Our LW Coaching Colorado Trail Race training plan is live!! This is a first for LW Coaching in that the plan is a collaboration to two coaches Dave Harris and Lynda Wallenfels. Lynda brings to the table tried and true training methods and training plan design. Dave brings to the plan specific expertise and experience in  multi-day self supported racing with many wins and course records on his resume. 2 coaches for the price of 1!

We are very, very excited about how this plan turned out. In fact excited enough that now both of us want to follow the plan and race CTR! ha, ha!

Below Dave describes his experiences and plan details:

Self-supported racing is near and dear to me. No other style of riding has the potential for so much enjoyment, satisfaction, challenge, discovery, tears and angst. It’s the kaleidoscope of cycling experiences. I’ve spent the better part of the last 5 years passionately engrossed in the genre.

Photo credit Mike Curiak

Last summer I jumped into CTR. It was never all that attractive when I lived in Durango, but now that I live in southern Utah getting to cool temps and alpine riding mid-summer was the ticket. That route had some big lessons for me, and I have been studying up on just what it takes to do a good ride in that event.

Why not share the love? At LW Coaching we had some interest in a CTR plan so I went to work on putting all I’ve learned on paper. This is a bit different than the other plans here. There are so many details in self-supported multi-days that this plan is more of a book The training part is central but I also added an appendix containing strategies on everything from acute mountain sickness to keeping your GI happy for days.

Here’s the crazy thing. Altitude kills me. I was gasping for air, coughing my brains out during CTR on the Monarch Crest trail with Scott Morris last year. If you’d have told me I’d want to do the event again I’d have laughed uncontrollably! Well, if I could get enough air to laugh I would have…but researching for and writing this plan has me convinced I can overcome the altitude part…and makes me very excited to give it a go again! I must be crazy.

If you are just as crazy check it out. I dare you. But be careful, this stuff is addicting!

If you are using the Garmin Edge 705 with a power meter things just got a bit easier to track.  Ever since I began using the 705/PT combo, I’ve still used the PT CPU for rides where I really wanted to know the workouts details.  WKO has until now not handled stops in the ride correctly.

Build 106 of WKO+ is a big step in the right direction.  This latest version was released a couple of days ago.  If you set the 705 to auto-pause, WKO+ will now interpret those pauses exactly as it does for the PT CPU.  Finally, we get our cake and get to eat it as well.

Get the latest build here:

http://home.trainingpeaks.com/wko-desktop-software/download.aspx

By overwhelming demand from wattage users, they have also started publishing release notes.  Prior to this the only way to see the release notes was to install the program.  Do you really want to install every release to make sure you’ve got what you need?  They support something like 68 devices so most of the updates are related to device compatibility anyway.

Check the release notes here to determine if you need the latest:

http://support.trainingpeaks.com/trainingpeaks-wko/release-notes-for-wko.aspx

Last October Saris began taking orders for a hub update device for their 2.4 wireless power meters.  Typically the firmware in the electronic power measuring hubs never needs updates, so this is a special gizmo.  The update?  The hub transmissions are changed to include both the private Saris network and the ANT+ Sport network.

For many PT wireless users this falls in the “so what” category.  It doesn’t make the hub work any better with the existing PT CPU.  What it will do, however, is enable 3rd party ANT+ Sport devices to receive PT transmissions in a recognizable format.  The Garmin 705 is one such device, and others could possibly include the wireless SRM receiver,  iBike/iAero, and the forthcoming unit from Quark.

Combining the power data of the PT with other devices has several potential benefits.  The iAero/PT combo has great potential for roadies in optimizing bike position through reduced air drag.  The Quark is supposed to be linux based and open source, allowing customized algorithms & displays for the extreme geek.  The 705 is a GPS mapping unit as well as hosting all the training utility of the 305 Edge units – for off-road GPS users, the combination with power is sexy indeed!

Finally the updater began shipping in Dec.  The actual update is as easy as changing the batteries.

Remove the disc and black battery cover.  Remove the battery pack.  Insert the updater into battery pack connector.

Flip the little switch and red/green LEDs begin alternating inside the unit.

When it’s done the light turns green steady.

Turn it off.  Remove it, replace the battery pack (great time to replace batteries too), put the new cover on that came with the updater, reinstall the disc and that’s about it.

First time on the bike you may need to relearn the hub.

Now for the gotchas.  Of course there are a few.

