Monday, June 30, 2008

Saturday Training with John Campo

John would not be able to make it to the track this Saturday July 5th, 2008.

Riders can still come down to the track and train on their own.

Sunday, June 29, 2008

How to train for a Kilo

CYCLING PERFORMANCE TIPS
Structuring a Training Program

Developing and refining a training program for a specific event is the ultimate challenge for a coach. And it is their insight in this area that often makes the difference between a good coach and a great one. As you work to develop your own program, I'd offer these thoughts. (sources include Andy Reid, a PhD candidate at the Otago University School of Physical Education in Dunedin, New Zealand, and comments by Chris Carmichael, Lance Armstrong's coach.) Although Andy Reid did the original analysis for a kilometer time trial, the same approach and concepts should be applicable to track, road, and MTB competition.

Training should be specific for the competition being considered. A common mistake is to look at an event as a single ride, but any event can be broken down into several segments and specific modifications added to your basic program to address the unique needs of each of these segments of the event.

For example "Using the Kilo TT as an example, here is what I am trying to say. The most specific way to prepare for the kilo would be to go out and ride a Kilo every day, or every second day with a day of rest to allow us to adapt to the 'training'. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you look at it!), this would probably become rather boring and that boredom (through the monotony of the training program) may indeed lead to overtraining (Carl Foster,Med. Sci. Sports and Exercise Vol. 30 No. 7 P1164-1168, 1998).

However, if you break the 1000 meter TT into its component parts:

* Start (initial power)
* Acceleration to ~ 250m
* Max Speed 250-750m
* Speed maintenance/endurance 750-1000m

you are able to add specific training for each part of the event i.e.:

* Start:
o starts of varying distance - basically start intervals
o strength work in gym & on bike
o bounding (incidentally up hill or up stairs is probably better for bike riders than on the flat as there is more reliance on concentric power as opposed to stored elastic energy or stretch shortening cycle...so therefore more like cycling).

* Acceleration:
o repeated intervals from a slow roll up to point where max speed is attained

We also know that riders get close to VO2max during the last 1/4 of the Kilo so general conditioning on the road which stimulates increased capillarisation, aerobic enzyme activities and increases in central factors (heart size, blood volume, red blood cells etc.) as well as intervals which target VO2max directly are also appropriate.

* Max speed:
o intervals of at least the length of the maximum speed distance of the event

* Speed maintenance:
o intervals of at least the length of the full event
o several long training rides per week to build endurance
o repeats of shorter distances with incomplete recoveries (lactate tolerance work).

This parsing or breakdown of an event into its components when developing a training program is often done without specific comment by coaches in many athletic fields. But it is an approach that you can use as you training up for your own personal PR. Think about your event in terms of its major challenge - for a long road ride, it is probably Speed Maintenance segment while an MTB event would include frequent episodes of Acceleration. Appropriate training programs would then include extra days for the relevant major component of the planned event.

This separation into segments is to some degree artificial and these training segments are interrelated. For example, although the final 200m of a one kilometer event is anaerobic (ie a sprint), it is impacted by the training of the aerobic system. A highly developed aerobic engine will delay the time (even by a few seconds) that you will become anaerobic at the end of the kilo, and will minimize lactate levels until late in the ride. Thus a kilo rider, in this example, should train the aerobic system to stall the negative effects of accumulated lactate as late into the event as possible. In this was VO2max and aerobic conditioning which improve the lactate thresh hold overlap and impact sprint performance. Training only with sprints and failing to include some longer distance rides (longer than the "sprint" event) would leave you performing below your personal best.

But there needs to be balance, and too much compartmentalization in training can have its own negative effects. Andy Reid, also a PhD student in the School of Physical Education at Otago University, notes that training for both swimming and running have progressed over the last few decades from from a purely segmented (or compartmentalized approach with an emphasis on interval training working on one aspect of fitness per session back to a more "integrated" approach.

In one workout an athlete training under this integrated approach will include aspects of sprint training, specific endurance and general endurance. Can we apply this approach to the training of cyclists?? Consider this regimen. Add in at least one day per week of what we'll call "race practice sessions" that give a combination of

* standing sprints (10s) with full recovery
* rolling sprints (10s) full recovery
* easy spinning for 10 mins
* 2 to 4 4-5 min (targeting VO2max) intervals with at least 1:1 work:rest
* and finish the session with 20 mins @ AT with a prolonged warm down.

This is probably the optimal order, working on sprints when you are freshest. But as you get closer to your event you can start with the longer stuff and finish with the sprints so that you are sort of mimicking what goes on in a race.

