My plan for the year, similar to last year, was to start working on smooth pedalling, cadence (leg speed), a natural ease of movement, comfortable and steady aerobic rides, while at the same time allowing the hard core cyclists to work to their potential if they chose to do so. I particularly felt the importance of this, as I started the new year with 3Kgs of excess baggage and the remains of a nasty flu virus. In these conditions and, particularly in the winter months, the human body cries out for warmth-inducing, steady-state exercise, rather than the extreme anaerobic intervals that push you beyond your "red line". At this time of year, going above that line can damage fitness levels rather than improve them - only after a solid aerobic fitness base is established, can that foundation be built upon to increase strength and ability to take punishment.
Enough talking - this ride is meant to be taken as a long, flat road but, to retain the interest of those who really do want to push themselves, has an increasing gradient. You will see that the rhythm of the music will naturally slow down your cadence so that, in order to keep the same effort level, we need to increase resistance - progressively building up until we're climbing a fairly comfortbale mountain (is there such a thing, I've heard many members ask!). There are two possibilities with this ride - either you'll keep an even effort level throughout or you'll find yourself getting carried away and be gradually increasing your effort level as you approach the end of the ride. I've included two of my HR profiles as examples of both.
You could use any music for this, the timings are only relative to the tracks I selected - but you'd be looking to spend around 5 minutes at each cadence level, enough for your legs to adjust to the resistance, not too long so you'd get bored.
Warm up - 2.5 mins
Flat road @108 rpm - 8.5 mins
103 rpm - 4 mins
99 rpm - 4.5 mins
93 rpm - 6 mins
89 rpm - 5 mins
85 rpm (hour class) - 4.5 mins
82 rpm - 5.5 mins
77 rpm (hour class) - 5.5 mins
72 rpm (hour class) - 5 mins
67 rpm - 3 mins
Cool down - 5 mins
Profile for a steady-state effort (note the spikes where we rode out of the saddle):
Profile for a gradually rising effort:
Playlist:
Last train to Lhasa - Banco de Gaia
Heart still/beating - Ottmar Liebert
Africa bamba - Santana
Time will tell - Mariam Funke
Mysterious maiden - Chico Hamilton
A tonga da mironga do kabulete - Daniela Mercury
Desire - Deepak Chopra feat. Demi Moore
Teardrop - Massive Attack
Breakout - Michael Flatley (Lord of the Dance)
Greece 2000 - Three Drives
Nyah and Ethan - Hans Zimmer
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