Training for 24hr enduro races

PepsiMax

Likes Bikes
Ive recently gotten considerably keen on mountain biking again but with a more serious note.

Ive decided to test my physical & mental strength by competing in adventure races with a with mates and also compete solo, in 12hr/24hr endurance races

I'm just wondering what would be the best type of training for endurance races?

I do know my stuff when it comes to fitness, as I am a qualified fitness trainer, but I would like the advice of some experienced enduro races.

Im kinda guessing this for a training plan
* + 250km road bike rides 2 times a week, lots of hills for the climbing strength
* min. x2 interval based training sessions per week with a min duration of 90mins
* +250km offroad riding per week 3 times a week

just wondering how this sounds to the more experienced races

and can you please share your training plans and thoughts
 

jmcavoy

Likes Dirt
Ive recently gotten considerably keen on mountain biking again but with a more serious note.

Ive decided to test my physical & mental strength by competing in adventure races with a with mates and also compete solo, in 12hr/24hr endurance races

I'm just wondering what would be the best type of training for endurance races?

I do know my stuff when it comes to fitness, as I am a qualified fitness trainer, but I would like the advice of some experienced enduro races.

Im kinda guessing this for a training plan
* + 250km road bike rides 2 times a week, lots of hills for the climbing strength
* min. x2 interval based training sessions per week with a min duration of 90mins
* +250km offroad riding per week 3 times a week

just wondering how this sounds to the more experienced races

and can you please share your training plans and thoughts
Wow 500k+ a week is a lot of riding, I will kill to have that kind of free time (I'd be lucky to get 250-300k in a week) ;)
Your plan sounds solid, my only suggestion would be to ease into it, but as a qualified trainer you would already know that.

Good luck, the Easter 24 in Canberra is the best solo 24 on the calendar, a good vibe due to it being solo only, and still plenty of time to train for it...
 

Shrekmeister

Likes Dirt
Wow 500k+ a week is a lot of riding, I will kill to have that kind of free time (I'd be lucky to get 250-300k in a week) ;)
Your plan sounds solid, my only suggestion would be to ease into it, but as a qualified trainer you would already know that.

Good luck, the Easter 24 in Canberra is the best solo 24 on the calendar, a good vibe due to it being solo only, and still plenty of time to train for it...
yep totally agree, if you can bike that much, recover from it, and hold down a job which will allow you to sustain life, hold down a family life, not get injured, not get sick from being run down....your doing damm well in balancing life..

also totally agree with with the comments about Easter 24, be back this year for our
4th time...
 

RED_RACER

Likes Dirt
Wow 500k+ a week is a lot of riding, I will kill to have that kind of free time (I'd be lucky to get 250-300k in a week) ;)
Your plan sounds solid, my only suggestion would be to ease into it, but as a qualified trainer you would already know that.

Good luck, the Easter 24 in Canberra is the best solo 24 on the calendar, a good vibe due to it being solo only, and still plenty of time to train for it...
At 500k per week you had better hope he isn't in your age group, I am...

I think 250km on the mtb is massive. If the top 100km riders average 25km/hr you are looking at 10hrs + on the mountain bike alone. I would only spend time on the mtb if you lack the skills otherwise you can get all your fitness from the road. Save your drivetrain for the Sydney 24hr or Capital Punishment.
 

spikenet

Likes Dirt
I cant imagine doing a 250km road ride let alone 2x per week! Longest roadie ride I've ever done is about 120kms. I tend to measure my workouts with other parameters rather then distance.

Some pretty common sense comments thus far, I'd suggest doing some research online checkout lwcoaching.com or ftptraining.com for plans and tips or getting a good book like "training bible".

There are plenty of great forum threads on 24hour training and racing, good luck!
 

quiggs

Likes Dirt
Wow
a couple things come to mind

I hope your a single (I would be divorced if I even mentioned this amount of training)

You have a good sponsor in knicks and chamox cream.

You understand the signs of over training because they will set in the 2 or 3rd week into this kind of training

And are part time in your PT, becuase how the hell are you going to do all this around.

I pose the question back to you what if one of your clients suggested this as a program to you, would you consider it as too much, not enough or just the right amount of training load??

I'm not too concerned if you are in my age grp in 24hr races because under that sort of regime, you will get injured well before race day. I'm still scared of Jmcavoy though :p

Don't fall into the roadie and triathlete frame of mind that more kilometres results in a better, fitter and stronger rider.

FWIW. I'm lucky to crack 14hrs per week training, even leading up to a important race.


quiggs
 
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Australia

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Welcome to the solo-nutter fold! I'm not sure if there is a training plan up yet, but there is certainly a training diet: the fools guide is replete with info to aid your solo-cherry popping quest :p (see the link below)

-andrew
 

jathanas

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Ive recently gotten considerably keen on mountain biking again but with a more serious note.

Ive decided to test my physical & mental strength by competing in adventure races with a with mates and also compete solo, in 12hr/24hr endurance races

I'm just wondering what would be the best type of training for endurance races?

