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Do thoughts of a mass start swim with 300 plus eager triathlon-types haunt your dreams? Or is it the fear of having to swim in a body of water that might not be as peaceful as that calm pool and the ever helpful blue line along the bottom to guide your progress? Just what lurks in the dark depths of all those lakes and rivers we so freely jump into? Maybe nothing at all, but if you were a spectator for several of the recent New York City triathlons, watching the legions of triathletes emerge from the Hudson river with a slight brownish hue to their complexion might leave you wondering!

With countless triathlons under my belt, I still get nervous before the start of the swim and certainly think twice about those non-wet suit swims (the wet suit is my version of a safety blanket). Does this dissuade me from participating in triathlons? No. My fear washes away once I safely reach that first buoy with my goggles still firmly in place. As the numbers participating in triathlons grows exponentially, are these multi-sport addicts over-looking something which on paper appears far easier, yet in reality might be an even more challenging event – the Duathlon?

Just what is a duathlon (or as some refer to it – biathlon)?

No, we are not talking about that obscure winter sport we only see on television during a Winter Olympic year. You know, the one where the athletes cross-country ski and shoot at tiny targets with 22 caliber rifles carried on their back. While that might be the more global sporting definition of a biathlon, what we are talking about is a triathlon without the swim. Let’s be frank, just as Lance Armstrong revived American cycling, the Ironman has done wonders to the sport of triathlon. In fact, many multi-sport athletes might not even know of the existence of the sport of duathlon. I am willing to bet if you told your co-workers you competed in a duathlon over the weekend the likely response would be a look of utter confusion. However, mention you competed in a triathlon and all will not only understand, but perhaps share their own triathlon aspirations – as the triathlon has replaced the marathon as the ‘in’ endurance event for weekend warriors alike!

A few seasons ago, Inside Triathlon ran a story entitled ‘Demise of Duathlon’. The story cited the go-go years of duathlon, which in the late 80s and 90s had its own national series sponsored by none other than Coors Light (and (boasting huge prize lists for the professionals). Unfortunately, Coors Light left the sport long ago, being replaced on a smaller scale by Dannon, who left the sport in 2004 citing declining participation. While many professional duathletes have followed the money train to triathlons, which is now getting the lion share of the national advertising dollar thanks in part to the growing legions of Ironmen, does this mean duathlon is dead for us amateurs? Of course not!

Every spring for the past decade I have toed the start line for the annual March Madness biathlon in New York’s Central Park, an event which has seen sell-out crowds of over 600 duathletes for the past several years. While quite common in triathlons, a sold-out duathlon is a rare occurrence in most parts of the country. That is not the case for this early season New York City classic (fittingly called the March Madness Biathlon), as dormant multi-sport athletes emerge from their hibernation to test their early season form. This event has also seen some big names grace the winner’s podium over the years, including multi-sport legends Mark Allen (who won here in 1986) and Kenny Souza (won in 1987). Does Dan Honig, president and founder of the New York Triathlon Club (and the one responsible for the March Madness race), think the sport of duathlon is dead? Doubtful, as the New York Triathlon Club schedule of events has been steadily growing every year since the mid-80s and will commonly feature a dozen or more duathlons each season, with many running along side of triathlons – a recipe that is growing in popularity for race promoters.

Personally, I got my multi-sport start with duathlons. A cyclist in high school and college, I had always done some running on the side, so duathlons seemed an easy choice. For years I resisted the urge to do triathlons for several reasons. My first excuse was the most simple – time. Where was I going to find time to swim? Cycling and running already occupied the majority of my free time, so how could I conceivably fit in another sport (especially one I had not participated in since college?) My second excuse would be categorized by my therapist as a ‘fight or flight’ response (ie. the thought of a mass start swim scared the heck out of me). Ironically, it was a running injury that forced me into the pool and my triathlon career began. Have I forgotten about duathlons? No way, as I am a firm believer that the best way to prepare for a triathlon is a nice fast early season duathlon!

But I am a Triathlete – why should I do a duathlon?

When I competed in my first duathlon, my idea of a transition area was a place to put my Green Bay Packers folding chair as I leisurely swapped my running shoes for cycling shoes. With two nearly identical transitions, a duathlon is the perfect opportunity to practice your transition skills. Sure, there is no wetsuit to contend with, but now you have to change shoes twice and you will quickly learn that every second counts as the pack of racers tends to stay closer together when there isn’t a swim to break it up.

Besides the transition area practice, a duathlon is the ultimate combination workout (or ‘brick’ as we have come to call them). As multi-sport athletes, we have to teach our body to perform a variety of athletic tasks while fatigued. If you think the running segment of a triathlon is challenging after swimming and biking, try running twice in an event - it will make that sprint triathlon feel like a walk in the park! Trust me when I say a duathlon is the ultimate ‘brick’ workout.

