"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - cross training question for racers

i was doing some cross training for several weeks about 3-4 morinings a weekon my eliptical exercise machine, it simulates stepping walking etc. i was also doing the regular daily trainer workouts. it wa around this time i had spectaculor group ride i was able to hammer. then the next wek up till now i had to stop using the eliptical , i have been just doing my trainer workouts. i have found lately my aerobic seems to be weak i get winded quick and i get dropped on the training rides. i think that my cross training on teh eliptical was boosting my endurance aerobic wise. anyone ele run or something similar and had similar results? after reviewing my training logs i think the eliptical is my missing piece in getting strong early in the season.

I very much doubt the cessation of your elliptical workouts led to the atrophy of your aerobic base. Aerobic fitness is probably the longest lasting. It'll take a long time to diminish, whereas anaerobic capacity is more quick to suffer after a period of extended rest.

There are so many things that factor into a performance, good or bad. Things such as hydration, sleep, what you ate, etc. All of those things can have an effect.

It's hard to say what happened for sure if it was just this once. Keep a training log and over time you might start to see patterns. Once you have a lot of data to look at, it is easier to make judgements.

What kind of trainer, what are your triner workouts,and how are you measuring your effort on the trainer?

Moving from the ellipitcal trainer to more bike specific work should increase, not decrease your on bike performance as youmove outof base phase.

However, if your ellipitical workouts were very intense, and you're not pushing yourself hard enough on the trainer, your fitness could drop when you stopped doing the elipitcal.

Also, how long are your trianer workouts vs your elliptical workouts? If I'm following your OP, it sound like you mave cut your training workload during the week in half, which definitely could affect how strong you're riding.

Personally, I'd try to get my training workload and intensity back to the point it was with the ellipitcal,and the trainer, but all of it on the trainer (or the road).