10 WEEK INTERMEDIATE CX TRAINING PLAN MAXIMUM EFFORT. MINIMUM TIME.
FOR USE WITH THE SUFFERFEST TRAINING CENTRE APP
IWBMATTKYT 1 CONTENTS
MEET YOUR COACHES 03 WEEK ONE 38 BEFORE YOU SUFFER 04 WEEK TWO 40 INTRODUCTION 06 WEEK THREE 42 NOTES FOR SUFFERING 08 WEEK FOUR 44 DEFINITIONS 09 WEEK FIVE 46 CYCLING VIDEOS 13 WEEK SIX 48 CYCLING DRILLS 22 WEEK SEVEN 50 YOGA 31 WEEK EIGHT 52 FTP / RPE 35 WEEK NINE 54 PLAN OVERVIEW 36 WEEK TEN 56
IWBMATTKYT 2 MEET YOUR COACHES
OFFICIAL COACHING PARTNER OF SUFFERLANDRIA: APEX COACHING The main philosophy of APEX Coaching is to provide individualized coaching with a balance of art and science. We consider the practical goals and abilities of our athletes with respect to their individual needs. We believe that the quality of training is far more important than the quantity of training. As Neal says “More is always more, but more is not always better.” While it is not possible to get faster without training hard, too much training can easily overload even the most experienced athlete and lead to diminished performance. Finding the best balance between high intensity work and quality recovery is the key to making the greatest gains in fitness. APEX Coaching believes that Polarized Training is the most effective strategy to improving performance. This means we will never prescribe weeks and weeks of “base” training with no high intensity work, and you will never have weeks and weeks of doing only one type of interval. Finally, APEX Coaching believes that health always comes before fitness, and that maintaining a balance between athletic pursuits and life’s priorities is key to longterm success.
SIR NEAL HENDERSON, KoS, MAC CASSIN has SUFFERLANDRIAN is one of the world’s leading been coached by YOGA PARTNER: cycling and triathlon Sir Neal since YOGA15 coaches and has worked 2009 and is Our partner for The with elite athletes such a coach with Sufferfest Yoga for as Evelyn Stevens, Taylor APEX focusing Cyclist sseries, ABI Phinney, Rohan Dennis on masters CARVER started and Flora Duffy. His athletes and junior her fitness career have won world and olympic racers. As an elite in personal training, championship titles, world records cyclist who also has before later branching out and leaders jerseys in the biggest races in the world. to balance the demands of ‘life’ into yoga. She completed her yoga teacher Neal is the founder of APEX Coaching and is also with his goals as an athlete, Mac training in Guatemala, and has since grown on the coaching staff for the US National Team and has a deep understanding of how a huge online following with Yoga 15, her BMC Pro Racing. The recipient of multiple coaching to get the most out of those who comprehensive yoga system designed awards, Neal holds a Masters in Kinesiology and have limited time to train. Mac has specifically for athletes. Abi now teaches Applied Physiology from the University of Colorado raced at the World and PanAmerican in Europe, South America and Indonesia, Boulder. Sufferlandrians know Neal’s work well, championships and holds several US tailoring her classes and routines specifically as he’s the designer of Sufferfest workouts such national and state titles. His studies to the athletes she’s teaching. With her as Blender, Nine Hammers, The Omnium, Thin Air were in Integrative Physiology from own interests including surfing, climbing and many, many more. Neal is a former Masters the University of Colorado and has and running, she uses yoga to improve US National Champion on the track, a former worked as a research assistant in the her performance through conditioning, professional triathlete and has won medals at the CU Neurophysiology lab. recovery, and mental skills training. age-group world championships.
IWBMATTKYT 3 BEFORE YOU SUFFER
HERE YOU ARE IS THIS PLAN FOR YOU? Ten weeks away from greatness. Ten weeks away Can you tick most of these boxes? from a faster, more powerful, more BADASS you. This plan was designed by the expert coaches from Apex Coaching and the twisted...er, creative minds FF You’ve been riding on the road for several years and have done at at The Sufferfest. By combining the cutting edge least one season of cyclocross. philosophies and sports science training methods FF You can ride with a fast moving group, and take your pulls, but when used by elite cyclocross racers with our enterPAINing the going gets tough, you’re just hanging on by the skin of your workouts, we’ve created a training plan that can be chamois. used year-round - to the peril of any rider who tries to hold your wheel. This plan takes a three-dimensional FF You’re used to consistent training: you’re comfortable riding approach to improving you as an athlete by not only frequently during the week and getting longer sessions in on the getting you suffering on the bike, but also taking care weekends. of your body and mind with yoga training sessions. FF In the cyclocross races you’ve done, you’re somewhere in the middle This plan provides training structure, discipline, and, of the pack for your grade. A bit more fitness and better skills and most importantly, results through maximum fitness you’d be at the front. gains in a minimum of time. Enjoy the Suffering! FF You have limited time to train. If you want to keep your job and the family happy, you need focused, compact training sessions.
Does this sound like you? Then, my dear Sufferlandrian, you’re in the right place. This will be a great introduction to structured training with the aim of building a solid base of mental and physical fitness, enhancing endurance and increase your speed out in the dirt.
IWBMATTKYT 4 BEFORE YOU SUFFER
WHY YOU NEED THIS PLAN Success at cyclocross requires optimum fitness and precise skills. If you want results in races, and have limited time to train, then the focused volume but varied efforts and drills of this plan will give you the best foundation from which to achieve success.
HOW FIT YOU NEED TO BE While the demands aren’t extraordinary, we do want you to be fit and healthy enough to push yourself and take your fitness to another level. If you’ve been riding about three times a week for the past three months, you’re good to go. If you’ve not been riding much and would struggle to finish an intense 90 minute session on the bike then you may struggle to keep pace with the intensity of this plan. Don’t fret! Build your fitness up by steadily and consistently increasing your saddle time and throwing in a bit of intensity here and there. When you’re ready for more this plan will be the ticket. By the way, be sure to have a decrease in both volume and intensity in the week before starting this plan. That will allow you to be fresh both mentally and physically. After the plan allow yourself a nice easy week and then re-focus and kick non-Sufferlandrian ass.
HOW MUCH TIME THIS TAKES We know you’re busy and this plan is designed for the BADASS-on-the-go. The first week starts with just under 6 hours of chamois time, and you’ll average of 6 hours over the course of this plan. We’ve added in some yoga sessions (all 15 minutes or less) to supplement your Suffering. It’s not that much, so you should be able to find the time to make it all happen if you get organised and plan ahead.
IWBMATTKYT 5 10 WEEK INT. CX
PLAN OVERVIEW cross races. The real gems of this first block are the three back-to-back days Welcome to the 10 Week Intermediate of training that you will have to fight Cyclocross training plan! Over the through. course of the next 10 weeks you will combine high intensity efforts with Week 4 is your first rest week, but that specific bike skill sessions. These will doesn’t mean you are completely off have you riding faster in a straight line the hook for training! This is a great and through the technical sections week to put the emphasis on your skills typical of any enterPAINing CX course. ride and push your handling skills while However, this plan is much more than you let your body recover from the last just on the bike Suffering. Weekly three weeks. This week is not just about yoga sessions will increase your recovering from the training you have flexibility as well as core strength, done, it is equally about making sure which will have you sitting more you are fresh enough to hit your next comfortably on the bike and insure all three week block at 100%! your power is getting directed to the Week 5 starts your second three week pedals. At the end of these 70 days block of training. Again emphasis is you will be a fitter, more agile and placed on workouts involving shorter tougher version of yourself! high intensity efforts, which is why To get the most out of the next 10 you have back-to-back days of high weeks of training we need to make intensity each week. This does not sure you are hitting all the workouts at mean we are ignoring the longer the right effort level. To do this we need steady efforts though, as each weekend to run you through a power test, which in weeks 6 and 7 are designed to give will not only set all of your training you the right volume and intensity zones, but is a great workout period. to continue to increase your baseline Once you are done with testing, you fitness. These are the workouts that will will dive right into your first three week ensure that you can keep on the gas in training block. These first three weeks the last 10 minutes of a race. focus primarily on the short, high Week 8 is your final rest week of this intensity efforts that make up most plan - make the most of it! We have
IWBMATTKYT 6 10 WEEK INT. CX
dialled back the intensity to allow will be a truly well rounded athlete. you to recover while still forcing you A Sufferlandrian much stronger, WEEK to keep your legs turning over and more flexible and mentally tougher ready to Suffer! than ever before. When it’s all over, 1, 2, 3 A fitness test and a big focus on short intervals and you will be ready to go out into are the last hurrah. Weeks 9 and 10 the world and show everyone the back-to-back session to work on the speed systems Since this is only a two week block, Sufferlandrian within! needed to dominate a cyclocross race. the intensity of each week is dialled up a notch to make sure you make the most of the Suffering. Week 10 4 A low volume week to focus on technique and in particular will test your limits with recovery to let your body process the work from two back-to-back sessions in one the previous weeks. week. This will put the fitness and endurance you have built up over 5, 6, 7 Further developing the full spectrum of your fitness, the previous 9 weeks to the test, and put the cherry on top of all the hard with tempo, threshold, VO2 and anaerobic sessions. work and Suffering you have gone through. 8 Your second easier week with a focus on technique and tempo - just enough to keep you Once you make it week 11 it will be time for another rest week. This will out of Couchlandria and focused on CRUSHING ensure you absorb all of the hard THEM. training you have put in over the last 10 weeks. After that rest week 9, 10 Test your limits with brutal back-to-back intensity you will be ready to crush your race! If you don’t have a particular race sessions. targeted that weekend you can start up another block of training and continue to build the speed and endurance that will see you flying through lap after lap of any cross course. By the time you are recovered from this training plan you
IWBMATTKYT 7 NOTES FOR SUFFERING
Reviewed the plan and have THE ‘MAJORITY RULE’ REST DAYS & RECOVERY a few questions? Here are the answers to five of the Despite your best intentions, there will come You might think that a Sufferlandrian common questions that come the day when ‘life’ gets in the way and you training plan wouldn’t have any of these. After all, across The Minion’s desk. miss a workout or two. Now, in an ideal world what does resting have to do with Suffering? A you would be able to hit each and every workout, while LOT, ACTUALLY, and recovery is, in the eyes of a Still not sure? Email getting eight hours of sleep every night and eating all Sufferlandrian, a necessary evil. Suffering - especially [email protected] your fruits and vegetables. The “Majority Rule” means at the intensity that this plan asks of you - makes you that if you can get in two thirds of all the workouts in a tired, and if you’re too tired, you can’t suffer enough. given week, you’re on track and making improvements Improvement requires rest after hard sessions so to overall fitness. Missing a few workouts here and there your body can make repairs and build itself back up should not be a cause of extra stress in your life, simply stronger. When you’re well rested, you can then go accept it and crush your next one! harder and suffer fully again.
REDUCED INTENSITY FUELING, HYDRATION & SLEEP WORKOUTS These three things will do more to make You’ll notice that several workouts are or break any workout than you might think. Sleep is prescribed at 80 or 90% (you can adjust the intensity your number one recovery tool and over the next 10 in the app before starting the videos). On their own, weeks should be considered your best friend. If you workouts like Hell Hath No Fury are fantastic, but as get into a rut of less than five hours of sleep a night do part of an intense training plan they can be a little not be surprised when your workouts start to suffer. much. The goal is to work you hard, but not so hard If you are feeling extra tired it will be better for you to that you fail to complete workouts. Don’t worry about swap a workout for an extra hour in the morning (or turning the intensity down - you will get almost the evening). When dealing with high intensity workouts exact same training benefit from these sessions at carbohydrates and fluid intake are your two other 90% as you would at 100%. The difference, however, best friends. A good rule of thumb is 750mL (24oz) of is that you will recover more quickly and be able to fluid and 30g of carbohydrates per hour of exercise. Of hit another hard session sooner. course everyone one is different so it will be up to you to find out what works best for you! You can configure the intensity of your rides before you start your workout in the ‘Ride Check’ screen.
RIDING INDOORS DURING BAD WEATHER Is Mt. Sufferlandria erupting again and you’re stuck inside? No worries! You can do all the recommended rides in your bike torture chamber, even when they aren’t Sufferfest workouts! The exception is, of course, the skills and drills. They must be done outdoors, rain, hail or lava snow.
