{"id":49471,"date":"2023-05-17T15:00:53","date_gmt":"2023-05-17T13:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bikeradar.com\/?p=728866"},"modified":"2023-05-17T15:35:38","modified_gmt":"2023-05-17T13:35:38","slug":"how-to-improve-your-cycling-endurance-in-limited-time","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/rss_feed\/how-to-improve-your-cycling-endurance-in-limited-time\/","title":{"rendered":"How to improve your cycling endurance in limited time"},"content":{"rendered":"

Go further and faster with smarter training and fuelling <\/p>

By Jack Evans\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 17 May 2023 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

When we talk about cycling endurance, we often mean how far we can ride a bike.<\/p>\n

Or, we might be referring to our ability to sustain a certain pace for an extended period of time, otherwise known as stamina or staying power.<\/p>\n

Either way, most of us can and want to improve our cycling endurance, whether we\u2019d like to try gravel racing<\/a>, mountain bike racing<\/a> or ride 100 miles or further<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve asked Pav Bryan, coach to Mark Beaumont and Jenny Graham among others, and a range of training experts for their advice on how to build cycling endurance.<\/p>\n

What is endurance?<\/h2>\n
\""Jack\u2019s\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
To most people, an endurance ride is a long and steady effort.<\/span><\/figcaption> Haute Route \/ Olivier Penpenic<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

The colloquial definition of endurance, in the context of cycling, is vague. What\u2019s long for one person isn\u2019t necessarily long for the next.<\/p>\n

When you start off cycling<\/a>, managing to ride for an hour brings satisfaction. An experienced cyclist\u2019s idea of endurance might be an audax<\/a>, which could be 200km or 1,000km long.<\/p>\n

Scientifically speaking, endurance in cycling is a physiological state in which the body works aerobically by using oxygen.<\/p>\n

[ninja_tables id=\u201d628274\u2033]<\/p>\n

In the six-zone Coggan training zones<\/a> model, the first five zones fall under endurance. We only hit our Anaerobic Capacity when sprinting<\/a> flat-out in the highest zone.<\/p>\n

Many people will often refer to long, zone 2 rides or base training as endurance training. But, given zones 1 to 5 are technically endurance, this is inaccurate.<\/p>\n

All kinds of cycling, including track cycling<\/a>, involve some endurance, according to Bryan, who runs Coach Pav Cycle Coaching<\/a>.<\/p>\n

He says in strict scientific terms, endurance is any action that isn\u2019t sustained and uses the body\u2019s stored energy source (ATP) for fuel, such as an explosive squat.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, he\u2019ll often use a more colloquial definition to define endurance: \u201cTraining at a low intensity at least aerobically for an extended period of time\u201d.<\/p>\n

Bryan says endurance cycling is easier to define as an ability. \u201cIt\u2019s a component of fitness that determines how long you can ride a bike for,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n

Who needs endurance?<\/h2>\n
\""Simon\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Although they need little endurance, even track riders benefit from endurance training.<\/span><\/figcaption> Steve Sayers \/ Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

The short answer is almost anyone who rides a bike.<\/p>\n

Anyone who wants to ride further than before needs cycling endurance. For example, if the longest ride you\u2019ve done is two hours and you\u2019ve entered a Gran Fondo that will take you seven hours, working on cycling endurance helps bridge the gap in duration.<\/p>\n

For events shorter than an hour, such as time trials<\/a> or criterium races, Bryan says endurance isn\u2019t all that important.<\/p>\n

\u201cFour-to-five hour rides won\u2019t be the best use of your time if you\u2019re targeting such events, although that\u2019s not to say they won\u2019t benefit you,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s because a secondary benefit of endurance training is it develops capabilities required for higher-intensity riding (more on this later).<\/p>

How to improve your endurance as a cyclist<\/h2>\n

A high-volume training regime is the surest way to build cycling endurance. But by training and fuelling more effectively, it\u2019s possible to increase your stamina on the bike without riding hundreds of kilometres a week.<\/p>\n

Ride more<\/h3>\n
\""Two\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
A gradual increase in weekly volume boosts physical and mental stamina.<\/span><\/figcaption> Joseph Branston \/ Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Angus Young, ultra-endurance cyclist and winner of the 2,000km Pan Celtic race in 2021, says increasing your training volume (the number of hours you ride a week) is the key to better endurance.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no secret sauce or magic interval set,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe most crucial metric that you should be looking at is time in the saddle each week.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you can increase that slowly without overdoing it, then you will improve your endurance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lower the intensity<\/h3>\n
\""A\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Maintaining an even effort on the open road requires a fair bit of skill.<\/span><\/figcaption> Matt Grayson <\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

To get maximal benefit from your long, endurance rides, you need to spend as much time in zone 2 as possible.<\/p>\n

