Howdy folks,
Who the hell are all of you?
The site went completely bananas over the last 24 hours, and the number of page views went through the roof!
Thanks to all of you, and please – if you stop by, drop me a note to let me know who the heck you are!
I’m flattered – really – but holy cow…
M
Howdy folks,
Well, if you read the previous post where I laid out the workouts through Nationals, you will see that I have some efforts scheduled for today.
To be precise, the workout for today is Ramp Sprints –
https://crosssports.wordpress.com/2009/11/05/workout-of-the-day-for-thursday-115/
So, you’re probably asking yourself “Self… Why the hell is he having us do intensity today?”
That’s actually a pretty good question. Here’s the answer…
You’re racing for an hour at Nationals, at most.
You need to be ready to gun it right at the start, and get past the giant scrum at the beginning of the race.
This isn’t a F***ing IronMantm. You don’t need/want a giant triathlete taper leading into the race.
It’s great to come into Nationals tapered and in top form, but you need to be careful. Too much rest after a season of training and racing hard can lead to a flat day on the one day when you can least afford it.
So, go kinda hard today.
I’m not saying that you should go 100% today, kill it & drill it. I am saying to get in the intensity.
Don’t go so hard today and the next couple of days that you have nothing left on race day.
Don’t go so easy that you trick your body into thinking the season is over, and wind up flat and listless on Race Day.
Find that mid-point.
…that’s another one of those things that will make you fast.
M
Phew.
It’s almost over.
One week to go for most of you… and, no pressure… a pretty big race next weekend!
I’m heading down to Bend on Thursday, so probably no W.O.T.D. for the next couple of days after that… but I’m not going to leave you in the lurch!
I will get workouts up in advance to carry you through Nationals.
…and, that starts today, with a basic calendar through the end of the week.
I’m basing this whole thing on a Saturday race date.
Not racing on Saturday?
Plug in whatever day you are racing in place of Saturday, and adjust accordingly.
I will have more details, thoughts, and assorted musings tomorrow, but for now Ta-Da-
Basic Calendar Through Nationals:
Monday.
Easy Recovery Spin today.
Tuesday.
Get some short, sharp efforts in today. A good workout for today would be something like Ramp Sprints:
https://crosssports.wordpress.com/2009/11/05/workout-of-the-day-for-thursday-115/
Wednesday.
If it’s worked for you so far this season, try a Slow Roast…
https://crosssports.wordpress.com/2009/10/08/workout-of-the-day-for-thursday-108/
Thursday.
Travel day, easy 1-2 hour Moderate Ride if possible.
Friday.
Course Preview and Can Openers.
https://crosssports.wordpress.com/2009/10/24/workout-of-the-day-for-saturday-1024/
Saturday.
Race day.
Race your ass off.
Sunday.
Celebrate! It’s all over… unless you’re going to Europe…
Howdy folks,
Well, the workout for most all ya’all today is a 1 hour Recovery Spin.
Especially if you raced yesterday, take it easy today.
Get on your bike, and roll around in a tiny little gear for an hour.
No effort on the pedals, just spin around until your legs loosen up, then go home.
More following immediately, including a plan all the way through Nationals for those going…
Have fun,
M
Howdy folks,
Well, it’s pretty obvious what today’s workout is for a whole bunch of you –
Go Race.
‘Nuff said, right?
If you’re racing today, go out and do it.
100%.
Kick some A… Butt. Kick some butt.
Not racing today?
It would be great to get out and do some Cyclocross Skills work today.
If the conditions aren’t ridiculous out there, get out on some local off-road terrain and give ‘er.
Do some race simulation efforts, and spend a little bit of time working on any skills that you might not have 100% dialed.
Get in at least 2 race-pace efforts of 10 minutes or so duration. Go fast, race fast or faster.
This might be the last time you get off road before Nationals, so make it count.
If you raced yesterday, and aren’t racing today… take it easy.
Go for a 1 hour Recovery Spin.
No effort to your pedaling.
Spin around in a super low gear, just as light an effort as you can stomach.
After a while, your legs will loosen up. When this happens, go home.
Have fun,
M
Howdy Folks,
One Week to go. Holy cow…
The workouts for today are, for the most part, pretty obvious…
Racing today? Duh… Go Race!
Racing tomorrow?
Yup.
Today do Can Openers (look at yesterday’s post for details.)
Not racing this weekend, but heading off to Nationals?
That’s where things get tricky…
If you are racing next weekend – or maybe even Friday – it’s a good idea to go pretty hard and pretty long today… something along the lines of a Classic 2×20 –
https://crosssports.wordpress.com/2009/09/15/workout-of-the-day-for-914-2/
That’s what I will be doing – but I respond really well to this type of workout even this close to a big event.
…and I took it really easy on Friday.
Maybe not the case for you.
You might be better off doing some speed work today…
Maybe try a 30/20/10 Sprint Set –
Plenty of options, eh?
Have fun!
M
PS: Over the Next day or two, I’m going to post a “5 days ’till Nationals Calendar.”
The idea is to plug in the day you’re going to be racing, adjust accordingly, and there you go. Coming soon!
Howdy Folks,
Phew.
If you did the workout yesterday, you’re probably a little bit tired… so, take it easy today. Your workout is a One hour Moderate Road Ride.
Go out and ride around for an hour. Turn the pedals over, but no hard efforts. Recover a little bit.
Racing on Saturday? You guessed it… you’re doing Can Openers:
Here’s the drill:
– Warm up for 1/2 hour or so.
– Follow with several short attacking efforts, IE 30 seconds at 80% of your max, or pretty damn hard.
– Back off and spin for 5 minutes.
– Follow with 10-15 minute effort at AT level, or CP30, or “I could talk to you if I had to, but I don’t want to” level.
– Spin for several minutes.