IWBMATTKYT 8 DEFINITIONS
Throughout the plan, you’ll see we use a few based on your perceived work rate and (dis) will allow you to take your training to new different terms for the workouts that might comfort. A scale from 1 to 10 is used, with 1 levels. For more info, refer to our Help Centre. sound a bit buzzwordy. Especially for the being an easy effort you could maintain all cycling sessions. We use these terms not day, and 10 being a maximal effort like a FUNCTIONAL THRESHOLD POWER (FTP: only because they make us sound smart, but sprint. For more detail refer to the LT & RPE Let’s take this one bit-by-bit. Let’s imagine because they have specific meanings when Mapping page. you’re heading out for a 1 hour ride. Since you it comes to training. Understanding these don’t have a lot of time, you go as fast as you will help you get more out of your training, POWER AND WATTS: Simply put, power can for that entire ride, pushing as hard as and also allow you to hold your own when is a measure of work over time and a Watt you can and not slowing down until you get cornered at your next party by the local (w) is a unit of power. To be precise 1 Watt home. That effort is known as your ‘ Functional know-it-all sports physiologist. is equal to 1 joule per second. The reason Threshold Power.’ If you go above that, your this is such an important metric to cyclists ability to sustain the effort falls off substantially. is because it is an objective measure of the If you ride below it, you could practically ride ACTIVE RECOVERY: This is low-intensity energy you are putting through the pedals to forever. One of the main improvements you exercise. So low that it doesn’t even really feel propel you forwards. Speed can be affected can make in your cycling is to improve your like exercise. On the bike, it’s just really light by the gradient or wind, and two people can threshold - your ability to ride fast for an spinning to get the legs moving. Running at have vastly different heart rates when doing hour. When you raise your threshold, you can this level is nothing more than a jog and in the same relative effort, but 1 Watt is and go faster, hang with groups longer, and feel the pool you’re just working on technique. will always be 1 Watt. One important thing fresher toward the end of long rides. Still with Why? Because it can help get rid of those to keep in mind though is just because two us? Good. Your threshold can be measured a nasty bi-products of intense efforts that are riders are both doing 150W does not mean few ways. Heart Rate is a good measure, and still hanging around in your muscles and will they will go the same speed, you have to when you understand your HR threshold, you speed up recovery from hard efforts in the take other things like weight and drag into can figure out the appropriate HR Zones. The previous days. It also prevents your couch account for that. The real significance of best measure, however, is power measured from getting too possessive of you. measuring power is that you can track YOUR in watts. Power can be measured by a power change in fitness over time with objectivity. meter or by using virtual power, a feature of TRAINING ZONES: These are a function of your lactate threshold heart rate (LTHR) or our app. When you know your threshold in one VIRTUAL POWER: Virtual Power uses lactate threshold (LT - based on your power of these measures this is called knowing your known parameters, specifically the change FTP. or virtual power). These zones are specifically in resistance a trainer has based on wheel targeted throughout the training plan to speed, to estimate your power output. Complete the workout Rubber Glove and the develop your fitness and boost your ability Our App has a MASSIVE library (that is app will calibrate your FTP and LTHR if you’ve on the bike. “Zone 2”, for example, may be continuously updated) of trainer makes and connected the appropriate sensors. referred to as “Z2” in the workout description, models so that you can have your (virtual) “Zone 6” as “Z6” and so on. power displayed onscreen during a workout. LACTATE THRESHOLD HEART RATE (LTHR): This ability to compare efforts from day to Lactate Threshold Heart Rate follows the RECOMMENDED PERCEIVED EXERTION day and week to week on your own trainer same guiding principles at LT. Roughly (RPE): RPE is used to structure your workout
IWBMATTKYT 9 DEFINITIONS
speaking it is the maximum heart rate you Minute (RPM). You can pair any compatible to soft pedal and take it easy while riding. can sustain for a 1 hour effort. Knowing this cadence sensor with our app to track your Mostly composed of non-Sufferlandrians. value will allow you to set up your training RPM during the workout. zones in terms of heart rate, and not power IN THE ‘BOX’/IN THE RED: This is that familiar or pace. The nice thing about LTHR is that SPINNING & LEG SPEED: Pushing big gears place known and loved by all Sufferlandrians. once you start training a little it will not on your bike at a low cadence for a long Think about the 9th hammer from Nine change by more than a few beat per minute time can make you stronger, but it can also Hammers, the 7th interval in Revolver, the from year to. While your LT power might make you sluggish and sap your strength. second set of Ugly 15s from Half Is Easy… any increase by 30 watts over a year ,While your High leg speed, AKA “spinning,” is essential part of Hell Hath No Fury and The Wretched LT might go up by 30 watts on the bike or to keeping your legs fresh and supple during - that’s what being in the box or in the red decrease by 8 seconds per kilometer while active recovery and long rides. Training your feels like. Incidentally, you also love to put running your LTHR will not change at all. The leg speed can help you respond to changes others in the box on group rides and races, nice thing about this that once you have your in pace just by lifting your cadence by a few and you can do this because you’re an all- Heart Rate Zones set you will be could to revolutions a minute. It’s good to keep in powerful Sufferlandrian. follow them for a few years without needing mind that sometimes you just need to “Pedal to make any serious changes. We should faster, not harder.” point out that for most people their LTHR : There you are, riding while running is anywhere from 5-15 bpm WHEEL SUCKER along, gracefully hammering the pedals and higher than their Cycling LTHR To Maximize speeding along like the BADASS that you are. your Return on Suffering you might need to You do a head check and some other rider, have different zones for both disciplines. to your surprise (and dismay) is pedalling RETURN ON SUFFERING: We want your hard along right behind you. This is a wheel work (AKA Suffering) to result in the optimal sucker. They didn’t announce their presence. fitness outcome. That’s why we have structured They didn’t offer to pull a turn at the front. this training plan around the concept They’re just along for the ride, and the 10- of maximising your Return on Suffering. 40% reduction in effort required to ride in Sometimes that means crushing all 15* your slipstream. Naturally, you take offence to intervals in Revolver. Sometimes that means this behaviour. backing off completely and kicking your feet : Sufferlandrians up. Rest assured everything is designed with BUNCH/PACK/PELOTON rarely spend much time here, unless they your Return on Suffering in mind. are plotting their next attack, counter CADENCE & RPM: Cadence is just a measure attack, solo breakaway or any other variety of of how many times your crank makes a BADASS activities Sufferlandrians commonly complete revolution in 1 minute. Which is do. The pack, otherwise known as the bunch why the unit for cadence is Revolutions Per or peloton is a large group of riders who like
IWBMATTKYT 10 DEFINITIONS CROSS
The main focal point of any Cross course are its some racers opt to rest the top tube of their bike simply refers to being the first rider to make it “features” which is just a term used for any and on their shoulder as they run. The only way you to the first turn on the course. Considering that all obstacles that you have to negotiate. Here is a can figure out what works for you is to practice! just about everyone and their mother wants this breakdown of the features you are likely to see at While a Run Up might sound straight forward, position you, should take an honest look at your your local Cross Race. by the time you hit the last lap of a race with own abilities and decide if it is worth the extreme your legs and arms burning you might find effort and extra risk. If your strength is your sprint, BARRIERS: These simple wooden planks that yourself struggling to make it to the top without then your best bet will be to go for the Hole Shot, can be up to 40cm tall are the hallmark of stumbling. so start the race from the front and do your best Cross racing. Usually there will be 2-3 set up in to hold everyone else off. If you are a bit more series roughly 4-6m apart. Unless you possess OFF CAMBER: As if riding straight up and down of a diesel you might want to dial your starting some seriously impressive bike handling skills hills wasn’t hard enough many courses will run sprint to 90% and work on picking riders off one this will require you to slow down, dismount the course diagonally across a hill. This is referred by one as the race wears on. and carry your bike as you jump over these to as an “Off-Camber” section because you are obstacles before remounting and speeding off. forced to ride with some of the slope of the PITS: Just like a racetrack every CX course has a Getting the timing right for slowing down and hill running from your right side to the left (or “Pit” section where racers will have spare bikes dismounting is one of the trickier things about a vice-versa). Since the ground you are riding on and equipment. When the mud starts getting cross race is at an angle, the amount of traction you have as thick as peanut butter you can expect to is diminished. Just like leaning a bike over in a see racers swapping bikes every lap while a FLYOVER: In essence this is just a man made hill corner, if that angle gets too great your tires will mechanic (more often a friend or loved one that promoters can throw into a course to up the slip up and you may end up on your ass. Add in bribed with plenty of beer) power washes the difficulty level. A long, steep Fly Over will require some mud and Off Camber sections can be the mud covered bike in time to get it back to the you to carry adequate speed into it while forcing source of the greatest number of crashes in a racer in time to switch again. Having someone you to get out of the saddle and really hammer race. to work the Pits for you, or even having a spare it over the top. Once you make it to the top your bike to begin with, are a luxury that not everyone reward is usually an equally steep drop back SAND PIT: Sandpits are a true test of someone’s can afford. Fortunately unless the conditions are down. Keeping your weight behind your rear bike handling skills and balance. If you have truly abysmal you won’t face much of a penalty wheel will be the difference between carrying all never experienced riding through deep sand it from sticking with the same bike all race. Since the speed and going over the handlebars when might surprise you how difficult it is to ride more you have to slow down once in the Pits to make you get back to the dirt. than a few meters without crashing or coming to an exchange you will lose a bit of time each bike a complete stop. Since they can be up to 50m in swap, so you need to really think about how Just in case putting some maximum RUN UP: length you can expect to lose big chunks of time much faster a fresh, shining bike would make effort into your pedals isn’t enough to get your if you are forced to run it as opposed t you. legs burning many, CX courses feature a Run Up, which is simply a flight of stairs. Like barriers HOLE SHOT: Thanks to the technical nature of there will require you to scrub off some speed just about every CX course out there, once you and carry your bike up a full staircase before are racing there are precious few places where remounting and setting off. Since Run Ups are you can easily overtake another racer. That is why trickier to negotiate and longer than barriers, the “Hole Shot” can be so vital. The Hole Shot
IWBMATTKYT 11 WORKOUT TYPES
VIDEOS You’re here to get the maximum Return of Suffering with the help of our enterPAINing video workouts. By subscribing to the app, you have access to over 30 cycling, running and triathlon videos, and another 20 yoga videos to help you achieve your fitness goals. The expert coaches at APEX have painstakingly pieced together the videos, modified the intensities when needed and programmed rest days as well as a few drills that achieve fitness outcomes not available in our current workout library.
DRILLS The Cycling Drills are not available in the app as video workouts. These workouts can be done indoors in your bike torture chamber OR completed outside if the weather is agreeable. The Minions recommend using the generic workouts named “Open 30” or “Open 60” to to execute these Drills using the app. Please use the RPE & FTP INVINCIBILITY LIES IN THE Mapping Worksheet to calculate your power and heart DEFENCE; THE POSSIBILITY OF rate zones to suit the goals and format of each drill and VICTORY IN THE ATTACK avoid using ERG mode when using the cues to structure your workout, as a certain amount of freedom is important, SUN TZU especially for the cadence and standing start drills.
IWBMATTKYT 12 CYCLING VIDEOS
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: 5 x 4-minute high-intensity intervals A VERY DARK PLACE BEST FOR: Increasing ability to break away or hold onto a sustained attack 50m
You know that ride where you thought you Thor Hushovd and Bradley Wiggins and asked went harder, deeper and darker than you’d to bury yourself. A Very Dark Place is about ever gone before? HAHAHAHAH. AVDP takes maximum effort for short durations and is THRESHOLD you further, deeper and darker than that. designed to help you improve your top speed With officially licensed footage from Paris- over short distances – making attacks, getting Roubaix, Criterium du Dauphine and Liege- over short hills or taking a big pull at the front Bastogne-Liege you’ll be pitted against pro of the breakaway. cyclists like Philippe Gilbert, Fabian Cancellara,
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: A wide assortment of intervals, from 20 sec to 10 min long BLENDER BEST FOR: Improving endurance and performance across a variety of intervals 105m
The thought of developing endurance on This is the video that softens you up, takes you a turbo trainer is soul-destroying. It means to the edge of exhaustion, sneaks up behind spending time – a long time – on that horrific you and kicks you over that edge, down the THRESHOLD device. Even our Minions, who love indoor hill, then makes you run up while being chased training, have always struggled to stay on by a raving mob all the while pouring molten the trainer for more than an hour. Blender lava down toward you. We throw the kitchen – a workout designed by elite coach Neal sink of efforts at you - you’ll love it in that sick, Henderson and the same one he gives to his Sufferlandrian kind of way. athletes like Taylor Phinney and Rohan Dennis (from BMC Pro Team) – changes everything.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: 22 inverse and matching intervals between 10 sec and 1 min DO AS YOU’RE TOLD long. Anarchy. BEST FOR: Getting seriously FAST. 45m
The little voice in your head is telling you to stop. DAYT is a workout designed by elite cycling coach The screams from your legs are nearly deafening. Sir Neal Henderson, KoS, of APEX Coaching. In it, But you hear none of it – you’re following orders you’ll tackle two sets of 11 intervals each. The first THRESHOLD to ATTACK. Do As You’re Told is the story of two set is matching intervals, with efforts matching men in a car, your team directors, who are guiding recoveries. The second set features inverse intervals, you to GLORY over the dirt roads of Italy and the where if the effort is long then the recovery will be cobbles of Belgium. Ignore them at your own risk painfully short (and vice-versa). It’s an incredible – they will not tolerate insubordination. They also session to develop explosive, maximum power and have a car full of Pain Suckers and you don’t want enhance your ability to recover quickly from big them throwing that at you. efforts and go again.
