Get race-ready for an off-road mountain bike challenge in just six weeks.

Why should I do a mountain-bike race?

“Mountain bike (MTB) racing is a great way to stretch yourself as a rider and push the boundaries of your current abilities,” says Mark Baines, fitness and performance coach at Firecrest (firecrestmtb.com). “Also, anyone can get out and have a go because most race events have categories for all ages and abilities.

But one of the most appealing aspects of MTB racing is it combines a hard physical challenge with the fun of tackling technical terrain in locations away from your normal riding. You get a buzz from riding the same course that elite riders must conquer, allowing you to compare yourself to some of the fittest and most skilled riders in the country. These races are also a great way to meet new friends and people to go riding with.”

What makes this type of racing so tough?

The hardest part of MTB racing is the terrain on which the races take place, with courses combining a mixture of fire trails, hard climbs and technical single track. “The nature of the courses demand that racers be physically fit, but also possess good bike-handling skills,” says Baines.

The difficulty of a MTB race is not only judged on distance — events can range from 25km to 100km and beyond — but by technical category, and these are differentiated by age and/or ability.”

What are the key skills you need for off-road MTB?

“The most important attribute is endurance, but this needs to be combined with the ability to work at high intensities for short bursts to clear course features,” says Baines. “It’s these repeated high-intensity bursts that make this sport so hard and that’s why our training plan includes high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and pyramid sessions.” These physical characteristics need to be balanced with the ability to ride technical challenges, such as steep banks, roots and rocks, at race speeds and often in muddy conditions. But if you’re comfortable riding three times a week and completing rides longer than two hours, you shouldn’t have any problem with our training plan.

Click here for our Six-Week Training Guide

Go with the pro

Olympic hopeful Lachie Norris, 25, one of the top guns of Australian mountain biking, shares his training schedule with MF.

Age: 25

Height: 176cm

Weight: 68kg

Home base: Castlemaine, Victoria/Geneva, Switzerland

Titles: Under-23 Australian champion, Under-23 Oceania champion, multiple Australian National Series titles at under-19, under-23 and elite level.

In an average week, what would your training on the bike consist of?

Depending on the week, it could be anywhere from 16-30 hours on the bike. Leading into a racing block, it’s fewer hours and more intensity.

Describe your interval training.

Early in the season, it’s longer intervals or strength efforts (low cadence, high power); coming into races, it’s shorter, sharp stuff. I have a love-hate relationship with the ergo (stationary bike), where 20/40s are often on the menu: five sets of 20 seconds on, 40 seconds off for about eight minutes, with rest between sets.

What’s the one training session that you believe most improves your fitness or advances your skills?

Racing. It’s the max of everything; skills to the max, HR to the max, fatigue to the max. It really is about finding that grace and flow technically when your body is in the red physically.

Describe your off-bike training.

In the off season I like to run cross-country, hike, surf and do stuff to maintain a good level of fitness while resting my brain from cycling. Gym used to always be a focus early in the season, but now I work on body-weight core programs all year around to maintain strength. I’m big into yoga, 2-5 sessions a week. I find it’s great to work dynamic flexibility and stability.

If you could only do one thing in the gym, what would it be?

Running on the treadmill — they usually look over the whole gym and it’s the best place from which to scout talent while looking like a hero.

Do you think you have a skill or trait that other top riders don’t?

I’m good at staying positive and being happy. That’s the key to travelling well and rocking up at the start line ready to go.

What’s the worst injury you’ve ever had?

I cracked my hip at the start of theyear, but I’ve had plenty of nasty bingles and plenty of skin-loss.

Do you have a scar that tells a story?

Anywhere that juts out — hip bones, elbows, knees etc — have all been ground off at some point. My best scars are on my face from a period about six years ago that I refer to as the “face-plant era”.

What are your goals for 2012 and beyond?

This year it’s about riding fast in the World Cups and getting selected for the Olympics in London. After that, it’s a pretty blank slate — maybe continue on the MTB or maybe give the road bike a push and try to find a contract with a World Tour team and race some of the big races like the Giro and Tour de France.

What’s the most challenging race on the Australian circuit?

I love the Otway Odyssey in Apollo Bay [Vic]. It’s 100 of the hardest, muddiest, steepest kilometres you can do on a mountain bike. On the road side of things, you can’t go past the Tour Down Under: great crowds, great stages and the strongest riders.

Who are your biggest rivals?

In Australia, there are about five of us really mixing it this year at a similar level: Dan McConnell, Paul Van Der Ploeg, Chris Jongewaard and Sid Taberlay.

Do you have a nutritional “secret weapon”?

Clean and fresh whole foods. Eat as much of the good, real stuff as I can. If I’m in dire straits with a cold coming on, I’ll chomp on some raw garlic. That usually does the trick (but not with the ladies).

What advice would you give to an up-and-coming mountain biker?

Have fun with it. Mountain biking is about the people, the places and the rad trails. Don’t get too serious, just ride fast.

 Who’s the best-looking woman in MTB?

It’s pretty well known around the traps that Emily Batty from Canada holds the title at the moment.

“My last meal on Earth would be… ”

A pizza in Italy or anything home-cooked by Mum.