Brian Ratliff

^^^
Yea, weird weather isn't it... I was actually thinking of doing a road race this weekend. 36 extremely flat (and probably fast) miles to get some racing into my legs/head. If it's really wet, I dunno though. My training has been kinda farked the last few weeks. Gotta get back into a rhythm.

dro.pru

Interesting read so far, and took me a while to catch up.

Carleton, congrats on the upcoming custom build. New toys are always fun.

As for my training thus far; NJ has been having some **** weather, just as it starts getting nicer to bike out (ie, a lot of the snow in the shoulders of the roads starts melting) BAMM, more snow. The temperature doesn't bother me too much, but I'm not a big fan of salt debris spraying onto my bike.

In other news I had three roller races in the past few weeks, most recent one being this past Saturday jointly hosted by my track and a bike shop whose owner is on the team. Fun and laid back. I "trained" for this one by daily alternating a cycle ops and the rollers. It's just extremely boring to ride in my basement..... I also decided to upgrade my bike a little this past week. New BB and crankset as well as purchasing a chainring to be in the proper gearing for this last roller race. I ended up taking third in the bracket I was in, so that's exciting! Also received a few compliments on my form, so yay.

I have not started lifting yet since I didn't have a workout partner (I felt it was necessary since I don't know proper form). But now I have found someone to lift with. I do work in a climbing gym, so I climb a couple days a week. And i've gotten stronger in terms of my climbing by doing basic body weight exercises (pushups, situps, planks, and pull-ups). Climbing is strictly recreational so I am not focusing on that, but it is nice to see benefits in general.

In other fun non-training, I went snowboarding last monday and saw a Flogging Molly concert on Thursday. The only reason I bring up the concert is because my calves are still sore from jumping up and down and moshing for several hours.

That is about it. I can't seem to do rollers or trainers for more than twenty minutes. Mostly out of boredom. I put on music and just go to town, however I should try throwing on an episode of something from Amazon prime or something.....

Baby Puke

"Just riding" on the trainer or rollers is excruciatingly boring. Try structuring your workout and you'll find the time goes by a little quicker. Before you start, have a plan (just like a workout on the track), say 15 minute progressive warm-ending in 80% sprint, then 4 30 second intervals on two minutes rest x 2, 5 minute cool down, as an example. That'll take you ~45 minutes or so, and you probably won't be as bored. I don't see how people do "base miles" on the trainer just slogging along for hours. Impossible for me.

Quinn8it

Good app for pre-programming workouts into your iPad.. I have over 50 Trainer workouts on mine..
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ultr...289429364?mt=8

queerpunk

I use an app called Impetus. It works and I'm glad I have it.

dro.pru

Thanks for the input guys.

DanAVL

Hey guys,

Apologies if I'm posting in the wrong thread but I was hoping you could give a newb some direction. I've read and very much enjoyed the stickies. Particularly the old school-esque guide book and pro tips thread.

However I still have a few questions. I've been off of bikes for years. I've ridden a road bike for perhaps a total of 3 months since I was 15. I'm 27 now.
I've been looking to try my hand at a new sport as my previous pursuits, and poor decisions as a younger man, have left me with a limited capacity(Torn pec/delt, shredded knee, meniscus, patella, LCL blah blah blah). I've always had a vague interest in track cycling but never really looked into it until recently.

Fortunately the guy I'm renting my home from has left his Trek Tri-Bike behind and doesn't have an issue with my riding it. How should I go about acclimating to the bike again? As a kid I rode quite a lot and for moderate distances. Rides of 10+ miles. However, like I said, it's been years.
In the interim I've competed in Strongman, Powerlifting, and currently coach Olympic Weightlifting.

A friend of mine who is big into the local road and cyclocross scene encouraged me to seriously look into track racing as he feels my strength base will carry over well. And, I mean, it looks like a freakin blast. The same friend is
going to come by and help me get the Trek set up so I can ride it.

So, I'd really appreciate any direction as to what I can be doing on this road bike to get ready for a track rig. Since I've gotten my knee back to about 80% I've avoided running but have been able to do loads of Airdyne workouts at 100% without any knee discomfort. Hopefully that bodes well for it tolerating the actual bike?

I live in Asheville, NC. Pretty solid bike scene here. We also have the "mellowdrome" and Rock Hill isn't too far away. So, not a bad locale for training I'd imagine??

Any input is appreciated! Thanks guys!

carleton

Hi and welcome to the sport and to the forum!

First off, riding any bike is good, but a tri bike in aerobars can be dangerous to ride in the city in traffic. Don't be the guy heads-down in aerobars trying to negotiate traffic. That's dumb. Also, as a new racer, you won't use aerobars much if at all your first season.

You will need to get some basic bike fitness and handling skills. There are a few options:

- Buy a used road bike to start riding on the road till you start on the track.
- Buy a track bike and ride on the velodrome several days a week. That's what I did my first season because I didn't own a road bike. I only owned a track bike and I rode on the velodrome 3-5 days/week after work. You'll eventually need a track bike, so why not get it now?
- See if the guy will give you the bike. If so you can maybe put a riser stem on it and inexpensive shifters and convert it to a road bike.


Many lift 2-3x/week during the off-season combined with bike workouts (using a home trainer or on the road) and then when the season starts, trade one of the gym days for a race day at the track.

You don't have to ride super long distances. Just ride

gtrob

I'm on my 4th week of riding down in AZ, averaging about 16hrs/week, lots of Z3/4 climbing. Rode up Mt Lemmon today, 8300 feet in climbing.

