THE FOCUS RIGHT NOW
BUILD THE INTENSITY.
Eight weeks out, the build phase kicks in. One threshold session, one VO2 max session, and the long ride all in a week. Volume stays high, but now intensity layers on top. This is where your FTP should start climbing — if it doesn't, distribution is wrong, not effort.
THIS WEEK'S ANCHOR SESSION
2X20MIN THRESHOLD
Warm up 15min. 2x20min at 91-105% FTP with 5min recovery between. Cool down. Hit the target power both reps — if you fade the second, you started too hard. This is your bread-and-butter threshold session.
EVENT INTEL
WHAT THE BADLANDS ACTUALLY DEMANDS
Badlands is one of the hardest self-supported ultras in the world — 800km across Andalusia and the Tabernas Desert (Europe's only true desert) with 16,000m of climbing. Mixed gravel/road, 40°C+ daytime heat, freezing desert nights. The race that made Lachlan Morton famous on the Roadman Podcast.
KEY CHARACTERISTICS
- ✓Self-supported format — resupply only at open shops + fountains
- ✓Tabernas Desert crossing: 40°C+ daytime, freezing at night
- ✓16,000m climbing across 800km averages 20m/km — relentless
- ✓Sleep strategy is part of the race (2-6 hours/day at best)
- ✓Mix of road + gravel + rough dirt — tyre choice is a gamble
COMMON MISTAKES
- ✕Underestimating the night desert cold — riders treat 'Spain in September' as warm, it isn't at 2am
- ✕Treating it like a long sportive — Badlands breaks people who haven't done shorter ultras first
- ✕Poor tyre pressure — either too light (punctures) or too firm (fatigue)
PACING
Don't race the start. Badlands has a 4-5 day finishing window for most riders and the leaderboard means almost nothing if you DNF at km 400. Sustainable pace — roughly 60% of your 8-hour FTP as an all-day ceiling. Sleep plan written in advance: where, how long, triggered by which km.
FUELLING
No aid stations. You carry or you resupply from shops. 80-100g carbs/hour on the bike minimum. Calories eaten at shops count. Salt + electrolytes critical in the desert crossing. Cafés and gas stations become your crew.
KIT
Ultra-endurance bikepacking setup: dynamo hub, frame bag, saddle bag, bar bag. 40-45mm gravel tyres with good sidewalls (Challenge Getaway, Pirelli Cinturato, Schwalbe G-One Ultrabite). Bivvy bag + emergency blanket for forced sleep stops.
WANT THIS BUILT AROUND YOUR FTP?
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OTHER PHASES FOR THE BADLANDS