IWBMATTKYT 13 CYCLING VIDEOS
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Drills to improve your efficiency and form ELEMENTS OF STYLE BEST FOR: Making you a better bike rider 40m
Can you ride? Really ride? Can you Suffer with Kirby, you’ll get clear instructions about exactly style? Make profound Suffering look effortless? what to do, when and why. We guarantee it will change the way you think about your riding style Although it has very little Suffering in it, Elements THRESHOLD after doing it JUST ONCE. Do it five times and of Style may just be our most important video ever. you’ll automatically adjust your position while Developed with the expert team at CyclingTips, out on rides. Do it 10 times and Sufferlandrian this 40 minute video provides the very foundation angels will burst into tears at the sheer epic upon which all your Suffering must rest. beauty of you kicking the crap out of your competition while making it look effortless. Narrated by one of the best cycling commentators in the world, Eurosport’s Carlton
FIGHT CLUB BEST FOR: Working ability to transition from the flat to steep climbs, all while responding to surprise attacks 60m
The Fight Club is scrappy, messy, and and against – Cancellara, Gilbert, Wiggins, Martin unpredictable. Like a real bike race, you’re and more! working hard to stay with the leaders, while THRESHOLD fending off attacks and doing your best to make Fight Club was designed to build power over the race by attacking as well. This is the only longer durations, while increasing leg-speed cycling workout video featuring officially licensed through 20+ unannounced ‘attacks’ that will footage from the UCI Road World Championships challenge you to accelerate and then recover in Mendrisio, Switzerland. You’ll be racing with – while still maintaining a massive effort. Yeah, good luck with that!
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: 2 x 20-minute intervals with a 3-minute gut punch to top it off HELL HATH NO FURY BEST FOR: Handling long periods of high intensity and finishing like a BADASS 75m
Is there anything more boring than the classic Sufferlandria – in one single Sufferfest video. 2 x 20:00 interval workout? We weren’t sure Now, “it gets interesting.” Cue evil laugh. we could make it interesting…and then we got THRESHOLD our hands on a full year of UCI Pro Women’s You are a Sufferlandrian. And you’re racing for racing footage from the World Cup. Emma the Sufferlandrian National Team in the Tour Pooley, Evelyn Stevens, Marianne Vos…the stars of Sufferlandria. You’re expected to take the are all there in races like the Tour of Flanders leader’s jersey (and a very special jersey it is), and the GP Plouay. And then we hit on the take over the race and secure ultimate GLORY idea of doing an entire stage race – The Tour of during a painfully short team time trial.
IWBMATTKYT 14 CYCLING VIDEOS
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: A structured warm-up to get you ready to CRUSH IT IGNITER BEST FOR: Perfect for use ahead of major events, alongside any Sufferfest workout and for those Sufferlandrians who need a longer pre-suffering warm up 20m
A highly-tuned machine - like you - needs its high-cadence sprints. You’ll emerge ready to engine warmed up in order to produce the CRUSH EVERYTHING BEFORE YOU. Perfect for THRESHOLD most power as efficiently as possible. Igniter is using before major events, in conjunction with based on the highly successful warm-up session our Extra Shot videos or to extend your regular developed by British Cycling and used by Team Sufferfest workout. Sky as part of their ‘marginal gains’ programme. You’ll go through 20 minutes of progressive efforts before hitting a couple high-intensity/
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: 4 big climbs, aggression, regret, enlightenment and a sprint to the finish ISLAGIATT BEST FOR: Improving your tolerance for long bouts of intensity and simulated climbing efforts. 120m
Two hours on the trainer. WHO THE HELL WANTS With stunning footage, a killer indie/electronic TO SPEND THAT MUCH TIME ON THE TRAINER? soundtrack and more attacks than you can shake Nobody. But if you’re training seriously and need a shredded chamois at, this is one of our most THRESHOLD to be indoors, then you have to put in longer popular videos. sessions to ensure you’ve got the endurance to go ISLAGIATT is a well-balanced session that gives you the distance. It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the plenty of time around threshold, with countless Time (ISLAGIATT) is here for you and you’ll never be attacks and enough recovery so you can get bored on the turbo trainer again. through the entire two hours. You’ll go through ISLAGIATT is the story of your quest to capture moments of glory and moments of doubt, but the Giro d’Italia’s Most Aggressive Rider award. you’ll come out of it proud of yourself for finishing.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT:Nine VO2 and threshold intervals NINE HAMMERS BEST FOR: Improving performance at your limit. 55m
Summiting Everest. Crossing the Sahara. Coach Neal Henderson of APEX Coaching, is Navigating the Northwest Passage. There are geared to improve your performance at the edge extreme journeys that capture the imagination. of your physical and mental capabilities. You’ll take THRESHOLD And now, Sufferlandria adds to those adventures on nine VO2 and Threshold intervals, lasting from with the journey of the Nine Hammers. Few 3 to 4.5 minutes and you’ll find yourself wondering can make it through this epic journey – but The whether you can hold on, but the brilliant balance Minions have confidence in you. in this workout means you’ll surprise yourself again and again with how hard you can push yourself. If ever an hour on the bike is going to make you Just don’t get distracted by the donuts. faster, this is it. The workout, designed by Elite
IWBMATTKYT 15 CYCLING VIDEOS
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: An unstructured ride where you can set your own pace and OPEN: 30 intensity. BEST FOR: Tracking recovery rides and adding training volume. 30m
Sometimes you just need a steady tempo ride instructions, storyline or music with this video, to clear the legs and head - you know, to make so load up your favourite playlist and hit Enter more room for Suffering. This workout is set, Sufferlandria so you can track your indoor THRESHOLD as a default, to RPE 6 (85% of LT), but you can training and earn the stamp in your Passport. adjust the intensity whenever you like (before and during the workout).
The video for this session is from on-bike cameras at the Tour de Suisse.. There are no
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: An unstructured ride where you can set your own pace and intensity. OPEN: 60 BEST FOR: Tracking recovery rides and adding training volume. 60m
Sometimes you just need a steady tempo ride The video for this session is from The Col to clear the legs and head - you know, to make Collective’s descent of the Col de Nivolet. There more room for Suffering. This workout is set, are no instructions, storyline or music with this THRESHOLD as a default, to RPE 6 (85% of LT), but you can video, so load up your favourite playlist and hit adjust the intensity whenever you like (before Enter Sufferlandria so you can track your indoor and during the workout). training and earn the stamp in your Passport.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Building muscular strength and endurance with 11 low POWER STATION cadence intervals BEST FOR: Increasing the brute strength of every pedal stroke 50m
Some say that absolute power corrupts absolutely. though - they will try to tempt you off your chosen Here in Sufferlandria, we say that more power path! means more kicking ass. Power Station is a Designed by Coach Sir Neal Henderson of BMC THRESHOLD workout dedicated to the development of brute strength through a series of (very) low-cadence, Racing and APEX Coaching, the session is all high-intensity climbs. You’ll be thrown in the deep about pushing big gears to develop muscular end by the Sufferlandrian Team as you fight it out endurance – which will improve the amount of in the ‘Hit by a Wall’ race to show the professional force (torque) that you can apply to the pedal. peloton that you are, indeed, the strongest of them And that, dear Sufferlandrians, makes you much, all. Watch out for the Couchlandrian Missionaries, much faster.
IWBMATTKYT 16 CYCLING VIDEOS
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: 15* x 1-minute maximum intensity intervals REVOLVER BEST FOR: Increasing your maximum power and ability to recover from flat out efforts 45m
Simple. Brutal. Uncomplicated. This is a workout you don’t have to think about. You just get on, drive yourself into the ground, and get off. It’s the THRESHOLD perfect video for anyone who needs to fit a killer, high-intensity workout into their lunch hour to tune-up for racing or weekend ass-kicking. It’s also the necessary evil: if you want to own only ONE Sufferfest video to make you faster, this is it.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Smashing 1 minute and 15 second efforts at your max REVOLVER IS EASY BEST FOR: When the simple agony of Revolver OR Half Is Easy just won’t do 45m
After the Revolver + Revolver stage of the When a maniacal laughter was heard coming 2016 Tour of Sufferlandria, many concerned from GvA Lair, Sufferlandrians knew this onlookers (Couchlandrians) asked if there were new, easier, take on Revolver was ready. Thus, THRESHOLD a way to make Revolver...easier. Grunter von Revolver is Easy was born to the world - the Agony immediately held a press conference combination of the first 11 intervals from where he declared he would indeed find a way Revolver and the second set of 20* x 15 second to do so, and for many weeks the world eagerly intervals from Half Is Easy. awaited the result. It’s not easy. Bring a bucket.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: A 20-minute functional threshold power (LT) test RUBBER GLOVE BEST FOR: Setting a fitness baseline for training programs 60m
This one hour workout is specifically designed to and lactate threshold heart rate (or LTHR for short, get you ready for performing a gruelling 20 minute if you’ve paired a heart rate monitor). If you haven’t cycling Functional Threshold Power (LT) test. paired any of your ANT+/BTLE devices with our app follow the instructions in the video to calculate THRESHOLD With Rubber Glove you get a solid warm-up, some high-cadence drills and then it’s straight into a 20 your LT or LTHR. minute maximum effort interval. Clear instructions Rubber Glove is beyond tough, but in true will pace you to get the most accurate LT possible. Sufferlandrian style, we also throw a snail, a pro Once you’ve completed the ride, our app will cyclist cooking breakfast on rollers, a monster calculate your LT (if you’ve connected your power truck, a power lifter and the apocalypse at you. meter or calibrated your setup for virtual power)
IWBMATTKYT 17 CYCLING VIDEOS
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: 2 x 13-minute race Sims THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD BEST FOR: Sufferlandrians serious about their Suffering and getting seriously fast. 50m
You’re a Sufferlandrian. The only thing you love to Suffer like you. You’ll prove that you’re not the as much as Suffering is making others Suffer. So Couchlandrian that some suspect you are, while what could possibly be better than being in a fighting for the GLORY that waits for you at the THRESHOLD race full of other Sufferlandrians, you ask? How finish line. about being in TWO races full of Sufferlandrians! Absolutely essential for anyone racing criteriums This workout, designed by elite cycling coach Sir or cyclocross, TBTITW is one of our best sessions Grant Holicky, KoS of APEX Coaching, is the story for developing high-end power, recovery of your effort to show every other Sufferlandrian and mental strength at the end of a scrappy, in the race that nobody – NOBODY! – knows how aggressive race or killer group ride.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Blending three very different videos into one enterPAINing THE BEST WAY IS BLENDED workout BEST FOR: Finding your breaking point and Suffering past it 65m
After passing a tandem bike on the lower slopes Give it a try - we think that in the end you’ll of Mt. Sufferlandria (he was doing endless agree that The Best Way is Blended. repeats), Grunter decided that he could open THRESHOLD a whole new world of Suffering by blending existing workouts together. He decided to test the concept out by combining three climbs from THE WAY OUT, the infamous ‘pain shakes’ from BLENDER, and the race Sim from THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: 2 sets of 8 intervals with durations from 15 seconds to 2 minutes THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL BEST FOR: Improving capacity for repeated, max intensity efforts 55m
An essential workout for developing tremendous interval workout with 16+ flat-out power efforts into speed, power and recovery, this is the only cycling 55 minutes. Just watch out for the Sufferlandrian workout that asks you to chase back to the front in Pain Suckers. THRESHOLD Paris-Roubaix or out-sprint the pack at the top of the Mur de Huy at the end of the Fleche Wallone.
With exciting footage, compelling storyline, and killer music, Downward Spiral wraps a structured
IWBMATTKYT 18 CYCLING VIDEOS
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Time trialling with the best in the world THE LONG SCREAM BEST FOR: Maintaining concentration while putting out serious watts 35m
They look so composed on television. So smooth The Long Scream puts you into a 30 minute and effortless when they fly by in person. But time trial. After a brief intro to get you ready, you inside the time trialist, there is a loud, agonizing, stop pedalling….focus……and GO! For the next half THRESHOLD never-ending scream of despair and hope. The hour, you’ll be following the best in the world din of the constant fight between mind and legs, during the UCI World Championship Time Trial a clash of will and lactic acid, of determination in Copenhagen, Denmark. As this is an extra and one’s better sense. To the observer’s ear, there shot, it is meant to be used in conjunction with may be heard a whimper, there may be a grunt, other Sufferfest videos. So, there is no meaningful but you’ll never hear the chaos going on inside. warm-up or warm-down.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Six intervals replicating track racing’s Omnium. THE OMNIUM BEST FOR: Simulating chaotic race scenarios and getting you to sprint to your maximum capacity. 50m
You know what we love about you? Your stress of the Points Race, you’ll need to dig versatility. You can Suffer anywhere, anytime deep into every corner of your COURAGE for and in any way. That’s why Grunter von Agony, this one. With a workout designed by Sir Neal THRESHOLD Sufferlandrian Team Director, is sending you Henderson, KoS (who happens to be a former to compete in The Omnium at the UCI World national champion on the track), this is perfect Track Championships. Over the course of 50 for anyone who wants to work on top-end minutes, you’ll do battle with the world’s elite in speed and power at high cadences. which you take on the six different races which make up the Omnium competition. From the searing agony of the Kilometer to the frantic
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: 8 climbs that focus on hitting the sweet spot - effort level THE WAY OUT right below your threshold BEST FOR: Boosting your threshold without inducing the same level of fatigue 60m
You gotta get out of here. This life in Couchlandria Zoncolan - you’ll spend an hour working hard - is simply too comfortable. So we’ve enlisted but not too hard. epic endurance cyclist Michael Cotty of The Col The benefit of training just below LT is that you THRESHOLD Collective to take you on a journey - or an escape, rather - from the comforts of idyllic village life can spend a lot of in that zone with minimal rest. back into Sufferlandria. The recovery from the workout will be shorter (compared to the typical Sufferfest) and we find Winding through the alps of France and Italy, and that there are improvements in lactate clearance tackling some of the most famous mountains in when training in this zone. the area - including the Col de L’Iseran and Monte
IWBMATTKYT 19 CYCLING VIDEOS
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: A brutal 40 minute climb THIN AIR BEST FOR: Building climbing endurance the likes of which the Sufferlandrian Volcano Climber would be jealous of 60m
You’ve struggled up the eight minute slopes VICTORY won’t come easy, though - not only do of Angels. You’ve clawed your way to the top you have an ambitious peloton to deal with, but of the 20 minute climb in The Hunted. Now rumour has it that The Shark - the most feared THRESHOLD comes your greatest challenge: proving to the cyclist in the world - is also in the hunt for world that you are a true cycling legend by GLORY. If ever a Sufferfest tested your mental, emerging victorious at the summit of Thin Air’s as well as physical, strength, Thin Air has to be 40 (!) minute climb. it.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: 6 climbs of various duration, intensity and cadences; meditating on beauty TO GET TO THE OTHER SIDE BEST FOR: Building your endurance base and those easier days between all-out Sufferfests 90m
It’s taken five years and more than 20 videos, mountains like the Monte Grappa, Tre Cime di but we’re proud to release our first ‘not that Lavoredo, Passo delle Erbe and Passo Manghen. hard’ (we can’t bring ourselves to say ‘easy’) You’ll even pop over to Austria to scale the THRESHOLD video. Produced in collaboration with The Col fearsome heights of the Grossglockner. Collective, creators of the world’s finest videos Featuring local insights from Mike and the on famous cycling mountains, this 90 minute Minions, as well as a killer soundtrack and video takes you on a sweeping and dramatic stunning scenery, you’ll be planning your next tour through the Dolomite mountains of trip to the mountains even before you climb off Northern Italy. Following legendary endurance the bike. cyclist Mike Cotty, you’ll climb amazing
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Getting told what to do before finally declaring SHUT UP LEGS! TOLD OFF BY ANGELS BEST FOR: Handling changes in pace, surges and attacks and then recovering enough to do it all over again 55m
Many of The Sufferfest’s previous workouts focused Told Off By Angels will start you off with some on improving a single skill. For example, Do As matching intervals from Do As You’re Told, then You’re Told will build your speed, Angels will shift gears into a 10 minute race Sim from The THRESHOLD improve your climbing and The Rookie simulates Rookie before crushing the final climb up the a racing situation. Surely the only thing better than Angliru from Angels. Are you up to the challenge? that would be a workout combining all three. Well, that’s what we’ve done!
