By now you are most likely in the final throes of your base training phases for the cross season. It is important to have an effort of 60 – 90 minutes (60 if preparing for a 30 minute race, on up to 90 to prep for 60 minute race) at the high end of zone 2 heart rate while wattage and/or pace remain the same throughout, and see this previous post for more info.

A good bridge from this phase into the build phases are tempo (AKA cruise) intervals. They are a zone 3 effort and you will find the most benefit with these in the mid to high end of zone 3.  Start these at 20% higher power than you were pushing during aerobic threshold intervals and keep an eye heart rate.  Adjust power to keep your heart rate within mid to upper zone 3.

Once you’ve done a couple of these rides you’ll know what power is at that rate, and so just peg it there as a matter of course for these intervals going forward.  When heart rate begins to drop at that power level then up the power to get heart rate where it should be and you’ve just gotten stronger!

As always begin with at least 15 minutes of warm up and end with at least 10 minutes of warm down:

T15: 5×15 minute intervals at tempo with 3 minutes off between them T20: 5×20 minute intervals at tempo with 3 minutes off between them T25: 4×25 minute intervals at tempo with 3 minutes off between them T45: 2×45 minute intervals at tempo with 3 minutes off between them

As with your base workouts make sure to complete the duration properly before moving to the next one. Slowly and methodically building to your objectives will help prevent burn-out and injury. It’ll also make you faster!  Start these at 20% higher power than you were pushing during aerobic threshold intervals and adjust from there.  One or two of these sessions per week is plenty, and keep up the speed skill (see previous post here and here) drills and longer endurance rides.

Questions?  E-mail me at [email protected]

Rob Kelley

TRAINING BIBLE COACH

www.ROKcoaching.com

Speed skills, as defined by Joe Friel, are the ability to move quickly and efficiently.  The better you are at turning the pedals over the better your economy of effort is on the bike.  The workouts in this forum last week addressed an important aspect of this concept in high cadence training.  Genetics come into play to a certain extent in this area, but as with any aspect of sport your efficiency is something that will improve with specific training.

A glaring example of this overall concept comes to mind with a road racer that I work with named Nicolai Brochner.  He and I have spent some time comparing our watts per kilo vs. speed while riding side by side and in varying wind conditions.  We’d have these little “contests” to see how little work we could do while maintaining the same speed together.  He always wins!  Nicolai looks almost perfect on the bike.  Everything about his position and movement, pedal stroke included, is geared toward maximum result with the smallest possible amount of effort.

To develop this form, and in addition to the aforementioned high cadence workouts, we also focus on the biomechanics of his pedal stroke.  Technique is the key here, not force or endurance, so the effort is akin to a soccer player working on dribbling skills as opposed to doing wind sprints.  Improving this technique requires ending this specific portion of your workout before fatigue sets in.  Fatigue and sloppiness go hand in hand and this is all about refining the skill.

Spin ups, while not very taxing, require focus.   5 to 10 after you’ve properly warmed up make for a good addition to most speed skill oriented rides.  Perfectly flat or downhill terrain is best suited to allow for an effective workout with these as power should be all but eliminated from the equation:

Increase cadence gradually over a minute to your maximum.  Maximum cadence is the highest that you can maintain without bouncing.  Hold it there until you are no longer able to maintain, and take at least 3 minutes off between these efforts.

Additionally there is a “dead spot” in power at the top of the pedal stroke that can be decreased by proper technique, again fueled by specific drills.  Of those designed to increase the economy of the pedal stroke my favorite are isolated leg training drills (ITL).  While high cadence intervals and spin-ups are generally prescribed during the base phases (now for a cross racer!), ITL drills are a great way to begin any type interval based workout throughout the season.  Think of grinding a circle out rather than pounding the pedals.  We call it “churning butter”.   ITL drills not only develop your ability to do this properly, but also serve as a reminder at the beginning of a ride to focus on this skill throughout:

Unclip one foot and begin pedaling with just one leg for 30 seconds.  Switch back and forth from right foot to left continuously for 3 reps on each leg, for a total of 3 minutes per set.  Recover for 3 minutes and do it again.  3 to 5 sets is generally plenty, and if you are in the middle of a rep and start losing it (a pronounced “clunk” in the top of your pedal stroke) then stop and consider that one rep.  Start slowly and increase as you become more efficient.  You’ll notice that the very top of the pedal stroke is the most difficult portion.  That “clunk” is a gap in power.  As you improve that gap will disappear!   Now put both feet in the pedals and do the same thing, and this is the pay dirt, consistent power throughout.

Questions?  Shoot an e-mail over to [email protected].

Rob Kelley

TRAINING BIBLE COACH

www.ROKcoaching.com

The Concept

Cadence (RPM’s) has an influence on fatigue, power output and economy on the bike.  There are two ways to make your bicycle go faster; push a larger gear and/or complete more revolutions per minute of the pedals. By increasing your cadence you can increase wattage and pace while putting less stress on your muscular system than you would while pushing a larger gear.

