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Cross training?
How do you train for cross races? The season ain't far off, anybody got any training tips to ease the pain of that 1st race?
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Dave Haygarth on -
If you're someone like Ian Field, at the top end of the sport, with no children or wife to think of, you can be very structured and strategic about your training (and do things like this), but if you're mortal, have a job, etc., then it's really a matter of prioritising. Here's my basic list - sort it into priority order and arrange it the best you can depending on how many hours you have in a week!!
- Reps (either hills, sprints or similar) on the bike. 'Cross is very much about riding near your max and then recovering, so reps are good.
- Race. Racing is a very good form of training. Pick a few races that don't matter as much to you and enter those. You'll be hard pushed to not go hard in any race. Going hard in training is tough, psychologically
- Train your weaknesses, not your strengths. I generally get dropped on climbs in cross races. I'm relatively heavy, so if I had an hour a week to train, I'd have to do hills, hills, hills. Be honest about what you're no good at, and get yourself good by training or coaching
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Permalink Reply by Alan Cook on -
I'd suggest joining a local club - there's always someone willing to give advice, whether it's wanted or not.
The Britsh Cycling web site or your local bike shop should be able to help.
Cyclo cross training + technique by Simon Burney, published by Velo Press is the definitive book on the subject - well worth buying.
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Permalink Reply by Dave Haygarth on
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Or there's always this... (can't vouch for how good it is - just watched it but it's not road-tested!!)
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Permalink Reply by Alan Dorrington on -
Incorporate cross skills like mounting and dismounting into any schedule - at least once a week. When you are seeing double through exertion and riding at your limit, having these skills dialled in will save you a bunch of time.
Whilst the turbo is often the only way to get reps/intervals in for some, doing off-road intervals regularly is beneficial too. Put it like this - you dont have to steer and stay upright in the mud on a turbo when pushing hard, and it can come as a big shock to the system if you haven't practiced being fluid at speed on the terrain you race on.
And run. Yes, run. Helps keep the weight down and if you live in a country where there is significant rainfall, you just might have to run during a grass and woodland based race from time to time..... But keep it specific - short, sharp runs up hills are all that are needed unless you actually like running.
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Permalink Reply by Lee Shunburne on -
Alan, just out of interest, why do you think that running keeps your weight down particularly? An hour on the bike costs me 800-1100 cal depending on what I'm doing. I can't see running being much higher than that!
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Permalink Reply by Dave Haygarth on
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Interesting angle Lee - am quite flummoxed to be honest - I can barely keep my average heart rate below 155 bpm running and regularly average significantly higher HR running (I'm no scientist but I'm assuming that this is because of the significantly more muscles involved than in cycling, hence more strain on the engine and hence maybe why 'endurance' runners run for 4 - 6 hours, and 'endurance' cyclists ride for 12.
(Quick look back through my Garmin's stats for the year to date shows cycling at an average HR of 145 bpm and running at an average HR of 154 bpm - some public events here)
I know I'm making a leap of faith here comparing average HR to calorie consumption. I just think running (for weight loss and regulation) can't be discounted because of its use of more muscle groups.
Not aimed at you, Lee, but a general point: I think it would do us all good to remember that we're not professionals. Professional cyclocross riders have afternoon sleeps, massages, and proper preparation, so yes - they probably hardly run for their training. We have families, jobs, and significant other stresses on our lives (I personally average about 3 hrs training a week!) and so we need to be creative and pragmatic. And most importantly, don't try to emulate the professionals' training programmes unless we emulate their full lifestyle - afternoon siestas - the lot!
Lee Shunburne said:Alan, just out of interest, why do you think that running keeps your weight down particularly? An hour on the bike costs me 800-1100 cal depending on what I'm doing. I can't see running being much higher than that!
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Permalink Reply by Dave Haygarth on
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A wealth of YouTubery originally found here
Intro to Cyclocross with Martin Eadon, Martin Seddon & Paul Wright
Close contact drills
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Permalink Reply by ben warburton on -
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Permalink Reply by Lee Shunburne on
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Couldn't agree more about trying to emulate the pros, Dave! I'd be in a box within a couple of weeks if I tried it. I'm just curious as to where this idea has come from regarding running, I'm no discounting it. After all, when the weather's awful a short, sharp run can beat another hour on the rollers hands down.
Endurance runners are out there for less time than cyclists more because of the musculoskeletal damage caused by the constant impacts, rather than any great increase in energy consumption causing them to slow down quicker. More muscle groups are in use and will probably keep BMR up slightly after running in comparison to cycling, but we're looking at small differences here.
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Permalink Reply by racin' roddy on -
Just found this on web http://www.drmirkin.com/fitness/run_or_cycle.html not sure how accurate it is but it seems to support the running argument.
As Lee points out running has more injury issues.
The Martin Eadon vid's are very informative, ta.
In previous seasons I've pretty much gone into racing off a road season. Gonna built up my Kross and get out on the dirt, my usual first race = first ride on cx bike = disaster.
Anybody find any relevance in riding mtb races during summer?
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Permalink Reply by Lee Shunburne on
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NIce find Roddy. That (110 cal/mile) and this http://bjsportmed.com/content/11/3/116.full.pdf (0.97cal/kg/kilometre) give me a cost of 990 and 989 cals respectively at my average running speed of 9mph. So towards the upper end of my cycling energy cost but not significantly more.
Still 3 Mars bars per hour though :-)
(I know all the figures in the literature are in Kcal not cal, but at an average efficiency of 25% a direct conversion is reasonable. This applies on the bike as well.)
racin' roddy said:Just found this on web http://www.drmirkin.com/fitness/run_or_cycle.html not sure how accurate it is but it seems to support the running argument.
As Lee points out running has more injury issues.
The Martin Eadon vid's are very informative, ta.
In previous seasons I've pretty much gone into racing off a road season. Gonna built up my Kross and get out on the dirt, my usual first race = first ride on cx bike = disaster.
Anybody find any relevance in riding mtb races during summer?
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Permalink Reply by Dave Haygarth on
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Can we keep food out of this. I'm bloody drooling now.
I think (for me) running is synomimous with cycling at this time of year because of the 'peaks. I know that scrabbling my way up a 40 degree slope with a bike on my back is not going to be just trained for on the rollers or turbo, so I run. But there again, I run anyway. I've done the odd fell race here and there since I was about 20, so running's just part of what I do anyway.
I broke my collarbone last year and after initial recovery, could only ride, and not run. My riding was way, way worse all 'cross season - and I think that's a direct result, looking back. I'm not saying running's the answer (and let's be clear - Alan wasn't either...) it's just PART of the answer for ME and a few others.
Point taken about muscoskeletal damage (ace word!) - for info, I'd very rarely run more than an hour, largely because I only have one speed, and that's flat out. I'm useless at pacing when I run, and end up absolutely knackered!
Lee Shunburne said:Still 3 Mars bars per hour though :-)
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