IWBMATTKYT 20 CYCLING VIDEOS
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: 64 sprints between 5, 10 and 15 seconds long VIOLATOR BEST FOR: Winning 70m
So you’ve trained your ass off and you find Featuring exclusive footage from the 2013 yourself at the very end of the race. It’s you Giro d’Italia, we’ll throw you into the thick against the others as you come to the final of the action and go head to head with the THRESHOLD 200 meters. Time to sprint — are you prepared? best sprinters in the world, including Mark Violator is THE essential sprint improvement Cavendish, John Degenkolb and Elia Viviani. video. Featuring a total of 64 sprints, with Oh, and a shark, a hamster, a leopard and an durations of 5, 10 and 15 seconds, this is focused, airplane. As the Speed Demon of Sufferlandria, determined training that will ensure you take we’re sure you can handle it. Right? your rightful place as the Speed Demon of Sufferlandria.
THRESHOLD
MOST PEOPLE ARE QUITE HAPPY TO SUFFER IN SILENCE IF THEY ARE SURE EVERYBODY KNOWS THEY ARE DOING IT.
THRESHOLD ANON
IWBMATTKYT 21 CYCLING DRILLS
PRIMERS CADENCE BUILDS 1hr15m 1hr
What? What? Primers are a workout designed How? This workout will ask you to How? to stimulate your system without Keep your cadence to what’s progressively build from a cadence Keep your cadence to what’s comfortable, 90-100 RPM. comfortable, 90-100 RPM, unless overloading it with fatigue. of 90 RPM to your max over 30 seconds, recover and repeat. otherwise indicated. Primers are a moderate intensity Warm-Up Cadence builds are best done workout that can done on the • 7 minutes @ RPE 3 / 55% of FTP / indoors on a turbo trainer because Warm-Up turbo trainer or outdoors. The 70% of LTHR even small variations in terrain • 5 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / • 1 minute @ RPE 6 / 90% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR bulk of this workout is spent in can affect your ability to properly 95% of LTHR • 2 minutes @ RPE 3 / 55% of FTP / execute this workout. The majority heart rate Z1/2, 50-75% of your • 1 minute @ RPE 7 / 95% of FTP / 75% of LTHR of this workout is done in heart rate threshold power or RPE 2-5. 100% of LTHR • 1 minute @ RPE 4 / 65% of FTP / • 30 seconds @ RPE 8 / 110% of FTP / Z1/2, between 50-75% of FTP or HR < 85% of LTHR 105% of LTHR RPE of 2-5, though the effort level • 1 minute @ RPE 5 / 75% of FTP / Why? • 30 seconds @ RPE 9 / 120% of FTP / will be quite high during the peak 90% of LTHR Primers are for the day before HR > 105% of LTHR cadence output. • 30 seconds @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP a big workout or event. The • 1 minute recovery @ RPE 2 / 45% of / HR < 70% of LTHR FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR purpose of Primers is to activate Why? Main Set the system for the Suffering Main Set Cadence builds are designed • 30 second cadence build from at hand (and make sure your • 3 minutes @ RPE 7.5 / 100% of FTP / to improve the way you recruit 90 RPM to your max cadence. Try bike is up to the task!). The 100-105% of LTHR your leg, glute and core muscles to keep your effort < 6 RPE / 90% • 6 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / throughout your pedal stroke of FTP / 90% of LTHR key to a good workout here HR < 70% of LTHR 7 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / by progressing to your maximal • is completing enough efforts Repeat threshold and recovery HR < 70% of LTHR • cadence. By reaching your highest until your legs are feeling good, efforts 4 times • Repeat set 6 times (but skip 10 second surge @ RPE 9 / 120% of cadence possible you are training the last recovery interval and and then saving your energy for • FTP / HR > 105% of LTHR the “on/off” switch in each muscle proceed straight to the cool tomorrow. #IWBMATTKYT. • 3 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / group to not only work faster, but down) HR < 70% of LTHR have less overlap with your other • Repeat sprints and recovery efforts muscle groups. You’re training Cool Down 5 times (but skip the last recovery your hamstring muscles to “turn • 5 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / and proceed to cool down) off” when your quads “turn on” HR < 70% of LTHR and vice-versa to achieve a more Cool Down efficient pedal stroke. • 8 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR
IWBMATTKYT 22 CYCLING DRILLS
CADENCE BUILDS / SINGLE LEG / HOLDS 2hr
What? Why? This workout combines multiple The goals of this workout are: technique driven intervals that • To hold as high a cadence as possible while fully will improve your overall form engaging your core so that you are not bouncing and smoothness on the bike. in the saddle. Cadence holds and builds are • To steadily increase your cadence over 30 designed to improve the way seconds until you are hitting your absolute you recruit your leg, glute and maximal cadence. core muscles throughout your pedal stroke by sustaining a • Keeping a smooth pedal stroke when pedaling cadence that is just above what with only one leg on the pedals. is comfortable and by hitting This workout is best done indoors on a turbo trainer your maximal cadence. Single leg efforts involve unclipping How? one leg and riding at a steady Keep your cadence to what’s comfortable, 90-100 RPM, unless otherwise indicated. effort pedaling with a single leg, this forces you to pull up on the Warm-Up 5 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR pedal instead of just pushing • • 2 minutes @ RPE 3 / 55% of FTP / 75% of LTHR down. This workout is best done • 1 minute @ RPE 4 / 65% of FTP / HR < 85% of LTHR while riding indoors on a turbo • 1 minute @ RPE 5 / 75% of FTP / 90% of LTHR trainer because even small • 30 seconds @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR
variations in terrain can affect Main Set your ability to properly execute • 60 second cadence BUILD from 90 RPM to your max cadence. Try to keep your effort < 6 RPE / 90% of FTP / 90% of LTHR this workout. The majority of • 60 seconds @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR 60 second cadence HOLD at 110+ RPM (maintain the highest RPM while maintaining stable on the saddle). Try to keep this workout is done in heart • your effort < 6 RPE / 90% of FTP / 90% of LTHR rate Z1/2, 50-75% of threshold, • 60 seconds @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR RPE 2-5, keeping the effort level • 60 seconds pedalling with your RIGHT leg only. Try to keep your effort < 6 RPE / 90% of FTP / 90% of LTHR. below threshold (heart rate Z4, • 60 seconds @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of • 60 seconds pedalling with your LEFTleg only. Try to keep your effort < 6 RPE / 90% of FTP / 90% of LTHR. LTHR 100% of threshold, RPE 7-8) • 10 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR during the max cadence efforts. • Repeat set 6 times (but skip the last recovery interval and proceed straight to the cool down)
Cool Down • 10 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR IWBMATTKYT 23 CYCLING DRILLS
ENDURANCE+ RECOVERY SPIN 2hr30m 30m
What? What? This is a long, easy ride. Almost How? A short and easy ride. Please did How? so easy a Couchlandrian could Keep your cadence to what’s not write this short ride off, as it is Keep your cadence to what’s comfortable, 90-100 RPM. do it, but not quite. Endurance an essential part of your recovery. comfortable, 90-100 RPM. rides are a low intensity workout Warm-Up Warm-Up that can be completed on the • 5 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / Why? • 5 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR turbo trainer or outdoors and Don’t be afraid of the Two Rs: rest HR < 70% of LTHR • 2 minutes @ RPE 3 / 55% of FTP / 2 minutes @ RPE 3 / 55% of FTP / there is no video associated and recovery. Believe it or not, you • 75% of LTHR 75% of LTHR with Endurance+ rides, though • 1 minute @ RPE 4 / 65% of FTP / HR get faster when your body is taking you can tune in to the Open < 85% of LTHR it easy after all that Suffering. A Main Set • 1 minute @ RPE 5 / 75% of FTP / 30/60 rides in the app catalogue. recovery spin is a very low intensity • 20 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP 90% of LTHR / HR < 70% of LTHR. Keep your Feel free to split these longer • 30 seconds @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / ride, so easy that you’d feel cadence above 90 RPM and the ENDURANCE+ rides into two HR < 70% of LTHR embarrassed to ride so slow if you resistance light. rides (half in the morning and didn’t know you were helping your Main Set half in the evening). body get much faster. Recovery Cool Down • 60 minutes @ RPE 3 / 55% of FTP / • 3 minutes @ RPE 1 / 40% of FTP / 75% of LTHR spins can be done on a turbo HR < 70% of LTHR Why? • 70 minutes @ @ RPE 4 / 65% of FTP trainer or outdoors on flat terrain, / HR < 85% of LTHR The goal of this workout is to but keep it in the little ring and the develop your aerobic fitness by Cool Down cadence above 90 RPM. Stick to keeping to the aerobic cardio • 10 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / heart rate Z1, less than 50% of your HR < 70% of LTHR zone (everything below heart FTP, or RPE 3 and under. rate Z3, less than 70% of FTP, RPE 5). Stick to flat or gently rolling terrain if possible, avoid group rides (because we all know you’ll want to show off how BADASS you are) but keep it social by stopping for a coffee or two.
IWBMATTKYT 24 CYCLING DRILLS
SKILL BUILDING 1hr
What? This skills session is designed to How? mimic a variety of challenging course Keep your cadence to what’s comfortable, 90-100 RPM, unless otherwise indicated. conditions and scenarios you will Warm-Up (10m) encounter on race day. The skills • 4 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR practiced here are done below race • 2 minutes @ RPE 3 / 55% of FTP / 75% of LTHR pace so you can focus on proper • 1 minute @ RPE 4 / 65% of FTP / HR < 85% of LTHR • 1 minute @ RPE 5 / 75% of FTP / 90% of LTHR execution. To properly complete this • 30 seconds @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR ride you will need to find a field with • 1 minute @ RPE 5 / 75% of FTP / 90% of LTHR the following features and bring along • 30 seconds @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR some equipment: Main Set (45m)
• A set of stairs, ideally with enough STAIRS (repeat the following three times): area at the top to practice re- • Approach set of stairs at moderate speed mounting your bike. • Dismount with a focus on the technique required to maintain momentum up the stairs. Experiment with the • A flat, open area to practice Figure dismount timing and how you hold your bike while running and make adjustments to what works best for you. 8s. Use water bottles or cones to • At the top (or bottom) of the stairs, remount as smoothly as possible while trying to maintain forward mark the corners. momemntum. FIGURE 8s (complete 10 minutes): • A hill to practice off-camber riding. • Prior to starting this session, read the CX Tips section • Barriers about shin high, which • Set up two bottles or cones roughly 20m apart and begin practicing your Figure 8s. can be made from PVC pipe or • Focus on maintaining your speed consistently thoughout and try to avoid accelerating out of the “turns”. improvised using your imagination • If you’re feeling frisky, try breaking up the Figure 8s with 50m Field Runs every couple of minutes BARRIERS (complete 6 sets): (and a few water bottles). • Set up some barriers 5-15m apart (use tree branches, pre-made PVC pipe barriers or water bottles and your imagination) N.B: This session is complex and may • Hit the barriers at moderate speed and practice the perfect timing of your dismount, carry and remount. They key require a few times to master without here is to keep your leg speed quick and nimble between the barriers OFF-CAMBER RIDING (complete 10 minutes) needing to consult the plan or your • Ride to the top of a hill and ride along the length of the crest. Try to hold a straight line while not losing any notes. elevation. • Turn around and ride back to where you started, practicing the same skill on the opposite side • As your off-camber skills develop you can try riding faster and faster to see where your limit is, and sometimes that means going over it! Be safe, but remember that you won’t know what you can and can’t do until you try!
