I looked over my posts and realized I've never explained what "Cat 5" actually means. It's obviously a reference to cycling but that won't help most folks. Cat 5 is a bike racing category with the US Cycling Federation. It also happens to be the lowest level they have. Everyone is required to start at Cat 5 to gain experience. Historically, as in about 30 years ago, the USCF only had 5 categories; Pro and Categories 1-4. Everyone use to start at Cat 4. They noticed that some of the novices in the Cat 4 ranks were the cause of most of the wrecks that were taking place. Most of these were due to a lack of racing experience so they added one more category, Cat 5. It's basically the training wheels version of bike racing, hence the tongue-in-cheek title of my blog.
The primary purpose of bike racing is to have fun but eventually folks become more competative and try to win. If you do well enough you are allowed to "Cat up" or move up from one category to another category. There is a very low bar to cat up from Cat 5 to Cat 4. All I need to do is finish 10 sanctioned races. In the meantime however, they expect you've gained valuable experience. Hopefully I finish more than half of my first 10 upright.
That's the only real easy promotion. From then on your promotions are merit based. At each race you accumulate points for your place in the field and for winning "Prime" laps (pronounced "preem"). These are typically every 5 laps or so which escalates fan interest and keeps the race pace up. In higher category racing there are actually cash and other prizes provided by sponsors. Winning obviously gives you the most points. Once you accumulate enough points you can move from Cat 4 to Cat 3. Once you get to Cat 3 the only real way to promote is to get results, meaning winning races or at least placing. Cat 3 is also when cyclists form teams, train together and begin to strategize before and during races. Cat 1 cyclists have team sponsors and get alot of their gear for free. They put most all of their waking hours into two things, cycling and their job which is usually cycling friendly like working at a bike shop. I would love to work in a bike shop but I would be worthless. My job isn't built around my cycling, my cycling fills in the nooks and cranny's of my week and is about fourth or fifth down my life priority list. Every once in a while I'll see online training schedules for "the time crunched cyclist" that list "only" 8-10 hours of training per week. If I had 8-10 hours of training time I think that would be great but then I'd probably want 15-20. I currently get about 4-6.
I just need to get enough training to hang with the pack for 40 minutes and finish upright.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
So it begins
So it's been about a week since I started and I've done a few things. I've done a few days worth of abs that resulted in severe pain particularly around the bottom of my rib cage. This should go away as I get more used to the program. I am using the Ab Ripper video that is a part of the P90X program. If you haven't done this before, I dare you. It's only about 16 minutes but if you can do all the reps without significant abdominal cramping I'll be very impressed.
I've also ridden my rollers three times for 30 minutes each. My legs are much more open to pedalling than my abs are to crunches. My abs protested for several days. Rollers are a bit easier than riding on the road. I've been around 23-24 mph this week. When I'm in better shape this goes up to 26-27. Feel free to subtract about 5 mph to estimate what it would be riding solo out on the road. That said, roller speeds are very similar to what you should expect when riding in a group. When you're riding with 30 people the air just moves right along with you. Aerodynamics is wildly helpful. Even if it is only just a few riders, if you're in the right spot it can take a ton of strain off your legs saving them for the sprint finish or allow you to hang with a fast moving peleton. During the Seagull Century in Maryland a couple of months ago my son illustrated this concept quite nicely. He hadn't trained much leading up to the ride. He had only put in about four weeks worth of riding with his longest ride topping out at about 35 miles. During one section we were with a fairly speedy group. For 12 miles we averaged over 25 mph, a speed we could not have maintained by ourselves. It was a combination of aerodynamics, adrenaline and fear. He bonked at about 80 miles so I pulled and at some points literally pushed him the rest of the way. We finished in 5:03:30.
I'm about to let my new secret weapon out of the bag. My World From a Bycicle is an extremely helpful resource for a budding racer. David Henderson gives me hope. He's a very high end rider but is also over 40. If he can do what he does, I can make it to Cat 4...Cat 3? We'll see.
I've never put100% into cycling training so I've never been close to what I'd consider to be my cycling peak. For a 41 year old with 4 kids, a hectic job and a great wife, I squeeze training in when I can. I'm not one of those guys that gets up at 4 am to get in a two hour spin before work. During the summer I usually get 1 hour rides on Tuesday and Thursday evenings if my wife lets me go and a 2 hour ride on Saturday mornings. These are usually all solo rides unless my son goes with me. Four hours a week of solo riding isn't going to put me on the podium so I'll have to be creative.
I've also ridden my rollers three times for 30 minutes each. My legs are much more open to pedalling than my abs are to crunches. My abs protested for several days. Rollers are a bit easier than riding on the road. I've been around 23-24 mph this week. When I'm in better shape this goes up to 26-27. Feel free to subtract about 5 mph to estimate what it would be riding solo out on the road. That said, roller speeds are very similar to what you should expect when riding in a group. When you're riding with 30 people the air just moves right along with you. Aerodynamics is wildly helpful. Even if it is only just a few riders, if you're in the right spot it can take a ton of strain off your legs saving them for the sprint finish or allow you to hang with a fast moving peleton. During the Seagull Century in Maryland a couple of months ago my son illustrated this concept quite nicely. He hadn't trained much leading up to the ride. He had only put in about four weeks worth of riding with his longest ride topping out at about 35 miles. During one section we were with a fairly speedy group. For 12 miles we averaged over 25 mph, a speed we could not have maintained by ourselves. It was a combination of aerodynamics, adrenaline and fear. He bonked at about 80 miles so I pulled and at some points literally pushed him the rest of the way. We finished in 5:03:30.
