Trail
BLAZING
Get away from the tedious tarmac and head for the hills for a breath of fresh air
AT SOME POINT, ALL CYCLISTS
DISCOVER THE SAME THING –
off-road cycling is fun. Its blend of balance
and coordination stimulates the brain,
while pedalling over varied ground will
crank up your fitness levels.
Think about it – turning the wheels
furiously over tough terrain and powering
your bike up what feel like near-verticalhills will really strengthen your muscles and
work your lungs (and your mental power!).
So why do so many riders opt for
tarmac over trails? There’s a common
misconception that going off-road requires
bravery and top-notch technical skills.
Good news: That’s not true!
“You don’t need to be fearless to
go off-road, you just need to know yourlimits,” says Martyn Ashton, world
champion mountain bike rider. “It’s
about building confidence and not
doing too much too soon.”
The secret to success is to start with
slow and simple routes – there’s no need
to try rocky descents and twisty tracks
on your first outing. Get exploring on
long pathways and bridleways near you.TUESDAY1 hr including 8 x 10-sec
uphill sprints (follow with
2 mins of easy pedalling).1 hr 30 mins including
30 mins of hills in low
Zone 2.1 hr including 8 x 10-sec
uphill sprints (follow with
2 mins of easy pedalling).1 hr 20 mins in Zone 1.1 hr including 2 x 6 mins
in Zone 3 (follow with 10
mins of easy pedalling).2 hrs including 30 mins
of hills in low Zone 2.1 hr including 3 x 6 mins
in Zone 3 (follow with 10
mins of easy pedalling).1 hr including various 3-
to 5-min climbs at high
Zone 1 for 20 mins.THURSDAY1 hr in Zone 1 over
rolling terrain. Work
on technique.1 hr in Zone 1 over
rolling terrain. Work
on technique.2 hrs in Zone 1 over
rolling terrain. Work
on technique.1 hr in Zone 1 over
rolling terrain. Work
on technique.1 hr 30 mins in Zone 1
over rolling terrain. Work
on technique.2 hrs in Zone 1 over
rolling terrain. Work on
technique.1 hr in Zone 1 over
rolling terrain. Work
on technique.1 hr in Zone 1 with 8 secs
all-out efforts every
6 mins.SATURDAY16km on varied terrain.
Stay in Zone 1.20km on varied terrain.
Stay in Zone 1.24km on varied terrain.
Stay in Zone 1.12km on varied terrain.
Stay in Zone 1.24km on varied terrain.
Stay in Zone 1.16km on varied terrain.
Stay in Zone 1.11-16km on varied
terrain. Stay in Zone 1.RESTSUNDAY1 hr in a big gear
(50-60rpm). Work hard
up the hills.1 hr in a big gear. Work
on hills for the middle
20 mins.1 hr in a big gear.
Work on hills for the
middle 30 mins.1 hr in low Zone 1 with
8 secs all-out efforts
every 6 mins.1 hr 30 mins in a big gear.
Work on hills for the
middle 30 mins.1 hr 30 mins focusing on
descending at speed.
Include 5 x 3 mins in
Zone 3 (follow with 3
mins of light pedalling).1 hr 30 mins working
on technique.RACE DAYWeek 1Week 2Week 3Week 4Week 5Week 6Week 7Week 88 weeks to 40km success
Zone 1
60-80% max heart rate (talking pace).
75% of riding should be at this level.Zone 2
80-89% max heart rate (you can’t hold a
conversation). Do 20% of riding at this level.Zone 3
90% max heart rate and above (very hard). Do
up to 10% of your weekly effort at this level.76 womensfitness.com.au womensfitnessaustralia @womensfitnessmag @womensfitnessauCycleFIT POWERED BY CycleFIT POWERED BY CycleFIT POWERED BY Cycle