Climb Race Training Plan — October 4, 2026

01

Phase Overview

Phase	Dates	TSS / Week	Hours / Week	FTP Ref
Rebuild	Jun 9 – Jun 29	550–600	10–11 hrs	250W
Build 1	Jun 30 – Jul 27	650–700 (rec: 450)	11–13 hrs (8)	252–255W
Build 2	Jul 28 – Aug 24	700–750 (rec: 500)	13–15 hrs (9)	255–260W
Sharpening	Aug 25 – Sep 21	650–700 (rec: 450)	12–14 hrs (8)	260–265W
Taper	Sep 22 – Oct 4	~550	~10 hrs	265W

02

Training Phases

Phase 1 — Rebuild FTP ~250W

JUN 9 – JUN 29 · 3 WEEKS

550–600

TSS / Week

10–11h

Hours / Week

Key Session 1 — Midweek

Wk 1 Jun 9

4×8 min at 95% FTP, 4 min rest 235–240W

Wk 2 Jun 16

5×6 min at 98% FTP, 3 min rest 244–248W

Wk 3 Jun 23

2×20 min sweet spot at 88–93% FTP, 5 min rest 220–232W

Key Session 2 — Saturday Long Ride

3.5–4 hrs endurance at 65–75% FTP. Include one 20–25 min climb or sustained flat effort at tempo pace (80–85% FTP) in the second half.

TSS ~150–165

Phase 2 — Build 1 FTP ~252–255W

JUN 30 – JUL 27 · 4 WEEKS · WK 4 RECOVERY

650–700

TSS / Week

rec: 450

11–13h

Hours / Week

rec: 8h

Key Session 1 — Midweek

Wk 1 Jun 30

4×8 min at 100% FTP, 4 min rest 252–255W

Thu Jul 3 — 3×5 × 30/90 all-out sprints Pescadero prep 400–500W

Wk 2 Jul 7

3×15 min at 95% FTP, 5 min rest 239–242W

Wk 3 Jul 14

Variable effort — 5 rounds of 3 min hard / 2 min tempo, continuous 270W / 220W

Wk 4 Jul 21 recovery

2×15 min sweet spot, easy 220–230W

Key Session 2 — Saturday Long Ride

Wk 1 (Jul 4): 4–4.5 hrs endurance. Include two separate 20–25 min efforts at tempo pace (80–85% FTP), spaced by at least 20 min easy riding between them.

Wk 2 (Jul 11): Pescadero Road Race — race effort replaces long ride this week.

Wk 3 (Jul 18): 4.5 hrs endurance. After 90 min easy, do a single 30 min push at 95–100% FTP on a climb or flat — treat it as a standalone hard effort mid-ride.

Wk 4 (Jul 25, recovery): 3 hrs easy, no structured effort.

TSS 180–210

Phase 3 — Build 2 FTP ~255–260W

JUL 28 – AUG 24 · 4 WEEKS · WK 4 RECOVERY · PEAK LOAD

700–750

TSS / Week

rec: 500

13–15h

Hours / Week

rec: 9h

Key Session 1 — Midweek

Wk 1 Jul 28

3×12 min at 100% FTP, 4 min rest 255–258W

Thu Jul 31 — Threshold/Delta 50: 2×10 min high tempo, then 5×3 min supra-threshold 270–288W

Wk 2 Aug 4

5×4 min at 115% FTP, 4 min full rest290-300W

Wk 3 Aug 11 VO2

7 rounds variable effort 3 min hard / 2 min tempo 295W / 224W

Wk 4 Aug 18 recovery

3×10 min sweet spot 225–235W

Key Session 2 — Saturday Long Ride

Wk 1 (Jul 28): 5 hrs endurance. Include two 20 min tempo efforts (80–85% FTP) in the second half, separated by 15 min easy.

Wk 2 (Aug 4) — KEY SESSION: 5 hrs total. After 60–90 min easy warmup, do 2×30 min at 95% FTP with 6 min rest between. This is the hardest session in the plan — bail to 92% if needed. Remainder of ride easy. 242–247W

Wk 3 (Aug 11): 5 hrs endurance. Include one 40 min block at 85–90% FTP in the final third of the ride — full fatigue load. Race durability simulator. 217–234W

Wk 4 (recovery): 3.5 hrs easy, no structured effort.

