Kenny Park, September 1

Our first Skillz and Drillz practice will take place at Kenny Park, starting at about 6:00 pm. Details are in the post below, here's where we'll be:


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We're on! Planning to start September 1st.

We have set a schedule for the 2009 season. Perhaps is was the tasty brews, but we were persuaded to do this twice a week. Tuesdays will be a Skillz and Drillz session, and Thursdays will be practice races, same sort of thing we did last year.

Skillz and Drillz

New for 2009. This will work on the general skills needed to be competitive in cross. We'd love to see the Columbus crossers have an advantage in the bigger races simply due to technical ability. We'll work on dismounts and remounts, barriers, starts, cornering, and anything else that you'd like to work on. So throw your ideas out there.

These are intended to be for the well-seasoned and the beginner. If you've been doing this forever, hone your skills and feel free to help out. Take someone aside and give some tips, etc. If you're a beginner and you have training questions, hopefully we'll have some people there to help give some ideas, just ask. Some great links down the page to help refresh.

The logistics:

Every Tuesday until further notice, starting Sept. 1 Starting time is about 6:00. This practice will move around to various locations and may change. We've had to eliminate a couple venues we used last year due to complaints. We'll edit this post and add location information, but wanted to get this up.

Sept 1 - Kenney Park, Graceland area
Sept 8 - Kenney Park, Graceland area
Sept 15 - Wymann Woods, Grandview (corner of Grandview and Goodale)
Sept 22 - Berliner Park (South end of Olentangy bike trail)
Sept 29 - Whittier Peninsula

Practice Races

If you attended last year, you know the drill (scroll down the page for info). All practice races are planned to take place at Worthington United Methodist Children's Home (we do have to confirm the schedule with them). We will follow-up once the meeting takes place.

New this year, we have to provide insurance. So, everyone will be required to pay a $2 insurance fee to race. Please note that it would likely be beneficial to you to have a USA Cycling license, otherwise I believe you'll be required to purchase a 1-day license for additional $$.

As of now, plan on starting Thursday Sept 3 - Worthington United Methodist Children's Home
We'll plan on running through the end of October, as daylight allows.

Here is last year's format, we'll be doing about the same thing:

6:00 pm: Meet and greet; sign up for the insurance.
6:10 pm: Parade lap to learn the course.
6:15 pm: Mount/dismount practice (get rid of that stutter step)
6:30 pm: 3-lap race (~12 min. effort)
6:50 pm: More practice starts or mount/dismounts
6:55 pm: 3-lap race (~12 min. effort)
7:15 pm: More practice starts or mount/dismounts
7:20 pm: 3-lap race (~12 min. effort)
7:35 pm: Course tear down

Hope to see you there!

2009 C-Bus Cross Practices

Gang,
Hang tight. We are almost there.
Some cool folks are working out the details and trying to get these practices organized for 2009.

In the meantime - Ryan T wanted to remind you. What cyclocross parts are you missing? Pick them up from your local bike shop now!

That's a wrap

Thanks to all who came out and attended the practices; they are only as good as the number of people who show up. So, thanks for doing your part to grow the cross scene in Columbus.

With darkness creeping up on us, tonight was the last practice we are organizing for the season.

See Mason about some flash-mob-style practices along the bike path.

-Ryan & Jon

Worthington Practice Tues 10/14

Same place and format as last week. Drawing for Cap City Race Coupon #5 (the last one).

Our use of the UMCH campus seemed to work out for all parties involved. Thanks to Ed and Dee Minor for setting that up for us (I didn't want to thank them publicly until the first practice went well).

This may or may not be our last week of practice; we'll see how we do on time with sunset. Tearing down (or setting up) the course in the dark is no fun.

See you tomorrow.

-Ryan Rish

Recovery

It’s already early October, and if you are reading this you have more than likely been to a couple Cyclocross races and weeknight practices. It’s also probable that you may begin to notice the sting in your legs lasting a little bit longer after each workout. As you reach peak fitness the risk/reward ratio of each workout becomes skewed. To put it simply, the more fit you become the more likely you are to encounter some setback with each intense workout, these can include burnout, exhaustion, injury, ect. Fear not, with increased attention to recovery these problems can be avoided.

It goes without saying that recovery is a crucial part to any training program. Cyclocross is no exception, however, that are some unique demands from a typical road or mountain bike training program. Recovery can be approached from two directions; training structure and schedule, and strategies which can be implemented during your time off the bike.

Training Structure and Schedule: Typical cyclocross training programs have a higher frequency of intensity than most road and mountain bike racers have experienced. Due to the nature of these high intensity efforts it is imperative for the athlete to begin these efforts fresh. Cyclocross races are no different. The idea of “training through” races or workouts in not beneficial to the athlete in the same way that it can be for other events.

To put it simply; since your hard days need to be harder, your easy days need to be easier and more frequent. When looking at the big picture the same logic should be followed, as training cycles become more intense, they should also include rest periods more frequently. Rest days should be frequent and include “recovery spins” to help promote faster healing of damaged muscle tissues.

Off the bike Strategies for Recovery: The most effective forms of recovery off the bike are Sleep, Massage (if available), Stretching, and Proper Nutrition. These should be daily habits, not just employed on big training days. Other stratigies include ice baths, compression socks and tights, leg elevation, napping, listening to relaxing music, or just sitting around and watching TV for several hours.

By implementing proper recovery; both short and long term, Cyclocross racers can help insure a long, fun, and fruitful season.

If you are going to be a bear, be a grizzly.

Worthington Practice Tues 10/7

This Tuesday (10/7) we are going to try out a new venue at the United Methodist Children's Home. Please practice your best behavior when you come; we are doing this first practice on a trial basis (so watch the potty mouth in the off-camber turns). The course is near the residence of the director, Dean Pulliam, and he will be out taking a look at the spectacle we are (so be sure to thank him if you see him for allowing us to use the campus).

DIRECTIONS: From the bike path option 1 & option 2, from High St. if driving.

Here's a rough course map...a good mix of high-speed, off-camber technical bits and power sections.

FORMAT:

6:00: pre-ride
6:10: 20 min race (rest 5 min MAX)
6:35: 20 min race
7:00: coupon drawing
7:05: course tear down

Jon will be running the practice; I have a function at the Wexner Center with my pre-service teachers.

Bring your lights for riding home.

-Ryan & Jon

Learning about Cross 2

Just to update a previous post, Brandon Dwight has new how-to cross videos on VeloNews.TV: Cyclocross bike equipment; Dismounts, remounts and carrying the bike; Avoiding common mistakes during a 'cross race; Tips on improving your starts; 'Cross race etiquette.

Thanks Swainer for the tip.

Practice Tues 9/30 @ Woodward

Back at Woodward for this week. I'm working on getting it closer to campus now that classes have started. Let's get an earlier start with the shortening days.

6:00 pm: Sign up/warm up.
6:15 pm: 5-lap race (~15 min. effort) 5 min. rest
6:35 pm: 5-lap race (~15 min. effort) 5 min. rest
6:55 pm: 5-lap race (~15 min. effort) 5 min. rest
7:10 pm: Drawing for Cap City Race Coupon #3
7:15 pm: Course tear down

Jon S. and I will set up on Monday, Jon S. will run the practice, and I'll show up around 7 pm to tear it down (I have class on Tuesdays until 6:18).

-Ryan Rish

Barrier Video

Check your barrier technique at practice tonight. Thanks for being flexible about the venue; hope it wasn't too dark on the ride home from Woodward. We'll get the mini races going off sooner next week.

QUICK TIP: Set your bike down; don't drop it. You don't want your bike bouncing around or your chain flopping off. Plus, you can set the bike down and use it to steady yourself before the remount. In the original audio you can hear a lot of chains slapping stays after the barrier.

Thanks especially to Jon for all the help with the course set-up.

Good luck at the races this weekend. Don't forget the clinic at Kenney Park this Friday @ 6pm.

-Ryan Rish