Just to show that BikeNZ hasn't totally forgotten cyclesport outside of Track Endurance and BMX Cycling NZ organised training camps for U17 and U19 Junior Riders in between the TeA and CRI Tours in Waikato BOP. Ken Bewley and Lyndon Cooney ran the men's camp in Rotorua and Eddie Bright and Lynn Murphy ran the women's camp in Cambridge. I helped Ken and Lyndon in Rotorua.
We thought we were pretty damned cleaver splitting the boys from the girls till we arrived at the lodge in Rotorua to find a U18 women's school group of Vollyball Players from Australia including a teacher who had taught Cadel Evans at High School. Nice boy, very polite, back then. Distractions aside we settled in and laid out the plan for the camp which was more about recovery and getting to know other junior riders from around the country than a week of smashing each other on the bike.
Day two started with a nutrition lecture from me where I covered healthy eating, the supplements the NZ Track Team are using thanks to a talk from Glen Kearney at Track Nats and I had groups plan a race days eating for various events including racing in Asia where the biggest challenge was being able to figure out what you are eating. Most NZ teams end up in McDonalds. It was good that most of the people who spoke to me about nutrition wanted to know about healthy eating and race day plans rather than what was the best pill to take.
Riders then had a chance to do a ride or relax having completed TeA the day before. In the evening John Lee gave a lecture on Time Trials and we covered the rules on bike set up for this event as they appear to change quite regularly.
Day three started with a group ride that allowed the riders a chance to get a feel for the 2 circuits used in the CRI Tour. One thing Ken Bewley told me was that him and Sam always viewed any course before racing. In the afternoon we had a lecture from the New Zealand Sports Drug Agency. There are new rules for elite athletes where they must advise WADA of their whereabouts at all times.
Day four we did some ramp tests. Not seeking data but just giving riders who hadn't done one to get a feel for what they are all about. John took the U17s using his Tacx Fortius while the U19s used the Computrainer at the Waiariki Institute of Technology.
In the evening Ken outlined the pathway for U17 and U19 riders with the ambition of a more structured approach to riders entering U23 riders than making their own way to Belgium where most get sucked into a black hole and after 1-3 years of having a ball on Dads Visa are lost to the sport. The aim is to have NZ U23s riding at all major NZ events and then tackling some Aussie events before heading to Europe.
I then spoke on the Junior Selection Process. Number one change over previous years was a change from selecting representative teams (like teams going to Junior Worlds) to picking development teams. Riders that get the opportunity to race overseas are not being rewarded for results, they are being given the opportunity to gain more experience and come back to NZ and lift the standard of local racing benefiting everyone. I also covered the shift from a selection event to a selection period (this time from Wanganui Club Nats to CRI Tour with higher ratings for Nats and TeA Tour). This appreciates that the result sheet gives no indication of what may have happened in the race (case in point was the U19 men at TeA).
On the Friday we spent some time at the Waiariki Institute where Jan Borren covered bike set up and how to use various technologies to assist in the process. Then we headed to the gym to cover strength training and core conditioning. I naturally had to bite my tongue through most of this but the idea of the camp was to expose riders many of the different training methods and sport science support areas that they will encounter as they move up the food chain in cycling.
The camp ended Friday afternoon and we could tell the riders were starting to focus hard on CRI Tour and many had made plans to put into action using information they had gained from the camp. Alex McCrory-Bowick was a prime example. He had written his own eating, warm up, recovery strategy for the weekend and put on a dominating show in the U17s winning the first two stages and then virtually covering any attacks single handedly in the next two stages to take GC.
Thanks to Ken and Sue Bewley for looking after me so well while I was in Rotorua. This camp will be on again in 2010 so make plans to be there and the next big Junior event is Tour of Taranaki for riders we select to Canberra and as one of the last selection events for riders wanting to race the Tour de l'Abitibi in Canada.
Thursday, 23 April 2009
Track Cycling Training
A post I made to Fixed Gear Fever that summed up a lot of what I try to do with track cyclists.
Training depends on how far away your goal event is. If a long way away I would look at build extra capacity to ride the bike. Bigger muscles, stronger muscles, greater energy stores, lower body fat, better flexibility, work on better riding position and aerodynamics, invest in better equipment, ensure you can train specifically in a similar environment to your goal event etc.
If your goal event is pretty close then what you got is what you got. Training in this phase is all neural and should be as specific as possible. Track you will race on, gear you will use, race wheels, race kit etc.
