R&R week race?

[cyclinsam]

I need some help with this. For my training plan I am basically using Joe Friels Cyclist Training Bible. According to it I know that I should wait until my base 2 period to begin racing. Unfortunately, my team is getting our new team kits in a few weeks and we will be showing up at a race which I really want to do since there is a ton of climbing. My problem is that the race is on the weekend of my R&R week of my base 1. Its just one week until my base 2. Is it ok to race in this R&R week since my base 2 is just a few days away? If I do race should I take it easy? Thanks in advance.

 

[J-MAT]

Some time has passed since your initial post. Did you do the race???

This is the problem with following a training plan that is too strict. It has nothing to do with Joe Friel or anybody else out there. Sometimes life issues or protacted recovery will become the "fly in the ointment" of an otherwise good program.

Sometimes you just have to go for it and see what happens. If you did not complete your recomended base and did the race well, you were probably ready for it anyhow. If you did poorly, look at what went wrong and work on your weak links.

Base periods are important, as they prepare the body for the demands of intensity training and racing. The wider the base, the taller the peak.

That's one of the reasons why pros are so much better at everything that the rest of us. How many "weekend warriors" put in 8,000-12,000 kilometers over the winter months?

The base period will make you more "durable." You will be less likely to get injured and will recover from and absord hard training better with a good base.

Good luck!!!