What to Do: Print the page, mark the races you’re doing this year, fill in your training schedule and stick it up on the wall. Then you can tick off your achievements as the year progresses or add your single day events to keep track of your year of riding.

The Coach Says: Periodise your training by dividing your training time into a base phase, intermediate intensity phase, high intensity phase and a tapering phase. Train smart by setting heart rate training zones and then polarising your training.

The Dietician Says: Keep it natural whenever you can. Eat and hydrate smart, before, during and after a ride. Try to stick to ‘real foods’ to reduce food boredom on longer rides and drink a 500ml bottle of sports drink every hour on a three hour plus ride.

Refresh Your Memory: The Coaching and Nutrition Columns are archived online at www.fullsus.co.za.

Help with Race Choices: Full Sus has an extensive list of Ride Reports on www.fullsus.co.za. If you’re not sure if you should be entering a race or not give the report on the 2014 race a read.

August:

October:

November:

2015 Stage Race Calendar FSJanuary:With no stage races, January is the month for base miles for the busy month of February. If you need a race to sharpen your skills consider the Fairview Attakwas Extreme Challenge (17 Jan), the first leg of the Ashburton Investments National MTB Series (31 Jan), or the Barberton XCM (also 31 Jan).

February:7 – 8: Lighthouse To Lighthouse (www.discovercapeagulhas.co.za) 13 – 15: Du Toit Tankwa Trek (www.tankwatrek.co.za)27 Feb – 1 March: Garden Route 300 (www.gardenrouteevents.co.za)8 – 14: TransCape MTB (www.transcapemtb.co.za)20 – 22: The Trans Outeniqua MTB (www.trisport.co.za)

March:23 – 30: ABSA Cape Epic (www.cape-epic.com)19 – 22: 3 Mountains Challenge (www.3mountains.co.za)

April:17 - 19: 36One Challenge (www.the36one.com) 24 April – 2 May: Old Mutual joBerg2c (www.joberg2c.co.za)26 - 27: 7 Passes (www.gardenrouteevents.co.za)

May:2 – 3: Houw Hoek Tour (www.mtb-adventures.co.za)12 - 14: Sani2c Trail (www.sani2c.co.za) 13 - 15: Sani2c Adventure (www.sani2c.co.za)14 - 16: Sani2c Race (www.sani2c.co.za)24 – 29: Windhoek Namib Quest (www.africanextremepromotions.com)

June:3 – 7: Grindrod Bank Pondo Pedal (www.pondopedal.com) 13 – 15: RECM Knysna 200 (www.recmknysna200.co.za) 15 – 18: Vic Falls MTB Challenge (www.vicfallsmtbchallenge.com) 20 – 21: Dusi2c (www.dusi2c.co.za) 28 June – 3 July: Cape Country Tour (www.mtb-adventures.co.za)

July: With no major stage races in SA in July it’s a great time to take a mid-season break, or work on your technical riding skills. Take a trip, visit a trail Jacques Marais has featured in his Trail Column and reassess your riding goals for the rest of 2015. Or hop aboard a flight for Kenya and do the Laikipia XC.7 – 12: Laikipia XC (Kenya) (www.laikipiaxc.com)

August:8 – 9: Potberg & De Hoop MTB (www.gardenrouteevents.co.za)8 – 10: Storms River Traverse (www.stormsrivertraverse.co.za) 13 – 18: Nedbank Tour de Tuli (www.childreninthewilderness.com)22 – 28: Altech Autopage Jozi2Kozi (www.jozi2kozi.co.za) 30 – 31: Greyton MTB Tour (www.mtb-adventures.co.za)

September:3 – 6: PE>>Plett (www.peplett.co.za) 9 – 13: Momentum Pondo Pedal Adventure (www.pondopedal.com)11 – 13: Ride2Nowhere (www.ride2nowhere.co.za) 17 – 19: Dr Evil Classic (www.drevilclassic.com) TBC: Resolution Ride the Rhino (www.renosterveldmtb.co.za)

October:2 – 4: ISUZU 3 Towers (www.3towers.co.za)18 – 24: Bridge Cape Pioneer Trek (www.capepioneer.co.za)9 – 11: Berg & Bush Descent (www.bergandbush.co.za) 13 – 15: Berg & Bush Great Trek (www.bergandbush.co.za)17 – 18: Berg & Bush 2 Day (www.bergandbush.co.za)30 Oct – 1 Nov: Wines2Whales Adventure (www.wines2whales.co.za)

November:2 – 4: Wines2Whales Ride (www.wines2whales.co.za)6 – 8: Wines2Whales Race (www.wines2whales.co.za)14 – 15: To Hell and Back (www.tohellandback.co.za) 27 - 28: Pennypinchers Origin of Trails (www.originoftrails.co.za)

December:TBC: Sabie Xperience (www.sabieexperience.co.za)

February:

March:

July

April:

December

May:

June:

TRAINING

PROGRAMME2015

Ride Reports:Either scan the QR code or visit www.fullsus.co.za and click on the Reviews drop- down menu.

Coaching:Scan the QR code to access the archives or visit www.fullsus.co.za and click on the Regulars drop-down menu.

Nutrition:Scan the QR code to access the archives or visit www.fullsus.co.za and click on the Regulars drop-down menu.

Here’s your 2015 stage race calendar, print

it out, stick it up and makes notes. Good

luck for all your 2015 riding goals, from the

Full Sus team!

September: