Including 'B/C' Races Into Your Cycling Plan

Racing in the lead up to your "A" race has many benefits. Find out how to include these into your training and get the full benefit, without detracting from your key focus.

Include a 60-minute (or less) Race

• Take a short taper, for example, take the day before the race as complete rest and only train for 1 hour (or preferably less) in low Zone 2 on the day before that.
• You may need to move some workouts and drop a couple of higher intensity sessions.
• After your race, take 48 hours off to allow for a full recovery.
• For the remainder of the week continue with training as planned (reducing intensities to Zone 2 until you feel well recovered).
• After this resume training to plan.

Include a Mid-Distance Ride (1-4 hrs)

• Take a short taper, for example, take the day before the race as complete rest and only train for 1 hour (or preferably less) in low Zone 2 on the day before that.
• Drop the high-intensity sessions for this week.
• After your race, take 48 hours off to allow for a full recovery.
• For the remainder of the week continue with training as planned (reducing intensities to Zone 2 until you feel well recovered).
• After this resume training to plan.

Include a Long-Distance Ride (4+ hrs)

• Follow your training plan normally, until three days before your race.
• Then follow the last few days of the final week of your training plan (i.e. your "A" race taper) leading into the race.
• After your ride, take the first 48-72 hours as complete rest.
• For the remainder of the week continue with training as planned (reducing volumes and intensities to Zone 2).
• The following week you may also need to reduce intensities depending on your recovery.

For all Events

• Your training plan includes an active recovery week every 4 weeks; if your race is before one of these, then this will fit well to promote recovery.
• If when you are ready to resume full training again, you find a recovery week in your calendar consider placing a couple of the sessions that were missed due to your taper or recovery into this week to bring volume and intensities up again.

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