Training Plan V1.0 - Broad Strokes

April 26th seems a long way off but will be here before you know it.  Given an aggressive start date of December 1st, there are just over 5 months of preparation time until the R3 Shenandoah Epic Adventure Race.

Further broken down, it can be seen as

4 weeks of base training
14 weeks of race specific training broken into 4 build phases.
2 weeks of tapering
Go Time.

Below are the broad strokes of a training plan that has produced excellent results in the past when races are combined with *long things*.  We'll paint in the details as we get closer and get everyone's buy in.

The basic principles are:

1. Begin by developing a broad base of skills and fitness.  This phase lasts 4 weeks and is used to knock the dust off of rusty joints and muscles and get basically familiar with the disciplines at hand.  It's a great time to get in some light biking, running and paddling (or row machining).  It is also a crucial time to start building up a strong core that will serve as the foundation for all further fitness.  Whole body fitness is the name of the game here.

2. Increase intensity and endurance in mini-Build Phases lasting from 2 - 3 weeks.  Build weeks will increase the number of training hours by ~ 10% week to week.  In the early months, these will be stacked with three weeks of increases.  Later on when the long workouts are of a more epic nature, they will be stacked in two week blocks.

3. Built-in recovery weeks.  The recovery week at the end of each build cycle will be a chance for the body to deeply recover from the increased demands over the past few weeks. They are a great time to work on soft skills and details such as map work and general race planning.

4. Taper.  Reduce volume (but not intensity) for the last two weeks before race time.  This is a period for the body to fully recover from the demands of the training season and to show up on race day in peak physical and mental condition

5. Race. - nuff' said.

6. Recover and Reflect.  - A period of focused recovery.  The race took its toll, now is time to take deliberate daily steps towards recuperating and taking care of any aches/pains/injuries that have cropped up.  This is also time to review the experience, analyze race performance, document the techniques that worked well and note the areas in need of improvement.  Win, lose or draw, this is the time to rock back in a comfortable chair with a good scotch and stogie to rehash the stories that will be told for years to come.

			Mon	Tue	Wed	Thur	Fri	Sat	Sun	Weekly Notes
Week 1	12/02	12/08								Base 1
Week 2	12/09	12/15								Base 2
Week 3	12/16	12/22								Base 3
Week 4	12/23	12/29								Base 4
Week 5	12/30	01/05								Build 1-1
Week 6	01/06	01/12								Build 1-2
Week 7	01/13	01/19								Build 1-3
Week 8	01/20	01/26								Recovery 1
Week 9	01/27	02/02								Build 2-1
Week 10	02/03	02/09								Build 2-2
Week 11	02/10	02/16								Build 2-3
Week 12	02/17	02/23								Recovery 2
Week 13	02/24	03/02								Build 3-1
Week 14	03/03	03/09								Build 3 -2 (Epic)
Week 15	03/10	03/16								Recovery 3
Week 16	03/17	03/23								Build 4-1
Week 17	03/24	03/30								Build 4-2 (Epic)
Week 18	03/31	04/06								Recovery 4
Week 19	04/07	04/13								Taper 1
Week 20	04/14	04/20								Taper 2
Week 21	04/21	04/27				Travel In	Check-in	Race 1	Race 2	Race
Week 22	04/28	05/04	Travel Out							Deep Recover
Week 23	05/05	05/11								Reverse Taper 1
Week 24	05/12	05/18								Reverse Taper 2