The final appeal for the duathlon is the lack of a swim – something many of us could do without on occasion. I am not afraid of the water, but I can do without that guy who refuses to swim in a straight line and thus swims over the back of your legs, or better yet feels you in his draft and does a dolphin kick that catches your nose and rips the goggles from your face. That is when my version of panic sets in! Trust me when I say the swim portion of a triathlon does get easier with experience. Perhaps it is this not so uncommon fear of the water has kept potential multi-sport athletes from joining our ranks? If so, what better way to get you feet wet, than with a duathlon?
While the sport of duathlon might not have the same support and following across the country, the Mid-Atlantic States are full of duathlons, with a race calendar that stretches from March through October (check out my own list of local duathlons below). To find out more info on duathlons, go to http://www.usatriathlon.com/Duathlon/duathlon_home.htm or visit the only website dedicated to the sport (www.duathlon.com).


2008 Duathlon Calendar for the Mid-Atlantic region (not all races listed)

Mar 30 - Virginia Duathlon (5k/23mi/5k), VA
Mar 30 - March Madness Du (2mi/12mi/2mi), NY
April 6 - Brandywine Duathlon (5k/30k/5k), DE
April 13 - Powerman Alabama (8k/50k/8k), AL
April 13 - Brooklyn biathlon (2mi/10mi/2mi), NY
April 26 - Duathlon Nationals (10k/40k/5k), VA
April 27 - Bronx Biathlon (3mi/20mi/3mi), NY
May 4 - Trooper biathlon (2mi/14mi/2mi), NY
May 18 - Queens biathlon (3mi/18mi/3mi), NY
May 24 - Hammonton Du (& tri), NJ
June 1 - Belleplain du (1mi/15mi/3mi), NJ
June 8 (& Aug 17) - Harriman State Park duathlon (& tri), NY
June 14 - Thundergust duathlon (& tri), NJ
June 22 - Flat as a Pancake duathlon (& tri), Staten Island, NY
June 22 - Westchester biathlon, Rye, NY
July 6 - Philadelphia Women’s duathlon (& tri), Philly, PA
July 13 - Hudson Valley Du (& tri), NY
July 19 - Sunset Sprint duathlon (& tri), Bridgeton, NJ
July 20 - Putnam Du (& tri), Putnam NY
Aug. 17 - Lums Pond duathlon (& tri), Bear, DE
Sept. 7 (& Oct. 5) - Central Park duathlon, New York, NY
Sept. 13 - Fox Run Du, DE
Sept. 14 - Skylands duathlon (& tri), Clinton, NJ
Sept. 20 - Vineland Exchange Club Du (& tri), NJ
Sept. 21 - Endless Summer Du, Long Beach island
Sept. 28 - Cape Henlopen duathlon (& tri), Bear, DE

By Mikael Hanson
Director of Performance - NYC

Labels: duathlon, triathlon

Most of us remember Eddy Merckx's response when he was asked for his advice for young riders aspiring to become professionals: "Ride Lots". Though Merckx is thought by many to be the greatest rider of all time, this sort of simplistic training methodology bares little resemblance to the highly specific and periodized, science based training plans of the stars of today. And in truth, even the great Eddy had a lot more structure to his training than he let on.

The difference between "just riding" and actually training with a purpose is that when you train you must recognize that every workout has a purpose. This is easy for us to forget in the fall and winter months when many of us are coming off of less structured periods of training and beginning base training composed primarily of endurance rides. Yet many of us look forward to this time of the year as a time when we can enjoy the longer, lower intensity, more social rides without the stress of a lot of intensity training, racing and traveling. Don't be misled though; there is much more to an endurance ride than "just riding". Like any other workout, an endurance ride serves a specific purpose and if done incorrectly can at best be of little training value and at worst lead to over-reaching (and ultimately over-training), injury and burnout.

Purpose of endurance rides:

- Mechanical efficiency. Though one-legged drills, fast cadence drills, riding a fixed gear bike and rollers can all help make your pedal stroke more efficient, the simple act of pedaling thousands or even millions of pedal strokes may do the most to make your pedaling as smooth and even as possible. All of this repetition should also help you to identify any bike fit or body misalignment issues (i.e. if you need to see a doctor or a chiropractor)

- Metabolic efficiency. Lower intensity rides (zones 1-3) will help teach the body to burn fat as a primary energy source. When we do Lactate Threshold tests in our lab, we can always tell when people need to spend more time developing their aerobic base because they accumulate lactic acid even at relatively low intensities (zone 1-2). Since lactic acid is a bi product of anaerobic energy production, premature lactate accumulation is a sure sign that these riders need to develop the ability to efficiently metabolize fat for energy. Burning muscle glycogen (which is in limited supply) for energy rather than fat (which there is a large supply of even in the leanest athletes) means that you will not be able to make the key high intensity efforts when it really counts.

- Improve the body's ability to transport blood and oxygen. When we talk about "aerobic fitness" this is primarily what we are talking about. High intensity exercise can also accomplish this, but these levels cannot be sustained as long and repeated bouts of high intensity exercise every day can lead to overreaching, illness and injury. Development of aerobic fitness will mean that the body will respond better to the intensity workouts that come later on.

- Muscular strength. Though muscle mass will be generated more effectively in the gym, on the bike strength training is what will make this muscle mass more functional on the bike. In order to keep heart rate and power in zone 2 uphill, it is often necessary to pedal at very low rpms. If you are able to stay seated with good form this can be an opportunity not only to keep your heart rate and power down, but also to work on cycling-specific muscular strength.

