FAO Brillo and Dallas; endurance training

[Dallas]

How much of this endurance thing (all day riding) is actually genetic? I know that I'm naturally a sprint/explosive strength type; obviously rugby involves speed and strength and at school and college I was good at 100 metres and chucking stuff (discus, shot and so on), but useless at any race where you couldn't see the end from the start; although perhaps at the time I was just too bloody lazy to run a long way. I didn't understand what other people found difficult about running fast until I heard the explanation about muscle fibre types and that sprinters have more type IIb fibres, but I always thought that basically 'speed is natural but endurance can be trained'. I know that endurance athletes struggle at speed events, but am I at a disadvantage being a sprinter type adapting to endurance?

In know loads of theory about training for strength and speed, but this endurance thingy is a bit new to me.

you have fast and slow twitch and the bit inbetween - its the inbetween bit that you can influence directly. There are a few documentaries: footballer->multiday marathon runner and fattie to kenyan contendor.

Depends how much time you have on your hands and how much 'quality' stuff you can knock out. Endurance cyclists also do TTs - so your view is a bit generic?

On that note - pool time

[BrilloPad]

How much of this endurance thing (all day riding) is actually genetic? I know that I'm naturally a sprint/explosive strength type; obviously rugby involves speed and strength and at school and college I was good at 100 metres and chucking stuff (discus, shot and so on), but useless at any race where you couldn't see the end from the start; although perhaps at the time I was just too bloody lazy to run a long way. I didn't understand what other people found difficult about running fast until I heard the explanation about muscle fibre types and that sprinters have more type IIb fibres, but I always thought that basically 'speed is natural but endurance can be trained'. I know that endurance athletes struggle at speed events, but am I at a disadvantage being a sprinter type adapting to endurance?

In know loads of theory about training for strength and speed, but this endurance thingy is a bit new to me.

Its only a personal opinion - but I reckon one is built for speed or endurance. I just wish I had discovered that before I was 48.

[Mich the Tester]

Its only a personal opinion - but I reckon one is built for speed or endurance. I just wish I had discovered that before I was 48.

Look on the bright side; the endurance types tend to carry on into their 60s or even longer, while most speed types have buggered up half their muscles before they're 40, lost their speed and have to do something else altogether or turn into fattywobbles. Think; Chris Hoy turns into Chris Hoy's dad. Some bloke at the Dutch olympic sport institute made scans of retired skating and running sprinters' hamstrings and found that a lot of what looks like muscle on the outside is actually scar tissue.

[Mich the Tester]

Well, I did a 75km ride on Saturday, nicely wrapped up in balaclava and cold weather gear, ate about half a biscuit every 15 mins and drank a total of 1 litre of home made isotonic drink along the way (weak squash with a little salt) and it felt pretty good; I didn't hit the wall after 2 hours and the last 1/2 hour was hard work but not beyond me, so I guess the training effect was good. HR was between 130 and 150 nearly all the way, which might be a bit high to carry on for longer, but it all felt fine. Average speed 30 kph.

Afterwards I went into town and bought a Tacx VR home trainer, put it together then rode on Sunday morning; 10kms on an up and down hilly course, again averaging 30kph. This morning I feel fine, none of the symptoms from last week's ride, so this evening perhaps I'll do some warming up on the bike then a bit of weight training for my legs and some core training; working late tomorrow so no ride, then back on the Tacx on Wednesday. That thing is brilliant; Lady Tester used it too and enjoys it, which is good news for removing the christmas insulation layer.

[No2politics]

FAO Brillo and Dallas; endurance training

Hey mich. can recommend you get a carb drink for ur water bottle, helps me no end on long rides. take one of those, and another bottle with just water, a gel and perhaps a cereal bar and sees me ok for about 3.5 hours. With a shorter high intensity session u want to replace your salts but for longer stuff I find a carb drink is better.

Perhaps controversially I would do away with ur weight training. I imagine from your rugby training u have plenty power in those pistons. You want to get leaner, so Consider replacing with another endurance ride or maybe a run.

I focus on short course triathlons anyway so would bow to the experience of those doing longer stuff

[Dallas]

Perhaps controversially I would do away with ur weight training.
I focus on short course triathlons anyway so would bow to the experience of those doing longer stuff

for sprints fine, going longer you need to do weights and core

[BrilloPad]

Hey mich. can recommend you get a carb drink for ur water bottle,

Things like high5 are very good but expensive.

If money is tight you can use Maltodextrin from Myprotein