Ready to Rock: How to Streamline the 36 Hours Before the Gun Goes Off

We all know the 36 hours leading up to an event can be hectic and nerve-wracking. Joy Duerksen, pro mountain bike and cyclocross racer and USAC coach, shares her pre-race preparation techniques. Her advice will help you be calm, collected, and ready to rock when when the gun goes off.

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5 Reasons Why You Should ‘CROSS

The US cyclocross scene has blossomed over the recent seasons and the 2011-2012 season is stacked with great events that are sure to inspire, motivate and entertain. So the question is, will you ‘Cross?

Here are the top 5 reasons to try out cyclocross this season.

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Cyclocross: Pre-Ride and Race Start Staging, by Matt McNamara

Race starts matter. In cyclocross they matter more than any other mass start discipline. They matter because of the technical nature of the courses, the huge importance of the first ten minutes and the inherent slowness of anyone in front of you! So, let’s break them down a little bit to make yours better… Pre Ride and Staging: Unless you are part of a race series, and eligible for a call up, getting a good start spot is crucial, so plan ahead. Many promoters are now keeping their race courses closed to warm ups during races, so if you want to pre ride you’ll have to get there early. Plan your day so you get your pre-ride and warm up done at least 20-30 minutes before your start. Pre riding in those hectic few minutes before your start is a bit too risky for my liking. Instead, get to the staging area early and secure that front row spot. It may mean five or more minutes of standing around waiting, but you’ll appreciate it when the whistle blows. Many is the time I’ve gotten to the staging area thirty minutes early and just stood there so I KNOW I’ll be ready when it’s time to do the first race of the day, the one to the line. Finally, and this is nearly proprietary, learn to be a lurker. Time and again, year after year I’ve been able to get myself on the first or second row at races big and small because I have a finely honed ability to lurk my way forward. It’s as simple as striking up a conversation with the announcer, finding a crowd crossing that just happens to be near the start, or conveniently dropping by the wheel pit to touch base. Embrace your inner lurker, it will serve you well. One trick that is NOT acceptable is the ‘roll to the front of the field after they’ve assembled and squeeze your way in’ move. If you’re not fast enough to get a call up, focused enough to wait, or smart enough to lurk then you deserve to be at the back. Earn that grid position. Next time we’ll look at some power numbers that will help you get your starts right. About the author: Matt McNamara is the president and founder of Sterling Sports Group, a performance coaching company in Northern California. We strive to provide cutting edge performance solutions to our athletes that make use of both state-of-the-art technology and personal service to achieve your goals. By combining these elements our coaches are able to effectively create, manage, and communicate the program to each athlete directly. Visit us online at www.sterlingwins.com

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Top Ten Tips for a Successful CycloCross Season, by Matt Shriver

TrainingPeaks member Matt Shriver, director and head coach of the Fort Lewis College Cycling Team, wrote a recent article on Velonews entitled A successful ‘cross season begins now describing how to get the most out of your cyclocross season and prepare for your upcoming road or mountain bike endeavors. In addition to checking out this article on Velonews, you can also now read Matt’s all-new Top Ten Tips for a successful cyclocross season here on TrainingPeaks. Happy training!

1. Practice good technique and proper form when carrying your bike over barriers or in run ups.  Focusing on your form will keep you from making mistakes when you are racing or fatigued.
2. Be prepared for all racing conditions.  Cyclocross is known for bad weather and all types of conditions, so plan for the worst and you will have a much better cross experience.
3. Give yourself plenty of time on race day to get ready.  Arriving to the race with enough time allows for last minute changes to your bike or clothing choice.  You may need to change the tires or make adjustments.
4. Get in as much time as you can on the course before the event.  Doing some laps on a Cyclocross course the day before is beneficial.  Go at your own pace picking out faster, easier routes focusing on becoming familiar with the terrain.  Test your tire pressure and hit some corners fast.  Keep in mind that the course could be totally different the next day after racing and weather has had its toll on the course.
5. Train in all types of conditions.  Although heading out in the rain or snow is not always the most fun, it will really help when you have to race in the wet and sloppy conditions.  Keep the training short but work on being comfortable cornering when the course is wet and focus on adjusting speeds for the conditions.  It will really help you when you are required to race in the slop.
6. Include a couple of easy running days in your weekly training.  Doing a short easy run helps with the demands of running up short hills and carries during the races.
7. Come up with a good warm up routine that works for you before each race.  Your warm up should include a good duration of easy riding and then make sure you complete at least one fast lap on the course before the race.  This will allow you to get the feel for the course at speed.
8. During your warm up lap, check tire pressures for the conditions.  Keep in mind that if the course is twisty and wet with tight corners, a lower tire pressure will help with better traction.  Adjust tire pressure as needed.  If you feel your rims hitting any rocks or roots add air until you are sure you will not hit the tire on the rim.
9. Practice both carrying over the barriers and also shouldering your bike in your warm up laps.  One may be faster than the other in certain sections.  Remember that it may change when you are fatigued, so choosing the easiest will help you save time and energy when you are racing.
10. Have fun! Cyclocross group rides are great for your training and fitness.  Going out with a group of cyclists with varied fitness and skill levels is perfect for training.  You get lots of structure in your rides without having to add specific intervals or practice efforts.

