Since I've been suckered into this via a good buddy of mine (thanks again Nate…) I can't let him take me out to the middle of nowhere and leave me for dead.\u00a0 No sir.\u00a0 That's not an option.<\/p>\n
This week, I'll explore a little of my training theory and what I'm going to do to get my butt in shape to actually finish this ride without breaking down and crying.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
![\"Pavement](\"https:\/\/tailwind-coaching.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/MKF-300x156.jpg\")
<\/a>Training For Dirt and Gravel<\/h2>\nTrue enough, MKF (that's Monkey Knife Fight because I'm lazy and don't want to write it out each time) is a dirt\/gravel ride.\u00a0 True enough I've got a training program<\/a> for gravel rides and races like MKF or Tour of the Battenkill.\u00a0 But I love to tinker.\u00a0 Most of you know that.\u00a0 You know that I'm always testing new fitness concepts and training programs, trying to build a better mousetrap for myself.\u00a0 And of course, that gets passed on to you as training programs and training articles.<\/p>\nIn this case, I'm going to focus on a couple of specific things for this training program, and specifically this 2-month block of base training<\/a>.<\/p>\nMuscular Endurance<\/h3>\n
When it comes to gravel rides, muscular endurance<\/a> is going to be at a premium.\u00a0 All that dirt and gravel will add significant\u00a0resistance to my tires, so I'll need every little bit of strength to push through.\u00a0 It's also a fairly hilly ride, with multiple climbs above 10% grade.\u00a0 Combine that with the rough surface and you've got a recipe for muscular endurance disaster.<\/p>\nYou see, if you can't spin up those climbs (and you won't be able to: your rear wheel will spin out and you'll bog down) you'll have to gear down and grind it out.\u00a0 The more you try to do that, the more tension on your legs.\u00a0 The more tension on your legs, the more fatigue will set in.\u00a0 Once that fatigue sets in, you're done for.<\/p>\n
To counteract that inevitable grind and the accompanying\u00a0fatigue, I'm planning to do about 40% of my sweetspot and upper-end work as muscular endurance.\u00a0 That means any sweetspot intervals I do will be lower cadence.\u00a0 Most climbing intervals will be lower cadence with big pedal tension.\u00a0 Trust me, it'll pay off in a big way and I'll be able to grind out climbs all day long.<\/p>\n
VO2 Max Fitness<\/h3>\n
Speaking of those steep climbs, I've got to get over them somehow.\u00a0 And no, I'm not going to switch to a compact<\/a> despite the fact I STILL<\/em> think they're the optimal gearing for your average rider.\u00a0 What can I say, I'm a stubborn bastard.\u00a0 What I'm going to do is work on building long form VO2 max power<\/a>.\u00a0 If some of the climbs are going to top out at 10 minutes or less, longer form VO2 intervals are going to be the ticket to effectively get over them.\u00a0 I'll be aiming to start 8 minute VO2 type efforts around the middle of the base period once I get my legs back under me with some solid endurance capacity.<\/p>\nThat being said, endurance capacity is going to be pretty important.\u00a0 Considering the ride is 65 miles, I'll need to handle about 3 and a half hours, right?<\/p>\n
Endurance Capacity<\/h3>\n
3.5 hours in the saddle in early to mid-April is a pretty lofty goal.\u00a0 That's doubly true for a fast twitcher like myself.\u00a0 Honestly, if the world doesn't consist of laps, I'm not quite sure what to do with myself these days.\u00a0 But I digress.<\/p>\n
Endurance capacity is going to be significantly important come April.\u00a0 To help enhance that, I'll be tossing extra endurance work into my program.\u00a0 Any recoveries from higher intensity intervals?\u00a0 That's endurance.\u00a0 Technique work, leg speed drills and such?\u00a0 That's endurance work.\u00a0 10 minutes of warmup before jumping into a workout?\u00a0 That's also endurance.\u00a0 Any chance I get, I'll be keeping my intensity around 65%-75% of my FTP to stimulate that endurance adaptation.<\/p>\n
What's (Zwift) London Got To Do With It?<\/h2>\n
So now, what's London got to do with it?\u00a0 No, not “what's love got to do with it”, I said London.\u00a0 Of course, I mean the Zwift<\/a> London course.\u00a0 Of course.<\/p>\nWhatever.<\/p>\n
In this case, I'm going to focus on a couple of specific things for this training program, and specifically this 2-month block of base training<\/a>.<\/p>\n When it comes to gravel rides, muscular endurance<\/a> is going to be at a premium.\u00a0 All that dirt and gravel will add significant\u00a0resistance to my tires, so I'll need every little bit of strength to push through.\u00a0 It's also a fairly hilly ride, with multiple climbs above 10% grade.\u00a0 Combine that with the rough surface and you've got a recipe for muscular endurance disaster.<\/p>\n You see, if you can't spin up those climbs (and you won't be able to: your rear wheel will spin out and you'll bog down) you'll have to gear down and grind it out.\u00a0 The more you try to do that, the more tension on your legs.\u00a0 The more tension on your legs, the more fatigue will set in.\u00a0 Once that fatigue sets in, you're done for.<\/p>\n To counteract that inevitable grind and the accompanying\u00a0fatigue, I'm planning to do about 40% of my sweetspot and upper-end work as muscular endurance.\u00a0 That means any sweetspot intervals I do will be lower cadence.\u00a0 Most climbing intervals will be lower cadence with big pedal tension.\u00a0 Trust me, it'll pay off in a big way and I'll be able to grind out climbs all day long.<\/p>\n Speaking of those steep climbs, I've got to get over them somehow.\u00a0 And no, I'm not going to switch to a compact<\/a> despite the fact I STILL<\/em> think they're the optimal gearing for your average rider.\u00a0 What can I say, I'm a stubborn bastard.\u00a0 What I'm going to do is work on building long form VO2 max power<\/a>.\u00a0 If some of the climbs are going to top out at 10 minutes or less, longer form VO2 intervals are going to be the ticket to effectively get over them.\u00a0 I'll be aiming to start 8 minute VO2 type efforts around the middle of the base period once I get my legs back under me with some solid endurance capacity.<\/p>\n That being said, endurance capacity is going to be pretty important.\u00a0 Considering the ride is 65 miles, I'll need to handle about 3 and a half hours, right?<\/p>\n 3.5 hours in the saddle in early to mid-April is a pretty lofty goal.\u00a0 That's doubly true for a fast twitcher like myself.\u00a0 Honestly, if the world doesn't consist of laps, I'm not quite sure what to do with myself these days.\u00a0 But I digress.<\/p>\n Endurance capacity is going to be significantly important come April.\u00a0 To help enhance that, I'll be tossing extra endurance work into my program.\u00a0 Any recoveries from higher intensity intervals?\u00a0 That's endurance.\u00a0 Technique work, leg speed drills and such?\u00a0 That's endurance work.\u00a0 10 minutes of warmup before jumping into a workout?\u00a0 That's also endurance.\u00a0 Any chance I get, I'll be keeping my intensity around 65%-75% of my FTP to stimulate that endurance adaptation.<\/p>\n So now, what's London got to do with it?\u00a0 No, not “what's love got to do with it”, I said London.\u00a0 Of course, I mean the Zwift<\/a> London course.\u00a0 Of course.<\/p>\n Whatever.<\/p>\nMuscular Endurance<\/h3>\n
VO2 Max Fitness<\/h3>\n
Endurance Capacity<\/h3>\n
What's (Zwift) London Got To Do With It?<\/h2>\n