Season 2017 starts now!
If you want to perform at your best over the year, you have to build a strong base over the winter month. That’s why the new season always starts in the late winter month. Plus: To stay motivated, you have to have a good training plan.

 
The first step:

So I went through the internet yesterday and seeked for events, where I could participate. In my case, a brevet series, a half marathon, a marathon, and three triathlons from sprint to olympic. 

The second step:

Classify this races from A to C. Wheras “A” means “best performance race”, “B” means “training race” and “C” means “just for fun”. 

Third step:

Now I build 4-week-cycles from the event date backwards. Means one week before an A-race is an easy week, whereas the three preceeding weeks are a build phase. Then again an easy week, plus three build, then again an easy … you get the idea. A minimum of 12 weeks for an A-race. 

Fourth step:

Plan your “Build-weeks”. What you train is highly dependent on your race targets. If it’s a hilly race, you have to do climb training, for a time trial you train Threshold, for a criterium you train sprints and for a brevet or marathon you train muscle resistance. 

But, as a guideline for beginners, you usually have three “Key-workouts”. An “Endurance Session”, a “Sprint Interval Session” and a “Threshold Interval Session”. 

As an Example:

Endurance Session: 2 hours easy riding. Heart rate in Zone 1 and 2. Note: Your longest endurance Session should last at least 75% of the time of your targeted event. 

Sprint Session: 40 Minute easy ride. 10 minute warm up / then every 5 minutes you go all out 15 seconds for a total of 4 sprints / then 10 minute cool down. 

Threshold Session: 50 minute ride. 10 minute warm up in Heart Rate Zone 1 and 2 / 10 minute in zone 4 (threshold) / 10 rest in zone 1 and 2 / again 10 in zone 4 / then 10 minutes cool down in zone 1. 

You can also do a B-Race as a Threshold or Sprint Session. Or even a C-Race as an endurance ride. When you train more than this, you train muscle resistance and therefore should stay in heart rate zone 1 and 2.

As the build weeks progress, you should up the intensity or volume for about 10 percent. Don’t go up with both at the same time, as this dramatically increases the risk of injury. 

And don’t forget your recovery after the A-races. The longer the race, the longer your recovery. Plan at least one week

So why should you start training in the winter month? Now is the time to increase the volume. When summer arrives, you hold that volume, increase the intensity and stay (hopefully) injury free.

Did I miss some basics? How do you plan your training?