Zone 2 riding promotes physiological adaptations that underpin cycling endurance, as Tom Bell<\/a> and Dr Emma Wilkins of High North Performance coaching explain in their guide on How To Train in Zone 2: Steady Endurance Training Explained<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Cycling at this intensity increases the number of mitochondria in your slow twitch muscle fibres. Mitochondria use oxygen to create ATP, the body\u2019s rocket fuel, so for endurance athletes, the more mitochondria the merrier.<\/p>\n

Time in zone 2 also leads to increased capillarisation (the density of capillaries) in slow twitch muscle fibres. This brings more oxygen-rich blood to the muscles, a key factor in improving VO2 Max<\/a>, and improves your ability to remove metabolic byproducts from the muscles, some of which cause fatigue.<\/p>\n

Additional benefits of zone 2 include increased stroke volume (the amount of blood a beat of the left heart ventricle pumps out) and higher FatMax \u2013 the highest intensity at which you use mainly fat for fuel.<\/p>\n

By sparing the muscle\u2019s finite supply of glycogen, a high FatMax can help you avoid bonking on a bike ride<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Staying in zone 2 is easiest if you train with power<\/a>. But if you don\u2019t have a power meter<\/a>, use a heart rate monitor<\/a> to keep your heart rate in zone 2 or lower.<\/p>\n

Alternatively, maintain a conversational pace and consistent pressure on the pedals whenever possible.<\/p>\n

\""Garmin\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Average power can mask prolonged spells above or below your target range.<\/span><\/figcaption> Stan Portus \/ Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

To avoid straying out of your target zone into zone 3, which will make your long rides too hard, Bryan recommends focusing on the time you spend in each training zone instead of average power.<\/p>\n

He says: \u201cOutside, average power drops on descents so you might try to increase it by spending time in a higher zone.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn a descent, press lap, disregard the descent, then press lap again when you\u2019re ready to restart at your target intensity.\u201d<\/p>\n

As a result, the average watts on your bike computer<\/a> screen better reflects your actual effort.<\/p>\n

When you do have to leave zone 2, it\u2019s better to go into zone 1.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019ve spent a large chunk of time above zone 2, in a polarised approach that\u2019s an absolute nightmare because you\u2019ll have ridden too much above your target,\u201d adds Bryan.<\/p>\n

Tailor your training<\/h3>\n
\""Vitus\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
The polarised endurance training method eschews moderate-intensity riding.<\/span><\/figcaption> Ian Linton \/ Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

However, Bryan says lots of long, slow riding isn\u2019t the only way to improve your cycling endurance.<\/p>\n

The threshold training method, popularised by TrainerRoad<\/a>, that prescribes lots of sweetspot<\/a> riding, works well if your time is limited.<\/p>\n

You won\u2019t get much adaptation from five to eight hours of riding in zone 1 and 2, but you will see more by spending some but not all the time at 88 to 93 per cent of FTP<\/a>, according to Bryan.<\/p>\n

This approach can cause excessive fatigue in some athletes. Bryan might suggest they do less zone 3 training and try fasted training<\/a> in zone 1 or 2, which some coaches believe maximises training stimulus.<\/p>\n

Bryan recommends riders with a medium amount of time, such as 8 to 12 hours a week, adopt a similar approach but add one longer ride per week. This creates a pyramidal training intensity distribution, where the blocks of the pyramid represent time spent training at different intensities. The wide base is low intensity, the narrower middle is threshold and the peak is higher intensity.<\/p>\n

\""SAN\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
With almost unlimited time to train, a pro\u2019s intensity distribution is dramatically polarised.<\/span><\/figcaption> Dario Belingheri\/Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

When athletes have 12 to 15 hours or more, a polarised approach is best, according to Bryan.<\/p>\n

Polarised training (also known as 80\/20) cuts out almost all zone 3 and 4 riding. Approximately 80 per cent of sessions are dedicated zone 1 and 2 riding, with 20 per cent at VO2 Max-level intensity and above.<\/p>\n

Proponents of polarised training say it reflects the way professional endurance athletes train. Studies have linked polarised training to greater increases in VO2 max.<\/p>\n

However, Bryan cautions that amateur athletes may find polarised training too rigid. For example, you would miss out on fast riding in a group<\/a> because it involves tempo training<\/a> in zone 3.<\/p>\n

In order to continue fast group riding, you should drop weekly training hours to 12 or so in a more pyramidal structure, according to Bryan.<\/p>\n

Eat more carbs<\/h3>\n
\""Styrkr\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Dual-carb products, containing fructose and maltodextrin, help you absorb more carbohydrate.<\/span><\/figcaption> Dave Caudery \/ Our Media <\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Consuming more carbohydrates<\/a> on long training rides and during events improves endurance and recovery, says Dr Tim Podlogar, a nutritionist at WorldTour <\/a>team Bora-Hansgrohe.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen it comes to athletic performance, carbohydrate and energy availability are the keys.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you can\u2019t eat carbohydrates all the time or you won\u2019t stay in an energy balance and you\u2019ll put on body mass, which we don\u2019t always want,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

