Winter '24 training thread - what you training for and how?

I'm determined to find the balls/skills/fitness to do another (easy) DH race. I find my speed and the tension of being chased in practice by 200 fast kids really hard to justify my place on the start line and mostly finish last. I don't mind being last, but it's the gap between last and not last that bothers me most. It's too big for me to again justify my space on the start line.

The new bike has really kick-started my riding/training again and i've been putting in more miles than i have for a year or two lately. But of course i need to work on the skill side of things and will be getting either Katy or Sam out and paying them some money to get me faster and better. But affording that and again justifying that to myself over paying for an IXS for the boy etc is REALLY hard for me to do.

I'd just like to come down a Stile Cop or FoD race and see my name not at the bottom, the very bottom or at least think "yeah that was OK".    Strictly speaking i've thought that before at the end of a race, Elephant Man at FoD for example i came down with "yeah that went OK" but the gap was HUGE to the person in front of me.

Downhill training is a different world for me, the 'easy Z2' equivalent must just be smashing laps and pushing skills (e.g. bigger jumps etc?).

I imagine trying to do all that in winter off-season would also hone certain skills that might be less useful in summer!

I might have accidentally entered the Etape de Tour. It's coming right past our chalet door this year and is on roads that I know well, so I thought, why not give it a crack?

Well, because I'm not a roadie, only just bought my first ever road bike and the longest ride I've ever done was probably about 60km, that's why not.

On the other hand, I've done plenty of ~60km off-road races, which easily translates to 100km+ on tarmac. I'm pretty fit (ride mountain bikes for a living) and the climbs / altitude  / probable heat don't worry me as I ride here all the time. I've ridden most of the cols on the route on an enduro bike!

I've had a bit of a break from intense riding over the past month or so since the end of our season, just enjoying a few trails now and again as I was pretty burnt-out at the end of the summer. Back home again now and have been out smashing big climbs on the road bike. Did the last 3rd or so of the Etape route the other day, no dramas at all. Going to keep that up as long as I can, but winter is approaching very fast and road riding is going to become difficult and I'm going to be working hard (snowboard teaching / guiding). My plan is to keep my fitness up with lots of splitboard touring over the winter and getting the odd turbo trainer session in to keep the legs in bike mode. Once March comes around and things start to calm down and warm up a little, I can get the bike back out now and again. Serious training will have to wait until April. It's really just going to be mileage, mileage, mileage and vertical, vertical, vertical. Don't have any great intentions of doing anything more sophisticated than that. I already do a hill-sprint session at least once a week, so I'll keep that going for a bit of pace work.

The other thing is just making sure I keep the weight off. I dropped from 85kg to 75kg a year or so ago and have stayed there pretty comfortably. Need to keep the beer and cake at arm's length over the winter.

Every year I promise myself I'll not enter any more events and yet I always seem to have "just one more" thing I want to do. For 2025 I currently have Ride to the Sun in June and the Glenmore 24 in September. The former simply requires that I maintain a decent level of bike fitness. The latter will require a bit more (careful) extension of running fitness.

The only fitness program I've ever attempted was building up to an ultra marathon last year and I think that worked, so I guess I really should try something a bit more structured than my usual let's see what today brings approach, but I'm lucky enough to have sufficient free time that I can chop and change plans according to the weather and the availability of riding and running friends so I find it hard to conform to the structure of a plan.

In short, keep riding, running, stretching and lifting, hoping to at least maintain my overall fitness despite the aging process.

The other thing is just making sure I keep the weight off. I dropped from 85kg to 75kg a year or so ago and have stayed there pretty comfortably. Need to keep the beer and cake at arm’s length over the winter.

That's a big challenge for me also, I've crept up from 85kg to 90kg and am struggling to get back down (although haven't been trying all that hard...).

I used to aspire to getting down to 80kg but lightest I ever saw was 84kg.

Not honestly sure how big a difference it would make for long days out so not going to starve myself too hard, maybe just try and get better at feeding during and after rides to avoid hypo-glycemic pigging out when I get in the door!

Downhill training is a different world for me, the ‘easy Z2’ equivalent must just be smashing laps and pushing skills (e.g. bigger jumps etc?).

I imagine trying to do all that in winter off-season would also hone certain skills that might be less useful in summer

I see the kids who improve over winter and they carry that into summer the same as through winter. This year for example my lad went racing in April and in 1st practice went past 3-4 lads we know who he's raced before and not seen over winter "who the F*** was that" said one of them "i think that was weeksy!!!! " was the reply from another... They were shocked he'd picked up so much speed and that carried on throughout the year.

But he was far from alone on that and lots do it over winter, so i'm guessing the skills transfer.

Sadly for me, i don't think the answer is just 'more laps'  i think that may find me 5% or maybe even 10% but i need 25% lol... The gap is THAT big...

Where i find it weird is that when i go out with 'normal' people, i can hold my own and push on well.... but when i get to a race, the game is upped and the people are just faster...

I'm just going to try and ride regularly after nearly a year of not doing so. No goals, no races, just riding. I am very weak through my shoulders right now so the ancient xc bike is out and no big jumps or drops until I improve my basic strength a bit.

Not training for competition, but entry for Etape Loch Ness and a plan to get back up to 200k audax next year to give a bit of focus to losing 10kg.

I've got as far as needing to see a physio tomorrow as I've damaged my knee. Bugger.

