Sorry new bearings...Tropical storms are part of the gig.

Yep. Take a few more days off if you think you need it.

Gwynna Smith said:

Is a mid-season slump normal? I've been racing a decent amount and am eager for more, but I'm putting less and less heart (and effort) into training. I took a week off, tried to come back strong this week, but I feel fat and slow and sluggish. Nothing like how I felt a month or two ago, when I was slow but at least I felt good, fit, strong, and was making noticeable gains. Is this just the heat? Something I can do to get back in the game?

"normal" is a  hopelessly imprecise term. It's impossible to answer.

Gwynna, you've been doing a lot of races and training.  It's a mindset we get into and it's tough to break out of, but rest is definitely a part of training.  If you don't feel like getting on the bike, then don't.  Getting on it won't bring that feeling back.  There are a lot of people going through this right now.  Everyone needs to be recharged at some point.

Long group rides has been a nice change of pace from solo training and racing.  I plan on it again this weekend.

I for one am encouraged that you at least consider this a mid-season slump. It feels like there are a lot of folks out there who have called it a season already.

I don't disagree necessarily with any of the advice that's been given above. I think though it's worth noting that there are basically two categories of slumpitude being discussed here. The mental slump and the physiological one. Naturally they intersect and can have lots to do with each other.

If you are just attempting to address the physiological slump, then you need to look at your racing and training routine. To break through the slump, it's pretty critical that you are constantly challenging your various muscle and energy systems in different ways. Otherwise, you really aren't getting in the stress/adaptation phases that will continue to help you grow stronger.

So for example, if for the last 6 weeks, every week, you've been doing more or less the same kinds of workouts, then it's time to mix it up.

And to that end, David's suggestion of long group rides, JPs idea of attacking the crap out of your local hills instead of taking it MTB-er steady, etc. makes sense to me.

And if you are drained mentally, then you can hardly go wrong with Bruce's suggestions of drinking and go karts although not together!

Are you racing for Kayt this weekend? I think so, then use this as an opportunity to ride the crap out of yourself. Seriously, don't start cautiously and get dropped. Ride like a maniac and get dropped. Or something. The fact that you are doing a circuit race will be a nice slap in the face both to your brain and your legs/lungs. Hang out with Kayt and the rest of the KCC crew after the race. Tell war stories, get pumped by being around other kinds of awesomeness. Different in this case is going to be very good for you.

The long-awaited day is finally in sight, and my cast will be coming off this Friday. I'm hoping for some advice from you all on how to most effectively get back in shape.

How do you prescribe "no sweating" to someone in July in NYC?

One issue I've been working on since I broke my hip, and will probably continue to work on as long as I ride a bike, is staying centered on my saddle.  

(You can never do enough core)

@Emily re climbing.

So after our brief climb out of Piermont, after observing you and letting some ideas stew, it was only after I actually mimicked your climbing style on my own that I had a lightbulb moment. In addition to the things we already talked about, I think you are literally keeping your torso too upright.

And don't tell my wife that I suggested to any woman that she "slouch" a bit, but by keeping your torso so vertical when climbing, you are actually making your arms either "lock up." And then because you know that locked arms aren't good, you are forcing yourself to unlock those arms, which just throws off a natural rhythm.

But if you "leaned into" the climb, bend that back a bit, let your arms go to 110 degrees or thereabouts, I think you would more naturally fall into a more comfortable rhythm.

Think about your running. When you run up a hill, I'm fairly confident, you naturally lean into the climb and swing those arms as you run up it. You want to do the same when you are on the bike.

To that end, if it's still not clicking, try climbing not on the hoods, but IN THE DROPS, and not the horizontal (to the ground) bits of the bars, but in the full bend of the bars. This will force your body into a less upright position.

Anyway, give it a try and let me know how it goes.

As they say in running, fall up the hill.

Ahhh, interesting.  Conceptually that makes sense the way you describe it.  I'll definitely give those suggestions a try!  Might be a bit before I get back to you on it, but I appreciate you taking the time to mull it over.  In the meanwhile, I've been watching Ms. Vos for inspiration (first posted to the women's thread from @Jules):

I was inspired by all the talk of crashing on this forum, in NYC in general, and finally one really crazy group ride to start a blog of cycling tips a couple of months ago.  It's focused largely around not crashing, but I've added a lot of stuff on just riding in general (a big part of not crashing,) including some tips on climbing.  You can check out that post here:  http://www.crashcoach.com/?p=137 .  Also you can follow me on twitter at @theCrashCoach for future posts.  New post coming soon on not getting doored thanks to Erika's recent events.  A lot of it may be too basic for experienced racers, but I think there are some good tips in there for everybody.  

I also found the post about wheel overlap very helpful. 

Thanks Dale!  I was wondering who wrote that - very mysterious yet knowing source...

Dale Suttle said:

  http://www.crashcoach.com/?p=137 ....

Love it.  And the pic of Davis Phinney after he went through the rear window of the Isoglass car.  

Glad you'll like it.  @Gwynna--I totally agree with the your former pro friend. 

Oops, meant to post in Bike Tech.

Gwynna Smith said:

This is a little late, but can anyone speak to the mental and tactical side of racing in a totally mixed-ability group? Like, I think I'm going to be racing with people who have never raced before (many are unlicensed), all the way up to at least Cat 2. I don't know how big the fields are yet. I don't anticipate a lot of team dynamics, though that is another unknown. I'll be doing a 21 mi park-style road race (4 mi loops, pretty much imagine the exact middle in both distance and elevation between CP and PP) and a 40 min 5 turn crit. I expect similar groups for both.

I'm imagining Manhattan Bridge Cat 6 racing at its "finest"... Please help me survive this!

I just did this exact sort of thing at Iron Hill. I've been at both ends of the peloton and let me tell you, you could do worse than following the classic catch-all advice of "stay up front." This way, you don't see the madness of beginner racers behind you. And if you really think you are racing against unlicensed racers?

Holy cripes...STAY FAR, FAR FAR AWAY/IN FRONT OF THEM--especially in the crit. You'll have some strong triathletes no doubt content to ride at the front of the race during the road race, and if they seem to be steady on their bikes, then sit yourself on their wheel, conserve energy and get ready to either launch or respond to a massive attack which will see the LT queens dropped quickly.

But take your place at the head of the field as one of the more experienced racers and get to get'n! Good luck!