P2PI and long events

Matt is using the Prepare to Pin training program to prepare for a long event. How should he adjust the program for greater endurance?

Lee,
I bought Prepare to Pin it in September and started the Turbo plan 2 months ago. I just finished my Red Intervals 30/30 3×10. Since I have a signed copy of your book I am thinking of hiring a witch doctor to make a Voodoo Doll of you for revenge! Just thinking of week 10 is freaking me out so I guess I am doing it right. However, this training plan has moved my cycling to a whole different level. My thanks to you and Lester!

I am prepping for NUE #2 Cohutta 100 which is actually 65/35 gravel/singletrack with about 15,000 feet of elevation gain. I use a heart rate monitor with my Garmon and Strava. I know everyones heart are different but my threshold is 153. How much time in general should I spend in just say threshold, tempo, moderate? I know everyone is different but just in general.

I took a 58 mile ride 2 weeks ago and 25% of the total miles were at or above threshold with 7,000 feet of elevation gain. That was a tough ride, not quite soul crushing but tough. Last week I took a 64 mile ride and only 12% of the total miles were in threshold (purposely) and most of the ride was in tempo/moderate and my speed was actually increased because I suppose I was more consistent. I felt like the second ride was not a soul crushing effort by any means even though it was about 8,000 feet of climbing.

Although my second ride was faster, should I train to improve on keeping the amount of time/miles at my threshold or train at a more moderate pace like my 64 mile ride? I am just trying to work on my pace for the long haul. I have done 100 miles before but you would call it locomotion and I just sucked. Yes I admit it! I am just trying to improve and this plan you and Lester put together is the real deal. Just a little more advice needed. Thanks and your books are just awesome!

Matt

Matt!

Ha! Thanks for the praise, and I’m sorry about the red intervals. Well, I’m not sorry. We both know they’re good for you. I did red intervals last night, and I swore my stopwatch was broken. When … will … 30 … seconds … end?

OK:

In Prepare to Pin, Coach Lester Pardoe and I say “If you want to ride longer, put in more easy time between your hard times.” We also say “If you want to excel at a certain type of event — ultra endurance, XC, endure, DH or gated racing — focus on the duration and intensity levels of your race.”

So:

• Do not fall into the trap of riding semi-so-so. That will make you, well, so-so. They key to P2PI is: Go hard when it’s time to go hard. Go easy the rest of the time. When you want to settle into a long event at a mellow pace, you’ll have both the capacity and the endurance.

• Rock the core P2PI workouts. This way you develop all of your energy systems. And you get some rest days.

• In your structured workouts, spend more and higher time at sweet spot, drill the red intervals harder and increase your max sprint power. The more you develop these systems, the higher your capacity — and the more endurance you’ll have at lower intensities. Put another way: When your 100% goes up, so does your 50%.

• Put in more “easy” time. Long rides are great on the weekends, but you can fit more easy time into your midweek workouts. Examples: Instead of sweet spot for 20 minutes before red intervals, try 30. Instead of 10 minutes at Level 2 between sprints, try 20, 40 or 60.

• On Saturday do the Kitchen Sink workout (which hits every energy system) or do a sick trail ride. Go as long as you can at a spirited pace. Mix in some red efforts and sprints. Shred with your bros!

• On Sunday go for a long, easy ride. I suggest building up to longer than your target event. You might need to concatenate rides and riding partners.

On red days, go hard. On yellow days go easy. But feel free to go long.

• Switch/change the workouts/days to suit your needs. Make sure you get enough rest!

If you do all this, you should have more power/speed than you need plus more endurance than you need. That way you can enjoy your event — and pin it while you’re at it.

Have “fun” and tell us how it goes!

Lee

Check this out: Your results may vary: P2PI week 5 power testing

Know more. Have more fun!

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