Just throwing this out there but the running group at work were discussing using AI to get ideas for training plans. I gather (I'm a luddite) that you enter a goal/target, give it an idea of where you are currently and a reasonable plan came back that could be tweaked to suit.

I’ve got as far as needing to see a physio tomorrow as I’ve damaged my knee. Bugger.

Ah, well this is where I have been for most of the year with a torn rotator cuff. Lots of physio and exercises. Last physio session next week hopefully. I have got quite strong again for bouldering/climbing now, but it's the resistance to sudden loads through the bars on a bike that's lacking a bit now.

Good luck with your injury recovery.

Good luck with your injury recovery.

And with yours! Had shoulder problems on and off for a few years due to nerve damage from crashes.

Never damaged my knee before, and although it doesn't hurt while cycling/jogging, it's bad afterwards so I've just gone straight to the physio to get a view on what it is, what is causing it, and what I can do to resolve it and/or train round it.

Just throwing this out there but the running group at work were discussing using AI to get ideas for training plans. I gather (I’m a luddite) that you enter a goal/target, give it an idea of where you are currently and a reasonable plan came back that could be tweaked to suit.

I reckon it would be too generic or too ambitious, I saw someone's AI generated plan and with my limited knowledge (almost all gleaned from Youtube vids) it was still obviously laughable. But I don't like AI for AI's sake anyway.

Watch some Dylan Johnson on Youtube and adapt to fit, he rejects needlessly complicated workouts (Zwift), provides ideas for varying durations of available trianing time (although he says if you're training less than 6 hours a week you can pretty much 'just ride') and gave me some useful ideas for 'specific' training, e.g. my idea to work on longer and longer intervals as my goal event approaches, no point doing lots of short intervals if you're not a sprinter or crit race etc.

I'm training for the riding I'm going to do in 2025 by riding in 2024.

1000km and 13850m climbing in 75 hours next July.

https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/well-ive-done-something-stupid/

For context I think my longest ride this year was 80miles, so I'm basically starting from nothing ?

So the stepping stones to get there are:

As many Saturday 200k Audaxes as I can enter.

The Rural South 300

Pauline Porter Popularie 3x200

Flatlands 600

A 400, but they all look equally horrible, too long to do quickly, not long enough to sleep. But I have to do one to get the 2500 Super Randonneur award, and it seems almost daft to not go for it if I'm aiming for a 1000 ?

And the training looks like:

Monday - 20 miles easy and 20 brisk

Tuesday 15 easy miles and maybe 40 at the velodrome

Wednesday - 20 miles easy and 20 brisk

Thursday - 10 miles easy and 40 brisk

Friday - 20 miles easy and 20 brisk

Saturday - Rest or Audax

Sunday - Clubrun 50-80miles

The 'easy' miles are mostly gained by just extending my commute. I've got options from 3-25miles that I can do without serious hills so they can be done at a nice consistent Z2 effort.  Lunch rides can be a bit more chaotic depending who turns up.

In an ideal world I want to lose about 3st6lb / 22kg and get my average speed >30km/h for a couple of hours riding.  If I can manage that then I figure that on the day I can jump into a fast group and that way at least the flat portions of the ride can be knocked out relatively comfortably and I'll get a decent amount of sleep.   The problem if I don't achieve that is although 200miles in a day is achievable through shear willpower and tangfastics, it doesn't allow for any recovery, so there needs to be a big injection of speed as well.

I did start a training plan on MyWhoosh but rapidly ran out of time to fit it in so just focusing on 'easy' commuting days and 'hard' group ride days.

I’m training for the riding I’m going to do in 2025 by riding in 2024.

Sounds like the best plan, unfortunately I want to do rides in 2025 that I'm either not physically capable of now, or just wouldn't enjoy! Best use of winter to get myself ready.

I'll be on Trainerroad on the turbo all winter, currently at around 400tss/week, I'll aim to do a few weeks up to 550.

I’ve entered the M312 and Dragon Devil for next year- training should have started a couple of weeks ago but I’ve managed to fracture my ankle in 3 places so it’s just hobbling around on crutches at the moment with some non load bearing leg and core exercises. Have follow up appointment at Southmead Hospital this afternoon so hopefully get an idea of how long I’m going to be in the cast or a boot…..

Watch some Dylan Johnson on Youtube and adapt to fit, he rejects needlessly complicated workouts (Zwift), provides ideas for varying durations of available trianing time (although he says if you’re training less than 6 hours a week you can pretty much ‘just ride’) and gave me some useful ideas for ‘specific’ training, e.g. my idea to work on longer and longer intervals as my goal event approaches, no point doing lots of short intervals if you’re not a sprinter or crit race etc.

Two things I'm focusing on are:

1) Polarization.  Regardless of how fit you are, you can only do so many hard sessions in a week, the harder they are the fewer you can do.  I did a lot of gym work a couple of years ago and it ruined my cycling fitness because doing big squats and deadlifts left my legs dead for cycling for 3 days, so twice a week meant there were no useful (from a fitness perspective) rides.  I think I'm now managing the 'hard' sessions better so they actually work towards a goal (which is that 6 hours of riding you mentioned that most people could do without needing any sort of plan) with making sure that anything above that is low enough intensity that it adds volume but not fatigue.

