Training for CriteriumS

[Ssushi]

Hi All,

I had my first criterium race at the WE, got humped big time, lost the pack by 400m in the end, kept dropping off the wheel of the guy infront of me and working very hard to get back on it. The crit. is about 22km.

I've been off my bike for a year with knee issues but have been back on now for about 6-7 weeks, doing mainly base miles and seeing progress in fitness.

My training constraints are:
1) Sat - Ride/race
2) Sun - Ride
3) Midweek - restricted as working hours and I live in the middle of Sydney (traffic issues at the time I can ride - its bleeding dangerous)
4) No turbo trainer as I'm only here for a year and dont want to buy another one

Has anyone any tips for crit racing and training that may help me? I'm more determined than ever now! But need some direction on how to do better...

Thx

ssushi

 

[taras0000]

Hi All,

I had my first criterium race at the WE, got humped big time, lost the pack by 400m in the end, kept dropping off the wheel of the guy infront of me and working very hard to get back on it. The crit. is about 22km.

I've been off my bike for a year with knee issues but have been back on now for about 6-7 weeks, doing mainly base miles and seeing progress in fitness.

My training constraints are:
1) Sat - Ride/race
2) Sun - Ride
3) Midweek - restricted as working hours and I live in the middle of Sydney (traffic issues at the time I can ride - its bleeding dangerous)
4) No turbo trainer as I'm only here for a year and dont want to buy another one

Has anyone any tips for crit racing and training that may help me? I'm more determined than ever now! But need some direction on how to do better...

Thx

ssushi

Looks like you're going to have to get a turbo, or just wait for your fitness to catch up as time goes on if you're just going to stick with the bike. You can also do off the bike workouts to help boost your VO2 max, try running of it doesn't aggravate your knees. You can get a killer workout in with a run. Try it once a week. You should still be able to get enough cycling in to keep muscle memory and allow you to use your fitness to it's max potential on the bike.

 

[climbo]

6-7 weeks back on the bike with no specific training means you shouldn't expect to do well.

Are you racing the same grade that you used to race?
Where do you live? Train before work early?
I get up at 5 to ride as I work in Nth Sydney and train it in from the Central Coast. I try to get some training in early before the traffic gets busy.

If you do a 22km crit, that should only take 1 hr. training sessions so you can get a solid base of fast leg speed in you. Do flat out TT's on the way to work on the bike between lights or something, anything you can fit in to your day. Sprint intervals helps a lot also.

 

[Ssushi]

6-7 weeks back on the bike with no specific training means you shouldn't expect to do well.

Are you racing the same grade that you used to race?
Where do you live? Train before work early?
I get up at 5 to ride as I work in Nth Sydney and train it in from the Central Coast. I try to get some training in early before the traffic gets busy.

If you do a 22km crit, that should only take 1 hr. training sessions so you can get a solid base of fast leg speed in you. Do flat out TT's on the way to work on the bike between lights or something, anything you can fit in to your day. Sprint intervals helps a lot also.

I find it a problem to train before work and as I live in Rozelle the roads can be a problem. Was almost knocked of in Paddington over the WE by a car door so am not happy to sprint on roads with parked cars... bugger. I'd resent buying another turbo, maybe have to be content with bad results until I return to the UK. Ahhh, maybe I could spin at the gym.... thats a thought....

 

[byron27]

Hi All,

I had my first criterium race at the WE, got humped big time, lost the pack by 400m in the end, kept dropping off the wheel of the guy infront of me and working very hard to get back on it. The crit. is about 22km.

I've been off my bike for a year with knee issues but have been back on now for about 6-7 weeks, doing mainly base miles and seeing progress in fitness.

My training constraints are:
1) Sat - Ride/race
2) Sun - Ride
3) Midweek - restricted as working hours and I live in the middle of Sydney (traffic issues at the time I can ride - its bleeding dangerous)
4) No turbo trainer as I'm only here for a year and dont want to buy another one

Has anyone any tips for crit racing and training that may help me? I'm more determined than ever now! But need some direction on how to do better...

Thx

ssushi

how about first thing in the morning?

From 5-7 in the morning traffic is never too busy in any city. I stayed in rozelle recently and it was quiet in the morning. I do agree about riding there later in the day though...

