* Cyclocross Prep & Race 12 Weeks 11 plus Hours per Week Beginner

Training Peaks New Workout Builder Format

ATHLETE LEVEL: Beginner
TYPE: Cyclocross
HOURS: 12-15 hours per week
TARGET RESULTS: To maintain your fitness while competing during CX season

ABOUT THE PLAN:

This training plan is made for cyclists who train with power, heart rate, or perceived exertion. We have provided an additional week at the beginning of this plan that contains testing protocol and explains how to set your training zones within TrainingPeaks. That will allow you to know exactly where you are starting with the plan and provide the correct information for testing in the future. This is for the Beginner Cyclo-Crosser with 12 -15 hours a week to train. Note that on the weekends (Friday – Sunday) you will have multiple workouts listed. You need to choose ONE option based on your race schedule. Also note that because of the options, your time listed at the end of the week will appear higher. You probably have not done any cross races yet or you’ve done a limited few. This plan is more than adequate for your first season of cross and you should expect some results! This plan is a great way to get you involved in the sport, to learn more about it and to be ready for the racing season. This plan is for the recreational cyclist all the way up to a Category 4 road racer or beginner mountain biker. You are excited to give CX a try this year and don’t know where to start. This is the plan for you if you would like a bit of instruction and are not afraid of doing some hard work and getting muddy.

WORKOUT PREVIEW:

WU: 10-20 minutes working into Endurance Zone (Power Z2, HR Z2, RPE 2-3)with 3 x 1-minute fast pedals to wake up legs.
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MS1: 5-Minute Effort at FTP. To better warm up and open up the legs, let’s put in a 5-minute effort at the tested FTP number from the Day 1 test. This should be hard, but not too hard! Once complete, ride for 10 minutes at Endurance Zone (Power Z2, HR Z2, RPE 2-3) and then go on to MS2.
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MS2: 1-Minute Test. Find a quiet road, flat or with a slight uphill grade. Start from about 20 mph out of the saddle HAMMERING (self-selected cadence); go as hard as you can go in the beginning! Sit as you need to and try to push out the entire minute. This is hard! Once complete, spin for 5 minutes and then repeat the test. When your second effort is completed, spin easy for 15 minutes and then go on to MS3.
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MS3: 3 x NP 10-Second Sprint Max. Find a clear stretch of road, start from a slow speed of around 15 mph, and sprint as hard as you can for 10-15 seconds. Really focus on your JUMP from the line! Rest for 2-4 minutes between sprints (3). Try changing up your gearing a little to hit higher max numbers in each effort.
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CD: 10-15 minutes of easy spinning.

ORDER DETAILS:

Once you purchase the plan you will be emailed a PDF explaining how to access your training plan. Please note our store hours are Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm Eastern Time. Any orders placed outside of store hours may not be filled until store hours resume. PCG policies

If you experience any difficulties or have any questions, please contact us.