MTB Marathon Training

[Alpine Sports Coaching]

Hi,

 

Looking for good training advice for MTB Marathon event. Any suggestions?

[Taps]

Simplest advice. Go ride one, if you k#k off you need to train more. If you do it in your anticipated time / placing you're doing OK.

[Alpine Sports Coaching]

LOL, shot for the advice. Im training hard at the moment, long technical rides, gym work and spinning. Any other pointers?

[Vinnydabutcher]

Running - trail running if possible.

[IdeJongh]

Best training advice I received - find a non-tech road (dirt-roads, even 'heaven forbid' tar) and ride at 70-75% MaxHR constant for as long as you anticipate your marathon will last (maybe andd 10%). Do this at least once a week between your other rides. You build the endurance for the time in the saddle. When you start becoming comfortable with the time in the saddle, start adding power intervals the last 15minutes of the training session, then the last 30minutes and so on. Before you know it you can ride say 4 hours with power intervals throughout.

 

But have one session in the week also where you dont watch HR at all, just go and ride like a kid over all the tech terrain you can find. Good for the mind and good to keep the skills sharp.

 

Enjoy it.

[Alpine Sports Coaching]

Best training advice I received - find a non-tech road (dirt-roads, even 'heaven forbid' tar) and ride at 70-75% MaxHR constant for as long as you anticipate your marathon will last (maybe andd 10%). Do this at least once a week between your other rides. You build the endurance for the time in the saddle. When you start becoming comfortable with the time in the saddle, start adding power intervals the last 15minutes of the training session, then the last 30minutes and so on. Before you know it you can ride say 4 hours with power intervals throughout.

 

But have one session in the week also where you dont watch HR at all, just go and ride like a kid over all the tech terrain you can find. Good for the mind and good to keep the skills sharp.

 

Enjoy it.

 

Thanks for the advice.

[Alpine Sports Coaching]

I'm not struggling so much with the distance, its more when the big climbs are thrown in with it. That normally breaks me. So for the climbs, find a hill and climb, climb climb?

[IdeJongh]

I'm not struggling so much with the distance, its more when the big climbs are thrown in with it. That normally breaks me. So for the climbs, find a hill and climb, climb climb?

 

But thats what the power intervals do, prep you for the harder sections during a longer ride.

 

Apart from that, pacing yourself is the key. Gear down, granny up if you have to, dont get caught up in the hype. Pace the hills up at a solid HR and smash the last 1/3rd of the race, you'll pass all the eager beavers without a doubt.

Edited January 16, 2012 by IdeJongh

[IdeJongh]

But look, this is just my way of doing it, going into ultra-marathons this year with epic on the horizon and the scale of it boggled my mind. But I approached it exactly as I explained above and I managed to finish Attakwas strong on Saturday passing at least 50 okes in the last 30kms, so the formula works for me.

[Alpine Sports Coaching]

Thanks alot, will give it a try and see what happens.