Your first 20 mile bike ride in 21 days!
Everyone has their own pace which is always important to remember as you train and prepare for your ride. One way to train that makes it easy for beginners is by measuring using a Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE). This is a numerical indication of how difficult YOUR work should be, ranging from RPE 1 (minimal effort) and to RPE 10 (maximum effort). For most beginners, the focus is to simply become comfortable riding (versus racing) the bike for distance or time.
For the majority of the training sessions in this 21 day Quick Guide, you should be working at a pace comfortable enough to hold a light conversation, with the occasional more difficult push for short bursts. Keep in mind that a structured exercise plan can be a shock to the body. You should always speak with your doctor about any questions or concerns that you may have before or during a training plan.
Before you review your training plan let’s go over how to approach each day’s training style.
SPEED
Generally speaking for speed work you will want to find a road or route that is fairly flat and easy to navigate. The goal is to learn to discover how fast/far you can travel in a given time and continue to improve upon this through long-term training tactics.
HILLS
When climbing hills, you will want a road or route that has some slight incline that requires additional effort to climb. Focus on simply getting comfortable climbing on your bike while also changing gears to best suit your effort and climb.
SPRINTS
For sprints you will want to find a “normal” road that has some inclines, declines and flats. During this ride you will work for a period of time and recover/rest for a period of time. You will continue this effort for your allotted time frame.
DISTANCE
This type of ride is mostly self-explanatory. You should expect to put into practice the three types of training that you have trained through during the week for a longer distance. The goal is to continually improve in strength, time and endurance.
Don’t forget! Always train on lightly trafficked roads, stay fueled and hydrated, and use proper cycling safety techniques.
Week One: Baseline
This first week is just about getting on the bike. Simply focus on getting your baseline or beginning pace and becoming comfortable on the bike.
Week Two: Kinks
This second week is about working out the kinks. Now that you know your Baseline from week one, you can begin to find little ways to tweak your training and add a little push to your daily workouts.
Week Three: Groove
This third week is just about getting in your groove. You have worked out the kinks and now it is time to soar through your week with total ease.
Click HERE to learn more about the Wellview services available to you. We can’t wait to work with you!
– CASEY EDMONDS, CHC
Health Advisor | Email Casey