- Fat Loss. Though you will more fat in a 1 hour ride at LT than you will on a 1 hour endurance ride, you won't be able to do 1 hour LT rides every day, whereas most experienced riders are capable of completing 4, 5, and even 6 hour endurance rides on a regular basis. A typical cyclist will burn 350-800 kCal.hour on the bike, so if you need to shed some extra pounds before spring there is no better way to do it than to add endurance volume while monitoring your Caloric intake. You will still have to consume more Calories when you increase your training volume though. Cut out desserts, junk food and alcohol and cut portion size at dinner, especially on your light days or off days. Don't starve yourself on the bike. The more you eat on your rides, the more Calories you will burn and the better you will feel. If you are losing more than 1 pound per week (a caloric deficit of 500 kCal), you are losing weight too fast and should increase energy consumption and/or reduce training volume.

So how do we accomplish all of these goals most appropriately? When I examine power files from an athlete's endurance ride, this is what I look for:

- No more than 5% of the time above zone 2 heart rate. There will be times where it is difficult if not impossible to keep your heart rate down in zone 2. A little time in zone 3 is OK, but try to avoid extended periods above the upper limit of zone 2 HR.

Minus a pair of Zipp 999’s one of the easiest ways to increase cycling performance can be acquired in as little as two hours. A proper bike fit is the most overlooked factor in cycling performance and one of the easiest ways to increase speed. In the wrong position, an increase in fitness will not always transfer to increased speed. Correct positioning is the result of cycling experience, previous injuries, body size, flexibility, and technique.

Cycling experience is important factor because it is important to know how long an athlete has been riding in a certain position. Due to our adaptable nature it is possible to ride a saddle two inches below optimal but you will not activate the hamstring and gluteal muscles correctly, and for sure this will limit the amount of power generated.

Previous injuries can have a huge impact on your cycling position. A broken ankle from 15 years ago can change riding symmetry and result in imbalances. Many imbalances can be corrected or reduced by shimming, tiling, offsetting, etc. An experienced fit specialist will be able to explain which option is ideal for a given circumstance.

Correct cycling position is a question of arranging three contact points between the rider and bike: 1.Where the feet clip into the pedals, 2.Where the sit bones contact the saddle, 3.Where the hands/elbows hold the handlebars. The cleats are the only contact point locked into position and changes here can influence the action of the entire leg. Seat height and fore/aft position influence the transfer of power between the legs and the pedals. Aerobar height determines comfort and aerodynamics but be careful, bars that are too low relative to seat height can decrease power production. For triathletes, these factors are especially important because they must be maintained while trying to get the athlete as low and aerodynamic as possible.
A comprehensive bike fit that includes a dynamic assessment, using tools like Dartfish video analysis software, can determine if cycling posture and pedaling mechanics need improvement. This software can reveal problems with joint motions and display pre and post positions simultaneously using an overlay function that can fade in and out between the two. This software can also determine if changes made to the bike affect technique or dynamic fit, i.e. how an increase in seat height can increase ankle plantar flexion. These changes to form are not always readily apparent visually, but by using slow motion video playback or zooming in on a joint angle it can be very discernible.



The figure above displays some of the analysis tools of Dartfish. This software can accurately determine joint angles and provides instant feedback to dial in the perfect position. This rider is too compact and low on the bike in the pre position, picture on the left. By increasing seat height, moving the saddle forward, and changing the bar position the hip and knee angles increase at the top of the pedal stroke. This change increases the mechanical advantage and the power he can generate in an aerodynamic position. These changes also brought the arm angle in tighter decreasing the tension and stress on his upper body musculature.

This video analysis tool also allows us to see changes post fit otherwise not obvious with the naked eye. An increase in seat height may cause excessive planter flexion of the foot or reaching of the toes at bottom dead center of the pedal stroke. Trying to see this with the naked eye can be difficult but slowing down captured video or viewing an overlay of pre and post positions can make this very detectable. Too much planter flexion is a sign the seat has moved to high, too soon.

With all of the time and money we invest in the sport why limit your performance with a poor cycling position. A professional fit is one of the easiest ways to maximize your abilities and conserve as much energy as possible to make your overall triathlon event as successful as possible.

Here at Cadence, we never cease to be amazed at how many people out there are not fit well on their bikes. I am not just talking about small issues; I'm talking about seats 3 inches too low, stems 4 cm too long and bikes 3 sized too small. The truth is, our bodies are capable of adapting to a lot. Many people do not know they have a bad fit because they don't know what it feels like to be comfortable. Maybe they just assume that riding a bike is a painful experience because that is the way it has always been for them. So I am here to tell you that it doesn't have to be that way! A good bike fit can make you more comfortable, more powerful, more efficient and more aerodynamic as well as making the bike handle better and be safer to ride.

The first step is finding out whether you need a bike fit or not. Let me make it simple; if you haven't ever had a bike fit, you should get one. Trained cyclists with years of experience may be able to develop a hyper-sensitivity to changes to their position and end up eventually gravitate to the right position, but do you really want to sacrifice your comfort and performance for all that time? Go to someone that knows what they are doing and you won't regret it. A good bike fit can be expensive, but it is an investment. Simply put, if you aren't comfortable on the bike, you won't enjoy riding. Comfort aside, how much would you be willing to pay for 50 extra watts or 30 seconds off your time in the local time trial?

