Crank the Shield Training Plan

Training Plan Intro: 
 Thank you for your interest in Crank the Shield. We hope that we can provide some guidance along the way to help you reach your goals for this event!

  As with past years we are focusing on people with 5-8 hours a week to train (approximately) but the general ideas in the plan are easily skewed to those with more experience/time. Please post any questions to the blog comments at the bottom of any posts and we would love to give some ideas or suggestions for your own specific situation.

   This year's plan with include standard endurance rides as you would expect for a long event such as CRANK THE SHIELD but because we are looking to maximize the time we have on the bike we will gradually increase the amount of time we are spending at an honest tempo pace (80-83% of max HR or 8/10 RPE). Some running and cross-training can be supplemented in addition to the riding !

    Every week we will also throw out some ideas for preparation and practice items like nutrition, bike tech, tactics and skills that will make your CTS experience successful.

   Keep us posted on your progress.

  Steve, Peter and Rachael.

Week 1 Training Objectives ( Setting some baselines ) 
  Get in the following 3 rides on days you feel well rested.
  - Supplement extra days with Steve and/or Peter's workout of the week
a) 1-1.5hrs
Warmup 20min then do a 6min max TT effort (record distance/watts and avg&max HR/cadence/power)

b) 1-1.5hrs

 Warmup 20-30min then 20min TT max effort (record as above)

c)  1.5-2.5hrs Easy endurance this should not be intense but STEADY and in the 65-75%MHR range for most of ride. Can be mix of Road and MTB.

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Bike Fit - 3 Possible Solutions for Back Pain on the Bike

Lots of Bike fits as new shiny bikes roll out of stores and riders aim to avoid aches and pains and hopefully maximize performance. If in doubt definitely look into a bike fit you will not be disappointed with the fit or information you come away with!

This is a Common Question We hear all the time at Steve Neal Performance
<<<<<<<<<<
" Another thing, my back has been bugging me a bit this year.  After the O-cups and after a long endurance ride, my lower back gets pretty sore.    Is there any stretches or exercises we can include in my training schedule to help out with lower back pains?
   Thanks J 
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

3 Thoughts for this athlete to try.

1) Is your bike fit too long ? 
 - Often we see people with fore/aft-Bar reach setups OR simply long/oversized bikes that position their saddle too far back
 - The first sign that your bike is too long would be that you look 'like superman' with arms extended way out ... making the shoulder angle greater then 90 degrees (torso and upper arm). This may implicate a long top tube or stem
 - For saddle fore/aft a good quick check is that the nose of the saddle is 0-3CM* behind the center of the bottom bracket. In many cases we have the saddle almost as far as it will go forward on the rails, even using a flipped around bent post in some cases, such as smaller females. 
* larger riders are usually further back


2) Back pain due to Poor Posture on the bike 
  - A cyclists back should be 'flat' or 'neutral' while they are riding
   - The best way to describe this is the mid-point between the furthest posterior and anterior pelvic tilt. 
      - Hamstring Flexibility can cause excessive posterior tilt as does long days slumped at a desk/computer. 
     - Solution here would be to work on hamstring flexibility (lay on back band stretch) 
         - address postural issues at desk, switch between chair and exercise ball.
              - become aware of your pelvic position on the bike 
        - picture of pelvis ... http://www.63xc.com/willm/pelvis.jpg
            - tandem riders --- try and pick out the neutral spines  vs. the posterior tilt
            - basically it is a movement like 'showing off your butt' ... the opposite of the dance move  'pelvic thrust'


c) Your Core may be weak
             - As cyclists we are prone to overuse / under-use 
             - aim to get in a couple days of cross training each week. 
              - if you are a mountain biker make sure you mountain bike a few times a week
              - stretch daily 
              - consider seeing a knowledgeable kinesiologist or personal trainer to assess flexibility/strength imbalances 

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Nutrition - Broccoli and Mushrooms

Eat your Broccoli  ! (and Mushrooms)

Why ?  What's the Benefit ? 

Broccoli

  a) High in Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Calcium ... comparable to standbys of Orange and Milk with more debatably more benefit and few if any negatives to consumption

  b) As a member of cabbage/cruciferous it is high in phytochemicals that ward off cancers and heat disease.

  c) avoid cooking in large amounts of water and always put into water that has been boiling for 60sec for minimal time you are comfortable eating (ie. soften to taste!) 

Mushrooms 

 - While there are a ton of different kinds that vary in nutrients the main benefits are:

 a) water content (80-90%) and high fiber (8-10%) ... IE. like most veggies they are NUTRIENT DENSE

 b) Source of Potassium (more then the standby GI upsetting, High GI Banana), Iron, Selenium, Zinc

 c) relatively high source of copper (important to Cardiovascular health)

 d) While not a source of Vitamin E (common thinking) it is rich in Selenium that works with Vitamin E as Antioxidant and being deficient in it is linked to higher chances of prostate cancer

 e) Thought to decrease Breast Cancer as well 

 f) Shitake Mushrooms are synonymous with immune health 

** those susceptible to gout or kidney stones may want to watch intake due to Purine content 

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Workout of the Week

Steve's Workout - 


Burpees for time pick your challenge

30 or 50 or 100 Burpees

Choose # of burpees based on experience and work steady to get them done

Post time to Comments Please !


Peter's Workout - goal this week to improve efficiency and muscles needed for riding offroad
Crank the Shield Prep
(Remember the Plan Starts RIGHT HERE Monday May 31st) 

find rockiest place close to home or riding destination you are at
 - keeping RPE in 7-8 range complete a 5min loop that includes:
a) steep uphill with quick dismount and hike a bike (remember right hand on seat or top tube)
b) quick remount - challenge yourself to execute a 'cowboy' or 'cyclocross' mount
c) pedal endurance on flatter terrain 1-2min
d) steep downhill rocky/tech
e) pedal endurance on flatter terrain 1-2min into steep uphill AGAIN

(COMPLETE 7-10 times with steady effort ... time should only decrease with improved mount/remount and lines on downhill)

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Weekend Results

Cycling Videos on CyclingDirt

P.Glassford 6th  M. Elite

M. Dyck 2nd F. Elite

H. Hamilton 23rd F. Elite

M. Farquarson 15th Sen expert

T. Simmons - 8th Mas. expert

E. Boda - 1st Sen. Expert

J. St Martain - 26th Jun Ex

L. Gracey - 30th JUN Ex

Xterra USA Augusta, MI

Mike Duncan 8th Age Group (congrats on Great swim improvement this year !) 

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Workout of the Week

Matt F. at top of Mount Saint Anne QC during Training b/w Canada Cups

Steve's Workout ( COMPARE )

- Warmup with 5min Cross-training + Active Flex (elbow to instep, sumo squat, etc.)

Complete 3 rounds of the following set

- Set is 6 times through 'Cindy':

a) 5 Pullups (kipping, Jumping or Dead hang)

b) 10 Pushups

c) 15 Airsquats (no weights, and get your butt lower then knees)

* Rest 1 min exactly between each ROUND

(so after each time you complete the strength set of 6 times through CINDY)

Peter's WO OF WEEK

Ride 30-90min 1 gear easier then preferred

and RPE of 6-7/10 (easy endurance) then pick discipline for day:

- MTB = 10min offroad TT focused on standing hard over each climb

- Road = Complete 10min Crit TT with at least 1 corner / minute

- Cross = complete 10min as 15sec Max / 15 sec easy pedaling

Crank the Shield Training Plan Coming for June 2010!

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Workout of Week

Steve's WO of the Week  (Compare to June 23 and Sept 15 2009 and Dec 1 2009)

10 to 15 min active warmup then complete:
8 x 20 sec ON / 10 sec OFF at each station...complete each station
before moving to next.

Count total reps for entire workout.

Take 2 min rest between each station.
Front Plank on Elbows
Situps
Pushups
Box jumps (about 20 inches)
Burpees
Post reps / experiences to comments PLEASE 

 

Peter's WO of the Week

 -- Complete 30min broke into 4min Rounds

* all time is spent 90+ RPM easy effort but at each minute do as described below

-- Minute 1 = Dismount/Mount as fast as you can

-- minute 2 = 30sec spinup to max cadence for last 10sec

-- Minute 3 = Dismount and run for 10 quick steps then remount

-- Minute 4 = 1min at 100RPM

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Steve on Bike Fit at Chico Racing 2010 Learn to Race Clinic

   


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Sat Class

Thanks for the great class Kelly!

Good work everyone --  Brent, Heike, Lisa, Mike, Stef and Steve

Below is Steve's Firstbeat Report of the workout.

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