CYCLING VOLUME

QAHow much cycling should I do? Jeremy Hallett

As cycling is a non-load bearing closed system (in theory, you’re screwed in or immovable at all touchpoints to the bike), it has a much lower injury risk. Therefore, as long as the bike fits you, you can afford to do what may be described as ‘too much’ every now and then as long as you recover around it.

But the following guidelines are helpful to estimate what the longest rides need to be for someone riding the typical triathlon distances:

• Sprint or less: 1-2 hours

• Standard-distance: 2-3 hours

• Middle-distance: 3-5 hours

• Long-course: 6-8 hours

There are two critical observations. Firstly, there are ranges for each of the race distances for athletes. Secondly, these are not absolute periods, rather suggestions or guides. If you’re a sprint-distance athlete, you’re unlikely to gain much more after four hours than you would gain (for the race distance you’re doing), but it doesn’t mean you can’t do four hours plus on the bike.

It’s just that those other two hours could be better spent in other disciplines or recovering.

A simple way of looking at constructing a week of cycling is about three sessions per week. A longer ride and a couple of shorter (~1-1:30hr) interval-style sessions are plenty to build strength. Ironman athletes may need to think about a fourth ride as there are benefits to being bike fit, and an increased volume does help, but that’s a ‘nice to have’. This can be intervals or another longer ride depending on their available time.

You should also consider how much riding you do to help improve handling skills. All too often, triathletes focus on power, duration and speed. However, if they can’t actually ride a bike, more time needs to be spent riding than doing intervals, for example. This may mean adding an extra session in, which deliberately focuses on skills rather than speed. Philip Hatzis