high force/high cadence Quadrant Analysis #1

Okay, since the subject came up today, here is my high force high cadence jumps for all to see. I have been doing these along with box jumps in the gym to get my race specific jump together. This has been in addition to high cadence VO2max work and weekly racing. I pick a gear that I can spin at 110 rpm and then jump hard out of the saddle and wind it out. I am doing these in preparation for the Anaerobic Capacity block I will do after the Testarossa Velodrome Challenge. It should be noted that this was my first track specific winter in the gym and will be the first time since I started track racing in 2007 that I will be doing a full blown anaerobic block of training. I am 45 years old and have been riding hard for ten years...

VO2max #4 Quadrant Analysis

Success! On my fourth attempt at a proper VO2max workout I was able to complete two whole sets of 6x3:00. This comes near the end of a hard block of training and racing every week. Now I'll try to freshen up for the Testarossa Velodrome Challenge this weekend and then get some recovery before really digging in to some serious speed work leading up to the AVC and FSA Grand Prix in mid July.

VO2max #3 Quadrant Analysis

Eeek, I attempted to complete a VO2max workout on a day when I ain't feeling so fresh from yesterday's effort. I made it 2 minutes into the second interval of the second set before the lights went out. And when I say lights out I mean if I had to sprint for my life I might not have survived. But the Quadrant Analysis is pretty much the same as workout #2 so I'm cool with that. I'll do a day of rest then have another go on Monday with fresh legs. My guess is there will be a big jump in race fitness this week.

Friday Night Pro1/2/3 track race Quadrant Analysis

Okay here we go. I did the Pro 1/2/3 omnium of 40 laps scratch race and 50 laps points race last night. The blue dots are the warm-ups and cool-downs. The red dots are the the 90 laps of racing at an average speed of 45 kph. Average cadence was 105 rpm. I ride a 94" (49x14) gear. I barely sniffed the front a couple times but with a full field of 36 hungry riders I was basically relegated to the role of wheelsucker. I never missed a split and was rarely in danger of getting dropped. I didn't bother with the miss n out as I was done done done with it by then. The big surprise is the high percentage of quadrant IV riding. That's almost half (46.6%) of the effort being high cadence (above 100rpm) and low watts (below threshold). So the take home for the night is it really does pay to do lots of high cadence work on little gears...I'll show more of that in the up and coming block of speed work, but it is strikingly obvious at this point in the game that the big watts will need to come with high cadence. Hitting 1200 watts at 90 rpm is of no use here...

VO2max #2 Quadrant Analysis

Okay, in staying with my mantra "don't get hurt don't get hurt don't get hurt" I headed out to do just one set of 6x3x3 with the goal being to get the cadence up into the track specific quadrant 1. I'm pretty sure I could have completed a second set but we'll just have to wait til Monday to see for sure. That said, I am very happy to report that I was able to do all six in the 107-112 rpm range. See how the red blob has shifted to the right compared to my last post? The other unexpected occurrence was I popped out of bed when the alarm went off raring to go. This is a new sensation for this time of year as traditionally I am in deep fatigue and suffering the June Swoon. This balanced racing schedule and specific training is really starting to look like it's coming together in time for Portland and Seattle woohoo! Friday night I have no choice but to race with the P/1/2/3's so I guess I'm in for some speed work and a good old fashioned whoopin'.