Cat 5. Wanna move up.

[Zamboli]

I'm a racing newbie. Unattached, cat 5 junior. Nothing spectacular. I
have no coach, and am unattached. I have had a bit of trouble staying
in any type of race shape as I was unable to train for about 6 weeks
this summer. When i first got a bike i could legally race with at the
end of april, i made it my goal to be able to race in a month. As you
can imagine I didn't build up a great base. What type of training
should I do to improve crit preformance? Or should I concentrate on
building up a solid base for the cross season?

Would it be in my best interest to join a team? Are there any decent
clubs in the mass area?

 

[Richard Adams]

Zamboli wrote:

> I'm a racing newbie. Unattached, cat 5 junior. Nothing spectacular. I
> have no coach, and am unattached. I have had a bit of trouble staying
> in any type of race shape as I was unable to train for about 6 weeks
> this summer. When i first got a bike i could legally race with at the
> end of april, i made it my goal to be able to race in a month. As you
> can imagine I didn't build up a great base. What type of training
> should I do to improve crit preformance? Or should I concentrate on
> building up a solid base for the cross season?
>
> Would it be in my best interest to join a team? Are there any decent
> clubs in the mass area?


Sounds like you're mostly missing base miles. Are you riding daily?
It's the place to start.

 

[Ryan Cousineau]

In article <[email protected]>,
Richard Adams <[email protected]> wrote:

> Zamboli wrote:
>
> > I'm a racing newbie. Unattached, cat 5 junior. Nothing spectacular. I
> > have no coach, and am unattached. I have had a bit of trouble staying
> > in any type of race shape as I was unable to train for about 6 weeks
> > this summer. When i first got a bike i could legally race with at the
> > end of april, i made it my goal to be able to race in a month. As you
> > can imagine I didn't build up a great base. What type of training
> > should I do to improve crit preformance? Or should I concentrate on
> > building up a solid base for the cross season?
> >
> > Would it be in my best interest to join a team? Are there any decent
> > clubs in the mass area?
>
>
> Sounds like you're mostly missing base miles. Are you riding daily?
> It's the place to start.

Well, he's missing everything. But aside from getting in enough miles,
try to do intervals, which will generally get your speed up. Hill
repeats are a nice painful drill.

Once you have enough base mileage to finish a crit, and have done enough
intervals to finish with the pack, you can look at your sprint. Either
that or work more on absolute speed and breakaway during races. Most Cat
5 packs are disorganized enough that getting three strong riders to
break together is an excellent way to get on the podium any race.

Clubs and teams help primarily for the training benefits, which amount
to riding with stronger riders. At Cat 5, team tactics won't amount to
much except for teams that are unusually strong at that level (and if
they are, then those riders usually upgrade really quickly).

--
Ryan Cousineau, [email protected] http://www.wiredcola.com
Verus de parvis; verus de magnis.

 

[Tom Paterson]

>From: Ryan Cousineau

>Once you have enough base mileage to finish a crit, and have done enough
>intervals to finish with the pack, you can >look at your sprint.

Suggested ($.02 value) interval method:

On a flat road with telephone poles alongside, practice "sprinting" for one
"pole distance", then resting while mostly pedaling for two. Then stand again,
right at the "start" line the pole makes across the road, roll up a moderate
gear, practice your (race-winning) bike throw at every "finishing" pole before
you sit. Keep the effort easy, to where you're "not doing anything" on each
jump, and build up the number of repeats over time. Do short "sets" (5
repeats?) at first, some real "rest" in between sets. You can vary the recovery
level there, be conservative for starters. Go to longer sets and more sets
before increasing the gear size and effort. IOW, don't come home wiped out the
first few times you do this. Focus on smooth stands, sits, throws and "seeing"
lines across the road. This applies to IV-V crit racing where they jump out of
the saddle for every corner exit and then sit back down for the straight, very
stressful, un-smooth on/off/on/off effort and something you'll probably only
see in races unless you practice for it. And that bike toss... Funny how many
people don't know how to throw at the line.

Oh yeah, do these jumps alone so you can pay attention and perform at your own
pace, and practice riding in the drops.

That expanded. Oh well: "Worked for me". --TP

 

[Zamboli]

> Well, he's missing everything. But aside from getting in enough miles,
> try to do intervals, which will generally get your speed up. Hill
> repeats are a nice painful drill.
>
> Once you have enough base mileage to finish a crit, and have done enough
> intervals to finish with the pack, you can look at your sprint. Either
> that or work more on absolute speed and breakaway during races. Most Cat
> 5 packs are disorganized enough that getting three strong riders to
> break together is an excellent way to get on the podium any race.
>
> Clubs and teams help primarily for the training benefits, which amount
> to riding with stronger riders. At Cat 5, team tactics won't amount to
> much except for teams that are unusually strong at that level (and if
> they are, then those riders usually upgrade really quickly).

I ride just about every day. But should I be doing more interval
training? Or going on 50 mile rides? I have 2 training crits a week I
can use for speed work. After my 6 week sebaticle. I am now back to
the point where I am finishing with the pack. Now i want the aerobic
capacity to be able to break away. And also to work on a decent
sprint.
What seperates the training necessary to compete at Cat 5 and higer
catagories? Miles?

 

[Tom Paterson]

>(Zamboli)

>I am finishing with the pack. Now i want the aerobic
>capacity to be able to break away. And also to work on a decent
>sprint.
>What seperates the training necessary to compete at Cat 5 and higer
>catagories? Miles?

You didn't say that earlier. Oh well.

Motor pacing. I'll spare details pending your report on your motorpacing
activities <g>. --TP

 

[warren]

In article <[email protected]>, Zamboli
<[email protected]> wrote:

> > Well, he's missing everything. But aside from getting in enough miles,
> > try to do intervals, which will generally get your speed up. Hill
> > repeats are a nice painful drill.
> >
> > Once you have enough base mileage to finish a crit, and have done enough
> > intervals to finish with the pack, you can look at your sprint. Either
> > that or work more on absolute speed and breakaway during races. Most Cat
> > 5 packs are disorganized enough that getting three strong riders to
> > break together is an excellent way to get on the podium any race.
> >
> > Clubs and teams help primarily for the training benefits, which amount
> > to riding with stronger riders. At Cat 5, team tactics won't amount to
> > much except for teams that are unusually strong at that level (and if
> > they are, then those riders usually upgrade really quickly).
>
> I ride just about every day. But should I be doing more interval
> training? Or going on 50 mile rides? I have 2 training crits a week I
> can use for speed work. After my 6 week sebaticle. I am now back to
> the point where I am finishing with the pack. Now i want the aerobic
> capacity to be able to break away. And also to work on a decent
> sprint.
> What seperates the training necessary to compete at Cat 5 and higer
> catagories? Miles?

8-12 hours a week is plenty-if you learn how to train efficiently
(smart).

-WG