24 hour solo SS MTB Prep

Training
#1

Hello all,

I have found my Mount Sufferlandria for the 2021 season, and that is to do well at a local 24 hour solo singlespeed mountain bike race. This will be my first solo 24, but I’ve done a handful of team events before. I’ve been looking through the sufferfest training plans, and struggling a bit to decide which will work best for my goals. To make things even more complicated, I have a 100 mile race (SS) one month prior to the event - the 100 miler is the end of June, with the 24 hour the end of July. My mental ATP for this is to focus on the 100 miler, and essentially taper with more high-volume, lower intensity rides between. This has worked well for the team events in the past, which are obviously at a higher intensity, but offer rest periods for the recovery.

I’m leaning towards handling the Tour of Suff prep plan, doing the Tour, then doing the KoS prep plan/KoS attempt at the end of March. By then, the trails should/could be good enough to get outside and ride again. Of course, if there is a better/more focused plan out there, I am happy to switch to that. Any thoughts?

suffer on,
Travis

1 Like
#2

Welcome @northy185!

That’s a worthy Mt Sufferlandria. It sounds like your plan is good with the ToS followed by a KoS, and then outside riding. I’d also look at getting some strength training in, especially as you’re riding singlespeed. I find the one-leg drills in the strength program really useful for riding SS.

I’d probably keep up some intensity in your gap between the 100 miler and the 24 hour. Depending on how hilly your 24 hour course is, you’ll still have plenty of short, high-intensity efforts.

Out of interest, which races are you doing? It’s always good to come across other endurance singlespeeders!

Best of luck with your preparations. See you at the ToS.

#3

Thanks @way9e0. My races are the Lutsen 99er in Minnesota, and the 24 hours of Wausau in Wisconsin. The 99er is more of a gravel race with some double track, so hard gearing to keep up on the flats and accepting that there are some hills I’ll need to run; Wausau is more of a true XC race course with technical bits and some ski trail connectors, with lighter gearing to keep the cranks spinning.

Hard to believe the winter is already here, and the two pursuits I’ve chosen already push my ATP into the spring!

#4

Coolio. I did a 24 he solo Mtb event a few years back. My general fitness was pretty good and would routinely go for a 100mile road ride without thinking too much about it (always preferred endurance stuff). So I only had a few days notice of doing it.

What I learned was
Pacing is obviously important but you’ll know that
It wasn’t the legs that suffered in the end. It was the shoulders and back.
They were simply not used to the effort required on a Mtb for that duration. The legs were good all through but I literally fell sideways off the bike at the end and even then stayed in the riding position for a while afterwards until I could move my back and shoulders and arms.

So what we plan you go for to get the legs in order think about the core body strength a show to condition that.

I must sign up for another one soon. They are brilliant events.

#5

Nice one! I’m looking at doing the Oregon 12 again in 2021, and maybe building up to the Oregon 24 in 2022. I ran the wrong gear this year at Oregon 12 - I will definitely run an easier gear next time.

+1 on @Rich_R comments on general MTB conditioning. Trainer time and road time doesn’t get all those little muscles in your core, arms, and back in shape for a long MTB ride. Mental focus is another important aspect - you can switch off a bit at times on the road, but on singletrack, you have to be on all the time.

#6

Echoing the others the knighthood attempt plan might be a good one to use.

In 2019 for the OR 24/12 I did the following w Strength, Yoga, MTP + XC races

Pre-season XC
Rest week
Volcano
Speed Demon
Volcano
FF week ending on race day 12 hours solo

For 2020 I first had the High Cascades 100 in July, Sisters Stampede Labor Day weekend, then the OR 24/12 (12 solo again) in late September. Plans used including strength, yoga, MTP.

TOS Prep
TOS
TOS Post Tour
Preseason XC
100 Mile GG
TOS Post Tour
Volcano
Building blocks FTP focus