You may recall that in the first issue of the year, Issue No. 651, we featured a piece from Coach John Hughes responding to Premium member Michael M., who wrote to RBR about his “big goal” for his 60th birthday.
Michael wrote: “I will be 60 in 2015. To celebrate that, in September I’d like to do a multi-day ride known as the “Grand Traverse of the French Alps.” The Grand Traverse from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean is one of Europe’s great cycle, motorcycle and auto routes covering approximately 430 miles (696 km), with 47,200 feet (14,410m) of climbing over the continent’s highest mountain roads.
“My target is 7 days, self-supported and staying at either hostels or small lodges/refuges. I’ve climbed a number of passes in the Alps, including Alpe d’Huez, Galibier, Tourmalet and Col de l’Iseran, and Pyrennes (Hautacam).
“I’m not sure how to adapt your training plans to achieve peak fitness for this endeavor.”
Coach Hughes saw Michael’s question – how to adapt the training Coach Hughes lays out so well in his nearly 30 eArticles and eBooks – as a way to address the topic for all RBR readers. And not just the training advice, but also the feedback Michael provides on how he’s doing, the value of following a training plan, etc.
Many of you regularly pursue in-season tours, regular long-distance rides, and your own various “big goals.” So sharing this wealth of knowledge will hopefully benefit a good number of you, no matter how big, or small, your seasonal goals are.
Coach Hughes recommended a phased approach to Michael’s training:
• Pre-season: Build basic fitness. 12+ weeks.
• Break: 1 week break so that you are fully recovered.
• Base: Lay your endurance base for the Grande Traverse and to support the harder training to follow. 8-10 weeks.
• Mini-Tour 1: 3-day tour over Memorial Day.
• Break: 1 week break so that you are fully recovered.
• Power: Develop your climbing power while maintaining your endurance base. 4 weeks.
• Mini-Tour 2: 3 day tour over July 4.
• Break: 1 week break so that you are fully recovered.
• Peaking and Power: Do rides to simulate the Grande Traverse and continue building your power. 5 weeks.
• Taper: Recover fully for the Grande Traverse, 2 weeks.
I’ll let Coach Hughes take over now, first catching up on some details about Michael. – John Marsh
Michael lives on Long Island and commutes to New York City. Despite one of the hardest winters in years, he has exercised regularly. Michael recently wrote with an update on his training this cold, snowy winter:
“I’ve been keeping a log of the Pre-season phase. Looking forward to getting out from under the weather; however, I just used the weather as an opportunity to exercise in other ways. Snowshoeing, long walks, fat bike riding in the snow and lots of core and cross-training indoors. We’ve had so much snow here in the Northeast that it’s built a small cult of riders out here on Long Island. Riding is day or night.
“I’ve been training more than I ever had in the past years during this time and absolutely see the results. For example, the times I’ve ridden a MTB or fat bike, I’ve felt more body power, control and strength. That came as a pleasant surprise.”
Based on his log sheet since the first of the year (as of when this was written), Michael has:
• Exercised a total of 83.30 hours, that’s 8 hours a week!
• Commuted 14 days. His commute involves taking the train and riding his folding bike—real dedication!
• Ridden another 24.80 hours on his MTB and fat tire bikes—what winter?
• Spent 23.5 hours doing core, general strength and karate exercises.
• Put in another 20 hours snowshoeing, skiing, shoveling snow, walking and climbing 140 steps from one of the train stations on exiting vs. taking the escalator.
Michael and Coach Hughes had agreed on specific goals for the Pre-season. Here’s how Michael did (with his own self-assessment following the goals):
Spend quality time with his family at the holidays — no training!
80% of my training is early in the morning, on the way to work, at work or after work when no one is at home. I’m a very committed family guy and really enjoy being with my kids (when they’re around) and my very busy wife (when she’s around!). I’m usually more available then they are!
Start building the endurance to do the ride.
