I like to train effectively in just a few rides per week. I CBA being as prescriptive as the books suggest though. I've spent all my winter base training at 75% of my max, which seems to have worked out ok previously.
Does This sound reasonable? I'm doing 1-3 rides a week, probably averaging 3.5 hours total.
Sounds fine but for racing you really want to be doing some intervals which relect the fact that races aren't done at a constant pace
Just do what feels comfortable 
i raced for a few years and even managed to win a race once with no specific training, just lots of varied riding, like clubber said short efforts make big sense for races.
Remember the pace will up just when you don't want it to and you have to react even if you don't want to or can't so you need to incorporate this into your 'training'.
Chain gangs are great for this 
+1 for what flip says. I've never really had specific training plans although I'll use road/crit races for getting myself fully race fit. I've managed to win races in the past through a mix of luck and judgement - it's certainly never been because I've had the best kit or training plan!
Once you've been riding/racing a while you'll know what works for you. About the best training tip is to keep a diary of exactly what you've done, that way you'll know what worked and what didn't. It's amazing the number of people I've met who'll go on and on about their specific Zone 3 for this, Zone 1 for that blah blah but then never keep a record of it.
Thanks guys, I need a plan otherwise I'd just pootle along then stop for beers.
I do do chain gangs (though am not planning to race the road) bu CBA with a diary (I probably won't race next year any way).
If any of the science types have comments on my original query they would be welcome.
Whats CBA?
Can't Be Ar*ed
Cheers!
As you approach your races change your training to be more intense and specific to your aims.
I can only comment on road racing, but in a word you need both ! You need your distance legs that you get through your base training, but you deffo need your anaerobic stuff (red zone) in place. To quote Jens Voigt recently who said something on the line of
"you dont get dropped from a race because you dont put out a steady constant 280 watts for 3 hrs, you do get dropped from a road race if you cant put out 450 Watts for 5 seconds !!"
Obviously the whole peleton issue makes road racing and mountain bike races different but I guess some of the principles are the same.
Its very difficult to do a race without succesfully having your base and your top-end in good shape. But if I had to line up at the beginning of a road race with only one, I'd trade off my base everytime and try to survive on my top end, because you are dead meat without it. (Unless your races are over 3hrs)
Jase are you racing this year?
I'm racing from March, joining in late season because of injury last year was murder.
Might sub up to Team MK as well.
Mainly going to to do a few sportives but will probably have another go at the Bowl crits and perhaps try a few of the Monday night TT's.
Team MK membership now includes a permit for the woods so good value.
I'd say 3.5 hours a week is a little light if you're really serious. The general wisdom is to alternate hard and easy weeks to give yourself recovery time and to mix endurance and strength/speed sessions. I had my strongest legs when regularly chain ganging with the local triathlon club once a week. It'd be the same route every week so if you got dropped you knew your way to the tea shop. At first I'd be dropped half way round but each week I'd get a couple of miles further until after a few months I was making it to the end and pulling my weight in the rotation.
Jase I'm steering well away from the Bowl Crits....too bloody fast.
Chancing it on the grottier courses, they seem to suit me better.
Thanks all, MB - I've heard different things about periodisation!
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