This is the second in my 3-part series of Workout Wednesdays powered by Bioastin on how to structure your training to prepare for the host of unknowns in races. For today’s session, let’s talk about the bike. You can see my session on the swim from last week here and next week I’ll be discussing the run.

Has this happened to you? You went along with your competitors on the attack in the hills and now you’re totally gassed for the final third of the ride, relegated to spinning in a low gear as competitors fly past you near the end of the bike course.

We’ve all been there, and it’s a horrible feeling!

Despite meticulous planning and carefully watching your power meter, heart rate monitor or just being sensible – you’ve either had to adjust your race plan to keep up or you’ve just given up.

My bike workout below will help prepare you for the attacks or surges during the race — when your heart rate is elevated for 20 sec to 2 min into your anaerobic zone — producing a quick spike in muscle acidity.

Keep in mind that during a race, the longer you linger in your anaerobic zones, the more you’ll pay in the later stages of the run. However, training for and anticipating the randomness of these high intensity efforts will teach your body to recover more quickly and heighten your mental tenacity.

Try this workout over the final 10 weeks leading up to your big race.

Lastly, you may find that when you’re performing these interval segments you’ll acquire the ability to relax. You’ll begin to recognize that even when you ratchet up the intensity, the race can still be fun and manageable. This builds confidence.

Checkout my similar sessions on the swim and stay tuned next week for a run session. If you do the workout, let me know how it goes and get in touch with me on Facebook or Twitter.

Dave

Warm Up

10 min, with 10 sec standing and 10 sec sitting during the final 2 min.

Main Set

6 x 90 sec hard — try inserting 15-second of standing segments in a random pattern to keep your muscles guessing!

Rest Interval 15 sec — go very easy

25 sec hard in a bigger gear, holding 80 RPM

RI 10 sec

35 sec hard in a lower gear, holding 100 RPM

RI 20 sec

45 sec in your choice gear, holding 90 RPM

RI 1 min at aerobic pace.

Repeat the above progression in reverse order… The two progressions together is one round. Repeat 3 to 10 rounds total.

2nd Set

5 min at IRONMAN 70.3 pace + 5 min aerobic + 35 sec very very hard.

Repeat 1 to 4 times.

Cool down.

#WorkoutWednesday is powered by BioAstin, one of my top 5 recommended supplements.  BioAstin Hawaiian Astaxanthin is a powerful antioxidant that supports cardiovascular health and muscle recovery… perfect for athletes who are training hard.