Topping up

bearwi11z

I'm 3 weeks out from a criterium cat 4 race.
I've been trying some criterium races and have been just finishing outside the finishing 30riders.
Although I'm finishing the race I'm not in the position with fitness I would like to be.
I have my A race in 3 weeks time and want to maximise this time to peak strongly.
I had an idea of what I will do below-

Mon - rest
Tues - chain gang/ intervals 3x (6x 1min hard 1min rest 5min recovery between sets)
Wednesday - road 1hr30min ride steady
Thursday - turbo 3x (5x 3min 125%FTP 3min R/ 5min recovery between sets)
Friday - road 1hr 3x (8x 30sec sprints/ 30sec rest/ 10mins recovery between sets)
Saturday - rest
Sunday - club run 3hr

Would that be a suitable tune up to allow me to get to a position to possibly finish in the top 20 riders or even challenge?
All help and ideas welcomed.

Thanks

wavefront

depends lot on how you respond, but as a top up, ie 1 month before, it is all about the icing on the cake. High intensity work is the right way to go, but make sure you don't burn out. In fact, can you actually finish a session like 3x6x1 and a 3x5x3 ? That's hard! Especially 3 interval sessions in a week. Maybe consider two.

I'd cut both interval sessions to one set, and do the 1mins as max efforts, and the 3mins at a slightly higher intensity if you can with less recovery (3mins). Quality of intervals over quantity.

Swap Saturday and Friday - rest on Fri instead so you get 3day blocks/2day blocks. I'd not do chain gang - risk of accident with others before your A race, and lack of specific intensity unless you're all at same level and it's properly coordinated. Don't do it if it's just an excuse to spend an hour going fast.

Just my two pennies!

imposter2.0

Train for the hard bits. Work on your 1min and 5min efforts, which in a crit is likely to be the main difference between finishing in the bunch and getting dropped.

jgsi

If you are having to train for racing and worrying about what interval this and interval that, you wont be any where near the sharp end.
Check out the guys who will be in the first 6.. you'll probably find they have been racing since March and now racing twice a week.

bearwi11z

Thanks for the advice.
The day off Friday to have a two day block is a great shout, and shortening recovery between intervals, reducing sets and going for quality is the way I shall go.
Makes a lot of sense for improving recovery and helping me sustain a higher pace.
Cheers all.