EARLY SEASON WEEKS 9-12
As the first event approaches, you will now spend more time on specific cycling training. You start to include some moderate and high intensity rides. Because you are training for a long endurance ride, the duration of your rides continues to increase. Make sure you drink and eat sufficiently especially as the weather gets warmer. For example High5 Energy Source.

WEEK 9 EXAMPLE (Start week)

	New to MTB Rider	Regular MTB Rider	Experienced MTB Rider
Monday	REST	REST	1 hour 15 minutes MTB
Tuesday	45 mins MTB	1 hour 15 minutes MTB	30 mins cross train or MTB (optional)
Wednesday	REST	30 mins cross train or MTB (optional)	1 hour turbo / road ride
Thursday	30 minutes MTB / Road bike	45 minutes MTB / Road bike	45 minutes cross training session
Friday	REST	REST	REST
Saturday	1 hour 45min MTB	2 hour 30 minutes MTB	3 hours MTB / road bike
Sunday	30 mins cross train or MTB (optional)	1 hour cross train or MTB	1 hour MTB
Week should consist of:	3 low intensity rides 1 high intensity ride or long interval	3 or 4 low intensity rides. 1 or 2 high intensity rides (eg - one short and one long interval session)	4 low intensity rides. 2 high intensity rides. Including one short and one long interval session

During this phase, all groups have the option of adding another cross training session or ride to their programme. You should have made considerable fitness gains by this stage and so if you are feeling good add the extra session. If you are finding things tough enough already, keep the day as a rest day. Don’t risk over training. This is also when we introduce Interval training as a method of increasing burst power and sustainable speed.

PROGRESSIONS WEEK 9-12

Week 10 (build week) - Repeat the same workouts as week 9 and still keep your 30 minute sessions unchanged. Increase the duration of other sessions by 15 minutes and the duration of your longest ride (Saturday) by 30 minutes.

Week 11 (push week) - Repeat the same workouts as week 10, keeping your 30 minute session unchanged. Increase the duration of other sessions by another 15 minutes and the duration of your longest ride (Saturday) by another 30 minutes.

Week 12 (recovery) - Repeat the same duration of workouts that you did in week 5. All groups should remove one workout from the week and replace it with an extra rest day. Stay away from interval training during your recovery week.

SAMPLE WORKOUTS WEEK 9 TO WEEK 12 FOR ALL GROUPS

Choose rides from the following groups as detailed above -

LOW INTENSITY RIDES

Long rides will be done at this intensity

• Café ride. Social ride at conversation pace. Keep moving. Don't try to race your mates up the hills - hold back. No anaerobic work.

• On a rolling course with several easy hills, stay seated. Don't muscle up the hills.

• Turbo trainer - focus on spinning / technique and maintaining a high cadence of 80-90 rpm.

• Really easy flat ride - focus on keeping high cadence and good technique.

HIGH INTENSITY RIDES

These are best done in a shorter training ride.

• Repeat the 30 minute time trial in weeks 9 and 13 as you did in previous weeks.

• Ride for between 40 and 60 minutes at a moderate pace. Not quite flat out but at a sustainable pace. Concentrate on good technique.

INTERVAL TRAINING (1) SHORT INTERVALS

• 10 minutes warm up - Then ride flat out for 2 minutes. Rest by cycling slowly for 3 minutes. Repeat 3-5 times (New to MTB Rider). Steady cycle after.

• 10 minutes warm up - Then ride flat out for 3 minutes. Rest by cycling slowly for 3 minutes. Repeat 4-6 times (Regular MTBer). Steady cycle after.

• 10 minutes warm up - Then ride flat out for 3 minutes. Rest by cycling slowly for 3 minutes. Repeat 5-8 times (Experienced MTB Rider). Steady cycle after.

The above intervals can also be done up a slight hill. Recover by riding back to the bottom of the hill.

INTERVAL TRAINING (2) (LONG INTERVALS)

• 10 minutes warm up - then ride moderate hard pace for 6 minutes. Slow cycle 3 minutes. Repeat 3-5 times (New to MTB Rider). Cool down

• 10 minutes warm up - Then ride moderate hard pace for 6 minutes. Slow cycle 3 minutes. Repeat 4-6 times (Regular MTBer). Cool down.

• 10 minutes warm up - Then ride moderate hard pace for 7-8 minutes. Slow cycle 3-4 minutes. Repeat 3-8 times (Experienced MTB Rider). Cool down.

Progress the number of repetitions in each interval session throughout the 4 week cycle. For example – 3 reps in start week, 4 reps in build week and 5 reps in push week.