An amateur rider\u2019s energy intake of 3,000 calories, for example, is much smaller than the 5,000 calories a pro might consume.<\/p>\n

\""Complete\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
WorldTour riders eats tons of white rice, which is simple to digest and carb-rich.<\/span><\/figcaption> Immediate Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

However, Dr Podlogar adds: \u201cCarbohydrate becomes more important for amateurs because you only have 3,000 calories to work with.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe carbohydrate required in order to replenish their glycogen stores might be pretty similar because we can extinguish them in 1.5 hours of riding.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoing relatively low in fat can be more important for amateurs than professionals, because they have more room to work [in terms of their calories budget].\u201d<\/p>\n

Bearing in mind Dr Podlogar\u2019s advice, we need to take on energy, ideally in readily digestible forms such as glucose, on rides longer than one-and-a-half to two hours.<\/p>\n

Amateurs will rarely require the vast amounts of carbohydrates (up to 180g per hour) pros ingest during hard Grand Tour stages.<\/p>\n

But we should aim for 60 to 90g per hour on four- or five-hour rides and potentially up to 120g if going longer, particularly on consecutive days, according to Bryan.<\/p>\n

Prepare your gut<\/h3>\n
\""The\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
They aren\u2019t joking when they say ultra-endurance cycling is an eating contest.<\/span><\/figcaption> Olive Magazine<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Even 60g an hour can seem a lot \u2013 that\u2019s roughly two of the best energy bars<\/a>, a homemade flapjack<\/a> or two of the best energy gels<\/a> every 30 minutes.<\/p>\n

The gut needs to be trained in the final stages of your cycling training plan<\/a> \u2013 something Bryan believes many un-coached athletes fail to do.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt can take 12 weeks for the gut to adapt to digest this amount of food for hours on end.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that if your gut\u2019s handled it one year, it will handle it the next.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut your gut will see reversibility,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n

In the final three months of training, Bryan recommends trialling your event day nutrition<\/a> on long rides, even if the intensity is lower than your target pace.<\/p>\n

\""Food\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Your body needs to get used to digesting lots of food on long, hard rides.<\/span><\/figcaption> Chris Sansom<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

What you enjoy eating, can digest and fuels you well on the bike is highly personal, says Bryan.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have athletes who will do 12 hours or longer on liquids, like gels or liquids like Ensure.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a ready-made shake for old people who can\u2019t digest things,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all you need: a great density of carbohydrates and a mix of protein and fat.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other athletes can\u2019t stand gels and will eat sandwiches or fast-food on ultra-endurance rides.<\/p>\n

Bryan notes the exception to the high-carb rule might be earlier in the season if your focus is losing weight through cycling<\/a> to improve your power-to-weight ratio<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Mind your mind<\/h3>\n
\""Jordan\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
The unrelenting nature of ultra-endurance cycling takes a mental toll.<\/span><\/figcaption> Jordan Gibbons<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Certain athletes Bryan has worked with, such as round-the-world record holder Mark Beaumont and Jenny Graham, are as psychologically tough as they come.<\/p>\n

However, for more everyday riders, he says: \u201cThe moment you overlook the mental side of training you\u2019re starting down a slippery slope where you risk burn-out.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can over-pressurise ourselves, over-focus on the extrinsic success and forget to enjoy the journey.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo I work with almost all my athletes on improving their mental fitness.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bryan suggests looking for ways to keep topping up motivation, through goal setting and gratitude practice.<\/p>\n

\u201cStaying thankful for what you do have can stop a poor training session from becoming the end of the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s great for your physical performance too, not to give yourself a hard time and be too \u2018all or nothing\u2019,\u201d Bryan concludes.<\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n

","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Go further and faster with smarter training and fuelling <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":49472,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"11"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2023\/05\/how-to-improve-your-cycling-endurance-in-limited-time.jpg",1600,1067,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2023\/05\/how-to-improve-your-cycling-endurance-in-limited-time-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2023\/05\/how-to-improve-your-cycling-endurance-in-limited-time-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2023\/05\/how-to-improve-your-cycling-endurance-in-limited-time-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2023\/05\/how-to-improve-your-cycling-endurance-in-limited-time-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2023\/05\/how-to-improve-your-cycling-endurance-in-limited-time-1536x1024.jpg",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2023\/05\/how-to-improve-your-cycling-endurance-in-limited-time.jpg",1600,1067,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Go further and faster with smarter training and fuelling","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/49471"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/49472"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=49471"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=49471"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}