Stay in Gear

To find out how to maintain a training schedule as the days get shorter and racing season approaches, we decided to ask the pros - specifically, the members of the Colavita-Bolla Professional Cycling Team….We caught up with Steve Ward, winner of the NJ State Criterium Championship title, at the start of his own training program for the 2003 racing season. Here's what he had to say:

• Set up a schedule: Steve Ward trains for 11 months of the year. During this period, Steve follows a four-week schedule which includes increasing hours of aerobic activity for three weeks, followed by recovery in the fourth week. Steve repeats this cycle throughout the entire training season.
  
  
• Stay in your aerobic zone: "It takes a lot of discipline but I keep my heart rate between 65% and 80% of maximum for the first 200 hours of training." Staying in the aerobic zone allows the body to process oxygen more efficiently - an important requirement for racing. Steve credits his late coach, Mike Walden, with this analogy to underscore the importance of aerobic training - "Staying in the aerobic zone is like inflating a balloon, if you don't blow hard enough - or train below your aerobic level - the balloon will never inflate. If you blow too hard - and train anaerobically - the balloon will pop."
  
  
• Mix it up: On weekdays during winter months, Steve Ward heads to the gym to train on aerobic machines that utilize motions and muscles similar to a bicycle. He also adds strength training, following a low weight-high repetition circuit with short breaks to keep his heart rate elevated. On the weekends, he heads outdoors for longer rides, often focusing on specific techniques, such as increasing leg speed.
  
  
• Schedule breaks: As Steve Wards puts it, "mental rest and recovery is as important as physical recovery." He adds that a training program must be flexible and allow time off for family, friends, and holidays.

Organized the training schedule and still having trouble getting started? Don't forget, as Steve Ward explains, "having a plan is one thing, carrying it out requires motivation and discipline."

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