This has been my training schedule this year on the road and mountain bike....
In December to February I lift weights and do plyometrics for strength for the upcoming season, I lift weights for the first month and a half two times a week and plyometrics during the last month and a half two times a week. I especially do squats, walking lunges, and step ups for the legs and do some upper body exercises like bench press, lateral pulldowns, and bent over rows. On the plyometric part, I do a lot of jumping and core exercises to strengthen the fast-twitch muscles. Then every Saturday, I go have fun snowshoeing for an hour or so.
Starting in the middle of March when it starts getting warm, I try to get a good base by riding endurance miles on the road bike for one to three hours two to three times a week, but I don't ride hard yet. I still do a lot of muscle tension intervals on the climbs that last ten minutes each interval. When I do a muscle tension interval, I ride at a low pedal cadence to keep my heart rate down but at a hard gear to stress my legs for the strength. It is like doing squats on the bike but it works better than regular squats in the weight room. It also gets me ready to ride hard in the spring time.
I start riding hard in the middle of April. Which consists of intervals at lactate threshold(80-95% of max heart rate) and some sprints at max heart rate. This is when I start mountain biking in the hills. Here, where I live, there are long fire road climbs, so I do 20-25 minute intervals and recover 10 minutes between intervals. When I start riding hard I start off one interval and than gradually do more each week. This year I rode hard two times a week and then do one long endurance ride once a week and do some recovery rides twice a week.
When I train throughout the season, this is what I do: train hard three weeks, then active rest every fourth week. That way I can recover better and ready to ride more on the next training block. I gradually do more every training block.
In first of September is when I stop riding hard and do more endurance miles on the road while it gets colder in the mountains and to stay out of the mountains during deer hunting season. I do endurance miles twice a week on the valley. During the weekdays, like on Tuesday or Wednesday, I do a short ride at 65-75% of mhr for 90 minutes then on Saturday, I ride another 3 hours at this rate.
Middle of October to middle of December is active rest. A lot of walks is what I do.
This was my training week during the bike season this summer:
Monday: rest
Tuesday: two 25 minute interval climbs on the mountain bike with a one minute sprint at the end of each interval
Wednesday: recovery ride for an hour
Thursday: recovery ride
Friday: rest
Saturday: two to three 20-25 minute interval climbs on the mountain bike and top off each interval with a minute sprint
Sunday: two to three hours endurance ride on the road or mountain bike on flat roads
Next year I am going to try to add a 20 minute interval ride on Thursdays. It will depend, if I still feel good, then I will do it. Also change my endurance ride on Wednesday from Sunday because church will start at 9 o'clock next year and just do a recovery ride every Sunday then.