I'm about to let my new secret weapon out of the bag. My World From a Bycicle is an extremely helpful resource for a budding racer. David Henderson gives me hope. He's a very high end rider but is also over 40. If he can do what he does, I can make it to Cat 4...Cat 3? We'll see.
I've never put100% into cycling training so I've never been close to what I'd consider to be my cycling peak. For a 41 year old with 4 kids, a hectic job and a great wife, I squeeze training in when I can. I'm not one of those guys that gets up at 4 am to get in a two hour spin before work. During the summer I usually get 1 hour rides on Tuesday and Thursday evenings if my wife lets me go and a 2 hour ride on Saturday mornings. These are usually all solo rides unless my son goes with me. Four hours a week of solo riding isn't going to put me on the podium so I'll have to be creative.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
T-minus 9 days
Since I'm going to be starting my training program in 9 days I'm a bit torn with what to do with myself in the meantime. Some folks say to eat like a pig and enjoy your last few days of freedom. Having previously trained for a marathon I realize that whatever sins I commit now, I'll have to pay for later.
That said, I enjoyed Thanksgiving like a death row inmate eating his last meal but I also participated in the annual Turkey bowl with a bunch of guys from church so I felt like I deserved to splurge. The annual football game refreshed my memory of something I have to look forward to when the training starts...pain. After running around like a fool for 2 hours and playing a rather heavy handed version of two-hand touch, I am in a lot of pain. Strangly enough, it's my ribs that hurt the most. Sitting on the couch and watching football is fun but when I try to pry myself off the furniture it hurts. Even the little muscles in my feet hurt.
About two years ago I did the first 7-8 weeks of P90X. I couldn't walk for about 5-6 days. It did work however. I plan on using some of the videos of that program during my winter training mixed in with cycling of course. If I did the entire P90X system I would be in great shape but I'd also have more upper body mass than I want. As a cyclist you want your upper body to be fit, not Mr. Universe fit. You don't want to be carrying weight that isn't helping move you forward. You want a firm frame and that's what core training can do for you. As I mentioned in a previous post I don't want to be rail thin. I want to get some solid fitness through a combination of a few items.
1. Treadmill running (Weight control, cardio and impact training that cycling doesn't provide.)
2. P90X (Only selected parts, for overall strength and coordination.)
3. Core work (A fast bike needs a stiff frame, so does an athlete.)
4. Bike rollers (Base miles as well as interval training. I plan on doing most, if not all of my winter cycling indoors. If it's 49 degrees or under, count me out.)
I have some Kreitler rollers I intend to use for indoor training. Some people do damage to themselves with these things but I've had them for about 3 years now so I can watch tv while keeping a consistent cadence. It takes about 30 min for a first timer to get the hang of them so you don't fall off but more like a year before you can focus on something else while riding. I've fallen once or twice, I'll admit it. I don't do any tricks. That's just for people with far too much time on their hands. I can go edge to edge and have fairly good control. I like to do cadence work on these. The primary limitation is not being able to do any out-of-saddle training. The problem with not being able to get out of the saddle is that you tend to get numbness due to sitting in the saddle the entire time as well as the lack of variation in your bike position. Sprint work will have to wait until March.
That said, I enjoyed Thanksgiving like a death row inmate eating his last meal but I also participated in the annual Turkey bowl with a bunch of guys from church so I felt like I deserved to splurge. The annual football game refreshed my memory of something I have to look forward to when the training starts...pain. After running around like a fool for 2 hours and playing a rather heavy handed version of two-hand touch, I am in a lot of pain. Strangly enough, it's my ribs that hurt the most. Sitting on the couch and watching football is fun but when I try to pry myself off the furniture it hurts. Even the little muscles in my feet hurt.
About two years ago I did the first 7-8 weeks of P90X. I couldn't walk for about 5-6 days. It did work however. I plan on using some of the videos of that program during my winter training mixed in with cycling of course. If I did the entire P90X system I would be in great shape but I'd also have more upper body mass than I want. As a cyclist you want your upper body to be fit, not Mr. Universe fit. You don't want to be carrying weight that isn't helping move you forward. You want a firm frame and that's what core training can do for you. As I mentioned in a previous post I don't want to be rail thin. I want to get some solid fitness through a combination of a few items.
1. Treadmill running (Weight control, cardio and impact training that cycling doesn't provide.)
2. P90X (Only selected parts, for overall strength and coordination.)
3. Core work (A fast bike needs a stiff frame, so does an athlete.)
4. Bike rollers (Base miles as well as interval training. I plan on doing most, if not all of my winter cycling indoors. If it's 49 degrees or under, count me out.)