I’m using the Garmin 705.  It turns out they decided to filter the raw data stream, likely due to the PT’s aliasing.  The PT calculates power data points at fixed time intervals which basically means that depending on what cadence you ride at, the point to point value fluctuations can be quite large.  Filtering the data stream makes sense for noisy GPS signal perhaps, but filtering the PTs data stream generates bogus data for bursty efforts.  I’ve been in contact with Garmin, they have removed the filter in a beta version that I’ve been testing and so far so good.  I can’t say when it will become publicly available, but it should be very soon.

Zeroing the torque is now a different process.  It is done at the hub and not the CPU, and must be done while the wheel is not moving.  At first glance this doesn’t make a lot of sense as the auto-zero function used to work at zero cadence, but now will need zero speed – and at zero speed how can zero torque be known by the hub?  It can’t.  Ever trackstand at a light, or rest your foot on the pedal?  Time will tell how well this works in practice.

Garmin 705 .tcx file format is a floating target.  Software such as Topofusion and WKO+ that rely on consistent file formats to produce meaningful data interpretations are having a tough time keeping pace.  Your favorite program may or may not work well with the Garmin if you choose to use it.

Whew, what a spew.  So there’s the scoop.  Power up and power on in ‘09.

Part 5 addresses how to train for your first 24 solo effort.  The first 4 posts in this series are here.

Yuri:  Do you do any 24 hour simulations…or just go for it?? Dave, I really appreciate all of your input on these matters and putting up with my petty questions, I know that it will help me out as I prepare for Laguna Seca.

Dave:  Thanks Yuri for the questions – they are really well thought out.  They directly address aspects of racing I’ve been working on for a few years now…and I’m happy to help out fellow chronics!

Training for ultra MTB events in general is a passion of mine.  I’ve spent years thinking on the topic and used different tools to help understand what is happening, how to gauge progress, and how to plan.  Sharing these thoughts is the #1 reason I started this blog.  In time I’ll go into more depth on the whys, whats, & whens of what I’ve found to be effective, but for now, this will get you pointed in the right direction.  Of course, there are a million ways to skin a cat…so you may end up doing something entirely different based on your previous training experiences…

24 solo efforts are huge – physically, financially, emotionally, mentally.  It’s always been my approach to come at them with the best possible fitness, because anything less is just going to hurt that much more and leave me dissatisfied.  We’re always looking for optimal experiences, right? 

Time to stir the pot again.  There just isn’t much info in the public domain on ultra mtb training.  I’ve been coached, used Friel’s methods, and learned a lot for both scenarios.  However, neither filled the ultra gaps.  At issue is the demands of the event, balanced with a need for speed.  There’s a basic paradox in ultra events:  you rarely if ever do sustained efforts at or above threshold power, but power at threshold is the primary determinant of endurance capacity.  That last part is key.  If you train by power, you know that you have an intrinsic power-duration curve.  For example, let’s say you can do 600W for 1 min, 400 for 5m, 300 for 20m, 250 for 5 hours and so on.  These are points on your power-duration curve.  For long events, we’re interested in raising that 5 hour point.  It is my observation that to do that, you must raise the shorter duration points – the 1, 5, and 20 minute points.

This isn’t to say endurance rides aren’t important – they are key!  Another aspect to consider is specificity.  24 solos are long…and the closer to an event, the more “race-like” you should be training.  So when I put these thoughts in a tumbler and shake’m up, I come up with a rough periodization plan that looks like this:

Transition
Endurance phase, tempo training
Top end training (power level 5, 6)
Threshold training (power level 4)
Big, a$$-kicking tempo blocks.
Taper/sharpen/race

That’s more or less reverse periodization in terms of intensity.  The general idea is to first raise threshold power as high as possible, then build the endurance required for the event.  The final big tempo blocks are key – and to get to your question – no there aren’t any 24 hour sims in there.  I shoot for getting a ride in that is at least 8 hours, and not usually more than 10.  In the long rides of this period, I always try to pick it up towards the end.  It instills good PE/pacing practices & intuition.  This is based on power of course…the long rides are when you want to dial in your on-bike nutrition (300-400 cal/hour), pit stop actions, equipment, clothing…all the little details that add up to make or break performances. 

This is the most race-specific preparation of the plan – and part of the process is to learn your body’s signals/requests.  During the race, you should always be thinking about what you need now, and what you need in the near future.  Is your calorie intake on target?  Is it digesting well?  How about electrolytes?  Are you getting cold?  Are your eyes getting worked over by dust?(!!!)  Out on a lap you are thinking of things you might request of your support either now or for the following lap.  The long rides of this period are a time to dial in this ability to plan ahead on the fly, listening keenly to your body’s signals.  This is also a good time to dial in your night riding equipment and technique.

