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Reveries of the Road: Prologue

saris — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:22:26 GMT

Time. Ability. Better equipment. If only we possessed more. Between reality and the life of a professional cyclists there are impediments of prevention. Reality discloses a gap which we sometimes choose not to observe, for it foils fantasy. In reality the gap is exposed as a canyon. But one can still dream.

We recently spent 10 days in Benidorm, Spain, HQ for the Vacansoleil-DCM team camp. First hand we witnessed the sacrifice and effort required – even for those blessed with the necessary talent – to live the dream. What follows is the story, through the eyes of the dreamer.

Although we’ve been down this road before, we have again been reminded of the disconnect between the day-to-day life of a professional cyclist and the images of our dreams. Yes, the bikes are immaculately clean, the roads are winding and beautiful, and there is daily massage, but there is much more. There is repetition, suffering, and fatigue. There are early mornings, cold, and even rain. This continues, every day, in spite of an overwhelming longing of reprieve. It all sounds appealing until you witness the reality, and it hits by day 3. Uncomfortable beds and almost inedible hotel cuisine begin and end each day. And another 6 hours in the saddle awaits.

But there is a void of absolution as the season imminently looms. For some, it has already begun. It is not an easy life, fit only for the resilient, the hard. But one must endure as the peloton awaits no one, and the dream is shared by many. And only through countless hours of preparation and suffering will we recognize success. Which of course begins at training camp.

This is by no means intended to squelch the vision of the dreamer. Rather, to recognize and pay respect to the efforts put forth on a daily basis for those fortunate enough to earn the designation of professional cyclist. Beginning next week, we will retell the intricacies of camp, from rides and riding data to cuisine to the activities which fill the time in between. Until then, let the dreaming continue.

Stay tuned to the CycleOps Team Vacansoleil page for more updates about the team

Leg Strength In The Off Season

saris — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 04:17:13 GMT

On days where you don’t have time to ride for a long period of time, but have been doing gym workouts lifting weights, this time of year might be a good time to turn these workouts into a circuit. I do this workout at home with a ball, wobble board, weights and a Powerbeam. You could also do this in the gym with a CycleOps Indoor Cycle or on your trainer doing some single leg intervals instead of just pedaling.

I reference "big gear" as your choice of effort for this workout. I choose a wattage that is approximately 85% of my maximum aerobic power and push it at a low wattage. You should find that this will more heavily tax your legs than your lungs. Your heart rate should be around zone three for most of the efforts on the bike.

10 minutes warm-up on Powercranks or on the bike

Circuit:

2 minutes 60rpm pedaling big gear
One Leg Squats with Swissball (start with 1 set 15/leg, build to 2)
2 minutes 60rpm pedaling big gear
Crunches on Swissball (start with 1 set 20, build to 2 sets of 30)
2 minutes 60rpm pedaling big gear
Shoulder Press (1 set of 15, increase weight slowly and do 2 sets of 10)
2 minutes 60rpm pedaling big gear
Bicycle Crunches Alternating Legs (start with 1 set 20 each leg, build to 2)
2 minutes 60rpm pedaling big gear
Back Hyper-extensions on the Ball (start with 1 set 20, build to 2)
2 minutes 60rpm pedaling big gear
Lunges on Wobble Board (or Standing One-Leg Squats – this is for balance) (start with 1 set 10/leg, build to 2 sets)
2 minutes 60rpm pedaling big gear
Push-ups with legs on Swissball (start with 1 set of 10 and build to 2 sets of 20)

10 minutes warm-down easy spin to finish

This is a very challenging workout that addresses both your strength and your aerobic fitness needs. You will have very tired legs and will be able to do a full body workout in between intervals on the bike. You can change any or all of the exercises I have suggested to better reflect the gym workouts you have been doing, my example is just what I like to do in the winter. I do a bit of legs, upper body, core and balance work while I work on my pedal efficiency on the Powerbeam. You can also increase the amount of riding or do more than one round.

So good luck with this, adjust this workout to fit your schedule and especially your fitness level. Remember to keep an eye on both your process and outcome goals to keep you motivated, and if you haven’t written those down in your training log yet, GET ON IT!

Melanie McQuaid is the first person to have won the XTERRA Triathlon World Championships three times. Along with three World Championships titles, Melanie has three second place performances at the World Championships, two overall series titles, seven national titles from the US and Canada and four five runner up titles for the overall series. In addition to her own training, Melanie is a personal coach and an experienced public speaker. Read more and check out photos from Melanie at her website, racergirl.com

Indoor Trainer Workouts

saris — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 16:44:38 GMT

This first workout is the best way I have found to mimic climbing on a trainer. You can also add several riser blocks under your front wheel to work muscles at similar angles to those when climbing hills outside.

