[Skier78]

After a pretty bad first race of the year (really heavy legs and cramps 2:3 into the race) I started to look a bit closer at how I prepare for races. I think I had too much rest the week before the race (no riding the last 3 days before the race).

Some background: Masters 40 rider racing mainly marathon events in Sweden (usually 3-3.5hrs racing, mixed single track and gravel). Training 10-13hrs/week year round.

This is my plan for the week leading up to my next race:

Monday: Strength training upper body
Tuesday: 2hrs zone 2 on the road bike
Wednesday: rest
Thursday: 2,5hrs sweet spot + 6x30sec intervals on mountain bike
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 1h leg openers, 4x45sec intervals on mountain bike
Sunday: race

Nutrition: Normal food with a bit extra proteins and fat during Monday-Thursday. Thursday evening-Saturday evening carb load making sure to consume 10g carbs/kg body weight each day.

Any thoughts/comments on my plan? How would you prepare for a 3h race?

 

[kosmo]

For a three hour race, that plan looks reasonable, and it's clear you've put some thought into it.

You said you had a "pretty bad race". Rather than nitpick your plan to death, I'll cheerfully remind you that we've ALL had bad days on the bike. Don't overreact!

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

As kosmo said above, your plan above looks reasonable...but everyone is different.

Although, you might take a different approach if this was a "C" race...i.e. train right through the week with your eyes on a bigger prize down the road, or an "A" race that is your main objective, in which case your week before would look different if it was a C race.

Dylan Johnson just upload a nice video about tapering strategies that might be useful to you ->

Where abouts in Sweden are you? I'm in Denmark just above Copenhagen and have been doing a bunch of MTB marathons and gravel events here. Haven't made it across to Sweden much yet accept for one gravel fondo type thing on the western coast in Hamlstad (the Dirty Halland).

 

[Skier78]

For a three hour race, that plan looks reasonable, and it's clear you've put some thought into it.

You said you had a "pretty bad race". Rather than nitpick your plan to death, I'll cheerfully remind you that we've ALL had bad days on the bike. Don't overreact!

Thanks for the comment. Logically I know that I should not overreact, but it is frustrating after spending the winter with good training and then not getting it out on race day

I think I just want to make sure I prepare as well as I can so at least that is not a factor in the race result. Then **** can always happen anyway, but at least I can be happy knowing I have done my best.

 

[Skier78]

As kosmo said above, your plan above looks reasonable...but everyone is different.

Although, you might take a different approach if this was a "C" race...i.e. train right through the week with your eyes on a bigger prize down the road, or an "A" race that is your main objective, in which case your week before would look different if it was a C race.

Dylan Johnson just upload a nice video about tapering strategies that might be useful to you ->

Where abouts in Sweden are you? I'm in Denmark just above Copenhagen and have been doing a bunch of MTB marathons and gravel events here. Haven't made it across to Sweden much yet accept for one gravel fondo type thing on the western coast in Hamlstad (the Dirty Halland).

That was a nice video, just the information I was looking for, and it sort of confirmed the plan that I made as well. Thanks for that!

I treat the race series (långloppscupen) as B races this year and my A race is a 5 day stage race in France in the end of July, so I want to be fast for the B races but it is not the main objective of the season.

I live just south of Helsingborg, so very close to Denmark I race the Hot cup weekend races in Denmark and then långloppscupen in Sweden. If you are looking for a nice marathon in Sweden I would recommend Snapphaneturen in Hässleholm, not so far away from Denmark and a lot of really nice single track.

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

.

I live just south of Helsingborg, so very close to Denmark I race the Hot cup weekend races in Denmark and then långloppscupen in Sweden. If you are looking for a nice marathon in Sweden I would recommend Snapphaneturen in Hässleholm, not so far away from Denmark and a lot of really nice single track.

Ha! I probably look across the Sound and can see your town when I'm walking my dog or riding my bike on the coastal Strandvejen road. I live in Rungsted Kyst

I did the first HotCup in Dyrehaven (master 40+ here also) but DNF'd with 1 lap to go with with a mechanical. Not sure I can make any others though due to family visits, etc.

Would love to venture across and do a marathon in Sweden though. I'll look that race you mention up. My A race is TransAlp 7-day stage race in July. We seem to be on similar paths

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Skier78]

Ha! I probably look across the Sound and can see your town when I'm walking my dog or riding my bike on the coastal Strandvejen road. I live in Rungsted Kyst

I did the first HotCup in Dyrehaven (master 40+ here also) but DNF'd with 1 lap to go with with a mechanical. Not sure I can make any others though due to family visits, etc.

