Workout Of The Day for Saturday, 11/20… “About What You would Expect.”
Howdy folks,
Wow… it’s really close to the end of the season for most of us! If you’re in the Seattle area, there are only a couple of races left in the season – and Nationals is so close you could almost oversleep and miss it!
What the heck does this mean for our training?
For one thing, it means that at this point, you really aren’t going to be gaining much fitness (OK, maybe for nationals, but certainly not for the local stuff!) Ya’ run what ‘ya brung at the races…
This also means that you aren’t going to lose much fitness. Feeling tired? Rest. It is far easier to lose fitness by overtraining than it is to gain fitness at this late date.
We’re going to switch the focus of our training to a speed and taper mode over the last couple of weeks of the season, but just remember – be careful, be conservative, and err on the side of Less for the next, last couple of weeks.
On with today’s workout…
Once again, operating on the assumption that you are racing on Sunday, we’re doing the beloved Can Openers:
– Warm up for 1/2 hour or so.
– Follow with several short attacking efforts, IE 30 seconds at 80% of your max, or pretty damn hard.
– Back off and spin for 5 minutes.
– Follow with 10-15 minute effort at AT level, or CP30, or “I could talk to you if I had to, but I don’t want to” level.
– Spin for several minutes.
– Follow with 5-6 full gas start efforts on a straight section of paved road, level or slightly uphill.
You want to begin these from a dead stop, with one foot unclipped.
Do not stop until you get at least 3 perfect starts in a row, and I mean perfect; this is the cross equivalent of practicing free throws. make ‘em count.
… spin out the legs, go home, and get ready for the race.
Or maybe the RSWO if you’re stuck inside!
– Get on trainer. Spin for about 5 minutes.
– Shift into big ring/largest cog combination.
– Ride 30 seconds in this gear, then shift up one cog.
– Ride 30 seconds in this gear, then shift up one cog.
– Repeat until you hit the hardest gear you’ve got, or can handle.
– Ride 30 seconds in that gear, and then shift all the way back down to the Big/big combo.
– Ride 30 seconds in that gear, then immediately shift to hardest gear you can handle.
– Full gas sprint, out of the saddle, for 30 seconds.
Back to big/big combo.
– Spin for two minutes.
– 5-10 minute effort at your 2×20 output level.
Repeat The entire sequence (Usually minus the 2nd 5-10 minute effort.)
Have fun!
M
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