The weather here in the Northeast was ok up to January and then we got snowed in. Most of my cycling-specific endurance training was on the weekend with the fat bike in the snow for 1-2 hours. I’ve been deficient building endurance. So far in March I’m still below target due to the unexpected snow!
Build balanced muscle strength around your knees.
During my commute and day, I perform various dynamic leg strengthening exercises. Once my cycling begins, what happens to all these exercises? I’m pretty zonked from my weekend riding and mid-week ride, so the remaining days are rest days.
Continue your core workouts
3 times/week. Consistent on this. I need it because I have a weak back.
Lose those 3 or 4 pounds.
2 lbs lost. I really do have to stand up to my carb intake! No sugar, which is good. But too much bread and potatoes with my meals. I can clean that up though in the next month or so.
Coach Hughes comments: I’m impressed with your balanced approach to training and ingenuity in building it into your daily routine!
Doing the leg exercises to maintain your leg strength just once a week is sufficient. Perhaps you could do a midweek ride on Monday or Tuesday, do a short active recovery ride the next day, then do leg strength on Wednesday or Thursday, and then another active recovery ride before riding on the weekend. Riding 4 days a week, including recovery rides, is the minimum to improve—5 would be better. But still keep taking one day off!
Do not cut back on the carbs! You need them to support your volume of training. Instead, look for ways to cut back on the fat in your diet and consider reducing the amount of protein. Many of us eat too much protein—a serving should be about the size of a deck of cards. My eArticle Healthy Nutrition Past 50 has the information you need on the best diet to support your training.
Michael and I have agreed that as an overall goal he needs to train up to a peak week of 300 miles (482 km) in 7 days, about 2/3 the distance of the Grande Traverse. The Grande Traverse averages about 110 ft. of climbing / mile (20 m / km), so in those 300 miles he should climb about 33,300 ft. (10,000 m).
Base Phase: When you can do more riding outdoors is the time to lay your endurance base that you’ll need for the Grande Traverse and to support the harder training to follow.
This is the time to:
1. Build fitness to ride 60 miles/day for 7 days.
2. Increase cruising speed.
3. Continue core workouts.
4. Experiment with your nutrition.
5. Of course, continue to spend time with your family.
My eArticle Spring Training provides 4 different 10-week plans. With your Athletic Maturity and Pre-season training volume of about 8 hours a week you can jump into plan #4, the Endurance plan.
Starting the week of March 30 – April 5, you have 8 weeks until your Memorial Day mini-tour. Follow the first 7 weeks of the Spring Training program during which you’ll build up to a century. To be fit enough to ride 60 miles/day, you should be able to ride 100 miles in one day. Be sure to do the Sweet Spot and Tempo workouts to improve your cruising speed. Each program alternates harder and easier weeks. If weather interferes, make that an easy week and then pick up the training when you can get on the road again.
Now is also the time to figure out and perfect your ride nutrition using Nutrition for 100K and Beyond.
Mini-Tour (Memorial Weekend – 3 days): After building up to a century following the Spring Training plan, jump to week 10, an easier week to recover for your 3-day mini-tour over Memorial Day weekend. Your goal for the Grand Traverse is 60 miles/day with 6,750 ft./day of climbing. On your mini-tour ride 40-50 miles with 2-3,000 ft. of climbing each day.
This is also an opportunity to spend time with your family. Pick a nice B&B that is 40-50 miles away. While you ride there your family can drive. The next day do a ride starting at and returning to the B&B. The last day ride back to the starting point.
Break: After your successful mini-tour, relax and enjoy time with your wife and daughters and during the week do just a few short, easy rides. At the end of the week do a baseline time trial to establish your current fitness.
Continue to train and have fun!
At the end of his Spring training, Michael and I will update RBR readers on his progress and the training plan for Peaking for the Grande Traverse.
Coach Hughes has lain out for Michael a custom phased program so that he can have his best cycling season. Learn how you can develop your own custom phased program using Coach Hughes’ upcoming eArticle: Preparing for and Riding Your Best Season Ever. Look for it soon!
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