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Marathon XCM MTB: Intermediate Plan, 12 Weeks, 9-12 hours/week

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Marathon XCM MTB: Intermediate Plan, 12 Weeks, 9-12 hours/week

Includes Structured Workouts

Structured Workouts automatically sync with compatible devices and guide you through workouts in real time.


Learn More about Structured Workouts.

Author

Jeremiah Bishop

All plans by this Coach

Length

12 Weeks

Includes Structured Workouts

Structured Workouts automatically sync with compatible devices and guide you through workouts in real time.


Learn More about Structured Workouts.

Plan Description

This Marathon Mountain Bike plan is a full gas no holds barred set of quality workouts scaled so that experienced riders can do the work!

This included some of the key elements of our preparation used to win over 200 races for Team Topeak Ergon and Canyon Topeak Factory Racing. This is a focused training plan for experienced competitive cyclists who balance training around a full-time job. It applies the training secrets of the pros along with other proven scientific methods. It’s exciting to share my custom workouts and insight that give me an edge at the toughest endurance races in the world. Unlike other plans this included trail based workouts and dual metric workouts (Power guided by Heart rate) help you achieve major gains.

Requirements: Good base fitness (16 weeks of base training) and the ability to train 12 hours-a-week with the ability to ride 4-5 hours one day per week off-road

What Jeremiah Bishop’s Marathon plan includes that you won't find anywhere else: • Daily race specific Marathon workouts for heart rate and power based; scaled by TSS • Top tips for tackling race week • Testing protocols for honing in on what you really need • Nutrition protocols for optimizing your lipid power • Race day strategy and notes • Optional initial phone consulting to customize your plan (Additional $70 fee)

This plan is available as a document for 15% off. E-mail Coach@JeremiahBishop.com to learn more.

Peaksware is not responsible for the plan's content and the user assumes all responsibility when using this plan.

How it Works

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Training Plan Sample Week

Sample Workouts - Week 100
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
Monday

MTB Skills: Max Braking, Grass Slalom

Mtb01:30:0090 TSS
Get in a good technical skills ride.
Practice repeating a couple of hard-to-ride sections over and over until you perfect it.
On a gradual grassy hill, set up a course with four s-shaped switchbacks using survey flags or water bottles.
Practice riding downhill into the feature applying maximum breaking coming into the first grassy turn. Braking should be before you lean, so work on timing this correctly.
Continue the slalom making any braking adjustments before each turn. Take each lap faster than the last until you're pushing the limit, but not crashing! Lead into each turn with your shoulders and hips aiming at the apex.
Then try several laps using only the front brake; carefully increase your entry speed and lean back. Last, make a few runs using your rear brake only. To do this, you must brake earlier and reduce your speed! Pro riders: try a few laps with NO brakes; using rear wheel drift to adjust speed.
Details
Tuesday

Strength Maintain Exercises Balance Mtb

Strength00:20:0020 TSS
Functional Strength Exercises:
Two sets of 20 to 30 reps of each. You'll move to a 2-second count going down, 1-second up! Your explosive speed combined with the use of light weight creates the resistance. A medicine ball or kettle bell can be used for these exercises. 

Bosu Ball Squats throws or Single-Leg  
Squat/Bulgarian Squat

Lunges with medicine ball toss
Hamstring Ball Curls.
Calf Raises or set of jump rope 2.5 mins
Stretch between sets..
Planks
Seated row or supine pull up  
Wobble board or slack line, alternately practice touching your shoulders and your toes with your hands for a few minutes.

Push Ups feet on ball.
Details

Recovery Spin, Low Carb

Bike00:42:0016 TSSStructured Workout
Dress warm to increase blood flow to you leg muscles. 

Spin easy with a normal cadence. Select a flat route or spin on your rollers. You’ll be in high Zone 1; not total junk miles, more like light endurance and light cadenceGet in a good stretch session afterward.
Details
Wednesday

Endurance: Steady Aerobic Zone 3

Mtb02:00:00106 TSSStructured Workout
For this workout, a road ride is easier, but it can be done off road if you keep your cadence up. (85+ RPMs on the climbs!)
On a rolling course with mostly dirt roads, ride steady in Zone 3. Limit your time in Zones 1/2 to the downhills or where you have to back off the power. Your total time in Zone 3 is at least 90 minutes; working up to two hours as you get stronger. If the average is below bottom of Z3, hit a nice tempo block to POWER UP!
Details
Thursday

Pre-Race Tune Up

Bike00:45:0041 TSSStructured Workout
Warm up 5 minutes
Get in 4 spin ups
After warmed up spin tempo for 18 mins
Hard 30 seconds on/off 4 times
10 minutes cool down
Details
Friday

Bishop Core

Other15 TSS
Core Stability and Control Exercises
Complete 2-3 sets of each:
1. Heel Taps
2. Quad Progression
3. Planks
4. Leg Lifts
5. Reverse Leg Lifts
6. Glute Medius: "Open Books" or Lateral Band Walking
(Click on paper clip icon for complete exercise descriptions.)
Details

