Xterra - Advanced Championship Training Plan
Author
Lynda Wallenfels
All plans by this CoachLength
12 Weeks
Typical Week
4 Swim, 1 Other, 2 Bike, 2 Run, 1 Brick, 3 Strength, 1 MTB
Longest Workout
1:00 hrs swim
1:30 hrs bike
1:15 hrs run
Plan Specs
triathlon xterra intermediate advanced hr based
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Summary
This twelve week training plan is an intensive and challenging plan that assumes you have a serious commitment to racing and have age group podium goals at a Championship level Xterra event.
To start this plan you must have at least one season of Xterra racing under your belt and be a confident swimmer and mountain biker. You should have completed six to eight weeks of consistent aerobic swim, bike, run and core strength training prior to following this plan.
During most weeks on the plan you will be swimming, cycling, running, core training and stretching 3-4 times per week. Swimming workouts are paced by time, running by heart rate and cycling is paced either by heart rate or power out-put (watts). Weekly training hours vary from a low of 7:45 on a recovery week to a high of 15 hours in week seven of the plan.
Visit the LW Coaching website http://lwcoaching.com/ to ask training plan questions on our forum, read mountain bike specific training articles, learn new workouts and see what events our coaches and athletes have been racing.
Stats
Sample Day 1
Warm up as you would before a race. Then swim a 1000m/yd time trial all out but at an even pace. A well executed test will have 100 splits within five seconds of each other. Record 1k TT time, 100 splits and average 100 pace. Your average 100 pace is called your T-Pace and will be used to pace swim workouts on this plan.
Sample Day 1
Use a combination of rolling on the foam roller and stretching to work out your hot spots.
Sample Day 2
This test has two purposes. #1 To set heart rate zones and/or power based training levels, and #2 to set a performance benchmark in order to track progress. The Test Warm up by riding easy for 30 minutes, moderate for 15 minutes and then do 3 X 1 minute race pace efforts with 3 min easy pace recovery between each. Then time trial at maximum pace for 20 minutes on a flat out-back course or a continuous gradual climb. Power-meter users. Record average 20 min TT power. Multiply this average power (Pave) number by 0.93 to calculate your Functional Threshold Power (FTP). This FTP number will be used to calculate your power training levels. Also record your heart rate, speed, cadence and perceived exertion. Heart Rate monitor users Record your average heart rate from the 20 min time trial. This average will be used to estimate your lactate threshold heart rate (LTHR) and set heart rate training zones. On the Preferences-HR and power zones page, insert your LTHR to calculate your heart rate training zones. Be sure to click save after they have been calcuated so the zones will appear on your daily log page. Also record your heart rate, speed, cadence and perceived exertion.
Sample Day 2
Easy pace run. Check cadence: count left foot strikes 15 seconds. Goal is 22 or higher. You can transition to this run after your ride or do it later in the day - whichever fits your schedule best. Be sure and do the bike test before you run today.
Sample Day 3
Warm up: 300 easy swimming. Swim a 50 yard counting strokes and seconds to get your "golf" score (Golf score = strokes+seconds). Main Set: Drill 2-4 X 50 yards (same drill), swim 200 yards concentrating on the part of your stroke you drilled. Repeat 50 yard golf. Did your score improve? Did the drill make you a better swimmer? Repeat golf, drill, swim, golf sequence 1-3 more times using a different drill for each set. Cool down: 200 swim easy.
Sample Day 3
Use a combination of rolling on the foam roller and stretching to work out your hot spots.
Sample Day 4
Ride 45' on a flat or gently rolling course in the heart rate zone 1 or with power <55% of FTP. Then transition to a 15' run in heart rate zone 1 on a flat course. Pay close attention to your breathing on run. This is your best clue as to how hard you are running--not your legs. Everything is easy active recovery pace today