Hi Bruce You've got it - sounds like you read my article? There is a basic paradox in multi day stage events that you rarely if ever do sustained efforts at or above threshold power, but power at threshold is the primary determinant of endurance capacity. This isn?t to say that endurance rides aren?t important ? they are key. Another aspect to consider is specificity. The closer to the event, the more "race like" you should be training. An example for a periodization plan for the Cape Epic might be: - Transition - Endurance phase [tempo training] - Top-end training [Power level 5, 6] - Threshold training [Power level 4] - Tempo blocks - Taper / Sharpen / Race That is more or less reverse periodization in terms of intensity. The general idea is to first raise threshold power as high as possible then build the endurance required for the event. The final big tempo blocks are key and you should aim at getting a ride in that is at least 6-hours and not usually more than 8. When to end that final tempo block and enter the tapes depends on your base and race intensions. If the goal is a good solid finish, you probably want to enter the taper about 2 weeks prior to the event. If your intention is race domination, you?ll want to end it 3 weeks prior and after your freshen up (about a week) do a week?s worth of higher intensity MTB stuff to bring on top end ? but that?s something I would strongly recommend for future events - you need a huge base to pull that one off. A three week taper will leave you flat (less fit) if your base isn?t big enough.