Cool Down (5m) • 5 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR
IWBMATTKYT 25 CYCLING DRILLS
SKILL BUILDING 2hr
What? This skills session is designed to How? mimic a variety of challenging course Keep your cadence to what’s comfortable, 90-100 RPM, unless otherwise indicated. conditions and scenarios you will Warm-Up (20m) encounter on race day. The skills • 8 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR practiced here are done below race • 4 minutes @ RPE 3 / 55% of FTP / 75% of LTHR pace so you can focus on proper • 2 minutes @ RPE 4 / 65% of FTP / HR < 85% of LTHR • 2 minutes @ RPE 5 / 75% of FTP / 90% of LTHR30 seconds @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR execution. To properly complete this • 30 seconds @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR30 seconds @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR ride you will need to find a field with • 1 minute @ RPE 5 / 75% of FTP / 90% of LTHR the following features and bring along • 30 seconds @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR some equipment: Main Set (1hr30m)
• A set of stairs, ideally with enough STAIRS (repeat the following six times): area at the top to practice re- • Approach set of stairs at moderate speed mounting your bike. • Dismount with a focus on the technique required to maintain momentum up the stairs. Experiment with the dismount • A flat, open area to practice Figure timing and how you hold your bike while running and make adjustments to what works best for you 8s. Use water bottles or cones to • At the top (or bottom) of the stairs, remount as smoothly as possible while trying to maintain forward momemntum mark the corners. FIGURE 8s (complete 20 minutes): Prior to starting this session, read the CX Tips section • A hill to practice off-camber riding. • • Set up two bottles or cones roughly 20m apart and begin practicing your Figure 8s Barriers about shin high, which • • Focus on maintaining your speed consistently thoughout and try to avoid accelerating out of the “turns” can be made from PVC pipe or • If you’re feeling frisky, try breaking up the Figure 8s with 50m Field Runs every couple of minutes improvised using your imagination BARRIERS (complete 12 sets): • Set up some barriers 5-15m apart (use tree branches, pre-made PVC pipe barriers or water bottles and your imagination) (and a few water bottles). • Hit the barriers at moderate speed and practice the perfect timing of your dismount, carry and remount. They key here is to keep your leg speed quick and nimble between the barriers N.B: This session is complex and may OFF-CAMBER RIDING (complete 20 minutes) require a few times to master without • Ride to the top of a hill and ride along the length of the crest. Try to hold a straight line while not losing any elevation. • Turn around and ride back to where you started, practicing the same skill on the opposite side needing to consult the plan or your • As your off-camber skills develop you can try riding faster and faster to see where your limit is, and sometimes that means notes. going over it! Be safe, but remember that you won’t know what you can and can’t do until you try!
Cool Down (5m) • 10 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR
IWBMATTKYT 26 CYCLING DRILLS
RACE SIM SKILLS 1hr
What? This skills session is designed How? to develop skills for a variety of Keep your cadence to what’s comfortable, 90-100 RPM, unless otherwise indicated. challenging course conditions and Warm-Up (12m) mimic scenarios you will encounter • 4 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR on race day. The skills practiced here • 2 minutes @ RPE 3 / 55% of FTP / 75% of LTHR are done at race pace so you can • 1 minute @ RPE 4 / 65% of FTP / HR < 85% of LTHR • 1 minute @ RPE 5 / 75% of FTP / 90% of LTHR focus on proper execution while • 5 second hard acceleration under pressure. To properly complete • 2 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR this ride you will need to find a field • 5 second hard acceleration with the following features and bring • 2 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR along some equipment: Main Set (45m)
• A set of stairs, ideally with enough HOLE SHOT + STAIRS (repeat the following two times): area at the top to practice re- • Simulate your race start by lining up 300-400m away from the stairs, in your starting gear and with one foot unclipped mounting your bike. • Countdown from 10 and you’re OFF! Clip in and complete an all out 15 second effort Work on shifting up smoothly during the effort as you would in a race • A flat, open area to practice Figure • Continue the effort around Z3/Z4 effort for 60 seconds while riding towards the base of the 8s. Use water bottles or cones to • Dismount and run up the stairs and remount at the top mark the corners. • • Between the first and second set, do 50-100m of Field Running • A hill to practice off-camber riding. BARRIERS (complete 4-6 sets): • Barriers about shin high, which • Set up some barriers 5-15m apart (use tree branches, pre-made PVC pipe barriers or water bottles and your imagination) can be made from PVC pipe or • Starting about 100m out from your barriers, speed towards the barriers at race pace Practice the perfect timing of your dismount, carry and remount. They key here is to keep your leg speed quick and improvised using your imagination • nimble between the barriers so you can maintain the most forward momentum (and a few water bottles). • Prior to starting this session, read the CX Tips section • Set up two bottles or cones roughly 30m apart and begin practicing your Figure 8s N.B: This session is complex and may • To simulate a race scenario, drive your first 3-4 pedal strokes super hard coming out of each “turn” • Alternate seated efforts and standing efforts and experiment with your gearing to find the best fit for your desired require a few times to master without cadence and power needing to consult the plan or your SAND PIT (complete 5-10 minutes): notes. •
Cool Down (5m) • 5 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR
IWBMATTKYT 27 CYCLING DRILLS
TRAILS: SENDING IT TRAILS: CRUSING
What? What? A trail ride at a moderate pace, How? A trail ride at a cruisy pace. How? with the inevitable surge in This is an unstructured ride - let the This is an unstructured ride - let the power to tackle a short hill or trail do the thinking today. If you find Why? trail do the thinking today. If you technical section at race pace. a section that you struggle to hit clean Variety is the spice of life and it’s find a section that you struggle to Find a local or favourite trail of repeat that section a few times until also the best way to accomplish hit clean repeat that section a few yours that’s not too hilly. you feel comfortable with it. Don’t feel a few goals simultaneously. Focus times until you feel comfortable with the need to practice every section you on targeting your weaknesses it. Don’t feel the need to practice Why? struggle with on a single ride, you can during this trails session in order to every section you struggle with on Variety is the spice of life and it’s always come back another day! Keep improve them come race day. a single ride, you can always come also the best way to accomplish the effort below RPE 9 / 110% of of FTP back another day! Keep the effort a few goals simultaneously. / HR < 105% of LTHR at all times and below RPE 6 / 85% of of FTP / HR < Focus on targeting your spend the bulk of the ride at RPE 5-7 90% of LTHR at all times and spend weaknesses during this trails / 75-90% of FTP / HR < 95% of LTHR. the bulk of the ride at RPE 2 / 55% of session in order to improve them Make sure to warm up before and cool FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR. Make sure come race day. down afterwards. to warm up before and cool down afterwards.
IWBMATTKYT 28 CYCLING DRILLS
CROSS COUNTRY (XC) RUNNING 50m
What? This is an easy trail run. Find a How? track with varied and loose or This is an unstructured ride - let the uneven terrain. Focus on trying to trail do the thinking today. If you find keep your foot and ankle stable a section that you struggle to hit clean throughout the run. This may repeat that section a few times until take time to develop, so don’t you feel comfortable with it. Don’t feel go too hard if you haven’t done the need to practice every section you much running before! struggle with on a single ride, you can always come back another day! Keep the effort below RPE 9 / 110% of of FTP Why? / HR < 105% of LTHR at all times and This workout is designed to spend the bulk of the ride at RPE 5-7 prepare your body for the rigours / 75-90% of FTP / HR < 95% of LTHR. and impact of racing cyclocross. Make sure to warm up before and cool It should also be a bit of fun, so down afterwards. load up your favourite playlist and find a trail with some varied terrain - the more volcanic rock the better!
SUFFERING IS THE SUBSTANCE OF LIFE AND THE ROOT OF PERSONALITY, FOR IT IS ONLY SUFFERING THAT MAKES US PERSONS.
MIGUEL DE UNAMUNO
IWBMATTKYT 29 CROSS COUNTRY TIPS
CROSS DRILLS TIPS FOR SAND Figure 8s: Figure 8s will help your cornering Sand - it’s a feature of many cyclocross courses velocity, smoothness, gear selection and and one that throws many non-Sufferlandrians acceleration out of technical corners that are into the ditch. Here’s the Minions tips to keep a feature of cyclocross courses. Variety is the you rubber side down and motoring through spice of life here, so mix it up when choosing the sand and on your way to VICTORY: where you do this exercise. Flip a coin between an empty parking lot, a grass field or dirty, 1. Keep your weight distribution back. As you muddy patch - get creative! enter the sand section be sure to be on the saddle and weighting the rear wheel. This The goal it to see how fast you can take will help keep that wheel driving into the these turns, and how close you can stay to sand and provide traction and grip. the water bottle. Aim to complete five loops Steer with your hips, not the arms. Watching in one direction before switching it up and 2. elite riders in the sand is like watching completing five more in the other direction. modern dance. Their bodies, hips and HE GREATER THE At this point you might need to take a break if knees are going every which way in order to you are starting to get dizzy. Focus on “looking SUFFERING, THE keep the wheels in the rut and moving in through the turn” meaning look where you a straight line. If you try and steer with the GREATER THE PLEASURE. want to be going, not at your feet or front handlebars, the sand grabs the front wheel wheel. For an added twist, pair up with a friend THAT IS NATURE’S and then you’ve got problems. a practice defending the fastest line through PAYBACK TO RIDERS FOR the corner. 3. Let the bike go where it wants. Steer the front wheel into the rut you want and then THE HOMAGE THEY PAY Field Runs: This drill forces you to increase how let the sand do the work. The sand and efficiently you mount and dismount. You will the established ruts and lines will take you HER BY SUFFERING. need a grass field roughly 75m long. The goal where they want you to go. of this exercise is to start at one end, and make 4. Above all else: relax and pedal hard! TIM KRABBE it to the other end taking as few pedal strokes as possible. Start by pedalling a slow, easy pace, dismount, take 3-4 steps, remount, clip in, then dismount, run another 3-4 steps, remount, clip in and repeat until you get to the other side of the field. This will help you feel more confident with your mounting and dismounting, and help you carry more momentum through each transition. You’ll also practice the all important skill of clipping in quickly!
IWBMATTKYT 30 YOGA WORKOUTS
When it comes to overall health no one can argue that cycling is bad for you. Well, Couchlandrians might, but they don’t count. Cycling is fantastic for improving cardiovascular fitness and as a low impact sport it puts minimal strain on joints like your hips and knees. Regular aerobic exercise (like cycling) also increases levels of endorphins in your brain which can reduce anxiety and improve your mood. However, as a proud citizen of Sufferlandria, you do more than just ride a bike. You Suffer on a bike. You make bikes Suffer. You make other people riding on bikes Suffer. As joyous as that sounds, it can, believe it or not, lead to some problems. Not that any of us would ever think of doing something else, but being hunched over handlebars while your legs make 13 inch circles isn’t exactly what humans were made to do. The two biggest problems that come about from riding a bike are limited flexibility and poor core strength. This is where the new Sufferfest yoga program comes in. Yoga has been around for thousands of years, but only recently has it gained widespread acceptance within all forms of elite sport. Adding just a few yoga sessions a week can begin the process of loosening the tight hamstrings and hip flexors you have likely developed through all your glorious suffering. The dynamic nature of many yoga moves have the added benefit of constantly engaging your core muscles. That means throughout a session you will not only improve your flexibility, but also your core strength. Just like all aspects of physical fitness there are no quick fixes. Improving your flexibility and increasing your core strength will take time, but with a little time on a regular basis these exercises can make you faster on the bike. Getting more flexible will allow you to get a little bit more aerodynamic, and better core strength with help you put even more power into your pedals. With that in mind, it’s not a question of whether you should be doing yoga. Rather, the only question you should be asking is “When can I start?” Your training plan has yoga practice thoughtfully scheduled into your daily and weekly program. Each exercise is scheduled in conjunction with cycling workouts in order to optimise the training adaptation. The exercises are scheduled with beginner practitioners and a low time commitment in mind. If you are more experienced with yoga or you find yourself capable of repeating the beginner modules without fatigue or loss of form, you Your Yoga Guide in may wish to add some more exercises to your regimen. Sufferlandria, Abi Carver of Yoga15
IWBMATTKYT 31 YOGA WORKOUTS
CATEGORY: LEVEL: BALANCE AND AGILITY Flexibility Advanced 15m Maintaining effective cycling form when your under pressure better Suffer in Style. requires substantial balance, coordination, agility and core strength. This series will develop those capabilities so you can
CATEGORY: LEVEL: BREATHING TO CRUSH THEM Breathing Beginner 3m
Perhaps the only people more Badass than Sufferlandrians operations. Learn and use this technique before heading into are Navy Seals. And this is the breathing exercise that Navy your own major events and races. Seals do to calm down and focus themselves before major
CATEGORY: LEVEL: BREATHING TO CALM DOWN Breathing Beginner 3m
In 4-7-8 Breath your exhalations are twice as long as your help to reduce pain and calm your nervous system. exhalations. It is a therapeutic breathing technique that can
CATEGORY: LEVEL: BREATHING MORE DEEPLY Breathing Beginner 3m ALL THAT Diaphragmatic Breathing is a calming exercise that YOU SUFFER IS encourages you to breathe deeply into your abdomen. ALL THAT YOU ARE. CATEGORY: LEVEL: CORE STRENGTHENERS Core Intermediate 15m SMASHING PUMPKINS
The power to crush non-Sufferlandrians comes not just from You’ll also suffer less back pain. With those goals in mind, your legs, but from your core. When your core is strong and this sequence strengthens the abs, obliques and lower back. stable, you can generate more power, more efficiently.
