By Coach Adam Walker, The Cycling Co
It’s October, and here in BC the weather has started to change. We just had our first significant rain in months and the trails are PRIME! Let’s take advantage of this time of year!
Racing cross? Prepping for ski season? Just want to make the most of this time…? October can look a bit different for everyone, but there are a few common themes.
Aerobic Base – More than JUST Zone 2!
We can do some shorter rides with intensity, long adventure rides, and even some structured workouts IF you are keen and ready (both physically and mentally).
Structure? In the fall???
Traditionally, fall can look like a lot of downtime. And if you just came off a very competitive season, that’s great. You need to rest and reset before beginning the work again.
But for many, late summer results in a lot of downtime. Key races are done and the focus shifts to family vacations, time away. Riding for fun is more prominent than structured training. When this happens, riders come into the fall ready to work. Great! But…
If left unchecked they’ll often be on fire by January and their form will be circling the drain by the time they arrive at their key events in the spring.
Controlled blocks focused on “performance qualities” can be scheduled in the fall foundation phase to build a reserve that we will revisit in the spring as we approach the race season.
What do I mean by this?
Let me add some context. We can’t expect one block of VO2 Max work at the beginning of the season to be sufficient. That would leave a lot of potential gains on the table. So we can perform a short block at some point in the fall… but we need to set the stage first.
Threshold work and other aerobic capacity training sets us up to do the harder VO2 work by creating a base to support that intensity.
For the Cyclocross racer, you might be rolling into the full swing of CX season. You’d certainly benefit from some structured intensity across the whole spectrum of energy systems.
CX racing demands a ballistic start, followed by repeated short bursts performed from a high-paced consistent effort at or above your anaerobic threshold.
The ability to sprint out of corners, maintain focus through technical sections, and follow attacks requires athletes to be able to access aerobic AND anaerobic systems, recover, and repeat. For you, rides right now can incorporate specific skill development and race specific efforts.
For the avid skier, this season is when the excitement of the coming winter begins to build. Seeing the first dustings of snow at altitude make us feel like kids at Christmas, knowing big pow days or speedy days on the skate skis are on the horizon.
Aerobic work will help us maximize the fun on the slopes. Improved aerobic conditioning will enable you to keep hammering laps when everyone else is running out of steam and heading to the lodge. If backcountry or nordic skiing is on the menu this winter, time on the bike in the next couple of months until the snow really flies is money in the bank.
In all of these cases, this is when strength training also begins to take a more prominent role.
The Importance of Strength Training
As bike racers, many of us would prefer to “just ride” all the time. But strength work is important for injury prevention, mobility and stability, core strength, managing forces and efficiency on the bike, and finally, pedalling power.
Start slow with a few sessions that are focused around quality movement and adaptation. When you begin to add weight, focus on proper technique with manageable loads.
Focus on basic movements: Squat, hinge, lunge, push, pull, rotate
I often use this analogy: as mountain bikers, we are like a car that has a HUGE motor, but the transmission and chassis need some work.
We aren’t power lifters. We are bike riders who want to improve our riding. Remember this when you’re in the gym.
Also, keep in mind that for everyone else in the gym, that IS their exercise or training. For you, it’s preparing you for your training. Different goals. Different focus.
So what could your week look like?
Here’s a good outline you can follow:
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Intensity (Threshold)
Wednesday: Strength
Thursday: Tempo or Trail ride
Friday: Strength
Saturday: MTB adventure ride, skill dev, climbing
Sunday: Endurance – Road, Gravel, Hiking, Trail Run or a longer (but easier) mtb ride.
The key is to build consistency and move into November and December with a solid foundation for what is to come.
Coach Adam Walker is a certified professional mountain bike coach and has coached athletes to World Cup and World Championship wins. A masters athlete himself, he is passionate about helping all riders achieve their biggest goals, like completing BC Bike Race.
If you got value from this content and you want more, Adam’s Club Shred program could be a great option for you!
With weekly group calls, a content bank of videos like this, and a group discussion forum, it’s a great resource for any mountain biker looking to increase their knowledge and performance. Check out Club Shred.