My agent of "change" this off season is going to be this suitcase sized home gym...

Thanks JP, that strength article is good fodder, I'd like to see metrics on how quickly you lose strength without training as you age. Also, I love the writers pic replete with the glasses and helmet, it's as silly as a fencing coach leaving the face guard on. 

I look forward to a winter of  ABS   CHEST   ARMS   LEGS

twoyacks said:

I look forward to a winter of  ABS   CHEST   ARMS   LEGS

Why are you waiting for winter? Do you know what I did the night after my first race at Gloucester? 41 push-ups, 41 v-sits. #Iain'tplay'n

Why?  Why am I waiting?  WHY ??? Because a "major university" study has confirmed the dramatic results...that's why !  And I am totally wearing the "gas analyzer" mask when I'm on it...Eat your heart out BANE

It came... Time for Yacks to get JACKED !!!

Keep LOL-ing Rigby...while I SMASH YOUR HEAD LIKE A MELON !!!  I just bought a case of creatine and 6 months worth of Omaha steaks...and I found my old training logs...that stationary bike in the background was the biznezz by the way...

Yaks, Night Rider called, he wants his car seat back. 

Rigby...where have you gone ???

What is going on with your lips?

twoyacks said:

Keep LOL-ing Rigby...while I SMASH YOUR HEAD LIKE A MELON !!!  I just bought a case of creatine and 6 months worth of Omaha steaks...and I found my old training logs...that stationary bike in the background was the biznezz by the way...

My lips?  Forget the lips...I'm still searching for my sideburns... There is so much wrong with that picture you could really start anywhere...

Today, I took a bit of my own advice, and did an active recovery ride, on the road, on my cross bike. And yet another good reason to ride your cross bike more than just on the weekends when you race occurred to me.

Start practice! We've all fumbled that CX start, failed to clip in, and lost rows and rows of position in the first 3 seconds of a race.

Today I got lots of stopping/starting and clip-in practice.

At Marty 'cross, I decided on the start line to try something new (very much against conventional wisdom)!
I started from a position standing over the top tube, rather than my usual butt-on-the-saddle/toe on the ground position. I liked the new position a lot. More stable and perhaps more explosive.

dstokes said:

At Marty 'cross, I decided on the start line to try something new (very much against conventional wisdom)!
I started from a position standing over the top tube, rather than my usual butt-on-the-saddle/toe on the ground position. I liked the new position a lot. More stable and perhaps more explosive.

"That one time, at Cyclocross Camp..."

One of the drills that Patrick and I and the other CycleSmart Campers worked on was start line stuff. Which included both over the top tube and on the saddle. According to the coaches, both positions have their advantages, but neither is a clear favorite over the other.

That said, David's assessment, that it is perhaps more explosive, is what Adamson, Meyerson and the crew said.

Over the top-tube is the position that I favor, but I do recommend, if you haven't tried the other position/technique, you give it a try, just to make sure you're not missing out.

It's too late for my right patella...she is freeze dried

Jules said:

Interesting perspective from Pruitt (old article)

Especially like the advice on keeping your knees warm and diet. I find it almost impossible to do anything significant with my diet when I'm the midst of training super hard and going fast.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2014/11/training-center/eight-keys-season-success_351982

Obviously, in the midst of CX season #YMMV

I like some of the general advice in the article, but the some of the specifics are ridiculous.  Like if you're winning sprints something is wrong.  If two people sprint, someone is always going to win, and it could just mean that person is less out of shape than the person he vanquished.  

Gwynna Smith said:

I tried butt-on-saddle about three times. Every single time I fell/swerved into the person next to me and felt like I was starting from a standstill. If you are doing the start right, you are out of the saddle anyway for the initial sprint, so why not give yourself that hard shove off the line, which gives you that millisecond of extra clip-in time and some momentum?

But yeah, trying both seems good until you find the right one. Also, I could see how you position in the scrum might matter.

you ask why not.  The reason has to do with the fact that you're usually surrounded by other cyclists.  Too hard and you shove yourself into the person in front of you, or  you push your bike back into the person behind you (not necessarily a problem for you though), or getting out of the saddle moves your bars under someone else's.  The key is not the shove, but getting into the pedal fast and safely.

No track standing allowed. One foot must be on the ground at the start of road and cross events. If you can't keep one foot's toe touching the ground on your cross bike, you probably have your saddle set too high.

practice matters, too.  A ride where you focus on standing starts could be interval training.

Ahhhh my world's are colliding:

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/11/10/better-time

I'm parking this here because I think it belongs damn it....I recently replaced my rear der...and it is something I probably should have done 2 years ago.  Having only one bike the past couple years I've lost any reference as to what a good performing drivetrain should  feel like.  I was on my rollers last night and there was almost near silence...whereas my old der was making a TON of noise = resistance.  Between a rear hub that had binding issues and a rear der. that was gripping my chain like a vice, my legs have been literally fighting the bike.

twoyacks said:

I'm parking this here because I think it belongs damn it....I recently replaced my rear der...and it is something I probably should have done 2 years ago.  Having only one bike the past couple years I've lost any reference as to what a good performing drivetrain should  feel like.  I was on my rollers last night and there was almost near silence...whereas my old der was making a TON of noise = resistance.  Between a rear hub that had binding issues and a rear der. that was gripping my chain like a vice, my legs have been literally fighting the bike.

So's....don't be Yack...check your drivetrain for drag...

This is a subtle way of telling us you'll be destroying fields next year.  Nice.