Taking up ‘Cross
By Tim Crowley, TC2Coaching

As the fall approaches, and the race calendar begins to thin, you may want to extend your race season another month or two. Consider cyclo-cross if you plan on a single sport focus during this off season.

‘Cross, as it’s commonly called, used to be an obscure version of cycling. In the past five years, the number of races and competitors in most fields have swelled to maximum capacity, attracting mostly roadies and mountain bikers. However, triathletes may be better suited to cross than any other group of athletes.

Cyclo-cross can be defined as a time trial with handling skills and transitions. For any Multisport athletes’ looking to improve their power output, technical skills as well as mounts and dismounts, cross may be your ticket.

Here are some reasons to take up ‘cross this fall.
1. Improved bike handling skills- Racing on dirt, grass, mud and asphalt, shoulder to shoulder with other athletes through tight windy courses, your learning curve to handle your bike becomes steep. It’s said that one season of cross is equal to 2 to 3 years of road racing. Triathletes are notorious for lacking bike skills of mountain bikers or roadies. Cross will make you a safer and more competent rider fast.

2. Normal start times- Cross races range from 30-60 minutes in length,depending on the category you enter. Most start at 9am or later, there are no early morning start times. And since races are no longer that 60 minutes, racing does not require an all day commitment.

3. Transitions- each lap usually has 2-4 natural barriers (steep hill, sand pit etc) or man-made barriers ( 18 inch wooden barrier), requiring riders to dismount at speed and run over a barrier or up a hill with your bike on your shoulder, then a full speed remount. This skill is obvious to triathletes..

4. Increased power output- ‘cross is raced at or above lactate threshold most of the time. With dismounts and run ups, heart rates are usually higher than time trialing. Grinding up hills and through muddy fields requires a large amount of on-bike strength and power, which will lead to improved time trialing abilities.

5. Learn to suffer- Although races are relatively short, the suffering is intense. Learning to race on the edge while slipping through corners develops a high level on focus and concentration. Add to this cold rainy weather, and you become a tougher, more resilient athlete. A good skill set for any triathlete.

6. Winter bike- If you need a bit more convincing, consider that a cross bike with road tires makes the perfect road bike for base/ winter training. If you live in a northern climate, then leave the cross tires on, and you can ride on sandy/ slushy roads all winter without destroying your tri bike. Just hose down and wipe off after a ride. These bikes were made for these conditions.

7. Great spectator event- If your family and friends like watching triathlon, they will love cross. The viewing and action are continuous.

Ifyour next triathlon 4-6 months away it may be too soon to take an extended break from training and racing. Use this time to become a better bike handler and time trialist. Step out of your multi sport comfort zone and become a better athlete. If interested in cross, go watch a race, you will learn a lot, and be eager to get training and racing in the mud..

Three Strength Exercises That Will Change Your Cycling

Three Strength Exercises That Will Change Your Cycling

During the winter months, I often hear triathletes talk about getting in the weight room. Unfortunately, many do ineffective exercises, and don’t make strength training a regular part of their year round training plan.

If you are a master’s athlete, you need to stay strong if you want to maintain or increase strength and speed, while staying injury free. Fast twitch muscle fibers atrophy rapidly if not stimulated. The safest and most efficient way to maintain joint range of motion, tap into the fast twitch fibers, strengthen ligaments and tendons, as well as improve joint stability, is to hit the weights correctly.

Before implementing the exercises below, you should have a good strength base (2 to 3 full body strength sessions for 3-4 weeks). I would also recommend getting some coaching on the exercises outlined her by a qualified strength and conditioning specialist. It is important to find someone who can coach you on the proper technique with these lifts.

Exercise 1- Deadlift
For cycling, the deadlift (DL) gets the nod over the squat, because the bar is held in front of the body. This requires the low back muscles (erector spinae) to stabilize the lumbar spine as you drive the heels into the floor. It is critical that you maintain a neutral spine, and do not round the back.

If you have access to a trap bar, they are very effective in developing good technique.

Exercise 2- Single leg squat on a slide (SLSs)
Probably the single best lower body exercise for triathletes. Single leg exercises require each leg to contribute equally, and forces the core to stabilize during a single leg motion, which is different than executing a double leg exercise. The SLSs also offers dynamic flexibility for the hip flexors, critical for fast efficient running.

If you do not have a slide board, a frisbee on carpet, or a towel on smooth flooring will work just as well. Loading can be provided by holding a stick or bar behind the head or extended above the head, holding dumbbells, or attaching a cable to a waist belt.

Exercise 3- 1 leg good morning (1LGam)
The 1LGam is a hip pulling exercise that targets the hamstrings and glutes while in a single leg stance. It combines the benefits of the DL, along with the advantages of the SLSs. It is important to keep a neutral spine and to move only from the hip while keeping the non working leg straight and inline with the torso.