2) Periodization and tapering.  I've got 32 weeks now to train, so the key things for me are going to be 16 weeks of volume training over the winter to build up time, distance and aerobic base capacity.   Weeks 17-24 is going to a whole lot of sweetspot and interval training to build up the speed. 25-28 is hill reps, 29-32 should just be relaxing into a few long rides to tie it all together.

Having done Trans Madeira in September I've now signed up to do the next one in May 2025.

I've put the start date into my Garmin and let it work out some training for me (same as I did last time) I find it helps to have something planned out to keep too.  3 or 4 riding sessions (often on the turbo) and 2 or 3 resistance/flexibility sessions in a week.

I'm definitely going to be doing more stair climbing/box step ups with weights this time, some of those liaisons are tough!

I'd like to qualify for the world gravel champs narrowly missing the cut last year. Qualifiers are in May for me.

Right now I'm building back after surgery 5 weeks ago. Mostly low intensity volume (just riding) and that will continue well into the new year. Will be doing Zwift racing for a bit of variety. In Feb/March I'll be a bit more focussed - more hard riding over the expected race time length.

Always struggled with structured training. Takes all the joy out of riding for me. I can normally work in the principles to my normal rides but I'm not doing 5x anything in zone whatever.

I did a lot of gym work a couple of years ago and it ruined my cycling fitness because doing big squats and deadlifts left my legs dead for cycling for 3 days

I now understand this much better, I didn't even do any big weight on Monday, just really focused on form and time under tension when doing some hip thrusts. The subsequent DOMs really impacted my short/unplanned smashy ride on the CX bike on Tuesday!

Always struggled with structured training. Takes all the joy out of riding for me. I can normally work in the principles to my normal rides but I’m not doing 5x anything in zone whatever.

Absolutely know what you mean, I think it's all about little compromises, like my Z2 easy road rides probably aren't perfect Z2, but going easy enough for the whole ride would mean rubbish routes or just weirdly restrictive pacing, so they're probably a smidge too hard which just means I'm not going to try anything significant the next day (which works out fine as I'm on family duties anyway).

Also when the weather allows I'll take intervals outdoors and use them for segment chasing (sue me, I enjoy it 😎 ). Compromises the quality of the workout as I'm just doing segments of approximately the right distance at approximately the right HR, but it's much more fun than turbo.

And I've given up on doing Z2 indoors, it's just not worth it haha (maybe because I got fixated on doing 90 minutes minimum).

This is a brilliant thread and is perfectly timed.

I'm a fit and healthy 55 year old... but I also have stage 4 prostate cancer (sorry to mention it again but it's been life-changing...lol). Treatment through 2022/2023 left me fairly close to death, and I have spent most of this year building myself back up and enjoying getting fit again. 2025 sees me get pretty close to my "prognosis expiry date" but I intend to be out there smashing the long rides 🙂

My three stage plan: 1) Identify what rides I want to target for next year; I'm thinking long and hilly mtb, road or gravel   2) Establish a training plan   3) Do the training and enjoy the riding.

I'm currently riding for up to about 8 or 9 hours over three sessions per week. I try and do a couple of strength/weights workouts and two yoga sessions. I do have an indoor set-up but much prefer to be outside. Additionally, I've booked in to the MIHP (Manchester) to get my VO2 max and lactate threshold tested (I understand that most of my riding should be below lactate threshold to avoid increasing blood acidity that will then feed the cancer).

Events? Not sure yet... Fred Whitton, C2C in a day, LEJOG, not sure really... Open to suggestions! Chris Hoy is planning a stage 4 cancer event. I definitely want to be involved in that and plan to make it a super-long-distance charity thing.

Really looking forward to seeing what other people are planning and what training they are doing. Good luck everyone 🙂

I now understand this much better, I didn’t even do any big weight on Monday, just really focused on form and time under tension when doing some hip thrusts. The subsequent DOMs really impacted my short/unplanned smashy ride on the CX bike on Tuesday!

My body seems to be the opposite, 5x5 never gave me more than a warm glow of DOMS. It's cycling that gives actual pain.  The difference is that a hard day on the bike just blunts the next days cycling however painful it is.  5x5 left me unable to ride above what would normally have been Z2 pace.  No pain as such, its just as if my brain is telling my legs to push the pedals, and the signal gets lost.

I'm 'lucky' though, somewhere between endomorth and mesomorph. I put on both fat and muscle quickly so going to the gym isn't required from a cross training perspective, it's just for the fun of lifting really heavy shit.  My challenge is trying to not get fat.  So cycling suits me in terms of it offsetting my weaknesses.  Once this audax is out the way though I'm seriously tempted to give a proper strongman program a go and do a comp in 2026! The limiting factor is my lower back is made of glass.

Having 'enjoyed' etape du tour in 2024 have entered for 2025 with a goal of helping Mrs Llama get to the finish, and maybe improving my finishing position to be higher than the last 500.

Currently in phase of trying to get power up  until end of the year, maybe 8-9 hours per week. I have a coach. My training plan is do what they say. In terms of performance increase per £ spent it's the best value bike upgrade I've ever made, cannot recommend enough for something like this.

@stevomcd have you done col du pre? Looks like the nasty one. Planning on a trip in June to do some sections of the route.

@tinas I cannot even fathom that audax, good luck!

2025 sees me get pretty close to my “prognosis expiry date” but I intend to be out there smashing the long rides

Brilliant stuff Stanley, can only wish you all the best and take your positivity as inspiration, you would probably be horrified at the petty little physical ailments that I sometimes let get in the way of my riding.

