Our tried and tested LW Coaching 40+ Masters Cross Country Mountain Bike Base Training Plan has been updated with TrainingPeaks structured workouts to make the most of both indoor and outdoor riding opportunities. For outdoor training, power (watts), TSS and IF targets can be downloaded to your Garmin. For indoor training, download your plan to your favorite Smart Trainer app such as Zwift, Rouvy or Trainer Road.

Consistency – Strength – Skills – Intensity - Recovery

This plan is designed specifically for the Masters athlete. A 20 year old athlete has different natural abilities and training requirements than a 40 year old athlete and will thrive on a different training plan. The most obvious change with age is a slowdown in recovery. With age there is less time and room to absorb training mistakes. A Masters athlete excels on a targeted and specific plan. This LW Coaching Masters XC Build, Peak and Race training plan works on a three week training cycle, two training weeks then one recovery week, to match fitness development and recovery cycle of the Master athlete. Athletes “age” at different rates. This Masters 40+ plan might be appropriate for a 30 year old with natural slow recovery.

This plan is designed to progress to after completing the 12 week LW Coaching Masters 40+ Cross Country Mountain Bike Base Training Plan.

Consistency: This the most important factor for a Masters athlete. “Use it or lose it” is a big element in continued performance with age. The more frequent recovery weeks in this plan promote increased consistency by keeping the athlete below the overtraining, injury and burnout threshold.

12 week strength maintenance program: This Masters build, peak and race training plan contains a 12 week strength maintenance program to maintain muscular strength and bone density established during base training. Muscular strength increases resilience to injury, contributes to consistency and keeps you in the game as you age.

Weekly technical ride skills practice: Weekly skills practice is in this plan. Use it or lose it definitely applies to technical mountain bike ride skills for Masters racing at cross country speeds. This build, peak and race plan focuses on technical riding skills at XC race pace. Stay smooth and fast when heart rate is pegged.

Weekly intensity sessions: This build, peak and race plan contains weekly on the bike intensity sessions to build speed and power on top of base training fitness. XC race pace and XC race start practice, VO2max intervals and threshold sessions prepare the Masters athlete to peak their XC race performance in plan week #12.

This plan is paced by power (watts), heart rate and perceived exertion. At a minimum, a heart rate monitor is recommended to follow this training plan. A power meter and smart trainer are optional (and highly advantageous) extras. A power meter or smart trainer is not required to successfully follow this training plan. In week one you will set heart rate zones, power training levels (if you have power available) and a performance benchmark with a field test. This test is repeated in week 6 to track performance improvements, power increases and check your heart rate zones are accurate.

Visit our LW Coaching website to ask training plan questions on our forum, read mountain bike specific training articles, learn new workouts and see what events our coaches and athletes have been racing.