Common signs that your bike fit may be off could be: knee pain or hip pain, hot spots in your feet, numbness in your pelvic region or sore shoulders and back. If always find yourself pushing bigger gears it can be a sign that your pedaling could be very inefficient. A cyclist may pedal over 5 million revolutions per year, so even a 1 percent improvement in efficiency can pay huge dividends. If you feel stretched out if you hold firmly onto the brake levers or if your wrists feel uncomfortable when you hold firmly onto the drops; you should get a bike fit. With a good bike fit, the interface between body and bike is seamless. The bike should feel like an extension of the body rather than a vehicle you are struggling to keep control of.

Below is a description of some of Cadence's "pillars of bike fitting":

Individualization: A bike fit is unique to each individual. Even two identical twins with could have very different bike fits due to differences in flexibility, core strength, body composition, riding style, and personal preferences (such as pedals and saddle choice).

Specificity: It is important to know what the rider plans to do with the bike. A rider that wants to do road races will be fit differently than one who wants primarily to ride on bike tours or charity rides. A pursuiter is fit differently from a 40K time trialist. A sprint triathlete is fit different from an IronMan triathlete.

Fluidity: A bike fit is not static. The rider will change over time and the bike fit must change as well to accommodate these changes. Riders may gain or lose weight, core strength and flexibility. They may get injured. New riders will develop riding habits over time and old riders may change their habits. It is also important to re-examine bike fit after any component changes in the contact areas of the bike. These changes include, but are not limited to pedals, shoes, saddle, handlebars and brake/shift lever type (e.g. Shimano, Campy, SRAM). Even if your fit is good to begin with, any of these component changes can throw it off. It is also important to remember that saddles and cleats wear out, sometimes very quickly. If you do not replace them, your fit will suffer. Hyper-sensitive riders or those that have important events coming up may have to make changes incrementally to ensure that they adapt to the changes without injury.

The Cadence bike fit is a comprehensive process that usually takes 2-3 hours. Before we even look at a rider on their bike, we conduct an extensive athlete interview, athlete measurements, measurements of the current bike fit setup as well as a series of flexibility assessments. We talk to athletes about their goals, strengths, weaknesses, medical history and in particular any discomfort, inefficiency or power loss that they have experienced. All of these things can provide important clues as to what the root causes of their problems might be. Once we know what the problem is, fixing it is the easy part.

A good bike fitter should always try to treat the root cause of problems rather than merely the symptoms. Since bike and body parts alike are connected and inter-related, a problem can start out in one area, but be felt in another. Treating the symptoms without questioning the root cause is like putting a band-aid on a gunshot wound. It is also important to recognize the limitations of the bike fit. A bike fit is an optimization of the human-bike interface. If there is a problem with the bike, see a bike mechanic. If there is a problem with the rider, see a doctor.

If you are interested in finding out more about our bike fitting process or you would like to schedule a fit, please feel free to email or call us at 1-800-PRO-CADENCE. A retro bike fit costs $250 in Philadelphia and $315 in New York (there is an additional charge because New York utilizes Dartfish motion analysis software as a standard part of the bike fit). And in this holiday season, a bike fit might just be the perfect present for that special someone...

The cyclocross season is now over for many of us. For those going to Nationals in Kansas City there is one more week before the cross bikes get hung up on the hooks for the winter (that is, unless you are planning on going to World's). Coach Mike Kuhn and I had a great time going to cross races this season in the PA Series, the MAC series and the two USGPs in Trenton. With the help of Cycle-Ops, we were able to provide 10 trainers for riders to warm up on under the shelter of our tents. We were also able to get some racers to demo some sweet PowerTap 2.4 wireless wheels in their races. We were pleased to see that the wheels look good as new even after some serious abuse and riding in extreme conditions. These riders also provided us with some valuable data about the demands of cross racing.

In the first part of this series, I listed the summary data for a number of riders riding in the same race (Spring Mountain Cross). The power files we collected showed how cyclocross is extremely non-steady state, meaning that there are huge spikes in power followed by periods of zero power (while the rider is coasting, braking or running) and low power (while the rider is soft pedaling through technical sections). I theorized that the more technically proficient riders were able to spend more time pedaling, less time coasting and braking and they applied less braking force. This meant that they did not slow down as much and in turn did not have to make as much of an effort to re-accelerate. As evidence of this, the riders that performed better typically spent less time at sub-maximal power levels (defined as power outputs greater than 5.5 watts/kg) and had more "in the tank" at the end of the race to make an attack, follow an attack or close the gap on the rider in front.

Don't make the mistake that cyclocross, or any type of bike racing for that matter, is simply a matter of numbers. Certainly, riders that are more technically proficient are able conserve better and use their power when they need it most. This hardly means that the race is a lock though. The great thing about bike racing is that given the right circumstances, any rider may have the opportunity to win. The key for each rider is to design their training and race tactics well in order to have the greatest odds of success. In doing this, the power meter can be a very useful tool.

Let me give a few case studies of riders from different backgrounds, strengths and weaknesses to illustrate how we might put together a training plan and a race strategy tailored to each individual:

Dave: 25 year old endurance mountain bike racer. Dave did a few cross races last year but this year is making cross an equal priority. Dave's bike handling skills are fantastic, though he does not have much experience riding a cross bike and doing cross-specific things such as barriers and run-ups. Dave is 5'10" and 143 lbs. His Functional Threshold Power is 290 watts, 5 second mean maximal power (MMP) is 900 watts, his 1 minute MMP is 430 watts and his 5 minute MMP is 330 watts.