I do know my stuff when it comes to fitness, as I am a qualified fitness trainer, but I would like the advice of some experienced enduro races.

Im kinda guessing this for a training plan
* + 250km road bike rides 2 times a week, lots of hills for the climbing strength
* min. x2 interval based training sessions per week with a min duration of 90mins
* +250km offroad riding per week 3 times a week

just wondering how this sounds to the more experienced races

and can you please share your training plans and thoughts
Mate, that training load reads more like a "How to crash and burn in 6 weeks" manual :)

You have to balance quantity with quality. Quality training implies accounting for recovery.

Cheers, J
 

MTB Wanabe

Likes Dirt
If you want some good advice on quality training plans for 4hr plus endurance races, check out Mark Fenner at Fenner Training. In 12 months I went from struggling to complete a 4hr race to now finishing in the top 25% in the same enduros. Check him out, if only to get some information, it is worth it.
 

krisko

Likes Dirt
Overtraining...

Yep, I just experienced my first ever bout of overtraining.
I've been riding for 5odd years now, typically only 5-8 hours a week.

I decided to ramp it up for the 6+6 at Majura and a S/S race around the same time. Incorporating a weights and a riding week of 14 hours. Yesterday I just cracked on a Stromlo mtb ride, first group ride in ages, I just had nothing.

We have all probably read about, ramping up that is 10% each cycle my advice would be to stick with it. I am having a rest week!

Maybe the 2 weights sessions put me over the edge? I get DOMS up to 3 days after a session but I recognise (for me) the benefits of weights and pushing a harder gear. (Endurance weight sessions at 20 reps plus) maybe my rides need to be at a true recovery pace the next couple of days after a session and just take the build1 training for what it is, a good lead up to a stronger build2. Time will tell.

Im an amateur trying a proper cycled training schedule

In all honesty I felt like I was riding at 30% capped.
 

PepsiMax

Likes Bikes
well the long duration road/offroad ride, is training so the body can withstand the duration/endurance of a 24hr race, as the body will just break apart within hrs if you haven't trained for such a long duration, and thats most likely when you will get a injury such a extreme cramping, tendinitis, lactic OD & just being completely physically exhausted

the rides could be too long but it was only an estimate of the duration, as enduro racing is something new to me and un sure of training options

I ride atm about +7hrs atm through the National Park and do about +100k's on that trip but I need a bike computer to give me the exact km and I feel quite fine with it

I know you will need to build up to 250k's a week, say start from 75km and build up to 250km, where you taper off about 2-3 weeks out from a race and just concentrate on maintaining for those 2-3 weeks,

recovery for me will consist of remedial massage & stretch sessions (90mins) also along with icing and coming into the race, 2 days out I will start to carbo/protein/fluid load up

and maybe some EPO & roids to get max recovery lols joking
 

Dreggsy

Likes Bikes and Dirt
i'm not sure but....

What worked for me was (and this was leading up to the worlds)

Every day work is a 40min ride away= sprint!!! to work all the time, with no brekky in the tummy or a little anyway.

If you have the time do a 4hr ride to work then rest for 8hrs then ride/sprint your way home to a protein shake

If your going to do weights, do medium repetitive shoulder/ tricep/ lats areas as these muscles will give out before your legs will, they will give that extra strength that you don't know about until it's gone.

I was doing 200km/ sprints to work followed by at least a 6hr all day all mountain SS ride.
now THAT will get you fit quick smart

and to plug the sponsors, I used a Hammer nutrition protein mix (perpetuem) 1 heavily mixed bidon of this will get you through 5 hrs of intense pedalling.

That said I tore a side wall and stopped racing at 19hrs and screwed my whole race That McAvaoy bloke wasn;t that far ahead, but I was feeling fine the whole time.

more importantly keep a sustained pace, by that race against the people you know, don't try to keep up with th English's, McAvoys, Armours.......you have 24hrs to ride the thing


and don't even think about chasing down the single speeders, as we will be well wasted chasing ya julie

boo ya kashaa
 
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C Dunlop

Likes Dirt
Ride every day, be it rain, hail or shine. It is really helpful being able to be on the bike as part of a routine, so that you can just switch off and keep turning the pedals if things get nasty.

Don't ride to the point where you couldn't do the same the next day. It's all about recovery. 250km on the mtb is too much, your back and upper body won't recover and your legs will be undercooked. Ride plenty, but a lot should be on the road.

Nonetheless, doing a solid enduro isn't hugely contingent on fitness. Any solid b-grade racer has the fitness to put a solid result in, what you are likely to mess up is the mental side of things, or nutrition, or you'll go out too hard, or something.

Don't get off the bike. Don't stop.

350km is a pretty solid first time result on a geared bike on a course like majura. That's ~14km/hr. Basically all you have to do is ride really slowly for a really long time, and not stop.

And find two very nice people to do your race support.
 

