A spring training camp can be the best investment in your season

Spring is that magical time in a cyclist's season when the days get longer, the legs start to come around, and the motivation to push boundaries returns. It's also a critical inflection point in our training journey, especially if we're targeting peak summer or late-season events. And nothing boosts development quite like a well-executed spring training camp.

Success at camp isn't just about piling on miles. It's about smart load, strategic recovery, and aligning the camp with our training goals. Let's take a look at why a spring training camp works, how much we should ride, and the right way to recover.

Why do a spring training camp?

Focused Training, Fewer Distractions: A camp removes the noise of daily life. We eat, sleep, ride, and recover—on repeat. That focus alone improves training quality.
Boosted Training Load: Spring is a perfect time to increase chronic training load (CTL). We've built a base through the winter, and now it's time to leverage that foundation and introduce higher workloads, whether through volume, intensity, or both.
Group Dynamics and Motivation: Riding with a team or community ignites performance. Drafting, friendly competition, and shared purpose can push us further than we thought possible.
Environmental Stress Adds Adaptation: Warmer weather, terrain variability, and even a little altitude can all contribute to positive stress if managed well.

How much should we ride?

A training camp isn't about logging the most miles; it's about planned, progressive overload with recovery built in. Here's a simple framework based on athlete levels:

Beginner/time-crunched athlete

Camp length: 4–7 days
Daily volume: 2.5–4 hours per day
Training Focus: Endurance with skill sessions (climbing, descending, group riding)
Overall TSS: 500–700 for the week

Intermediate/enthusiast

Camp length: 5–9 days
Daily volume: 3.5–5 hours per day
Training Focus: Endurance with Tempo and threshold efforts mixed in
Overall TSS: 800–1200 for the week

Advanced/competitive racer

Camp length: 6–14 days
Daily volume: 4.5–6 hours per day
Training Focus: High-volume Endurance with structured intensity blocks (Sweet Spot, VO2max)
Overall TSS: 1200–1800 for the week

How much should we recover?

Training camps create a significant acute training load (ATL) spike. This is good—but only if followed by recovery and adaptation. Here's the post-camp strategy I recommend:

Immediate recovery (2–3 days after camp)

Easy spins (30–60 minutes) or total rest
Focus on sleep, nutrition, hydration
Optional mobility or massage

Transition week (4–7 days after camp)

Reintroduce structured training carefully
Watch for signs of residual fatigue: poor sleep, high HRV deviation, low motivation
If heart rate or RPE are still depressed, add another recovery day

Performance pop (2-4 weeks after camp)

This is when the magic happens! With proper recovery, you'll feel stronger, fresher, and fitter.

Schedule key peak training sessions or an early-season race to take advantage of your performance bump.

Keep it fun!

Above all, keep it fun. A spring training camp should rekindle your love for riding, not feel like a chore. Enjoy the new roads, the shared stories over coffee stops, and the satisfaction of a tired body earned through effort and adventure. When you balance work with joy, the fitness gains come easier, and your motivation carries long past the camp. Fun isn't the opposite of serious training; it's the fuel that makes it sustainable.

At BaseCamp, we believe that every cyclist has the potential to achieve greatness, no matter where they start. Our mission is to create a community-driven training environment where cyclists and triathletes of all levels can train together, support each other, and grow stronger, faster, and more confident in their abilities. Our cycling training programs are expert driven and tailored to your needs. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just getting started, BaseCamp is where you belong.