Kurt: 28 year old Cat. 1 road racer. He specializes in shorter road races and criteriums. Kurt is new to cyclocross and is treating it as an afterthought to the road season with no real ambitions except to have fun and improve his technical skills. He does not have a mountain bike and has never really spent any time riding off-road. Kurt is 6'0" and 168 lbs. His Functional Threshold power is 320, his 5 sec. MMP is 1500 watts, his 1 minute MMP is 700 watts and his 5 minute MMP is 450 watts.

Bob: 40 year old recreational rider/Cat. 5 road racer. He did a few road races last year but decided to give cross a try because he likes the laid back atmosphere. Although he loves to do group rides on weekends, he feels a bit intimidated by the pack aspect of road races. Bob owns a mountain bike and rides it occasionally but has never raced it. Bob is 5'10" and 180 lbs. His Functional Threshold Power is 275, his 5 sec. MMP is 1000 watts, his 1 minute MMP is 500 watts and his 5 minute MMP is 330 watts.

Let's start with Dave. Being an endurance mountain biker, Dave surely does not need to work on his endurance, especially to prepare for a 1 hour event. Likewise, his handling skills are very good so he will probably pick up the cross specific skills very quickly. For someone like Dave, the best way to do this is to get some experience in races and to do a course-simulation workout at least once a week. As cross has grown in popularity, many areas offer cross specific workouts where you will ride a short course with a group. If you do not live in an area with one of these sessions, you can find a local park or field and set up a short cross course (1.5-2 minutes) that includes some turns, some off-camber sections and 1-2 dismounts. Complete 4-6 repetitions of 2 laps "on", 1 lap "off". It is nice to vary the course each week to include different elements that you may encounter in races, such as sand, gravel, stairs, etc. After the ride, it is useful to download your power data and record average power and lap times for each lap. As a rider gains more experience, he should be able to choose his lines better and take the technical sections faster. However, with fatigue he may not be capable of producing as much power as the workout progresses, provided the "on" laps are really all out efforts.

Dave will clearly have difficulty making the hard accelerations that occur many times in cross races. In terms of race strategy, Dave will fair much better if he can ride in the front of a group. This will allow him to choose better lines and take the technical sections at speed instead riding behind less technically proficient riders and having to slow down and then sprint out of every turn. Riders behind him will not be able to take these sections as fast and will still have to make those jumps, which will wear them down. That said, Dave needs to get in front to begin with, to do that he needs to improve his sprint. It would benefit Dave to practice some cyclocross starts. To do these, you start with one foot down and then clip in as quickly as possible, go all out for 2 minutes and then settle into a pace that is just above functional threshold power for an additional 3 minutes. Although no cross race will have 5 minute periods of sustained power, this will help Dave practice the start of the race as well as improve his upper-end aerobic capacity. With practice, he should start to see the his power for the initial 2 minutes rise considerably.

Kurt is a very different case. His numbers indicate that he should be able to start well and get up to the front of the pack quickly. However, his lack of technical skills will make it more difficult on him than many other riders and he will get worn down throughout the race because he will decellerate more, and thereby have to accelerate much harder. The most important thing for Kurt is to get used to riding off road. Buying or borrowing a mountain bike and riding the trails once or twice a week could be of great benefit to him, and it could also be a fun way to maintain his endurance. If he is unable to get a mountain bike, riding his cross bike on some mountain bike trails can be equally and often even more beneficial. Because a cross bike has no suspension, you have to pick your lines very carefully. In sections that are too technical to ride, pick up the bike and run it. If you have a choice of trails, try to find terrain with a lot of twists and turns and avoid overly rocky sections, as they are unlike anything you would encounter in a cross race. Of course, use caution when doing these rides because there is little room for error when you are riding with no suspension. For more cross specific work, Kurt should also look for a weekly group cross workout. He should spend extra time working on skills such as dismounts and remounts, off-camber cornering and riding over loose surfaces. When riding off-road, look for low power averages and non-steady state power output. As you get more comfortable, try to spend more time pedaling and less time coasting or braking, which will result in higher power averages for the same relative level of exertion.

Like Dave, Kurt will want to ride in the front of his group if possible. Since he can accelerate faster than most others, he can use this to his advantage if he is in front because everyone behind him will also have to slow down more and re-accelerate harder. Riding like this could be a death sentence to a rider like Kurt. If you are worried that this type of riding will break the rules of cycling etiquette, don't be. Remember, it's a race!

