Nov 24, 2014 at 08:17 PM
Somebody please put together a mashup of all Yaks' winter time trash talk ... starting with his Green Jersey photo...
Training to Race: Faster, Stronger, Awesomer
Nov 24, 2014 at 09:09 PM
Oh so you guys are playing games now....I see....I got a new training partner this winter and he LOVES to play games...COME GET SOME !!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BP4BtZDad6c
Nov 24, 2014 at 09:15 PM
Wait did someone use the word "subtle" when describing anything from the land of Yacks?mugwump said:This is a subtle way of telling us you'll be destroying fields next year. Nice.
Dec 01, 2014 at 07:41 PM
Sven Nys on training and diet
Dec 01, 2014 at 09:27 PM
I've read that before. I think the expression he used was "I want the energy in my legs, not my gut."mugwump said:Sven Nys on training and diet
Dec 04, 2014 at 10:30 PM
Indoor workouts from PowerTap and Bike Radar
Dec 08, 2014 at 04:44 AM
Click on over to here
Read up, sign up, show up.
You'll get smarter, faster, and have more fun in racing and life as a result.
Dec 09, 2014 at 01:01 AM
Is this year byobb (bring your own blood bag?) or will you have any of that leftover stuff from the guys at Mengoni?
Dec 09, 2014 at 04:51 PM
Dec 14, 2014 at 11:01 PM
BumP!mugwump said:
12/15/14 7pm @ Redbeard Bikes
69 Jay St
Brooklyn, NY 11201
+1-718-858-2453
http://www.redbeardbikes.com/
get there a few minutes early and pick up your Stages Powermeter, look around the place, thank Ilya and Kasia, maybe get yourself a gift or two.
Then, we'll sit down and talk training. Set up your year now. Winter training is the foundation of your racing year.
Do it right and you'll go faster, win more, be happier, and have Jeff White filling your bottle with Mexican Coke whenever you want it.
Dec 16, 2014 at 07:53 PM
What is fatigue?
Dec 18, 2014 at 09:46 PM
Winter is Here.
This is the time of year to do three things:
1) build your base
1) build your base
2) lose weight gradually
3) learn some new skills
I want to talk about number three. Long hours in the saddle months before you start racing is the perfect time to work on those things like:
- eating & drinking on the bike
- riding no hands
- taking jackets, knee warmers, etc on and off
- riding with one hand
- using your "other" hand to grab & replace your bottle
More than one teammate will tell you about some of these skills that saved (or cost) their bacon this year or in years past. The skills are free; all it takes is some concerted practice. A little bit every day now will pay off in August, or sooner.
Dec 18, 2014 at 10:01 PM
Jules,Jules said:3) learn some new skillsI want to talk about number three. Long hours in the saddle months before you start racing is the perfect time to work on those things like:
- eating & drinking on the bike
- riding no hands
- taking jackets, knee warmers, etc on and off
- riding with one hand
- using your "other" hand to grab & replace your bottle
More than one teammate will tell you about some of these skills that saved (or cost) their bacon this year or in years past. The skills are free; all it takes is some concerted practice. A little bit every day now will pay off in August, or sooner.
You leading a clinic on it?
I'm happy to advise on any ride I'm on. These skills can also be self-taught on rollers.
Dec 18, 2014 at 10:35 PM
For those into cross, here's one more skill, learn to jump back from either side of the bike.
-- useful when recovering from a crash, mishap, or simply remounting on a crazy off camber hill.
Dec 19, 2014 at 12:15 AM
- eating & drinking on the bike
- riding no hands
- taking jackets, knee warmers, etc on and off
- riding with one hand
- using your "other" hand to grab & replace your bottle
- I only race Branchbrook, Floyd, Prospect and Central
- These skills will only confuse me more than I already am on a bike
- If you can show me how to ride no hands while juggling steak knives, you've got my attention
- My "other" hand is usually reaching for pot belge
- Removing leg warmers at Prospect entails attacking...getting a gap...pulling over to remove them and catching back on without blowing...It sucks and I don't recommend it
Dec 20, 2014 at 05:45 PM
Happy to lead a clinic on these; have to return from the Frozen Northern wasteland of Duluth first 
Dec 22, 2014 at 09:36 PM
Ok, followup on my "things to focus on" in the winter.
Time to check your gear. A season (or two!) of training and racing will leave it's mark.
- check your cleats/pedals for wear and alignment
- clean & relube BB, headsets
- check chains & casettes for wear & adequate lube
- look into that flat kit if you haven't used it in a while - did you take that extra $20 for a donut in august and never put it back? Does that extra tube still hold air?
- check your saddle - cracked rails or asymetrical wear
- bartape - time to learn how to wrap it nicely yourself
- brake pads, cables
- check those tires! winter is here baby so this is NOT the time to be running your balder than an eagle racing tires. get those winter tires on stat, eh?
- bottle cages tight?
Basically it's catchup time on a lot of maintenance that tends to fall by the wayside toward the end of summer & fall.
Dec 23, 2014 at 04:28 AM
^
Dec 23, 2014 at 05:28 PM
Three indoor workouts from CTS
Annoying trademarked jargon, but decent for variety.
