Training for xc race in 8weeks

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outerlimits

Banned
Got an injury that will see me off the bike for 6 weeks.
I can only road ride for the next 6 weeks after that, before I hit the trails again, which will leave me 2 weeks of trail riding before the race.

How would be the best way to train given the above ?

Was ok fitness wise before the injury and this injury really has brought things to a halt.

The race is only 20km and not real hilly.

Thanks
 
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creaky

XMAS Plumper
20k race and you can ride the roadie ... no problems.

Go and smash some intervals 1min, 5min etc. three times a week.

Last 2 weeks just ride some trails to get back into the flow of the mtb.

You'll probably do better than ever.
 
Dozer

Dozer

Heavy machinery.
Staff member
Wait, you can road ride but not ride trails? I had some shoulder surgery years ago and thought road riding would be okay but very promptly found out it is far more exertion on your body than a mountain bike ride. You're totally rigid, you're in a pretty aggressive position, the tyres are tiny, everything is stiff. Doctor Dozer says fuck the roadie, hit the trails. ;)
 
cokeonspecialtwodollars

cokeonspecialtwodollars

Fartes of Portingale
What's your goal in the race... podium, pointy end or just finish? What sort of distances were you doing on the mountain bike before the injury? My best advice would be to try and do something to maintain fitness over the initial six weeks, your recovery from the injury will be faster and it's easier to try and maintain fitness than it is to build it from scratch.
 
spikenet

spikenet

Likes Dirt
Guess when you say road ride, your doing it on your MTB? If not I agree with Dozer!

20k is short so as already suggested, intervals combined with some sweet spot 45min rides to maintain what you have already... but given the lack of info its hard to know if training is even a wise move at all!
 
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outerlimits

Banned
Ok, some more info...

The knee injury will keep me from spinning the pedals for 6 weeks but will be good as gold after that. The wrist injury will take longer but after 6 weeks I should be able to ride the mtb on road for the following 6 weeks before it is well enough to take a pounding through the bars. So that leaves 2 weeks of trail riding before the event, if all goes to plan. So I got 8 weeks of riding to up my game after a 6 week rest.
Before the injuries I was doing 100-150km a week with rides of 20km - 75km, but nothing at race pace, just general riding.
I had planned to start training for the race pretty much the day after my off, and it would of given me 14 weeks to get me into a race pace, but now I got to try and do it in 8 weeks.

I would like to finish at the pointy end, and have to cut at least 10min off the last time I done the 20km race, to see me there.

Big ask, but I'm determined, and it's going to be fun trying, even if I don't succeed I'm still winning.
 
ozzybmx

ozzybmx

taking a shit with my boobs out
outerlimits said:
Ok, some more info...

The wrist injury will take longer but after 6 weeks I should be able to ride the mtb on road for the following 6 weeks before it is well enough to take a pounding through the bars.
Click to expand...
Flip your stem up and use all available spacers on your MTB, that will keep more of the weight off your wrists and just use your MTB for road training.

I find the lower bar position on my roadie harder on the wrists and hands than my MTBs.

Knee... well thats up to you, I had a knee tracking injury about a year ago and trying to ride while it was healing just aggravated it more, but I couldn't be told.
 
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schred

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I get a bit uneasy when I hear about knee injuries and short timeframes for recovery. Whatever you undertake training wise, listen to that knee more than your dr or physio, and hard as it sounds, remember the knee is more important than the race.
 
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creaky

XMAS Plumper
I wouldn't suggest any training when recovering from a knee injury. Just roll the legs over really easy and either reset your target race a couple of months longer away or just take it easy in the race.
 
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SF Trailboy

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Make sure your diet is spot on whilst recovering.

I have had sporting injuries in the past and the last time I took some great advice and almost halved my food intake from what it was.

Needless to say it was the easiest, most effective recovery I had had. I had actually had the exact same injury twice before, so it was a very good comparison.
 
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