Early season I think whatever works to get you into the best shape to make the most of the specific training. I don't pursuit up hills but am doing various hill efforts as it allows me to create a higher overload which means more power for longer and is assisting my weight loss goals. I am working the flexibility pretty hard as the flatter I can get on the bike the faster I go. A pursuit isn't over 1-4hours but I am road racing as again it's a good, fun and semi-easy way to work on my condition. So when it is business time I will be in the best shape to prepare for my goal event.
Here is where you get specific. Break the event down into it's components. For sprinting it's start, acceleration, speed endurance. I never piece them together in training (ie no full Kilos), just try and find suitable events. Never go overdistance (why do a 1250m TT at slower than goal pace). Create the overload at just above goal pace. I don't go too much into overspeed, strength or power. No point being able to ride 2.5sec for 50m if the next 150m runs 2.8, 3.1, 3.5. Full recovery between efforts.
Trick is to balance the conditioning with the specific training. Too much conditioning and you lose speed. Too much speed and you lose condition. Also specific work is f**king hard on the head. Best to do short blocks. For a sprinter 4 weeks at most. In the off season and early season I would run several specific blocks to stay in touch with race speed but only a week, two at most.
For a pursuiter you could go as long as 12 weeks as the training is not as anaerobic but interesting that Hayden Roulston was riding a stage race in France 14 days out from taking Silver in Beijing and Brad Magee riding 4.16 2 days after finishing the Tour de France. What better way to get into the best condition possible and rely on previous experience to deliver on the track.
Training depends on how far away your goal event is. If a long way away I would look at build extra capacity to ride the bike. Bigger muscles, stronger muscles, greater energy stores, lower body fat, better flexibility, work on better riding position and aerodynamics, invest in better equipment, ensure you can train specifically in a similar environment to your goal event etc.
If your goal event is pretty close then what you got is what you got. Training in this phase is all neural and should be as specific as possible. Track you will race on, gear you will use, race wheels, race kit etc.
Early season I think whatever works to get you into the best shape to make the most of the specific training. I don't pursuit up hills but am doing various hill efforts as it allows me to create a higher overload which means more power for longer and is assisting my weight loss goals. I am working the flexibility pretty hard as the flatter I can get on the bike the faster I go. A pursuit isn't over 1-4hours but I am road racing as again it's a good, fun and semi-easy way to work on my condition. So when it is business time I will be in the best shape to prepare for my goal event.
Here is where you get specific. Break the event down into it's components. For sprinting it's start, acceleration, speed endurance. I never piece them together in training (ie no full Kilos), just try and find suitable events. Never go overdistance (why do a 1250m TT at slower than goal pace). Create the overload at just above goal pace. I don't go too much into overspeed, strength or power. No point being able to ride 2.5sec for 50m if the next 150m runs 2.8, 3.1, 3.5. Full recovery between efforts.
Trick is to balance the conditioning with the specific training. Too much conditioning and you lose speed. Too much speed and you lose condition. Also specific work is f**king hard on the head. Best to do short blocks. For a sprinter 4 weeks at most. In the off season and early season I would run several specific blocks to stay in touch with race speed but only a week, two at most.
For a pursuiter you could go as long as 12 weeks as the training is not as anaerobic but interesting that Hayden Roulston was riding a stage race in France 14 days out from taking Silver in Beijing and Brad Magee riding 4.16 2 days after finishing the Tour de France. What better way to get into the best condition possible and rely on previous experience to deliver on the track.
Sprint Cycling Training
Here are some random thoughts I had about training sprinters.
1. The law of averages beats the law of extremes.
Everyone seems to want to hit peak speed, cadences, power, weights in the gym, mileage in training. Even in a 200m sprint one can't sustain peak power for the whole 200m and I believe it's preparing to sustain that power over the goal duration and finding a healthy balance in training that will make for the best sprinter.
2. Conditioning conditioning conditioning
When I did Sport Aerobics (a strength and power sport) we went to an Evil Russian Gymnastics Coach to learn skills but when he looked at us the first thing he said was "conditioning conditioning conditioning". You can build all the power in the world but without good condition you will not be able to take advantage of this.
This was the rationale behind the conditioning blocks. I don't think we got these spot on. By making them 6sec on 54 sec off I think people were doing them too hard. The intention was to do 5-10 sets of 10reps. Most people were cooked after 2-3 sets.
3. Conditioning for sprinters
Sprinters do not need to do rides over 2 hours. Seb Coe and his father Peter used a 2 up 2 down approach to preparing for events. A match sprinter or Keirin rider need to do efforts at the anaerobic power level. 2 up includes alactic capacity and alactic power, 2 down is anaerobic capacity and aerobic power. A downhill cyclist and Kilo rider focus on anaerobic capacity and instead of alactic power they need aerobic capacity.