And yeah, if you can, I think smashing the long rides has to be the way, most of my training intent is because I keep planning incredible (to me) looking gravel rides, all of which look like ludicrous mileage that I couldn't possibly do in a day, but I don't want to bikepack. Solution: get fitter!

I cannot even fathom that audax, good luck!

@llama, mostly I'm just trying to ignore it and just try and enjoy "going for a ride" more often as training.  On the day then it'll just be 200mile rides (which sounds bad but an achievable challenge) and repeating it on 3 days back to back.

Honestly, as a concept, the idea of a 400 scares me more!

No goals set, but vets road races will be kicking off again in March so hoping to keep/get into good shape for that...3 weeks into a 12 week base phase focusing on TTE

Starting in the 'gym' tonight after a long summer lay off and a delay getting going again due to some minor back ache.

New year will be the usual drying out period and trying to sort my diet out, with a return to intensity and pushing on a bit harder than last year when I think I was a bit conservative.

Goal is a BBAR* on fixed wheel and another BBAR on a tricycle, ideally with a 260 mile 12-hour TT on the 'barrow.

Second Goal is to qualify for the UCI Gravel World Championship in France via the Grinduro. And ride the race too.

Plan, if I can hurry up and shake this current virus and stay remotely healthy (failed this year), is some periodisation of Zone 2 volume and high intensity racing Track League at Lee Valley. Oh, and ride some gravel at some point. Had to take two months off this summer, missing half the BBAR target (i.e., missed one 100 mi and two 12h), them came back for some circuit racing and a week in Mallorca. Then raced first Track League and have missed the next two with viral fatigue... Long Covid is the gift that keeps on taking 🙁

*Britain's Best All Rounder is the weighted average speed for a 50 mile, 100 mile and 12 hour TT's over a season. Previous best is 24.7 mph in 2018.

@llama

I haven’t actually ridden up the whole of the Col de Pré, although I’ve ridden some of it, ridden down it, driven up and down it many times and even ski-toured it in winter!

I went over there to ride it today, but ended up being short on time and had to go back the “quick” way to the Cormet. Late start due to a sleepless night with a cranky toddler! Going to ride the route from Albertville to Bourg in the next few days. After that, there’s snow forecast and the cormet will be impassable until May! It’s already officially closed, but still passable if you dodge the frosty bits and made for a nice, traffic-free ride. Cold though. The lady at the bakery in Beaufort gave me an extra cake for free when I told her I was going back over! ?

Col de Pré will be the toughest climb for sure. At least it’s relatively short and early-ish in the route! It’s not ridiculous though, much easier than Col de la Lauze (although that’s not saying much!).

Mine's a running one - got the Transgrancanaria ultra late February which is about 80 miles/20,000 feet.

Running at least 3 times a week - tempo or hill sessions midweek and long and steady trail or fell sessions at the weekend, plus interval sessions on the turbo and walks.

possibly, toying with the idea of entering the Northcape 4000.   Italy to Nordkapp.

there is a extended time limit this time around. which means 26 x 150km days  which for me at my steady pace means 9 hours of riding per day.  dont seem much when you type it......lol

and the wife has given me the green light if i want to have a go..... and it is not like i have anything else to fill my time with.

Mine’s a running one – got the Transgrancanaria ultra late February which is about 80 miles/20,000 feet.

Was dot-watching a buddy doing the Ochils Ultra in September, made me really want to try one but it's a bit of a jump from a 10k!

Another fasted 90 minute Z2 tomorrow AM, only fasted because it's a Z2 ride so might as well, hopefully train a bit more fat adaptation for longer rides!

Oh, and given I'm now a 'Vet' rather than a 'senior', what sort of form is needed to qualify for gravel worlds? I saw some terrifying average speeds from last year's Gralloch, faster than I could average on road!

possibly, toying with the idea of entering the Northcape 4000.   Italy to Nordkapp.

there is a extended time limit this time around. which means 26 x 150km days  which for me at my steady pace means 9 hours of riding per day.  dont seem much when you type it……lol

and the wife has given me the green light if i want to have a go….. and it is not like i have anything else to fill my time with.

That sounds amazing. What a challenge and adventure.  Hhmmmm.

The Badger Divide... 4th time... South to North.

No events planned yet, but may try the Grand Old Dukes. I'm mostly traning because I enjoy the process, and it is nice to be able to confidently pick up challenges as they come along. I guess it would be nice to hang a bit more consistently with the local chain gang when it starts back up in the spring too.

I'm using TrainerRoad for my plan and indoor workouts - they've recently upgraded the planning tools to make the whole thing really flexible and I find Adaptive Training generally serves up stuff that's do-able and productive. I have it set as a "Masters" plan so I get 2 intense sessions a week and then I'll freestyle the rest. The cargo-bike school run adds in a bit of volume as well.

Have a deferred entry to the Fred, but my lad starts his A levels the day after so will have to try and defer again.

My 60th next year so have an eye on Ventoux and Gorges du Nesque as a bucket list tick.

Also on TrainerRoad, 4 weeks in with an adaptive Masters program, currently on the base phase, then build and specialty in the new year. Really like the flexibility and simplicity of TR.  Just trying to dial in the intensity as feels a bit too easy at the moment. Tho not going to hit Finbar's 400tss just yet.....

