This is an exciting time of the season. For most of us, racing has begun or will begin shortly.

Your excitement and motivation should be high.

Warmer weather and sunshine should contribute to a positive mental outlook.

We have been working hard for many weeks now. I am positive that every athlete that we coach understands why we urge "patience" in the early season building process. These last weeks have been hard. We have given all our athletes workouts that will test limits.

Now the pattern of training must change. Just doing many more weeks of the same type of structured intervals and longer Z2 rides is not the answer.

To begin, all training calendars now become more "race specific". The types of events and timing of priority events will now dictate how training calendars are built.

For Crit specialists, workouts will now be centered on short, hard and variable structure. These will be 30/30's, Descending Intervals, 6 x 2 min, 1 min rest and many other intense workouts. 

It is also critical to begin to race. There is just no substitute for the intensity of a race. You will see numbers that are simply not possible in training. You will also get more comfortable in a race situation and with bikes in close proximity. Even for seasoned racers (such as your coaches), it takes a couple of races to really dial in your technical skills.

For Crit racers, volume should actually be quite controlled. If your base has been built with longer winter and spring rides, endurance rides should now be more limited and should not be harder than mostly EN rides.

For endurance and Fondo specialists, volume should be high.

Training stress (CTL) should be peaking in late April into mid-May for most schedules.

However, this is tricky. Just going longer and adding more CTL is not the answer either.

It is much better to find that optimal spot whereby CTL is as high

as it can be before structured interval quality begins to deteriorate.

This is a fine line.

The structured interval sessions will now be as hard and challenging as we all give you all year.

Anyone that has does a 2 x 20 (or variation) will agree. 

Variation is also critical. Some longer rides should now become race simulations and race specific. We want you to now combine some of these big rides with other longer rides that are more endurance (EN) focused.

 

Group Rides / Practice Races

 

We encourage all our athletes to begin to make substitutions of fast group rides and practice races versus just doing all structured intervals. These are great ways to add intensity and variation to your training. Just do not do the very same group ride every week. Maybe every other week or two out of three weeks can be optimal for most.

 

Mid-season Break / Peak Events 

 

At some time in the next 2 or 3 months, every athlete should have some type of mid-season break or "re-set". No athlete will benefit from just doing the same hard workout schedule for many months.

At some point, everyone starts to go backwards.

The mid-season break is just a period of completely unstructured riding.

No intervals. No races. Just ride your bike for maybe 2 weeks and enjoy the scenery. Then we get back to work.

For most of you, another about 2 blocks of training will be optimal.

This should prepare for your peak events in the first half of the season.

 

Communication 

 

Communication with your coaches is always important. At this point in your season it is most critical.

Fatigue levels and training stress will be hitting limits. Your coaches need to know if your motivation is beginning to decline. This will happen for everyone at some point. 

Every athlete will also experience periods whereby your training is just not going perfectly. This is normal and expected. Your training calendars are built in a manner that we except that some workouts will be missed or shortened. 

 

Summary 

 

Success is achieved by understanding these nuances. Being persistent in your training, doing the hard work and then understanding where you need to back it down are the critical factors.​

 

​