Dec 24, 2014 at 01:15 AM
60 minute workouts should be called 75 minute workouts because after you're done, you collapse on the floor for at least 10 minutes and it takes another 5 minutes before you can see straight again.
Dec 24, 2014 at 03:59 PM
Thanks, JP.
I wrote it up and printed it out. I wrap these with packing tape and keep them in a folder, to try and mix up the trainer workouts. 20 minutes of tempo feels like an hour, but 60 minutes of 2 minute intervals goes by pretty quickly.
Pasting below, in case anyone wants to print it. I think I got everything, and used the super technical terms like 'ClimbingRepeat intensity', whatever that is, because that will give me something to think about when I'm staring out the window.
I got up to do one of them this morning on the trainer, but it was raining so I went back to bed.
10 minute Warmup:
3 minutes easy pedaling
1 min FastPedal (low resistance, fast as you can pedal without bouncing in the saddle)
1 min easy pedaling
1 min Max Effort (100+rpm)
1 min easy pedaling
1 min Max Effort (100+rpm)
2 min easy pedaling
WORKOUT #1: 3×9 MINUTE OVERUNDER INTERVALS, 4 MIN EASY SPINNING BETWEEN INTERVALS
(Increase time to 12 minutes as you get stronger)
9 minutes at SteadyState intensity:
2 minutes perceived exertion 8/10
1 minute accelerate to ClimbingRepeat intensity (perceived exertion 9/10)
2 minutes perceived exertion 8/10
1 minute accelerate to ClimbingRepeat intensity (perceived exertion 9/10)
2 minutes perceived exertion 8/10
1 minute accelerate to ClimbingRepeat intensity (perceived exertion 9/10)
4 minutes easy spin
Repeat. 3 sets
10 - 15 minutes cool down.
WORKOUT #2: 8 X 2 MIN POWER INTERVALS, 2 MIN EASY SPINNING BETWEEN INTERVALS
2 min VO2 max intervals (perceived exertion 10/10)
2 min easy spin
8 Times
2 minutes easy. Repeat.
10 - 15 minutes cool down
WORKOUT #3: 3 SETS OF 8X30 SECOND SPEED INTERVALS, 30 SECONDS BETWEEN INTERVALS, 5 MINUTES BETWEEN SETS
In the drops
30 seconds on, full effort acceleration to bridge that gap to Sommerville
30 seconds easy
Repeat 8 sets
5 minutes easy.
Repeat until you fall over. 3 sets.
10 minute cool down
Dec 25, 2014 at 02:13 AM
Dec 28, 2014 at 02:48 PM
This topic comes up every year - the crux is that old-school focus on low intensity "base" just doesn't get you a high enough training load when you aren't doing 8+ hours a week.
http://trainright.com/weekend-reading-base-training-winter-will-never-make-fast/
Dec 29, 2014 at 05:07 PM
who isnt doing 8+ hours a week do you even race bro
Jan 01, 2015 at 11:11 PM
Some Strava totals from last year. Not a ton of miles...but 199 rides = keeps Yack's fresh and never too far off form.
Total Distance (mi) 3,3440
Total Time (hrs) 289
Longest Activity (mi) 104
Jan 02, 2015 at 04:20 AM
This sounds like fun. I'll play, but go easy on me, I was coming back with a broken hip and 3 pins.
Total Activities: 413
Total Distance: 7,724.9
Total Time: 491
Longest Ride: 104.2
2015 goals - Miles: 10k, hours: 650
I got sick several times in 2014, which accounts for the lower miles than I had planned. For 2015, I'm focusing on better diet, including complex carbohydrates, smoothies, more beets etc, and more sleep, to the point where the number of hours of sleep I need is now in my training schedule, and if I go to bed late, that cuts into my training time, not my sleep time.
Jan 02, 2015 at 05:15 AM
Bruce how did u get 413 activities?
Beating my longest ride by .2 is akin to kicking me in the junk
Jan 02, 2015 at 01:03 PM
On top of my training, in the early morning, I also logged my commute rides, which are 8 miles in, 8 miles back on a single speed, and I always kicked it on the Manhattan bridge, so considered those training rides. 30 miles plus 16 made for long days and long weeks. 20+ hours some weeks.
I did also log my ride down to Whole Foods on Sunday night, but not the ride back, because I walked part way when I called my mom and figured that would be cheating.
The long ride was done solo, in the rain, but I figured I shouldn't brag.
I am disconcerted by the inequality of our miles, because you're a stronger rider than me, suggesting either my long miles didn't mean squat and it's a longer come back from my injury than I hoped, or if you put in more, you'd be a cat 2. Maybe both.
Jan 02, 2015 at 02:32 PM
twoyacks said:Bruce how did u get 413 activities?Beating my longest ride by .2 is akin to kicking me in the junk
Jan 02, 2015 at 02:37 PM
Hmm, lets see. Notwithstanding a new baby, a broken thumb, moving, quitting my job of 10+ years and taking up a new sport (Classical Guitar)...
Hours: 266
km: 5377
Activities: 201
Haven't settled on my 2015 goals yet, but I'll be sure to post them when I have