Training for 560 miles/900km 7 day-stage race in 2009

[Lepanini]

Hi all!!

I need some advice.

I want to do training for 560 miles/900km XC 7 day-stage race in 2009.

I have set this as my personal goal. I want to start training from next month onwards. I have no MTB experience but am willing to learn. I am also unfit but am dedicated to my goal and believe it is achievable!!

Any advice as to where to start?

 

[Archibald]

join an XC group/club and start riding regularly with others with experience, then take it from there.

 

[bikedude40k]

Oh my god! five hundred and some cross country MTB? That's amazing- That much is hard to race on a road ride in a week. You have three years, so the key right now is not to panic, and steadily build up form. In the winters, instead of taking months at a time off, do either another aerobic sport, ski, XC ski, or lift weights. For MTBing, shoulder strength is as important as having power legs.
Start, if you already don't, racing on both road an MTB local circuits, but don't put too much on that right away. You should gradually improve until you are able to win races- then do the next category up, e.g., Beginner in MTB to Sport Class, or Cat. 5 road to Cat. Four. Scout the competition, and know where you should be at by the time that race rolls around, and you'll do okay.

 

[Lepanini]

Thanx for the advice bikedude40k! Mt training has taken a back seat since my original post but it will resume today on a full scale!!!!!

 

[Ssushi]

I'd say split your training between road riding and MTB riding. You need to become a technically good MTBer or else you'll expend huge amounts of energy where other riders are simply letting their bike flow. Also, you develop an ability to recover after high rates of work. The road riding will give you the ability to turn peddles hour after hour...

 

[cyclepromo]

You should set some goals for 2007 and 2008.

Depending on how your training goes you might want to look at some 12 hour enduro type races.

Another option would be part of a team that does an enduro event so you start to get used to doing longer events no matter what the weather conditions throw at you.

Good luck.

 

[mtnrat]

What race is that

 

[climbo]

get in lots of base kms on the road, then get a MTB and start training in the HILLS!! No doubt this race will have a lot of climbing. 2009 is a LONG way off so you will have plenty of time to prepare for this. All you need to do is build up and up and up to it. Once you can ride 500km+ in a week in training you should be able to do this race no problems. In the 3-6 months leading up to the event I would get in as much MTB training as you can, off-road skills will be very important and you should have the fitness base by then to allow you to focus on MTB specific training.

 

[Lepanini]

What race is that

Hi mtnrat. It is called the ABSA Cape Epic. Check it out : www.capeepic.co.za

 

[j.r.hawkins]

Get yourself a copy of The Mountain Biker's Training Bible. Can be ordered from amazon or torpedo7.co.nz. I recently ordered it, but they sent me a copy of Joe Friel's Cyclists Training Bible by mistake. It is also an excellent book.

I started commuting by bike about 9 months ago, and when a friend heard about it he offered me a loan of some cycling training books. I dismissed it, thinking I would never take it that seriously. In hindsight it was a mistake, as my natural competitive instinct led me into some serious overtraining and fatigue problems.

Fortunately I stopped digging myself in before it was too late but I'd have saved myself a lot of grief and hassle if I'd had the knowledge I'm acquiring now.

There is some good literature out there and you'll train better, train easier and remain injury free if you arm yourself with the right information at the beginning. Learn from my mistake.