Since Bob is not an experienced racer, he will have to build more general fitness than either Dave or Kurt. Although his races will last only 30-40 minutes, it is still important for him to develop his endurance by completing at least 1 longer endurance ride (2+ hours) every week. In cross season, this is best done on a cross bike because it will help you get more comfortable on the bike. If you have access to fire roads or dirt roads, riding on this kind of terrain can be ideal. As far as cross specific fitness goes, it is very likely that Bob needs to improve his ability to make repeated sprints. An excellent workout for this is a cross version of suicide drills. Anyone who has played basketball knows what I am talking about here, but for those that weren't subjected to that torture in 5th grade gym class, suicide drills are where you run as fast as you can to the foul line, turn around, run back, then sprint to the half court line, then back, then to the far foul line then back, etc... For cross, you can do these on a soccer or football field at 30, 50, 70 and 100 yards. Sprint as hard as you can off the line and make a quick 180 at the line, trying to turn in as small of a radius as possible. Make sure that you don't get bogged down in you gear and you are sprinting all out after each line. Complete 4-8 sets of these with 5 minutes recovery in between sets. Like the basketball version, it is not unusual to feel a bit nauseous. Look at your power files afterwards to see your max and 5 second power for the sprints as well as how well you are able to maintain that power as you fatigue.

Finally, like Dave and Kurt, Bob should also try to do a weekly group cross workout to prepare for the specific demands of cross racing. The one thing that Bob needs to be a bit more careful about, however, is not overdoing it. As an older rider it will take him longer to recover from his workouts than Dave or Kurt, and I would bet that if he did a group cross workout Tuesday, endurance ride on Wednesday and cross suicide drills on Thursday, he would still be tired on Saturday when the race rolls around, meaning that he would not be performing at 100%. Remember that training is a balance of stress and recovery. Doing more training than you can recover from will only lead to fatigue, illness, injury and burnout. It can be useful to examine your Training Stress Balance, or TSB (for definition, see my blog posted on 11/2). If the race is a A or B priority, the TSB should be positive going into the weekend.

For race strategy, the most important thing for Bob is to be realistic. He should look at the riders that are placing just in front of him in early season races and try to stay with them. If Bob has no realistic chance of placing in the top 10, it won't help him to kill himself to try to get to the front of the pack at the start. His best bet is to find riders that are just a little bit better than he is, try to stay with them and hopefully beat them. As he starts to do this, his goals may become more ambitious and when he starts to consistently finish in the top 5 it is probably time to upgrade.

Good luck to all those racing at National Championships this weekend and a happy winter to everyone else! I hope you have enjoyed this series of articles and I encourage you to send me any comments or questions that you may have. Thanks for reading!

It was another exciting round of cyclocross racing in New Jersey at Beacon and Highland Park this past weekend; both were UCI races and part of the Mid-Atlantic Cross Series. Davide Frattini and Georgia Gould won both days with the right combination of form and fitness. Georgia impressed us all by winning the Men's B race on Saturday and placing well again on Sunday (starting at the back of the field both days) before riding away from all her competitors in the women's races both days.

Last week I posted power numbers for some of the riders that rode with PowerTap wheels in the Spring Mountain race. Just to refresh, a few things immediately stand out about these files:

1. Very non steady-state efforts
2. Relatively low power; far less than what the riders would be capable of producing for a steady-state effort of the same duration.
3. Low cadence. Average cadences were 67-80 rpm.

So what makes cyclocross so hard? It certainly isn't the high average power, or even normalized power. Is it the low cadence? Is it the running? How important is technical ability? Does better technique mean that a rider will not have to put out as much power to go the same speed? And finally, what qualities make a good cross racer?

When you look at power files from any cyclocross race, there are 3 "modes" that a racer will be in almost all the time:

1. Sub-Maximal. This is the point that is just short of a sprint, about a 9.5 out of 10 on the intensity scale. In non-technical sections with good traction and no obstacles, riders can really lay down the power. These efforts can range anywhere from 2-3 seconds up to about 30 seconds on courses with long open sections. In the course of a 60 minute race a rider may have to make up to 200 of these efforts. Though the length of the efforts is highly course dependant, they are rarely over 30 seconds. Since Normalized Power is calculated using a 30 second rolling average, that number will not truly reflect the difficulty of the race like it will in criteriums and road races that include regular 30 second+ hard efforts.

2. Coasting. No power is applied to the pedals. This could occur going down a hill, into a turn or into the barriers. These efforts typically range from 1-5 seconds.

3. Braking. Although braking and coasting will both register as zero power, I will make the distinction here because braking is actually the application of additional opposing force. Remember my definition of Speed = [Power - opposing force]. On a flat road, about 85% of the opposing force is from aerodynamic drag with the other 15% from gravity, rolling resistance and drivetrain resistance. When a rider goes uphill, more of the resistance is from gravity and as they slow down the amount of aerodyamic drag increases. Off road, aerodynamic resistance is minimal because of the slower speeds, but rolling resistance is much more significant. Braking force is rarely considered in road racing because the brakes are used so infrequently, but it is highly significant off road. So maybe before you go on that crash diet and try to lose 10 lbs, you should ask yourself if you could brake a little less, or perhaps not quite as hard.

4. Soft Pedaling. These are the sections that are too technical for a rider to go full throttle, but they can still pedal through. These usually occur around tight turns or off-camber sections of the course. These efforts are usually 3-10 seconds in duration. Power output is typically in the recovery or endurance zones.

What is conspicuously missing here are the long steady state efforts that would occur often in road racing and even in mountain biking.

If we examine in detail the file of a technically proficient rider, you will see that they spend less time coasting and more time pedaling. A good technical rider is still soft-pedaling when others are coasting. This means that they will come much closer to actually producing the power they are capable of (as we saw with Kyle last week).