IWBMATTKYT 32 YOGA WORKOUTS
CATEGORY: LEVEL: GUIDED MEDITATION Breathing Beginner 5m
This a short guided meditation that focuses on your breath and the sensations in your body.
CATEGORY: LEVEL: HIP OPENERS Flexibility Intermediate 15m
Spending long hours grinding out power on the bike can performance can suffer as muscular engagement drops off. be tough on the hips. They have to work hard in a limited This series will loosen your hips, correct imbalances and bring range of motion and they get tight. When that happens, your your hips back into the game when you’re on the bike.
CATEGORY: LEVEL: ADVANCED HIP OPENERS Flexibility Advanced 15m
Seeing gains from using the Hip Openers? This series will build in and around the hip joints. on that, further working on overworked and inflexible muscles
CATEGORY: LEVEL: LOOSEN NECK & SHOULDERS Flexibility Intermediate 15m THE SALVATION Cycling can put a lot of strain on your neck and shoulders, will release tension in this area and have you feeling relaxed especially if you spend a lot of time down in the drops or in an and ready to Suffer again. OF THE WORLD IS aero position. We’ll sort that out with a series of exercises that MAN’S SUFFERING.
CATEGORY: LEVEL: WILLIAM FAULKNER RECOVERY BOOSTER Recovery Beginner 15m
Sufferfest sessions tear your body down. It’s in the periods time, relaxing you and ensuring giving your body the chance to between Sufferfest sessions, when you’re recovering, that you grow stronger. become more powerful. This session helps boost your recovery
IWBMATTKYT 33 YOGA WORKOUTS
CATEGORY: LEVEL: YOGA IN COUCHLANDRIA: THE OFFICE Travel Beginner 15m
If you’re spending a lot of time sitting down in an office, stiffness, damage done at the desk and ensure your body is ready to tension and soreness can creep into your body. That can affect Suffer properly once you get on the bike. your performance on the bike. This routine will counteract the
CATEGORY: LEVEL: MORE BREATHING TO CALM DOWN Breathing Beginnger 3m
3-Part Breath is a therapeutic breathing technique that encourages you to use your full lung capacity.
THE MOST AUTHENTIC THING ABOUT US IS OUR CAPACITY TO CREATE, TO OVERCOME, TO ENDURE, TO TRANSFORM, TO LOVE AND TO BE GREATER THAN OUR SUFFERING.
BEN OKRI
IWBMATTKYT 34 FTP & RPE / MAPPING
RPE EFFORT TYPE ZONE POWER ZONE HEART ZONE INTERNAL HOW DOES IT FEEL? (PERCEIVED (PZ) (HRZ) MONOLOGUES EXERTION) Active Z1 <55% of FTP <70% of LT I’M HARDLY • Beer, pizza, donuts. 0-2.5 Recovery Your power Your HR range: TRYING OVER • Easy spinning and minimal pressure on the pedals. range: HERE! • Concentration required to maintain such an easy pace (unless you just finished an interval) • Used for recovery between intervals and on days of active recovering.
...... Endurance Z2 55-75% of FTP <70-87% of LT NOT TOO HARD, • “Not too hard, not to easy, this feels just right!” 3-4.5 Your power Your HR range: NOT TOO EASY, • All day pace. range: THIS FEELS JUST • Sensations of leg effort/ fatigue will be low for up to 4 hours at this pace RIGHT! • Some concentration required to maintain (especially when outside: easing off on an uphill and pushing a bit on a downhill)...... Tempo Z3 75-91% of FTP 87-95% of LT IT’S NOT THAT • “It’s not that it’s painful, I just don’t want to be here all day” 5-6 Your power Your HR range: IT’S PAINFUL, • Pace you would be able to maintain for a few hours, if done continuously will not feel difficult for range: I JUST DON’T the first 45-60 min WANT TO BE • Greater sensation of fatigue and moderate amount of force on the pedals. HERE ALL DAY ...... Sub Lactate Z4a 91-100% of FTP 95-100% of LT HEY, THIS IS • “This is starting to get painful” 6.5-7 Threshold (LT) Your power Your HR range: STARTING TO • About the effort you could sustain for 60-90 minutes at most. range: HURT! • Fatigue is starting to build up in the legs. • Concentration is required to maintain a steady effort at this level. • Conversation is possible, but you won’t feel like talking after extended amounts of time at this ...... effort. Supra Lactate Z4b 100-110% of FTP 100-105% of LT MY GOODNESS... • “I don’t have to do this for that long, right?” 7.5-8 Threshold (LT) Your power Your HR range: PLEASE MAKE IT • The effort you could hold - with difficulty - for 30-60 minutes when completely fresh. range: STOP • You need to stay focused when doing these types of efforts, especially towards the end of an effort when the pain is really hitting you
...... VO2Max Z5 110-135% of FTP 105%-MAX of LT I WOULD • “My goodness... Please make it stop!” 8.5- Your power Your HR range: RATHER RIP OUT • This is the effort you can sustain for 3-8 minutes (continuously) 9.5 range: MY TOENAILS • You might be able to get out a word or two, but you certainly won’t want to. THAN GO • Due to the short length of these efforts average heart rate is not the best way to gauge these THROUGH THIS! efforts (since heart rate is slow to respond to efforts)......
Anaerobic Z6 135-∞% of FTP N/A I’M GOING AS • “I would rather rip out my toenails than go through this!” 10 Capacity / Your power HARD AS I CAN! • This effort level ranges from 1-30 seconds in sprint type efforts, and 30 seconds - 3 minutes for Neuromuscular range: I CAN’T GO ANY more “controlled” efforts. Power HARDER! • Concentration requirements are: “Keeping going as hard as you can” ...... YOUR FTP IS
IWBMATTKYT 35 PLAN OVERVIEW / INT. CX
WEEK TYPE MON TUES WED THUR FRI SAT SUN Breathing More Breathing to Crush Breathing More Breathing to Calm 1. SETTING THE Deeply Them Deeply Down BAR Ride Time: Primers Rubber Glove The Omnium Race Sim Skills Thin Air + Open 30 XC Running Moderate Arrrrrgh! Arrrrrgh! Moderate Arrrrrgh! Easy 6h 10m Recovery Booster Guided Meditation Loosen Neck & Core Strengtheners Shoulders
Breathing to Crush Breathing More Breathing to Calm Breathing to Crush 2. BLEND AS Them Deeply Down Them YOU’RE TOLD Ride Time: Do As You’re Told The Best Way is Skill Building Blender Endurance+ Arrrrrgh! Blended Arrrrrgh! Easy Arrrrrgh! Easy 7h 5m Day Off Loosen Neck & Core Strengtheners Recovery Booster
Shoulders
Breathing to Crush Breathing to Crush Breathing More 3. HALFWAY TO Them Them Deeply HELL Ride Time: Revolver is Easy The Way Out Cadence Builds Violator + Open 60 Hell Hath No Fury Arrrrrgh! Moderate Moderate Arrrrrgh! @ 85% Arrrrgh! 6h 10m Day Off Day Off Recovery Booster Core Strengtheners Loosen Neck & Shoulders
Breathing to Calm 4. RECHARGE & Down RELAX Ride Time: Skill Building Elements of Style Trails: Sending It XC Running Easy @ 80% Easy Moderate Easy 4h 5m Day Off Recovery Booster Loosen Neck & Core Strengtheners Guided Meditation Shoulders
Breathing to Crush Breathing More Breathing More 5. SUFFERLANDRIAN Them Deeply Deeply ROULETTE Cadence Holds / Ride Time: Revolver Fight Club @ 90% Race Sim Skills ISLAGIATT @ 85% Arrrrrgh! Arrrrrgh! Moderate Single Leg / Builds Arrrrrgh! 6h 45m Day Off Moderate Balance & Agility Loosen Neck & Recovery Booster Shoulders
IWBMATTKYT BREATHING CYCLING YOGA 36 PLAN OVERVIEW / INT. CX
WEEK TYPE MON TUES WED THUR FRI SAT SUN
Breathing to Calm Breathing to Crush Breathing to Crush Breathing More 6. BE THE Down Them Them Deeply HAMMER
Ride Time: Recovery Spin Nine Hammers The Best Thing in Skill Building Thin Air @ 90% Easy Arrrrrgh! the World Arrrrrgh! Easy Moderate 6h 20m Recovery Booster Core Strengtheners Yoga in Loosen Neck & Couchlandria: Office Shoulders
More Breathing to Breathing to Crush Breathing More Breathing More 7. RIGHT ON Calm Down Them Deeply Deeply TRACK Ride Time: XC Running The Omnium The Best Way is Race Sim Skills Hell Hath No Fury To Get To The Other Easy Arrrrrgh! Blended Arrrrrgh! Moderate @ 80% Arrrrrgh! Side Moderate 6h 5m Balance & Agility Recovery Booster Hip Openers
More Breathing to 8. CATCH YOUR Calm Down BREATH Cadence Builds Ride Time: Skill Building Power Station Trails: Cruising Easy Moderate @ 85% Moderate Easy 2h 50m Guided Meditation Recovery Booster Core Strengtheners Yoga in Loosen Neck & Couchlandria: Office Shoulders
Breathing to Crush Breathing More Breathing More 9. FINAL PUSH Them Deeply Deeply Ride Time: The Downward Told Off By Angels Race Sim Skills + Stairs Endurance+ Igniter + The Best Thing 7h 20m Spiral @ 90% in The World + The Long Arrrrrgh! Arrrrrgh! Moderate Easy Scream@ 90% Arrrrrgh! Hip Openers Recovery Booster Balance & Agility
Breathing to Crush More Breathing to Breathing to Crush Breathing More 10. ONE TO GO! Them Calm Down Them Deeply Ride Time: A Very Dark Place Revolver is Easy XC Running Skill Building The Best Way is Trails: Sending it 6h 10m Day Off Arrrrrgh! Arrrrrgh! Easy Easy Blended + Open 30 Moderate Arrrrrgh! Yoga in Core Strengtheners Recovery Booster Loosen Neck & Couchlandria: Office Shoulders
IWBMATTKYT BREATHING CYCLING YOGA 37 WEEKLY 01/ OVERVIEW
SETTING THE BAR Before getting started on this 10 week program, we need to see where your fitness stands. Rubber Glove will allow us to set up your training zones so that you CYCLING get the maximum Return on Suffering over the next 10 weeks! Once your zones are set you will get straight to it by cramming six track races into a single 50 minute TIME: workout with the dreaded Omnium. These are the types of short high intensity efforts required to make in a cross 6h10m race, so get used to them! Cyclocross requires an extensive amount of technical skill and involves time spent off the bike. This is why you will be practicing your handling skills on Friday (and at least once a week for the next 10 weeks) and getting in some running on Sunday. Saturday has you tackle the YOGA TIME: 40 minute climb of Thin Air. These longer efforts are key to ensuring you don’t blow up with two laps still to go on race day. 1h Two overlooked aspects to surviving a full cyclocross season are good flexibility and a strong core. A strong core allows you to get all your power down to the pedals and good flexibility reduces your chance of injury when you (unintentionally) come off your bike during a race. You will be working on both of these by incorporating yoga into your weekly training.
