I just brought the 18 week SS plan. What plan(s) or approach would you recommend in this situation? My fall ‘A’ event is Hincapie in Greenville, SC, gran route of 80 miles and 8100 feet of climbing. Do I need to get the climbing plan also? I will start training for this the first week of June.
I am familiar with structured training both indoors and outdoors. I can average 6-11 hours a week.
Frank
I have a very similar q. Also purchased the 18 week sweet spot plan, targeting long gravel events this summer with highest priority events CO2UT in May and BWR San Diego July 18. Plan basically matches what I’d plan to do myself if left to my own devices, but I do want to make sure my training prepares me for ultra long days and significant climbing
Some adjustments to the training plan I’m considering are:
Any advice would be appreciated!
@frank.jones and @john.hancock
Great questions.
For both of you 100% go hit up climbs if you are able. Most intervals will be well done on climbs and the longer weekend sweet spot or TSS rides are also perfect to go get your body and mind used to the hills.
@frank.jones with planning out your build to your A event I would also jump on our climbing or fondo plan after the sweet spot plan. This will be your “switching from race to base” and will then dial in the specific efforts related to climbing.
@john.hancock since your first event is sooner (May) and I believe the 18SS plan will put you through that. Is the CO2UT your A race and then you are planning to second peak for BWR? or are you using the CO2UT as a builder and then BWR is the peak? If you are planning on a double peak I would actually advise you jump on our Gravel Training Plan to help prep you for the race six weeks out +/- the taper.
If you are planning on continuing your build out to BWR then I would just add on a little time to one weekend day each week to prep you for CO2UT. Don’t combine the days, but simply add on a little each week to one weekend ride to build slowly and not throw off the plan or ramp too fast.
Best of luck to each of you and I hope that helps!
I did go ahead and purchase the 8 week climbing program. So, I would assume to maintain the 8 weeks, and then work backwards for the Sweetspot program? It’s a couple of weeks shorter than 18 weeks.
Thanks Isaiah, helpful.
I used to goto mountain bike races with a fella by the name of Frank Jones while I was in Raleigh, NC - any chance this is you ?!
Sorry, wrong Frank Jones but I am close to Raleigh (within 2 hours).
Haven’t done any mountain bike riding … just road. 
Thank you @Isaiah for the advice. My plan is to build through CO2UT, focus on BWR. Heard on not combining the long days…but alas, if life gets in the way of me doing medium-ish Sunday ride per the plan after a Saturday long day, would you recommend that I do actually add on to the Saturday long day?
Trying to figure out how to max the plan for BWR without entirely abandoning the fam on weekends
Totally understand having to juggle life and family. Thats a good thing!
With building through CO2UT then you could transfer some time over to Saturday, but just make sure to not overdo it and still keep in mind your overall build.
Another thing that I do with some of my athletes that need to free up Sunday is add a little time to Friday and then some as well to Saturday. This makes Fri/Sat a more prominent build and thus freeing up some or all of Sunday athlete depending.