The other factor is that the better technical rider makes less severe decellerations. Less severe decelleration means that the reacceleration is also less severe. Think of it this way: every time you lose speed through an obstacle you have to get back up to speed after you clear the obstacle. If you don't lose as much speed, you don't have to apply as much power or apply power for as long to get back up to speed. This energy savings adds up. Though some of us have more matches to burn than others, no one has an unlimited number of matches. Every re-acceleration takes energy and causes muscular fatigue, so a rider that is constantly slamming on his brakes and then sprinting back up to speed is at a distinct disadvantage and most likely won't have much left at the end of the race to sprint, attack or chase.

As evidence of this, we can examine a couple close races at Spring Mountain. In the B race, Woody and Johann were 2nd and 3rd, respectively, and finished only 5 seconds apart. Woody, as the better technical rider, spent 8 minutes and 27 seconds (~19%) at sub-maximal power levels (>5.5 watts/kg) whereas Johann spent 9 minutes and 11 seconds (~20%) in that zone. In the elite race, we can examine John (4th place) and Colin (5th place) who finished 1 minute apart. John spent 13 minutes and 10 seconds (21%) at sub-maximal power levels compared to Colin's 15 minutes and 24 seconds (25%).

So, what does it take to be a good cross racer?

1. The ability to make repeated sub-maximal efforts with little recovery.

2. Good technical skills: more time pedaling, less time coasting, less time braking and less severe braking. This of course, should all be done while keeping it upright :)

3. Good muscular strength. This is necessary because of the low cadence/high torque nature of the sport.

Of course, there are other factors as well, such as being able to start a race with a 15-30 second all out sprint, transitioning on and off the bike well, being able to run with the bike, and of course, a lot of mental toughness. Next week I will talk about how we can create workouts and race strategies that will best capture the unique demands of cross racing and help racers minimize their weaknesses and maximize their strengths.

This weekend Trenton will host the biggest weekend of cross racing on the East Coast, so I hope to see you all out there with your cowbells!

by Mikael Hanson , Director of Performance for Cadence Cycling and Multisport Centers - NYC

If you are anything like me, the arrival of fall elicits mixed emotions. Sure, the turning of the leaves signals the much-anticipated start of the football season and the approach of another World Series, but it also means the days are rapidly growing shorter and the that slight edge in the morning air can only mean Winter is knocking on the door - signaling the end of another racing season. Regardless how you're season ended up (good, bad, or just plain ugly), one thing everyone needs is good old fashion rest.

A few years back, Inside Triathlon magazine ran an interview with multi-sport legend Ken Glah where he outlined his five steps to racing longevity. While we all may not have racing resumes as impressive as Kens' that does not mean we can not benefit from his years of wisdom for extending our own racing careers (my own has lasted over 25 years and I see no signs of stopping anytime soon!)

1. Enjoy your training - This is the only reason to be involved in our sport, so find the aspects of training you like the most and focus on those.
2. Enjoy the races - Which may come from the sheer thrill of competition, but also doing races in different destinations is a great way to include family and friends.
3. Be realistic - If you are in the sport for many years, it is important to adjust your goals from year to year, making sure they are attainable (as unreachable goals will only disappoint and decrease your enjoyment).
4. Don't just train - While the three main disciplines will dominate your time, engaging in other activities will keep you going for the long term (such as regular massages, weight training, yoga, pilates, and stretching).
5. Take time off - Yes, training and racing are addictive, but it is critical to include recovery time in your schedule as well as planned time off during the year. You will never last in this sport if you don't have a rich personal life outside of triathlon.

So, with nearly six months before the start of next season, how should we approach the long days of winter? The first step many of us fail to take is the brief, albeit necessary off-season break. Depending on your own level of obsession with training, this break should be a period of one to three weeks where one does not worry about hill repeats, weekly running mileage, or exotic Brick workouts. Leave the triathlon toys at home and take some time to enjoy your family and friends. Go to a football game, take a drive in the country, go for a hike in the hills (yes, some form of mild exercise is okay). Reward yourself for a successful season. Personally I like to start my end of the season break minutes after finishing the Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot in Philadelphia, as images of steaming apple pie and mountains of turkey always seem to make me run a bit faster than normal.

During your break, it is important to take a hard look at your recent season and ask yourself several questions (and yes, honesty counts)! What worked in your training? What didn't work? Where were your strengths? Your weaknesses? And finally, what are your goals for the upcoming season? Only after you have accurately answered these questions, can you begin to address the next season.

Once your mini-break is over, it is time to EASE back into training, with an emphasis on the word EASE. With so many months before your first event, there is no need to rush into your training. However, one must realize the importance of building a solid foundation in the early season (January to March). Take a page from Lance Armstrong's training, as he has often said that the Tour de France is won in December and not July. Use the off-season to focus on your weaker sports. For me, a duathlete at heart who has converted to triathlons, that would mean leaving the bike alone for a few extra weeks while I focus on including a few extra sessions in the pool. This is also a great time to try your hand at a little cross-training outside of the regular multi-sport disciplines. Cross-country skiing, roller blading, and hiking are all great endurance building activities, while yoga and pilates can help with your core strength and flexibility – all things we begin to lose as we get older.