Steady Climb:

Select any gear and cadence maintain this cadence while shifting to a harder gear every 1 minute for 5 minutes. Then spin easy for 5-minute repeat until the hour is up.

Variations:

Maintain different cadences from 80-110 rpms. Start your cadences at different power levels, i.e. a harder gear. Change the ramp length and/or recovery length. Work up the ramp and then back down repeating for one hour. Stand during ramp.

This next workout is similar to the one above, however during this workout try to imagine that you are riding on a flat road trying to slowly ride away from a group or rider who is hanging in your draft. To move away you will increase your cadence, gearing/resistance or both. This workout can be done starting and ending at any zone you desire, it does not have to be a threshold exercise.

Power, Speed Ladder:

Increase Watts every 1 minute for 5 minutes by increasing cadence, gearing or both. 5-minute recovery, repeat 1 hour.

No power meter yet. Increase speed every 1-minute for 5 minutes by increasing cadence, gearing or both. 5-minute recovery.

Variations:

Increase power levels or speed every 15, 30, or 45 seconds. Randomly jump around and maintain various levels or speeds. Step up to your desired zone or speed then step down.

This last exercise is designed to challenge you at various cadences, hopefully helping you avoid the pitfalls of training at the cadence that you are very comfortable in.

Cadence Drills:

1 minute Low Cadence (LC) 60-75 rpm-Select a gear and resistance that will keep you in this range no matter how hard you pedal.

1 minute High Cadence (HC) 110 rpm-Select a gear that allows you to stay above 110rpms, however this doesn't mean an easy gear per se, challenge yourself to find the hardest gear that you can push and still stay above 110 rpm

1 minute Standing Cadence (SC)-Select a gear that allows you to stand comfortably for this duration. Remember there should be little weight on your hands and only slight movement of the upper body when climbing.

1 minute Single Leg (SL)-Select a gear that allows you to pedal smoothly with one leg. This drill will often need to be done starting with 30 seconds and working up to 1 minute.

1 minute Recovery Cadence (RC)-Select any cadence that brings you back to your recovery zone.

These are just a few basic workouts and drills that I use in my classes. Try mixing, matching and experimenting with your own variations. Remember don't just ride- to-ride, make the most of your time by having a plan before you begin. With a little forethought you can correct your weaknesses and keep your riding fresh all winter long.

Lee Unwin holds a BA in Exercise Science. He is also a Certified Massage Therapist, a Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach, and a Certified Training with Power Coach. He and his wife own and operate Unwin Chiropractic and Wellness Center. Lee also represents CycleOps in Marathon Mountain bike events.

Video: Kona Ironman CycleOps Athletes

saris — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 08:45:07 GMT

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USGP Season Opener - Race Report

saris — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 19:41:05 GMT

On to the big races and the US Gran Prix (USGP) season opener in Madison, WI. The last few years I seem to have found awesome form for these races so I was sort of expecting it to happen this year since I am basically on the same plan. That didn't happen at all and this year with the rain and muddy courses there was no hiding at all. You either had it or didn't. I knew 500 ft into the race on day one that I didn't have it, and despite giving it everything, I couldn't go harder than 70% it felt like. I lost ground the whole race, couldn't ride with anyone and felt off balance in every corner. It was ugly and very frustrating as I was hoping to ride a bit better on the home course. Sunday came and so did the wind, rain, thunder, lighting, and hail.

By the time we raced at 4 p.m., the course was well beyond destroyed with a two to three-inch layer of mud and slippery, slimy corners. I had a good tire selection with the FMB Grippo XL at about 25 psi, and the legs were much better, I could sit down and feel the tire hooking up, but I still didn't have the horsepower to move forward. It was funny because Brian Matter passed me half way through the first lap and no one passed me the remainder of the race and I didn't pass anyone else. I couldn't see anyone in front of me and only Weighal and Wicks were behind me losing ground - I finished 15th. It was a difficult day to be off, but I'm glad I was better on Sunday and the conditions could not have been worse.

So, the season is now in full swing and this coming weekend I am flying out to Hartford, CT with Jamie to stay at my friends and host house of the 2006 and 2007 east coast cross campaign season the Pulvers. I'll do the GP Gloucester out there, then come home and get ready for round #2 of the USGP in Ft. Collins October 8-9. It's going to be a stressful two weeks coming up with lots of packing, unpacking, bike work and regular work but it will be fun to do a little travel after a season of just Wisconsin racing.

Big thanks to my sponsors CycleOps, Cyclocrossracing.com, Blue bikes, Lazer helmets and Rolf Prima wheels. I have excellent support and I wouldn't be able to race at this level without them.

Tristan Shouten is from Plymouth, WI and has been racing for fifteen years, including nine years as a pro. He is a four-time Wisconsin Off Road Series Champion, nine-time mountain bike and cross champion. Tristan has used CycleOps PowerTap to assist his training since 2001.

