I get 'cross

My journal of cyclocross
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I couldn't be bothered to faff about with finding a new stem mount. The answer is celotape.
It works ok until its rains and it kind of miss figures the display. I thought I'd ridden for 33 minutes but it was actually 13.

I went on a 2-3hr ride because I like cycling and I also later in the day was going to BBQ/house warming. It could not be missed, my life wouldn't be fun!
The other thing is - me knowing me, I must eat everything and pour 35ml-40ml measures of rum with my coca cola.
I just don't have control. But I'm not sorry either.
So, I go for a ride.

I have been structuring my rides to hopefully get the most out of them. Sometimes I ride the same roads and climbs again and again, it can get tedious. As I'm an inner city kid, it means I have less routes.
So to get over the tedium, I've got little goals to work to. Stops me slipping into a low heart rate, doing junk miles. This way I see it as putting a brick in the wall I'm building. Then it isn't a chore, it has a reason and can be evaluated.




The ride
Strength is the ability of the muscle to exert force at a specified pace and varies for different muscle actions. To strengthen the force that muscles can exert, slow-heavy loads are needed. Explosive power is high angular velocity at the point of impact, resulting in the immediate application of torque to accelerate.

In order to improve muscular speed and neuromuscular pathways I found a steady long climb, stayed in the big chain ring. Sometime during the climb, did a 20-second acceleration at fastest pace without interruption and without shifting gears. (Represented by the arrows).

The Anaerobic Stuff
To work on my bodies ability to deal with and clear lactate and get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
In cross or a crit an attack might last half a lap (cross) or couple of laps (crit). Lets say 3 minutes.
So I did 3 efforts at riding right up there in that uncomfortable place. Heart rate zone 4 and alittle bit zone 5. (Green circles)
5 minute recovery if possible.

To conclude
The 3 minutes efforts need to be closer. Didn't get my gearing right for first sprint, too easy. I will repeat part of the course so I can do more 3 min efforts and 3 more sprints.
I'm writing this down, here, because I need a diary I can look at when I'm anywhere. This is a good as place as anyway.

Ride: 29 miles with 3x3min above LT, 5 min recovery. Mid session 3x20sec power climb accelerations, 3 min recovery.
Jersey: something from Rapha
Contents (L-R):
Helmet peak - for bright sun or rain
Spoon - in case I meet Eddy Merckxx on a road made of porridge
Micro Pump
Analogue Stopwatch - techincally I wear this around my neck for accurate timekeeping
Inner Tube
Medium Goats Cheese Pasty - for sustainance on the climbs
This session is designed to keep your LT & AT & VO2max sharp. It also helps the cyclist break away quickly and settle into a fast rhythm. I've based this on something I read in Simon Burneys CX book, I need to make sure I have a solid base. Otherwise top end work and performance will soon crumble mid season.

I've got little time sometimes, so I've been doing a 20minute trail run in the morning with 5x 20second sprints uphill (as per slipppy CX climb).
After work - Warm up ride to Regants Park (10mins) then 3x 8minutes 95-104% Threshold. Currently 177-180bpm.
The park is roughly a 7-8 minute lap (for me). I did 5 minutes recovery. It is good as if you just look up the road, rather than watch the clock you can concentrate on keeping the right tempo.


"Cornering in snow, jumping hurdles, dismounting and remounting, powering through sand, mud and ice - it must be cyclocross season"
- Simon Burney

23 days until the first cross 'race'
and I found a water fountain, made from stone built in memory of Margaret. Dated 1937.
Don't see that very often.

Read this in Elle Decor - which is such non sense "These tea light holders have a gritty industrial edge, but are tailored enough for an elegant table."
Recycled Tea Light Holder, $13; Elsewares.com