 

[Smartt/RST]

Hi All,

I had my first criterium race at the WE, got humped big time, lost the pack by 400m in the end, kept dropping off the wheel of the guy infront of me and working very hard to get back on it. The crit. is about 22km.

I've been off my bike for a year with knee issues but have been back on now for about 6-7 weeks, doing mainly base miles and seeing progress in fitness.

My training constraints are:
1) Sat - Ride/race
2) Sun - Ride
3) Midweek - restricted as working hours and I live in the middle of Sydney (traffic issues at the time I can ride - its bleeding dangerous)
4) No turbo trainer as I'm only here for a year and dont want to buy another one

Has anyone any tips for crit racing and training that may help me? I'm more determined than ever now! But need some direction on how to do better...

Thx

ssushi

With 2 good workouts on the weekend, you really only need one more quality workout mid-week to train reasonably well for crits. Bear in mind that crit racing is highly dependent on the ability to accelerate many times, your max aerobic power and your ~30min TT power, all of which are easily trainable in the gym on a spin bike over the course of a 1-1.5hr session. I don't recommend running to augment your cyling training as the training effect will have little to no transfer and you greatly risk injuring your knees.

 

[cuervo]

I find it a problem to train before work and as I live in Rozelle the roads can be a problem. Was almost knocked of in Paddington over the WE by a car door so am not happy to sprint on roads with parked cars... bugger. I'd resent buying another turbo, maybe have to be content with bad results until I return to the UK. Ahhh, maybe I could spin at the gym.... thats a thought....

I wolud say spinning sessions, with a instructor that knows about bycicle tainning/racing or allone by your self.

 

[Ssushi]

Thanks f or all the responses chaps, I need to find some spinning classes!

 

[CannonChick]

dumb question #5,967....
what's a criterium race?

 

[bikeshop]

Criteriums or Crits are short circuit races that are typically very fast.

Criteriums are done on courses that can range from a short 1/2 mile loop around a city block or 2, to many city blocks or even in high school parking lots. They are usually based on time + laps. In other words, your particular categorie might race for 60 minutes, + 4 laps. Everyone is mass started and the clock begins. After 60 minutes, it is announced that the race has 4 laps to go to the finish. This way, the racers collectively decide the pace. Theoretically, everyone could ride 10 miles and hour for 60 minutes and then take off with 4 laps to go, but it NEVER works out this way. There are also prizes announced during the race for say, first one to cross the line on the next lap. These are called primes (preemz). The crit is fast, furious and sometimes downright dangerous with riders diving 3 wide through a corner at top speed. www.the-bike-shop.com/training

 

[Ssushi]

Criteriums or Crits are short circuit races that are typically very fast.

Criteriums are done on courses that can range from a short 1/2 mile loop around a city block or 2, to many city blocks or even in high school parking lots. They are usually based on time + laps. In other words, your particular categorie might race for 60 minutes, + 4 laps. Everyone is mass started and the clock begins. After 60 minutes, it is announced that the race has 4 laps to go to the finish. This way, the racers collectively decide the pace. Theoretically, everyone could ride 10 miles and hour for 60 minutes and then take off with 4 laps to go, but it NEVER works out this way. There are also prizes announced during the race for say, first one to cross the line on the next lap. These are called primes (preemz). The crit is fast, furious and sometimes downright dangerous with riders diving 3 wide through a corner at top speed. www.the-bike-shop.com/training

The difference from what I experienced is that even though a crit may only ave. 34kph over 20-30 K, the constant requirement to accelerate from corners is hard work in the extreme! Even if you can sit at 34 for 2 hrs, does not mean that you can ave that in a crit. the muscle development is different for this type of race than that of a road race./..

 

[velomanct]

The difference from what I experienced is that even though a crit may only ave. 34kph over 20-30 K, the constant requirement to accelerate from corners is hard work in the extreme! Even if you can sit at 34 for 2 hrs, does not mean that you can ave that in a crit. the muscle development is different for this type of race than that of a road race./..

And that is why I am crit racer!

i love accelerating and sprinting!

 

[Ssushi]

And that is why I am crit racer!

i love accelerating and sprinting!

I engoyed my race at it, but am a hill climb man myself... will be back for another round of the crits though, have some crit specific training lined up (thank god) so will hopefully do better next time...(couldn't really do any worse... LOL)