Winter Training...a week in the life

I've been asked several times recently what it is we are trying to do with our training this time of year. The more I think about it the more I realize that training to race at the national level is as much about lifestyle management as it is about repeating race winning moves. It's about all of the little decisions we make on an hour to hour, day to day, week to week, month to month, and year to year basis. What I am trying to do (and why I charge 300 bucks a month for coaching) is integrate several different systems, each with it's own set of rules, unspoken truths, and limitations. A book could be written, and maybe I should do a separate post, about each. These systems include but are not limited to:

1. social network - family, friends, and colleagues
2. bio energetics
3. bio mechanics
4. health, nutrition, and hygiene
5. bicycle equipment and maintenance
6. training tactics and logistics
7. race day tactics and logistics

So with all of that in mind, following is a typical week for this time of year...

Monday - endurance ride and strength training, this is my work at home day so I have been cooking beans and rice and chicken for the week, in addition to maintaining our equipment

Tuesday - recovery ride to the shop, recovery ride home

Wednesday - recovery ride to the shop, recovery ride home, strength training with cadence drills on the rollers

Thursday - morning bike training of jumps and 2x20:00 sweet spot intervals on the way to the shop, recovery ride home

Friday - recovery ride to the shop, recovery ride home, and strength training with cadence drills on the rollers

Saturday - River Ride, hill ride, or mixed intervals and no matter what the format several sprints, then free play time from about 2PM on...

Sunday - The Day of Rest - Farmers Market and quality time with the family - lately Dillon and I have been working on bunnyhopping our BMX bikes, it's an active lifestyle day but no training or commuting

Our focus is on the three cycling basics - endurance, force, and speed skill. We will continue this early winter phase through the holidays, then change it up the first of the year adding some threshold and VO2 max work. Everything we do is specifically geared toward a successful 2010 track racing season.

This time of year recovery is key. We are always recovering to 100%. We are always avoiding illness. We are always sleeping 7-10 hours per night. We are always fine tuning our diet and eating mostly nutritious food. We count calories and percentages of macro nutrients six days a week. And there is absolutely no stacking workouts or block training.

Alrighty then, that's it for now. Until next time, ride fast and swerve!

Winter Training Day 1

Oh my God what a beautiful day to officially start winter training for 2010! On the plate today was 3-4 hours at a good solid endurance pace. So I cued up Verdi's Otello (yes for you Shakespeare scholars it is missing an "h"...maybe you can tell me why?) and headed out to do a quick warm-up then 3 hours, with each hour being 10 watts harder than the previous. At the start of the first hour I dialed up 190 watts with a nice steady 95ish cadence and waited for the heart rate to settle. After about 20 minutes, when everything seemed to be running well, I began to razor it up to the two hour mark and then I dumped it into the 50x14 and proceeded to hold on for dear life. You can see the watts and speed hold steady and then begin to decline while the heart rate steadily drifted up up up until I was almost at threshold heart rate for the final 10 minutes. This time of year that cardiac drift is the marker I like to watch. Once I can ramp the watts all the way to the end AND have my heart rate stay parallel to the effort, then I know I am ready for hard tempo intervals and some sweet spot training.

In the evening was weight training. I am up to two sets of 12 squats with 185 lbs. I was a little worried that today's workout would make the gym work difficult but I was pleasantly surprised to find this not to be the case. Right now I'm doing squats, incline pull-ups, push-ups, back extensions and crunches...2 sets of 12-20 reps of each and really concentrating on form. In and out in about an hour then off to the hot tub! Tomorrow is a working rest day with 90 minutes of commuting at 12 mph. Hopefully I'll be back to full strength for another hard workout on Thursday, in addition to weights on Wednesday and Friday. Until then, ride fast and swerve!

favorite cycling accomplishments of 2009

1. coached Katie over the winter to hang with the big girls in 2009
2. coached Andy to some good results in ultra-endurance MTB events
3. built up to and competed in a 24 hour solo road race
4. held my own at the American Velodrome Challenge at Hellyer
5. held my own at the Alpenrose Velodrome Challenge placing 5th in the points race
6. learned how to race omniums and collected plenty of data for my 2010 campaign
7. made many new friends in the track racing community
8. had Rick Adams describe my last points race of the season as brilliant
9. learned how to periodize training programs for all types of athletes and races
10. finally started a sensible and sustainable strength program
11. celebrated ten years of freedom from alcohol
12. celebrated one year at a job that I love
13. began racing on custom fitted handmade bicycles
14. learned that most people are incapable of hearing the truth, hear only what they want to hear, and project their own bullshit on to others...and that's okay

Podium!

I've been working with Andy for a little over a year and a half. In May, under reeeeally muddy conditions, he raced to a second place finish at the Coolest 24 Hour Race. This weekend he placed second again, this time at the Coolest 24 Hour Race Boggs Mountain, under fast and dry conditions, confirming his fitness. Two 24 hour podiums seven weeks apart is impressive! Here is what he had to say in his post race text...