Many qualified experts on training and nutrition use TrainingPeaks to help manage their business. Now, a select few are offering professional training and nutrition advice on our blog. The views expressed here are the opinions of the experts and as such do not represent the official position of TrainingPeaks. About the author: Matt Shriver, Director and Head coach of the Fort Lewis College Cycling Team, is also a former professional rider on the road and USA Cyclocross World Championships Team member in 2009. Matt has a Bachelors degree in Exercise Science and recently rode in support of Lance Armstrong in this year’s Leadville 100 MTB race.

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Cyclocross: Bridging from One Season to Another

By Kyle Wolfe, Assistant Coach for Finkraft Endurance Sports Coaching As I stare out of my window into the New England woods, I become all too familiar with the impending autumn.  The days are growing shorter and the evening air much crisper.  Despite all the beauty of the changing leaves, I can only think of one thing: cyclocross season is almost here! When the road racing season draws to a close many riders simply hang up their bikes for a few months, resigning themselves to indoor gym classes and the occasional weekend group ride, if the weather is nice.  But for a growing group of racers, the fall season brings out the cyclocross bikes: machines akin to standard road bikes but with no water bottles, nobby tires and cantilever brakes. The sport started about a century ago in Europe when road racers looking to continue their racing and training during the winter were forced across fields and over fences to avoid the snow covered roads.  This new cycling discipline steadily grew into the very popular sport we now have today.  When people ask me for a description, I tell them to imagine Steeplechase events, but on bicycles.  The sport is a mass start bike race on a course loop that takes about seven or eight minutes to complete, with less than half on pavement and low hurdles and other obstacles like sand pits or dirt hills that often force a rider off of his bike to carry it and run.  The races are held over a time length of 45 or 60 minutes, rather than a number of laps or a preset distance. The sport is a fantastic spectator event, as they are often held in parks or fields where one can watch most of the race lap from one location. What makes this sport both fun and demanding is how it requires the athlete to not only be a strong cyclist, but also to be good at bike handing skills, a solid runner and have upper body strength to lift or carry the bicycle when needed.  As such, the training for this sport is very different from normal cycling and sometimes can even favors triathletes. The training for this sport often starts well before the season begins (usually in mid September), which can be tricky.  Although the running distances can be short in cyclocross, their intensity and ability to change a race require that the racers be good at it.  However, your average cyclist does not run much during the season.  Often in August they will try to get out once a week for a short run, and then step it up much more once Labor Day arrives.  The type of running required in a race usually means some track workouts for short intense speed, a few trail runs to help with the balance and high step exercises like stadium stairs and grass drills. The intense pace and power required to go as fast as possible for under an hour also requires very strong core muscle strength.  Cycling specific workouts including abdominal and lower back building exercises like crunches and planks are good and should be worked into the weekly routine as soon as possible, and then throughout the cyclocross season to prevent injury and muscle exhaustion. Upper body workouts are also needed to help condition the arms, hands and shoulders for the lifting and carrying of the bike.  Monkey lifts, wrist curls and box or ball pushups are a great way to help with this part. And on the bike itself, most workouts are shorter and more explosive; taking advantage of the yearlong fitness level that most cyclists and multisport athletes have built.  The need to be able to push the bike at high levels through the grass and mud requires that the racers can handle high intensity levels almost all the time. Of course, the most important thing is to practice the sport itself when you train.  Although you might look a little silly running around your local town park carrying your bicycle, getting use to doing all the different things associated with cyclocross is absolutely crucial. Cyclocross is great for all levels of athletes as the bicycles are comparatively inexpensive and an entry level ride will get you through a whole season of beginner races.  It is also a great way to continue your season a bit longer and stay fit in the process.  The next year is always a lot easier to start when you come off of a three month racing season of fitness and power.  Cyclocross racing also helps prevent burnout as you are doing a whole new sport that continues to benefit your summertime goals. About the author: After a lifetime of coaching exposure and input, Kyle Wolfe of FinKraft Coaching combines that with his decades of competitive experience to work with athletes to help them achieve their goals and dreams. Two years of managing and directing a national level U-25 cycling team has also helped Kyle refine his skills and abilities. Kyle is also a licensed USA Cycling official, an UCI registered Directeur Sportif and of course a certified USA Cycling coach. Finkraft Endurance Sports Coaching manages the current master national US cyclocross champion at its helm.  Please visit us at www.finkraftcoaching.com to learn more about racing and training in the Northeast and New England.

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