 One of the first things that I do after finishing up a season is to start planning out the next one with the help of my coach Neal Burton (MTBBurton Coaching). Often, this process starts before the last season has ended, but regardless, knowing when my target races are, and what those races are like is very important. It allows Neal to tailor my training program so I can be at peak fitness at those events. Because I am focusing on longer events this year, I have had to do some research about races and make some tough decisions. I have already had several races on my mind for a long time, but there is less of a clear-cut season progression as there is in XCO racing (California Pro XCTs → Canada Cups → US Nationals with a few other events sprinkled in). There are a ton of marathon races, including some very high profile ones such as the Epic Rides Series. Those races had already been on my mind for a while, so they were some of the first to go down on my schedule. They are spread throughout the season, with most coming in the first half, so I have to be strategic about building my training around them with the help of Neal. Dirty Kanza has also been a race that has interested me. It suits me physiologically, and I am fascinated and excited by the challenge of racing for 200 miles. Besides, it is one of the largest and best-known races in North America, so getting a spot in is a significant focus for me. Marathon MTB nationals, while not as significant as XC nationals, still interests me since I believe I can contend for a high placing, and I think the opportunity to fight for the stars and stripes is something hard to turn down. Later in the season, Breck Epic is at the top of my list. After that, the new Pikes Peak APEX stage race in Colorado Springs, where I go to school, is a no-brainer. These events suit me physically and mentally and will be an excellent opportunity to race against some of the most competitive fields in the country. The payouts for those races are $30k and $50k, respectively, making them among the highest paying races in North America. This purse will ensure a high-level field. Another late-summer race on my bucket list is Leadville. However, I have to be realistic about my chances of getting in via the lottery or qualifying this year, and it happens the day before Breck Epic next year. As hard as it is to decide not to race an event like that, I know that I will have opportunities later on. Between late June and mid-late July, there are a handful of marathon races and gravel races in the Rockies and the west coast that interest me. These include races such as Firecracker 50, Tahoe Trail, Crusher in the Tushar, Silver Rush 50, and High Cascades 100. Because some overlap each other or are far apart, I have divided them into two groups: the Rocky mountain group and the west coast group. I have yet to decide which set to focus on. I also have to factor in school. My first peak will come near the end of my school year, meaning I will have a lot of work around that race. I have pencilled-in True Grit Epic as my first big race of the season since that falls over my spring break.  With everything down in a spreadsheet, I lay out the races into blocks of several races grouped by time period. There are a couple of events in late April and another block from mid-May through late May. After that, I have several weeks to focus on training, then I’ll head into another block from late June through mid-July, and then another from mid to late August. In the fall, there is a block from late September to mid October. These are just rough outlines, but I like to color-code the blocks to I can see an organized progression of racing time and training time. I also add columns to the spreadsheet noting the race’s importance (A, B, or C), the type of race, the location, whether I have registered or not, my travel and lodging plans, and my support plans for the feed zones. With all of these significant races laid out, I have to decide what to focus on. My coach prefers a few months between target races so I can be fit and fresh at each one. This means that the logical progression would be an event in the spring and one later in the summer. Because of this, my focus rests on Marathon MTB nationals, Dirty Kanza, and Breck Epic. These events are important in the national calendar and will provide opportunities for me to showcase myself at the highest level. Because the exact date of Marathon MTB Nats has not yet been announced, and because I have no guarantee of securing a spot in Dirty Kanza, I am still undecided on which race to focus on. However, I have a clear time period when I need to be the fittest. With my peak periods laid out, the other races will be secondary or tertiary. I will be somewhat rested for some, and I will enter others as training races. This allows me to get the training I need to target the major races, while still performing at some of the large events that are not my targets. I may add in some small training races or remove others depending on how I’m feeling and whether they are logistically possible. I have to remain flexible throughout the season.  My ATP (annual training plan), which is, as my coach calls it, "the road map to your season" With my racing plan done, my coach works back from my first peak race to build my training plan. Over the months leading up to it, I will spend time building base fitness, adding some intensity, and slowly building to a peak of training intensity, until I begin to taper and back off, so I am both fit and rested for the race. This structured approach is something I love. It provides a daily focus and a longer-term path. You can see how each workout fits into the larger picture, which is both motivating and reassuring.
With my racing planned out, I now have to work out the logistics of travel, housing, and support for the major races. Stay tuned for a blog about that! If you want help planning your season and structuring your riding/training to help you be at your best for a race, ride, or other event, you can contact Neal Burton at [email protected]t or on his website. www.mtbburtoncyclingcoach.com |
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