Training Rides Brought to you By Push Bikes



Training rides for all those beginner or intermediate that want to get out and train for Le Race, or just get out & about & meet other keen riders.  Rides will be 1 1/2 hrs to 2 hrs long at a leisurely pace - Finish with FREE COFFEE at the Push Bikes City Store.

Where: Push Bikes City Centre - 168 St Asaph Street
When: Every Sunday starting Sunday 14th Feb 2010
Time: 9.00am

So come down and have a go all are welcome.

Group Training Brought to you By Bike Challenge

"Interested in getting help to improve your time for Le Race this year? Thinking of entering the event but not really sure how to train or where to start? If this sounds like you or someone you know email info@bikechallenge.co.nz to find out more about the Bike Challenge 9-week course. They will provide you with a tailored training programme and 3 great workshops to help get you underway, as well as weekly emails to keep you motivated and two instructed bunch rides a week to make new friends and practice riding safely and effectively together. All levels welcome, from complete beginner to very advanced: all you need to take part in a Bike Challenge and make it to the end of Le Race 2010 is a bike (any kind is fine) that you know how to ride and a bit of determination!

Spaces are strictly limited and always fill up fast, so contact Aline & Al at info@bikechallenge.co.nz or www.bikechallenge.co.nz  for more information.

    Personal Training Brought to you by Steve Elden

Top Tips For A Great Ride from our Expert Trainer Steve Elden

Our training section is brought to you by coach and 2008 Le Race runner up - Steve Elden from Protrain, our official training provider.  www.protrain.co.nz Le Race...... in my opinion is one of the best races in NZ. It has it all for the elite racer to the first time challenger. You have the options to race for the title, ride for a personal best, try and beat your mates, complete the challenge or take your time and enjoy the views. It is an achievable 100km and one event you must add to your calendar in 2010. I have designed two programs for this year’s event; • The 10 week program for beginners to complete Le Race. • A 12 week program for the more advanced riders who want to train hard and achieve a result. Remember that both these programs are flexible and recommended as guidelines only. They do not take into fact your personal needs like training history, goals, strengths, weaknesses, lifestyle factors, daily timetables, skill level and fitness level. If you would like a custom program designed for you for Le Race then please visit www.protrain.co.nz and view your options, or email training@protrain.co.nz to get started. Remember that training is simply showing your body increasing levels of intensity and time, then letting it recover. If you are starting for the first time, scale everything down, don't stress or over work things, that's worse than being 'underdone'. Just get out and enjoy the summer weather and build into the training.

Remember that both these programs are flexible and recommended as guidelines only. They do not take into     fact your personal needs like training history, goals, strengths, weaknesses, lifestyle factors, daily timetables, skill level and fitness level. If you would like a custom program for Le Race then please visit www.protrain.co.nz and view your options.

Remember that training is simply showing your body increasing levels of intensity and time, then letting it recover. If you are starting for the first time, scale everything down, don't stress or over work things, that's worse than being 'underdone'. Just get out and enjoy the summer weather and build into the training.

To enjoy Le Race, you need a good basic level of fitness.

Consistency - Consistency is the key. If you're a beginner, then two or three rides a week will get you through the 100k. If you're looking to beat last year's time or humiliate your mates then maybe 3 to 4 rides per week. If you want to explore your potential or be competitive then you're looking at 4 to 7 rides per week. But regardless of how much you do, you need to allow 8-12 weeks to build up fitness.

Long Rides - Doing at least one longer ride a week builds superior aerobic endurance. If you make it a hilly ride, muscular strength gets developed in tandem with aerobic endurance. Ideally you would build up to at least one long ride per week that equals or exceeds the length of your goal race. Do these long rides at a cadence of 95-110rpm; this builds leg speed without trashing your legs for a week.

Hill Reps - Hill Reps (repetitions) build muscular strength, aerobic ability and handling skills in one workout. After 15-30min of easy riding find a hill that is 5-10min long. Ride up it at 75-80rpm at a solid to hard effort, and then ride back down for recovery. Repeat this 4-10 times depending on your fitness. Then finish with 15-30min of easy riding.

High Intensity Session - High intensity reps build oxygen uptake, leg speed and rhythm. After 15-30min of easy riding find a stretch of flat or mildly undulating road that you can ride non-stop. Ride hard for 5-10min at a cadence of 90-100rpm, and then ride easy for 5-10min. Repeat this 4-10 times depending on fitness. Then finish with 15-30min of easy riding.

Sharpening Work - Try some training that combines everything. Periods of fast and slow cadence, short uphills and short hard efforts will improve biomechanical movements, improve technique and prepare the legs for the erratic tempo of bunch riding. But this isn't designed to be a hard workout. The overall effort should be comfortable, but the cadence and pace changes often.

Recovery - If consistency is the key, then recovery is the key to consistency. Without adequate recovery your body will eventually break down in some way or another. If you're riding 2 to 4 times per week the recovery factor is covered by your days off. But if you're riding 5 to 7 times a week you have to allow an easier day after harder or longer days. Then every three or four weeks make sure you take an easier week. This way your body can cope with the work and over time your training becomes more consistent.

Bunch riding –Riding with friends is more fun than when you go out riding solo. Try to get as much bunch riding experience and riding skills as possible before the event. This is one area where you can save energy and avoid accidents. Point out road hazards and share the wind on the front so everyone can stay safe and ride faster.

Downloads:

Le Race Training:

- Le Race 10 Week Challenge (WORD)