darb85

Ok I have 35 Days until the Cherry-Roubaix Race here In traverse City Michigan. I have an ok base going, Able to do a daily 30-40 mile ride with a nice average(decent hills 18 avrg Solo). But this being my first road race Id like some feedback on my Plan. Im obviously Cat 5 so I need to do 3 laps of the 12 mile circuit.

Starting tomorrow This will be my plan:

Days 1-7:

Day 1: 30 mile ride
Day 2: 2 Circuit of the race course(24 Miles)
Day 3: 60 Minute interval Training(1 min on 3 min off, 7 reps 15 minute W.U. 15 Minute Cool down)
Day 4: 40 Mile relaxed ride
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: 3 Circuit of race course(36 Miles)
Day 7: rest

Days 8-14

Day 8: 20 mile Time Trial
Day 9: 30 Mile relaxed ride
Day 10: Rest
Day 11: 3 Circuit of race course
Day 12: 40 Mile Ride
Day 13: Rest
Day 14: 4 Circuit Of race course, 1 easy, 2 hard, 1 easy

Day 15-21

Day 15: 40 Mile Ride
Day 16: Rest
Day 17: 3 Circuit of race course
Day 18: 20 Mile Time trial
Day 19: 30 mile easy ride
Day 20: Rest
Day 21: 60 minute interval(2 on 2 off 7 reps, 15 minute W.U, 15 minute Cool down)

Day 22-29

Day 22: 40 Mile ride
Day 23: rest
Day 24: 3 Circuit of race course, At speed
Day 25: rest(begin taper, possible spin on trainer, low speed)
Day 26: 45 minute ride, easy spin
Day 27: 20 mile spin, no climbs
Day 28: 60 minute interval, (:40 on 5 off 5 intervals 15 W.U 15 Cool down)
Day 29: 20 mile spin

Day 30-35

Day 30: rest
Day 31: 20 mile ride
Day 32: 1 Race circuit(at speed)
Day 33: 1 race circuit(easyish)
Day 34: Rest, feed day
Day 35: Race day


Do you see any places that I might need to change? Im wondering if I may be tapering too long, I come from a distance swimming background so I set it up in the fashion that I know the best. Am I over training?

Thanks guys!

mkadam68

Ummm... It looks like this is all solo riding. Where's the training races? Fast-paced group rides? What do you mean by "at speed"? If you can maintain race speed while riding solo, you're a monster and will soon be moving up the categories.

Seriously, though, training races--with groups!--are your best training device. I suppose, though, if you don't have access to them, then this plan is certainly well thought out and at least a plan.

Of course, many here (BF) will tell you this being your first race, just go & try. Since riders upgrade from 5-->4 based on the number of starts, it won't matter if you get spit out the back or even win the whole thing. Use your 10 cat-5 races as your training races for cat-4. You'll quickly learn where you need to improve.

darb85

ok thanks. Ya the training races/group rides exist up here but I dont get out of work in time for the start of them. I will be training with a couple of guys who are big races on the at speed days, I gues my point of at speed was fast effort. thanks!

darb85

31.85 Miles at 20.1 today, backed off for my friend that I was riding with. felt great. had more in my, my friend didnt. tomorrow is my first time on the course.

Mind if I use this as a training log or is that just annoying?

skinnyry

have you rode the course? how big of a impact on the race u think the hills will be? think that it favors a strong climber?

mike868y

Use the training status thread.

darb85

roger wilco. didnt see it thanks

darb85

finish is off of a climb It could favor climbers, Im riding it tomorrow. we will see how it goes.

skinnyry

what is the finish climb like? how long and how steep?

darb85

https://www.cherry-roubaix.com/events/road_map.pdf not horrible, its the 2 climbs leading to the larger one. we will see how it goes tomorrow

grolby

The only comment I have to make is that it makes more sense to build a training plan around time, not distance.

darb85

why is that? Is it a distance per time thing? how much you can finish in the same amount of time?

umd

Because it doesn't matter how far you go only how much time you spend doing it and how hard you are riding. A 20 minute threshold interval is a 20 minute threshold interval whether you go 10 miles or 5.

darb85

ah that makes sence. thanks ill plan accordingly

umd

Also as you get faster, if you are planning based on distance you get less of workout in.

grolby

Simplistically, because that's how your body works. Distance doesn't mean anything. The amount of distance you cover in a given amount of time will vary based on a number of factors, depending upon the environment and your level of fitness. The only way to keep a consistent training load is to base it on the duration of your efforts.

