recommend a training program?

eastie
eastie Posts: 12
edited October 2008 in Health, fitness & training
I've been riding fairly regularly for 4 months now after a 10 year break from cycling. I'm looking to enter a couple of races next year, 3 or 5 hour events in order to have a focus for my weekly rides and work towards an improvement in my fitness.

My dilemma is over which training program to pick. The books I pick up in WHSmith's are road orientated, so do I go with one of these and adapt?. Do I buy a copy of Mountain Bike Fitness Training by John Metcallfe? Or am I going to get the same sort of info from online program's like the merida marathon planner at
http://www.mtb-marathon.co.uk/training/training.php
Anyone out there recommend these or others?