From the pages of Peak Region Cyclist

By Cameron Chambers
Carmichael Training Systems
Every race has its unique challenges and obstacles and will demand that you prepare for it in different way. Last year at the Carmichael Training Systems Classic Pro XCT Race we saw top level mountain bike pro’s duke it out over three days with three very different courses to tackle. On the men’s side a different rider won each of the races. Their skills and preparation had each one of them better suited for one type of race over another.

So you have decided to train for a team relay 24 hour mountain bike race, which will certainly be a unique set of obstacles that you must prepare to conquer. Multiple long hard efforts with limited recovery, staying up late all night riding your bike in the dark, dealing with the massive calorie output, and all the time trying to out ride the competition. How you approach training for a 24 hour race will be unique from any other cycling event. Follow our guidelines in this article and you will be on the way to making the most of your all night adventure.

Developing a huge aerobic engine is priority number one for these ultra races. Rather than slugging out endless hours in the saddle it is better to focus on high quality time on your bike. Knowing your anaerobic threshold and then building up your ability to do longer and longer repeated tempo and steady state intervals is the key for building this base. Luckily for MTB’ers in the Peak Region we get the opportunity to do huge climbs up into the mountains, you can structure these into 20-30 minute or even longer repeated intervals, and then still get the joy of ripping back down on singletrack.

VIDEO: Cam Chambers talks about the 2011 24-Hours of Colorado Springs

As you reach the point where you are able to do repeated tempo efforts for 80% of your expected lap time during the race, you can move to specialization for the race. Hopefully this can begin about 2 months out from your race. Over/Under intervals are always my go to next step to prepare me for the race. This is a longer interval much like the steady state intervals, except with a twist. You ride for 4 minutes at or just below threshold then crank up the pace into the red zone for 2 minutes of anaerobic riding, then settle back down into your threshold for four minutes, and repeat. Generally I will shoot for 3 exchanges in a set and do 2 or 3 sets. This style of interval is great for mountain bike races, where often the terrain demands a huge effort that puts your heart rate above threshold and your ability to clean the section and then settle back down into race pace can be the difference of minutes on course.

In a month out from the race I want to develop a little top end and mentally toughen myself up. Power Intervals are my choice for honing in my fitness and developing the last few percentage points that could be the difference between the podium and packing up your tent early. Power Intervals are all out three minute efforts, followed by an equal three minutes easy, then right back on it. I will shoot to start with 6 in a row and hopefully bump up to doing 10- 3 minute intervals two weeks out from the race. This is also a good time to get in some double days of riding. A morning session of Power Intervals followed by a solid evening trail ride helps get you used to getting back on the bike after a hard ride that same day. With MTB racing when you put in big efforts it is generally scrambling up a climb. Therefore try to do these intervals on a dirt surface with your cadence a little lower to mimic those conditions. Developing this top end power is going to mean that you are that much more comfortable when sitting back down at race pace. As well these intervals are tough, pushing through multiple sessions of Power Intervals and coming out stronger on the other side will give you a mental edge that your competitors will not have.

Remember that this whole process is all about having fun through challenging yourself on your bike. Mold workouts around your favorite rides, get out and hit the trails, push yourself to explore a new route. All the while bring a new level of focus into your training plan so that you can achieve all that you are capable of and have a blast along the way. See you out there in the dark.