Home › MTB Training and Racing Forums › Athlete Support Forum › Best training plan for Single Speed endurance races
- This topic has 9 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 11 months ago by
Lynda.
- AuthorPosts
- February 20, 2022 at 12:35 pm #25537
Rachel Kahn
ParticipantHi!
I’m trying to figure out what the best training plan/plans would be for me. Here are the rides/races I have coming up. I’m 34 years old and a single speeder
April – Kokopelli Trail
June – Wasatach 50
July – Butte 50
August – Pierres Hole 100
September – Fitzgeralds Joyride 400
October – AZT 300
November – 25 hours of Frog HollowThanks!
Rachel
- February 20, 2022 at 2:56 pm #25538
Lynda
KeymasterHi Rachel,
Please provide more information so I can understand your season and return an accurate answer.
1. How many miles, and days is your Kokopelli ride? What is your approach to Kokopelli trail? Go non-stop as fast as possible or tour and sleep full nights etc?
2. Provide dates for all your events
3. Rank your races in order of importance to you
4. Pierres Hole 100 km or 100 mile?
5. What is your approach to Fitzgeralds Joyride 400? Go non-stop as fast as possible or tour and sleep full nights etc?
6. What is your approach to AZT 300. Go non-stop as fast as possible or tour and sleep full nights etc?
7. Frog Hollow – team or solo?
8. What is your current fitness level and experience racing your single-speed?Coach Lynda
- February 21, 2022 at 7:54 am #25552
Rachel Kahn
Participant1. Kokopelli trail is around 145 miles and I’m planning on doing it in a day. My goal time is 18-20 hours.
2. Kokopelli Trail – April 29th
Wasatch 50 – June 11th
Butte 50 – July 23
Pierre’s Hole 100 – August 6
Fitzgeralds Joyride 400 – September 10
AZT 300 – October 20
25 hours of Frog Hollow – November 5-6 (riding as a duo)
3. Kokopelli, Pierre’s Hole, Butte 50, AZT 300, 25 hours Frog Hollow, Fitzgeralds, Wasatch 50
4. 100 mile!
5. Fitzgeralds – Would like to go mostly non-stop, thinking 2-3 days with minimal sleep (4 hours?).
6. AZT 300 – Would like to go non-stop
7. Frog Hollow – Duo team
8. I have a good level of fitness but it can always use work! I was a cycling guide for 7 years and I’m active 6-7 days a week. In the winter time I focus on skiing, backcountry skiing and also ski patrol. When I’m not skiing, I’m working out or climbing for cross training. In the summer time, I try to ride 5-7 days a week. I’ve done a little XC racing on my single speed but not much else. Last fall, I did the White Rim trail (100 miles, 7k of climbing) on a single speed in 13 hours. I’ve done multiple centuries and long distance rides, both on road and gravel with my longest being 125 miles with 10.5k of climbing. I started single speeding 3 years ago and it’s the only bike I use to mountain bike. - February 21, 2022 at 4:25 pm #25556
Lynda
KeymasterThanks for the additional info. That is a full schedule! As Kokopelli, your top priority event is first, I recommend you jump right into the 100 Mile Mountain Bike Race Personal Record Mountain Bike Training Plan. This is a 12-week plan. Starting from today you have 10 weeks to Kokopelli. I recommend starting this plan asap and crunching it down to 10 weeks by missing out weeks 5 and 9.
5/2 – After Kokopelli take a week off training to recover and catch up on sleep.
5/9 – Another week off-plan, riding easy and completing your recovery from Kokopelli
5/16 – Start the 12-week 100 Mile Mountain Bike Race Personal Record Mountain Bike Training Plan again at week 1 and follow all 12 weeks to a peak at Pierre’s Hole 100. Insert Wasatch 50 and Butte 50 by adding extra rest before and after those 2 races.
8/8 – Take a week off after Pierre’s Hole for recovery
8/15 Next I recommend switching to the 2 – 5 day Bikepacking Race Mountain Bike Training Plan and jumping right in to week 9.
8/22 – week 10
8/29 – week 11
9/5 – week 12 and Fitzgeralds Joyride 400
9/12 – week off for recovery
9/19 – easy week off-plan to complete recovery or week 9 if you have good energy
9/26 – week 10
10/3 – week 11
10/10 – week 12 and AZT 300After AZT 300, rest, recover, have fun on your bike and show up to 25 hours of Frog Hollow fresh with a season of training under your belt!
Coach Lynda
- February 21, 2022 at 11:11 pm #25559
Rachel Kahn
ParticipantWow! This is great, thank you! Anything specific to keep in mind regarding single speeding with this plan?
- February 22, 2022 at 10:46 am #25560
Lynda
KeymasterHi Rachel,
– Do all your long rides SS.
– Add plenty of hike-a-bike to these long rides as you will need that foot travel training for SS racing.
– Interval days can be done with gears so you can hit the correct target cadence and intensity.
– Recovery days are best on gears. If you do a recovery ride SS, install an easy gear and use flat terrain. If you don’t have these options, a day off the bike is better than over-doing a recovery day on the SS.
– It is ok to mix up geared and SS training.
– Change your SS gear to match your terrain and goals for the workout. Don’t get stuck doing everything with the same gear.I’m excited for you. I have SS’d Kokopelli trail twice – it is such an amazing route. I prefer West to East on the SS. That shandy road west of Dewey Bridge is a much kinder descent than climb!
Coach Lynda
- February 22, 2022 at 6:47 pm #25564
Rachel Kahn
ParticipantExcellent! My plan was to ride west to east anyways!
Any advice on gear ratios? I’m currently running a 32×20 but was thinking 32×19 for the Kokopelli.
Thank you!
- February 23, 2022 at 9:31 am #25565
Lynda
KeymasterWhat size wheels on your bike?
- February 23, 2022 at 10:47 am #25566
Rachel Kahn
Participant29er with 2.6 tires. I’m planning on running 2.4 Ardent’s for the Kokopelli
- February 23, 2022 at 11:28 am #25568
Lynda
KeymasterI recommend 32 x 20 primarily for that headwind in second half! Plus having an easier gear for the single-track at the end when you are tired is better. I rode 32 x 20 both times and my fastest finish was W – E in 15:31. Settle-in at an easy to moderate effort and eat/drink when you are on the flats, coast the descents and enjoy the gear on the climbs.
Coach Lynda
- AuthorPosts
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.