Three-time Olympic cyclist John Howard, now one of the sport's most respected coaches, keeps one concept simple when it comes to training.

“Change,” said the Encinitas resident. “And constant change. That's what I'm all about.”

With summer nearing a close, Howard said cyclists should review their summer training, then pull a 180 and start doing just the opposite.

If cyclists have been logging high mileage at a moderate effort level, he suggests implementing interval work. If cyclists have been doing a lot of speed work – “and there are precious few of them,” Howard said – he recommends they build their base by adding long road workouts.

For most people, altering workouts will mean adding interval training.

“The thing I see in average cyclists is they don't tax their cardio enough,” he said.

Howard suggests the following interval workout for people who have been riding long and easy:

After a 15-minute warmup, ride a one-minute burst at Zone 4 (about an 80 percent effort level). After a one-minute rest (spinning easily) repeat the interval/rest series four more times.

The rest period allows lactic acid in the muscles to recover.

For advanced riders, Howard recommends adding a second phase to the workout. Ride a 20-second interval at Zone 5. (“As close to as hard as you can go. You'd hold nothing back,” Howard said.) Rest for 10 seconds. Repeat the sprint/rest series five more times.

“I guarantee that'll increase your VO2 max appreciably,” Howard said. “It's a simple workout, extremely hard and it gets results.”

The benefits to changing workouts, said Howard, are as much mental as physical.

“The biggest mistake people make is they just get into a groove training. They don't change anything, then it becomes more of a physical monotone,” he said. “After a while, whether they know it or not, they're burned out, mentally more than physically, but probably both.”

Howard can be contacted at johnhowardsports.com.

– DON NORCROSS