Going the Distance: Inside Trek Livestrong

saris — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 18:38:20 GMT

Winning Isn’t Everything

saris — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 08:37:03 GMT

I arrived at Lake Stevens with tired legs and a heavy heart. Days earlier we got the call you never want to receive – our good friend Pete Cadwell had died suddenly and unexpectedly of a heart attack while doing a short swim/run race in Colorado. At 40 years old, Pete was the picture of health with a beautiful wife, two beautiful boys and so much to look forward to. After swimming in college and racing in dozens and dozens of triathlons post college, he had recently discovered a passion for trail running and even raced the Miwok 100k here in Marin just a couple of months ago. It just doesn’t seem possible that we will never see Pete again.

After getting that call on Tuesday night, I walked around in a fog for a few days and debated whether or not to go to Lake Stevens at all. While Pete’s death is a tragedy to all of us who knew him, there is some comfort in knowing that he died doing what he loved to do. With that little bit of perspective and a broken heart, I boarded a plane for Seattle knowing I was exhausted mentally and physically but carrying some of Pete’s strength and ever positive attitude with me. I love competing; I knew why I was out there, and when the gun went off, I was where I wanted to be, and I was present. I was also very tired…

This year a new approach and a new coach (Craig Upton) has meant a lot more volume in an attempt to help me gain the fitness I need to really race an Ironman from start to finish. Since Ironman Lake Placid and going into Lake Stevens, Craig has had me tackling some of the largest amounts of volume I have ever done -- basically he’s been kicking my butt! While in the past my training has always focused on low volume and lots of intensity, Craig has decided to turn the tables on me which has required a big leap of faith. Tools like my PowerTap have become critically important to this volume-focused journey both for keeping me honest but also allowing Craig to continually analyze all of my rides and constantly fine-tune things based on how my fitness is progressing. The result has been exactly the opposite of what I expected. Surprisingly I have had more energy, my body is more resilient, and I recover faster.

Lake Stevens 70.3 was a big test for me – if I asked my body to race in an extremely tired state, how would it perform? I had zero expectations on race day and was so happy things came together so well for me under Craig’s plan. To grab a win on legs that felt broken and a heart that was heavy from the loss of a great friend was very rewarding.

It’s been an exhausting but also super fun last six weeks of training, and I can’t believe that Kona is only six weeks away. I have one final ten day training block in Tahoe coming up that I think will top off my fitness and have me as ready as I have ever been for Kona.

My mind now turns to the special memorial service for Pete that we will be hosting at our house over Labor Day Weekend. Before the service we’ll all take a run up Mt. Tam to celebrate Pete’s life and spread his ashes on the trails he loved so much. My heart breaks for Pete’s wife and his boys who will grow up not knowing their father, but we will constantly remind them of the fun and laughter he brought to everything he did. Winning isn’t everything…

Pacing for the Win at Ironman Lake Placid

saris — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 12:45:18 GMT

Being in the zone also included being on top of my power zones throughout the ride. I have just started racing with power this year, and I felt like I finally used my power meter properly for this race. I didn’t obsess, but I used it to keep myself under control and solidify what my legs were telling me - that I was racing well and in control. I simply held to an average of about 220 watts, watched my time over 250, and just rode.

On the ~6 mile out and back section near Jay (where we first had a chance to see the rest of the field) I noted where here the other girls were, but so unemotionally that I surprised myself. I looked at my watts, I raced my own race. When Tine went past me on the climb into town on the first loop it was the same. I stayed with her, not because it was like "oh my goodness I can't let her open up a gap" but because it was within my plan (i.e. I just kept holding steady). Ditto when I passed her through town. Onto the second loop I still felt strong and was happy to be out front and see that the gap was growing. You can see some power spikes, when I stood up to change position, and on the last steep little bit into town ~km 90, but otherwise it was pretty steady between laps 1 & 2.

I made some adjustments to my position with the guys from Blue Competition Cycles in the A2 wind tunnel after St. George and I was super comfortable all day and more aerodynamic - bonus!! Zero watts drag from my new TorHans aero bottle out front too.

Here is a power file from one of my long training rides before the race. I think that people expect to all of a sudden ride way higher watts on race day than they ever have before, and it my experience it just doesn’t work that way. Aid stations are handy, as are patrolled intersections, but I find that my normalized power on a solid training ride is very similar to that on race day.

I think that training and racing with power is one of the best tools out there to really help maximize your performance. Thanks so much CycleOps!

CycleOps Powered Athlete Linsey Corbin

saris — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 08:29:57 GMT

Dr. Allen Lim on Factors that Affect Speed

saris — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 20:02:12 GMT