Speed training for the bike encompasses a range of different types of training sessions. The main purpose of all of these sessions is to change your physiology to enable you to ride faster over a distance or duration than you could before.
Unlike ENDURANCE training which is fairly straightforward and usually continuous, SPEED sessions are made up of intervals of HARD work followed by periods of EASY work or complete rest.
The key variables of these sessions are:-
The interaction of these components can completely change the effect of the session.
Speed training as part of a triathlon training program is different to speed training as part of a cycling training program.
For cyclists, the speed training will vary a lot depending on what event they are training for (i.e. road race, timetrial, mountain bike, criterium).
In a triathlon race the cycling usually always revolves around a solo effort (non-drafting) at a intensity you control, but that enables you to get off and run.
Due to the specific nature of cycling training for triathlon we will focus only on the areas that have the largest effect on triathlon race performance.
If you have a question about your triathlon bike training please just ask us.
If you want to ride faster in a triathlon then you need to change some areas of your physiology to enable you to meet the demands of riding at faster speeds (and therefore higher power outputs). These areas include
Combine this with ENDURANCE training and good recovery in a well thought out triathlon training program and you will go faster for longer.
Well as the different types of SPEED training sessions target specific areas, you can expect different benefits from the sessions.
These will include:
Yes! Although as an Ironman athlete you will be interested in different types and proportions of SPEED training within your program.
Consider the diagrams below. The first shows an example of how an Ironman triathlete might chose to structure the proportions of training over the year. The second is a Sprint triathlete’s approach.
As you can see there are more areas to consider in a Sprint triathlon training program, and they are arranged in different proportions due to the different requirements of the two events.
The larger the bubble
the more time is spent on this type of training within the triathlon
training program. Just because the bubble is small doesn’t mean it is
less important! It means that you just spend less time training in this
area.
Ironman Program Proportions
Due to the nature of Ironman, endurance training forms a significant
part of the training to help you maintain a certain speed for longer.
However to increase this speed, you need to do training specifically to
shift your
thresholds
upwards.
Sprint Program Proportions
A sprint triathlon still requires an endurance component (it will take even the best nearly an hour to compete!), however to go faster there are more elements of your profile that need to be developed at various times of the year.
The key areas to train to improve triathlon bike speed are:
1. Lactate Threshold 1 (LT1)
This is the boundary where comfortable becomes uncomfortably comfortable. To improve the power output at which the lactate threshold occurs, you are required to train at a slightly HIGHER speed or power output than your current LT1 power.
Sessions:
2. Lactate Threshold 2 (LT2)
This is the point at which efforts become HARD, and sustained efforts over this intensity lead to fatigue in a comparatively short time. To improve the power output at which this point occurs, you need to train at a slightly HIGHER speed or power output than your current LT2 power.
Sessions:
3. VO2max
This is the highest rate of oxygen you can process. There are a variety of sessions for improving VO2max. All involve training at slightly higher intensities than VO2max.
Sessions:
4. Maximum Aerobic Power (MAP)
In laymans terms this is the highest power you can sustain for ~ 4-min, i.e. using predominantly aerobic metabolism. To improve it you need to train at power outputs above this level. Some sessions can be done at very high power outputs, other sessions will require only power outputs only slightly above MAP.
Sessions:
5. Recovery
Not recuperation sessions but hard sessions designed to improve your ability to recover from hard efforts, without full rest. To improve this area you need to be working hard, then allow a period of recovery, but not enough to fully recover, then repeat.
Sessions:
What About Hill Training?
Riding fast up hills is just another form of SPEED training. So if you are going to be racing on hilly courses or you live in a hilly area, then some of these sessions can be performed on a hill.
Hills change the mechanics of pedaling and how you recruit your muscles Therefore as most races include some hills, make your training specific and include some hill work.
The exact type of session you use will depend upon what area of your profile you need to improve.
There are many myths about using hills in training. A lot of them revolve around getting STRONGER. Hills don’t really make you stronger. They can make you fitter, and this enables you to push more power and therefore feel like you are stronger. Strength doesn’t have a whole lot to do with it.
How Do I Use These Types Of Speed Training in a Triathlon Training Program?
To find out how to include all the different types of speed training in your triathlon training plan read this page:
How To Do Triathlon Bike Speed Training
Our Putting Your Triathlon Training Program Together page will help you plan how to incorporate speed training into your overall triathlon training plan.
Got a question about your triathlon training program? Then please ask us!
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