Early Season Rides

Early Season rides are just that, Early Season. Set realistic goals and stick to your master plan whatever it may be.  I have done a lot of reading on proper training lately and most modern techniques involve variation. Like any good workout plan, if you were to stick to the same exercises, the body would plateau and development would subside. Vary conditions. If you are on a solo mission pick a point on the road like a short hill and hit it hard. This will put you into the red zone for only a very short period of no more than 20 seconds, but it will force your muscles to develop and recover far faster than if you just stayed at a steady pace for the whole ride. If in a group call out the point farther away and steadily work the tempo higher as a group so as to not leave anyone hanging in no man's land.

Monitor your heart rate and cadence through the training season. Maintain a high cadence using lower gears so as to not overstress the muscles. Keep a journal if you need and note the improvements over the course of 4 weeks of steady controlled riding.

Trust me it will show improvement.