A week in my CX training
What does my week look like?
No two weeks are the same, the training I do, depends on a number of factors and what my race calendar looks like, but I want to give you a rough idea of an “average” training week.
Monday—Recovery
The main thing for me on Mondays is recovery and planning the week, do laundry, a food shop, etc. I can focus on training and work the rest of the week. After getting my race bags emptied I get on the bike to do an LSCT test, which is a 20-minute sub-max test designed to track levels of fatigue and adaptation to training (read more about the test). If I am really tired I get straight off the bike after the test, other days I do an easy hour.
Tuesday—Technical day
Tuesday is a double day: I start with a 30-minute run before breakfast. You use your muscles differently when running, so for it did not affect my cycling performances in races, I need to train my running ability.
In the afternoon I spend up to 2 hours on my cross bike in the park or local forest. I focus on skills work and add efforts in harder training weeks. You can do cross training everywhere, all you need is a field and a few bottles. In the video below, I am focussing on acceleration out of corners. There are no excuses not get off-road. Of course, for tricky technical training you will need some descents and ascents.
Wednesday—Team work
On Wednesdays I head out with my local cycling club, Sid Valley Cycling Club, for an endurance ride. We ride between 80 and 120 kilometres on the pretty roads of Devon with a mid ride coffee and cake stop. With good company, coffee and cake, endurance rides are over before you know it. In the late afternoon/early evening I usually do a red cord core and strength session.
Photo : Sue Mc Givern
Thursday—Intervals
On Thursdays it is back to business with intervals. This can be anything from the threshold to sprint work. It usually hurts, but luckily it’s over quickly and I am always home within 2 hours.
Friday—Easy day
Friday is my second easy day of the week, that means an easy spin in the morning or a day off. If I have time, and feel like it, I might do a yoga class.
Saturday—Prep day
On Saturdays, I either travel to the venue of Sunday’s race and do a pre-ride on course or I do an off-road pre-ride at home. If I am at the venue, I usually try to learn the course as well as I can, I do a few easy laps where I try to think about how I am going to attack the course and what tires and pressures to run. That is then followed by a few harder laps, where I put things into practice and check if my ideas work out. If not, I go back, rethink and try again.
Sunday—Race Day
Race day starts with an easy spin on the course to see if the conditions have changed and to open up my legs. I will have my pre-race meal (3 hours before the start), get my numbers and start to get ready for the race.
Approximately 40 minutes before the race I get my game face on and do my warm up, which lasts 20 minutes and get to the start! Then the race is on! After the race, I do a 20-minute cool down and drink a recovery shake to help my recovery.
This weekend I will be heading to Bogense in Denmark! I haven’t raced “at home” in a while and am super excited to race the world cup in front a home crowd! Follow my story on Instagram to see how it goes!
—
Margriet is wearing the Alpha RoS Jacket (first picture) and the CX 2.0 Speedsuit (second picture).
Be part of our women community #castelliwomen