Photo Credit: bryanmitchell.photoshelter.com
It’s that time of year already! Monday September 23 marks 6 weeks until Iceman. Iceman is one of best events we have in Michigan. Many of you sign up because it’s a good challenge and in a sick way it sounds fun. Remember, while you’re training and racing to have fun! This training plan is a guide and should give you some ideas. This isn’t a special formula that you have to follow. If you put time in on your bike you’ll do great. This training plan has you putting in 6-8 hours a week. Most of training for Iceman can be done on the road but try and make it to a trail at least once a week. As the days get shorter you may end up doing a few of these workouts on the trainer. With light technology these days you can avoid the trainer and even start your workout in the dark. The longer endurance rides try and get outside.
This training plan has you riding 4 days a week. You can have a great Iceman riding 3 days a week…but studies have shown you can gain a lot by training 4 days instead of 3 days a week. The gains training 5 days a week are still there but aren’t as great. Everyone has different schedules so you’ll have to figure out what days you have time to do what workout. Make sure the intensity workouts you are well rested. For all the workouts make sure you’ve had something to eat before. Doing workouts tired or on an empty stomach aren’t as effective. At the bottom I’ve listed a few good races and events that can help you train and put in miles without doing it on your own.
Race Day Tips:
If you’re traveling to the race bring clothing for all conditions. Even the morning of the race bring a decent amount of clothing to the start incase the weather changes. The thing people like about Iceman is the unknown of what conditions you’ll be dealing with on race day. Kalkaska were the race starts can be a little colder then the finish so look at the weather for Kalkaska and Traverse City.
As far as the race goes save some energy for the final 3rd of the race as that’s were the hills are and you’ll need some legs. You can save energy in the beginning by staying calm in the singletrack sections. If you get caught behind someone slow take a second to recover until there is time to pass. Trying to pass when there’s no room is risky and wastes energy.
Post race is a great time to tell race stories with your friends and those around you. Try and get your sweaty wet clothing off and slip into something dry as you’ll be able to hang out longer without getting chilled.
Training Plan:
Week 1: Build
Day 1: Ride 1.5-2 hours steady: Go ride a trail or road (Zone 2).
Day 2: Ride 1.5 hours with long intervals: (20 min warm-up) 3×10 min at a solid tempo (Zone 3). 10 min easy between.
Day 3: 2-3 hours endurance ride zone 2. Just go ride. Don’t worry about how far or hard you go. You’re just putting time in the saddle.
Day 4: 1 hour Intensity: If you have a local race do it! If you’re going to go training do a 15 min warm-up then do the following 2 times (2 minutes zone 4, 2 minutes easy, 1 min 40 seconds zone 4, 1 min 40 seconds easy, 1 min 20 seconds zone 4, 1 min 20 seconds easy, 1 min zone 4, 1 min easy, 40 seconds zone 4, 40 seconds easy, 20 seconds zone 4, 20 seconds easy. After doing this 2 times do 15 min easy.
*Gravel Fondo Sunday October 2
Week 2: Build
Day 1: Ride 1.5-2 hours steady: Go ride a trail or road (Zone 2).
Day 2: Ride 1.5 Hours with intervals: 20 minute warm up, 4 times 5 min at threshold zone 4. Take 5 minutes easy between each interval. 20 min easy to warm down.
Day 3: 2-3 hours endurance ride zone 2. Just go ride. Don’t worry about how far or hard you go. You’re just putting time in the saddle.
Day 4: 1 hour Intensity: If you have a local race do it! If you’re going to go training do a 10 min warm-up then the following: 4 times 5 min of 40 seconds hard zone 5 20 seconds easy with 5 min easy between each 5 minute interval. 10 min warm down after.
Week 3 Recovery
Day 1: Ride 1-1.5: Fun ride at a trail or a favorite easy loop. Take it easy and smell the leaves.
Day 2: Ride 1.5-2 hours steady: Go ride a trail or road (Zone 2).
Day 3: Ride 2 hours Zone 2
Day 4: Ride 1 hour fun intensity: Do a local race or head out on the road or trail and mess around with going fast when you feel like going fast. Going fast for 1 hour isn’t necessary. More like go hard up a couple hills or sprint for a stop sign or two.
Week 4: Build
Day 1: Ride 2 hours steady: Go ride a trail or road (Zone 2).