By pairing up the above exercises with a upper body exercise, you can create a very effective and time efficient training plan. A program may look like this;

Pairing 1 Deadlift 3x8
DB chest press 3x8

Pairing 2 Single leg squat on slide 3x8
Pull up 3x8

Pairing 3 1 leg good morning 3x8
Horizontal cable row 3x8

Here are links on Youtube to the exercises discussed above.
Deadlift http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azwEgTHOOzU
Single leg squat on slide http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXxrkgXaOo4
1 leg good moring http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=162BstmGpO8

TRX ReverseWall Press

The reverse wall press is a great shoulder mobility exercise. It is especially beneficial for triathletes who spend lots of time swimming free style and riding on aerobars.

the goal is to maintain constant pressure on the trx handle activating the rear delts, rhomboids and extrernal rotators. Do 2-3 sets of 10 reps as part of your dynamic warm up.

Age Group Draft Legal Racing is Here to Stay!

After a great week in Clermont, where I was able to race draft legal as well as coach 7 Elite athletes ( which included Jarood Shoemaker winning the US Sprint National CHampionship and Alicia Kaye getting 10th in the Womes's race) in 2011 US Season opener.

Race Director Bill Burnett of Streamline Events and Jarrod Put together a historical event which hopefully will develop into another racing option for multisport athletes. For several years we often talked about the disconnect between draft legal and non drafting racing. The most common response is that age groupers drafting is unsafe.

Go to any large age group race, including national championships and world champioships, and you will find rampant drafting. what is really dangerous is drafting on a steep angle bike in the aero position, while some athletes are trying to avoid the draft and others are more than happy to get a free ride. With championships and titles on the line, some can't resist the tempation knowing that there are too few marshalls to properly police the race.

As for those who think a draft legal race is just a run race, ask anyone who was in the race and thay may tell you it was one of the harest events they have competed in. The constant acclerations and max efforts while red lining puts this type of racing into new perspective. In DL racing, the swim and transitions become much more important, since a small gap can lead to several minutes by the end of the bike if you miss a key pack.

The bike if full of hard efforts, all the while ypou are trying to make good tactical decisions and being aware of those around you. In my 25 years of racing triathlons, this was the hardest and most enjoysable short course race I have done.

The fun ended once off the bike as my legs felt all the sprinting and hard efforts of the previous 12 miles. With packs coming off the bike, the run is very competetive. No time to ease off.

All in all, It was a very well run event and safe. I believe draft and non draft racing can co exist amd thrive, much like road clcying , time trialing and cyclo cross all benefit from each other.

Since road bikes are required, it becomes the riders legs and head that makes him fast, not who can spend the most for aero equipment. In my estimation this format will catch on and I can't wait to race more DL races.

Thanks you Bill and Jarrod for allowing me to experience a bit of history last week!

Tri Digest article

Getting More from your indoor bike workouts

http://tridigest.com/tim-crowley

A Case for Draft Legal AG racing

I first thought about draft legal racing for age group triathetes,a few years ago. Most thought I was crazy. Thye more I thought about it, the more it began to make sense. Here are some things to consider before you make up your own mind.

Now with the 1st draft legal race for age groupers to be held in Clermont on March 5th, i'd liike to present some thoughts on the topic.

1. Safety- this is the first thing out of everyones mouth when they here the concept. Whats more dangerous, a pack of roders on road bikes, or triathletes riding in a pack on aerobars, some who are intentionally drafting, while others do not know there is drafting, and all are no where near their breaks.

2. Drafting is alive and well- just look at any large sprint, olympic disatnce, 70.3 race, worlds qualifier, national championships etc. , and you will find rampant drafting. Problem is those who abide by the rules get screwed and the rest figure their chances of being caught are minimal since ther are only so many draft marshals on course. Unfortunately, the bigger and more important the race, the larger the % of drafting.

3. Its about riding smart- not just about putting your head down. Plus the swim and the run now become more important. Tactics and skill now rides along side a big motor. Plus all the expensive go fast gagets are not needed, just a road bike and regular helmet.

4. Apprectiation of ITU racing- Those who think a draft legal race is just sitting in and spinning will be surprised at the constant maximal efforts required, along with better handling skills. This will lead to a better understanding and appreciation of what ITU races experience.

I truly believe draft legal racing can cooexist with non drafting triathlon. Now with everyine knowing and abiding by the rules we will oince again have a level playing field. I will see yoou in Clermont in March.

That's Why They Play the Game!

Sports are sometimes better than the movies. Many times, just like life things are not always fair. You prepare and train properly, but that does not guarantee success. The best team or best athlete doesn't always win.

But sometimes you get a result that you could not write a script for. And if you did, nobody would believe it.

So yesterday, 2 months after suffering a severe concussion from a cheap shot, Mark Savard was back on the ice. And not only contributed, but scored the winning goal in overtime.



During the post game interview, he talked about how he had been training very hard for the possible opportunity to get back on the ice with his teammates. He never lost confidence in him self, the medical team or the Bruins. The facet that he was back on the ice makes for a good story. The goal in overtime makes it a great story. To see his reaction after the turn around slap shot, tells you all you need to know about the road back.

Sometimes the good guys win.