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The Need for Speed
I'm in decent shape from daily running and weekend mountain biking. Now I'm getting ready to do the AIDS ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles (seven 80-mile days in a row) and realize that I need some special training. I've been getting out and doing long rides, but two problems have come up. One: What can I do to get faster? I'm completing 80-mile rides, but it takes me almost eight hours to do so. Also, my neck and shoulders and upper arms are sore—what upper body exercise can I do to get these parts of my body ride ready?
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Sally Thorson, Sacramento, California
First of all, congratulations on your upcoming AIDS ride, those of you who find a way to combine the outdoor lifestyle with giving something back deserve special recognition.
You're right about some special training for the ride. To get ready for a week of daily long rides, combine at least one to two long rides each week with two shorter (one to two hours), high-intensity rides. As you're already able to complete the 80-mile daily distance of the AIDS ride, the next step is to do the two long rides on consecutive days (perhaps Saturday and Sunday).
To increase your speed, do the two shorter training rides at a faster pace or as a series of intervals, where you increase your speed for a few minutes, then reduce your speed for a few minutes. The intensity of these rides should be around 80 percent of your maximum heart rate, or a rating of five to six on a scale of one to ten—a pace where you can have a one to two word conversation with a riding partner (or yourself). The most effective training always mirrors the conditions that you'll encounter during an event. The San Francisco to Los Angeles ride, for example, is fairly hilly, so do these shorter rides on hilly terrain. Keep in mind that your pace during the actual AIDS ride will most likely be quite a bit quicker than your pace during your long training rides, mostly due to the sheer quantity and energy of the other riders.
The upper body soreness you've been experiencing may be partly a result of the way your bike is set up. If your seat is too far forward, it will put undue strain on your upper body, as your weight will be resting on your hands. A good bike shop can take a look at your position and make recommendations. To strengthen your shoulders, arms, and lower back, you should start a regular regime that includes abdominal crunches, back extensions, lateral shoulder raises, bench press, and triceps extensions. Two to three sets of 15 to 20 reps twice a week will build muscle in your upper body and make your ride more comfortable. Your upper half will also get stronger simply from the riding, so if you're pressed for time, do some sit-ups and push-ups a couple of times per week and spend the rest on your time on the saddle.
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