Next Plan

[chiefgief]

This week I am finishing week 12 of XC cat 1 base plan and am looking for advice on what plan to start next.

Here’s my race schedule it races happen (🤞)

February 27 Polar Roll 30 mile C
March 13 Fatbike Birkie 30 mile C
June 5 Unbound Gravel 100 mile A
June 26 Lutsen 99er 100 mile B
July 24 The Rift 120 mile C
September 18 Marji Gesick 100 mile A

I assume I should start the 100 mile PR plan 12 weeks prior to my A race Unbound Gravel. Could you recommend a plan after finishing my base plan this week and before starting the 100 PR plan?

Thank you!
David

[chiefgief]

Correction: I plan on doing the 200 mile version of Unbound Gravel.

[Lynda]

Hi David,

I recommend you follow our Category 1 Cross Country Mountain Bike Build, Peak and Race Mountain Bike Training Plan next. Start this plan at week #2 and following weeks 2 – 12 to end the plan on March 13 at Fatbike Birkie. Take a day off on 3/14

3/15 start the 100 Mile Mountain Bike Race Personal Record Mountain Bike Training Plan but in week 1 do recovery spins on days 2 and 4 instead of the scheduled rides. Move the day 2 test to day 6. Follow the rest of the plan as-is to a peak in week 12 at Unbound 200.

Coach Lynda

[chiefgief]

I like the sounds of that. Thank you Coach Lynda!

[chiefgief]

Hi Lynda, a follow up on my Cat 1 XC Build and Peak plan. I’m on week 5 and was wondering what type of ride I should do for Off-Road ride a hilly course fast or low priority XC race day.

I am using this plan to peak at the Fat Bike Berkie race. I have plenty of groomed snow single track to ride around here but that doesn’t really simulate the Berkie race since it’s a wide open course with rolling hills as opposed to punchy tight single track.

Do you think doing Zwift races, or maybe just ride outside on snow/icy roads is a better use of my time that single track? Most of the single track around here is not groomed very wide so it’s difficult to push it hard without crashing a lot.

Thanks for the help!
Dave

[Lynda]

Hi Dave,

Zwift races and group rides are great! You can focus on power and fitness without having to worry about staying upright on icy surfaces. Crashing a lot is not performance enhancing!

Coach Lynda

[chiefgief]

Very good point! “ Crashing a lot is not performance enhancing!”

I am keeping that phrase in my biking quotes to live by!

[chiefgief]

Hi Lynda, question about my FTP after the assessment in week 8 of XC 1 Build Peak Race plan. My previous FTP was 303 and after the test showed 300. I might have been carrying a little fatigue from the previous weeks as I did the 20 min test on day 4 last week. Anyway I did the L5 hill interval today at my 300 FTP and it felt pretty easy. Maybe 7/10 on the exertion scale. Do you think I should bump up my FTP or just stay the course?

Thank you!
Dave

[Lynda]

Dave,

I recommend sticking with your previous FTP of 303w given you suspect your most recent test was not optimal.

Coach Lynda

[chiefgief]

For short track race practice workouts that can’t be done on single track due to conditions would you recommend doing sweet spot or some sort of intervals for the 30 minute effort? Sometimes I have to do this workout either on the trainer or on a gravel road and I don’t know if the intent is to stay constant at FTP for 30 minutes the way Training Peaks has it constructed.

Sorry for playing 20 questions lately!

Thanks!
Dave

[Lynda]

Hi Dave,

These are great questions. The intent of a short track workout is for power to be in all levels and Normalized Power for the race duration to land near FTP. The intent is for a session with lots of variation in power with surges, power spikes, coasting etc. A short fast race on Zwift is ideal if you are stuck indoors. The structured workout tool on TP is not able to design this session precicely.

Coach Lynda

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