Even keen to see people getting out and riding some Criteriums and Short Road Races (<25mile/40km) as a fun way to get some good conditioning. But unless you want to become a Pro roadie no 6 hour rides.
4. Alactic and Anaerobic are easier to develop than Aerobic
I think the Aussies have it totally wrong. They obsess on max power, max speed and peak strength. Speed endurance is tacked on at the end. As mentioned in point one this experiment has failed. They have some very fast riders who are unfit and get progressively slower over a ride, over an event, over an event and over the season.
I am going to plan on keeping the 3 week conditioning block but shorten the speed blocks to 1 week. The problem with all speed and no condition is you can't hold the speed for long. All condition and no speed means you stay slow and the same slow all event long. The 3 week conditioning block and 1 week speed block will help you to achieve excellent form and the speed blocks will help you stay in touch with your speed.
5. Sprints are going long.
In the past on big tracks you could hold the sprint to well past the 200m mark. Now with smaller tracks and with it hard to pass on the bends (and straights) riders are going early. Even makes the 200m hard assess opponents with sprints running 300-500m long. Another reason to avoid focusing on peak power.
6. Peaking for the sprinter
My plan is to run a 4 week speed and taper block. I had worked on a 3 week block but some riders felt 4 weeks was better.
7. Tactics
The most important tactic is to be in control. In the individual events it is controlling your ride, your line, your pace, your position. In matched rides it is controlling your opponents. This applies if behind or leading out. In the lead judging your speed so you don't get jumped but not carting your opponent to the line. From behind forcing the opponent to use more energy to try and keep them guessing when you will strike.
8. Planning
I think we still need better race plans. I learnt this from 7 time NZ Sprint Champs Jon Andrews who was meticulous in his preparation for any event. Also from Aussie World Kilo Champ Martin Vinnicombe who after finishing 2nd at Seoul Olympics sat down and mapped out the next four years to the day on winning Gold.
9. Diet
I have really been focusing on getting my weight down and fully paying attention to what I eat. Amazing how calories creep up on you and how I am eating more and but taking in less calories. And also eating a far more nutritious diet. Had a Meatball Subway and realised it had 4000kilojoules whereas the same size (volume of food) chicken breast Sub was only 2000kilojoules. Less body fat = higher power to weight, less to accelerate, lower frontal surface area and increased ability to maintain a aerodynamic riding position.
10. Equipment.
On the track Double Discs for all individual events on indoor tracks and Discs Trispoke Combination for Sprint and Keirin. Vittoria Pista Evo are the tyre of choice. 19mm for TTs and 22mm for everything else.
11. Warm Ups
No 6 hour warm ups like the French or Aussies. 5-15min is heaps so your muscles are ready and you are not worn out by the time you hit the line!
12. Racing
Need quality racing. Especially leading into events. Even if you have to travel. Even if the legs are not there need to go through the motions to get big race day perfectly dialled in. In 1996 this was the difference between Gary Neiwand and Darryn Hill (top 2 qualifiers in 200m at Atlanta) and Jens Fiedler. Jens had been racing all year long while the Aussies had been training all the way. He was able to stay focused on the task at hand as he had been doing it all year long.
1. The law of averages beats the law of extremes.
Everyone seems to want to hit peak speed, cadences, power, weights in the gym, mileage in training. Even in a 200m sprint one can't sustain peak power for the whole 200m and I believe it's preparing to sustain that power over the goal duration and finding a healthy balance in training that will make for the best sprinter.
2. Conditioning conditioning conditioning
When I did Sport Aerobics (a strength and power sport) we went to an Evil Russian Gymnastics Coach to learn skills but when he looked at us the first thing he said was "conditioning conditioning conditioning". You can build all the power in the world but without good condition you will not be able to take advantage of this.
This was the rationale behind the conditioning blocks. I don't think we got these spot on. By making them 6sec on 54 sec off I think people were doing them too hard. The intention was to do 5-10 sets of 10reps. Most people were cooked after 2-3 sets.
3. Conditioning for sprinters
Sprinters do not need to do rides over 2 hours. Seb Coe and his father Peter used a 2 up 2 down approach to preparing for events. A match sprinter or Keirin rider need to do efforts at the anaerobic power level. 2 up includes alactic capacity and alactic power, 2 down is anaerobic capacity and aerobic power. A downhill cyclist and Kilo rider focus on anaerobic capacity and instead of alactic power they need aerobic capacity.
Even keen to see people getting out and riding some Criteriums and Short Road Races (<25mile/40km) as a fun way to get some good conditioning. But unless you want to become a Pro roadie no 6 hour rides.
