Modify My Week's Training Prior to Race Day?

I have VO2 workouts scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday this week and I have a 42.5 mile road race on Saturday (5/7). The workouts are Central Fork and Mount Foraker, respectively. I’m in a low volume plan.

Should I modify my workouts or not do them to make sure I’m fresh for Saturday? This is my first bike race so any advice on how I can be best prepared with regards to my training will be appreciated.

Definitely yes. You don’t want to go into Saturday with sore legs or glycogen depletion. Go in fresh.

I am in the same boat… 58 mile road race (lots of climbing) on 5/7. I have VO2 on Monday and Threshold on Thursday. I figure Monday will be OK, but plan on dialing it back on Thursday. Maybe just an endurance spin. I would think you would have enough recovery time from the Tuesday workout… but I’d want some rest the last couple of days.

Depends a lot on your goals. If this race isn’t too important (B or C) do your workouts. You want to keep getting stronger to build towards an A event.

Some trial and error is required too. Some people like more rest going into a race and others (I fall in this category) like some intensity in their legs before a race. And how fast you recover plays a big part too. For myself, if I have a B race on a Saturday, I’d still do scheduled VO2/threshold workouts on Tuesday/Thursday. But I have enough racing/training experience to know I can recover and perform at the race.

The other option is to use alternates and just do shorter workouts. Maybe opt for a 30-45min workout in the proper zone instead of 60-90min. That will be easier to recover from but still keep your training moving forward.

No matter what you do, have fun racing! It’s exciting to put all the training time to good use. And with more experience, you’ll learn what your body needs to perform it’s best on race day.

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Based on the question and background you gave, you should make Thursday an easy Z2 ride, add some 30s openers (like five of them) which are above threshold but not sprints.

This being your first race and you wanting to know how to be best prepared for it, the advice above to possibly do the workouts is bad advice. Thursday’s workout will not prepare you better for Saturday’s race in any way; it’ll do the opposite.

Do Tuesday’s workout, that’s OK. Make Thursday relatively easy. Go in to Saturday relatively fresh for your first race! Kill it!

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Agree with Kurt.

How do you usually feel on a Saturday after two hard sessions on Tue/Thu? Chances are you’re probably quite tired. If so, ride hard on Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest. Make Thursday an endurance ride. Friday can be an easy spin with optional openers or a day off.

Enjoy the race!

Sam, I usually feel ok. Ok enough to get my long ride in. (1 hr 30 min).

I plan on making Thursday an easy ride to make sure my legs are not crushed for Saturday.

Thank you for the advise.

I’m going to follow this advise. I feel like people are largely saying that I should not do anything over FTP on Thursday. This is advise I will take.

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Thank you for sharing!

Good luck with your race, Chris!

You too. High winds forecast for mine. Will start with a tail wind, then cross-winds and finish into a headwind. Not ideal. :slight_smile:

Very happy to help out a new racer! Let us know how it goes this weekend!

High winds not ideal but I prefer starting with a tailwind. Speed is invariably higher so you aren’t as tempted to push too hard. Can save some for the headwind section :slight_smile: