TRAINING

Julie Young, a former US Pro cyclist now with O2Fitness (Optimum Outdoor Fitness), will be conducting training rides again this year. These rides are designed for all levels and abilities. The focus of the rides will vary between pedal technique and efficiencies, speed and power, and climbing. Ms. Young can be reached at jyoung@O2fitness.net .

Julie has designed this year's training sessions to help any cyclist looking to improve their overall riding performance. The training dates and programs are:

• June 20, 2008 - Bike Handling Skills and Pedal technique drills

• July 11, 2008 - Specific Strength

• August 18, 2008 - Speed and Power

• September 5, 2008 - Climbing Technique

Each session starts with a "chalk talk" and review of the day's goals. There will be approximately two hours of ride time to practice and develop the covered skills. After the ride, there will be a post ride evaluation of each individual's bike fit and specific adjustments made for each participant. Each session is limited to six individuals and costs $75 per person. Reservations are required and can be made by contacting Julie directly at jyoung@o2fitness.net. All training rides meet at Victory Velo at 7:30 am.

Julie has written a very insightful article on how to properly prepare for riding a century. Enjoy your reading!

Seize Your Century

Let’s cut to the chase – one of the most important ingredients in maximizing your cycling experience – whether weekend warrior or world champion – is a properly fitting bike. This is the first step to an efficient pedal stroke, which is then trained and reinforced via specific drills and training. Measuring the individual’s leg length is the first of many steps to achieve hip and knee angles, but it is important to consider the rider’s body type (long femur/ short torso; long torso/short femur, etc) flexibility and functional movement, biomechanics, riding goals and experience on the bike. All these factors must be taken into consideration to place the rider in a position that allows that individual to maximize his or her power.

In determining bike position, it is vital to consider the rider’s past, present and future. The rider’s time invested on the bike will determine specific cycling strength. The rider’s present body symmetry, flexibility and functional movement determines if the rider possess flexible hamstrings and glutes, and a strong core that allows the ideal 40 degree hip angle. And what are the rider’s future goals – a sprinter riding mostly short, powerful criteriums or a stage racer/long road racer or century rider. The sprinter will want to be positioned directly over the bottom bracket and cleat placed directly over the pedal spindle allowing them to maximize use of their quads at quick firing cadence. While the long distant rider will want the saddle position placed behind the bottom bracket and cleat position on the back side of the ball of the foot, allowing this rider to maximize the glutes and hamstrings.

O2fitness is available to assist with bike fitting. Bike fitting will be offered at the Auburn Century training rides scheduled throughout summer.

A properly fitting bike facilitates an efficient pedal stroke – if you want to take your cycling the next level – the pedal stroke is key and should not be discounted. It is vital to focus training time on the pedal stroke. With a properly fitting bike and efficient pedal stroke – you will have the tools to maximize your training investment and attain your cycling goals.

In order to train an efficient pedaling stroke, visualize a clock. Start your push forward from the 10 o’clock position to 3. Then at the 3 o’clock initiate the pull back action – engaging the hamstrings and scrape back at the bottom on the pedal stroke. Continue pulling back, transitioning up to 7 o’clock - at which point an active unloading of the pedal takes place. It has been shown through biomechanical tests on elite cyclist that an actual pulling up of the pedal does not occur, but elite cyclist do unload the pedal so as not to fight the forward motion of the other pedal.

Another key to assist you in seizing your century and optimizing your workouts is to perform a physiological test, which determines your individual training zones. While some perceive testing as reserved for the elite, it is also advantageous to the master athlete who has precious time to train and wants to maximize every training minute. UCD Sports Performance, Sacramento and Tahoe Forest Center for Health and Sports Performance, Truckee offer physiological testing. Once zones are determined a minimal investment in a heart rate monitor, Polar or Timex, to name a couple, will allow the athlete to monitor training levels during individually prescribed workouts and be assured they are training specific physiological systems.

Specific Workouts

Every workout must have purpose in order to improve fitness and reach your century goals. Besides the cycling workouts listed below, I advocate extra-curricular strength and flexibility workouts that include core circuits, double-legged plyometrics (jumping exercises using body weight as resistance to build agility, explosive power and strength), lunges and multi-directional hip work with Allan Bard bands, single-legged squats and yoga. I suggest core (the concept has expanded to include hips and shoulders) circuits three times/week and combined plyometrics and band work two times/week. Yoga one to two times/week is ideal.