The Rationale

To watch a cyclist with effortless and fluid motion is a thing of beauty. They are more likely to maximize efficiency, avoid injury and prevent mechanicals. The load placed on the knee, for example, at 75 RPM’s vs. 100 RPM’s at the same speed is very different. The load placed on your muscular system is also very different – higher at lower RPM’s – and so with proper training you will be able to maintain a high pace/power level at 100 RPM’s for a longer period of time.

Different events require a different cadence.  The metabolic cost of mashing a big gear at 70 RPM’s during a cyclocross race is too high, as is trying to maintain 120 RPM’s.  Maximum efficiency reached during a road sprint is at 120+, while an ultra-endurance event requires a much lower cadence (65 – 85 RPM’s).  Cross is somewhere in the middle and maximum efficiency, similar to a 20 – 40 K TT, falls in the neighborhood of 90 – 100 RPM’s.

Jamming out of the myriad of corners faced in cross race is also a huge contributor to the overall fatigue experienced during a race.  Coming out in a big gear is akin to a dead lift; corner after corner.  A nice high, smooth motion will reduce that effect tremendously.   My favorite guy to watch to this end in the CCC series is Brian Conant.  We train together occasionally and he is almost always in a lower gear than everyone else and you can see for yourself on race day how quickly and smoothly he jets out of every corner.

The Work

The idea is not to become comfortable at 130 RPM’s. It is to be comfortable at 95 or 100 RPM’s….but truly comfortable and fluid. The athletes that I coach usually find these to be the most difficult rides during the offseason. By end the base period though they find increased wattage without increased load derived from their newly developed neuromuscular system and pedal stroke. This is just one example of many options and these are so hard to complete that a custom approach to each cyclist is not a bad idea.  Don’t worry about power, use as easy a gear ratio as necessary to maintain cadence:

100 RPMs for 5 minutes 1 minute off 105 RPM’s for 5 minutes 1 minute off 110 RPM’s for 5 minutes 1 minute off 115 RPM’s for 5 minutes 1 minute off 115 RPM’s for 5 minutes 1 minute off 120 RPM’s for 5 minutes 1 minute off 125 RPM’s for 5 minutes 1 minute off 130 RPM’s for 5 minutes 1 minute off 135 RPM’s for 5 minutes

These are “to fail”, meaning hang in there as long as you can and when you can’t keep the pace any longer the set is over, re-group and recover for the next.  If you make it to 2 minutes into the 125 set then the goal for the next is to hang in to 130.   As with all rides warm up for at least 15 minutes and down for at least 10. The above is one set and try to build to three over the course of your base period. Each set should be followed by 6 minutes of recovery. It is meant to be done on a trainer or rollers as I cannot imagine doing this on the road!

Since riding a trainer pretty well blows this time of year you may rather go for an outdoor-friendly version.  As you become more comfortable with these you can add additional sets at increased cadence:

90 RPMs for 5 minutes

1 minute recovery

95 RPM’s for 5 minutes

1 minute recovery

100 RPM’s for 4 minutes

1 minute recovery

105 RPM’s for 4 minutes

1 minute recovery

110 RPM’s for 3 minutes

1 minute recovery

115 RPM’s for 3 minutes

1 minute recovery

120 RPM’s for 2 minutes

Questions?  E-mail me at [email protected]

Rob Kelley

TRAINING BIBLE COACH

www.ROKcoaching.com

This is the first of our posts that will focus on helping you maximize your time while training for the Chicago Cross Cup series.  If you have questions shoot over a note to [email protected].  My methods are based on the Training Bible system of periodization as developed by Joe Friel, as I have been lucky enough to learn from and work with the master himself.  Joe is regarded as the foremost authority on training endurance athletes in the English-speaking world and , very literally, wrote the book.  We also hope to have input from other coaches invested in this area and race series and so if you fit that description and have an interest send an e-mail to that same address.

If you race cyclocross it’s time to get back on the horse.  A proper base is crucial in making it to the end of the season both physically and mentally dialed in throughout the Chicago Cross Cup series.

A transition period (see more here) is made of little to no riding; maybe some cross training of some sort and a mental vacation from the rigors of training.  Take at least a week off to that end before jumping back into a regimented program.  And then……

Most are coming off of a summer of racing or just riding for fitness and fun and so should begin with less aerobic focus than is necessary following a long period off the bike like you’d take on mid-winter.  Two aerobic threshold rides per week mixed into your schedule for this first phase of training is normally enough.   Training should be set up in blocks and the most common rhythm is 3 weeks of focused training followed by 1 week of recovery, and this first block should include a healthy dose of aerobic endurance intervals.

