Stage Race Prep Question

[LT Intolerant]

In preparation for the Elkhorn SR in mid June I'm doing a 3 day "race simulation" block for the next four weeks. The EHSR is two long RRs (75 & 100 miles), plus a crit and 10 mile TT. I'm using a combo of group rides and solo training to simulate the stress I'll encounter, nad my schedule is as follows...

Mon - off
Tue - 75 miles (group + 2-3 x 15' at 95% of FTP substituting over/under intervals weeks 3 & 4)
Wed - AM - TT wkt, PM- Local Crit (runs every week)
Thu - 90 miles (group + 3-4 10 min climbs w a 7 mile finishing climb)
Fri - off
Sat -Active Recovery Ride ~ 1 hr
Sun - Hard Group Ride ~ 2:30 hours

I have two questions...

1. Based on your experience am I "over-reaching" by doing a hard ride on Sunday? Instead should I "chill" on the weekend rides? What has worked for you when preparing for a SR?

2. What's the best 4 week schema to prepare for a 10 mile TT? Some advocate shorter intervals at higher power, and others advocate longer, "over-distance" intervals ratcheting up intensity and shortening duration as their target event approaches. Again what has worked for you?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Best,

gene r

 

[daveryanwyoming]

Seems to me you've got a lot of intensity in your week with all the group rides and then intervals on your solo days.

Personally I'd use the weekends to get some longer Tempo rides, probably solo to manage the intensity at my level, not someone else's to prepare for something like Elkhorn. I guess I can see why you've got the recovery day on Saturday since you've got a 90 mile ride with some hard sections on Thursday but then I'd go with a good four to five plus hour solo Tempo ride on Sunday instead of a relatively short group ride. Elkhorn has long and hard stages and I'd want to go into it with some hefty CTL.

I'd prep for the time trial with normal long Threshold work up until the last couple of weeks and then transition to shorter focused TT intervals like 5x8 minute or 6 x 6 minute in the TT bars ridden a bit over FTP.

-Dave

 

[LT Intolerant]

Thanks very much Dave. Just finished my first 3-day block and my legs are pretty shot, so your suggestion about focusing on TE over the weekend makes a lot of sense to me right now. I'm heading to Hunter's power camp next week so will pick his brain as well and report back. Given that he's a sadist he'll probably tell me to do a "kitchen sink" workout on Sunday ;-)

 

[An old Guy]

Originally Posted by LT Intolerant .

Just finished my first 3-day block and my legs are pretty shot,

It was not clear from your first post what your race goal was.

If your legs are shot after 3 days of simulation, I would suggest that you do alternate days of 3 and 4 hours (race duration) at race effort. Only take off days when the weather makes it unsafe to ride. 2 or 3 weeks of that will help with your endurance and help you dial in on the power available for the event. Take the week before the event easy to recover - Nice long tempo rides at 70% of race pace.

 

[swampy1970]

Originally Posted by LT Intolerant .

Thanks very much Dave. Just finished my first 3-day block and my legs are pretty shot, so your suggestion about focusing on TE over the weekend makes a lot of sense to me right now. I'm heading to Hunter's power camp next week so will pick his brain as well and report back. Given that he's a sadist he'll probably tell me to do a "kitchen sink" workout on Sunday ;-)

I don't think Hunters a sadist - more a realist. Mosts cyclists don't train hard enough or intense enough for the events they want to race.

I'd give you the kitchen sink on Saturday and then get you to do it again on the Sunday after I swivel the back brake caliper around a few degrees such that one brake block is always dragging pretty hard against the rim.

 

[LT Intolerant]

Thanks Old Guy. BTW I'm an old guy too, a 52 year old masters cat 4. Goal is top 5 (7th last year), which usually is dictated by being able to hang on three short climbs (~7 mins) on Stage 4, the 100 mile RR. What's tricky is our group, the masters 40 cat 4/5, is mixed with the open 45s, which has some real firepower. For example last year we had the 2010 World Master TT Champ in our field.

The reason my legs are shot is because most of my racing has been focused on one-day events where I might train two hard days in row, rest/adapt, and then back at it. Adding the third day adds strain I'm not used to, for now, buts that's why I'm doing the 3 day block, to prepare for the stress I'll encounter. My 3-day block was roughly 690 TSS, and my 7-day total was 1290. Both highs for 2011. No doubt I'll feel much stronger by the end of the 4 week block, with a warmup SR the following week and a week to taper.

Not sure if what you are recommending will be substantially different than what I'm doing right now. Maybe I missed your point.

 

[LT Intolerant]

So your point is that Hunter isn't a sadist, but you are. ;-)

 

[LT Intolerant]

Just back from Hunter's camp in Durango. As usual it was first-class (this was my second camp). We rode some great, oxygen deprived, routes, and the coaching and insight I received was invaluable. There were a lot of strong riders in the group and I was constantly struggling to stay in contact on the hills. We had Scott Moninger as one of the coaches, and Ned Overend was a guest speaker one night. Great stuff!

One of the big takeaways for me was to forgo the concept of "weekly" training. Hunter and Tim Cusick told me to think of my training in terms of blocks, with consecutive days on and off. I know this might not be news for some on this board, and I've certainly taken this approach before, but always in the context of a week. I guess this maps to what you were suggesting Old Guy.

The coaches did suggest more rest than I was planning on, and also recommended that I "top off" w vo2 work towards the end of my prep, and then taper for the EHSR. I realize now that I should have taken more time to build for this SR. I gave up way too much fitness in April as I "spent down" CTL (from ~ 110 to 90) competing in three target races. Live and learn.

gene