The above are good for the shorter sprint and time trial events, but what about the longer, perhaps multi day events? Chris Carmichael noted that the major breakthrough for Lance Armstrong occured when he stopped focusing his training on his anaerobic system (too many days of sprints/intervals and long rides at close to 100% V02max) and began to train his aerobic system. This allowed him to increase his AT, be "fresher" near the end of the race with less lactate on board, and as a result capitalize on his anaerobic capacity near the end of the race day. An added benefit was less recovery time from lactate build up and a stronger next day on the bike. Training too hard, too many days in a row can be as bad as under training.

http://www.cptips.com/trnanal.htm

Saturday, June 28, 2008

6 28 2008 Garmin data for Kilo time trial

SPEED PROFILE


PACE PER KILOMETER


PACE PER MILE


HEART RATE PROFILE


% OF HEART RATE MAX PROFILE


CADENCE PROFILE

  • Gear used - 50x15 = 90"
  • Time - 1:23.54
  • Average speed - 26.79 mph

6 28 2008 Kissena training time trials

Weather

Temp - 84 F
Dew point - 66.9 F
Humidity - 58%
Pressure - 29.83 in
Visibility - 9 miles
Wind direction - South
Wind speed - 15 mph
Conditions - Scattered clouds

KILOS - 1000 METER (2.5 laps standing start)

Campo - 1:28.28 = 25.33 mph
Mike M - 1:23.54 = 26.79 mph (50x15 = 90" gear)
Ben T -1:29.93 = 24.88 mph
John L - 1:23.85 = 26.69 mph
Saif - 1:36.56 = 23.18 mph
Dara - 1:39.34 = 22.53 mph
Dave - 1:24.32 = 26.53 mph
Joe - 1:35.91 = 23.32 mph
Justin - 1:44.57 = 21.40 mph
Lucca - 1:33.19 = 24 mph
Dominique - 1:32.56 = 24.18 mph
Roberto - 1:33.10 = 24.02 mph
Lance - 1:30.63 = 24.69 mph

FLYING 200 METERS

Mike M - 13.75 = 32.65 mph
Joe - 15.53 = 28.86 mph
Ben - 15.16 = 29.62 mph
Justin - 16.81 = 26.63 mph
Lucca - 15.40 = 29.05 mph
John L - 13.84 = 32.42 mph
Saif - 15.28 = 29.43 mph
Dominique - 14.8 = 30.22 mph
Dara - 16.0 = 27.96 mph

800 METERS (2 laps standing start)

Mike M - 1:05 = 27.53 mph

Thursday, June 26, 2008

6 25 2008 Bike Fit at Performance Labs HC

Bike should fit you:
Bicycles have changed radically in the past 20 years. Most now come in small, medium and large with weird nonadjustable head sets attached to carbon fiber forks, which need to be cut to the right lenght or else you would find it difficult to dial in the best position. All the old rules of bike fit seem to be out the window - a bike should fit you, not the other way around.

A proper ergonomic position:
· Increases Bio mechanical Efficiency
· Improve Comfort, Balance & Power
· Address Areas of Pain

How do you know if you are getting the best power transfer or are in your most bio mechanically efficient position? Ergonomic fitting services are an applied science that can prevent injury and insure that you are in the most optimum position for your body.

The goal of a good bike fit is to set the saddle, handle bars and cleats in a position that allows you to turn the pedals efficiently and with no damage to your joints or bones and to avoid undue fatigue. When your riding position fits you, your bones can carry more of the stress of applying power to the pedals and supporting your body, and your joints can work and track within their normal range of motion.

A precision bike fit is one that is based on the length of the bones and the position of the joints that are involved in the process of pedaling your bike. In order to get a precision bike fit, each segment of the limbs involved in the pedaling motion needs to be accurately measured. Short of using an x-ray machine, the best way of getting those measurements is by locating and marking the anatomical landmarks on the rider and then taking precise measurements.

Performance Labs HC:
Mike Sherry is the New York Director of Performance Labs HC. He’s a bio mechanics specialist as well a multi sport & cycling coach. Using Perfomance Labs HC’s evidence-based scientific approaches, Mike coaches many top local riders and works closely with the firm’s East Coast based professional athletes.

Check out some of the bike fitting services which Performance Labs HC offers. Today Mike Sherry adjusted my Road Bike and Track Bike based on calculations made from measurements he took of my body/joints/feet. Adjustments were then made on the bikes with the use of a laser, levels and tape measure. Mike also readjusted the cleat on the shoes based on these measurements and calculations. The whole meticulous process was very interesting. It was very noticable how much more comfortable and efficient my position felt on the bikes after the very informative two hour process.

New York
Contact: Michael Sherry
23 West 89th #1G
New York, NY, 10024
t: +917.406.5982
email: mjsherry@gmail.com

6 25 2008 Kissena track racing video clip

6 25 2008 Kissena track racing set 4

































6 25 2008 Kissena track racing set 3