Periodization/Peaking? A Fact Of Life For A Racer?

[Natural High]

I posted this question on another forum but thought I'd give it a try here as well. This is a question I've been thinking about lately as I'm putting together my training plan for next season and seeing if I need to switch some things up a bit...

I've been going by the Carmichael plan thus far and I can really understand how the "Periodization/Peaking" training programs designed by Carmichael, Friel, etc. can benefit a racer who is training to peak for let's say the TDF, Giro, or the Vuelta or even a non-pro going for the local hometown win or such. What about those riders who race and look to win as many as the Classics and smaller Tours as they can? Are their training programs designed around the same "peaking" philosophy? Are they forced to pick one race to focus on for their training program to be effective even if they desire to win multiple races? Or, are they on a totally different system of training?

The reason I ask, is because between this past March and October, I averaged about 2 races per month (non crit type ranging from 100km-220km per race). For me, no race is any more important than the other. I picked the race in the middle of this year to peak at in order for my current training program to be effective. This past year was my first year of racing after many years of cycling and I'm looking to keep improving my performance. I can easily build upon what I already know from the periodization plan, but I'm not sure if this type of training philosophy is one among many or if there truly is another training method that I've over looked that is tailored around riders who are trying to win multiple races throughout the year and keep them in competitive form (not necessarily ultimate or tip top form) for longer. I understand that I can't win all races and never will, but I would like to be more competitive than say a few weeks out of the year. I look at some guys and they seem to hold themselves for a while and always finish in the top 10 percent throughout the entire year. Of course they've been racing longer than me, but I just didn't know if I've been misfocusing my efforts in a training program that was designed for a rider with different goals than mine. Should I just keep plugging away at what I got and let each years experience better my results and see my competitive stamina grow? I've heard Merckx used a program that would resemble what you would call an elipse ")" instead of a peak ">" (rotate these two figures left 90 degrees to see what I'm getting at). Using an elipse type plan, he was not at a point where he would be at top/peak form for a few weeks out of the year, but he would be at a somewhat lower form (for him his lower was better than most anyway) for a longer period of time. I've been looking for a coach, or book, or something to help me come up with this type of plan to no avail. Any advice would be much appreciated...Thanks!

P.S.- EPO is not an option...

 

[SolarEnergy]

I've been going by the Carmichael plan thus far and I can really understand how the "Periodization/Peaking" training programs designed by Carmichael, Friel, etc. can benefit a racer who is training to peak for let's say the TDF, Giro, or the Vuelta or even a non-pro going for the local hometown win or such. What about those riders who race and look to win as many as the Classics and smaller Tours as they can?

There's often a race or two that are more important than the others. If they're well positionned in the racing schedule, then peaking for these maybe a good idea.

Are their training programs designed around the same "peaking" philosophy?

Yes. No. Euhh... A program isn't design around "peaking" philosophy per se. Peaking is only a component (among others) of periodization (or plannification).

Are they forced to pick one race to focus on for their training program to be effective even if they desire to win multiple races?

No not at all.

Or, are they on a totally different system of training?

Hmmm. The main difference is probably that training for "peaking" ideally involves a pre-taper phase used as a final attempt to book a lot of volume/intensity, all that aimed at triggering adaptation. This is then followed by the taper which generally involves a cut in the workload.

Aside from that, there shouldn't be that many differences between the two different approaches.

If I may use a strange analogy... I'd use golf. Beginning of a training season for cycling being the place where you hit the ball at the beginning of a hole. The competition season being the green. A peak being the hole. Most golf players target the green.

As a cyclist, if you don't care about peaking for a particular event, then you need to target the green, not the hole. You need to be ready for your racing season. After that, no worries. Planning a season without a peak is simpler.

 

[Spunout]

OP, if your season is very long it may be better to program two peaks. It allows you a re-charge period mid season and your second peak may be even more successful than the first.

Over a seasonal series, two peaks seems more successful than one long slog through a 3 month racing season.

 

[dm69]

You can be in "peak" condition for up to a month (no longer). Aim to peak early in the season then do mini preperations throughout the year.

Tom Boonen aimed to peak for the early season classics (that wasn't a peak that was Mt Everest ) (or as croc dundee says: Thats not a peak THIS IS A PEAK). Did you notice how his form slowly slid away??? Thats because he had a week off the bike after the classics after that he tried to do a mini prep for the TDF then after the TDF he did another mini prep for the worlds!!! So in reality Tom Boonen probably peaked for 1 month in the early season had another 2 weeks during the TDF and tried to hit another 1-2 week peak at the worlds.

In hindsight his last two peaks were not as great as Mt Everest but he was still in peak form for up to 2 months of the year!

BTW: You can still race when your not peaked and win races!!! Try to take a day off two days before a race then have an easy spin with a few efforts the day before your race. Get to raceday and you should be nicely recovered and hit a little peak for raceday even if its just the start of your preperation!

Here is how a prep should work: BASE Phase: Low Intensity (That doesn't mean zero intensity, still push hard on the hills and the aerobic stamina session is good too) and Low Volume For me thats approx 12-15 hours a week, BUILD Phase: Increase Intensity( For me I do vo2 work in the build phase, start racing a little bit), Increase Volume: 14-17 hours a week. PEAK Phase: Increase intensity (race a lot and plenty of hard sessions!!!), Increase Volume to 16-20 hours a week. Split this period into two! The first half should focus on LT work the second half should be a mixture of MAX, vo2, LT, Sprinting etc.
TAPER Phase: Pick your goal race and just train specifically for that event usually two weeks of specific work will do as you already have plenty of fitness!!! Cut out any uneccessary volume. The last 1-2 weeks should be extremely short and nearly all your rides should be intensity with plenty of recovery!

Thats how I am doing it next year. I plan to have 3 peaks (one in early march, one in July (hopefully the BIG! peak) and one at about this time next year. I will have a break after my july race and another break after my mid-november peak. Thats the plan...If you plan to have one BIG! peak at the end of the year or the middle of the year make sure your earlier peaks do not leave you totally exhausted. Leave 1 or 2% in the tank and save it for the BIG! one.

PS: I reiterate that you shoudl race as much as possible sometimes even in the base phase! There is no better training than racing! Once a week racing would be ideal...do you have regular club races?

 

[gvanwagner]

I'd think that trying to be competitive the same way throughout the year is probably the hardest thing to plan for. Because really there's no way to maintain let alone build all of you ability's at the same without being really bad at all of them. Most racing schedules tend to have an ebb and flow in them Ie. crits in the spring- a batch of single day RR's in may- a weak june then SRs in July and Aug. Obviuously its not that cut and dry but you can sometimes define strings of races that can be hit with the same type of training.

Also the way you race will have to vary based on your training . For example- do you grind them down with endless attacks or go for the last min flyer. At different points in the year you'll have a different combo of abilities. I would think that L4 at least 2xweek would be a mainstay. It's an intriging problem