JessD

Likes Dirt
NO short cuts

A wise coach once told me that my first 4 years on the bike was an apprenticeship.
Lots of learning, lots of mistakes, hard times long hours little visible reward.
Tweaking of set up, dealing with injury, typical overtraining, etc...etc...
But after 4 years, you would then be a REAL cyclist.
Still learning of course, but you have a repetoire of skills, experiences, your mind and body remembers how to suffer.

Sure you can win races, you can do whatever you like in that regards, but there are not training shortcuts, you have to do "your time" so to speak.

So now...into the beginning of my 6th year of training and being a "cyclist" my true focus every week, whether it be training for a Solo24hr World Championship of a 100km MTB marathon or just a club race, my focus is:
QUALITY over QUANTITY

I probably only ever do 300km per week on average and a couple of weeks out to a big 24hr, might string together a week of 450-500km.
Most is done on the road, and 50% of it is very specific to training energy systems as well as my mind.
 
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Jackstack

Likes Dirt
PepsiMax, my advice, and what has worked for me is to listem to the advise given by some of these guys and gals on here. I did and whilst I've only completed two 24hr solo's, I completed them very comfortably, and it wasn't my fitness that prevented my from riding further than I did, it was what was going on in my stomach and how that affected what was going on in my head that slowed me down.
So I'm with Jess, I average about 300k (Quality & mostly road) a week when in serious training mode and try to plan out the calender so that I am competing (MTB) every couple of weeks in the 3 months leading up to the big race. As others have said there is plenty of info online to work out what constitutes QUALITY training. Any other MTB riding should be out with ya mates havin fun, I find that helps remind why I got into riding in the first place.
I believe the training is the easy bit, it's getting your nutrition and fluid intake right that's the hard bit, and finding a good support person for race day.
Do a search on 24hr Solo endurance tips on this forum and you'll find plenty.
 

.stu.

Likes Dirt
I'd also agree with the comments from the two current world champions and the other age group podiums who already suggested your intended quantity is too high. Try to string together consecutive days of more intense riding rather than overall quantity.
 

Pizzaz

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Just to be controversial.... I'm firmly in the quality over quantity camp and average about 15hrs a week, 2/3 of that on the roadie. However, I wonder how much of that is because having done a few 24hr races I know I can ride a bike for 24hrs solid with almost no breaks. This gives you a lot of confidence to train on a regime of 2hr interval based rides knowing that you can go the distance in a long race.

Yeah sure 400+ Km weeks aren't sustainable but some one off rides 'going long' aren't a bad idea to work in. Before my first 24 I did a few 8hr solos just to work in the saddle time. If nothing else it helps with getting your head right and hives you a good chance to work on that eating / hydration thing....
 

quiggs

Likes Dirt
Reading back through this thread Pepsimax has brought out responses from some of best enduro Australian and World riders, which is invaluable info. The constant message from all includes consistancy, don't devalue recovery, nutrition and fluid intake is the undervalued secret, build up to volume and thinking 24hr racing requires a high volume of hours in the saddle isn't the right answer. Also sounds like all of us stupid solo nuts train aroung the same average distances and time (250-300kms and 13-15hrs per week)

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is get your hands on a book called The Mountain Bikers Bible by Joe Friel. It answers alot of the questions you may have thought of and many that may not have even crossed your mind yet. Personally I regularly get it out and have a read through to rejog the memory of things I may have overlooked or discounted.

Although you are in the personal fitness industry, specific knowledge can work for you in two ways, firstly it will provide the knowledge to understand the physiological changes and adaptations that need to occur to perform in this event and conversly too much knowledge can be your greatest weakness, I'm personally a physical therapist but I never self diagnose I pay someone to diagnose and set me up in the right direction from a rehabilitation perspective. It is very easy to become focus on one objective (rightly or wrongly) which can invariably be an incorrect one.

Depending what your time frame is to compete at a 24hr event, I would get involved in a few enduro races around the 4-6hrs length and see over the winter time and maybe look towards doing a 24hr later in the year, maybe even in a pairs to begin with, personally I think pairs would be harder than racing solo because you have a period of cool down before you have to get out there again and smash yourself.

quiggs
 

.stu.

Likes Dirt
The big factors specific to 24 hour solo racing have very little to do with fitness and lots to do with fluids, nutrition, bike setup/comfort and support crew. You don't improve these by training and you don't improve fitness by overtraining.

The closest way to test nutrition/fluids without actually doing a 24 hour race is to do consecutive 6-8 hour day rides. Preferably an unusually big training day followed by a 100km or 6-8 hour enduro race. You're not likely to do well in the race but if you can get out and ride another 6+ hours without major stomach problems you should be ok for 24 hours.

If you're already doing 7+ hour rides, you probably don't need to tweak your bike setup much more.

There is a lot of advice around here somewhere on support crews. Make sure the people who come to help you will come to help you again in the next race. They will learn more than you can teach them just by being there supporting you the first time.

So the only thing left is fitness, so get Joe Friel's Training Bible and start with the chapters on overtraining.
 
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