Battenkill - Meeting House RoadI

[dc]I[/dc]t's no secret to anyone who is familiar with this blog and with my podcast that I have an eternally romantic view of the Spring Classics.  The Belgian Holy Week of de Ronde and Paris Roubaix is one of the most captivating weeks on the calendar for me, and here in the northeast US, the Tour of the Battenkill is no exception.  It's also no secret that I have a love/hate relationship with America's Queen of the Classics, as evidenced by the ridiculous cramps I suffered in 2011 and the awful back spasms that knocked me from the race in 2013.  That doesn't mean I don't still love it, though.

As of today, 11/15/14, registration is finally open for the Tour of the Battenkill 2015 Pro/Am Race and the Tour of the Battenkill 2015 Open Race/Gran Fondo.  As I do every year, I've analyzed the route, pored over the details of the climbing and descending, and I've put together my 2015 Battenkill Training Plan.  For those of you who want a little extra edge, remember that you can always add Training Plan Support for a “semi-custom” training experience.  Keep in mind that this 20 week monster plan is power meter compatible, heart rate monitor compatible and even suitable for those training just on perceived exertion. You can add it to your cart below, or you can visit the Tailwind Coaching Battenkill Training Store for a few other suggestions to help you on your quest for the famed chocolate milk.

2015 Battenkill Training Plan

America's Queen of the Classics returns for it's 10th year!  Featuring a new start/finish at the Washington County Fairgrounds and a new course clocking in at 68 miles in length, featuring 8 dirt road sections totaling 15 mile of unpaved punishment and throwing 4029 vertical feet of climbing with a maximum gradient of 17% at you, the 2015 edition of Battenkill is sure to be a monster.

Be prepared to lead the pack with this 20 week training plan.  Used to increase threshold power a massive 21% (on average) and power racers to several top 10 finishes and podiums in last year's race, this year I've revised the plan to further suit the changes in this year's race course, especially the dirt road uphill kick to the line!

I've also added a bonus strength training workout to help you get on top of the muscular fitness necessary to succeed in a race of this magnitude (requires a kettlebell, purchased separately, or access to a gym.)