The Cyclocross Workout of The Day for Saturday, 11.8.14. “Dancing to the rhythm of our heart & sole”
Howdy folks,
Yay, Saturday!
Just about everyone reading this is probably racing this weekend, eh?
If you’re racing today, you’re probably already out at the race course (Sorry for getting this up so late…)
If you’re not, it might be because the weather is crappy, and you’re delaying arrival at the course as long as possible.
You might just be in need of a nice warmup you can do on the trainer.
Something like…
The R.S.W.O.
– Get on trainer. Spin for about 5 minutes as a race warmup, until your legs feel loose if this is an opener.
– Shift into big ring/largest cog combination.
– Ride 30 seconds in this gear, then shift up one cog.
– Ride 30 seconds in this gear, then shift up one cog.
– Repeat until you hit the hardest gear you’ve got, or can handle.
– Ride 30 seconds in that gear, and then shift all the way back down to the Big/big combo.
– Ride 30 seconds in that gear, then immediately shift to hardest gear you can handle.
– Full gas sprint, out of the saddle, for 30 seconds.
Back to big/big combo.
– Spin for two minutes.
– 5-10 minute effort at your 2×20 output level (5 minutes or less as a warm up, 10 minutes as an opener.)
Repeat the entire sequence, minus the 2nd 5-10 minute effort if it’s a warmup.
Heck, if you’re racing tomorrow and the weather is crappy today?
The R.S.W.O. can make a pretty darn good openers set the day before the race when you’re stuck on the trainer or pressed for time.
Or, you might try…
Ignition…
You’re going to do a series of short, hard sprints midway through a 1 – 1 1/2 hour ride. Before you head out the door, give some thought to where you can do that effectively.
A flat, straight, low-traffic section of road is what you’re looking for.
It would be great if it’s about a :45 minute ride away; that would make things nice and simple.
Hop on your bike and roll out the door.
Ride steady, at a moderate pace for 1/2 hour – 45 minutes, eventually winding up at the aforementioned stretch of road.
You’re now going to do a series of Hard out of the saddle sprints.
How hard?
Well, hard to say. You’ll start to get the hang of it pretty quickly, but figure that you’re shooting for an output level that will allow you to crank out all the sprints in the set at about the same level, but not easily.
You aren’t sprinting to failure here, and you aren’t doing a max power test.
Don’t overdo it, you’re trying to open your legs, not destroy them.
Make sense?
10 sprints, 10 seconds each.
1 minute between each sprint.
After the last sprint, roll back home spinning easily to recover.
Budget at least 15 – 20 minutes for the spin/ride back home.
when you get home, put your feet up and relax.
Enjoy!
M
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