For those familiar w trainerroad, my fitness should be increasing during the base phase shouldn't it. Mine seems to plateau even decline if I don't have a long outdoor session at the weekend

Having never really regained  my activity to pre-Covid levels (for all sorts of pathetic half reasons, but ultimately linked to not having a defined target) I am going to try to do more riding through the winter so that I can ride the Dunwich Dynamo given I now live not many miles from the finish.  And from that I am going to use that as a base for something longer in 2026 - having done LEJOG a decade ago maybe a transverse of France or Italy

This winter I will mostly be trying to abuse my body by abusing the Tacx Premium subscription I got last month. Currently on the "Moderate"/30-40km tranche of rides with the streaming video and working my way around the world. Some of them are really nice with good views, a good chance to see the world from my spare room. I'm coming ing that with bodyweight work and some kettlebells throughout the day for upper body conditioning.

There is no real mål for the training, just so that I do not turn into a soffpotatis over the winter break and have a bit of cardio and strength at the start of the season. I'm also using it as a way of making sure I do not go mad over winter.

Honestly, I'm not sure how well the spare room will work in January when it is -20 outside and not much more in that room. I know I will soon warm up, but I don't know how the tv and the laptop will cope with it.

I've got a mix of running and cycling things to work to..

Got teh big dragon ride in June - 300km of hilly goodness. I'll just add in some longer rides adn longer zwift sessions.

The real challenge will be a few half marathons (which are straight forward enough if i'm not injured) in the early part of the year, then the Brighton Marathon in April.
Never done a marathon before - it's the injury that'll get me, so need to run far and slow.

How and when I'll fit this in... who knows!

DrP

Id normally be doing the Strathpuffer in January - done every one thats been on since 2007. But didnt enter for 2025.

May pick up a solo entry nearer the time if im minded to. So just keep doing the do as normal insofar as indoor and outdoor rides.

Only event entered for next year is the Etape Caledonia so far.

Only event entered for next year is the Etape Caledonia so far.

I've got a sort of McFred McWhitton route from my front door that criss-crosses the Etape route, basically head north from Auctherarder to House of Bruar via every nasty little hill in the way, and back again via all the ones you missed on the way out. One for high summer once I've sickened myself of the gravel bike!

To be fit enough to ride 2000m of ascent and descent at the Golfie, Inners. These days I'm like a burst ball after about half that. I could cheat and buy an e-bike with squidge at both ends, but I just love the suffering of heaving a heavy hardtail up and down the trails too much.

No events in mind (yet), would like to get running form back (currently 9min - miles at parkrun) and start strengthening work to prevent injuries and retain muscle mass as I age.

Hopefully enjoy riding too, maybe sign up to an event or two.

To be fit enough to ride 2000m of ascent and descent at the Golfie, Inners

One of my big days oot next year is a Helensburgh to Dundee 200km inspired by your John Muir Way exploits, so you're to blame for some of my unrealistic goal setting!

Had an excellent cold but clear 90 minute fasted ride this morning, rolling home past Gleneagles in the sunrise. Problem is I was half asleep for the rest of the day! Perhaps not a sustainable part of the training plan if I'm falling asleep at the desk by 2pm...

Doing a 150km fatbike race in January, no specific training plan, just trying to build up distance and dial in clothing and gear setup for the cold weather. Normally quite a bit of bike pushing involved so mixing in some strength training, hiking and running and figuring out the best nutrition for the ride.

I've just eased of the cardio training having been hitting it quite hard over the last two and a half years as I had a goal of completing a 300km ride (Frontier 300) and running an ultra marathon before my 50th birthday next month. I've ticked both of those off but have managed to accrue a coupling of niggling injuries in the process, so the plan is to just run once a week and ride once a week whilst doing more resistance training to build some resilience back into my body.

Goals for next year, run at least another 50km ultra and maybe try a 50 mile or even a 100km, and find a 200km gravel event to ride but a lot further south than the Dirty Reiver.

I’ve just hit 59 and hugely overweight so before getting to 60 I’ve set ridiculous goals to achieve including

everesting

virtual Everesting

etape du dales

ronde van Calderdale

fred whitton

Over the past year I've really enjoyed more Endurance XC racing, having entered the Torq 9hr single speed solo for a laugh (on no specific training at all!) with a mate at the beginning of the season and not only really enjoying it, but also being quite good. That culminated in a 12hr solo (SS again) later in the summer that I also really enjoyed.

This winter I'm doing the Brass Monkeys series (3x 4hr races) and my local winter XC series (3x 1hr races), and am looking ahead to my first 24hr solo (again, single speed) in July next year.

I'm trying a training plan too, to see if it makes any difference at all. Definitely has me out on the bike more through the week, which is a good thing in my book. I need the push of a training plan to get out regularly, otherwise I get too comfy on the sofa of an evening!

How's everyone getting on?

Definitely has me out on the bike more through the week, which is a good thing in my book. I need the push of a training plan to get out regularly

This has been my thinking, so far my 'training' has really just consisted of practicing getting out twice a week early morning, so getting my lights and layering sorted mostly! Also the thought of getting up at 5am to be on the road for 5:30am usually helps keep me off the booze the evening before...

