MTB Marathon · HR/Power

25
weeks
13.1
hours/week
5-8
sessions/week
HR/W
reference

Plan description

Complete training plan for MTB Marathon modality. General and specific phase of preparation.
Intensity references using heart rate for MTB and power for road bike training.
Duration of 24 weeks plus the previous recovery week for the first competition.
General physical preparation routines at home using suspension training (TRX).
For intermediate and advanced level cyclists.
Start of the recommended plan 25 weeks before the first competition of the MTB Marathon season.
This MTB Marathon training plan could be linked after completing the cyclocross season, following the training plan Cyclocross · HR of 24 weeks duration.

Sample week

Week 2

MON
TUE
WED
THU
FRI
SAT
SUN
0:50:00
duration

TRX FULL BODY 1

1:30:00
duration
65
TSS

ACTIVE REST CYCLING (or SPINNING)

Goal: Aer. Ext.
Continuous training around 1h30 at a comfortable pace with the road bike (56-75% FTP). You can substitute this session for a spinning class without forcing (65-76% HR Max).

1:20:00
duration
69
TSS
Session training zones

CYCLING AER. INT. CAD.

Goal: Aer. Int./Cad.
10' z 1
10 x 3' z 3 a 105-110 rpm recovery 3' a 90 rpm z 1
10' z 1

0:50:00
duration

CORE NO EQUIPMENT + LOWER/UPPER BODY

1:30:00
duration
120
TSS

MTB AER. NATURAL/TECHNICAL FARTLECK

Goal: Global/Technique
Technical training with the mtb at a pace between comfortable and hard depending on the slope of the terrain. Do not hold for more than 5' intensities greater than z 4 of hr. Do between 1h30 and 3h but do not go too far to be able to train correctly the following days.
Take the opportunity to put technical trails both down and up.

1:41:15
duration
99
TSS
Session training zones

ALACTIC ANAEROBIC PATHWAYS

Goal: Alactic Anaerobic Speed/Power
10' warm up
5x30" z 6 recovery 30" z 1 activation
5' recovery
15 x 10" z 7 from a standstill or very low speed recovery 1'30"
5' recovery
15 x 10" z 7 from a standstill or very low speed + braking + 10" z 7from a standstill or very low speed recovery 2'
10-15' return to calm

Pre-activity comments:
For the starts, look for a bench, a tree or any obstacle that forces you to brake and start almost standing still.
For the double starts, the same but looking for a second obstacle at a distance that allows you to make the first 10" plus the braking rush and the second start of 10 " again.
Concentrate that the changes must be at maximum speed. As soon as they are not due to fatigue, stop doing repetitions.
This is a good job to do with a partner of a similar level to practice driving maneuvers or just follow along.

REST/JOKER

Take advantage of this day to rest completely if you have been able to do all the training sessions of the week or use this gap so that you can run the training sessions one day forward from the day you have not been able to train.
If you have done them all but you feel like going out anyway, do it but at a comfortable pace.

3:00:00
duration
240
TSS

MTB AER. NATURAL/TECHNICAL FARTLECK

Goal: Global/Technique
Technical training with the mtb at a pace between comfortable and hard depending on the slope of the terrain. Do not hold for more than 5' intensities greater than z 4 of hr. Do about 3h.
Take the opportunity to put technical trails both down and up.

3:00:00
duration
159
TSS

CYCLING AER. EXT./INT.

Goal: Aer. Ext./Int.
150-180' free intensity
Free continuous training with a group (if possible) of a level similar to yours. Do more or less according to the availability of time you have. Think more about a lap that motivates you than about strictly complying with the scheduled time.
You can swap the order of the weekend workouts with no problem.

Weekly breakdown

Sessions
Total
Longer
Cycling
3
06:33:00
04:00:00
MTB
3
04:56:00
03:00:00
Strength
2
01:36:00
00:50:00
Day off
1
-
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