Pedal to Podium

Coming into this training block, I was still carrying some serious fatigue and muscle soreness from the weekend at Derby. Between the technical trails and the hard efforts, my legs were feeling less than fresh, but with proper planning, recovery, and fuelling, I’ve been able to make solid progress without pushing too far into the red. Sorry about the days of blogging I’ve missed for some reason I’ve just kept forgetting to sit down and write.

Tuesday: Active Recovery Ride

The week kicked off with an Active Recovery Block—a simple ride aimed at flushing out fatigue. Sticking to the small chainring and keeping my cadence high, the goal was to stay below 60% of my threshold power, with my heart rate staying below 68% of my threshold HR. The ride was 1 hour and 5 minutes long, covering 31.7km with a Training Stress Score (TSS) of 29.

I went into this session mindful of how much soreness I was still carrying from the weekend. The ride felt easy on paper but was actually a test of discipline to avoid pushing harder than needed. Recovery rides like this are deceptively challenging for me—I always feel tempted to “do more.” However, keeping the intensity low helped loosen up my legs and set me up for the more demanding days ahead.

Wednesday: RST (Repeat Sprint Training)

Wednesday was all about high-intensity bursts with an RST session. After a 20-minute warm-up, I tackled five 30-second maximal sprints at over 100 RPM with 2-minute passive recoveries between efforts. The session was short and sharp, clocking in at 1 hour and 31 minutes, covering 42km with a TSS of 71.

The focus of RST is fatigue resistance and training the reliance on type 1 muscle fibres to produce power. While the session itself was manageable, I could feel the cumulative fatigue in my legs from both Derby and Tuesday’s ride. The sprints were tough but rewarding—there’s something oddly satisfying about pushing your absolute limits for 30 seconds and then trying to recover enough to do it again.

To maximise recovery after this session, I prioritised my diet and sleep. Post-ride, I made sure to hit my protein targets, focusing on lean sources like chicken and eggs, alongside plenty of carbs for glycogen replenishment. Sleep was non-negotiable—I aimed for a solid 8-9 hours to give my muscles the best chance to bounce back.

Thursday: Threshold Day with Over/Unders

Thursday brought the toughest session of the week: Threshold 21-Minute Blocks. This was a 2-hour ride with two 21-minute over/under intervals designed to push both my aerobic and anaerobic systems. The goal was to maintain a ratio of around 2 minutes 30 seconds slightly over threshold, followed by under 30 seconds below threshold.

The ride covered 69.1km with a hefty TSS of 120, a clear step up in intensity from earlier in the week. I could feel the residual fatigue from Wednesday’s sprints creeping in, especially during the second block. The focus was on staying smooth and consistent, which required a lot of mental effort on top of the physical demand.

Despite the challenge, this was one of those sessions where everything clicked. I wasn’t feeling fresh, but I managed to hit the targets and finish strong. It’s always satisfying when you can grind through fatigue and still hit your numbers.

Recovery Strategies

Carrying soreness and fatigue from the weekend meant I had to be extra diligent with recovery this week. My main strategies included:

1. Prioritising Sleep: I aimed for 8+ hours per night and added naps where possible.
2. Fuelling Right: I focused on eating nutrient-dense meals with plenty of carbs, protein, and healthy fats. Snacks like bananas, yoghurt, and nuts were my go-to between sessions.
3. Active Recovery: I incorporated foam rolling and stretching daily to stay on top of tightness and help with circulation.

While it’s been a challenging week, the combination of structure, recovery, and a bit of stubbornness has helped me push through. With each session, I feel like I’m getting closer to the bigger goals ahead. Here’s to another week of progress, even when the legs are less than cooperative!