Ok, it's time to get set up for the winter. Summer 2019 got me way more into riding for fitness, and I'm hoping to have a better 2020. I usually commit everything to a new training plan, overtrain, then end up massively underachieving due to injury. I'd like to not do that this time, so touch wood things will be ok!

For this winter, I've decided to keep things simple and (hopefully) realistic. Over the summer I was fitting in 1 or 2 shorter interval sessions during the week (usually an hour on road), a long road ride each weekend then a recovery mountain bike ride. Since getting a decent spec mountain bike, I've been swapping out the longer road ride for a longer MTB ride. I want to keep this up, whilst remaining under the threshold for injury. With no high-pressure events in the near future, I'll hopefully be able to get in some decent training blocks, with the option to be flexible too.

Aims

• Bikepacking - With some smaller sub-24hours under my belt, I really want to get some longer routes completed. No solid plans, but the South Downs Way with a overnight Bivi looks good as a starter. After that, maybe some of the shorter events from The Racing Collective.
• Audaxes - Starting at 100k, hoping to increase to 200/300k by the end of the year.
• Cyclocross - No firm plans, but the Wessex Cyclocross league has some great beginner events.

Winter plan

The plan for the winter is to keep up the same volume of training, but focus it more. I bought the cheapest turbo I could and put my CX bike on that, so will aim for a structure like so;

• 2-3 times (Monday-Friday): 1hr-1hr30 turbo training session. Based off of the British Cycling Indoor Training Plans. Aim to train using Heart Rate, and build up power and good form (including improved cadence.)
• Weekend rides: Take the MTB out for a long ride. 30-60kms, aiming to build up base fitness, as well as on-bike conditioning. I'll be aiming for a mix of XC-style distance and trails, which should help with the conditioning.

Into Spring

Heading into Spring, I'll hopefully have a decent base, with opportunity for time off due to Christmas, injuries or work trips. The plan then is to build up some long rides:

• Dirty Santa - not really spring, but a decent MTB Event at the end of the season to get stuck into
• Petworth Start of Summer Time 100 - a 100k audax in the mid-spring, which should be a decent spring challenge for me.
• 2020 Surrey Hills Gravelcross - date tbc, but will be great to have another bash at it!
• Pannier.cc Lakeland Pass Stormer - Bikepacking weekender planned for September 2020.