SpongeDad

On the flats and descents, I'm okay, but I'm getting dropped like stone on the climbs in races.

Current workouts are 1 day 3min VO2max intervals 1:1 rest, 1 day overunder 2x10-15 intervals, 1 day longer, easy ride and 1 day race.

So should I just drop the over under stuff and substitute another day of VO2 max intervals? I do feel that they were helpful in developing the ability to recover from hard efforts, but didn't really help with the hard efforts themselves.

This is more for thinking about the spring - nothing's going to help me tomorrow.

flargle

It sounds like you need to work on your climbing.

gfactor

Mike birner wrote a series in CX magazine and I'm planning on doing base miles and then following / modifying that.

https://home.comcast.net/~mjbirner/Cy...CXMagazine.htm

jonestr

how long are the climbs that you are doing poorly on?

SpongeDad

It's not the short ones - I can usually punch those out. It's the steep ones that are 30yds or longer, where if you stand you're wheel spins, especially when you have to brake before heading up (i.e., always).

What generally happens is, I can do them fine on the first lap, but then I'm pretty popped for any more climbing. I'm still okay on the flat's, so it's not like I'm totally done, but the climbing is pretty much shot.

jonestr

sounds like you are lacking leg strength to mash big gears

I would do seated big gear workouts

get in the equivalent of a 53x13, start from a dead stop, muscle that baby with as little upper body movement as possible for 20 seconds with the goal of being "on top of the gear" by then end of 20 seconds, preferably sooner. Repeat every 5 minutes or so for an hour so you get about 12 of those suckers done.

ambro

It sounds more like an issue with muscular endurance/strength, rather than VO2 Max or aerobic endurance. I would highly recommend incorporating some strength training. If you have access to a gym - Squats are the best all-around lower body exercise you can do. If you don't have the time or access, get a pair of dumbles - start w/20 or 25 lbs and do 3 sets of lunges 2-3x per week from now till summer - then drob back to one day per week as you get close to the season. Believe me, they will help.

ljrichar

Meh. Sounds like you need to work on FTP development to me. Remember, you can get away w/ stuff on the flats & dh's that you can't when you climb. You need to raise the roof to raise the ceiling & all that jazz we talk about in the RR forum. 2x20', 3x20', 4x10', etc. I would add these to your routine if you're not already.

RussellRides

Just to further confuse you...

A higher threshold will always work wonders in cross. The bigger the aerobic engine and lactate tolerance/clearance, the faster you can go during the race. (think 2x20' workouts, etc)

Higher VO2 Max power will help you with 'surges', like a hot lap to prevent someone from trying to pass, or catching a group after a bobble. (think 3x3' intervals)

High muscular power (sprints and mashing a big gear) will help you over the hills without incurring as much 'oxygen debt'. (sprint workouts)

All the above is really just a fancy + complicated way of saying you should probably work on exactly what you're bad at. Find a hill that takes 30 seconds to climb, and do something like 3 sets of five ascents at max effort with ample rest between. Maybe work up to four sets of six.

Also, do you weigh too much? (what bike racer doesn't?), but the more you weigh, the harder the hills are.

SpongeDad

Certainly need to lose some lbs - down to 158 from 164 - hoping to get to 150 (someday).

I did some slightly hilly crits this summer. We'll see if that put a big more oomph in my climbing soon.