I’m getting really confused about how I should structure my training. I’m using trainerroad in the week and riding outside on the weekend but aiming to mimic the sorts of sessions trainerroad suggest where possible. Once it gets lighter I’ll be commuting some days to mix things up in the week but again mimic trainerroad where possible.

What with one thing and another I’ve not started a trainer road plan properly but last week i started sweet spot based mid vol 2. I’ve not got time to do all the base, build, speciality before getting into my bulk racing.

My racing year’s as follows (fingers crossed, assuming no injury etc):
lovecrossed 31/01 (not taking this seriously, going along for the craic)
block of xc races 13/03, 4/04, 17/04, 24/04, 8/05,
month gap till xc 11/06,
longer gap till final regional xc 31/07.
cx series starting september.

Is doing a month of a certain trainer road plan enough to make a difference or do i scrap the idea of periodisation and mix everything up?

I was thinking 4 weeks of sweet spot base through Jan, 4 weeks short power build through feb, into the xco specialty at start of march – run that through till 8th may race, then back off again slightly.

Depending on how I’m doing on the regional mtb xc series I might just start base for cx after the 11th June race, but anyway can re-assess training after the intense block.

Any thoughts? Particularity on whether a month of the different phases is enough?

Where are you currently in terms of fitness and base training?
How may hours a week can you train?

What class of Xc caring are you doing?
What are your goals?

Strengths/weaknesses

Have you done an FTP test?

Age?

Current fitness is average to good. Raced the regional cx league up until 1st Nov, with some reasonable results, then injury, other commitments etc led to reduced training and a drop in fitness. Been focusing on longer rides over christmas break. Feel fresh but not up to full fitness, about 10% down on my PB’s on strava. Did a winter xc race a couple of weekends ago and was distinctly mid field.

Training in week is pre or post post work so say 1.5hrs per day max, on the weekends I can probably do 3hrs a day max.

Standard xco racing, sports cat in regional series, some sports cat national level events and maybe the odd other race if i feel like more races than outlined above.

Goals – simply to do as best as I can in the National series races, have no BC points due to not having a full license till now so will be starting at the back of the grid. In the regional series I got a fluke 3rd series overall result last year due to a random win. If I can mimic that again this year I’ll be chuffed.

Strengths: climbing, I’m sub nine stone.
Weaknesses: starts and sprints though these were improved over cx season.

Age: 35,
FTP: 307 according to the trainerroad virtual power but I in no way believe that as it puts my w/kg as 5.4 which is ridiculous

If that w/kg is anything near would have thought you would be able to get some good results if you can get the right training in.

I can’t see how you will get the benefits though if you don’t get the base load in-unless you think you already have it. If you have then doing a month of sweet spot based training will start to make a difference. Personally I’d set your target race out at least 3 months from now and effectively train through some of the earlier races.

Cheers, thing is my key events are the regional series (13/03, 17/04, 8/05, 31/07, and it seems now from another thread possibly 1 in June too). As I do better on hilly races the first one could be a goody for me too.

At the end of the day I’m doing it for fun and as I really enjoyed cross this year I’m never going to work around a yearly macrocycle, instead its going to be a 6 monthly cycle (Jan-Jul XC racing, Jul-Dec CX), with in both cases ~2months of no racing and ~4months in race season.