IWBMATTKYT 38 NO PERSON CAN REFORM THEMSELVES WITHOUT SUFFERING AND HARD WORK. WEEK 01 / THOMAS CARLYLE
WORKOUT TYPE MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN
Breathing to Breathing to Breathing Breathing to Crush Them Crush Them More Deeply Calm Down
Use this technique Get fired up to Watch ‘The Shark’ BREATHING to practice crush the six events in Thin Air - he breathing with your of The Omnium breathes with his diaphragm, which with this breathing diaphragm. Use will help deliver exercise. You can that visual cue more oxygen use this session to remind you to through your before any tough to practice this system. workout, training technique when ride, race or event. Suffering. Primers Rubber Glove The Omnium Race Sim Thin Air + XC Running Moderate | 1h 15m Arrrrrgh! | 1h Arrrrrgh! | 1h Skills Open 30 Easy | 25m CYCLING Moderate | 1h Arrrrrgh! | 1h 30m The calm before Show us what If you set a higher A day to explore. the storm. Put in you’re made FTP yesterday, Thin Air is full of Lace up some a few digs here, of with this 20 then the jokes on Raining outside? surges, attacks, comfy shoes, load but save your legs minute test to you because now Amazing! This is counters and low up your favourite for your big fitness determine your you get to ‘enjoy’ cyclocross, not cadence work. playlist and romp test tomorrow. FTP and set your The Omnium with lawn bowling Sounds like a through some training zones. Try your new training (apologies to all cyclocross race, eh? trails. breathing with zones. lawn bowling Finish off with a your diaphragm, Sufferlandrians out shot of endurance especially when there, we’re sure to boost your under pressure, to baseline fitness. help your fatiguing it’s a lovely way to muscles lay down spend a Sunday as much power as afternoon!). possible. SUFFERLANDRIAN SCIENTISTS ESTIMATE THAT THIN AIR GENERATES THE MOST HOLY WATER PER MINUTE OF ANY SUFFERFEST WORKOUT. FORGE STRONG HABITS NOW, HABITS STRONG FORGE SUFFERLANDRIAN THE BE IT’D DO. TO THING
Recovery Guided Loosen Neck & Core Booster Meditation Shoulders Strengtheners
TIME TO An essential session A much welcomed Another exercise Finish this week YOGA for recovering from easy session for a laid strong with some OPEN A CAN a tough workout. If back day. for the repertoire focused core work. OF PAIN you have the time to help you recover and motivation, you from and reset for SUCKERS can incorporate this more Suffering. more frequently AND CRUSH throughout the plan. THIS PLAN. IWBMATTKYT 39 WEEKLY 02/ OVERVIEW
BLEND AS YOU’RE TOLD Your second week of training starts out with back- CYCLING to-back days of high intensity. Do As You’re Told will keep you near your limit and probably push you over it. Next up is The Best Way Is Blended, TIME: which combines the ‘best’ parts of The Best Thing In The World, The Way Out and Blender, combining 7h5m sustained efforts with short high intensity efforts on minimal rest. Friday is about working on skills while keeping the intensity to a minimum. Saturday sends you back into the Blender for a wide variety of efforts and the kitchen sink, too. Once you YOGA TIME: make it through your second round of blending you have a long steady endurance ride to close out the 1h weekend. While you could likely throw down some more efforts Sunday please avoid that temptation. Sunday is there to build your aerobic endurance, which you will need when the last lap of the race rolls around.
IWBMATTKYT 40 TRUE, I AM IN LOVE WITH SUFFERING. WEEK 02 / SAINT IGNATIUS
WORKOUT TYPE MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN
Breathing to Breathing Breathing to Breathing to Crush Them More Deeply Calm Down Crush Them
BREATHING Day Off
Do As You’re The Best Way Skill Building Blender Endurance+ Told is Blended Easy | 1h Arrrrrgh! | 1h 45m Easy | 2h 30m CYCLING Arrrrrgh! | 45m Arrrrrgh! | 1h5m Time for a bit of Remember those Riding indoors? Go ...or risk having This mash-up hits fun in the sun pain shakes from ahead and split the Minions show a wide spectrum (or mud). Some the mash-up on this session into up at your house of training zones. big gains can be Wednesday? Yeah, two halves and at 3AM ringing Mercifully, it starts made by putting they’re back. But do one session in cowbells...You’ve off easy, so you’ll in technical work, Blender is more the morning and been warned! be able to shake so don’t forgo than the pain one in the evening out the fatigue sessions like these shakes, so prepare to break the from yesterday’s just because for a nice dose of monotony. Riding ride before the they’re low sub-threshold and outdoors? Lucky pain shakes. intensity. threshold training you! to continue building that big engine of yours.
WHAT WOULD A BADASS DO? #WWABD
Loosen Neck & Core Recovery Recovery Shoulders Strengtheners Booster Booster If you only do one Always a delightful YOGA yoga session this way to tie a bow on make sure it’s this a day’s hard work. one. WE TOUGH HOPE YOU’RE HUNGRY, YOU’RE HOPE HAVE YOU’LL BECAUSE PAIN OF DIET STEADY A WEEK. THIS SHAKES LOVE YOU. IWBMATTKYT 41 WEEKLY 03/ OVERVIEW
HALFWAY TO HELL Entering the third week of this training block you should be close to the ragged edge. Tap into your inner Sufferlandrian fortitude and go deep to make your way through these CYCLING sessions. Revolver is Easy is an effective set of 1 minute and 15 second efforts with barely enough rest between to maintain consciousness. While The Way Out normally TIME: wouldn’t phase you, after Tuesday you might find yourself struggling at the start of this one. 6h10m After a full day off, get your legs primed for the weekend with some Cadence Builds. Saturday dishes out 64 sprints from Violator. Don’t be fooled by the ease with which you get through the first set, the third set is where the fun starts. By Sunday, all that stands between you and a well earned rest week is two 20 minute efforts from Hell Hath No YOGA TIME: Fury. Even dialled back to 85% this workout is hard, so stay focused and finish this week strong! 55m
IWBMATTKYT 42 ONE MUST CHOOSE IN LIFE BETWEEN BOREDOM AND SUFFERING. WEEK 03 / MADAME DE STAEL
WORKOUT TYPE MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN
Breathing to Breathing to Breathing Crush Them Crush Them More Deeply
BREATHING Day Off Day Off
Revolver is The Way Out Cadence Builds Violator + Hell Hath No Easy Moderate | 1h Moderate | 1h Open 60 Fury @ 85% CYCLING Arrrrrgh! | 45m Back up a killer This is a tricky Arrrrrgh! | 2h 10m Arrrrrgh! | 1h15m session with this session to master, Just like what it An insane 64 How does anyone says on the label, Z4a-focused so don’t get workout that discouraged sprints followed ever finish Hell this workout is by an easy hour Hath No Fury at easy. We wouldn’t will develop your after the first few threshold without attempts. Once afterwards. Open 100%?! This tempo lie to you would 60 to is here to and threshold we? all the fatigue. you’re done, make Enjoy the scenery! a mental note of give you some session will see your peak cadence more volume and you shedding and aim for time to assess any holy water and more at the next lessons learned practicing your opportunity. from Violator. pain faces.
Recovery Core Loosen Neck & Booster Strengtheners Shoulders After 64 sprints YOGA DID YOU ENJOY THE you’re going to need this sweet SCENERY FROM THE WAY relief! OUT? CLICK HERE FOR MORE CYCLING EDUCATION REST IS A NECESSARY EVIL. NECESSARY A IS REST
AND INSPIRATION. THE IS STEVENS EVELYN OF WINNER PERPETUAL PAINFACE SUFFERLANDRIA’S AWARD. YEAR THE OF IWBMATTKYT 43 WEEKLY 04/ OVERVIEW
RECHARGE & RELAX Your first rest week! While lots of Suffering is necessary to improve, the real key to getting faster is proper recovery. Only with adequate rest can your body adapt to the Suffering you have put it CYCLING through. Your focus for the first part of the week is working on technical TIME: skills and drills to develop the full spectrum of the abilities needed to compete for GLORY. The best part about these sessions are that we can keep the intensity low enough for you to recover while still 5h5m getting work in that will make you faster on race day. By this point you should be getting more comfortable with your yoga sessions. If the reduced training volume is driving you nuts, add in an extra yoga session or two to keep yourself sane. The real treat this week comes Saturday when you get to throw YOGA TIME: down on your favorite trails. This should remind you why you love ripping through the dirt and is another opportunity to work on your handling skills. Sunday you have a short run, which is designed to 55m keep your body used to impact. It’s important to remember that recovery weeks are also designed to make sure you are fresh for the next block of training. Don’t be afraid to take it easy this week, because you will be doing nothing of the sort over the next three weeks!
IWBMATTKYT 44 ONE MUST CHOOSE IN LIFE BETWEEN BOREDOM AND SUFFERING. WEEK 04 /MADAME DE STAEL
WORKOUT TYPE MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN
Breathing to Calm Down
BREATHING Day Off
Skill Building Elements of Trails: Sending XC Running Style @ 80% It Easy | 1h Easy | 25m CYCLING Easy | 40m Moderate | 2h It would be easy Explore your city/ to go overboard Looking good has This ride has no town/shire and today and let your never been so easy. structure to it, you bring a friend (or heart rate go into If this is your first should do exactly a podcast) for the red. Resist that time through the what the ride title company. most primordial systems check, says, have fun! For of Sufferlandrian make a note of any some of you that urges and keep areas you need to will be ripping that energy in the focus on and revisit some single track tank for another them throughout on the mountain day. your training. bike, and for some of you that means doing some climbing, or even riding around a bike park. Make this day your own! Just don’t go too hard or too long.
Recovery Loosen Neck & Core Guided Booster Shoulders Strengtheners Meditation
There’s really no YOGA excuse to skip this I WILL BEAT critical strength session. Your MY ASS reputation as a TODAY TO BADASS demands KICK YOURS VISIT SUFFERLANDRIA, WHERE SUFFERLANDRIA, VISIT PAIN YOUR KNOWS EVERYONE COMPANY! LOVES MISERY AND that you crush this workout! TOMORROW. IWBMATTKYT 45 WEEKLY 05/ OVERVIEW
SUFFERLANDRIAN ROULETTE Fresh after last week, you should have no problem getting CYCLING through these back-to-back intensity sessions. Revolver is pure and simple Suffering, while the intervals in Fight Club are TIME: punctuated with attacks that will simulate the chaos of a CX race. 6h45m Friday is another skills session, this time at high speed. Focus on execution while your heart is in your throat. Saturday focuses on your pedal stroke. The challenge of this more complex session is the combination of cadence and single legs drills, and you’ll never really settle into a rhythm. We finish off the week with ISLAGIATT for a big dose of tempo and YOGA TIME: threshold. Take every effort one at a time, eventually you will make it to the end! 55m This week also adds more challenging yoga sessions into your regime. Balance and Agility will go a long way to improving your footwork off the bike and increasing the stability of your ankle joints. Good ankle stability during a cross race can be the difference between a slight trip and a rolled ankle. Don’t get discouraged if you struggle with this one, there is a reason we have waited a few weeks before introducing this one.
IWBMATTKYT 46 SUFFERING IS PART OF THE DIVINE IDEA. WEEK 05 / HENRY WARD BEECHER
WORKOUT TYPE MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN
Breathing to Breathing Breathing Crush Them More Deeply More Deeply
BREATHING Day Off
Revolver Fight Club Race Sim Cadence Holds ISLAGIATT Arrrrrgh! | 45m @ 90% Skills / Single Leg / @ 85% Builds CYCLING How hard could Arrrrrgh! | 1h Moderate | 1h Arrrrrgh! | 2h 15 intervals really Moderate | 2h be? You’re about to FACT: Doing Fight Picture the least find out. Club at 90% amount of time intensity is at least Time to carve up Another you’ve ever spent 10% easier than some figure 8s at challenging on a turbo trainer. doing it at 100% race pace - sweet! technique session ISLAGIATT is the intensity. to continue exact opposite developing your of that. The good all-round abilities. news? It’s our masterpiece and it’ll be over before you can say Gloworm a hundred times.
THAT’S MORE LIKE IT!
Balance & Loosen Neck & Recovery Agility Shoulders Booster A new yoga session Squeezing the bars YOGA to help you make a little tight? Yeah, improvements to us too. THIS WAS some key areas. If you get a lot out of YOUR IDEA, this session, feel free REMEMBER? KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE AND CLOSE FRIENDS YOUR KEEP SUFFERLANDRIANSFELLOW CLOSER. to do this session during days off if #ISLAGIATT you’re not feeling IWBMATTKYT fatigued. 47 WEEKLY 06/ OVERVIEW
BE THE HAMMER You guessed it, another set of back-to-back intensity workouts to start the week. After a nice recovery spin on Monday you should be feeling rested enough to CYCLING hit Nine Hammers full throttle. Next up? The Best Thing In The World, a workout specifically designed for cyclocross. TIME: After two days off you should be fresh as a daisy and ready to tackle the weekend. With a longer skills 6h20m session on tap for Saturday it’s a great time to work on any areas you may be struggling with. Sunday sets you up with Thin Air, a casual 40 minutes of climbing and a summit finish. Tack on some Endurance+ with Open 60 to tie a bow on this epic week. YOGA TIME: 1h
IWBMATTKYT 48 A MAN WILL GIVE UP ALMOST ANYTHING EXCEPT HIS SUFFERING. WEEK 06 / JOHN CLEESE
WORKOUT TYPE MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN
Breathing to Breathing to Breathing to Breathing Calm Down Crush Them Crush Them More Deeply
BREATHING
Recovery Spin Nine The Best Skill Building Thin Air @ 90% Easy | 30m Hammers Thing in The Easy | 2h World + Open 60 CYCLING A quick yet Arrrrrgh! | 1h Perfect practice | | essential ride. Keep Nine brutal Arrrrrgh! 50m makes perfect, and Arrrrrgh! 2h your resistance threshold and VO2 you have a full two light and cadence efforts. So brutal, A workout hours to practice A massive above 90 RPM to in fact, Grunter designed perfecting these endurance and rid your legs of blushed when he specifically for skills. sub-threshold yesterday’s fatigue. first looked upon cross racing. Prove session that sticks this workout. The that you love the knife in and good news is that Suffering more twists there is ample than anyone else rest during the by smashing this recovery intervals, session. which means you can crush each Hammer. (Incidentally, this is also bad news because there’s no excuse for not crushing each Hammer.) PRACTICALLY A REST DAY - DAY REST A PRACTICALLY LOVELY! HOW OH
Recovery Core Yoga in Booster Strengtheners Couchlandria: Office YOGA THE BEST This one may attract THE HILLS GIFT MONEY curious looks from ARE ALIVE your colleagues. CAN’T BUY: That’s OK, you’re WITH THE THE GIFT OF Suffering inside and SOUND OF out, even while in SUFFERING. Couchlandria. SUFFERING. IWBMATTKYT 49 WEEKLY 07/ OVERVIEW
RIGHT ON TRACK You’re now in the final week of this three week block, which means your legs will be nice and fried. You’ll have to wait a bit to recover, though. After another short run Monday, we CYCLING dive into another back-to-back dose of intensity. This will be your second crack at The Omnium, so why not see if you can PR your Pursuit this time round? You will also have your TIME: second go at The Best Way Is Blended, let’s see if you can go even harder during the pain shakes this time! 6h5m After more race pace skills on Friday, your weekend will be full of threshold and tempo work. Hell Hath No Fury is backed down to 80% - stick to the plan, it’s still full of Suffering. We finish you off with To Get To The Other Side, which is fitting, since the Other Side of this workout is well earned recovery! YOGA TIME: This week also introduces you to Hip Openers. Cyclists have notoriously tight hip flexors, which is not a good thing when 1h it comes to running up stairs and over barriers. This routine should be one you add to your regime long after this plan ends..
