#16 - More structure in my trainings
From day one, I have attacked my training rides more or less in the same way. Based on how I felt before I set of, I decided how far I wanted to ride. Then I checked the weather app for the wind, and I started peddling away. I did it that way, since I prefer to start with a headwind when given the choice. Just because it’s easier on the way home. Given the wind doesn’t suddenly change direction of course.
Doing things this way, has made for some pretty long rides. I just kept riding further from home until I felt it was time to go back. That also meant I could get pretty exhausted by the time I got back, dropping my average speed noticeably in some cases. Now you’ll find my trike is not built to race, but to travel, but a more or less consistent average speed, would be nice of course.
That’s why I decided to design some trips I can do time and time again. This will allow me to monitor my progress better. I’ll be able to compare rides over time. Today, I started with my first go on the 30 km ride. I have set it up with a large variety of roadsurfaces and riding types. It’s mostly paved, with about 25 % of crushed shell roads and even about 50 meters of coblestones. I’m only crossing one single town center, and touching a second one. The rest of the ride goes along a canal and through woodlands. Over the past months, I have done every section of the ride at least once. Often multiple times. That gave me a good insight in the road conditions and the technicality of the road. There’s two woodland sections I put in there, just because they are so much fun to ride. Short straigts, sharp turns, even some turns with a difficult camber, and a small wooden bridge.
The 30 km ride is perfect as a quick training. Just 90 minutes of giving it my best. A great ride to do in the morning or after a hard days work.
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Just past the first technical section on the ride, there’s this great spot to relax a little if needed.
I also have a 50 km ride waiting to be rediscovered. That will be the option on days with a little bit more time. my best guess is that this ride will take me around 2,5 hours. The 50 km starts and ends more or less over the same roads. But in between, the loop goes a bit further from home. This too, is designed with variation in mind.
Later, I’ll add even longer rides to the collection. And as with this shorter ride, I’ll ride them regularly to monitor my progress a little better.
To wrap this post up, let me give you a little scoop: Next week, I’m planning a ride on a race track. It’s not 100 % sure yet. There’s some practical stuff that has to be done before I can go. But for now, things are looking good. And it will be a big one. It’s a formula one race track that is on the 2025 calendar, and it’s most definitely NOT flat. Stay tuned for more.
