David Yang said:

How many people here crosstrain outside of cycling? I'm aware it is beneficial forike racing fitness (and general health), but boy I got into riding to avoid the other nonsense. Am I stupid to not incorporate this stuff into my routine?

What specifically are you thinking of for cross training: running, swimming, core workouts, crossfit, obstacle races, square dancing, zoomba classes?

Frequently during the winter I will cross train by running one or two days a week because it takes a little less clothing to be comfortable running than riding in deep winter, and is more pleasant than riding on the trainer all the time. I am committing myself to more core workouts this winter so my back doesn't seize up in cross races. 

It really depends on who you are, your tolerance for the trainer workouts, and your expectations of what else you want to do. I remember a few years ago I wasn't running in the off season and I sprained my ankle from tripping by walking down the street because my ankles were not used to doing anything other than spinning in little circles. I was super fit, but fragile, and I realized I didn't want to be like that anymore.

I ran today, did jump squats, stretched.  Cold out there.  Yoga this Wednesday, Yoga and core workout Friday morning.  At the very least, get a stretching routine going on certain mornings, and then practice stretching long when in the drops on the bike.  And post pictures of you in yoga pants.  Hehe.

David Yang said:

How many people here crosstrain outside of cycling? I'm aware it is beneficial forike racing fitness (and general health), but boy I got into riding to avoid the other nonsense. Am I stupid to not incorporate this stuff into my routine?

I also have limited tolerance for the other nonsense.

I run from October to the end of January.  part of it is for 'cross, part of it is for the same reasons Dan gave.  This time of year, I also do some intervals while running, threshold efforts.  I include bone-strengthening in the reasons to run.  I also figure that the twisting does a little core.

I'm also doing some core stuff, and will continue to do so--more comfort on the bike, better strength at cross and I find I stand straighter as well.

My feeling is that I love cycling, but enjoy exercise.  Sitting around too much makes it hard to sleep and also seems to make concentrating on other things a bit more difficult. So to keep my body and mind balanced, I need something, even if it's just walking.  If it has crossover benefit to riding, all the better.  

Bruce van-Schalkwyk said:

  And post pictures of you in yoga pants.

keep your pants discussions on the Kit Connoisseur thread please.

In the spirit of off bike exercise I spent 20 minutes tossing the baby up and down and doing squats with her on my shoulders.

David Yang said:

In the spirit of off bike exercise I spent 20 minutes tossing the baby up and down and doing squats with her on my shoulders.

Dude we need data or it didn't happen:

Giggles per hour
Dad faces made
RSS (Raspberry Strain Score)
 

Still unsure of what I think about training in the rain.  A short musing: http://kensingtoncycling.club/2016/01/23/bonus-miles/

Also, is kind of funny that in CA rain is 'bad'.  How many feet of snow you had today?

I think we are closing in on 2ft with 30-60mph winds here in northeast Queens.

Adam said:

Still unsure of what I think about training in the rain.  A short musing: http://kensingtoncycling.club/2016/01/23/bonus-miles/

Hey...did you miss this year's annual "ride in the rain" fight we had on the forum? Haha. On the serious tip...am I the only one who has trouble reading white text on black background. My eyes were like struggling to focus. Literally. But I'm old.

Just fired off some power files to my coach in which I reported that the last two days were NOT fun. Not fun at all.

His response makes me think he's listening...

"You have great goals but that creates a good amount of suffering!"

Jules said:

http://cyclingtips.com/2016/02/getting-low-caleb-ewan-explains-his-super-aero-sprinting-position/

Interesting , but maybe i'm missing something , aren't you supposed to be looking where you are going?

he does comment suggesting that he gets this low only after to maintain -- he is aware that a typical sprint bump could send him flying 

“I usually accelerate more upright and then as my sprint goes on I gradually get lower,” 
“[I use the position] more so when I try to maintain my sprint when I’m already out in front,” Ewan said. “If you get a knock while in that position it’ll end pretty badly. When I’m around other riders and close to them I’ll still be low, but not that low.”

