hill climb/TT (mtb) training questions

[Rideastrong]

My first race for 2006 will be in April and consisits of 2 peices.

Saturday is the xc race (dirt TT), totaling 12miles, all classes do 1 lap. There is only 1100 feet of climbing. (~1hr on bike)

Sunday is a technical rocky hillclimb, 2.1miles, with 1300 feet of climbing. (~17 min on bike)

These 2 races are very short compared to the other races the remainder of the season (usually ~2.5+hrs). But the intensity is going to be alot higher than most of my other races. There is no time for recovery in either of these races.

My next race after these won't be till mid June. So i will have about 3 months in between.

I am having difficulty structuring my training to focus on these events and then switch up my training after the events. What specefic training should i focus on now to prepare for these types of events? What would be the easiest way to switch up and taper for this event and then the following events?

Ideas?

 

[RapDaddyo]

Do you have topo data for the courses?

 

[Rideastrong]

Do you have topo data for the courses?

TT = http://www.cyclecyndicate.com/events/TOC/toc_timetrial_map.htm

HC = http://www.cyclecyndicate.com/events/TOC/toc_hillclimb_map.htm

 

[RapDaddyo]

TT = http://www.cyclecyndicate.com/events/TOC/toc_timetrial_map.htm

HC = http://www.cyclecyndicate.com/events/TOC/toc_hillclimb_map.htm

Cool. They definitely lend themselves to a VP pacing strategy, especially the first course (IMO). If I were prepping for these courses, I would want my training strategy to include some highly variable power interval sessions (e.g., power swings of 300w). It would be cool if you had a computer with an NP-based red/green icon for recovery from pushes. Stay tuned.

 

[Rideastrong]

Cool. They definitely lend themselves to a VP pacing strategy, especially the first course (IMO). If I were prepping for these courses, I would want my training strategy to include some highly variable power interval sessions (e.g., power swings of 300w). It would be cool if you had a computer with an NP-based red/green icon for recovery from pushes. Stay tuned.

RD - I was trying to figure out a way to simulate that, and i think i can acomplish it on a stationary trainer. But as you are aware i lack the PT right now to gauge my wattage. With these courses being very short, i think i can replicate the whole race. What are your ideas on VP? Please explain your NP_Based reg/green icon computer. Do you have something like this?

 

[RapDaddyo]

RD - I was trying to figure out a way to simulate that, and i think i can acomplish it on a stationary trainer. But as you are aware i lack the PT right now to gauge my wattage. With these courses being very short, i think i can replicate the whole race. What are your ideas on VP? Please explain your NP_Based reg/green icon computer. Do you have something like this?

Yes, you can simulate it on a trainer. You just need a power profile as a function of time or distance. You can work out a pacing plan for a specific course and then simulate it on your trainer. The fundamental idea of VP pacing is to use your power where it makes the most difference in elapsed time (i.e., where you get the largest % increase in bike speed for a given increase in power) and back off where it doesn't cost much in elapsed time to save your power. The red/green icon is at this point theoretical -- no such device exists. It is driven by NP. Pushing >FT for more than 15 secs will put you into the red and you'll have a red icon. After you come back down <FT, you begin to recover and you'll get a green icon when you have recovered sufficiently to resume output at FT. Pushes <15sec doesn't put you into the red because of the physiological lag. I'm exploring this idea. At the moment, I'm pretty close to a VP pacing strategy model that one would use to plan a pacing strategy. After that, who knows? I'll keep you posted.

 

[Rideastrong]

Yes, you can simulate it on a trainer. You just need a power profile as a function of time or distance. You can work out a pacing plan for a specific course and then simulate it on your trainer. The fundamental idea of VP pacing is to use your power where it makes the most difference in elapsed time (i.e., where you get the largest % increase in bike speed for a given increase in power) and back off where it doesn't cost much in elapsed time to save your power. The red/green icon is at this point theoretical -- no such device exists. It is driven by NP. Pushing >FT for more than 15 secs will put you into the red and you'll have a red icon. After you come back down <FT, you begin to recover and you'll get a green icon when you have recovered sufficiently to resume output at FT. Pushes <15sec doesn't put you into the red because of the physiological lag. I'm exploring this idea. At the moment, I'm pretty close to a VP pacing strategy model that one would use to plan a pacing strategy. After that, who knows? I'll keep you posted.

cool, keep me in the loop. I wish there was a way to program this into a computrainer and ride the course/train that way. Most the computrainer programs i have seen though are based on roads, not trails.

 

[RapDaddyo]

cool, keep me in the loop. I wish there was a way to program this into a computrainer and ride the course/train that way. Most the computrainer programs i have seen though are based on roads, not trails.

I don't know what the course programming options are for the Computrainer, but the biggest problem of course simulation on trainers is cadence, not power. Steep grades can require you to output a given power at something other than your "cadence of choice." I don't know about others, but this affects me a lot. You'd need to be able to vary resistance in synch with the programmed course power profile.

 

[Rideastrong]

I forgot to add. I will also be doing a 24hr race (4 man team) in June and in October with regular xc races thru the summer. What will be the easiest way to work at these 2 different goals?