CYCLE 0-50KM TRAINING PLAN –10 WEEKS
Quick Tips
Equipment: Make sure that you check the weather forecast so that you can prepare your clothing
accordingly as you may find that you need to add or remove layers during your ride. Your cycling
shoes should be appropriate for your bike and thoroughly tested during your training rides. Make
sure that your bike is in good condition and that you have a repair kit with all the spare parts
incase something goes wrong during your ride.
Route: Plan your route prior to setting off. Cycling distances can be significantly further than other
disciplines so we recommend that you take a phone or a GPS to help you stay on track. They are
also handy to track your distances and timings.
Nutrition: Read our nutrition guides and ensure that you are well hydrated and fuelled up pre and
post training session.
Warming up & cooling down: If you missed our quick guide to this then go and have a read here.
This is vitally important in avoiding injury, maximising recovery, and performing well.
Definitions & Explanations
Light ride: A light ride is a slow ride with a low cadence designed to get the heart rate up to around
60% of your max heart rate. This will get the blood flowing without putting too much exertion on
the body. This is designed specifically for those new to cycling.
Steady ride: This ride should be done at a pace that gets your heart rate to between 60-79% of
your maximum heart rate. This helps to strengthen your heart and increase your muscles ability to
use oxygen. New cyclists should focus on cycling closer to a heart rate of 60% and then work their
way up to the top end.
Long ride: This ride should also be done at a pace that gets your heart rate to between 60-79% of
your maximum heart rate. As this ride is typically one of your further rides we advise that you
reduce your pace towards the end of your ride as it is easy for those without a heart monitor to go
above the 79% mark.
Threshold ride: This is a more intense ride that should get your heart rate up to between 82-88%
of your maximum heart rate. This is designed to increase your lactate threshold point.
Interval ride: This is the most intense ride of them all and should make up a small percentage of
your total training time. This should get your heart rate up to between 97-100% of your maximum
heart rate and is designed to increase your maximum oxygen uptake capacity.
Cross Training: This is a training session that is different to the discipline you are predominantly
training for. In this case it would be going for a run, swim, or weights session instead of a cycle
ride.
Core strength: Core strength exercises are designed to strengthen your muscles in order to help
increase stability, strength and speed. Exercises such as planks, squats, lunges and sitting leg
kicks (whilst sitting stretch out your legs and kick your legs like you would when swimming. Keep
your back straight and use your abdomen to stop yourself from rolling backwards) are great for
cyclists.
Body maintenance: This is vitally important in aiding the recovery of the muscles damaged during
training sessions. We recommend that you foam roll and static stretch your hamstrings, calves,
quadriceps, glutes, back and any other muscle that feels sore or stiff.
Nutrition strategy: Nutrition strategy is important as it helps you to fuel up appropriately for your
given race. It should be thoroughly tested during some of your training sessions and in race week
it should be implemented between 24 and 48 hours before the start of your race.
For more information about the importance of understanding your heart rate you can read our
guide here. Alternatively if you would like to find out more about pacing and get help calculating
your own then you can read about that here.
Training icons:
Cycling
Training
Cycling
Event
Cross
Training
Check
Equipment
Strength &
Conditioning
Body
Maintenance
Rest
Nutrition
Resting Times During Sessions
Unlike other disciplines it can be relatively difficult to stop and rest on a bike, especially if you are
training on a busy road, your feet are strapped in, or if you are training on a spinning bike. We
recommend that you reduce your effort slowly and safely (Reduce cadence and/or gradient) until
you are ready to begin the next repetition or activity.
Rest Interval - Using Heart Rate: During Interval and Threshold training sessions, both between
repetitions of a specific activity and the transition from one activity to another, it is important to
monitor your heart rate. Between repetitions of an activity rest until your heart rate slows to the
bottom end of your specific training zone for that activity. Then between activities rest until your
heart rate reaches around 60% of your maximum heart rate.
Athletes Nest Tip: If you can time how long it takes your heart rate to reach these values during
your rest intervals as it can be a good indicator of whether you are progressing and getting fitter.
You should hopefully see that your rest intervals become shorter as you work your way through
this plan. For help in working out your heart rate training zones please read our heart rate guide
and use our online calculator.
Rest Interval - Using Times: Alternatively if you do not possess a heart rate monitor you can use
timings instead. However before you use this strategy we advise spending some time with a
trained professional working out how long it takes your heart to slow from different rates and also
how you feel at these different rates. Then you can take this knowledge into your sessions and
apply it to your rest intervals. Regularly check your timings throughout your training and adjust
them accordingly.
We have put rest durations within the plan below but these are only to be used as a guide for
those unable to use either of the above techniques.
0km to 50km – 10 Weeks
Notes