Cyclocross Racing - How do you train for Cross?

Running?
Road threshold/Vo2 max workouts?

What do you do on the cross bike?

I was a CX skills practice session, and one of the more experienced guys commented on VO2max focused intervals (3 minute). We'll see. It seems like there's a race every weekend, so it probably ends up being ride into shape.

in a cross race you are basically maxed out the entire race. its like doing a TT with tons of vo2 efforts thrown in.

then you have to worry about the actual skill parts in bike handling, dismounting, running, etc.

Racing into shape is fine if you have a good solid base and threshold. You can sometimes get away with having superior handling skills to carry you through.

Otherwise you are looking at a season of not being in a position to really be a factor in races. That certainly doesnt mean you arent going to have fun since unlike road racing you dont get dropped from anything.

ride fast, lots.

Last season my Tuesday or Wednesday workout was 4x12min with 2-3min recovery. I aimed for highest average HR that I could sustain through all four. If HR really declines, you are starting too fast or aren't fully recovered from the previous race or workout. The last couple reps are pretty difficult.

Pre-season I had a ride that went past a high school, I'd stop at the track and run up and down stadium steps while carrying the bike, recovery was remounting the bike then ride around the track. Rinse, repeat, then continue with the ride.

I don't necessarily agree 100% with Adam Myerson but then again can't argue with success, he has a lot of cool cross training articles here:
http://www.cycle-smart.com/articles/

My technique for today - falling gloriously while practicing off camber turns.

The surprise for me is that I really bite running up hills. I used be a pretty solid runner, but the last 4 years, all I've done is ride. It's good to mix it up.

pretty much the same as for road, with a midweek 3 day block of V02, endurance ride (off road though), FTP intervals

The runs are really short in the SW so I dont practice running since I hate it.

who trains for cross? show up & throw up.

I jogged a little in August (and did some leg speed drills) so I wouldn't hurt myself when I started cross-specific skills workouts and run-ups, but this year I spent most of the summer riding an SSMTB (after a spring of lots of longer road miles) and I think that helped me prepare more than anything.

Whatsa Vo2 max workout?

in a cross race you are basically maxed out the entire race. its like doing a TT with tons of vo2 efforts thrown in.

First, let me say that I'm really slow, so I shouldn't be giving anyone training advice. That said, I dispute the statement above.

There are several things that 'max' can mean in cycling. Simplifying grossly to get it down to two that seem relevant here, it could mean maximum sustainable effort or absolute maximum effort (vo2 max?) Cross does not involve either of these for the entire race.

It doesn't involve maximum sustainable effort throughout, because frequently you have to go above your maximum sustainable effort to keep up. And, of course, you can't maintain your absolute max for 45 minutes.

What cross really requires is recovery. You need to go all out in a lot of places. Then you need to be able to recover and be ready to do that again as soon as possible. But of course, you can't recover at maximum sustainable effort, so you have to make less effort than that sometimes.

So what does that mean for training? I really know little about training, but my understanding was that intervals give you speed but aerobic workouts give you recovery ability.

A lot of it, of course, is skill in picking the places to recover.

Here's one way:

http://www.midmarylandcoaching.com/CyclocrossTraining-CXMagazine.htm