Cycle-Smart 4-Week Sample Program

Written by Cycle-Smart Senior Associate Coach John Verheul.

Training plans should always be tailored to the individual goals, strengths, and weaknesses of each rider. The following schedule is intended as an example of a basic plan that will give any rider the fitness to begin entry-level racing, to complete a century, or perhaps just ride faster for sheer enjoyment. Like all Cycle-Smart programs, it follows the basic principles of progressive stress and recovery while training specific energy systems.

You can use the following heart rate guide for the workouts described here:

• Recovery: Below 60% of Maximum Heart Rate (MHR). This is primarily a recovery zone between intervals.
• Easy: 61 - 72% of MHR. This is the basic aerobic endurance zone.
• Light Intensity: 73 - 80% of MHR. The focus here is on aerobic efficiency. Cadence in this zone should always be a bit higher than comfortable (>105 rpm).
• Middle Intensity: 84 - 86% of MHR. This is the zone in which you will improve your Lactate Threshold (LT) - the point at which your effort shifts from primarily aerobic (sustainable) to anaerobic (short duration). By increasing your power at threshold, you'll be able to stay aerobic in situations where previously you would have been forced into a full sprint.

If you're not sure what your Maximum Heart Rate is, the 220-minus-age formula provides a good starting point. The best way to determine your training zones is through testing by a qualified coach.

Week 1

Monday - Always a rest/recovery day. You can ride 30 - 60 minutes in easy or below, or take the day off if you are tired from the weekend or have to attend to non-cycling commitments. Riding easy for active recovery is ideal, but sometimes a day off for mental rest is equally beneficial.

Tuesday - Ride 80 - 90 minutes. The first 10 minutes should be in easy or below, followed by 15 minutes in light (remember to keep cadence at least 105 rpm in light). This should be followed by 10 minutes in easy/recovery. The next part of the ride will be sprints in a small gear (39x21-17). Do 5 seated maximal efforts in this small gear. Each effort should be 8-15 seconds, with the focus being on an explosive effort at the start and maintaining a smooth spin through the full duration. Sprint every second or third minute, as you feel comfortable with. Following the sprints, take another 10 minutes in easy/recovery, then another set of 15 minutes in light. Finish with at least 10 minutes of easy/recovery.

Wednesday - Total ride duration is 100-120 minutes. The first 10-20 minutes should be in easy/recovery, followed by 15 minutes in light (remembering to keep cadence at least 105 rpm in light). This should be followed by 10 minutes in easy/recovery. Next, do a 5-6 minute effort in middle, again at high cadence (>105 rpm). You can do this on the flat, on a climb, on rolling terrain, or even in a simulated time-trial situation. It's best to do this effort on different terrain each week to fully develop your skills in each of these areas. After this effort, take 10 minutes in easy/recovery, then another 2 sets of 15 minutes in light, with 10 minutes in easy/recovery in between. Finish with at least 10 minutes of easy/recovery.

Thursday - Total ride time is 100 - 120 minutes. The first 10-20 minutes should be in easy/recovery, followed by 3 sets of 15 minutes in light (remember to keep cadence at least 105 rpm in light), with 10-15 minutes of easy/recovery between sets. Follow this with 15-20 minutes in easy/recovery, then do a 5-minute effort in middle. Similar to Wednesday's workout, this should be at high cadence. Doing this effort near the end of your ride trains your body for those situations at the end of races where you'll need to up the intensity. It could also simulate getting over that last climb near the end of your first century. Finish with at least 10 minutes of easy/recovery.

Friday - Always a rest/recovery day. You can ride 30 - 60 minutes in easy or below, or take the day off if you are tired from the previous days' training or have non-cycling commitments to attend to. Staying loose by riding is ideal, but this might be the day you use to take care of any preparation that needs to be done before the weekend.

Saturday - Essentially the same as Tuesday. Duration is 80 - 90 minutes. The first 10 minutes should be in easy or below, followed by 15 minutes in light (remembering to keep cadence at least 105 rpm in light). This should be followed by 10 minutes in easy/recovery. The next part of the ride will be sprints in a small gear (39x21-17 is good). Do 5 seated maximal efforts in this small gear. Each effort should be 8-15 seconds, with the focus being on an explosive effort at the start and maintaining a smooth spin through the full duration. Sprint every second or third minute, as you feel comfortable with. Following the sprints, take another 10 minutes in easy/recovery, then another set of 15 minutes in light. Finish with at least 10 minutes of easy/recovery.

Sunday - A combination of Wednesday's and Thursday's workouts. Total ride duration is 100 – 120 minutes. The first 10-20 minutes should be in easy/recovery, followed by 3 sets of 15 minutes in light (remember to keep cadence at least 105 rpm in light) separated by sets of 10 minutes in easy/recovery. This should be followed by 10 minutes in easy/recovery. Next, you want to do a 5-6 minute effort in middle, again at high cadence (>105 rpm). You can do this on the flat, on a climb, on rolling terrain, or even in a simulated time-trial situation. It's best to do this effort on different terrain each week, to fully develop your skills in each of these situations. Finish with at least 10 minutes of easy/recovery. You could do a group ride on this day for an unstructured workout that will provide the added benefit of practicing riding in a group. Group riding skills are invaluable for the novice racer, and also for the century rider. If you choose to go with a group, resist the urgeto ride harder than you would if doing the prescribed workout. Group rides can be fun, but a little restraint early on in a training program can lead to greater benefits down the road.

Week 2

The daily workouts are the same. The difference is that we will increase the volume of each part of the workout.

Monday - Same as week 1.

Tuesday - Add 2 sprints for a total of 7, and increase the sets of light from 15 to 20 minutes each.

Wednesday - Increase the sets of light from 15 to 20 minutes each, and do 10 minutes in middle. If you need to, break the 10 minutes into two separate intervals with a 5-10 minute recovery in between.

Thursday - Increase the sets of light from 15 to 20 minutes each, and do 7 minutes in middle.

Friday - Same as week 1.

Saturday - Add 2 sprints for a total of 7, and increase the sets of light from 15 to 20 minutes each.

Sunday - Increase the sets of light from 15 to 20 minutes each, and do 10 minutes in middle. If you need, break the 10 minutes into two separate intervals with a 5-10 minute recovery in between, doing one block early in the ride and one late.

Week 3

Monday - Same as week 1.

Tuesday - Add 2 sprints for a total of 7, and increase the sets of light from 15 to 20 minutes each.

Wednesday - Increase the sets of light from 20 to 25 minutes each, and do 15 minutes in middle. If you need, break the 15 minutes into two separate intervals with a 5-10 minute recovery in between.

Thursday - Increase the sets of light from 20 to 25 minutes each, and do 9 minutes in middle.

Friday - Same as week 1.

Saturday - Add 2 sprints for a total of 9, and increase the sets of light from 20 to 25 minutes each.

Sunday - Increase the sets of light from 20 to 25 minutes each, and do 15 minutes in middle. If you need, break the 15 minutes into two separate intervals with a 5-10 minute recovery in between, doing one block early in the ride and one late.

Week 4

Repeat week 1, though now your fitness will have progressed enough that is will be a week of tapering off. This will give your body a bit of rest from the progression in volume and intensity of the last 2-3 weeks, and prepare you for the next 3-4 weeks of training.