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Everyman Racer columnist Jason Sumner wraps up his season of training and racing
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The last lap of the last event of my 2008 season provided a perfect encapsulation of this first year of serious training and racing. Just after passing the one-to-go sign during the waning moments of the cat. 4 Colorado state championships cyclocross race, I twisted the throttle and moved past two riders into what I’m fairly certain was a top 10 placing.
Sadly, I stayed there for all of five seconds, before clipping my pedal on a tree root and flipping over the handlebars, smashing my right knee in the process. I got back up and rolling quickly, but the top 10 was gone, and after pooching the sprint a few minutes later, 12th place quickly turned into 14th.
It was an appropriate outcome. I was certainly happy with where I ended up (ahead of the rabbits), but also left with the sour taste of what might have been. Someday I’d really like to win one of these damn things, or at least say I made the podium. So we’ll head into the off- and then pre-season as motivated as ever to implement the lessons of “Getting Coached 101” and take on “Getting Coached 201.”
The good news, as Coach Neal Henderson put it, was that all the work done this year is “like compounding interest. Investments made this time will continue to yield benefits. That’s why most top endurance athletes don’t come out of nowhere. There is a progression to things.”
Obviously I don’t have any delusions about becoming a top endurance athlete, but I definitely see room for improvement and that’s exciting. I guess it’s like anything else, put in some work and you get better.
For the record, my 2008 season included 30 races contested over 27 days (I doubled up three times). Eight were on the road, ten came aboard the mountain bike, and the other 12 were in ’cross. Of the 30 races, two ended in DNFs (both ’cross mechanicals). I crashed more times than I can count.
The best placing was 10th, which happened twice in ’cross races. The best day was stage 5 of the BC Bike Race, when my partner Reed and I won a furious battle against Team Pedal Magazine. We knew it was a good day when we crossed the line and some of the pros were still in their dirty kits. (Usually they’d already showered, eaten and napped by the time we finished.)
The worst day, not surprisingly, came 24 hours later at BCBR, when I paid for the previous efforts, bonking repeatedly and crashing more times than the NASDAQ in November. There is nothing, I repeat nothing, like trying to ride technical singletrack when you are completely cooked.
I have no idea what total miles or hours for the year was, but the PowerTap odometer (only used on the road bike) reads 1871 miles, or roughly the same distance as going from my home in Boulder to New York City. Add in mountain and ’cross miles, and I’d probably get about halfway back.
Here are some other random observations from the past year.
- VO2 Max intervals are the worst: Coach Neal Henderson occasionally assigned me devilish 40/20s, which basically means suffer immeasurably for 40 seconds, spend 20 seconds feeling like you are going to puke, then repeat. I’m sure they made me faster.
- Tubular tires make a huge difference in ’cross races: I know this isn’t news to anyone with a brain, but if you haven’t tried them but are serious about bog-trotting, it’s definitely a worthwhile investment. I finally threw down on a pair for my last race, and the added speed, cornering ability and comfort was undeniable. Thanks, Brandon.
- Having a coach helps: This is another no-brainer, but it was all new to me. The obvious benefit is the guidance of someone smarter than you — and I expected that. But the unexpected part was the motivation that came from the relationship. Even if your mom, dad, wife, kids, friends and dog don’t give a bleep about how you did in the Wednesday night office park crit, your coach will. This may sound corny, but it really meant something to me. We all need fans.
- Power meters also really help: I know they’re a serious investment, especially when you’d rather get a new pair of Zipps — or just spend your money on something besides bike shit. But denying their usefulness is like longing for the days when phones had cords. Used properly, power meters can help maximize training time, provide data that a coach can use to design future workouts, and give you a very specific indication of what you’re doing on the bike. Ten years from now, they’ll be as common as water bottle cages.
- VeloNews walks the walk: Nearly every member of the magazine’s editorial and advertising department toed a start line in 2008. The big dog was tech editor Matt Pacocha who captured the 2008 Colorado state ’cross title.
