Race eve training

What time do you recommend carrying out a workout on the eve of a race? For example with most Sunday races starting at 10am, should I ride on Saturday at the same time (10am) or late afternoon to be more “open”? For information my eve of race I ride between 30 and 40 minutes and am 62 years old, FTP of 230 and 145 lbs.

Truuli or any of its +/- variations are great “race-opener” type workouts that are great for the day before the race :+1:

image

Thanks Bryce, it’s not the workout I’m after, but any science into 24 hours before.or later.

Typically my teammates and I would complete these types of workouts about 24 hours prior to the event, and then another set of openers during the warmup immediately preceding the race :+1:.

I’m interested to hear about everyone else’s routines as well.

2 Likes

I try my best to match start time of the race - 10a race, 9:45a openers the day before.

I’ve done much earlier - I race track which is evening and often ride the morning before, no noticeable impacts. I have done very late like 8-9pm for a race that starts at 8am and that isn’t wise. I think it was more the struggle to sleep after openers than feeling tired from the openers. Finally I have not done openers for a race and I will never do that again.

My routine is proprietary but involves less than 15 min of work and could be done in 45min but i prefer 60

No science, just my rambles.

1 Like

I do openers the day before. Since I often train in the evening there’s usually less than 24 hours between doing the opener and racing.

I don’t do any openers. I actually don’t ride the day before a race.

Did my first race as a kid in the late 1980s. Ever since people are telling me to do openers and sorts. The classical pattern before a race. At some point I simply ignored this dogma and switched to the following pattern. Simply makes me feel better on race day, makes me feel “charged”. Similar to not having for a while … well, you know :slight_smile:

3d before race: some intensity. Depending on A/B/C race different (intensity x volume) - combination.
2d: 2-3h easy endurance ride
1d: off
0d: race

However, all my races are at least 2.5h in duration, haven’t done a crit or so for 25 years.