Don't need to when you're in 1st place.

Here's another one from Hunter Allen. There's a handy chart that tells you when you should suffer through another interval, or when you should just quit.

https://powertap.com/Uploads/Powertap/ebook/Chapter1-SettingGoals.pdf

Pro Tip: Doing mental math in the midst of intervals is hard.

Quick what's a 8% drop of your VO2 max interval defined as a range of 105-120% of FTP? Answer: No clue.

BUT, if you do some calculations BEFORE your workout, write those numbers down, then you'll know when to keep going, when to quit.

I think an obvious, but important thing to be said about spending most of your time on the indoor trainer is that you lose your sense of handling and balance on the road.  I've rarely had a chance to ride outside in the last few months so whenever I do, it feels foreign and I don't have the same confidence in my handling skills as I did when I was commuting every day on city streets and racing often.  Power is important, but IMO just as important is the confidence that comes with the ability to handle your bike in corners and in close proximity of other guys pumping out watts in the field sprint.

For sprinting Yang's...my philosophy reverts to the Latin "Caedite eos. Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius. " loosely translated............

Yackitori, all joking aside, we've all seen the actual, life altering, brain damaging, bone shattering bloody carnage that happens when people have - or even one shitty person has - this mentality without any of the necessary handling skills to back it up.  I've lost teeth and skin because of shitty people in races and consider myself lucky compared to many other fellow clubmates who have suffered through worse.

Yang's, I'm no stranger to Coney Island hospital having my wheel chopped more than once at Floyd.  In my experience...having the power to be up in the sprint is as important as handling skills...if you can't defend your wheel, your going to get chopped.  The venues we race at now don't really have the prospect carnage of old.  The new finish = 2 minute power and the final selection is made midway up the climb...floyd begets small fields...begets breaks or small groups contesting.  Branchbrook currently has the dodgiest finish as it chicanes just before the line.  Grants Tomb is a one day mess where 1/2 the field gets popped.  

Fortunately....POC has been secretly working on aero body armor for contesting sprints...full body MIPS !!!!!

This thread seems to be active of late so...

There are three really great KCC events coming up that I highly recommend. They're the kind of thing that the team tries to promote and encourage all members to attend. I virtually guarantee that you will be faster, stronger and awesomer for participating!

1. Racing Clinic--Saturday 20th, Central Park, 8am, THIS SATURDAY. Led by Marc Bertucco, special guest star John Malcolmson
2. Racing Tactics Talk--Tuesday 23rd, Redbeard. Led by JP Partland
3. All Hands on Deck Ride/Practice Crit--Sunday 28th. Led by JP Partland and other KCC mentors.

http://home.trainingpeaks.com/blog/article/periodization-and-mixed-training

I'm willing to bet that within  the next few years, very few people other than Freds training for century rides and full-time pros will be doing long  slow distance exclusively for any meaningful length of time
I'm reading Fast After 50 right now. And the main thrust is use it or lose it e.g. vo2 max and muscle mass….so intervals, intervals, intervals and weights

I just ordered that book

Max power 48K Watts. Read that and weep ConEd!

Not sure where else to put this so here goes....
Last night I went out to the park on my track bike for a change but as I got on a realised that the seat was really low, certainly my legs were nowhere near full extension and I definitely don't recall lowering the saddle for any reason and I don't think there have been any other kit changes that would make it feels so low. First question, having not ridden this bike for probably 6 weeks or so, maybe more, is there a chance that with increased training and ride time that my body would change to allow for greater saddle height? Also, because it was late I didn't want to bother with changing the height as I'm pretty sure that's where its always been so I did a low saddle workout which felt like it was working muscles in different ways, I wasn't out for too long but it made me wonder if there was a benefit to doing a 'bent leg' workout in this way.