I'm updating my plans a bit in order to prepare for a local CX race in March. I'd sworn off CX racing as it just didn't really work for me during the winter months, too much intensity, travel and faff! As a one off though it should be good, justifies two months of intensity work on Turbo and some muddy fun on the gravel bike at weekends.

Then back off the intensity a bit in March before getting back to it in April for another 6 weeks build-up to the Grand Old Dukes event.

I've just booked a week in Mallorca in April. My reasoning is that one week of riding there will get me fit enough for our Summer ?

(Actually, it looks like I might be doing the Marcothon, 3 miles / 25 minutes of running each day in December)

Ha, I'd be training just for the week in Mallorca! You might as well just do the 312 while you're there...

Like TiRed on the previous page my main type of racing is time trials, although this year hasn’t been the best due to a change of jobs impacting my training and racing (I have to work some weekends that prevented me doing any 12hrs) I also came off at the end of August, putting a hairline fracture in my pelvis. Been back on the bike for 8 weeks now, slowly regaining the fitness I had, still not where I was  yet but I’m getting there. If work allows, like TiRed I’m hoping to compete in the BBAR again although age is catching up with me and I doubt I can beat my best average over the three distances I’ve previously done. Its also very course dependent if you get a good time/distance but we’ll see. I’ve also got a hankering to do a 24hr TT, completely nuts but it’s my kinda thing, I love doing long crazy rides !
Up to now due to coming back from injury most of my midweek training/riding has mostly consisted of tempo and endurance, along with a long predominantly Z2 Sunday ride to bring my base fitness up to scratch. I’ve just started introducing sweat spot once a week that I’ll continue for the time being. Come spring I’ll also start doing threshold and vo2 a month or so before the race season starts.

Sounds like we're pretty much following the same structure! I'd love to get in to TT eventually.

I'm trying not to worry too much about my Z2 work, but as soon as I take it outdoors it definitely strays into higher zones at times, even on the geared bike but particularly on the singlespeed. I just have to console myself that it's still better than doing very controlled Z2 indoors, because I'm actually more likely to actually do the outdoor stuff!

Yes z2 indoors can be incredibly mind numbing, even with a group ride on zwift to keep you occupied. Unless it’s dangerous (sheet ice or hurricane winds) I’ll always try to get outside for a group/caff ride and add time before and after to get 5-6hrs in.

Would like to race Battle on the Beach next year - never done it and it looks like a great event. Believe entries go live 1 Jan.

Good season of cross racing underway. Seen a lot of mud, which is good, although only one proper heavy Wout van Aert style track. Skills could see some improvement - the faster riders are very good in the turns, been dropped in twisty sections a few times this season.

I liked the look of Battle of the Beach too! Just a bit far away for me unfortunately.

I remember trying to practice cyclo-cross turns at my local football pitches with courses made of plastic cones. Absolutely NOTHING like the real deal on race day, you just can't replicate that sort of mud!

I remember trying to practice cyclo-cross turns at my local football pitches with courses made of plastic cones. Absolutely NOTHING like the real deal on race day, you just can’t replicate that sort of mud!

I think you can but you aren't breathing out of your backside and trying to keep blood flowing into your eyeballs so that you can see, like during a race. 😀

I'm planning on doing some XC races next year. It must be 20 years since I last did one, not counting 24hour races. First, I need a suitable bike, which is proving a little more problematic than it should. Second, I need to keep my weight where it is now - 83kg - until Xmas, because it will drop naturally through Spring.so that those Welsh XC climbs are a little less daunting than when I was 90kg! I'm running a couple of times a week and trying to ride whenever it's not torrential rain, which is an issue this year.

Another good week of early morning 'base' rides, I'm nailing consistency right now if nothing else.

Problem is, I'm using my singlespeed as it's the only bike equipped for potentially icy roads (studded tyres). I love it, and the feeling that there's no conditions I can't get out and ride in, but after 50km early this morning I feel like I've done 2 hours in the gym!

Trying to figure out how best to work it in to training. It wouldn't be an issue but after potentially 3-4 hours during the week of singlespeed, I then typically want to get out and smash around on the gravel bike, feels like potentially a lot of 'junk' miles when I want to be laying down a good base.

But on the other hand, I just understand 'junk' miles as being miles that are slightly too difficult to e.g. then do a high intensity session on the turbo the next day, but since I'm not trying to do that I guess they're not really 'junk' even if I'm too tired to go hard again the next day.

So I guess maybe I just drop the singlespeeding in the 6-8 weeks before my main event so I can switch over to proper high intensity mid-week stuff on trainer?

I still think in general just getting out twice a week mid-week, regardless of effort or bike ridden, is a massive win for me, consistency has always been my weakest point.

Not much booked in yet for '25  -Hamsterley Beast Enduro and probably some local XC racing. My main focus over winter is not really 'fit' but 'strong'. I've alway had good legs and cardio but going into my 40th year next year I'm becomign really aware I need to work on my strength and muscle mass, core, flexibility stuff etc to give my longevity going forward into (gulp) middle age!

I’ve alway had good legs and cardio but going into my 40th year next year I’m becomign really aware I need to work on my strength and muscle mass, core, flexibility stuff etc to give my longevity going forward into (gulp) middle age!

Ditto this!

I'm already feeling the benefit I think, basic strength work just seems to engage muscles properly again, I'm feeling huge benefits on the bike from doing reverse lunges (only up to 20kg weight so far), hip thrusts (but lowering bum right to ground to really put the glutes in extension) and bird dogs or (light!) deadlifts to really learn to engage core, keep ribs down, strengthen the erectors in the low back.

