Had a trawl through few online but some seem a bit vague. Anyone used something well structured and felt it was useful? Ta

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What level of fitness/skill are you starting from?

What are your aims?

CX is short, intensive, and technique dependant, therefore I’d say a training needs to match this. The issue is that with one or two races each weekend, Monday and Friday are rest days, leaving only three days to train.

Me, well;
Tuesday is running intervals, short and fast with a small amount of recovery.
Wednesday is club specific CX training, so lots of technique work, say an hours worth, then a 20 minute race intensity mini race.
Thursday will be on the rollers doing two by 20 minutes at a set power level.

If I’m not racing then one longer session at the weekend, (2.5 hours), and one more shorter interval session, (less than 60 minutes).

Good question re aims etc:

Did a few races last year and enjoyed them so decided to have a proper crack this year. Done 3 races already this season, def feel stronger than last year thanks to reasonable road riding through summer. However, the fields have become much larger – almost 190 a couple weeks ago so my results look worse: 122, 112 and 133 so far 🙁

I’m riding single speed so always going to be a challenge but want to get into top 100 over next few races and a top half finish before end of the season. Possibly bit optimistic but I think I can do it with the right course (last weekend every place I made on the climbs was cancelled out by the long flat straights on the back half of the course)

Like everyone else I haven’t got a great deal of free time but only race on the Saturday. I wouldn’t say I’m skilled but judging by races I’ve done I can make up time on the ‘technical’ sections.

Assuming you have a good base then structured intervals is the way to go with plenty of threshold work. Get in a 1 1/2 hr sweetspot rides a week a recovery ride and two hard sessions. Look to simulate parts of the race so say 1 min 90%, 5 mins at 85% and then 2 mins flat out. 10 mins inbetween 4 sets
Also 2 x 20 mins of 20 secs sprint/40 secs 80-85% with 10 mins inbetween

As you say, if you’re already limiting yourself to riding SS then any good result will be course dependant and a choice of the correct ratio to run.

As Mike says intervals are key, race with a heart rate monitor and understand the levels you are working at then calculate the numbers. Pick sessions that you like the look of and get them done.

Cheers guys, I’ve got a turbo trainer and sufferfest so maybe a week might be:

Mon – Turbo 1 hour
Tue – open water swimming 1 hour (season almost over so change to skills on cx bike)
Wed – Run – intervals 1 hour
Thur – Road ride 1-2 hours or cx bike skills session
Fri -rest
Sat – Race

What do most people do the day after a race? Complete recovery or a skills session?

When I race Saturday and Sunday, I simply have a long warm down after each race, say an hour, and rest completely on the Monday. This is mainly due to being busted because of the travelling involved in getting round the country rather then the affects of actually racing.

Sufferfest are great, very effective time wise. Nothing wrong with the above plan providing you are actually working to the required intensity rather than simply going through the motions.

Maybe I’ll add an optional skills or low intensity run on Sundays depending how I feel.

Cheers for the advice, intensity and focus seems to be the name of the game which makes sense given the races themselves.

Btw ever used latex inner tubes, worth it? £8 michelin ones from crc at the moment

Latex tubes are good if you’re running tires with really soft side walls, like Challange open tubs, however if you run tires with thick sidewalls then I can’t really see the benefit to be honest.

Much better just reducing the pressure in the tire bit by bit until you pinch flat all the time, then add a couple of PSI 😀

Cheers, yeah I had read about the tyre suppleness being a key factor. I’m on grifos but the cheaper of the clincher versions. Normal tubes until such time as i can afford a set of tubs then 😉

Thanks for your help

I’d say try ’em if you’ve got Griffo’s as they have soft sidewalls. What pressures do you run them at?

Challange are excellent as you can train and race on the same tread, yet use clinchers and tubs.

Can’t remember what pressure I run, I’m about 72kg. They are the non folding clinchers, not sure how soft the sidewalls are compared to the other grifo clinchers?

What Sufferfest do you have? A good cx specific on is Revolver – 15 X 1 min intervals designed to help recovery.

As others have said, intervals are key. My week at the moment is;

Sunday – Race
Monday – Day off
Tuesday – Either Tabata, Sufferfest or my own of 10 x 1/1 Z4 – 20 x 5/25 second sprints & 6 x 1/1 Z4.
Wednesday – Gentle 90 min ride,
Thursday – Race
Friday – Day off
Saturday – Gentle club ride.

Once Thurday’s series finishes it will be replaced with skills.

May not be for everyone but it works for me. I need to work on off bike skills too as that lost me 3 places Sunday. Had I been stronger I could have potentially got top 10 overall. 😥

I’ve got the hunted and a very dark place, might look at getting revolver though.

I need to practice my remounts which are pretty bad and some time in the mud will probably pay off as winter draws in. Chapeau on your result, still impressive!

Part of the key is to vary what you are doing. I try not to do identical sessions each week and also look to take 1 week in 4 a bit easier. This last week I raced Saturday and Sunday so this week it is

Mon Low intensity _ starts, hurdles and general cx bike handling
Tuesday 1 1/4 hrs sweetspot
Wednesday High intensity chain gang (will switch to turbo shortly)
Thursday rest or recovery ride
Friday 3 x 10 mins of unders and overs
Saturday Steady cafe ride but with 3 1 minute intervals
Sunday Race

Yeah last week was a light week for me with only 2 sessions and a race. What do you do in the sweetspot and under and over sessions?

Sweetspot training is just below threshold. For me its about 80-82% of MHR and is an intensity you can hold for a good hour but is not easy.
Unders and overs are wear you spend 1 minute just above threshold and 1 minute just below. It not comfortable but replicates those surge and recovery elements of a cx race (where you still need to be going quick in the recovery phase)

Thought I’d leave this link here for future reference