4. Alactic and Anaerobic are easier to develop than Aerobic
I think the Aussies have it totally wrong. They obsess on max power, max speed and peak strength. Speed endurance is tacked on at the end. As mentioned in point one this experiment has failed. They have some very fast riders who are unfit and get progressively slower over a ride, over an event, over an event and over the season.
I am going to plan on keeping the 3 week conditioning block but shorten the speed blocks to 1 week. The problem with all speed and no condition is you can't hold the speed for long. All condition and no speed means you stay slow and the same slow all event long. The 3 week conditioning block and 1 week speed block will help you to achieve excellent form and the speed blocks will help you stay in touch with your speed.
5. Sprints are going long.
In the past on big tracks you could hold the sprint to well past the 200m mark. Now with smaller tracks and with it hard to pass on the bends (and straights) riders are going early. Even makes the 200m hard assess opponents with sprints running 300-500m long. Another reason to avoid focusing on peak power.
6. Peaking for the sprinter
My plan is to run a 4 week speed and taper block. I had worked on a 3 week block but some riders felt 4 weeks was better.
7. Tactics
The most important tactic is to be in control. In the individual events it is controlling your ride, your line, your pace, your position. In matched rides it is controlling your opponents. This applies if behind or leading out. In the lead judging your speed so you don't get jumped but not carting your opponent to the line. From behind forcing the opponent to use more energy to try and keep them guessing when you will strike.
8. Planning
I think we still need better race plans. I learnt this from 7 time NZ Sprint Champs Jon Andrews who was meticulous in his preparation for any event. Also from Aussie World Kilo Champ Martin Vinnicombe who after finishing 2nd at Seoul Olympics sat down and mapped out the next four years to the day on winning Gold.
9. Diet
I have really been focusing on getting my weight down and fully paying attention to what I eat. Amazing how calories creep up on you and how I am eating more and but taking in less calories. And also eating a far more nutritious diet. Had a Meatball Subway and realised it had 4000kilojoules whereas the same size (volume of food) chicken breast Sub was only 2000kilojoules. Less body fat = higher power to weight, less to accelerate, lower frontal surface area and increased ability to maintain a aerodynamic riding position.
10. Equipment.
On the track Double Discs for all individual events on indoor tracks and Discs Trispoke Combination for Sprint and Keirin. Vittoria Pista Evo are the tyre of choice. 19mm for TTs and 22mm for everything else.
11. Warm Ups
No 6 hour warm ups like the French or Aussies. 5-15min is heaps so your muscles are ready and you are not worn out by the time you hit the line!
12. Racing
Need quality racing. Especially leading into events. Even if you have to travel. Even if the legs are not there need to go through the motions to get big race day perfectly dialled in. In 1996 this was the difference between Gary Neiwand and Darryn Hill (top 2 qualifiers in 200m at Atlanta) and Jens Fiedler. Jens had been racing all year long while the Aussies had been training all the way. He was able to stay focused on the task at hand as he had been doing it all year long.
Update: Getting colder
Gidday everyone
It’s been a crazy year. Going from Commissaires Course to MTB Nationals to Track Nationals, back to Tertiary study, to Post Grad Study, to 2 Junior Selection events and a Cycling NZ Junior Training Camp and other events it has been an intensive learning phase. New ideas and better combinations of ideas which some have seen and others will see when they get their next programme.
Study is going well. In my first semester of a Bachelor of Applied Science at CPIT with a Sport Sciences Major. This term we are covering communication, anatomy, physiology, nutrition and fitness assessment. But being a glutton for punishment I have signed up to carry on with the Post Grad Diploma in Science in Community Nutrition through Otago University starting next semester.
Just come back from the North Island where I had my Cycling NZ Junior Selector Cap on looking at U19 and U17 men’s and women’s riders to go into NZ Developmental Teams to events in Canberra, Adelaide and Canada. The Canadian event sounds awesome and includes a time trial that starts in a Mine 800m underground.
In between the Te Awamutu Tour and Rotorua Tour I assisted Ken Bewley and Lyndon Cooney at a Cycling NZ training camp for the guys in Rotorua (the women also had one in Cambridge) where we had four days of lectures, rides and some fun events. I took a session on Nutrition and on the Cycling NZ selection process.
Only down side of the camp was I did very little exercise and have put some weight back on. But now I am home it’s back out on the bike even though things are cooling down in Christchurch. Looking forward to doing some racing with the Winter Series about to start.
As per usual riders have been doing the bizzo around the world. Cameron Cole was an excellent 6th at the first UCI World Cup Downhill event in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa with Justin Leov in 7th. David Vazquez was 19th and Sam Blenkinsop 29th.
