Season at a glance
46
Weeks of preparation
3
Race events
215
Race kilometres total
~18k
DP strokes in Vasaloppet
Race calendar
Race 01
La Diagonela
~17 Jan 2027
Tune-up race 49 days before Vasaloppet
Race 02 — optional
Marcialonga
31 Jan 2027
Decide after Diagonela 35 days before Vasaloppet
Race 03 — main goal
Vasaloppet
7 Mar 2027
Target race Race sequencing. La Diagonela (~Jan 17) sits 49 days out from Vasaloppet — a comfortable tune-up window. Run it as a controlled effort, not an all-out performance; the goal is race feel and confidence, not a result. Marcialonga (Jan 31) is the harder call at 35 days out. It is doable but demands clean recovery from Diagonela and treating it as a sustained training effort at race pace rather than full competition. Decide only after you see your Diagonela recovery. If you race both, the Feb 21 taper start is non-negotiable — your body will have raced 215 km in 7 weeks.
Season overview — click a phase to expand
AprJunAugOctDecFebMar
Intensity split
Z1
80%
Z2
15%
Z3
5%
Primary sports
CyclingHikingRunningBodyweightRoller ski
DP proxy target
10%
of total training hours
Microcycle
3 build + 1 recovery (×2.5)
Recovery = 65% of build vol
Max 10% volume increase/wk
Recovery = 65% of build vol
Max 10% volume increase/wk
Key focus points
- Start at 5–6 hrs wk 1, build to 7–8 hrs by end of June
- No roller ski required — aerobic volume, zero technique fatigue
- Establish strength patterns: posterior chain, core, lat pull (2×/wk)
- One session ≥ 2 hrs Z1 every week — the non-negotiable anchor
- 80% of all minutes below 75% HRmax
Typical week
| Mon | Rest |
| Tue | Long Z1 · 2 hrs Cycling / hiking |
| Wed | Strength · 1 hr Posterior chain + core |
| Thu | Easy Z1 · 1 hr Running |
| Fri | Strength · 1 hr Lat pull + trunk |
| Sat | Long Z1 · 2–3 hrs Cycling / hiking |
| Sun | Easy Z1 · 1 hr Running / walking |
Intensity split
Z1
75%
Z2
18%
Z3
7%
Primary sports
Roller skiSki ergCyclingRunningBodyweight
DP proxy target
50%
of total training hours
Intervals (max 1×/week)
5 × 8 min at Z3
All others strictly Z1
Highest overtraining risk phase
All others strictly Z1
Highest overtraining risk phase
Key focus points
- Peak annual volume — this block banks the fitness for Vasaloppet
- Classic technique focus on roller ski (race = classic only)
- Double poling volume ramps consistently week over week
- Monitor TSB: target −10 to −30 in build weeks
- 2 strength sessions/week, trunk endurance priority
Typical week
| Mon | Rest |
| Tue | Long Z1 · 2–3 hrs Roller ski / cycling |
| Wed | Strength + Z1 · 1.5 hrs Bodyweight + ski erg |
| Thu | Threshold · 1.5 hrs Roller ski · 5×8 min Z3 |
| Fri | Easy Z1 · 1 hr Running / hiking |
| Sat | Long Z1 · 2.5–3 hrs Roller ski / cycling |
| Sun | Medium Z1 · 1.5–2 hrs Roller ski / ski erg |
Intensity split
Z1
70%
Z2
20%
Z3
10%
Primary sports
XC ski (snow)Ski ergRoller skiCycling
DP proxy target
65%
of total training hours
Race simulation
1–2 efforts ≥ 90 min at goal pace
by December
Wax testing sessions begin
by December
Wax testing sessions begin
Key focus points
- Real snow from Nov onward — ski erg fills gaps before that
- DP technique refinement: pole angle, hip drive, cycle length
- First race-pace simulations to build pacing confidence
- Reduce cycling and running — leg freshness matters more now
- Strength drops to 1 session/week
Typical week
| Mon | Rest |
| Tue | Long Z1 · 2–3 hrs XC ski / ski erg |
| Wed | Strength + Z1 · 1.5 hrs Core + easy ski |
| Thu | Intervals · 1.5 hrs XC ski · Z2/Z3 efforts |
| Fri | Easy Z1 · 1 hr Ski erg / walking |
| Sat | Long Z1 · 2.5–3 hrs XC ski / roller ski |
| Sun | DP technique · 1.5 hrs XC ski / ski erg |
Intensity split
Z1
65%
Z2
22%
Z3
13%
Primary sports
XC skiSki ergRunning (easy)
DP proxy target
80%
of total training hours
Races this phase
La Diagonela ~Jan 17 — controlled effort
Marcialonga Jan 31* — decide after Diagonela
2–3 × 20 min at Vasaloppet pace weekly
Marcialonga Jan 31* — decide after Diagonela
2–3 × 20 min at Vasaloppet pace weekly
Key focus points
- Volume down, quality up — fewer sessions, higher precision
- La Diagonela: race feel, not a result — 49 days to Vasaloppet
- Marcialonga: only if Diagonela recovery is fully clean
- No new stressors after Dec 28 — trust the summer base
- TSB must trend positive by Feb 21
Typical week
| Mon | Rest |
| Tue | Race pace · 1.5 hrs XC ski · 3×20 min |
| Wed | Easy Z1 · 1 hr Ski erg / walking |
| Thu | Threshold · 1.5 hrs XC ski · Z3 efforts |
| Fri | Easy Z1 · 45 min Ski erg |
| Sat | Long Z1 · 2–2.5 hrs XC ski |
| Sun | Easy Z1 · 1 hr XC ski / running |
Intensity split
Z1
80%
Z2
15%
Z3
5%
Primary sports
XC skiSki ergEasy walking
Volume cut
−40%
from peak sharpening week
TSB target race morning
+5 to +20
Key focus points
- 2–3 short race-pace bursts (30–60 sec) every other day
- No heavy strength, no new physical stressors
- Arrive Mora 2–3 days early — ski first 5 km of course
- Race: start conservative, trust your DP, eat early at feed stations
- Wax testing in February — non-negotiable
Typical week
| Mon | Rest |
| Tue | Easy Z1 · 45 min XC ski · race-pace bursts |
| Wed | Rest / walk |
| Thu | Easy Z1 · 40 min XC ski · a few openers |
| Fri | Rest |
| Sat | Shakeout · 30 min Easy ski · course preview |
| Sun | Race day |
Core principles
01
Pyramidal intensity
~80% of all time below first lactate threshold. Z2 is the danger zone — the most common mistake is drifting there on easy days. Keep easy genuinely easy.
02
Double poling first
Vasaloppet is ~18,000 DP strokes. From July, DP-specific training grows from 10% to 80% of volume by race phase. Roller ski, ski erg, real snow all count.
03
Long session anchor
Every week includes at least one session ≥ 2 hrs at Z1. The most important session of the week. Missing two consecutive is a red flag.
04
3 + 1 microcycle
Three build weeks, one recovery week (~65% volume). Adaptation happens during recovery — the build only creates the stimulus.
05
Races as training tools
La Diagonela is a controlled effort inside a training block, not a standalone goal. Marcialonga is only run if Diagonela recovery is clean. Neither should compromise Vasaloppet.
06
Two-week taper
Volume drops ~40% from Feb 21. Short race-pace bursts maintain sharpness. TSB +5 to +20 on race morning. Arrive Mora 2–3 days early.