Varns269

darb85..... I am also thinking about riding in that race. It would also be my first face ever. Let me know what the course is like and how bad those hills are. I live in the Metro Detroit area so hill training is not the greatest. Thanks

carpediemracing 

You mention a swimming background. Do you do speed work in swimming? Like 25 meters "as fast as possible"?

Reason I ask is you seem quite capable of doing the race fine, distance-wise, but you may find difficulty dealing with the top speed / surges in the race. Is there any way you can work in efforts where you're going 30 mph for a bit (30 seconds), 35-40 mph (for however long you can hold it, even just hitting it)? These are the efforts that will drop a lot of riders in a race. Expect to see surges of 30-35 mph in a race, when guys attack and such. Also expect to feel such efforts, even if they don't necessarily go that fast (i.e. "Oh, man, that felt like a surge to 35 mph... wtf we only hit 25??").

You can also work on raising your expectations on the hills.

Short version:
Use stupid big gears and experiment on the hill. Do you normally climb it on a 39x15? Try the 53x12. Don't laugh, just try it. When you commit to trying it in a different way, you immediately start thinking of ways to survive. This way you won't fall over when you come to a complete stop, etc. I used to struggle in a 39x25 equivalent up a really, really steep climb at UCONN (Horsebarn Hill I think). I asked a better rider what gear he'd use going up that hill in a sprint. 53x12. So I tried it. And although I exploded near the top, I realized that, yes, it's possible.

Here's a long version of what I'm talking about (climbing, not Horsebarn Hill):
https://sprinterdellacasa.blogspot.co...ic-and-me.html

I learned the hard way that:
1. Speed > Fitness
2. Climbing speed > what I think I can/should do on a climb
3. Difficulty going fast > difficulty going far

hope this helps.

Oh, and read the sticky at the top of this section. And remember there are riders around you in the race; don't cut them off.

cdr

gregf83 

If you've got a decent base then it doesn't look like you have enough intensity planned. You seem to have a lot of rest or easy riding days and not many 1 - 5 min hard intervals. I would find a hill roughly the same length as on the course and do hill repeats at least once a week, the kind where you feel like puking at the top.

Further to what CDR said above, TT efforts and riding around the course will not prepare you for the race. The power profile of a solo lap around the course, regardless of whether you ride hard or easy, will look nothing like the profile during a race.

Read the sticky on interval training and try and fit in 2-4 interval sessions each week.

Grumpy McTrumpy

this happened in the crit saturday. after being over 30 nearly every time I passed the S/F line, I was OTB for ten laps and then "sprinted" up to an astonishing 25mph on the final lap. Felt like all-out though.

brianappleby

I need a feed day.

darb85

I was wondering on this. Thanks

darb85

we all need feed days.

Thanks for all the input guys! I appreciate it. Im probably over thinking this as its my first race, but Im going into it trying not to get blasted out the back. so ya.

skinnyry

what about the course? i been waiting all day.

darb85

haha sorry man forgot about that. long day. anyways. THe course. THe start is down hill, no big deal there, mostly uphil for a while, but minor to the first turn, then into 2 climbs back to back, really 3 the way the last one comes out, not horrible, but challenging none the less, up to the next turn(will be tricky if they dont clear out all the gravel with the yellow line rule) good straight for a while, this will be a high speed portion that will devieve, dont pull to the next climb, the next climb seperates the men from the boys, only because its so soon after the last couple and steeper, but the decent works to your advantage, roads are smooth to the next corner, 100 feet or so of potholes on the right just outside of the corner. then flat to the finish, THe climb to the finish is short but damn its steep, definatly a climbers finish, but honestly anyone with the legs will do fine, as short as it is, it might be contested by the sprinters as well, the finish line is about 100 yards or so from the finish line if the old faded paint line is any indication. A very challenging course the two laps equaled 24.3 miles I averaged 19.8, not that that really means anything to anyone but me.

Hope that helps, PM me if it doesnt ill do my best to answer any questions