What is your routine before training, how does it help prepare you for longer training sessions?
With no racing coming up, now is a great time to get some long, unstructured aerobic training days in. Riding, swimming and running are my obvious choices!
Prime Smoothie @ 8.30pm
More often than not, I will train in the morning, so the night prior I will make myself a PREPD Prime Smoothie, in preparation for the long day ahead.
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3.25 x scoops of PREPD Prime powder (Vanilla)
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1 x banana
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Soy milk/water
- 2.5 x scoops of PREPD Recover protein powder (Chocolate)
- 1 x handful of mixed frozen berries
- Soy milk/water
This combination of using both the PREPD Prime and Recover powders gives me that extra protein, electrolytes and hydration, to aid my body in recovery, so I can back up the sessions daily. I also know that the probiotic nature of the resistant starch in PREPD supports my gut health and immune system.
What indoor session do you recommend now, with social isolation?
This is one of the sessions Reedy (Ironman Tim Reed – also Steve McKenna’s coach) has set for me in the past and I love it. Even though I didn’t create it… it’s still my all time personal favourite session.
75min indoor cycling session – bang for buck!!
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15-20min warm up building from zone 1 heart rate to zone 2 heart rate.
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4 x 8min (as 4min grinding 50-60 cadence @ 4.2watts/kg, 4min just above 70.3 race power @ 4.8watts/kg).
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2 x min rest in between each 8 min effort.
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15min cool down.
Takeout:
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For me at 66kg this equates to 280watts for the first 4mins and 320watts for the second 4min.
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Bang for buck – getting both strength work in, along with some upper aerobic work.
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Getting used to pushing just above race power on tired legs (straight after a leg burning strength effort).
This will be extremely useful in many race situations, particularly when someone is trying to break away and your legs are shagged….. thinking back to these sessions, it's comforting at the time knowing that you can still push good power on tired legs.
A note on indoor training hydration - From PREPD
“With the increase of indoor training volume, my riders are more susceptible to dehydration. It is very easy to lose 2-3 kg in a 1 hour indoor workout. With this in mind, I have the riders weigh themselves before and after a workout about once a week. This way they can get a gauge of how much they sweat they are losing from a particular ride. This is where PREPD is going to provide them with a definite advantage to their performance by enhancing their normal hydration strategy.” – Kevin Poulton (renowned UCI Cycling Coach). To read more – click here.
