Training for 1 hour races

chubbycx

Been racing for a couple of years now, just club races of about 20-25 miles, 10 & 25 TT's, and cyclocross in the winter. Therefore all races are just about 1 hour or less. I have been thinking about my training as I am now finding it more difficult to get out for longer rides at the weekend, and more time constrained during the week as well. Basically, Im thinking that with only doing short races, then a 1.5 or 2 hour ride on Saturday and Sunday is probably OK, mid-week during the summer I am racing maybe two nights a week and can fit in an hour on other nights, mid-week during winter will do indoor sessions on the turbo and race cyclocross at the wekend. First test of how my fitness will survive with a new regime will be the cyclocross which begins in the first week of October.

How best to make use of the time I have avaiable based on targets are all 1 hour or less of racing. The objective will be to get race fit and maintain this fitness from October through January, and again from April through August. How would you arrange training blocks and is it a case of doing lots of L4 and higher.

jgsi

You devise a plan..lets say for your cross season, and we'll critique it.. hows that sound?
Gets you to do some donkey work ;-)

chubbycx

Sorry if it came across wrong, Im not asking for a training plan, more hoping for advice so that I can do a plan based on what others maybe in the same situation found that works.

What I was thinking of was doing low L4 intervals right at the bottom of the range so that they are not too taxing, and therefore I can do longer intervals, and do them on consecutive days, so therefore accumulating more "quality" time. Say things like 3x20, 2x30, 1x60 etc, doing this 2 or 3, or maybe even 4 times a week while stuck indoors on the turbo. The 1.5 or 2 hour rides at the weekend would probably have to be mostly in Z3 ?

I could probably keep doing this but replace one or more of the longer intervals with shorter intevals come racing, 5x5 or 6x4. I was thinking to still stick to the 90% rule so that less recovery is required between days. remembering that I dont have a lot of time any day, so therefore need to be able to train most days.

Does it sound do-able. And also, and just as important, will it bring improvements. I am hoping to increase my FTP still, and obviously come racing I will want to work on improving power over short burst for sprints and hills.

cyco2

If you look over what you have said, you have answered your own requests.

chubbycx

So you believe that I am on the right track ?

This would be completely different to how I trained before. When I did intervals I did them hard....knowing I could go out for an easier ride the next day. I tended to work on a hard day/easy day, or maybe two hard days/easy day.

Now I am talking about doing intervals a little easier, but doing them on numerous consecutive days. Making every day count, even if they are not at full throttle, they are still quality. And making my longer rides harder, as they will be shorter than previously. So basically no "easy" days. Not having worked like this before, I guess I am looking a little encouragement that it is a valid way to go, and that it will bring maintainable improvements.

jgsi

Final analysis... racing xross weekly is probably the best training for that start of amateur road racing season in the following March...