"THANKS A TON FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND PERSISTENCE WITH ME! ABSOLUTELY NO WAY THIS COULD HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED WITHOUT YOU DINO! I OWE YOU SO MUCH MORE THAN I CAN GIVE BACK! MY APPRECIATION HAS NO EXPLANATION, IT'S DEPTH IS DEEPER THAN WORDS. I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND, THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY!"

Congratulations Andy, rock on Brutha!

transition

May 2-3 came and went and I completed 272 miles in 24 hours. Not the stellar tt I was hoping for but a valiant effort none the less. Starting the day with 180 miles in the rain was really tough but I didn't really begin to run out of gas until about the 18 hour mark. I had great support from Katie, Steve and Peggy Rex, Doug, Raul, and Scoobie. There are definitely more ultras in my future but not this year.

Right now it's all about track racing. We have already done six events and there are many more to come including the American Velodrome Challenge at Hellyer, the Alpenrose Velodrome Challenge in Portland, Elite Districts, Masters Districts, and the International Omnium State Championships tentatively scheduled in September.

My two full time clients are doing really well. Andy placed 2nd in his division at the Coolest 24 Hour MTB Race and Katie just earned her cat 3 upgrade on the track. Now if I can squeeze out a result the season will be a complete success!

Three Days to Go!

Yesterday was the final training ride before the Davis 12/24 Challenge. It was the usual Monday night Sacramento Wheelmen ride and Kenny and I put on a clinic. We took care of our club buddies and destroyed all haters and ride crashers. It was methodical, almost surgical, and we did not say a word to one another until Kenny said "that's all I got." I jumped with 400 meters to go and was drinking Gatorade by the time I crossed the line. Most of the time we just try to make it safe and competitive, but when some meathead crashes our ride and tries to dictate, look out. We can, and will, work you! hahaha!

Saturday we did the River Ride plus 20 miles. I went 38.5mph in the final but was coming from too far back. But hey, 38.5 on a 50x12? I'll take it! Anyway, I don't feel so great off the bike or even on the bike at recovery/endurance pace but when I dig in and motor I feel really strong. It reminds me of what Horner told me about coming on form. I asked him if he feels fatigue when he's going good and he laughed and told me that when he is on form he feels tired off of the bike and the legs even burn when going upstairs. He said you will feel good for about three hours a day. You'll feel like shit for the first hour and then you'll feel good until about the four hour mark when you will feel like shit again but you will be in the front group with a shot to win. Everybody suffers, the guys that do their homework suffer at the front. I think I'm about ready to race!

They are calling for a chance of rain Saturday. When I started training for this race six months ago I said more than once that if it's raining I probably won't finish, but now that the work is done I must say it will take a medical emergency to make me quit. I am totally focused, have great support, and am racing to win it! The worse the weather, the better my chances! I've come a long way in a short time and am really excited about the rest of the season!!!

form finder

On April 11th I ended up skipping Copperopolis, my favorite road race, in favor of riding 400K solo. The goal for the day was to do the Davis Double Century loop from my house. Nothing special, just going out and putting the time on the saddle.

I awoke at 4AM and was on my bike shortly after five. I rode the flat 45 miles straight through to Lake Solano, at a conservative pace, where I filled my bottles and topped off my Camelbak. From there it's 95 miles with 8000 feet of climbing before decending back into the valley for the long slog home.

I don't know what my problem is with Cobb Mountain but by the time I got to Hobergs I was ready to get in the car and scrap the whole ultra-endurance project. Good thing I had a couple of hours to get my shit together. Not sure why I was having a hard time as I was riding well within my limits all day but bad patches are bound to come and go so I rode through it and lived to tell.

Katie met me on Ressurection with food, drinks, and a change of clothes. By this time I was piecing the ride together telling myself I just had to get to the top of the DC then my day would be a success. Next it was I just need to get back to Winter's and then I'd know what to expect for the 24 Hour Challenge. By the time I got to Winters I was finding my rhythmn and was hell bent on finishing the whole ride. I even caught a second wind on Putah Creek Road. There is good mojo on that stretch that invites the you to rail it!

From Stevenson bridge to home was a total slogfest due to not being able to hold a steady pace through the urban jungle. I think next time, that's right I said next time, I will head south on Stevenson and make my way around to Mace, skipping the trek through Davis.

Other notable rides in the last three weeks are two trips to the track for omnium style racing where I held my own with the A group as well as can be expected, a really strong sprint workout, and two local race rides. I think I should be able to transition from this ultra phase right into summer racing. I'm looking forward to the Nevada City Classic, the AVC at Hellyer, the AVC at Alpenrose and most of our district championship events. But meanwhile it's ten days to the 24 Hour Challenge and I'm feeling pretty good!