Justin backed up his performance from South Africa with 4th place at the Sea Otter a week later in Monterey, California. Justin, Cameron, Sam and Amy Laird have all been named in the New Zealand team to ride the World MTB Champs in Canberra later in the year.
Nicole Anderson featured in the last two NPS events taking 5th in both Grape Ride and Round Brunner events working hard to combine a new job involving a bit of travel with her racing.
Tom Hubbard has made a promising return from illness that had him thinking his season was lost. As an U19 he placed 9th at Le Race then put on some great rides to finish 2nd in the Grape Ride before riding well at Te Awamutu and going on to win a stage at Rotorua and placing 3rd on general classification.
Brooke Williams and Will Bowman both rode Te Awamutu for the first time and found out what a challenging event it can be. Adding that many of the North Island riders had up to four stage races in their legs before this event. Will bounced back with solid performances at Rotorua and really stood out in the Criterium.
So keep riding, eat well, stay healthy, aim to be a lean mean cycling machine and look forward to hearing your performances over out winter and the Northern summer.
Hamish
Will Bow Wow Man enjoying some chammy time at Rotorua Camp.
Tom Hubbard wanting to know when he can do some more 1000km weeks.
The finish of the Downhill at MTB Nats in Nelson. You guys are nuts!!!
Amy Laird at 27 still loves playing in the mud???
Downhill Cyclists load up for a ride to the top and faster ride back down.
The budget at training camp was pretty tight so we ended up eating the U17s.
It’s been a crazy year. Going from Commissaires Course to MTB Nationals to Track Nationals, back to Tertiary study, to Post Grad Study, to 2 Junior Selection events and a Cycling NZ Junior Training Camp and other events it has been an intensive learning phase. New ideas and better combinations of ideas which some have seen and others will see when they get their next programme.
Study is going well. In my first semester of a Bachelor of Applied Science at CPIT with a Sport Sciences Major. This term we are covering communication, anatomy, physiology, nutrition and fitness assessment. But being a glutton for punishment I have signed up to carry on with the Post Grad Diploma in Science in Community Nutrition through Otago University starting next semester.
Just come back from the North Island where I had my Cycling NZ Junior Selector Cap on looking at U19 and U17 men’s and women’s riders to go into NZ Developmental Teams to events in Canberra, Adelaide and Canada. The Canadian event sounds awesome and includes a time trial that starts in a Mine 800m underground.
In between the Te Awamutu Tour and Rotorua Tour I assisted Ken Bewley and Lyndon Cooney at a Cycling NZ training camp for the guys in Rotorua (the women also had one in Cambridge) where we had four days of lectures, rides and some fun events. I took a session on Nutrition and on the Cycling NZ selection process.
Only down side of the camp was I did very little exercise and have put some weight back on. But now I am home it’s back out on the bike even though things are cooling down in Christchurch. Looking forward to doing some racing with the Winter Series about to start.
As per usual riders have been doing the bizzo around the world. Cameron Cole was an excellent 6th at the first UCI World Cup Downhill event in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa with Justin Leov in 7th. David Vazquez was 19th and Sam Blenkinsop 29th.
Justin backed up his performance from South Africa with 4th place at the Sea Otter a week later in Monterey, California. Justin, Cameron, Sam and Amy Laird have all been named in the New Zealand team to ride the World MTB Champs in Canberra later in the year.
Nicole Anderson featured in the last two NPS events taking 5th in both Grape Ride and Round Brunner events working hard to combine a new job involving a bit of travel with her racing.
Tom Hubbard has made a promising return from illness that had him thinking his season was lost. As an U19 he placed 9th at Le Race then put on some great rides to finish 2nd in the Grape Ride before riding well at Te Awamutu and going on to win a stage at Rotorua and placing 3rd on general classification.
Brooke Williams and Will Bowman both rode Te Awamutu for the first time and found out what a challenging event it can be. Adding that many of the North Island riders had up to four stage races in their legs before this event. Will bounced back with solid performances at Rotorua and really stood out in the Criterium.
So keep riding, eat well, stay healthy, aim to be a lean mean cycling machine and look forward to hearing your performances over out winter and the Northern summer.
Hamish
Will Bow Wow Man enjoying some chammy time at Rotorua Camp.
Tom Hubbard wanting to know when he can do some more 1000km weeks.
The finish of the Downhill at MTB Nats in Nelson. You guys are nuts!!!
Amy Laird at 27 still loves playing in the mud???
Downhill Cyclists load up for a ride to the top and faster ride back down.
The budget at training camp was pretty tight so we ended up eating the U17s.
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