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I Did a (Vets) CX race yesterday and while I still enjoyed it, I was as weak as a kitten and just had no strength to punch up climbs.
I think the problem is I've spend most of my (admittedly quite limited) riding time over the summer (and probably the preceding winter TBF) doing longer road and Gravel rides, So I've sort of adapted to doing long steady efforts of 4-6 hours with minimal anaerobic stuff (Z2-Z3) and thus most rides haven't been stressing me with higher effort stuff.
Sunday was pretty much all Z5 from start to finish, I had tunnel vision starting to creep in at various points, and while I was kind of getting more comfortable with it after about 20 mins and was recovering a bit more on descents My pace, especially on climbs, was just waaay down.
I was fine about ten minutes after the race, and today I could probably jump on the bike and do a longer (distance/time) ride if I had to, so I think the one thing I've managed to improve perhaps is general recovery.
But the big question for me is what do I do to rebuild some of my lost strength? targeted weights sessions? HIIT? indoor trainer sessions (not zwift)? endless brutal hill reps? Trail running? all of the above?
What I really don't like doing is some short sharp exercise that then leaves me unable to move properly for three days, but I think I might actually need to.
Sounds like you just need some top end - try one proper interval session a week and keep racing at the weekend. VO2 max develops (and diminishes) quickly, so you will see results.
Don't do any trail running.
The point of this is more to raise hour power in general for the cross race, not to go out and start throwing digs like you're Wout van Aert. Most amateur cross below elite levels is a sustained effort, because most people can't repeatedly go into the red with the almost zero recovery you get on a cross course.
intervals and lots of them.
As you know race fitness is so different to general riding fitness.
few power workouts here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1P7kHGzKYRybuZedCEehWzoxpMrsbKJJY4sjYt-XqBcI/edit?usp=sharing
The worst interval session i've ever done is tabata. In all the years i raced/trained i only managed to do it properly about 3 times. It's absolutely brutal but does target some serious fitness
I found cross was a combination of good FTP but top end aneraobic. Fast recovery is crucial
Sounds like you just need some top end
Yep basically, but it's not something I've ever had to specifically target before.
@trickydisco - Cheers for that I shall have a read over lunch.
Since I started doing sweet spot and threshold / vo2 type training on my turbo trainer I’ve found I have much more fitness for short hard punches when out on the mtb.
Weight training for legs seems to help when descending in terms of my legs not wilting but I’m not convinced it makes a huge difference to speed uphill.
You say no Zwift but that’s an easy way of of getting some more Z4 / Z5 practice - just you don’t want to do too much of that or you’ll burn out.
Found tabatas (even badly done ones) and sweet spots over the winter really made a difference out on the bike. Not doing any races, but ability to hold high intensity on climbs and feel i had a bit of headroom
Advice on top end seems fair but I expect your capacity to improve strength as a vet probably exceeds your capacity to improve FTP. I would do both - strength and VO2 max work.
@cookeaa How much cross racing have you done btw?
Not loads, a handful of races over the last couple of seasons and a couple back almost a decade ago now.
I think I'm noticing the effort more because of age (almost 44) now. I'm certainly not now nor expecting to become, a CX God but I'd like to improve generally and I've still got a few years in me yet I reckon.
I'd like to race more and faster, the issue is my weekends are not really being my own generally at present, local Sunday CX suits best because the actual racing doesn't require huge amounts of time, travel or kit.
Weight training for legs seems to help when descending in terms of my legs not wilting but I’m not convinced it makes a huge difference to speed uphill.
I can imagine squats (maybe with kettlebells?) rather than full-on weights, could have some value if you're just gently working Quads/hip flexors with a wee bit more than self weight? Or is that just gibberish?
You say no Zwift but that’s an easy way of of getting some more Z4 / Z5 practice – just you don’t want to do too much of that or you’ll burn out.
It's More down to not having the kit (missed the Pinnacle trainer bargain the other day) but I'm not totally keen to invest lots in a pretend cycling setup either.
I've got a dumb trainer with an old Garmin mounted and HR strap/sensors so I can do simple indoor sessions well enough on that, I've done that before mostly something similar to the "Terrible 20's" described in trickydisco's shared doc, a bit more variety in the workouts and more focus on VO2Max rather than just Beasting myself with Threshold...
Cheers all, these have been handy responses.