TSS 200–230

Phase 4 — Sharpening FTP ~260–265W

AUG 25 – SEP 21 · 4 WEEKS · WK 4 RECOVERY

650–700

TSS / Week

rec: 450

12–14h

Hours / Week

rec: 8h

Key Session 1 — Midweek

Wk 1 Aug 25 VO2

6×5 min at 108% FTP, 5 min rest 281–286W

Wk 2 Sep 1

Race sim — 50 min continuous at goal pace 252–258W

Wk 3 Sep 8 FTP TEST

20 min test or ramp test. Update all zones off this result before entering taper.

Wk 4 Sep 15 recovery

Variable effort — 4 rounds of 3 min hard / 2 min tempo 281W / 229W

Key Session 2 — Saturday Long Ride

Aug 30: 4.5 hrs. Variable effort on climbs — go hard on steep sections (108–115% FTP), settle to tempo on flatter gradient. Mimics drafting surges. No fixed intervals, ride by feel and gradient.

Sep 6: 4.5 hrs. Race sim day — ride easy for 90 min, then do two back-to-back 20–25 min climb efforts at goal race pace with minimal rest between. Closest thing to race day you'll do. 252–258W

Sep 13: 4 hrs easy endurance, one 20 min tempo effort only. Legs should feel fresh.

Sep 20: 3 hrs easy. One 20 min tempo effort, nothing more. Taper starts here mentally.

TSS 180–210

03

Race Week

Final Week

SEP 22 – OCT 4  ·  1 WEEK + RACE DAY  ·  ~10 HRS  ·  TSS ~550

Mon–Thu Sep 22–25

Normal training volume, no heroics. Two rides of 2–2.5 hrs each. One session with 3×8 min at 100% FTP to stay sharp — this is not a hard week, just maintaining feel. 263–267W

Fri–Sun Sep 26–Oct 4

Saturday Sep 27: 3.5 hrs endurance with two 15 min tempo efforts. Last proper ride.

Thu/Fri Oct 2–3: One short 45–60 min opener with 3×3 min at race pace. Spin the legs out, nothing more. 252–258W

Legs should feel restless by Friday evening — that's the sign you're ready.

04

Strength Training

At-Home Strength

JUN 9 – JUL 27 · DROP AT BUILD 2 ONSET · DUMBBELLS 10–50 LB

2× PER WEEK
~30–35 MIN/SESSION

The Workout

Bulgarian split squat Rear foot elevated on a chair or couch. Hold one dumbbell in each hand. Start at 20–25 lb each, build toward 35–40 lb by week 6.

3×8 each leg · 90 sec rest

Single-leg Romanian deadlift Hold one 30–40 lb dumbbell in the opposite hand. Slow eccentric (3 sec down). Builds hip stability and posterior chain without the recovery cost of a bilateral deadlift.

3×8 each leg · 60 sec rest

Push-ups You're at 5 reps — do 3 sets to near failure (not quite failure). Add 1 rep per session when you can. At 15+ reps, add a dumbbell plate on your back or elevate your feet.

3× to near failure · 60 sec rest

Copenhagen plank Side plank with top foot on a chair or couch, bottom leg hanging. Start with 3×10 sec holds, build to 3×20 sec.

3×10–20 sec each side

Dead bug Core stability without spinal load. Slow and controlled — opposite arm and leg extend fully while lower back stays flat. 3×8 each side.

3×8 each side · 45 sec rest

Timing & Notes

Start: Jun 9, alongside Rebuild phase.

Frequency: 2× per week. Each session is 30–35 min if you move efficiently between exercises.

Schedule on: Easy riding days only. Never the day before or after a key cycling session.

Drop at: Jul 28 (Build 2 onset). When TSS hits 700–750, the recovery cost outweighs the benefit. Two months of consistent work will hold through October without maintaining it.

On the split squats: Single-leg work will feel humbling at first — start at 20 lb per hand and prioritize depth and control over load. You'll progress fast.

06

Race Day Strategy

October 4, 2026

First 15 min

248–252W

Conservative start regardless of how good you feel. Adrenaline will push you to go out 5–10W hot — resist it.

Middle 30 min

255–260W

Settle into goal race pace once you have a read on your legs and the field around you.

Final 15 min

260W+

If you have gas left, open it up. This is what all the variable effort work was building toward.

Variable gradient sections: Where you can draft, back off to 230–240W and recover actively. Match the surge when it comes — don't chase every attack in the first half. The riders who go out hard on the steep early pitches are the ones you'll pass in the final 20 minutes.

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