Riding TOO much TOO Soon? Don't be the Group Ride Hero

In this podcast, Coaches Sierra Sims and Elliott Baring are doing a little bit of internet policing here (again) because it seem the fundamentals of proper periodization and progressive overload have been forgotten on social media. They cover:

1. The Trend: Big Volume Early in the Season (domestic riders, gravel pros, LTGP) Why are we seeing 30+ hr weeks in January? Is it a social media flex, or is there real benefit? Key point: If you progress too fast, you risk peaking early (March/April). Big emphasis needs to be on consistency here

2. Season Predictions (domestic racing) More sprint finishes→ The data suggests aerobic fitness alone won’t win races. Emphasizing repeatability, sprint power, and durability. The ability to spend time ABOVE threshold will be the difference maker

3. LTGP vs. Grand Tour Training Models WT riders do training camps (volume) 4-8 weeks out from big races (Grand Tours), then scale back. This is adequate time to get the overload progression and absorb all the adaptations from the block and recover/taper in time for your peak event LTGP riders race less—should they emphasize intensity instead of volume? Reverse periodization: Does it make sense for a LTGP rider? What is reverse periodization? With the spacing of LTGP races, riders could use block periodization as a tool → lining up training camps/overload phases 3-4 weeks before key races.

4. Physiological Demands of races & How to Train for Them (work backwards) Look at the race that you’re building for, understand the demands of the race and build backwards to prepare for this. Your build phase (6-8 weeks out) should emphasize a lot of this type of work Example: Sea Otter – 60+ mins above threshold in a 4.5-hour race. Lots of time spent at VO2 with 3-5 min climbs. If all you do is volume and 30 hour weeks going into Sea Otter, you’ll be able to repeatability hit the climbs hard however you’ll be missing that race winning “punch”

5. Practical Takeaways for Athletes When should they emphasize volume vs. intensity? (think about race specificity) How to structure training leading into key races (Unbound, Leadville, etc.) How to time your training (where are you in the year and when is your key event) Key takeaway: Don’t be a group ride (or race) hero in March!

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