Track Cycling Training

A post I made to Fixed Gear Fever that summed up a lot of what I try to do with track cyclists.

Training depends on how far away your goal event is. If a long way away I would look at build extra capacity to ride the bike. Bigger muscles, stronger muscles, greater energy stores, lower body fat, better flexibility, work on better riding position and aerodynamics, invest in better equipment, ensure you can train specifically in a similar environment to your goal event etc.

If your goal event is pretty close then what you got is what you got. Training in this phase is all neural and should be as specific as possible. Track you will race on, gear you will use, race wheels, race kit etc.

Early season I think whatever works to get you into the best shape to make the most of the specific training. I don't pursuit up hills but am doing various hill efforts as it allows me to create a higher overload which means more power for longer and is assisting my weight loss goals. I am working the flexibility pretty hard as the flatter I can get on the bike the faster I go. A pursuit isn't over 1-4hours but I am road racing as again it's a good, fun and semi-easy way to work on my condition. So when it is business time I will be in the best shape to prepare for my goal event.

Here is where you get specific. Break the event down into it's components. For sprinting it's start, acceleration, speed endurance. I never piece them together in training (ie no full Kilos), just try and find suitable events. Never go overdistance (why do a 1250m TT at slower than goal pace). Create the overload at just above goal pace. I don't go too much into overspeed, strength or power. No point being able to ride 2.5sec for 50m if the next 150m runs 2.8, 3.1, 3.5. Full recovery between efforts.

Trick is to balance the conditioning with the specific training. Too much conditioning and you lose speed. Too much speed and you lose condition. Also specific work is f**king hard on the head. Best to do short blocks. For a sprinter 4 weeks at most. In the off season and early season I would run several specific blocks to stay in touch with race speed but only a week, two at most.

For a pursuiter you could go as long as 12 weeks as the training is not as anaerobic but interesting that Hayden Roulston was riding a stage race in France 14 days out from taking Silver in Beijing and Brad Magee riding 4.16 2 days after finishing the Tour de France. What better way to get into the best condition possible and rely on previous experience to deliver on the track.