I have some Kreitler rollers I intend to use for indoor training. Some people do damage to themselves with these things but I've had them for about 3 years now so I can watch tv while keeping a consistent cadence. It takes about 30 min for a first timer to get the hang of them so you don't fall off but more like a year before you can focus on something else while riding. I've fallen once or twice, I'll admit it. I don't do any tricks. That's just for people with far too much time on their hands. I can go edge to edge and have fairly good control. I like to do cadence work on these. The primary limitation is not being able to do any out-of-saddle training. The problem with not being able to get out of the saddle is that you tend to get numbness due to sitting in the saddle the entire time as well as the lack of variation in your bike position. Sprint work will have to wait until March.
Friday, November 23, 2012
The Bike
My first road bike was a 2008 Specialized Roubaix Expert. I intended to do long endurance events but things change. I sold that one to my brother at the family discount and used the proceeds to buy bike number two. Now that I have the goal of doing crits that are 15-30 miles I need a bike with a more aggressive profile.
It's a 2011 Specialized Tarmac Expert. It has full Shimano Ultegra components with the Fulcrum Racing 4 wheels that come standard on this model. I bought it off the internet from a private seller. The previous owner had purchased it new and worked at a bike shop so I figured he'd taken fairly decent care of it. My tires are Continental Grand Prix 4000's (700x23) with the Black Chili version on my front wheel for added aerodynamics and cornering.
Stock weight is 16.04 pounds but with my change in tires it is down to 15.9. I have a cadence monitor on my bike computer but I generally use the Strava app on my iPhone to track my rides. I'd like to get a power meter to assist with my training but I don't think I'm going to pay for that this year.
This should be a fitting companion for my upcoming exploits.
It's a 2011 Specialized Tarmac Expert. It has full Shimano Ultegra components with the Fulcrum Racing 4 wheels that come standard on this model. I bought it off the internet from a private seller. The previous owner had purchased it new and worked at a bike shop so I figured he'd taken fairly decent care of it. My tires are Continental Grand Prix 4000's (700x23) with the Black Chili version on my front wheel for added aerodynamics and cornering.
Stock weight is 16.04 pounds but with my change in tires it is down to 15.9. I have a cadence monitor on my bike computer but I generally use the Strava app on my iPhone to track my rides. I'd like to get a power meter to assist with my training but I don't think I'm going to pay for that this year.
This should be a fitting companion for my upcoming exploits.
The Dream
The purpose of this blog is to chronicle my experiences as I transform myself from recreational road cyclist to Cat 5 jugernaut. I realize that as far as goals go this is shooting a bit lower than the Olympics or the Tour de France but I'm over 40 so I need to be realistic.
My plan is to start a winter training program on Dec 3rd, to prepare me for the Cat 5 crit season at Rodale park in Trexlertown, PA. Across the street from Rodale park is the Trexlertown velodrome. I'm lucky to live in the area I consider the epicenter of USA cycling for all areas not in Colorado.
I started riding road bikes in 2008. It was a way to stay in shape and have some fun. To this point all of my time has been spent in training for century and double century group rides. I like the endurance events but I've started to become more aggressive on these rides and want to go faster every time. Recently I met a guy who had raced at the Jr. National level when he was younger and he suggested I find the local crit series. I found it and now I want to see how fast I can be. Don't get me wrong, I'm just an average guy with an average VO2 max and a higher than average ability to suffer.
I'm not currently in the greatest of shape although I'm not dreadfully out of shape either. I'm 5'10" 174 lbs. I plan on dropping some weight over the next 4 months as I go through my training program. 165 seems reasonable based on power to weight ratios I hope to get to. I also don't want to be one of those 5'10" 135 pound waifs that can climb like a billy goat but doesn't have enough strength to carry thier own groceries.
My hope is that you can derive some useful details from my experiences that will limit your mistakes and increase your chances for success.
My plan is to start a winter training program on Dec 3rd, to prepare me for the Cat 5 crit season at Rodale park in Trexlertown, PA. Across the street from Rodale park is the Trexlertown velodrome. I'm lucky to live in the area I consider the epicenter of USA cycling for all areas not in Colorado.
I started riding road bikes in 2008. It was a way to stay in shape and have some fun. To this point all of my time has been spent in training for century and double century group rides. I like the endurance events but I've started to become more aggressive on these rides and want to go faster every time. Recently I met a guy who had raced at the Jr. National level when he was younger and he suggested I find the local crit series. I found it and now I want to see how fast I can be. Don't get me wrong, I'm just an average guy with an average VO2 max and a higher than average ability to suffer.
I'm not currently in the greatest of shape although I'm not dreadfully out of shape either. I'm 5'10" 174 lbs. I plan on dropping some weight over the next 4 months as I go through my training program. 165 seems reasonable based on power to weight ratios I hope to get to. I also don't want to be one of those 5'10" 135 pound waifs that can climb like a billy goat but doesn't have enough strength to carry thier own groceries.
My hope is that you can derive some useful details from my experiences that will limit your mistakes and increase your chances for success.
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| Me (on the right) and my little brother just after finishing the Seattle to Portland double century. |
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