When to end that final tempo block and enter the taper depends on your base and race intentions.  If the goal is a good solid finish, you probably want to enter the taper about 2 weeks prior to the event.  If your intention is race domination, you’ll want to end it 3 weeks prior, and after you freshen up (about a week) do a week’s worth of higher intensity mtb stuff to bring on top end…but that is something I’d strongly recommend for a future event.  You need a huge base to pull that one off.  A 3 week taper will leave you flat (less fit) if your base isn’t big enough.

Blah blah blah…a picture is worth a thousand words.  Cyclingpeaks WKO+ is *the* software package for power meter users.  Here’s a plot of some of my training metrics leading to Old Pueblo this year.  Higher intensity weeks occurred in early Nov and mid-Dec, the low volume weeks.  Note the steady progression of volume each week through early Feb (except one easy week when I was torched, had to rest up for this week).  Long rides get a bit longer each week in this phase.  This was a very aggressive, experimental training block.  The result was my best 24 hour form to date.  This just goes to show that even folks with average genetic endowment can have their share of “pinch me” moments given smart, hard training.

Yuri, thanks again for the well-formed questions.  Good luck in your quest for an optimal experience, I know you’ll rock it.

I’d really like to hear what others think about this and any of the other ideas I’ve expressed in this series, all thoughts are welcome. 

TeamDicky:  care to share any insights from the Viking point of view?  Don’t worry, Yuri’s a west coast guy

Now it’s time for the fun stuff. 

Yuri:  Last, how do you pace yourself? Did you pre-ride so you knew what kind of times you should be laying down, or did you just go out and base your pace off your first lap?

Dave:  There are several possible answers to this one…as in what did I do in my most recent race, or what did I do in my first few races…but sticking with the theme of solo virginity (that sounds bad!), the short answer is start out a lot easier than you think you should, especially on a SS.  I’ve been training with power for several years now and have collected power data for long rides and a few 24 hour efforts as well.  From this data, one thing that is obvious is how much initial pacing affects late race performance.  Go too hard early in the ride and you’ll slow sooner.  Fatigue in these events is inevitable but manageable with good fitness and a good plan.  Let’s break the event down into 6 hour chunks.

Hours 0-6

This is a critical period of the race – not because you can win it here, but because you can lose it here.  Since this is when you are uber fresh and chomping to get racing (you’ve been tapering for a couple weeks and have been going stir crazy with extra energy) it will be easy to come out of the gate flying, and it will feel effortless.  Be conservative!  No matter how fast you go, you still gotta go in circles for 24 hours…go too hard here and the next 18 hours will be pure torture, or worse.  A prime example of going too hard early in the race happened last year at 24 hour Natz.  All the big guns did their best to torch each other – and took themselves out of the race, one by one.  A hard pace means you aren’t eating or hydrating well either, it all leads to CTD conditions.

I suggest setting some sort of limit for the first 6 hours.  This can be based off heart rate, PE, breathing rate, or power, depending on what you have available.  If using HR, the limit would be about 10 beats below LTHR, and you probably wouldn’t want to average any more than LTHR-20 for any given hour.  You never want to go to the point where you hit your ventilatory threshold, where breathing just begins to get labored.  If you find yourself there, back off quickly.  At this point the primary fuel source is muscle glycogen which is good for about 2 hours.  If pacing by power, Coggan’s level 2 is a good place to hang out, and limit any power spikes above L5.

So you’re wondering what I’m talking about there…some of the fastest 24 hour riders come out swinging throwing down wicked fast first laps, sometimes faster than any team riders, and still go on to win.  It takes quite a few events under the belt to get a feel for what you can get away with.  Experience builds confidence.  Still, I’ve often pondered the pacing question.  Given what I’ve learned about power output (which determines speed & performance), it seems ridiculous to start a 24 so hard.  Yet, the winning riders often go hard.  Is it just because physiologically they are head and shoulders above the rest?  Or maybe it’s best to make hay while the sun shines, so to speak?  The mental edge of leading the race?  Hard to say.  But for sure, in your first 24 solo effort, take it easy the first 6 hours.  If you find you have lots of energy left you will still have 18 hours to put it to good use.

In general, I don’t pace by lap times at all.  It’s all perceived exertion for me these days.  Ride the wheel of others when you can, but avoid getting on the wheel of someone riding like a XC event – super bursty – you’ll want to ride as steady as possible to avoid those higher power bursts.  Ride relaxed, upper body loose, and get dialed into your nutrition plan ASAP.  You’ll want to be taking in 300+ calories an hour, the sooner you get on track with this the better.

