Give us Five! Simon Gaywood on Winter Training

Racing for IG-Sigma Sport in 2012, former Crit series winner Simon Gaywood on his winter training

VeloUK: Have you started your winter training and if so, how long did you spend off the bike post season and how many hours a week would you spend now training?
Simon: I had about three weeks off the bike after the season, and have then just been enjoying riding my bike a few times a week, stopping at cafes and eating an assortment of cakes. I started my winter training properly at the beginning of December and I’m roughly riding around 10-15 hours a week at the moment with 1-2 sessions in the gym, but that will increase as the winter goes on.

VeloUK: What is a typical weekday ride for you (how long and what intensity) and what sort of rides do you do on a weekend (how long and what intensity)?
Simon: My weekday rides are a mix of intervals on the turbo and usually one endurance ride 3 – 4 hours. My weekends I usually have a harder higher intensity ride on Saturday around 3hrs, and a more moderate endurance ride around 4 hours on Sunday.

VeloUK: Do you ride Xmas day or New Years day?
Simon: You’ve got to have a ride on Xmas day and New Years day. It’s probably the only two days where you’ll hardly see a sole on the road. So yes I’ll be out!

VeloUK: Do you intend to go to a training camp abroad and if so, what would be a typical training camp there in terms of the time spent training and the type of training rides they would be?
Simon: I’ve got a couple training camps this year, both with team IG- Sigma Sport. The first being in Wales with the Team. Going by what people say, I’m not sure whether to take a pump or shovel!! I think Specialized have designed us some special cycling shoes that double up as walking boots. The second is in Tuscany in February. I’m sure knowing Matt that we’ll be smashing in the miles. That should be nice, as generally over the past several years I’ve tended to train through the winter in the UK.

VeloUK: Finally, what will be your first races for 2012?
Simon: I’m not quite sure yet. I have been doing the North Road Hardriders time trial at the end of February for the last two years but we come back from Tuscany the day before, so I may leave it until the following week, which will mean the Severn Bridge Road Race.

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