3 Peaks training report from Ronan Creedon
Got this fantastic e-mail today from Roan Creedon who is training up for the Bicycle Network's 3 Peaks ride in March using our 3 peaks training program. It’s always great to hear peoples progress with our training programs. I really appreciated Roan taking the time to write to me and let me know how he has been going with his cycle training.
David,
I want to give you some feedback on your 3 Peaks Program I signed up to a while back. With a little bit of base fitness, I signed up for the 3 Peaks in November to give myself something to work towards and I bought your program through the offer on the BV website.
After a few weeks of the program, I could see a significant improvment in my cycling fitness and now, two and a half weeks out from the event, I feel ready for the event. I am in the middle of the final big week of the program before the tapering phase and the strength and endurance I now feel on the bike is excellent compared to where I was in November.
To give you an example, everytime I go up the Kinglake Climb, I have PB'ed. Brought 4 and a half minutes off my first attempt in November, now at 24mins which is still a long, long ways from an A, B or C Grade climber!!! I am still happy seeing the consistent improvement and I put it down to your program.
The program itself is excellently put together with the Wind Trainer sessions being excellent. I was apprehensive about these to begin with, my partner is a triathlete and her coach had her doing road intervals and had basically kept her away from wind trainers session because of the lack of "road feel". My perception was coloured by this but upon sticking religiously to your program, I have her converted and she is doing some wind trainer sessions in her training now also!!!! If anything, it gives me confidence to be able to maintain a high HR when climbing for significant periods of time, something that I benefitted on doing repeats of Donna Buang!!!! It also helps someone like me being time poor during the week!!!!
The road km's gained through recovery rides give me the km's I need to get out and clear the head from all work issues etc. while the focus needed for the wind trainer and climbing sessions gets the mind in the right place for the task at hand. There is as much mental prep needed for the 3 Peaks as there is physical prep so the discipline required for the program is another benefit.
I am shifting focus after the 3 Peaks to trekking to Everest base camp in June but will be back on the focussed cycling training in July or August and I will be keeping a close eye on your website for articles and if I need specific training programs for a future adventure (maybe road racing in the late winter/spring or crit racing next summer) I will definitely be coming knocking on your door!!!
Thanks David
Ronan Creedon
