When it comes to racing and training – there are so many ideas and opinions on the best way to approach a race and prepare for it. Some people set up target races and centre their training around these. Others take a less-narrowed approach and aim to race as much as they can and have a broader training focus. And still others might choose to only race a limited number of times, focusing more on being optimally rested and prepared for just a few events.
Is there a right way or wrong way to do this? No. It really depends on you – what you have going on away from the bike, your goals for the season, your fitness level, and your experience level.
This also holds true for your training. Some cyclists swear by super long rides at low intensity. Others like to go out for short rides with lots of hard punchy intervals mixed in. Some cyclists like to train with a group and others train only alone. Some cyclo-cross racers do lots of running in the off-season and still others don’t ever lace up a pair of sneakers.
Again, this all comes down to you. You have time commitments, race goals, and a fitness level that determines how you will train.
This might sound a bit wishy-washy, but really there is no right way or wrong way when it comes to planning your race calendar or training program. To help you get some extra insight into training and racing preparation, take a look at these links:
Stevens Bikes Canada 