Riding Indoors
While many will ride almost year-round (multi-rider centers like Cadence certainly help here), come January the bulk of us need to consider re-introducing ourselves to the two-wheeled machine gathering dust in the corner. However as the weather deteriorates and darkness reigns, I find that many athletes actually dread climbing on their trainer, stating that riding indoors is about as exciting as watching paint dry. Perhaps these people suffer from a lack of imagination, as I for one relish the opportunity to ride indoors. Where else can one combine watching TV with a workout?

There are several things one can do to make riding indoors more enjoyable. First of all, your environment is a huge factor in how comfortable you are while riding indoors. For me, the closed confines of a NYC apartment can lead to some stuffy riding conditions. The first thing one should invest in (after a good indoor trainer for your bike) is a fan. Even on the coldest winter days, I crack the window a touch and aim the fan directly in my face, thus keeping the overheating to a minimum. Make sure you have a towel draped over the handlebars and for those of you with hardwood floors place another one on the ground below your bike, as you will sweat (trust me on this one!) The next item on the list is entertainment. Listening to music is always an option, but this only helps out one of our senses. I need more stimulation when riding at home. Why not ride while watching your favorite football or basketball team play? Or better yet, how about watching Lance win one of his Tour de France titles on tape? My favorite source of riding entertainment is a good old James Bond flick.

Now what to do while riding. Sure, watching Brett Favre or James Bond will help pass the time, but you still have to think about your workout. Try adding some spice to your indoor ride, while keeping in mind we are still in the off-season. One thing to focus on in the off-season is your technique. High cadence drills will help improve one’s mechanics by making your pedaling smoother and more efficient. Another drill to work on is one-legged drills. Pedaling with one leg helps develop that circular pedaling motion by incorporating more muscles into one’s pedal stoke, thus spreading out the workload smoothing out the dead spots (which will ultimately reduce muscle fatigue and help increase endurance, strength and power). After your warm-up and drills time for the core portion of the ride. In the off-season intensity takes a back seat to re-establishing a foundation and building back strength. If you are watching TV while riding, try an over-gear interval or hill climb whenever your football team has the ball, throw in a 30 second standing effort for every touchdown or turnover, or do a large-gear seated climb for the duration of every car chase. Just use your imagination and I ensure you will see the time fly by, and you'll get a great work out on top of it.

Running Indoors
Even in our northern climate, there are many who successfully run outdoors year-round, thus never need to face the boredom often associated with the treadmill. Coming from a cycling background, I will be the first to admit that the thought of running on the treadmill used to send a chill up my spine. Let's be real, on a scale from one to ten, the boredom factor is quite high for a treadmill run, especially when compared to the alternatives. But if you think about it, what separates the treadmill from say swimming laps at the pool or riding your bike indoors? Both offer little in the way of engaging scenery, so then, why do we all approach running on the treadmill with such trepidation?

Instead of climbing on the treadmill with the aim of slogging out 30 minutes before succumbing to boredom, plan your workout in advance, making sure you have all of the necessary tools to assist you. As overheating is always a concern indoors, make sure you are equipped with a towel and water bottle. Then there is the entertainment aspect of the workout. Unlike riding a bike trainer, where your bike is in a fixed position, a treadmill does require a certain amount of attention to maintain your place on that moving black carpet. While following a TV show on the treadmill may prove disorienting, listening to music can be your savior. Now that you are properly equipped, what do we do for a workout? With the ability to manipulate not only your speed, but also your incline, the workout possibilities are literally endless. Always try to keep a modest incline on the treadmill (say 1%) to better simulate actual outdoor running conditions, which we all know include wind and rarely a perfectly flat road.

Here is one treadmill workout I enjoy doing: This workout is a modified ladder with changes in both speed and incline. After a 1-mile warm-up, pick a modest base speed to run at (say 7mph for example). At your base speed, run 1/4 mi at 2% incline, then 1/4 mi at a 3% grade, then 1/4 mi at 4%. After those 3 quarters, drop the incline back to 1% and inch the speed (say 0.1 or 0.2 mph) and repeat the progression. See how long you can do this for!

Nutritional Thoughts
The off-season typically means lower training volumes for most of us, as we slowly rebuild our fitness levels as the season approaches. Fewer four hour plus bikes rides, means less of a need for that Krispy Kreme doughnut in the fuel tank. While I am a self-proclaimed doughnut junkie in the summer months (something I share with pro triathlete Hunter Kemper - who actually served Krispy Kremes at his wedding), one must exhibit some self-restraint in the dead of winter. Some weight gain over the holidays is expected and normal, however we don't want to over do it. A rule of thumb is to try an avoid weight gains of ten percent or more on your frame (15lbs on a 150lb frame), as those extra pounds will come back to haunt you if they are still hanging around come June. By no means does this mean we should starve ourselves during the holidays, just pay close attention to the soda and alcohol intake, leave the extra dinner rolls for the in-laws, try avoid eating after 8pm, perhaps consume a tad less pasta for dinner, and the one that kills me - less Krispy Kreme breakfasts!

Remember, while the majority of us are not professional athletes, we all share a small obsession for our chosen sport and the lifestyle that accompanies it, so rest and train smart so you can enjoy a lifetime of racing success!

See you next season!