Tapering for 100km + races

[fandacious]

fk you okes are way too serious

 

have a braai and drink 6 windhoek lights the night before

[PeterM]

PeterM when you say Max your training do you mean distance and intensity and then reduce both down to race day.

 

Max - both time and intensity. As in 4 - 6 rides/workouts a week at high intensity for about 2 weeks. and then just take it easy for the next 2 weeks. I did that before the Worcester race - my legs were "dead" for 12 days and only started to feel good 2 days before the race.

But keep in mind that this works for me at this phase/stage of my cycling. I only started cycling 4 years ago. My fitness has increased during that time and i feel that i have not yet reached my peak. I also found it very, very usefull to have longer breaks (1 or 2 months) - when i cracked my shoulder in April i hardly cycled for 3 month. After that, with gym work and cycling, my fitness level just jumped up one full level. It really surprised me as i thought the long break would reduce my fitness. I think my body needs longer breaks inbetween training.

Just my 2c worth.

[1hill@aTime]

fk you okes are way too serious

 

have a braai and drink 6 windhoek lights the night before

 

That's friday evening fand, with a few tequilas too, they always seem to make me race alot better, kinda like jet fuel for cyclists

[riaanb]

fk you okes are way too serious

 

have a braai and drink 6 windhoek lights the night before

 

Pfft - Light Beers, now who's too serious?

[Minion]

According to Joe Friel in 'The Cyclist's Training Bible' you split your races into three levels:

 

A priority - Your most important races of the year. There should only be three-four of these. Stage races count as one race, two races on a weekend count as one race.

B priority - Races that are important but not critical. There can be about twelve of these.

C priority - All other races you intend to do.

 

Your annual training is then structured around these races. What you do before the race depends on its priority:

 

A - Training load peaks two weeks before the race and then tapers down to the race. The three weeks leading up to a race might look like:

 

B - No peak in the weeks leading up to the race, but a lighter week right before the race:

 

C - This is treated as a normal training week and you don't do anything special before the race. It would look like Week 1 of the A race, but maybe a little bit less volume.

 

Edit: the actual sessions, volumes and intensities etc. would depend on your available time, ability, goals and fitness; but the overall pattern remains the same.

Edited October 7, 2010 by Edman

[Lucky Luke.]

fk you okes are way too serious

 

have a braai and drink 6 windhoek lights the night before

 

Windhoek Light?? What's on the braai? Vege burgers?

[fandacious]

Windhoek Light?? What's on the braai? Vege burgers?

 

fine - have 6 grolsch's... but dont come moan at me with your hangover...

 

seriously - 100km races are nothing. you don't need to approach it that scientifically

['Dale]

Spat,

 

As you taper your training, also make sure to get an extra 30 minutes of Zzzz time from 2-3 days before the race.

 

Your legs will feel like it belongs to Cancellara, I am sure! B)

['Dale]

fine - have 6 grolsch's... but dont come moan at me with your hangover...

 

seriously - 100km races are nothing. you don't need to approach it that scientifically

Different rides are at different levels with different racing goals, fandacious.

Be cool. B)

['Dale]

According to Joe Friel in 'The Cyclist's Training Bible' you split your races into three levels:

 

A priority - Your most important races of the year. There should only be three-four of these. Stage races count as one race, two races on a weekend count as one race.

B priority - Races that are important but not critical. There can be about twelve of these.

C priority - All other races you intend to do.

 

Your annual training is then structured around these races. What you do before the race depends on its priority:

 

A - Training load peaks two weeks before the race and then tapers down to the race. The three weeks leading up to a race might look like:

 

B - No peak in the weeks leading up to the race, but a lighter week right before the race:

 

C - This is treated as a normal training week and you don't do anything special before the race. It would look like Week 1 of the A race, but maybe a little bit less volume.

 

Edit: the actual sessions, volumes and intensities etc. would depend on your available time, ability, goals and fitness; but the overall pattern remains the same.

 

Great tips, Edman!

Very useful... Hmmm...

[CharlV]

Marius is right, toenails are an important weight saving. A nice haircut also helps and will boost your confidence in a bunch situation.

 

Luke my boy ,i see the hammering on the 32Gi thread we took this morning, is still flowing around this afternoon ,lets see who gets it next ?

who says cutting you hair doesn't help !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Spat]

Thanks guys great info.

 

[Trubie]

According to Joe Friel in 'The Cyclist's Training Bible' you split your races into three levels:

 

A priority - Your most important races of the year. There should only be three-four of these. Stage races count as one race, two races on a weekend count as one race.

B priority - Races that are important but not critical. There can be about twelve of these.

C priority - All other races you intend to do.

 

Your annual training is then structured around these races. What you do before the race depends on its priority:

 

A - Training load peaks two weeks before the race and then tapers down to the race. The three weeks leading up to a race might look like:

 

B - No peak in the weeks leading up to the race, but a lighter week right before the race:

 

C - This is treated as a normal training week and you don't do anything special before the race. It would look like Week 1 of the A race, but maybe a little bit less volume.

 

Edit: the actual sessions, volumes and intensities etc. would depend on your available time, ability, goals and fitness; but the overall pattern remains the same.

 

Pretty much use these Friel principals as described here.

Found that if I dont ride the days leading up to a race my legs feel really heavy and I battle for a long time to get into any kind of rhythm etc.

So I would normally do an hour or so p/day on 2 days leading up to event. Include some short burst of speed to "introduce" the legs to what awaits them next day. More of a habit I suppose than actual scientific.

No special things night before...

Most sleep 2 nights before the race NB