Test: CP 5/20 Pre-Fatigued

Bike01:13:00120 TSSStructured Workout
TESTING PROTOCOL

Get in a nice 20-minute warm-up with an 8-minute ramp to LT watts in the last 2 minutes. Immediately after the warm-up, do three rapid succession jumps; don't shift, just spin up to create a burn. Then do four minutes easy. Next, go for it: 5-minutes all out. Punch it and hold it! Then do 10 minutes easy, followed by three 45-second Super Jumps: Jump as hard as you can, then sprint for 30 seconds, and finally just hold whatever you’ve got for the last 15 seconds. (In reviewing the test numbers, we are just going to take the first 30 seconds, but I want 45 seconds of effort to make sure you go all the way through.) Between each Super Jump, rest for 3 minutes at a very light pace.
Following this set, rest for just five minutes. Then it will be time for a 20-minute TT. Get on there and see what you can do for the full duration around 85% of your 5-min power; for the last 4 minutes, go ALL OUT!

Cool down for 6 minutes.
Details
Saturday

Endurance: Cadence & Pedaling Drills new

Bike01:52:0081 TSSStructured Workout
The main part of your ride is focused on riding 56-75% of your FTP (Zone 2/3).
The goal for these drills is not to be hammering at threshold, it's more about doing the cadence work:
1. Do five minutes with FAST pedaling: cadence over 105! SPIN those legs.
2. Take three minutes easy.
3. Next, on a relatively flat section of road, do ten 1-legged pedaling efforts. Spend one minute each leg, switch legs, repeat. (Each leg will get ten 1-minute efforts). Focus on smoothing out your pedal stroke. You don't want to have any dead spots. Your cadence is naturally lower when doing these. Try a 53:17/16/15 combo.
4. Next, ride for at least 15 minutes spinning 90-100 RPMs. This should leave your legs feeling balanced.
After your cadence drills, get in some work on standing and pedaling: Start out with two minutes out of the saddle and standing. While standing, focus on your upstroke (pull calf-muscles up). Then, ride two minutes seated, focusing on pushing with the hamstrings. Repeat this standing/seated routine six times. (2-minutes standing, two-minutes seated, repeated for a total of six times in each position.) Select a gear that is challenging enough to work the muscles, but allows the cadence to drop to 70 RPMs on the seated stuff.
Following standing/seated work, take five minutes easy.
Toward the end of your workout, include eight 1-minute fast pedaling intervals. Each minute on should be at 110-120 RPM. Then, rest for one minute at a normal cadence. Then, repeat.
Details
Sunday

Strength Maintain Exercises Balance Mtb

Strength00:20:0020 TSS
Functional Strength Exercises:
Two sets of 20 to 30 reps of each. You'll move to a 2-second count going down, 1-second up! Your explosive speed combined with the use of light weight creates the resistance. A medicine ball or kettle bell can be used for these exercises. 

Bosu Ball Squats throws or Single-Leg  
Squat/Bulgarian Squat

Lunges with medicine ball toss
Hamstring Ball Curls.
Calf Raises or set of jump rope 2.5 mins
Stretch between sets..
Planks
Seated row or supine pull up  
Wobble board or slack line, alternately practice touching your shoulders and your toes with your hands for a few minutes.

Push Ups feet on ball.
Details

Endurance: Mountain Bike Ride Z 1-3 longer climbs.

Mtb02:23:00141 TSSStructured Workout
Get out for a nice steady trail ride. Find an efficient pace, and practice flowing smoothly through the trails. Get in some short sections of Tempo on the climbs.
Normalized power and heart rate should be top of zone 2
Details

Wednesday Sample Workout Details

Other

Stats

Average Weekly Breakdown

Workouts Weekly Average Longest Workout
MTB x3
05:42:00 04:02:00
Bike x3
03:55:00 02:40:00
Strength x1
00:25:00 00:45:00
Day Off x1
—— ——
Custom x1
00:02:00 00:20:00
Other x1
00:15:00 00:15:00
Workouts Per Week Weekly Average Longest Workout
Mtb MTB
05:42:00 04:02:00
Bike Bike
03:55:00 02:40:00
Strength Strength
00:25:00 00:45:00
Rest Day Off
—— ——
Other Custom
00:02:00 00:20:00
Other Other
00:15:00 00:15:00

Training Load By Week


This plan works best with the following fitness devices:

  • Power Meter

All supported devices

Jeremiah Bishop

Bishop Training

My style is fun, progressive, purpose-built training that incorporates cutting edge science with the know-how to win!

While I have coached World Tour road cyclists, mountain bike Olympians, and weekend warriors, my favorite is just helping folks that want to improve and get more from their riding.

I provide coaching, consultations, custom training plans, personalized individual and group instruction and camps. I can help you achieve your goals.

View all Training Plans by this Coach
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Refund Policy

This plan is protected by our Refund Policy and may, with the author's approval, be exchanged for a plan of equal value from the same author.

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