Workout of the Week: Threshold Hill Repeats

In training there are typically several objectives of a single workout. Training is not just about the physiologic and metabolic adaptations. Training should hone all the aspects of performance including mental game, pedaling technique under variable intensity/cadence, and economy of movement, among other things.

With this in mind, I like to use a mix of intensities in these threshold hill repeats to better replicate the tempo change of racing, either due to terrain change in mountain biking or the surging attacks in road and gravel racing.

Threshold hill repeats are typically performed in your final prep for competition season and during competition season when you have gaps in racing or non-race weeks.

The number of times this workout is performed a week depends on the other objectives or components of your training plan, but can be performed 1-2 times a week. The duration of the workout can be increased based on how you respond to it, and the specific demands of your goal race(s).

Things to keep in mind for proper execution:

Rather than just chasing power numbers on your head unit and ticking off the time, find a productive focus for your mind to distract from the discomfort. For example, on actions that make you fast, fluid, and efficient—such as holding stable posture, deep belly breathing, a light and relaxed upper body, and fluid pedal stroke.
I strongly encourage you to mentally place yourself in the specific section of your upcoming race that you are training for. Imagine details such as the race scenario, surrounding scenes, and racers around you.
When upping the intensity, visualize a race situation—covering a surge or attack—and increase the intensity by getting out of the saddle for 10-20 seconds to be snappy enough to cover the surge and bring it up to 105-110% FTP.