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Race Day Preparation (Podcast #11)

Warming up on the trainer“Do it right on race day” is a lesson that every racer should live by and one that should be drilled into their head.  Race performance begins in the days before when you start to get everything ready to roll.  In fact, poor race day prep can actually set you up for a poor performance even before the first pedal is turned in anger.

We'll discuss proper race day preparation as well as preparation in the days prior.  Some topics we'll cover include:

  • Loading your gear and prepping your bike
  • Eating prior to your race
  • Arrival time and warmup time
  • Warming up on the trainer
  • Proper dress

As always, comments and questions are welcome.

As a reminder, my “Berg Buster” is still available (until April 21st) for FREE with the code “classicsgift”.

For those of you racing Battenkill, I'll see you there.  Good luck, stay safe!

Peak Performance Concepts (Podcast #10)

Annotated performance management chartWith spring racing in full force, many people are hitting the peak phase of their periodized training plans.  Periodized training is a method by which an athlete structures their training towards certain goals, and it consists of a long term, full year picture (macrocycle), smaller blocks of training and recovery (mesocycles, typically 4 weeks long) and the single week's worth of training and recovery (microcycle).

Within this concept of periodized training, the ultimate goal of a training block, which I like to refer to as a super-mesocycle (basically a group of 3 or 4 mesocyles bundled together) is a peak performance, usually for an “A” category race.  The question most athletes ask is “What exactly is peak performance and how do I get there?”  After an event, people often ask me “Why was my performance so poor?  Did I not train enough?”

I'd like to suggest that peak performance is not really driven by what happens during the “build phases” of your training plan, and is not really driven by the amount of training you've done (to some extent anyway.)  You can be one of the fittest riders in the group, but a poor quality “peak” phase can destroy an otherwise strong and fit athlete.

On today's podcast, we'll learn what the significance of the “peak” phase is and how we transition from the build phase into a peak performance, including:

  • The peaking model
  • Building form vs. fitness
  • Peak week intensity, frequency and duration
  • The importance of “painkillers” in relation to peak performance
  • Should you rest the day before an “A” race?

As a reminder, you can get a FREE “Berg Buster” HIT workout by using the code “classicsgift” through April 21st.

Thoughts?  Comments?  Remember to head over to iTunes and leave a review if you enjoyed the podcast.

 

 

Tour of the Battenkill 2013 Training Plan Now Available

Just a quick announcement that my 2013 Tour of the Battenkill training plan is now live and available.  Head on over to my Training Plans page and check it out.

In short, you're getting 18 weeks of structured workouts.  6 weeks of base, 2 rest weeks, 8 build weeks and 2 peak weeks.  Take it from someone who's raced there before, on nearly the same route: this race is HARD.  You'll need to be in tip top shape very early in the season, and you'll need to be able to stay on your toes for 65 miles.

Go out, hit it hard, and I'll see you on the starting line.

2013 Tour of the Battenkill Route Released

While I've long talked about riding dirt roads and getting out into the back roads of east rural nowhere (all in an attempt to find your inner child and just plain enjoy riding your bike) there's something special about racing on dirt.  There's a modicum of uncertainty as the tires slip, the increased resistance ratchets up the pain meter and your face cakes with dust (or mud, depending) and sweat.  It's a thrill like nothing else, unless you're heading over for the Tour of Flanders or Paris Roubaix.  Since most of us aren't pros, and we don't generally have the time to fly to Europe just for a sportive….

Battenkill - Meeting House RoadEnter Tour of the Battenkill.  The toughest one day race in America.  America's Queen of the Classics.  America's answer to the Hell of the North.

It's 63 miles of pain, 5,000 feet of grinding elevation, and about 25% dirt, gravel or broken up, nasty roads.  Combine that with an early April race day, and you could have anything from a beautiful sunny day to a greasy, nasty, gritty fight for survival.

Oh what a race it is!

It's no secret that this week was the release of the 2013 route, which you can see below:

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Tour de France Prologue

Wiggins was the big winner

WARNING: SPOILERS

With the Tour de France starting today in Leige with a short prologue time trial, arguably the most important race of the year is underway.  6.4 km isn't much, but it has already given us an early indication of who's ready and who's not.  Surprisingly, it might not be who you think.

Spoilers after the jump:

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