– Follow with 5-6 full gas start efforts on a straight section of paved road, level or slightly uphill.
You want to begin these from a dead stop, with one foot unclipped.
Do not stop until you get at least 3 perfect starts in a row, and I mean perfect; this is the cross equivalent of practicing free throws. make ‘em count.
… spin out the legs, go home, and get ready for the race.
Have fun!
M
Howdy folks,
Hands up if you’re going to Portland this weekend…
.
.
.
.
.
OK…
I’m not (I need to get my damn shoulder healed…) but for those who are, especially if they’re doing the double, and then Nationals next weekend… Take it easy today.
Your workout is a One Hour Moderate Ride.
This is just what it sounds like. Go out and ride moderately for an hour. Not quite a recovery ride, but no hard efforts. Keep it steady, under control, and fun.
Not racing this weekend?
We’re going to hit you with some short intensity, and some climbing all at once.
Your workout is Get On Up.
Warm up well
Find a moderate length hill, with a slope that is barely manageable in your big ring.
Start your interval on the flat, and roll into the hill at a pretty good speed.
As you hit the base of the climb, get out of the saddle and attack the climb.
Full gas, 30 second effort up the climb (it’s OK to sit down after you get going.)
After 30 seconds, back off, turn around, coast back down hill, and back to the flat .
Go again.
Repeat 5-6 times.
That’s a set.
Rest for 5 minutes between sets.
Do 3 sets.
Have fun!
M
Howdy folks,
Well, it’s Wednesday, and typically that mean I’m sending you off with all sorts of skills related esoterica and bizarro technical advice.
Maybe not this week.
Look, at this point you’ve either got it nailed, or you don’t. Any new skills you work on are for next season.
– Not that there’s anything wrong with that!
So, today? If you decide to make today a skills day, go out and buff the rough edges off the basics.
Get your dismounts and remounts razor sharp.
Polish those shouldering skills.
Practice starts, full gas, go until you get 6 in a row perfect.
Do a little bit of everything, and make that little bit perfect.
That’s not really the workout, though.
For today’s workout I’m going to give you a couple of options…
– If you have ready access to the terrain, do the skills work as above, and follow up with a Practice Race.
Focus on shorter efforts at or above race pace.
5 minutes on, 5 minutes off, for a total of 1/2 an hour.
Be fast, be perfect. Go as fast as you can while riding 100% in control.
Keep it fast and short, get it done and go home.
– Racing this weekend? Doubling up, even? Portland races maybe?
– You can do the above workout, but make sure you limit it to the 1/2 hour.
Tight, fast, go hard for a short period, go home, recover.
– No proximity to a good course to do some skills work? Regularly scheduled skills sessions over for the year?
– Give some thought to taking it easy today. Are you fully recovered from yesterday? If the answer is anything but a resounding “Hell Yeah!,” take it easy today. Go for a 1 hr Moderate Road Ride.
Not quite a recovery ride, but no hard efforts. Turn the pedals over for an hour in a meaningful fashion, but no anger in the stroke, if you get my meaning…
– Feeling pretty good? Want to get some work in?
Look… I’m hesitant to give much intensity today, but the truth is that lots of riders get used to their routine. If you’ve been riding a Wednesday night practice session all season, it might be a good idea to get some intensity in today.
This is where a coach can really help you, someone who can look at your data objectively and say “uh, yeah – no. Take it easy today.” or, “sure. you ride great after a hard mid-week session.”
having said that, if you want/need some intensity, here’s a tiny little bit for you. The optional intensity workout for today is 3×8 minute intervals.
Warm up well.
Find a low traffic, flattish stretch (loop?) of road (or do on the trainer…)
Roll up to speed and start first interval.
Interval length is 8 minutes.
Rate of exertion is actually pretty close to your 20 minute level – on a “perceived exertion level” it winds up being just one little notch higher…
Recover for 2-5 minutes after interval
Repeat, for a total of 3 intervals.
Go home, recover, rest.
Done racing for the season?
I don’t want you to feel left out, so here’s some work for you…
– Write down a list of all the basic cyclocross skills, and the variations of each:
IE – dismount:
Stepthrough, Cowboy, Pontoni.
This should take a while.
When you are done, go over the list and grade yourself on each skill.
Give yourself a grade for where you are now, and where you were at the beginning of the season.
G’night, have fun…
M
Howdy folks!
Well, it’s the last push to nationals.
Some of you will be racing this weekend, and some not. I will post workout options for people who aren’t racing but need to get some work in the weekend before Nats – so don’t forget to check in this weekend.
The basic schedule the rest of the way to Nationals will assume a race on Saturday at Nats.
If you’re racing earlier in the week, you will want to change things up a bit. I will try to get the workouts for next week up far enough in advance that you can work out the changes pretty easily.
For today, regardless of when/if you’re racing this weekend, the workout is Two Minutes To Midnight.
Warm up well.
Find a relatively flat, traffic free stretch of road.
(You are going to do 2 minute long, full-gas intervals, so make sure you have enough road to get ’em in…)
This one is pretty simple.
Roll up to full speed on your bike.
Hit it hard. Start the timer. Full-gas effort for two minutes.
Recover for 2 minutes.
Go again.
you are going to do six 2 minute intervals, with 2 minutes recovery between each one.
That is one set.
Do two or three sets. Five minute rest between sets.
You want to go as hard as you can while still completing all the intervals at a relatively comparable rate of exertion; at this point in the season, that should mean you are going pretty damn hard 😮
These aren’t sprints, but they aren’t that far off. R.P.E. , wattage, etc. should be a “fair bit” above your 20 minute level – if you have a power meter, you want to get these as close to your CP 2 as possible, but realistically most people can only do these at around CP6 – 10, so don’t feel bad!
Have fun!
M
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