Day 2: Ride 1.5 Hours with intervals: 20 minute warm up, 4 times 5 min at threshold zone 4. Take 5 minutes easy between each interval. 20 min easy to warm down.
Day 3: 2.5-3 hours endurance ride. Just go ride. Don’t worry about how far or hard you go. You’re just putting time in the saddle.
Day 4: 1 hour Intensity: If you have a local race do it! If you’re going to go training do a 15 min warm-up then the following 2 times (2 minutes hard Zone 4, 2 minutes easy, 1 min 40 seconds Zone 4, 1 min 40 seconds easy, 1 min 20 seconds zone 4, 1 min 20 seconds easy, 1 min zone 4, 1 min easy, 40 seconds zone 4, 40 seconds easy, 20 seconds zone 4, 20 seconds easy. After doing this 2 times do 15 min easy.
Week 5: Build
Day 1: Ride 2 hours steady: Go ride a trail or road (Zone 2).
Day 2: 1.5 Intervals: 20 minute warm up, 4 times 5 min at threshold zone 4. Take 5 minutes easy between each interval. 20 min easy to warm down.
Day 3: 2.5-3 hours endurance ride zone 2. Just go ride. Don’t worry about how far or hard you go. You’re just putting time in the saddle.
Day 4: 1 hour Intensity: If you have a local race do it! If you’re going to go training do a 10 min warm-up then 10 times 1 minute Zone 5 1 minute easy. 10 minutes easy then 5 times 40 seconds Zone 5 hard 20 seconds easy. 10 minutes warm down.
Week 6: Recovery
Day 1: Ride 1-1.5: Fun ride at a trail or a favorite easy loop. Take it easy and smell the leaves.
Day 2: Ride 1.5 hours steady: Go ride a trail or road (Zone 2).
Day 3: Pre ride the finish of the race before or after picking up your packet. Remember you’re not racing yet. I’ve seen people out riding the finish the evening before the race going faster then they will be in the race. It’s okay to get your heart rate up a little while you’re riding the finish the day before but save it for the next day!
Day 4: Race Day!! Warm-up can be rolling around before the start and maybe throwing in there a minute or two of tempo. Otherwise use the road section at the start to warm up.
Training Zones:
Training zones can be done using power, heart rate or feel. When using feel we use the RPE (rate of preserved exertion) scale. 1 being this is easy to 10 being my goodness made it stop.
To figure out your training zones from power or heart rate you need to do a field test. This is easiest done on a trainer. After a solid warm up you will do a 20 minute effort as hard as you can go without slowing down. Try to average the highest power that you can for the duration. Don’t go out to hard and pay the price later. We want you to finish strong. After you’ve done 20 minutes we want your average HR for the 20 minutes. This we’ll call your FTP or functional threshold power. We then calculate that as a percentage to get your zones. Below in the zone chart you’ll see what % off of your average HR is appropriate for each zone. If you’re using power take your average wattage and multiple by .95 and that will give us your FTP. Below on zone chart you’ll see what percentage of your FTP each zone should be.
Zone 1: Active recovery, Easy Spinning, RPE <2 (HR <68%) (Power <55%)
Zone 2: Endurance, All day pace or classic long slow distance, RPE 3-4 (HR 69-83%)(Power 56-75%)
Zone 3: Tempo, fast group ride paceline, RPE 5-6 (HR 84-94%)(Power 76-90%)
Zone 4: Lactate threshold, above time trial pace, RPE 7-8 (HR 95-105%)(Power 91-105%)
Zone 5: Vo2 Max, This hurts a lot!! RPE 8-10 (HR 106-120%)(Power 106-120%)
Great Events to use as Iceman Training
October 2nd Gravel Fondo at Virtue Cider by Velo City Cycles: A 18 or 36 mile gravel road ride. Great endurance day training ride.
October 6, 20, and 27th Mountain Bike-tober: A free practice race by Velo City Cycles at Pigeon Creek on Thursdays
October 8th Founders Fall Fondo: On the Barry-Roubaix course. A gravel road ride good to build your endurance and get a little climbing in.
October 8th Gears and Beers Iceman Pre Ride: Einstein Cycles does a pre ride on the Iceman course.
October 15th Peak to Peak Mountain Bike Race: A great race at Crystal Mountain to see how the legs are shaping up.
October 30th Kisscross Cyclocross Races: October 30th. Make sure to come to the one November 27 in Holland too!
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