IWBMATTKYT 50 MAN HAS TO SUFFER. WHEN HE HAS NO REAL AFFLICTIONS, HE INVENTS SOME. WEEK 07 / ADAM CRAIG
WORKOUT TYPE MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN
Breathing to Breathing to Breathing Breathing Calm Down Crush Them More Deeply More Deeply
BREATHING
XC Running The Omnium The Best Way Race Sim Hell Hath No To Get to The @ 80% Easy | 25m Arrrrrgh! | 50m is Blended Skills Fury Other Side CYCLING This is your second Arrrrrgh! | 1h5m Moderate | 1h Arrrrrgh! | 1h15m Moderate | 1h 30m crack at this killer track-inspired You already know Perhaps the best One of our first workout. Every that the best way Open up the workout ever forays into this aspect of your high is blended, but throttle here and to push your thing called end speed will be it’s been a while dive headfirst into threshold to new moderate intensity. explored today, since you did this every technical and exciting We didn’t mind it and then some. workout. Let’s see drill. Well, OK, places. at all, it’s perfect for You’re welcome. if you can CRUSH maybe not literally days like today. IT this time. headfirst. You get the idea. RECOVERY IS A LAWFULLY GUARANTEED RIGHT OF RIGHT GUARANTEED LAWFULLY A IS RECOVERY TO SHOWN BEEN HAS AND SUFFERLANDRIANS ALL MAIN SUFFERLANDRIA’S IN INCREASE AN TO LEAD AND ACID LACTIC AS SUCH RESOURCES, NATURAL SUCKERS. PAIN BARBEQUE
Balance & Recovery Hip Openers Agility Booster A new yoga session to focus on a YOGA trouble area for cyclists. Show some love to your hips and they’ll love you TURN IT UP back. YOU KNOW THAT MICHAEL THAT KNOW YOU HAS AND VEGAN A IS COTTY COWS OF HUNDREDS ADOPTED (ONE OF EUROPE? ACROSS TRUE.) IS THESE TO 11. #MAX DID FACTS: #COWCOLLECTIVE IWBMATTKYT 51 WEEKLY 08/OVERVIEW
CATCH YOUR BREATH The name of the game this week is Recovery, but by now you should be used to using this valuable time for focusing on skills and drills. You get the chance to hone your abilities CYCLING on Tuesday with another skills session while Wednesday gives you another crack at working your pedalling efficiency. TIME: Saturday you need to make it through Power Station, but with it dialled down to 85% this shouldn’t be a problem for 3h50m you. Your reward at the end of this week is another chance to go have some fun on your favourite trails! As always, these easier weeks are a good time to add in extra yoga sessions if you’re feeling up to it. YOGA TIME: 1h10m
IWBMATTKYT 52 ENDURE AND PERSIST; THIS PAIN WILL TURN TO GOOD BY AND BY. WEEK 08 / OVID
WORKOUT TYPE MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN
More Breathing to Calm Down BREATHING
Skills Building Cadence Power Station Trails: Easy | 1h Builds @ 85% Cruising CYCLING Moderate | 1h Moderate | 50m Easy | 1h
What was your Don’t get caught Lots of fresh air peak cadence the up in the joys of this week. Hit THIS IS last time you did Suffering here your local loop THE HOME Cadence Builds? - stick to the and pick the best OK, time to show reduced intensity line through each STRETCH. us how far you’ve and focus on section. come! nailing the low TIME TO cadence intervals. CATCH YOUR BREATH SO THAT MAMA YOU CAN ALWAYS DOMINATE SAID THE LAST “SUFFER IS BLOCK OF AS SUFFER TRAINING. DOES.” Guided Recovery Core Yoga in Loosen Neck & Meditation Booster Strengtheners Couchlandria: Shoulders Office YOGA
IWBMATTKYT 53 WEEKLY 09/ OVERVIEW
FINAL PUSH And just like that, you’re starting your final block of training! Since you’re nice and fresh after a rest week, you’ll start things off with - surprise - some high intensity. First up is The CYCLING Downward Spiral, a series of intervals that decrease in length but increase in effort. This will take a bit of the edge off of your speed, but not by enough to stop you from completing Told Of TIME: By Angels. Just to make sure you aren’t feeling too fresh, follow up these sessions with race pace skills riding. 7h20m Your weekend starts on a more mellow note with a nice long endurance ride on Saturday. That leaves you with Sunday to deal with. After a race day warm up courtesy of Igniter, hit The Best Thing In The World AND The Long Scream! To make sure you don’t blow out your trainer you will have to dial The Long Scream back to 90%. We’re merciful that way. YOGA TIME: This would not be a good week to skimp out on the yoga either, keeping your body loose and limber will ensure you are 1h10m functioning at 100% for this final block of training.
IWBMATTKYT 54 IF SUFFERING BRINGS WISDOM, I WOULD WISH TO BE LESS WISE. WEEK 09 / WILLIAM BUTLER YEATES
WORKOUT TYPE MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN
Breathing to Breathing Breathing Crush THem More Deeply More Deeply
BREATHING
The Told Off By Race Sim Endurance+ Igniter + The Downward Angels @ 90% Skills + Stairs Easy | 2h30m Best Thing Spiral in the World CYCLING Arrrrrgh! | 55m Moderate | 1h Arrrrrgh! | 55m For the + The Long All the flavours of winterbound Scream @ 90% the Sufferlandrian A welcome dose Sufferlandrian, A classic workout rainbow are of technical riding split this session Arrrrrgh! | 1h45m session to put represented here: to finish off two in two if you need you in the box pain, misery and tough days. to. It’ll help break A cross race won’t and keep you agony. Agony is our the monotony and there - just like a seem so bad favourite flavour - help keep your once you make cyclocross race! what’s yours? mind focused on the positive, like it through this what’s waiting for session... you tomorrow.
IT’S ALMOST OVER. SO
THE COLOURS OF THE OF COLOURS THE FLAGSUFFERLANDRIAN FOR BLACK SYMBOLIC. ARE PURITY FOR WHITE SUFFERING, FOR RED & SUFFERING OF SUFFERING. SAD. WHOA. Hip Openers Recovery Balance & Booster Agility
YOGA
IWBMATTKYT 55 WEEKLY 10/ OVERVIEW
ONE TO GO! This is it - just four days of high intensity stand between you and a faster, fitter and more limber version of yourself! A Very Dark Place has you doing intervals just long and CYCLING painful enough to make you think you’re caught up in the Sufferlandrian time warp. Next up is Revolver is Easy, this is the same session you did back in Week 3. DO NOT get off TIME: the trainer with anything left in the tank. The next two days consist of your final easy run and your 6h10m final relaxed skills session, so make it count! Saturday you will Suffer through The Best Way Is Blended and a bit of extra volume thanks to Open 30. To cap off this week and the whole plan you have free reign to rip up your favorite trails as hard (or as easy) as you want. YOGA TIME: When you make it back home Sunday afternoon you will have completed 10 weeks with more Suffering than a non- Sufferlandrian thinks possible, so be proud of yourself! After 1h10m a proper rest week you will be ready to CRUSH IT at a race, or get started on another training block. Just remember that your body can only absorb this Suffering if you give it a break, so don’t neglect your rest!
IWBMATTKYT 56 INVINCIBILITY LIES IN THE DEFENCE; THE POSSIBILITY OF VICTORY IN THE ATTACK. WEEK 10 / SUN TZU
WORKOUT TYPE MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN
Breathing to More Breathing to Breathing Crush Them Breathing to Crush Them More Deeply Calm Down BREATHING Day Off
A Very Dark Revolver is XC Running Skill Building The Best Way Trails: Place Easy Easy | 20m Easy | 1h is Blended + Sending It CYCLING Arrrrrgh! | 50m Arrrrrgh! | 45m Open 30 Moderate | 2h More fresh air! Arrrrrgh! | 1h35m It’s only five of the A mash-up Put that last bit The cherry on top. toughest VO2 max brought to you of polish on your SEND IT! technique. A buffet variety intervals you’ll ever by Grunter’s Cold, workout backed need to do. Train Black Heart. Enjoy! up by some extra hard, win easy! endurance to bring it all home. All on fresh legs! CRUSH IT! NON- SUFFERLANDRIANS A STAND DON’T CHANCE.
Core Yoga in Core Recovery Loosen Neck & Strengtheners Couchlandria: Strengtheners Booster Shoulders Office YOGA WE FOUND Just because you A WAY haven’t heard this joke in a while: TO MAKE come for the REVOLVER Suffering, namaste YOU’VE WELL AND TRULY EARNED THIS FULL THIS EARNED TRULY AND WELL YOU’VE THERE, OUT WORLD BEAUTIFUL A IT’S OFF. DAY YOUR CLEAN MAYBE AND (OH, IT! ENJOY GO THAT RACE BIG A HAVE PROBABLY YOU - BIKE UP.) COMING CRUSH TO WANT YOU SEEM EASY. for the yoga. IWBMATTKYT 57 CONGRATULATIONS... YOU COMPLETED YOUR 10 WEEK PLAN!
Wow, time flies when you’re having fun! There are several reasons to take a moment (or two) and be pleased with yourself. You are stronger, fitter and faster than you were less than three months ago. You’ve discovered your inner Sufferlandrian. And perhaps, most importantly, you’ve shown yourself that you can improve when you put your mind to it and stick to a structured plan.
We trust you will enjoy the ass kicking you will be able to inflict on your friends, frenemies, rivals, arch-rivals and non-Sufferlandrians in the races and sportives to come.
IWBMATTKYT 58 WANT A PERSONALIZED TOUCH WITH YOUR TRAINING PLAN? APEX IS HERE TO HELP!
The Sufferfest Training Plans are more than adequate for the vast majority of athletes, but if you want something tailored to your unique needs, let us know. EMAIL APEX AT [email protected] TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP We have several options to accommodate your fitness goals:
$ THE LEAD OUT PLAN $ THE DOMESTIQUE PLAN $ THE RACE DIRECTOR 49 99 139 PLAN
The Lead Out Plan gets you a 30 minute The Domestique Plan gets you a 30 minute Maybe you’ve already made your way through Skype consultation with an APEX coach Skype consultation with an APEX coach to one of the Sufferfest Training Plans and like the to make some alterations to one of our make more substantial alterations to one of way the plans are set up, but want something standard Sufferfest Training Plans. our standard Sufferfest Training Plans, with more personalized. In that case, our 12-week Ideal for Sufferlandrians who: the option of having the plan delivered to plan will fit you like a new pair of bib shorts. you through a Basic Training Peaks account. The Race Director Plan gets you two separate • Need small tweaks in the schedule, for Ideal for Sufferlandrians who: 30-minute Skype consultations with an APEX example you know during weekend 5 of a coach and a personalized 12-week plan. plan you won’t bem able to train. We can • Like the basic layout of the Sufferfest Plan but alter the days leading in and afterwards so have commitments that will make following How exactly does this work? your training is minimally affected. the plan difficult. • The first 30-minute Skype consultation will • Are looking to do a century at the end of a • Want to use a plan, but have an important be to identify your goals and needs for the plan and want to add a bit more volume to race or event in the middle of the plan that following 12 weeks. That includes things like some weekends. We will identify weekends you want to be fresh for. your time available for training each week where it would be appropriate to add and what specific aspects of your riding or • Have a regular group ride that you want your fitness you want to focus on. We will that extra training in so you don’t overload to do every week or weekend and want to yourself. then write up a 12-week training plan for you make sure the rest of your training takes that that you can access through a Basic Training • Want to make a few (1 to 5) tweaks into account. Peaks account. throughout the plan. If you are looking for • Want to follow the standard plan but want to • The second 30-minute Skype consultation more substantial changes then this is not have multiple weekend days off from training the option for you. will be sometime around the halfway to spend time with friends/family. point of your 12 week plan to discuss your Get in touch progress and to see if modifications need to be made. Maybe you missed a few sessions or got sick and need a few tweaks for the remainder of the plan.
IWBMATTKYT 59 THESUFFERFEST.COM
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