Would love to venture across and do a marathon in Sweden though. I'll look that race you mention up. My A race is TransAlp 7-day stage race in July. We seem to be on similar paths

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It is a small world
Good luck on the TransAlp, that looks like a proper challenge with all that climbing.

 

[chilla13]

I don‘t live across the sound but I spent a year at Stockholms universitet almost 1,5 decades ago. Does it qualify me for giving tips on nutrition and specific race prep? Definately not. My main focus is on XCO but I ride about 5-6 XCM races a year. What works best for me is changing almost nothing at all. As I do only 10h-12h of training per week there is no necessity to cut down the volume. I even like to do some VO2max intervals three to four days prior to the event. And: no experiments! I used to overcook it with extra carbs, etc. It always left me feeling bloated und unhealthy. No need to overload.

 

[jimPacNW]

Half of my great-grandparents and older were from both Sweden and Denmark; Bolander on the Swedish side and Christensen on the Danish side. I've never been to either country.
Yes, that plan looks quite reasonable, and I think you could switch your Friday and Saturday depending on your life schedule.
3 days off would have me feeling a little stale. I often take the day before off, and sometimes two days off before, but to keep fresh & sharp I'd do almost any ride other than a huge leg destroyer on the 3rd day prior (like Thurs if the race was Sunday), days 2 and 1 before are not such a big deal, even a 20 minute ride with just a few sprints, - just nothing huge. Lots of sleep in those days before (especially Friday night, so that you're not depending on a good sleep Sat to be well rested), don't overeat and minimize the alcohol. If I can, I go out for Vietnamese food the night before, I always seem to feel great riding the day after Red Thai Curry and Phad Thai from the Vietnamese place.

 

[kosmo]

Chiming in again briefly (because I'm up stupid early for an event that actually happens TOMORROW!).

My Macro Plan for the Week Before a Race:

1. Don't get stale.

2. Don't overdo it.

 

[Skier78]

Thanks for the advice so far (even the non-scandinavian advice ) I'll try the plan I posted during next week (race is on sunday) and report back if it worked or not.

I think in general it is better for me to not have too many complete rest days.

 

[kosmo]

Thanks for the advice so far (even the non-scandinavian advice ) I'll try the plan I posted during next week (race is on sunday) and report back if it worked or not.

I think in general it is better for me to not have too many complete rest days.

Best of luck!

Side Note: Polish and Norwegian heritage here!

 

[waltaz]

Bacon and you’re good...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Skier78]

Now I have tried the strategy that I wrote about, it worked quite well. The nutrition part was good, no stomach problems and felt that I had energy the entire race, and no cramps.

My fitness (in Trainingpeaks) dropped a bit more than I had hoped during the week, so for the next race (already this Sunday) will try changing the tuesday easy ride to something with higher intensity, but keeping it short in time and keeping the rest of the plan the same.

The race itself was a lot of fun, really wet and muddy with nice single track sections.

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Nice work.

Sunday another one in Sweden? Or Race Days in Denmark? (A UCI C1 I believe)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Skier78]

Nice work.

Sunday another one in Sweden? Or Race Days in Denmark? (A UCI C1 I believe)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks! Sunday is up in Mora in Sweden (so a 650km drive one way...), it is part of the race series Långloppscupen that I am racing.

 

[jimPacNW]

Nice job! -now get some fenders! One of those flexible plastic ones that zip ties under the fork crown, and one for under the down tube. You can keep much of your own mud out of your face/eyes, and off your bottle, your glasses will stay a lot cleaner too. Around here dog walkers are lazy, there is dog crap on most all the trails; that's not just dirt and decomposed leaves that are getting on your bottle spout.

 

[Skier78]

Nice job! -now get some fenders! One of those flexible plastic ones that zip ties under the fork crown, and one for under the down tube. You can keep much of your own mud out of your face/eyes, and off your bottle, your glasses will stay a lot cleaner too. Around here dog walkers are lazy, there is dog crap on most all the trails; that's not just dirt and decomposed leaves that are getting on your bottle spout.

Thanks! Most of the dirt actually comes from the other riders, about half of the race was on wet gravel roads, trying to keep as close as possible to the rider in front of me I got pretty sprayed.