Felt the benefits on the singlespeed this morning, really being able to stabilise core whilst pushing a big gear from the saddle.

Start strength work now but be humble! It got much easier and more productive for me once I backed off the weight I though I should be lifting and started with embarrassingly low weight whilst I dial in form. Maybe by next year I'll be able to show my face in an actual gym lol

I'd already made a bit of a start over the past summer and it definitely works. Got a barbell earlier this year and started very light, just picked up some more dirt cheap vinyl weight plates from the back of someones shed last week to start loading up a bit.

Time to revisit this thread...

Training:

So I visited the Manchester Institute of Health and Performance (MIHP) for the lactate threshold and VO2 max testing. It was brilliant and I hope to return next year. A few days after the tests, I received my report. This shows me where I start to produce additional lactate (LT1) and where it becomes a problem (LT2). Both of these showed room for improvement through training, and my reasonably high (for age) VO2 max indicated that I had some ceiling capacity to do this.

I was given some suggested workouts to improve: Long and easy Zone 2, LT1 sessions, LT2 sessions and VO2 max improvement sessions. It became apparent that most of my riding had been in Zone 3.   I have now completed a few good quality training sessions and I'm really enjoying my riding.

Events:

I've entered the winter Jennride-  100 miles bikepacking over 2 days in the Lake District in February, and also the Manchester Bee Line 200-  200 miles of bikepacking over 3 days in May.   Also a Velo29 event this Saturday... a chance to bag the last medal of 2024.

I'm still looking at other events and challenges for next year. Any suggestions? MTB, road or gravel 🙂

So I visited the Manchester Institute of Health and Performance (MIHP) for the lactate threshold and VO2 max testing. It was brilliant and I hope to return next year. A few days after the tests, I received my report.

That's cool, how much did that cost?

Z2 is still my bugbear, I get the principles and I like the theory of it, especially being injury prone it's reassuring that 'going easy' can be productive, but recently I've been enjoying using the singlespeed as I have no idea what state the roads will be in and it has spiked tyres. Even on flat roads these are not 'easy' miles, I'm not breathing hard but am using the leg muscles and the upper body!

Did they give you anything practical to take away? Power or HR? Will you be using it on the turbo? Is Z2 as slow as I get the impression it is supposed to be?

Hmmm. Just stumbled across this thread.

Toying with the idea of doing the North Yorks Moors 300 again (did it last year, but I'd like to try and do it in a one-er), and or The Land Between (515km gravel event in Northumbria) in August.

To do either, I need to at the very least get some better padded shorts, and possibly a saddle-fit.

Oh. And lots of long rides!

Big distances! Would recommend Bioracer (or Stolen Goat) Epic bibs. Thick and reasonably dense pad, very compressive legs. I love them. How did you split the 300 up last year? How do you split up the 515km?

Longest gravel ride I'd like to do is 210km (slightly tweaked version of the 'Tour of the Cairngorms'/'Cairngorms Outer Loop'). The Grand Old Dukes event I'm working towards is 180km but is a bit of a different beast as it's largely forestry type tracks rather than the mix of terrain in the Cairngorms!

I might somehow have managed to negotiate a 4 day weekend in May to do an 'endurance block' which will hopefully consist of 4 days gravel around Lochaber and Argyll, I've been sitting on some fantasy routes around there that I never thought I'd get a chance to ride but this could be it! In the meantime I need to dial back my ambitions for winter riders, between the weather and the time available (and the mud) I'm just not getting the 80-100km days done that I thought I might. If you're doing more CX than gravel it seems the average speed can plummet pretty quickly AND you're working a lot harder.

How did you split the 300 up last year? How do you split up the 515km?

185/125km. Spent a few hours on the Sat night in Dalby forest.

No idea on the Land Between, need to look at the route. It's supposed to be a bit more gravel-friendly, so hoping on 2 long days and one overnight stop.

That’s cool, how much did that cost?

£180. Bargain! I would have thought it would have cost 2 or 3x that.

I'll post up some pictures of my report...

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Sights set on my first xc race in around 25-30 years in February! Still trying to decide what category to enter, fun or ‘enthusiast’ whatever that means. Training wise on zwift it’ll be a red and orange coloured one Monday and Tuesday, green Wednesday and yellow Thursday, just picking whatever actual workout I fancy from each list when I get on and an outside ride or two at the weekend. Not sure about the targeted zone 2 stuff for us mortals, I’m sure if you’re doing 25 hours a week it’s good But they’ve got a lot more time to work on the other bits too

Have had some pretty involving family stuff in the last few weeks then I goosed my shoulder hitting black ice on the school run so I havent been getting any of the sneaky volume from cargo biking or any quality sessions.

I have managed to get in the odd run and a few easy sessions on the turbo just for mental health. I'm not too worried about losing fitness but it's definitely important to get out and use the body when I can. Always worth remembering that the point of training is to enjoy it and not get too stressed out if it's not going quite your way.

Early thoughts on trying to bike-train over the winter:

1. I like TrainerRoad.

2. I don't like Zwift much.

3. VirtualPower is a total lottery.

4. Keeping my bike & turbo trainer out on the balcony in winter is pretty good for riding but may not be helping point 3.

