coach.) Although Andy Reid did the original analysis for a kilometer time trial, the same approach and concepts should be applicable to track, road, and MTB competition.

Training should be specific for the competition being considered. A common mistake is to look at an event as a single ride, but any event can be broken down into several segments and specific modifications added to your basic program to address the unique needs of each of these segments of the event.

For example "Using the Kilo TT as an example, here is what I am trying to say. The most specific way to prepare for the kilo would be to go out and ride a Kilo every day, or every second day with a day of rest to allow us to adapt to the 'training'. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you look at it!), this would probably become rather boring and that boredom (through the monotony of the training program) may indeed lead to overtraining (Carl Foster,Med. Sci. Sports and Exercise Vol. 30 No. 7 P1164-1168, 1998).

However, if you break the 1000 meter TT into its component parts:

* Start (initial power)
* Acceleration to ~ 250m
* Max Speed 250-750m
* Speed maintenance/endurance 750-1000m

you are able to add specific training for each part of the event i.e.:

* Start:
o starts of varying distance - basically start intervals
o strength work in gym & on bike
o bounding (incidentally up hill or up stairs is probably better for bike riders than on the flat as there is more reliance on concentric power as opposed to stored elastic energy or stretch shortening cycle...so therefore more like cycling).

* Acceleration:
o repeated intervals from a slow roll up to point where max speed is attained

We also know that riders get close to VO2max during the last 1/4 of the Kilo so general conditioning on the road which stimulates increased capillarisation, aerobic enzyme activities and increases in central factors (heart size, blood volume, red blood cells etc.) as well as intervals which target VO2max directly are also appropriate.

* Max speed:
o intervals of at least the length of the maximum speed distance of the event

* Speed maintenance:
o intervals of at least the length of the full event
o several long training rides per week to build endurance
o repeats of shorter distances with incomplete recoveries (lactate tolerance work).

This parsing or breakdown of an event into its components when developing a training program is often done without specific comment by coaches in many athletic fields. But it is an approach that you can use as you training up for your own personal PR. Think about your event in terms of its major challenge - for a long road ride, it is probably Speed Maintenance segment while an MTB event would include frequent episodes of Acceleration. Appropriate training programs would then include extra days for the relevant major component of the planned event.

This separation into segments is to some degree artificial and these training segments are interrelated. For example, although the final 200m of a one kilometer event is anaerobic (ie a sprint), it is impacted by the training of the aerobic system. A highly developed aerobic engine will delay the time (even by a few seconds) that you will become anaerobic at the end of the kilo, and will minimize lactate levels until late in the ride. Thus a kilo rider, in this example, should train the aerobic system to stall the negative effects of accumulated lactate as late into the event as possible. In this was VO2max and aerobic conditioning which improve the lactate thresh hold overlap and impact sprint performance. Training only with sprints and failing to include some longer distance rides (longer than the "sprint" event) would leave you performing below your personal best.

But there needs to be balance, and too much compartmentalization in training can have its own negative effects. Andy Reid, also a PhD student in the School of Physical Education at Otago University, notes that training for both swimming and running have progressed over the last few decades from from a purely segmented (or compartmentalized approach with an emphasis on interval training working on one aspect of fitness per session back to a more "integrated" approach.

In one workout an athlete training under this integrated approach will include aspects of sprint training, specific endurance and general endurance. Can we apply this approach to the training of cyclists?? Consider this regimen. Add in at least one day per week of what we'll call "race practice sessions" that give a combination of

* standing sprints (10s) with full recovery
* rolling sprints (10s) full recovery
* easy spinning for 10 mins
* 2 to 4 4-5 min (targeting VO2max) intervals with at least 1:1 work:rest
* and finish the session with 20 mins @ AT with a prolonged warm down.

This is probably the optimal order, working on sprints when you are freshest. But as you get closer to your event you can start with the longer stuff and finish with the sprints so that you are sort of mimicking what goes on in a race.

The above are good for the shorter sprint and time trial events, but what about the longer, perhaps multi day events? Chris Carmichael noted that the major breakthrough for Lance Armstrong occured when he stopped focusing his training on his anaerobic system (too many days of sprints/intervals and long rides at close to 100% V02max) and began to train his aerobic system. This allowed him to increase his AT, be "fresher" near the end of the race with less lactate on board, and as a result capitalize on his anaerobic capacity near the end of the race day. An added benefit was less recovery time from lactate build up and a stronger next day on the bike. Training too hard, too many days in a row can be as bad as under training.

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