I rode 1,000 miles in July and THIS happened!

Training
1

Just couldn’t resist the clickbait opportunity, apologies :slight_smile:

Seems every year when the Trek mileage challenge arrives in July I start with good intentions but get sidetracked due to specific training, races, or just wanting to ride mountain bikes with friends. But this year it came all together and I could consistently ride 1 1/2-2 hours and managed to get it done. On the 29th I decided to do a max 20 minute effort and rolled 326 watts (3.7 w/kg), more than I have done since 2014. At 57 y/o. (TR AIFTP puts me at 291 fwiw)

And the riding, let’s just say it was easy. I’m talking lots of rides with an average heart rate of around 85. No intervals, no intensity. A few runs at 200 watts. A few little bursts to catch back on to my zwift pace partner. But all easy, like 145 watt ave easy. I didn’t start off trying to go easy, it’s just that after 35 years of consistent racing and training, my knees get angry quick. I had to go at a low enough intensity to make it the whole month after my knees flared up. I did have some pretty bad pain in the middle of the month but by the end my knees felt fine again. Calling that a win too.

It amounted to about 55 hours of riding, it was my biggest month ever as far as time or miles. But it was easy riding. I was coffee climbing in my 1.5-1.8 w/kg pace group and using all of the tricks. (made good headway on upgrading the new specialized sl9) Just for context, I was in the 35 hour range per month a few months prior to unbound (most NOT easy) this year and did go just over 50 hours last August riding breck epic (7 hour days for me X 6 days, none of that was easy!)

Also, I didn’t crush prior performances, I rolled a 324 last year for 20 minutes and was between 315 and 320 most years. Some years I never really went hard for 20 minutes so I could be missing something. Best ever 20 minutes was 346 on 7-16-2012 and I still remember that magical ride. I’ve done a few in the 330-340 range (not many…and none after 2014)

BUT STILL…55 hours of super easy riding then the best 20 minute ride since 2014? at 57? I mean, what?? I might just keep going!!!

Joe

2

Great. The key is the context of what you have been doing before. Keep it going, but at some point you hit diminishing returns.

3

Diminishing returns are still returns…

Pretty much all improvement besides the low hanging beginner gains are diminishing. The trick is finding the balance of how important the extra bit of fitness is compared to the work required to generate it. If you are pro, a 2% gain might be worth an extra 5+ hours per week. An amateur with a job, not so much.

4

Funny. Years ago a friend told me that Trek was giving away a new frame and if you joined Strava and rode 1000 miles in a month you might win. I joined in and picked TrekCentury as my screen name. Got a coffe cup and a gold stem cap. No frame. Somehow the name stuck . Don’t figure….
:joy:
Don’t worry about the “ diminish” part of the returns. Returns are good even if they are not huge.