If you are more serious, or prefer to train more scientifically, then obtain the services of a professional coach or coaching system. This guide is uncomplicated and aimed at gradually building your endurance. The more closely you follow this guide, the better you will perform at the event.
The same guide can be followed by participants in all three of the events – RACE, ADVENTURE and TRAIL (you cover the same distance after all!), but the final two weeks differ slightly for each.
11 weeks out
27 February-4 March
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 1 hour 30 minutes
Wednesday: 1 hour 30 minutes
Thursday: 1 hour 30 minutes
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 3 hours
Sunday: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total time = 9 hours
10 weeks out
5-11 March
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 1 hour 30 minutes
Wednesday: 2 hours
Thursday: 1 hour 30 minutes
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 3 hours
Sunday: 2 hours
Total time = 10 hours
9 weeks out
12-18 March
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 1 hour 30 minutes
Wednesday: 2 hours
Thursday: 1 hour 30 minutes
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 3 hours 30 minutes
Sunday: 3 hours
Total time = 11 hours 30 minutes
8 weeks out (recovery week)
19-25 March
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: 2 hours
Thursday: 1 hour 30 minutes
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 3 hours 30 minutes
Sunday: 3 hours
Total time = 10 hours
7 weeks out
26 March-1 April
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 1 hour 30 minutes
Wednesday: 2 hours
Thursday: 1 hour 30 minutes
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 4 hours
Sunday: 3 hours
Total time = 12 hours
6 weeks out
2-8 April
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 1 hour 30 minutes
Wednesday: 2 hours
Thursday: 2 hours
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 4 hours
Sunday: 3 hours 30 minutes
Total time = 13 hours
5 weeks out
9-15 April
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 1 hour 30 minutes
Wednesday: 2 hours
Thursday: 2 hours
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 4 hours
Sunday: 4 hours
Total time = 13 hours 30 minutes
4 weeks out (recovery week)
16-22 April
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: 2 hours
Thursday: 1 hour 30 minutes
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 3 hours 30 minutes
Sunday: 3 hours
Total time = 10 hours
3 weeks out
23-29 April
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 1 hour 30 minutes
Wednesday: 2 hours
Thursday: 2 hours
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 5 hours
Sunday: 4 hours
Total time = 14 hours 30 minutes
2 weeks out
30 April-6 May
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 1 hour 30 minutes
Wednesday: 2 hours
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 2 hours
Saturday: 5 hours
Sunday: 5 hours
Total time = 15 hours 30 minutes
1 Week out – Sani2c RACE
7-13 May
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: 2 hours
Thursday: 2 hours
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 4 hours
Sunday: 3 hours
Total time = 11 hours
Race Week – Sani2c RACE
14-20 May
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 1 hour 30 minutes
Wednesday: 1 hour
Thursday: Stage 1
Friday: Stage 2
Saturday: Stage 3
Sunday
1 week out – Sani2c ADVENTURE
7-13 May
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 2 hours
Wednesday: 2 hours
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 2 hours
Saturday: 3 hours
Sunday: Rest
Total time = 9 hours
Race week – Sani2c ADVENTURE
14-20 May
Monday: 1 hour 30 minutes
Tuesday: 1 hour
Wednesday: Stage 1
Thursday: Stage 2
Friday: Stage 3
Saturday
Sunday
1 week out – Sani2c TRAIL
7-13 May
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 2 hours
Wednesday: 2 hours
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 2 hours
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total time = 7 hours 30 minutes
Race Week – Sani2c TRAIL
14-20 May
Monday: 1 hour
Tuesday: Stage 1
Wednesday: Stage 2
Thursday: Stage 3
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
IMPORTANT
• Do as much of your riding as you can on a mountain bike (even if it means riding your mountain bike on tar)
• Always do your longer weekend rides on a mountain bike - off-road
• You can swap a 1 hour 30 minute ride for a Spinning class or a 1-hour indoor trainer session.
• If you miss a session for any reason, DON’T try make it up. Simply move on with the programme and focus forward, don’t let something that’s happened bother you – you can’t change it.
• If possible, add in 3 x core strength sessions a week of 15-20 minutes each. This is abdominal strength improvement, which you can do at home and which will help condition you for the race. For eight abs and core exercise examples, click here:
http://www.usn.co.za/resources/training-plans/exercise-simulations/
• We recommend that you spend at least two of your training sessions a month working on improving your skills on a more technically challenging ride.
• If you’re unsure of your skills, do a skills clinic to gain confidence and control.
• If you are ill or injured, don’t train, rather see your doctor and get his advice.
NUTRTION SUPPLEMENTS
USN’s performance range is scientifically formulated to help improve your performance and recovery. Try your best to eat a balanced diet, including foods that are functional where possible and avoiding excessive alcohol, fatty and sugary foods. Since this isn’t always practical, ensure you top up any deficiencies with quality supplements.
Obviously you will need supplements for before, during and after your training rides and the race itself. Here is a guide to the appropriate USN supplements:
For optimal energy on rides shorter than three hours, use one of the following:
• CytoPower HP http://www.usn.co.za/product/performance/intra-workout-competition/cyto-power-hp-47.html
• BCAA Vitargo http://www.usn.co.za/product/performance/post-workout-competition/bcaa-vitargo-46.html
For optimal energy on rides three hours or longer, use:
• Epic Pro http://www.usn.co.za/product/performance/pre-workout-competition/epic-pro-allinone-82.html
For optimal recovery after any ride, use:
• Recover Max http://www.usn.co.za/product/performance/post-workout-competition/recover-max-42.html
For optimal recovery after really long or really hard rides, use:
• Epic Pro http://www.usn.co.za/product/performance/pre-workout-competition/epic-pro-allinone-82.html
For overnight recovery (in addition to post-ride supplements), use:
• Protein Dessert http://www.usn.co.za/product/core-muscle/engineered-proteins/protein-dessert-17.html
If you’re losing too much weight and feeling low on energy, use:
• Muscle Fuel STS meal replacement http://www.usn.co.za/product/core-muscle/meal-replacements/muscle-fuel-sts-19.html
For additional fast-acting energy while riding, use:
• Vooma Gel http://www.usn.co.za/product/performance/intra-workout-competition/vooma-gel-50.html
On long rides, for something to eat, use:
• Energy Pro bar http://www.usn.co.za/product/beverages-and-bars/bars/energy-pro-bar-2.html
• Protein Delite bar http://www.usn.co.za/product/beverages-and-bars/bars/protein-delite-bar-89.html
In Race Week, for optimal phosphate availability and to minimise the risk of cramps, load up on:
• Cramp Block http://www.usn.co.za/product/performance/pre-workout-competition/cramp-block-43.html
Before each stage, for phosphate top-up and improved breathing efficiency and oxygen availability to muscles, load up on:
• VO2 Max (take more during the stage if necessary) http://www.usn.co.za/product/performance/pre-workout-competition/vo2-max-45.html
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