Hours 6-12

The first 6 hours don’t tell you a lot about how you’ll feel for the rest of the race, but in this period (6-12) you’ll get strong indications.  In my first 2 events, there was a time around the 9 hour mark when I’d have trouble maintaining, probably because that’s about the length of the longest training ride pre-event.  It was a difficult time.  Your circadian rhythms are telling your body its time to get some shut eye.  Don’t push pace at all in these hours.  This is the time to “settle in” and find your flow.  Your actual power output will likely come down considerably, and you are best served by a comfortable pace.  MP3 players were made for night riding in 24 solos…talking to others is a treat as well.  The camaraderie/vibe of 24s in general is so NOT norba, it’s grassroots stuff where everyone is having a great time.  Soak it in, it becomes more apparent in the night. Keep your pits as short as possible.  Long stops in the night just have you starting the next one colder.  You don’t have to ride hard, just ride…

Hours 12-18

The witching hours.  By anyone’s measure, the hardest part of the race.  Everyone slows towards dawn – just know this, accept it, don’t fight it, flow with it, and keep the wheels turning.  Focus on keeping to your nutrition plan – and when I say “plan”, I’m talking more about calorie goals.  Eating in the middle of the night is often difficult.  This is when you will make use of all the variety of foods you brought.  Be flexible in *what* you eat, just make sure you get the calories in.  I find that I need surprisingly little water in the night so can’t get nearly enough calories by drink alone – but just be aware that solid foods take energy to digest.  This can be trouble, leaving energy reserves super low…if your support person can keep track of your calorie intake in calories/hour, they can help you avoid the total crash.  These are oatmeal hours.  You might find that sections of trail that were previously rideable become techy monsters.  Don’t sweat it; when the sun comes up you’ll see that line again. 

This is also a good time to make little short term goals for yourself.  “Eat banana at turn x” or “make it through rock garden without unclipping” sort of stuff. 

If you have inner demons, they will surface in this period.

Hours 18-25

So you’ve been hammering away for 18 hours, only 7 to go!  After suffering through the dawn lap, the sunrise brings warmth back to the world.  It’s amazing what this can do for you.  Hopefully at this point you’re feeling OK, haven’t cracked too hard, and have a little something left.  If you are in a good position, this is a tactical time.  Know where you are in the field in relation to others, and know that they are hurting as much as you.  If you haven’t overcooked the pacing, you’ll wake up nicely and have more to give…it becomes absolutely limited by fuel intake.  If you find that you are still racing, you’ll want to go fast…but one fast lap in the last quarter of the race can leave you pretty drained.  So it’s the constant tug – go hard, or eat?  If you can do both, great…if not, eat as much as you can in the pits.  I’m usually on to pepsi on alternating laps in this period…if you do a straight sugar approach like that, be sure to use electrolytes of some sort as an electrolyte bonk in the morning is a bad thing.  In a good race, I’m riding right at VT for most of the morning, and might even have to dig deep for a lap or two.  Despite the hard breathing, power output isn’t much, it’s just that by now the primary fuel source is fats & it takes a lot more oxygen to burn them.

On tactics:  You’ll need help from your support crew here.  The idea is to do the least amount of time on the bike to achieve the highest possible placing.  You’re racing, right?  You could find yourself at the front, but close – which might mean you have to crank really hard to come through before noon so you get the honor of another lap.  Or, you might be in a bit of no mans land, where you can stop at 11am and not lose a spot.  If the SS field is small (not likely in CA I’m thinking), the gaps could be large.  Just don’t convince yourself you will stop at 11am if there’s any chance whatsoever you need to keep it rolling.

More on tactics:  If you have the good fortune to still be racing (95% or riders are in survival mode right now) it is a huge mental game right now.  Actually, racing always is…but especially so after everyone has been to the bonk and back already.  You may be really tight with one or two competitors.  If you lay down a lap that is substantially faster than a previous lap, it will strike fear and doubt into your competition.  Or, really motivate them…depends how tough they are.  Just know that these are the type of games that go on at the pointy end of the field, and if you are still racing, everything you do will have consequences one way or another…OK so this is a more advanced topic, but Yuri is a fast, salty dog that just might find himself in this position.

Finally, you’ll come into the timing tent for the last time, and with that arrival a sense of accomplishment you’ve done something out of the ordinary, something big.  Your body will know it too.