5. Trying to do a hard bike session after a full day on a snowboard is.... problematic.

Always worth remembering that the point of training is to enjoy it and not get too stressed out if it’s not going quite your way

Yep, I have to remind myself occasionally that I'm never going pro so can afford a bit of slippage here and there! 😆

That being said, following some basic structure definitely seems to be the key to just getting out more, I went too hard at the weekend in the name of trying a new route I really wanted to do. It was worth it in many ways but 3 days later I'm still knackered! It was basically 4.5hrs and equal proportions Z2/Z3/(low)Z4. Probably didn't eat enough either.

Lesson learned might be to do the fun rides but just lower my ambitions a wee bit...

14 weeks after my fractured pelvis and I’m more or less back to where I was fitness wise. My CTL on training peaks is around the 90 mark (it was just 32 8 weeks after the crash and before I started riding again) I’ll probably do the Rapha500 over Christmas to get some long Z2 rides in then after the festive season I’ll introduce some threshold stuff, over unders, pyramid, 30 on 30 off etc. keeping an eye on my fatigue and if it gets to much I’ll have a rest/adaption week (normally every third week) so my TSS is much lower so I don’t overtrain. Been there, done that and it ruined a good two months of my race season.

Picked up a solo entry for my 1st Strathpuffer 2 weeks ago. Told AI (Chat GPT) that I need a training plan for it, with some workouts linked to zwift workouts and hey presto it gave me a 5 week training plan to follow, mixture of real life training and virtual, of which I'm progressing through week 2 now.

Pretty impressed with the AI generated plan tbh.

Pretty impressed with the AI generated plan tbh.

Could you give us a sample? I guess there's enough stuff out there that it's not going to be far wrong.

I didn't feel quite up to my 5:30am outdoor fasted Z2 this morning but by 6:30am had sufficiently caffeinated to get out on the turbo and try something. I just adapted my usual sweetspot routine for Z2, i.e. gradually lowered cadence every 5 minutes until I was 'spinning' 80rpm. Felt like this was useful training for gravel riding where you might have no choice but to sit at low cadences, so useful to get used to them whilst keeping HR down.

Not sure about the targeted zone 2 stuff for us mortals, I’m sure if you’re doing 25 hours a week it’s good

Meant to respond to this, I sort of agree with you, plus getting fixated on Z2 seems like a good way to miss out on a lot of fun riding, but it seems like a good way for me to maintain consistency if I deliberately keep some rides easy, especially since my weekend rides are likely to be pretty unstructured, so if I was doing 2 x high intensity midweek as well I think the wheels (or legs) would fall off pretty sharpish. Z2 midweek keeps me sane and still allows for fun times at the weekend.

@markspark Cannock? That was one of my first too last year! Its a great event. 'Fun' category is the one to go for if you've never raced before (in recent history at least!).

I distinctly remember someone on the grid giving me advice on how to pace for a ~1 hour race.

"Go off the line at your absolute maximum, on the verge of blackout/vomiting, to ensure you dont drop too far back...

Then, simply maintain that pace till the end of the race...."

@13thfloormonk

Here you go, this is what AI has planned for me next week (I'm most looking forward to the 28th which AI has nothing to do with 😀 )

Edit: FFS that paste went badly

Take 2...

Week 3 (23rd–29th December 2024)

Monday 23rd Dec:

75 mins, sustained efforts (4x10 mins at threshold effort, 5 min rest).

Zwift Workout: "4x8 FTP Intervals" (Custom or Threshold Improvement Plans).

Tuesday 24th Dec:

2.5-hour steady ride with short surges on climbs.

Zwift Workout: "Sweet Spot" (Workouts > FTP Builder Plans).

Wednesday 25th Dec:

Rest (Christmas Day!).

Thursday 26th Dec:

60 mins cornering and technical descents practice.

Zwift Workout: "Mixing It Up" (Workouts > Sprint Workouts).

Friday 27th Dec:

5-hour ride, simulate race fuelling and pacing.

Saturday 28th Dec:

RAVE!

Sunday 29th Dec:

Rest

Rave?? 😆

That looks like a tough week, are you already riding ten hour weeks?

5 hours at race pace on the back of a week of threshold, sweetspot and sprints sounds savage, what does the next week look like?

Yep, off to a rave on that sat eve 😀 Can't wait!

Did 9hrs 55mins, 100 miles, last week. Hopefully by the end of tomoz (Friday) I'll be on 8.5hrs for this week so far. Feeling pretty good but I know next week is going to be tough cos it's Xmas.

Race pace for me by the way is 24hr event race pace. Slow and steady!

Week after looks like this:

Week 4 (30th December 2024–5th January 2025)

Monday 30th Dec:Rest or active recovery (e.g., stretching or light yoga).

Tuesday 31st Dec:60 mins with short, sharp efforts (8x1 min hard/2 min easy).

Zwift Workout: "30/30s" (Workouts > VO2 Max Booster Plans).

Wednesday 1st Jan:90 mins steady ride (Zone 2).

Zwift Workout: "Endurance Ride" (Workouts > Build Me Up Plans).

Thursday 2nd Jan:45 mins skills ride, easy effort.

Zwift Workout: "Active Recovery" (Recovery Rides in Training Plans).

Friday 3rd Jan:3-hour ride with some night riding.

Saturday 4th Jan:Rest.

Sunday 5th Jan:60 mins recovery spin.