Start with heart rate as a gauge and then feed in your wattage as you go along.  Aerobic threshold is built at the high end of zone 2, and look here if you need to identify your heart rate zones.  If you do not have a power meter then just go by heart rate.  This level of effort may sound like a cake walk, but they are not easy!  The intervals are:

Warm up for at least 15 minutes.  60 minutes at the high end of zone 2 heart rate.  Warm down for at least 10 minutes

Warm up for at least 15 minutes.  75 minutes at the high end of zone 2 heart rate.  Warm down for at least 10 minutes

Warm up for at least 15 minutes.  90 minutes at the high end of zone 2 heart rate.  Warm down for at least 10 minutes

Click here for more detail in regard to these intervals.  Solidifying a 75 minute effort with no decoupling – when heart rate rises while power remains the same (see more here) – is enough for all but those in the 1/2/3 races.  If you are going to line up for a 1 hour cross race then take it up to at least 90 minutes.  If you are using heart rate alone you can use speed and/or gear ratio in the place of wattage.  Not as exacting, but will give you an idea of how your output (heart rate) measures up to your input (power) as you progress.

You’ll want to have a consistent effort and so these are best done on the road or a stationary trainer; with a road bike or cross bike with some slicks.  Add in recovery rides and not-so-tough rides off road on the cross bike and you have a solid week of the type of training necessary for this period.  A typical week will look something like this:

Monday – completely off or strength training

Tuesday – 60 minute aerobic threshold interval, 1.5 hour ride total

Wednesday – off road on the cross bike for 1 – 2 hours, easy to medium intensity

Thursday – 1.5 hour recovery ride, or strength training and a 30 minute recovery ride

Friday – completely off

Saturday – 2 – 3 hour long slow distance ride on the road, off road or a combination of the two

Sunday – 60 minute aerobic threshold interval, 1.5 hour ride total

Don’t underestimate recovery!  It is as important as the hard rides.

Good luck!  If you are interested in buying a training plan that will take you through the entire CCC series that incorporates this and much more see here.

Rob Kelley

TRAINING BIBLE COACH

www.ROKcoaching.com

– New this season the CCC website will feature a Coach’s Corner post every Wednesday from ROK Coaching with articles on training, racing, recovery, etc. Coach Rob Kelley has been in and around cyclocross for a long time and has developed a 16 week CX training plan here which starts this week. Take a look to get stronger and faster for the CCC.

– The xXx Racing-Athletico CX Relay race is coming up this Sunday in Jackson Park. Even if you can’t or don’t want to race, the venue is so close to the city you should swing down and check it out. Pre-reg has filled for Juniors and the Coed Open fields, but there are still a few spots open in the other categories. Please pre-reg on BikeReg.com for this event before it closes tomorrow (Wednesday) at 11:45pm CST. Good luck to all the teams racing, especially those named ‘Hurt Ponies’ and ‘Kevin/Tom’.

– Speaking of BikeReg, right after the CX Relay please make sure to update your BikeReg.com rider profile with, at the very least, your USAC license number (we use these to score the regular season CCC races) and all other relevant info. Even if you had a USAC license number in the past but are racing on a One Day license this year, keep your USAC license number in your profile. If your info is not correct in BikeReg we can’t score the series correctly. The reg pages for regular season CCC races will be online soon.

– Speaking of pre-registration and specifically entry fees for Junior races, all CCC races will charge entry fees for Junior races during the 2014 season. As much as we didn’t want to have to do this, last year we found a large number of Juniors (way more than any other category) pre-registered and then did not start (DNS) their races. In some cases 50% of Juniors DNS’d. With the Women Cat 4/Junior field selling out at many venues this led not only to some women not being able to pre-reg, but also large lines at the reg desk as waitlisted riders who showed up to race had to wait again to get in the race. However, since we do not want to penalize the Juniors who actually do show up to race, the CCC is instituting a reimbursement policy. If a Junior (racing in the Junior races) pre-reg’s for >= 4 races and actually shows up to race at least 75% of those races, at the end of the season they can request a reimbursement from the CCC for the full amount of the reg fees of the races they actually raced. We’ll have more details spelled out on the Series Rules and FAQs page soon.

– Also speaking of BikeReg, Half Acre Cycling is hosting a Women’s & Tran’s Beginner CX Clinic. If you have never raced or have one or two under your belt and want to brush up on your skills, join the Half Acre women’s cx squad for a fun morning in the park! Raffle prizes and snacks included!! Mmmm, snacks.

– Even more concerning BikeReg, as promised last week, here is more information about Beverly Bike/Vee Pak’s Saturday 10/11/14 schedule. The Beverly HILLS 5K trail run will begin at 10am on the same course as their cross race. You can register on RunReg here. At 12:00 the fun gets real with the half day cyclocross schedule. The course will be a slight variation of Sunday’s and will include a bunny hop competition! Think of a reverse limbo on a bike. Let’s see who can really fly! Registration for Saturday’s cross race will be open when Sunday’s CCC race goes live, sometime in the next few weeks.

– And finally… we hope everyone is enjoying the last few weeks of summer. Cross will be here soon enough so by all means practice your remounts, and turns, and starts, and heckles… but before you have to explain to both your non-cycling friends what cyclocross is every weekend and why you have so many bruises on your legs and are walking a little funny… please enjoy the summer weather before it is gone all too quickly.