Interesting the split between “strength training is essential” and “more volume is king.” YMMV I suppose.
I learned that paying close attention to carb intake on the bike on long rides/races makes a HUGE difference. I also learned that I think I’ve long underestimated my electrolyte needs.
Related to this learning, huge endorsement of Skratch Labs homemade rice cakes for long training efforts. Such a great option to keep the gut happy and avoid that can’t-take-another-gel feeling.
1 and 1a I guess. If I had to pick one as most critical, it would be volume, but both are important.
My big 2023 take-away is needing to get a more aerodynamic position on the bike. My power is pretty decent for my age group and I don’t think there is too much more to chase there, but my body position is costing me a bunch of watts. I can hide it in mass start events, but I know it’s low hanging fruit and it’s cost me in some events where I ended up in the wind by myself. I’ve been working on it in the off season and also doing most of my training in the aero bars, so I hope to have some extra speed on similar watts this year.
What do you mean by this? You lose “gainz” in 3-4 weeks? What kind of strength training are you doing? I used to do arms, chest, back a couple times a week but not real seriously.
I’d like to do more but the world of weighlifting is filled with even more doubslespeak and conflicting “science” than cycling, which is actually astonishing.
I’m doing kettlebell work, at a minimum preying kettlebell goblet squat to open up the hips, Romanian deadlift, and swings. If I stop for 3-4 weeks, my body starts getting sore after cycling workouts, and other stuff like that. If I continuously lift, then no issues on rides or doing hard work around house, and I just feel strong.
@rkoswald I agree with your learnings, especially on your warm-up. I wish TR could add the extended ride option in the beginning of the ride just like it is offered at the end of the workout (ie click on 1 minute, 5 minute, etc, ).
I learned that I should stop looking at my Strava feed.
I’d open the app and start scrolling and see all these guys who were doing on 2+ hour rides on weekdays (sometime in the middle of the day) and 4+ hour rides every weekend. With a full time job, a wife, and 2 young kids I’m pretty locked in to when I can and cannot train I can’t dedicate that amount of time to biking without compromising more important things in my life.
I definitely get envious seeing how many hours and how much flexibility people have to when they are able to get out and ride. So I found I’m just happier to not see what others are doing
I learned
getting older means I need to do more off the bike training (yoga/stretching, strength) in order to stay comfortable on the bike on long rides
I miss having a road bike. Sold mine during pandemic as I’d only been riding gravel/mtb. So merry Xmas to me I ordered a new one. Bonus being road riding gives my body a little break from the gravel/mtb beatings
it’s okay to to train with no race in mind
every race/event doesn’t need to be “epic”
I’m getting old. I even had a “Fred” moment this fall when I asked myself “Why am I doing structured training? Maybe I’ll just sell my power meters, ditch trainer road, and just ride for fun and hit a few centuries next year”.
I didn’t do it - but at 55 I’m slowing down and feeling the pull of drinking more good beer and worrying less about my FTP.
Ah, such is life.
I respectfully disagree. I’m in my mid 60s, but still feel that structured training is useful. In fact, I think it is more important as I get older. I’m not as fast as I was 20 years ago, but I can still enjoy riding and I get a lot out of training. The book “Fast After 50” reviews some of the benefits of continuing to go hard.
I hear you. It’s a good book, I have a copy. I’m having “One of those days” as I return to work from a nice long vacation.
I did my strength workout this morning and I’m in a 4 week traditional base block before I start a new plan in February for cyclocross next fall.
I’ll get over it! I think the seasonal affective disorder is kicking in hard this week…
A couple of other notes to my original reply.
There are no secret bullets that you don’t already kkow about.
Sleep and rest are needed for recovery adaptation.
Proper nutrition on and off bike goes hand and hand with this. Anything expensive that provides marginal gains were not worth it for me in the long run, namely ketones. Not saying it didn’t help, just wasn’t worth it.
Keep thinking big picture and longer time frames when considering performance gains. While we all want to see massive improvement in a span of weeks, it’s been more like multiple months after the off the couch gains were realized.
1 - train tracks are slippery when wet
2 - as a 50 year old it’s possible that any pain I experience at random may be that way for the rest of my life (only slightly joking after some medical frustrations), paying thousands of dollars may not impact that in any way (in the US).
3 - riding regularly is more important to my mental health and general moods than being fast is, and I keep forgetting that but a 2 month break sure helped me remember.
Learned my limits for 4x Z2 + 2x Z5/Z4 various combinations:
Only problem is that I seem to have reached to end of progression with such volume/structure – TTE for 4h+ is still improving, but FTP not so much. Don’t want to increase number of high intensity days during summer because my goal is long distance discovery rides. So, plan for coming year is to push FTP with usual TR general base + build plans at 14-16h/w during indoor season and increase TTE by switching to master plans for outdoor season at 18-20h/w. Basically, reverse periodization. Three first blocks already have shown good progress, increased FTP more than over whole summer.
Crossing train tracks diagonally while signalling with hand isn’t good idea either. Seems self-explanatory but there I was, looking funny and feeling stupid 
I ripped up my kit, had some pretty impressive road rash on my hip and fractured my elbow.
I think the worst part was how nice everyone was and that I had to repeatedly tell people that I was fine and someone was coming to get me as I limped around on the side of the road
Things I learned in 2023:
Now I think I got to the point where I can add the long weekend rides again and profit from them. I’m really looking forward to it…
@MiguelArino can you expand on what you adjusted to sleep better, and what you dropped to prioritize sleep? I know I waste 30-60 minutes each night faff’ing around on my phone after the kids are in bed when I too should be sleeping. Curious about what else I can do to get more sleep. Thanks!
I don’t know, I guess that everyone has got things that work better for one. I have prioritised sleep as in, I haven’t joined group rides because I would sleep without an alarm clock on weekends. Also, I have taken different supplements that helped, such as apigenin or magnesium. I’ve also taken some steps to limit the faffing with the phone (not always successful)… Such as placing a daily timer on the sites and apps that I’m likely to use. Also I can’t quite put my finger on it but for some reason my mindset is better focused on sleep, so I can go to sleep easier.
I used to have a huge issue with sleeping and I have slowly chipped at it and it’s better now, it wasn’t a quick fix with a recipe.
@MiguelArino thanks!