So, the comeback is complete. I'm officially declaring it. Perhaps it's been complete for a while but I've been mentally living in a state where I'm "Getting back in Shape, Just a Few more Pounds to Lose"
Now that I'm a bit sick, and have taken a few days off, I think now's a good time to plan. But I need some help and input from all you armchair, and real, coaches out there.
I've completed my Marathon, done the double ski marathons, done my first real bike race, and have stabilized my weight about 2 pounds over where I was in University when I was stressed out and staying up way too late every night.
So it's time to establish a baseline, and plan to work my way into "race shape" for the fall.
I've been in this zone before. Not for long, and not often, but long ago I had it.
Race Shape is not about feeling good, it's not about crossing the line with more to spare and giving the cameras a wave. It's about being able to suffer for an hour, unleash the beast, no holds barred, "I'm coming for you", "is this all you've got", collapse across the line, kind of fitness.
It doesn't get easier, you just get faster. While I don't expect I'll get far out of the middle of the pack I do want to be in as good a shape as my schedule, and wife, will allow.
The Goal
- Be in peak cycling form in October, with September and November also being good months.
- I'd like to be consistently in the top half of the M3 cyclocross races during this time. I know it's bad to have a goal relative to others, but it's the only way I can think to measure it at the moment. Or I could say, I don't want to get lapped by Tom.
The Rough Plan
May
- Build up to consistent long weekend riding and weekly mileage, does 200 km sound about right?
- Hit the gym 2-3 times a week for upper body, leg strength, and core workouts
- Do a couple long intervals once a week 10-15 minutes
- ~44 hours riding?
June
- Continue with the aerobic base building, as much riding as I can fit in.
- Continue with the gym workouts in the mornings, upper body and core.
- Long intervals twice a week
- ~50 hours riding?
July
- Increase Training intensity with more threshold intervals during the long rides
- Increasing intensity over the month, more 5 minute intervals, hills,
- Focus on core and stretching, in the gym
- ~55 hours riding?
August
- Start the "Time Crunched Cyclist" plan, Weeks 1-4
- Lots of intervals. Lots of suffering
- Morning Hills with the Lapdogs
- Pass on the gym
- Morning CX rides in the park to practice some skills.
- ~55 hours riding?
September
- Continue with Time Crunched Plan - Weeks 5-8
- Hit the gas, max Training Volume around the second week.
- ~40 hours
October
- Race
- Recover
- Race
- ~30 hours
November
- Have fun racing
- ~25 hours??
December
- Off
- Some long cross country skiing
Over the next few days I'd like to flesh out the details of this plan and build it into a usable schedule of training rides.
I've never made up a training plan for cycling, so I need some help. If you have a particular insight, suggestion, or link I should read, please leave me a comment. I'd really appreciate it. After all, I'm just making this up.