Workout of the Week: Hot Laps for Holistic Training

In Episode 255 of Fast Talk, we discussed the biopsychosocial approach to training that has been highly successful with the Ethiopian runners whom our guests Michael Crawley and Andy Kirkland had worked with. A hallmark of this training is its holistic approach to performance, joy, race-day prep, race-craft, and the mental side of training. It’s a great listen and this workout is inspired by the conversation.

One story shared was about runners “getting off the beaten path” and running on terrain that wasn’t perfect but stressed their bodies in a different way. It’s fun to picture elite marathoners and track stars weaving in and out of trees with grins on their faces.

I like to apply this to cycling training as well because too often athletes look for “perfect”: perfect conditions, perfect temperatures, perfect intervals. It is not a failure if your 3 × 10 minutes was actually 3 × 9 minutes and 49 seconds!

One way to get off the beaten path is through what I call “hot laps.” They’re a fantastic way for anyone to train, but especially useful in late summer and early fall for cyclocross racers. I often do these once a week opposite a more structured workout.

RELATED WORKOUT: Cyclocross Games

The goal is to choose a short course with run terrain. Sometimes it should weave through trees, other times it can be in and out of playground equipment. A course that takes between 3 to 4 minutes is ideal because you can then complete a number of hot laps combined with slow laps to create the workout. Courses that are shorter can get boring after too many laps and long courses do not allow flexibility in work:rest ratios.

Because this workout is measured in “laps,” it is easy to be successful! On paper it may not seem serious, but this will improve your acceleration, bike-handling, mental toughness, and amass significant time above threshold. Even fun and games can be beneficial!