Ideal training schedule for 1 hour races on limited time

[jb444]

As the title says, I am wondering what is the best way to approach training for 1 hour xc races over the summer, and 1 hour cyclocross races over the winter. The main limiter being time, I am planning on 6 to 8 hours per week.

I have been racing for the past 3 years, but have always planned based on between 10 and 14 hours weekly. However, it has become increasingly difficult to stick to the plan, I have been finding that most weeks are falling short against planned workouts. Also, I probably had too many junk miles, I would have planned a progression from sweetspot/threshold/vo2 but looking back too many of these were the "missed" session and there was too high a ratio of jra/skills sessions and probably not enough quality.

So for this upcoming cyclocross season and the following xc season I want to rethink and base on a more realistic target of 6-8 hours per week, and make every session count.

One solution that keeps popping up is the Chris Carmichael Time Crunched Cyclist plan, but is this really the only way to go on such limited time. And how to work it based on xc season from April to August and Cyclocross season from October to January.

Some more info that may or may not help

- I will hope to plan workouts on Tuesdays,Thursdays and Fridays ( probably mostly indoors on a trainer for about 60 mins ) and Saturday and Sundays probably up to 2 hours outdoors on these weekend days. Any other days is a bonus, and would probably also be indoors.
- FTP currently 240 had peaked last season at 270, weight 168lbs, age 49

any suggestions / comments

 

[fluro2au]

Focus on 2 things if you have limited time
1. Upcoming races and the course profile. Look at the demands of the event and set up sessions to meet those demands
2. Power Profile Chart. Look at your chart and profile yourself in terms of your strengths and weaknesses and cross reference that against your races. Fill the gaps with specific sessions that allow you to train your strengths and addresses your weaknesses.

Once that has been identified work on a 2 day on 1 day off, 3 day on 1 day off cycle, all within your time constraints. Keep chipping away at this two points above and you'll be ready to race. No need to rest weeks, just dial it back a day or two when you need it and as life demands get in the way

Paul

 

[jb444]

Cheers Paul

Courses here all follow a very similar format and profile, all incorporating a few steep climbs, xc being more technical, cx obviously requiring dismounts and some running ( and lots of mud ) and with less recovery options during a race, but basically I feel they are quite similar in demands. The way I ride these races it is like riding at FTP with "bursts" so I reckon I need to focus on the early part to raise FTP and closer to racing work on shorter harder intervals & skills. NP is usually about 20 watts below FTP but there is either a fair bit of freewheeling or running time.

I guess what I am looking for is some general advice regards using the limited time to prepare for these. The TCTP works off the prinicple of shorter intervals at higher intensity and claims to get good results, but the downside is that it cant be maintained ( mentally ? / physically ? ) and fitness doesnt last. Is there another approach that is more "maintainable" and fitness can be carried for longer. Without having tried, I am hopeful that lots of time at L4 will help raise FTP, and that with only 6ish hours available that it will not be too taxing. So therefore initially most of this 6 hours be spend working in L4. Approaching the races there could be a switch to incorporate some L5/6/7, then back to L4 and so on. Does this sound a workable plan, will I be missing out by not doing L2. Is this how others that are short on time prepare ?