erichkopp

Especially if you don't have a local practice group near you. I've been riding/racing road for a while and did my first cross race this weekend, and came in 4th out of 46 riders. I figure I'll cat up, and start focusing my training around CX racing. I'm looking for some things I can do on my cross bike as well as on the road, since I can ride road year round. I especially need to do something to increase my endurance at high-intensity.

mosovich

Spinerval DVD's do really good at that.. Becareful though, focus on the interval ones, not the big power ones or else you'll kill your legs..

Lithuania

check out some back issues of cx magazine. there are some good training plans and advice in them.

brendon_ak

1st-try and get a vo2 test
2nd-pick up the cyclists training bible
3rd-maybe look into a coach, or develop your own plan from the bible

sounds like you need to focus on LT and AT training

jonestr

2x20 minute intervals for FTP work

thatguy

One pint at a time.

3MTA3

show up 'n throw up.

erichkopp

^ The last two are a lot more fun than anything else. I guess I'll work on some longer FTP intervals while going out for beer runs.

marsh283

Pick a beer store about 20mins away with few to no stoplights in between and just rip it there, and especially on the way back, dont want the beer to get warm.

jwible

Rode a 39 minute max effort on the rollers today to simulate the balls out race effort. 174 average HR and 28mph average speed on Sportcrafter 3.25" rollers. I have no clue what kind of power output that is, but it was pretty damn hard to maintain the last ten minutes.

My goal is to be greater than DFL.

erichkopp

jwible, are you doing the Augusta race? I'm debating whether or not I want to go. I hear it's kind of hood, and if I go alone I'd probably be stealth camping somewhere.

jwible

There's one in Atlanta at the Dick Lane Velodrome. Since that's only 30 minutes from my house it'll be where I cut my teeth.

https://www.dicklanevelodrome.com/pages/psychocross.html

It's not a part of the cyclocross series but if all goes well I'm going to do the races in Dallas and Barnsley Gardens.

brendon_ak

39 minutes is still 6 mins shy fyi...

No idea what your avg heart rate means as everyone is different, however a race will be nothing like a full out effort. The first lap or two will be hard efforts as you won't know the course. While you're riding the course take note of where you're just fast at, and can therefore save energy at those parts. Also look where everyone is slow at and just ride your own pace.

Example: we had a huge climb every lap. The first couple of laps people were blowing themselves up on. I on the other hand kept my heart rate managed and just sat and tried to spin the hill out, only rising out of the saddle if absolutely nessecary. As as result, guess who could attack after the hill on the main straight, and guess who was way past their red zones?

Also guess who won....by few minutes.....and lapped half the field

Andy_K 

I hope you hopped off every five minutes or so, tossed the bike on your shoulder and jumped over some boxes in the garage too.

nitropowered

I do two hard workouts a week then race sat and sun (usually). Monday off, Hard Tues and Wed, Easy Thursday (drills), openers Friday, race weekend.

Tues and wed are usually FTP type workouts one day and sprint/normalized Power type workouts the other (15sec on, 15 off for 10min, or just 1 or 2 min intervals). For the FTP workouts, I throw in sections where I stand up and sprint.

Hunter Allen's Cyclocross training plan is also very good if you wanted a cheap plan ($100 for 12 weeks)

gfactor

And rolled around in the garden.

jwible

I'm a new guy. 30 minute race for me!

It's a basement. Jumping over ugly furniture will have to do.

That sounds too much like fun and not like real work!

erichkopp

I heard about this race but didn't see any flyers. Thanks for the link. I should be out there.

Cynikal 

I found a little traveled place in the park and ride in the grass as hard as I can for 45 min doing turns around trees. Then I set up barriers and practice. I find that it is better to practice skills when you are tired and not thinking clearly.

During the week I've started tabata intervals on a fixed trainer. 20min and my a$$ is cooked.

jwible

Look for a guy on a Salsa Con Crosso who looks confused as hell and is trying to figure out if the bike is put together correctly. Final parts come in on 10/28.

erichkopp

Nothing better than putting a bike together right before a CX race! That's what I did. Rode it once to practice dismounts/remounts, and then drove up to Dahlonega. I'll most likely be in a Florida State kit. Probably the only FSU jersey there, so I'm usually easy to spot.

Good call on doing barriers afterward. I built some out of PVC pipe yesterday and will probably do the same thing as you.

jwible

You sir are a brave soul. Not as brave as if you were wearing a Florida jersey, but still brave.

Daveyboy

Are you doing the typical 10sec on/20sec rest? Full intensity? I've heard of these but haven't tried them yet. Have you found it more effective vs. intervals (5x1, 2x20, 5x5, etc...)?

Cynikal 

I'm doing 20 sec on and 10 sec rest for 8 intervals. I've been doing it for a little over a week so nothing too noticeable yet. It hurts so it has to be dong something good.

This is the first time I've done interval training so I don't have much to compare to.

ridethatbike

shouldn't you do intervals with an HRM for maximum effectiveness, rather than using a prescribed set of time?

I haven't trained hardly at all, and I got smoked last weekend. I need to do something for the next 3-4 weeks before my next race, so I'm open to anything.