A good training program should include a variety of workouts to train the different physiological functions, as well as mentally challenge and engage the athlete. Training provides the building blocks for your body and mind to tackle your athletic endeavors with confidence. We ultimately want to build a training plan that resembles a pyramid, with a solid base of miles, that builds and transitions to less volume and greater intensity, with specific focus. For purposes of riding a century – depending on the riders goals – training intensity levels would be focused on the Medium Endurance (ME)/tempo/ 70% perceived exertion level. For the veteran rider going for the course record – this training intensity would extend into Anaerobic Threshold (AT) – essentially an 80-85% perceived exertion level.

The first building block – whether a veteran century rider or a first timer – is to build base miles. This one to two month period is spent logging easy to moderate miles. The level of intensity is low, a perceived intensity of 50-70%. This time is spent focusing on bike fit, efficient pedal technique, strengthening specific muscle groups, proper posture on the bike (flat back, by rotating at the hips, not rounding the back, to provide optimum breathing and leverage for the legs; relaxed arms – with slight bend of elbows; relaxed low shoulders), and training your body to efficiently utilize fuels – drawing on fat before tapping into the carbohydrate stores.

Following this one to two month base training, the plan would include key workouts – Slow Frequency Repetitions (SFR), Medium Endurance (ME) intervals, pedaling technique with high cadence intervals and drills, and long endurance days.

Slow Frequency Repetitions (SFR) are performed on steady 4-5% grade, in a gear that allows 40-60 rpm, and perceived effort of 60-70%. The goal of the workout is to work the entire pedal revolution – pushing over the top, pulling back – to build strength as well as pedal efficiency. This is not a max effort and focus must be on entire pedal revolution.

Warm-up with 6x 15 sec single legs, increase by 15 sec every two to three weeks (as long as pedaling is smooth – no dead spots) to build to a max of 6x1min (each leg). SFR workout is 6x 2min, increase by 30 seconds every two weeks to build to 10x 5 min. Complete workout with 10-20 min high cadence 100-120 rpm. Perform 1-2x week.

Intervals

Interval training works physiological systems, and provides a psychological edge.

Physiologically – depending on the intensity – higher interval intensities train the body to efficiently process lactic acid build-up in muscles and medium intensities build muscle endurance efficiency.

Psychologically, intervals provide mental training to ride through physically uncomfortable periods, teaching the athlete to look beyond the discomfort, placing focus on pedal technique rhythm and efficiency. When you hit a hard section of your century – intervals have trained mind and body to remain composed and work through it.

Interval training provides physical and mental confidence. Perform 1 x week.

Interval Samples (times and cadence vary, based on flat riding or climbing, ie flats = shorter interval time and higher cadence 90-110, climbing longer interval time and lower cadence 60-80 rpm

Pure

• Beginners 5 min build to 10 min @ 60-70% perceived effort - 1 rep build to 3

• Intermediate 10 min build to 15 min @ 70-75% perceived effort - 1 rep build to 3

• Advanced 10 min build to 20 min @ 80-85% perceived effort - 2 reps build to 6

Ramp-up

• Beginners ramp up from 2-3 min @ 60% to 2-3 min @ 70% - 2 reps build 4 reps

• Intermediate ramp up 3-5 min @ 70% to 3-5 min @ 75-80% - 2 reps build to 6 reps

• Advanced ramp up 5-8 min @ 70-75% to 5-8 min @ 80-85% - 3 reps build to 8 reps

Bounce

• Beginners ramp up to 60% for 2-3 min, build to 70% for 3 min, back down to 60% for 4 min - 2 reps build to 4 reps

• Intermediate ramp up to 70% for 2-3 min, build to 75-80% for 3-4 min, back down to 70% for 4-5 min - 2 reps build to 6 reps

• Advanced ramp up to 70-75% for 3 min build to 80-90% for 3-4 min, back down to 70-75% for 5 min - 3 reps build to 8 reps

Pedal Efficiency

Improving biomechanics on the bike by training the muscles to turn on and off.

Warm-up with 6x 15 sec single legs, increase by 15 sec every two to three weeks.

Workout 6x 1min pedaling on flats at 95-110 rpm, increase by 30 seconds every two weeks to build to 10 x 5 min.

Perform 1 x week.

Endurance day

Long ride – select challenging, interesting routes to include climbs, rolling or flats; alternate terrain week to week; or select to suit goals, upcoming events, or work on weaknesses. This is time to enjoy time on the bike, the scenery and friends. No specific workout. Perform 1x week.

Seize Your Century!,
Julie Young

O2fitness – Optimum Outdoor Fitness

jyoung@o2fitness.net

O2fitness.net