Mountain bike enduro training on the road bike question
samsemtex
Posts: 34
I know this is the road section but to be honest there is waaay more info on training here than there is in the MTB forum and you guys tend to know a lot more about it so I hope it is okay to ask here instead.
I am training for the Irish and UK gravity enduro series. I'm not sure if you are familiar with the format but a good example would be that you have 5 time mainly downhill stages ranging from 3-7 minutes. Following each of these stages you climb back to the top for the next stage. The transistions are not timed but for the UK and World series you have to be pretty brisk but you should never be feeling like you are racing to get to the top.
Anyway the stages are mainly technical and steep but with some flat bits, short sharp climbs and lots of power pedalling. Basically everywhere that isnt too rough or steep you want to be pedalling hard.
How should i be training. Over the last 2-3 months I have been doing a lot of base work. Almost all of it on the road. Over the first month and a half I would do about 3 spins of 60-80km at a moderate intensity (pushing it pretty hard on the climbs). Maybe one longer spin of around 110-130km at an ever so slightly easier pace.
Now i'm starting to push a bit harder and doing more interval work. Sufferfest at least twice a week and more MTB spins which as you know get the heart rate going a lot just due to the nature of the terrain. Will still try to get out on the road twice a week. So in total I should be able to do 5-6 days of training a week.
My question is, should i be sticking to shorter rides? Is there any point doing 120km spins when I will never have to spend that length of time (not constantly spinning anyway) on the bike during a race? Being able to put down a lot of power over the course of 5 minute stages is my goal so what should I be focusing on to do it.
I am training for the Irish and UK gravity enduro series. I'm not sure if you are familiar with the format but a good example would be that you have 5 time mainly downhill stages ranging from 3-7 minutes. Following each of these stages you climb back to the top for the next stage. The transistions are not timed but for the UK and World series you have to be pretty brisk but you should never be feeling like you are racing to get to the top.
Anyway the stages are mainly technical and steep but with some flat bits, short sharp climbs and lots of power pedalling. Basically everywhere that isnt too rough or steep you want to be pedalling hard.
How should i be training. Over the last 2-3 months I have been doing a lot of base work. Almost all of it on the road. Over the first month and a half I would do about 3 spins of 60-80km at a moderate intensity (pushing it pretty hard on the climbs). Maybe one longer spin of around 110-130km at an ever so slightly easier pace.
Now i'm starting to push a bit harder and doing more interval work. Sufferfest at least twice a week and more MTB spins which as you know get the heart rate going a lot just due to the nature of the terrain. Will still try to get out on the road twice a week. So in total I should be able to do 5-6 days of training a week.
My question is, should i be sticking to shorter rides? Is there any point doing 120km spins when I will never have to spend that length of time (not constantly spinning anyway) on the bike during a race? Being able to put down a lot of power over the course of 5 minute stages is my goal so what should I be focusing on to do it.
0
Comments
-
I would probably focus the road rides on 1hr/2hr high tempo (hard, but sustainable), rather than 3hr+ spins. Anything you can do to improve your aerobic performance at a reasonably high output sounds like it might be beneficial in the transitions, tbh...0
-
Personally I 'd hit the hills. Not much better for your fitness than fighting against gravity. Mix this with a couple of steady spins through the week . You dont want to be training hard every time you go for a ride.0
-
Well I went out for a spin this evening and I did some of the race routes from last year. it was on one of the flattest race trails we have and my legs were burning massively. I had to back off so much i was going through a 2 minute long strava segment (within the stage) 20 seconds slower than I would if it wasnt in the middle of a full run. Looking at other guys and they are doing it within 5 seconds of their fastest times. Its way too much to be losing. Above lactate threshold sprint training?0
