June-Sept Training Diary

I thought I'd post my training diary/experiences for the past 3 months.

Original plan/goals: I started off late, untrained and overweight. Main goal was lose the last 8kg of the 18kg I had put on since stopping serious training end 2009. I didn't really have any performance goals but thought it would be interesting to see how I compared with previous levels though not expecting to get close.

June: A couple of sunny days got me out on the bike but that was pretty much the end of the summer. Didn't fancy getting wet so thought I would give combination of HIIT and 10mile efforts on the trainer while getting out on my bike when the sun shone.

Good: Got/felt fitter. I was pretty feeble at the start, trying to hold 240W (my old 4 hour pace) for 5 minutes put my HR into the red zone. By the end of the month I could hold that pace 25 mins.

Bad: I put on weight. Classic mistake, thinking training means you can eat more...

Month hours: 20.

July: Refocus on losing weight. Decided to use tour de France as a training aid. “Plan” was simple, I watched the race while on trainer and mirrored what riders did. When they sprint I sprint, when they TT I TT, when they climb I climb, when they take it easy so do I.

Good: Worked like a dream. Ended up losing 3 kg and gaining power. Plus sweating along with the pros really brings the event to life :)

Bad: Quite a few junk miles when not a lot was happening. Might have got similar results in less time but on the other hand used this time to work and improve pedal stroke.

Month hours: 49.

August: Final tour TT power of was much better than I had hoped for. So decided to up intensity and push for old levels of performance. Most sessions were targeted at or above threshold power. Very surprised by how easy sessions turned out to be, by the end of the month was actively chasing old power targets.

Good: Equalled or bettered some previous bests, including full “comfortable” hour over 300W. Lost another 3kg too.

Bad: Nothing. The sun even shone a bit.

Month hours: 44

Total outcome

• lost 7.8 kg
• power from feeble back to old levels or better.

Full diary here: