Raceplan Coaching & Racing: Base miles and other training stuff

So, I'm bound by the super ninja USA coaching code of ethics to chime in regarding the base building conversation

If you're not interested in reading a long, funny at times, informative e-article....please hit DELETE now.

For the rest of ya, I'll be generalizing a lot and keep in mind that generalizations will generally not apply to you, generally speaking! I'll also try and keep to the point and not spin out of control on any one subject. If you have any questions about any of this, feel free to email me and I'll point you to more confusing information.

What the heck is base building or base miles?

The short of it, a period of lower intensity training. Also known as endurance training or Long Slow Distance (LSD). The duration of the period ideal for base building varies from athlete to athlete and is dependent on a number of factors including athletic/race goals, athletic maturity (i.e. cycling age versus calendar age), fitness, hours available for training, life style (including stressors and support systems), etc. Lower intensity is also subjective; what Dave might consider low intensity might in fact be over my threshold. It's important for you to figure out your program and not copy anyone else's.

What the heck is it good for?

Get your muscular/skeletal system ready for the anticipated demands of higher intensity training and eventual racing. Also, help build physiological systems to assist with energy utilization and recovery. This last part delves into the building blocks of energy utilization and consumption with fancy terms such as mitochondria building, ATP utilization, Lactic Acid buffering systems, beer, etc...we'll skip over this. Just know that it's a good thing, unless you're limited by the number of hours you can train (more on this later).

How the heck long does it go for?

That depends on a lot of factors such as your season, current fitness, goals, shoe size, ATM pin, etc. Generally speaking, if you're fit and free from injury and assuming you're racing sometime in the future, then a period of at least 6 to 8 weeks of base building is ideal. This does not include the incorporation of strength training into your program, which totally counts as a form of intensity introduced very gradually and carefully over the course of your off season training. Unless you're old like me, in which case doing some sort of strength training once per week might do you a lot of good (yes, Yoga counts).

==>An absolutely important variable most people forget to account for is LIFE! It's like this Ya'll, if you've got all day to train and don't have to work a traditional job, if you don't have family/life/school obligations that put demands on your time and energy, if you can afford to put your feet up after training and recovery, and if you have a live in massage therapist/Sushi chef named Yoshi, then you might consider doing long slow distance base miles for a number of weeks.

But, if you just happen to live in the real world with life obligations, someone who has limited time to train, then just doing base miles might not be the right path for you. My rule of thumb is that if you have less than 8 total hours per week to train, then consider mixing base miles with some intensity.

How the heck do I know how much base building I should do?

Sorry kids, there is no clear cut answer. It really depends; how many total hours do you have to train on a weekly basis? Do you race or are ya in it just for fun/fitness/socialization? If you race, what's your racing schedule for the next season? Have you picked out your A/B/C races? Whose legs do you think are bigger; mine or Erik The Jackal's?

As a rule of thumb, try doing just base miles for 4-6 weeks, then gradually introduce some intensity into the mix. Start out by figuring out how many realistic hours you have during the week to train, then see if you can do 90% of your total weekly training time in your base zone and introduce 10% of your weekly time with a bit of intensity, do this for two weeks then increase the intensity to 15-20% of your total time, another couple of weeks and go up to 20-25% of intensity for your total time, and so forth until you're at a 50/50 ratio about 3-4 weeks prior to a major event/race. Then begin a gradual decrease of intensity for tapering.

How the heck do I know what my base and/or intensity level is?

Ahhhh, you're astute! We're now talking about an objective measure of your fitness and in my not so humble opinion, the most objective way to measure your current fitness is via an LT/VO2mx test. For example, we recently scheduled a series of tests for Swami's (my team in San Diego) and about 25 people took advantage of the testing through the Fit Stop Human Performance Lab. Ideally, I would like to have my athletes tested quarterly to gauge improvement in fitness and to ensure their training utilizes their latest numbers. These tests give us an objective snapshot of your fitness by eliminating any guess work. From the results of the test, heart rate training zones are outlined for you to follow. It just couldn't get any better or easier!

If you're not one for testing, there's literally hundreds of formulas you can use to guess your training zones and I'm sure you're all familiar with them. The most popular one seems to be the 220 - your age = good approximation of your MaxHR...you then take 75% of this number and that's your endurance zone. In my case 220 - 39 (as of next week!!!) = about 180, my projected MaxHR...and 75% of this is 135. Give and take 5 points because I'm a Libra and my endurance zone is between 130-140. Not bad!

Another formula I came across about 10 years ago by Phil Maffetone has been very reliable for me and here it goes:

180 - your age = base training HR

In my case 180 - 39 = about 140

Now, you can add or subtract between 5 to 10 points depending on your fitness and health history; if you've been free from sickness AND injury during the past 3 months, then add 10 points. If you've been sick at all or injured at all during the past 3 months, subtract between 5-10 points. This gives you an endurance range and the low level intensity zone to work with.

I like this formula better only because it gives you a range and is not fixated on a specific number, as is the case with the 220 formula.

What the heck is up with the Power thingieMAjig you keep wanting me to buy....is it necessary?

Well, a Watt meter might tell you WHAT'S going on, but it won't tell you why or how. I truly recommend the use of at least a good heart rate monitor; one that stores data and can be downloaded later. If you want to take it one step further, get a Power Meter and pay attention to your HR & Power profile and energy consumption in addition to all the other cycling related information (AV speed, distance, etc.) But don't get too geeked about collecting data. If you don't use it to your benefit, it's a waste of time, money and energy. And, it's all rather simple once someone explains it to you.

Will Kam ever shut up?

Yes, I've typed enough. Raceplan coaches, Patrick Jak, Teddy Allen, Karla Bland and I are here to help if you need it. Don't be shy...we're coaches because we get a kick out of helping people succeed, not because we want to get rich. Don't be afraid to ask for help!

Also, Raceplan has partnerships with Polar and Cycle Ops in case you're interested in ordering a HRM or Power Meter. Our cost is yours.