This six week practice schedule can be followed by people planning to do Manali Leh Cycling Expedition. The expedition itself takes ten days & crosses over many high altitude passes. The expedition route comprises of different type of terrains & riding conditions. These terrains are breathtakingly beautiful but at the same time challenging to ride on. As the saying goes "practice hard play easy", in order to make the whole experience of expedition enjoyable it is very important for you to practice. In case you have a medical condition it is advisable to consultyour physician before taking up this practice schedule.
| Week | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 10 Kms of tempo rides | 10 Kms of tempo rides | 15 Kms of tempo rides | Rest Day | 20 Kms of tempo rides | 20 Kms of tempo rides | Rest Day |
| Week 2 | 30 Kms Tempo Rides | 30 Kms Tempo Rides | Rest Day | 35 Kms Tempo Rides | 40 Kms Tempo Rides | 40 Kms Tempo Rides | Rest Day |
| Week 3 | 30 Kms Tempo Rides + 5 Km Climbing Repeats | 30 Kms Tempo Rides + 5 Km Climbing Repeats | Rest Day | 40kms of endurance ride | 40kms of endurance ride | Rest Day | 40kms of endurance ride |
| Week 4 | 40kms of endurance ride | 10 Kms Fast Pedal + 5 Kms Climbing Repeats + 20 Km Tempo Ride | Rest Day | 40kms of endurance ride | 10 Kms Fast Pedal + 5 Kms Climbing Repeats + 20 Km Tempo Ride | Mountain Ride | Mountain Ride |
| Week 5 | 40 kms with intervals of fast pedalling (5 Intervals - 3min each) | 40 kms with intervals of fast pedalling (5 Intervals - 3min each) | Rest Day | 40 kms with intervals of fast pedalling (5 Intervals - 3min each) | 40 kms with intervals of fast pedalling (5 Intervals - 3min each) | 40 kms with intervals of fast pedalling (5 Intervals - 3min each) | Rest Day |
| Week 6 | 40kms of endurance ride | 10 Kms Fast Pedal + 5 Kms Climbing Repeats + 20 Km Tempo Ride | 10 Kms Fast Pedal + 5 Kms Climbing Repeats + 20 Km Tempo Ride | 40 Kms Tempo Rides | Rest | Mountain Ride | Mountain Ride |
Tempo Rides
This type of ride is on flat section with normal pedaling & increases your stamina for longer rides . These rides condition the muscles for rigorous rides ahead.It is important that you try to ride the entire length of the Tempo workout with as few interruptions as possible.Tempo workouts should consist of consecutive riding at the normal intensity to achieve maximum benefit
Fast Pedal
This workout should be performed on a relatively flat section of road. The gearing should be light, with low pedal resistance. While staying in the saddle, increase your pedal speed keeping your hips smooth with no rocking.Concentrate on pulling through the bottom of the pedal stroke and over the top.
Climbing Repeats
This workout should be performed on a road with a long, steady climb. It is very important to avoid interruptions while doing these intervals. Recovery time between intervals is typically about half the length of the interval itself.
Endurance Ride
This workout should be performed with dead weights on . The ideal weight should be around 20 Kgs on pannier racks evenly distributed on both sides and follows the same workout as with tempo rides. This workout gives strength to the muscles and reduces the fatigue on longer strectch of cycling during expedition.
Mountain Ride
This workout is to be done in mountains nearby your location. Drive down over a weekend to some nearby moutain road with some steep uphill sections. Ride should consist of atleast 20-25 kms of uphill riding in a day. This type of ride will give you the required exposure to mountain biking & will boost your confidence.
