Lump Miles versus Intervals...

[[email protected][_2_]]

Hello,

I'm curious about the difference of cycling, say, twenty miles in one
ride versus five miles in four ride. Both done in a single day...

Thanks,
Cullen

[Bill Sornson[_3_]]

wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I'm curious about the difference of cycling, say, twenty miles in one
> ride versus five miles in four ride. Both done in a single day...

Less laundry with the former.

HTH! BS

[Mike A Schwab]

On Dec 18, 3:33*pm, " > wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I'm curious about the difference of cycling, say, twenty miles in one
> ride versus five miles in four ride. Both done in a single day...
>
> Thanks,
> Cullen

Many books have been written about the difference in training miles.
Here are a few free online chapters.

http://www.heartzones.com/resources/

[PatTX[_2_]]

wrote:
:: Hello,
::
:: I'm curious about the difference of cycling, say, twenty miles in one
:: ride versus five miles in four ride. Both done in a single day...
::
:: Thanks,
:: Cullen

Boring?

[landotter]

On Dec 18, 3:33*pm, " > wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I'm curious about the difference of cycling, say, twenty miles in one
> ride versus five miles in four ride. Both done in a single day...
>

When I go to the Publix that's nearly twenty miles away on my city
bike--I just go ahead and go there, I don't do it in intervals or
anything. Your question is confusing.

If it's fifty miles to beer, then go fifty miles to beer, but if there
are good snacking sausages at mile thirty to put in your panniers to
accompany beer, then this is a very appropriate stop.

I hope this clears things up.

[bluezfolk]

On Dec 18, 4:33*pm, " > wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I'm curious about the difference of cycling, say, twenty miles in one
> ride versus five miles in four ride. Both done in a single day...
>
> Thanks,
> Cullen

Well, you could do the 4X5 at a faster pace than the 20 and possibly
work on your anaerobic conditioning.

Eric

[Ryan Cousineau]

In article
>,
landotter > wrote:

> On Dec 18, 3:33*pm, " > wrote:
> > Hello,
> >
> > I'm curious about the difference of cycling, say, twenty miles in one
> > ride versus five miles in four ride. Both done in a single day...
> >
>
> When I go to the Publix that's nearly twenty miles away on my city
> bike--I just go ahead and go there, I don't do it in intervals or
> anything. Your question is confusing.
>
> If it's fifty miles to beer, then go fifty miles to beer, but if there
> are good snacking sausages at mile thirty to put in your panniers to
> accompany beer, then this is a very appropriate stop.
>
> I hope this clears things up.

Heh. It reminds me about the hardest bike ride I can ever remember
doing: a 12-minute, 3.6 km hillclimb TT.

<http://wiredcola.com/content/my-first-timetrial>

Moral of the story: it's the pace, not the distance.

Returning to intervals: You do intervals (going faster than your goal
speed for a shorter duration than your target distance) to become
faster. As an exercise form, it will make you faster.

Riders who have no racing ambitions or need for speed can contentedly
ride at any pace they want. I think the usual wisdom is that fat burning
peaks at something like 80% of threshold power, which means doing a nice
steady all-day pace is probably about as good for weight loss as
anything else.

Now, as for doing 4x5 miles versus 20 miles, if the pace is the same the
"interval" ride will be less effort, though it depends on the duration
of the rest periods, and the fitness of the rider (neither ride would
tax most of the cyclists in rbm, frankly).

If, however, you did both rides more or less as fast as you could, the
"interval" would probably be better for your 20-mile TT times. That
assumes you could put down an appreciably faster average speed in the 5
mile intervals.

So if you were training to ride 20 miles as fast as possible, I'd
recommend something like the 4x5mile intervals.

Note that I am not a coach, or even very smart. Since there are enough
books out there on TT training (aka triathlon bike legs) to fill a
5-mile bookshelf, take a trip to your local library and read up on the
details of training for these kinds of events. They will have better
recommendations regarding specific intervals, and also lots of other fun
stuff like periodization and peaking.

--
Ryan Cousineau http://www.wiredcola.com/
"In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
"In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."

[Alex Colvin]

>If it's fifty miles to beer, then go fifty miles to beer, but if there
>are good snacking sausages at mile thirty to put in your panniers to
>accompany beer, then this is a very appropriate stop.

>I hope this clears things up.

Irrefutably!

--
mac the naïf

[Tom Keats]

In article >,
" > writes:
> Hello,
>
> I'm curious about the difference of cycling, say, twenty miles in one
> ride versus five miles in four ride. Both done in a single day...

With four shorter out-'n-backs you're guaranteed
access to an indoor bathroom if necessary.

If you're shopping in the city you get to acquire
more preferred stuff, with multiple trips to various
parts of town, while getting the exercise benefit of
propelling a cargo-laden bike. You can also check up
on the current conditions of favourite routes which
radiate from your home base. And you can see how new
developments (like the new Dairy Queen being built)
are coming along.

20/30/50-milers are good too. 'Specially if you
have some reward or trophy to look forward to at
the turnaround point. Like handcrafted, orignal
style, real pizza. And beer. Or a Coke. Or a
glass of zinfandel. Whatever is suitable at the time.
Well, the wine snobs recommend zinfandel w/ pizza.
They always recommend zinfandel, 'cuz it's a fallbackedly
"safe" recommendation for anything. It's like recommending
any flavour of ice cream to top any flavour of Jell-O.

I sez, go fer the gusto -- grappa! If the pizzeria
makes it in-house grappa (and you have to give the
secret word to get the Good Stuff,) so much the better.

Anyways, stop-&-start riding will beef-up your legs &
lungs more than a bunch of longer distance cruising
or coasting. Especially when your stops-'n-starts are
on upgrades.

But go easy on the pie & grappa. You wanna make it
home without having to jettison fuel.


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

[Tom Keats]

In article >,
(Tom Keats) writes:

> Anyways, stop-&-start riding will beef-up your legs &
> lungs more than a bunch of longer distance cruising
> or coasting. Especially when your stops-'n-starts are
> on upgrades.

Oops, I forgot to qualify that with the phrase: "/easier/
long[er] distance" cruising. > 50 or 60 or 70 straight
miles is getting beyond just cruising and dilly-dallying,
and being committed toward a greater endeavour. Not an
endeavour like climbing the Matterhorn or surviving
Boxing Day shopping crowds, or even winning the
Boston Marathon.

I guess it's more of an endeavour like turning the TV off,
getting up out of the chair, and quietly going somewhere.

Hey -- New Moon in winter. It's an excellent deep-sky
winter amateur astronomy night, if you have clear skies.

Anyways, all riding is good. The trick is to keep at it.
Keep the juices flowing.


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca