Hi all,
Haven’t raced since I was 15/16 (38 now) but have signed for the Tweedlove International race at the end of May so want to start trying to focus my training a little. A busy work and home life means I usually only get out on the bike once or twice a week, 90 mins on a midweek evening which will be fast paced on or off road depending on the weather (last week was on-road on our MTBs and we did 18.6 miles with 1500ft of climbing), and then 3 hours or so on a Sunday morning, off road, usually in the Chilterns where we’ll do 25-30 miles with 2000-3000 ft of climbing.

I go to the gym 2-3 times a week and do boxing training, sometimes yoga, and sometimes spin/watt bike classes (today I did a 30 minute interval session and still feel dizzy an hour later!).

I can use the watt bike at the gym any time but do get bored indoors after 30-45 mins.

Is there a particular type of training I should be trying to introduce? I know getting out more is an obvious answer, but with limited time at my disposal, it’s more a case of making the most of the time I have rather than adding extra time.

I’ll be adding in a few uplift weekends and days at Aston Hill to try and hone my skillz, but it’s the fitness side of things where I could do with some pointers.

I don’t really know how long the climbs or stages are, or how steep and techy, so guidance on that would be good too.

Thanks in advance.

I don’t really know how long the climbs or stages are, or how steep and techy, so guidance on that would be good too.

Potentially pretty long, think 5,000ft a day of climbing.
Descents will be a mix of pedally sections with shorty, sharp climbs through to very technical and steep.

If using the watt bike (or any indoor trainer) make sure you are following some form of plan rather than just spinning away.

I did the EWS at Tweedlove last year and was taken aback at how physically hard it was to race the stages – riding them was fine, but racing them was a different story. That’s with decent MTB fitness, but a total lack of uplift riding or sustained downhilling experience. My hands were like claws on the bars at then end of one of the longer stages, arms on fire.

So I think as much uplift stuff as possible would make the most difference, with the gym also being v helpful. Doing the usual big mountain bike rides in the hills is fine, but I wouldn’t expect that general bike fitness to be more than background support for the enduro.

One thing you can chill out on, though, is the transitions – the cut-off times were hugely generous, real soft-pedal stuff. I think there’s no motivation to be binning people out of the event by setting demanding transition times.

im slightly older and do less exercise than you, I made it round the last 2 tweedlove ews races

If you want to do well interval training would be the way to go, easily achievable in your 40 mins on the trainer

reasonably technical, confidence on steep stuff is essential to enjoy the race, so pick aston in the wet and do root canal! longer uplifts might be good too, eg bpw/cwmcarn, bit of strength stuff useful

the pace of transitions isnt too tough, but they are quite long and not being shagged at the later stages is very useful, so try getting in some longer days in the saddle if you can

Ive signed up for all 3 tweedlove enduros, so some training would be very good, especially as ive slacked off over xmas and vallejullah is approaching soon
however twins are due end of may so doubt ill be doing the international!

Go & do some uplift days, do some little regional DH races, and when you ride, try hard on all the downs.

That general amount of fitness work will give you plenty of base to make it round a loop, but as mentioned above there is a big difference between riding, and racing a stage.

Do as many interval sessions as you can on the turbo, proper balls out sprinting stuff. Then do some more. Then start doing it in normal rides too.

If you can ride already, the difference in fitness is what sets the quick guys and the really quick guys apart. The key to that is intervals.

Thanks for the input. I only ever did local XC races when I was a teenager, so suspect the whole race-pace thing will come as a shock to the system! Although I will be pleased to just finish it, I’m doing it with four mates, one of which is/was a top national level DH racer so the competitive side will start to show I am sure!

How long are the stages in terms of distance and descent?

Quick question re rest days if that’s OK. Should a rest day involve zero cycling, or is it OK to potter around at low speed instead of walking? I commute into London via train and either walk or cycle the 1 mile at either end – should I walk this on rest days or is a slow paced, suited and booted cycle no different?

Thanks again

I’ve only done smaller scale enduro races but even with them you find that you’re not used to going absolutely flat out for 4-6 minutes. If you use Strava, set up a matesrace competition with some mostly downhill segments of the right length, ride them as fast as you can but pedal gently between them. Much easier to get to real race pace/effort when you’re competing like that.

Hi all,
Haven’t raced since I was 15/16 (38 now) but have signed for the Tweedlove International race at the end of May so want to start trying to focus my training a little. A busy work and home life means I usually only get out on the bike once or twice a week, 90 mins on a midweek evening which will be fast paced on or off road depending on the weather (last week was on-road on our MTBs and we did 18.6 miles with 1500ft of climbing), and then 3 hours or so on a Sunday morning, off road, usually in the Chilterns where we’ll do 25-30 miles with 2000-3000 ft of climbing.

I use to live and ride in The Chilterns. I now live and ride in the Tweed Valley.

To give you some perspective. On Sunday we rode at the Golfie, only did 13 miles but over 3000 ft of climbing (and descending). The longest descent we did was a ‘stage’ often used, Repeat Offender (top, middle, lower), a mile in length and 947ft of descending.

https://www.strava.com/segments/8228187

Also, big tyres at lowish pressures will come in handy.

reasonably technical, confidence on steep stuff is essential to enjoy the race, so pick aston in the wet and do root canal!

I’ll be honest, there isn’t anything in The Chilterns (or South East really) that comes close to what we’ve here… 😀

I use to live and ride in The Chilterns. I now live and ride in the Tweed Valley.

To give you some perspective. On Sunday we rode at the Golfie, only did 13 miles but over 3000 ft of climbing (and descending). The longest descent we did was a ‘stage’ often used, Repeat Offender (top, middle, lower), a mile in length and 947ft of descending.

https://www.strava.com/segments/8228187

Also, big tyres at lowish pressures will come in handy.

Very handy – thanks. I rode Glentress last September – just looked back and at Glentress I did 21.5 miles and 3760 ft of climbing. It was certainly a lot ‘bigger’ than the usual Chilterns stuff.

https://www.strava.com/activities/385485957

Loved Peebles – the Highland Games was on that day so ended a great day watching the pipe bands marching through the high street! Lucky man…

Just looked at that segment – Wyn Masters in 5th place!!

Just looked at that segment – Wyn Masters in 5th place!!

The fast boys are beyond fast. Greg’s PR is almost half my time…, and I’m only half-way down the list.

If you are up before and want a bit of local knowledge/riding of the off-piste stuff, just PM me.

This’ll likely be the longest stage of the weekend, and it’s actually now a fair bit longer too: https://www.strava.com/segments/7334284

It will hurt.

Coming back to Enduro this year, my last was the first go at UKGE…

At the time I was racing regional DH on shorter travel bikes which helps, being able to do 4-6 mins of solid effort 5 or 6 times in a day with the links is harder work that=n you think…

My training as such these days is around general fitness and longer riding and finding the longest technical trails I can and riding them 🙂

Had my one visit to the Enduro/unmarked Glestress/Inners/Golfie this Summer it bears very little resemblance to the normal stuff 😉

Do some other races. A big part with enduro racing is just the racecraft, just about nobody does well in their first one. Greg Minaar got made to look like a donkey in his.

Similar position to the OP.
Last race of any kind was the Kielder Classic in ’91 🙂
I’m 43

Entered Vallelujah and also ‘Ard Rock this year as a bit of a taster.

Hopefully I’ll let myself relax and not take it too seriously. I know I’m susceptible to the opposite however!

Is this week by week approach worth trying?

http://www.redbull.com/uk/en/bike/stories/1331644388920/dan-atherton-s-mtb-enduro-training-tips

I’d suggest that they have a pretty good idea how to train for an enduro yes 😉

Ive signed up for all 3 tweedlove enduros, so some training would be very good, especially as ive slacked off over xmas and vallejullah is approaching soon

Doing Vallelujah as well – forgot about it tbh but see that it’s not too far away. It’s starting from Selkirk, right? Will that be up and over into Innerliethen do you think or will they use tracks around the Yarrow valley?

Latest email said start/registration was at Glentress.

If your not used to riding the sort of stuff they are constantly building in the tweed valley, the fitness shouldn’t be the worry. The stuff at golfie is up a level from most folks riding in the UK, very steep and techy in general.

…but they promised me flowy and fun! 😕

If you have the skills, it’ll be fun and flowy!

LoCo – Member
I’d suggest that they have a pretty good idea how to train for an enduro yes

Shame it’s properly vague though

What are the best races in the South/South east I should be looking to try beforehand to gain some experience?

Wges at afan and bpw, bes at afan
Enduro 1 at bagshot thus weekend, except multiply the length of route, stages,climbing and technicality by 1000000, but still a good way to get your head round the format