Build durability, rhythm, and early season consistency.
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May 2026
Base miles and repetition.
Emphasis on hours in saddle with focus on endurance. Train yourself to fuel and recover. Optionally mix in some early season races.
At a Glance
Shape of the month.
May is still pure pre-season base work, but now with a clear weekly structure: two quality days, one big aerobic ride, one true rest day, and optional race substitutions on select weekends.
Add just enough structured intensity to move fitness forward.
Tuesday and Thursday lead, with skills Wednesday and Friday.
Saturday is the big ride. Sunday is total rest unless racing.
Day by Day
Training Calendar
The standard week comes first. Optional races appear below as selective substitutions.
Levels
- Beginner: shorten Tuesday and Thursday, keep Saturday near 1 hour, and keep Wednesday and Friday relaxed.
- Intermediate: follow the week as written and keep Saturday in the middle of the endurance range.
- Advanced: keep the same pattern, but extend Saturday toward 2 hours and add a bit more work inside the hard sessions if recovery stays good.
If Plans Change
- Missed XC simulation race: keep Sunday as rest and use the race only if it was the intended hard effort for the week.
- Weekend race selected: let the race replace the week’s Thursday-style hard session and keep Saturday aerobic.
- No event selected: keep the normal Saturday endurance and Sunday rest pattern.
- Heavy fatigue week: shorten the hard sessions before you cut the whole weekly rhythm apart.