SUP Race Prep — Phase 3: Peak
Phase 3 — Peak Jun 27 – Jul 17, 2026

Sustained Effort &
Race Simulation

Duration: 3 weeks On-water: 2 sessions/week Land: 2 sessions/week Group session: Sun Jun 28 (practice race)
The interval work of Phase 2 built your capacity at Z4. Phase 3 puts that to use in sustained efforts that mirror real race conditions — continuous Z3 building into Z4, held for progressively longer durations. Mid-week sessions add embedded Z3 blocks within a Z2 base, giving you race-pace stimulus without the full load of the weekend session. Week 11 pulls back to set up a fresh entry into the taper.
Week9
Practice race · aerobic consolidation
Sat Jun 27 – Fri Jul 3
On-water · Group Session Sun Jun 28 — Practice Race
Race Simulation — ~50 min continuous
Z2Z3Z4
A full race simulation of approximately 50 minutes — continuous effort from start to finish with no structured recovery. Start at Z3 and let effort drift naturally toward Z4 in the final third. The most important session of the program for getting race-day pacing right. This is your weekend session for the week.
~50 min race + warm-up and cool-down
Group Structure
  1. 10 min Z1–Z2 warm-up
  2. Start signal — race format, ~50 min continuous
  3. First third: Z3 — controlled, sustainable
  4. Middle third: Z3 — hold even effort, resist surging
  5. Final third: let effort climb naturally into Z4
  6. 10 min Z1–Z2 cool-down
  7. Debrief: how did pacing feel? Where did Z4 arrive?
If doing this solo instead
  1. 10 min Z1–Z2 warm-up
  2. 30 min continuous Z3 — no breaks, even effort
  3. 10 min building Z3→Z4 naturally
  4. 10 min Z2 cool-down
On-water · Solo Mid-week (or Tue group)
Z2 Long with Z3 Blocks
Z2Z3
Aerobic consolidation after the practice race. Z2 base with two embedded Z3 blocks — enough stimulus to keep adapting without adding fatigue. Tuesday group paddle substitutes if attending.
85 minutes
Structure
  1. 10 min Z1 warm-up
  2. 20 min Z2
  3. 10 min Z3 — lift effort, hold the zone
  4. 10 min Z2 recovery
  5. 10 min Z3
  6. Remainder Z2
  7. 5 min Z1 cool-down
Land · Conditioning + Mobility 2× this week
Full Conditioning Routine
Same as Phase 2 weeks 6–7. Maintain strength work through peak phase.
30–35 minutes · 2 sets
Exercises
  • Hip flexor stretch — 45 sec/side
  • Goblet squat — 12 reps
  • Lateral lunge — 10/side
  • Single-leg deadlift — 8/side
  • Step-up — 10/side
  • Push-up — 10–15 reps
  • Hip CARs — 5 circles/side
  • Dead bug — 8/side
  • Bird dog — 8/side, 3-sec hold
  • Band row — 12 reps, slow eccentric
  • Band pull-apart — 15 reps
  • Prone Y-raise — 10 reps
  • Band straight arm raise — 12 reps
Race-day pacing lesson: The most common mistake in the practice race will be going out too hard. If you're in Z4 in the first third, you went too fast. The goal is to finish feeling like you had a little more left — that's the right race-day starting point.
Week10
Peak sustained effort
Sat Jul 4 – Fri Jul 10
On-water · Solo Weekend
Z3 Sustained + Z4 Finish
Z3Z4
The peak sustained effort of the program. Hold Z3 for 40 continuous minutes before letting it climb into Z4. If you can do this, you're well prepared for race day.
70 minutes
Structure
  1. 12 min Z1–Z2 warm-up
  2. 40 min Z3 continuous — no recovery breaks
  3. 8 min building naturally into Z4
  4. 10 min Z1–Z2 cool-down
On-water · Solo Mid-week (or Tue group)
Z2 with Z3 Blocks
Z2Z3
Shorter than week 9 mid-week — the weekend session is the hard effort this week. Z2 base with two embedded Z3 blocks. Tuesday group paddle substitutes if attending.
70 minutes
Structure
  1. 10 min Z1 warm-up
  2. 15 min Z2
  3. 8 min Z3
  4. 10 min Z2 recovery
  5. 8 min Z3
  6. Remainder Z2
  7. 5 min Z1 cool-down
Land · Conditioning + Mobility 2× this week
Full Conditioning Routine
Same as week 9. Last full conditioning week — loading reduces from here.
30–35 minutes · 2 sets
Exercises
  • Hip flexor stretch — 45 sec/side
  • Goblet squat — 12 reps
  • Lateral lunge — 10/side
  • Single-leg deadlift — 8/side
  • Step-up — 10/side
  • Push-up — 10–15 reps
  • Hip CARs — 5 circles/side
  • Dead bug — 8/side
  • Bird dog — 8/side, 3-sec hold
  • Band row — 12 reps, slow eccentric
  • Band pull-apart — 15 reps
  • Prone Y-raise — 10 reps
  • Band straight arm raise — 12 reps
The 40-minute Z3 block: Don't force the transition into Z4 — let it arrive naturally as fatigue accumulates. If you're still comfortable at 30 minutes, check you're actually in Z3 and not drifting down to Z2.
Week11
Pull back · keep sharpness · set up the taper
Sat Jul 11 – Fri Jul 17
On-water · Solo Weekend
Z2 Moderate — optional Z3 blocks
Z2Z3 optional
Volume pulls back this week. Base session is pure Z2 — no pressure, no targets. If you're feeling good and want a bit more, add the optional Z3 blocks below. Shirley's final class opens next week so don't arrive tired.
70 minutes
Base Structure
  1. 10 min Z1 warm-up
  2. 55 min steady Z2
  3. 5 min Z1 cool-down
Optional — if feeling strong
  1. 10 min Z1 warm-up
  2. 20 min Z2
  3. 8 min Z3
  4. 10 min Z2 recovery
  5. 8 min Z3
  6. Remainder Z2
  7. 5 min Z1 cool-down
On-water · Solo Mid-week (or Tue group)
Z3 Sustained + Z4 Finish
Z3Z4
Shorter than week 10 — keeps race-pace sharpness without adding fatigue heading into the taper. Tuesday group paddle substitutes if attending.
55 minutes
Structure
  1. 12 min Z1–Z2 warm-up
  2. 25 min Z3 continuous
  3. 8 min building into Z4
  4. 10 min Z1–Z2 cool-down
Land · Mobility + Light Activation 2× this week
Reduce load — drop strength work
Drop all strength and conditioning exercises. Mobility and activation only — keep the body moving and loose heading into the taper.
20–25 minutes · 2 sets
Exercises
  • Hip flexor stretch — 45 sec/side
  • Hip CARs — 5 circles/side
  • Thoracic rotation — 8/side
  • Dead bug — 8/side
  • Bird dog — 8/side
  • Band pull-apart — 15 reps
  • Prone Y-raise — 10 reps
Into the taper: Shirley's final class on Jul 18 opens the taper week. After that — two short easy paddles, rest, and race day. The fitness is built. The work is done.