Sort of miss the track though, I like road riding but something about being at the track I really miss. Maybe its because Im 190lbs and the mountains are unkind

Dalai

Have you ridden Mt Graham yet? https://climbinglama.blogspot.com.au/...september.html

Great riding down around Tucson and States in general. I spent three weeks last September riding the mountains in CA, CO and AZ - 1705km 42,009m vert over 5,600km driving!

Ticklist was:

California - San Francisco

Old La Honda + Pescadero Creek road +Tunitas Creek road + Kings Mountain road
Sierra rd + Mt Hamilton
Mt Diablo via North Gate am + Mt Tamalpais loop from Fairfax pm.

Eastern Sierra California

Mosquito Flat from Bishop.
Bristlecone from Big Pine.
Horseshoe Meadows + Whitney Portal.
Onion Valley

Colorado

Grand Mesa (both sides).
Independence pass (both sides).
Copper Triangle.
Trail ridge rd (both sides).
Mt Evans.
Pikes Peak

Arizona

Mt Graham.
Mt Lemmon

California

Palomar Mountain South Grade and East Grade.
Glendora Mountain road /Glendora Ridge road + Mt Baldy

queerpunk

i'm murderously jealous.
here in Minnesota we've had 60" of snow and it's been the coldest winter since 1983. We just got out of a stretch of nearly two weeks of every day having below 0 - Farenheit - temperatures.

gtrob

Haha trust me, I hear it from family all the time (Im from near Toronto). I think I picked the perfect winter for this!

Dalai I came across your blog earlier when looking up Lemmon. Lemmon is a good climb, nice and steady the whole way up. I did the extra bit to the top of the ski hill though which was murder, the last 5k felt worse than the 45k leading up. Mt Graham is definitely on the list, and I might take a trip into Cali to do the LA velodrome and a mountain or two.

I'd like to hit colorado on my way home for a few days but only if the weather is nice. Its on the way though

Hermes

Tomorrow, I travel to LA and will do the 4PM racer session at Velo Sports Center. Sunday, I race LAVRA at VSC. Tuesday, I travel from LA to Tucson, AZ for a 4 day cycling camp that includes a climb up Mount Lemmon. I am not sure how well a 500 meter / pursuiter will do on Mount Lemon but....

slindell

If you are looking for something less taxing than Mt Lemmon - Madera Canyon out of Green Valley is 13.5 miles and 2400 ft of gain. Pretty much false flat gradually getting steeper. Old Nogalas Hwy to Continental will get you there from Tucson. Nice part is that the park is the only thing at the end of the road so traffic is light.
Road to Arivaca seems to be popular but I am not sure it is a good idea with the traffic.
I was down there last week and 80 degrees was a nice change even from Seattle's kinder, wetter version of winter compared to real winters.

Quinn8it

see ya Sunday

Baby Puke

All this talk of climbing is making me feel kinda queasy...

Hermes

I will be there in the morning and afternoon.

carleton

I've seen the race program for those events. Is there any particular reason why they run all of the Sprint events in the AM and all Endurance in the PM.

Morning:
- Team Sprint
- Flying 200m Time Trial
- 500m Time Trial
- 1000m Time Trial

Afternoon:
- Team Pursuit, 3000m
- 2000m Time Trial
- Team Pursuit, 4000m
- 3000m Time Trial
- 4000m Time Trial


If I participated, I'd like to do multiple sprint events, but doing them back to back to back like that obviously doesn't lend itself to posting great times. I would imagine the same for the Enduros. Why did the run the program like this as opposed to staggering Sprint/Endurance/Sprint/Endurance/etc... throughout the day?

I know these are training races, but still.

C

VanceMac

Thank goodness they do run it that way. If anyone is super serious about a particular event, they'll only be doing that one event anyway. This early in my training, I'll go do a 200, TS... and maybe a 500. I'll be out of there by 10a, instead of 3p. At the next one, I'll probably only do a kilo, looking for a benchmark. People who want to do a mix of sprint and enduro are going to be there all day, regardless of format. So it's a win in my book.

Baby Puke

They always do it this way. For me, a 200 is a perfect opener for a 500 or kilo, but if you want to do the TS too and go for a good time in something else, you kinda have to pick which one you're gonna sandbag. I look at it as a glorified training day where you get to use your fancy gear. They actually did matches in addition to this at the final event last season. I wish they'd do that every time.

Quinn8it

Actually they only started doing it this way in the last few years.

Before that- not only did they mix up the sprint/enduro events, but the omniums were after, at 6pm.

You could do a TeAm Sprint at 9am, a 200m at 10am, and then wait until 3:30 to do a kilo..
And then maybe an omnium? Get home at 10:30pm?

The current way is better

Hermes

I like the split sessions for the LAVRA TT. Actually, I set a PR in the individual pursuit 10 minutes after doing the team pursuit last year. Go figure.

I had a great racer session with Roger Young this afternoon. I am ready for Sunday.

Dalai

Not me. I am chomping at the bit to get back into the hills! National Masters Track Champs are on next week. Then as soon as the week is over it I'm back onto the road bike and running in preparation of the Winter season! Focus will be as always road TT's and this year CX and road racing on the weekends without a TT or CX race scheduled.

Still plan of racing my clubs Saturday afternoon summer track races which finish early April and then most likely will still race Tuesday nights indoors just for training. Hard to have down time when seasons overlap and are year round!

Velocirapture

slow on the uptake, but i reckon that ^ is also sig worthy

dro.pru

In training status; I braved the cold and went for bike rides Wednesday and today. It felt good to get out and actually ride even though it was less than an hour both times. Got a PR up a local hill but still struggling up another big one. Nothing like the climbing you guys have mentioned.....