- I already miss racing: I pinned a number on at least once every month since April. Now, outside of the occasional cold weather group ride, my competitive juices must be satiated watching the Broncos lose in the first round of the NFL playoffs. Bring on 2009. I’m already excited.
Just two questions this go round. If you would like to ask Coach Neal Henderson a question please send e-mail to CoachNealQandA@gmail.com. Remember to include your name and hometown. Questions may be edited for content and clarity.
Hello,
I’m writing in regards to Jason Sumner’s articles (which are great, by the way!). Like everything, coaching has evolved with the use of power meters. The problem is I do not have a power meter, nor do I plan on getting one. Is it possible for me to be coached? My idea of a coach, (yes, I’m going way back) was Eddie B’s book!
Living close to Boulder, I have the advantage of many cycling resources. But my idea of a coach would be someone I could go ride with once a month and get pushed that way. I’d gladly pay for that!!
In summary — my question is — do coaches now consider a power meter essential gear? I would honestly rather pay a local pro to ride with me (kinda like a private ski lesson) — than a coaching fee. Am I way off base here? I’m sure we’re all different and learn differently — and I totally understand the concepts of power meters and their data, but for me, I learn what barriers I can pass when suffering “on the rivet.”
Thanks for any reply,
Thomas
Broomfield, Colorado
Thomas,
Of course there is more than one way of getting things done, and there are successful coaches who don’t use power meters. But I think the ideal is having some combination. However, if you are not getting a power meter there are things that can be done to replicate the data such as a local climb that is done once a month. If you calculate time and weight you can basically back out power. Or you can simply use the time comparisons to gauge fitness. But I’d say the advantages a power meter provides — especially if you have limited time — make having one very worthwhile. It’s an extremely helpful tool that can help maximize your workouts. There is definitely art and science in coaching, and some people trend to one side or the other. The bottom line is that you’ve got to find methods and a coach you click with. Then you can do good things.
Good luck,
Neal
Coach Henderson,
My question revolves around training regimens for larger riders (AKA the Clydesdale Set). I started riding again in early summer after only riding irregularly for the past ten years or so. My background was in mountain bike racing, generally riding in Clydesdale class (I was 6-foot-4, 225 pounds). Still, I usually had the ability to keep up with some much lighter riders even on the climbs.
Fast forward ten years to 2008 and my weight at the beginning of June was around 325. By November, that weight dropped to around 240 due largely to a combination of two-hour flats rides (2 percent grade max) going between 15-18 mph mostly solo or with one other rider (no packs), two-hour hilly road rides at a similar effort level but slower pace (climbs generally 200 to 300 feet max gain due to local terrain), and also some longer events such as 50-120km rides with extensive climbing.
I also mountain bike and sometimes slot in a road ride and a dirt ride in the same day. I am usually able to average 10-15 hours of riding per week across the board this fall given weather and other considerations. As I am interested in trying to race again, what do you recommend that big guys do to develop climbing power and, if possible, speed? Flats and descents are no problem. I suspect that I generate a lot of wattage, but climbs are a different story; I get dropped anytime I’m with other riders no matter how good my legs feel. My age is 40, so I am also curious as to what constitutes overtraining since I sometimes ride six or seven days in a row, even if the rides are only two hours or so apiece.
Thanks,
Andrew
Malvern, Pennsylvania
Andrew,
On a flat road speed is dictated by absolute power and aerodynamic drag. A bigger rider is going to have a higher drag than a smaller rider, but will also have a higher power number. So all things equal, flat or rolling courses will likely be your happy place. You could possibly excel in TTs as well if you have the capacity to sustain high effort and self motivate.
Now that said, it doesn’t mean big guys can’t go fast uphill. I coached former NHL player Curtis Leschyshyn for many years and at one point the guy climbed L’Alpe d’Huez in under an hour, which takes 4 watts per kilo to do. That put him in a competitive place in a Colorado cat. 3 field. So being big doesn’t mean you can’t go fast. Riders such as Ryan Trebon, and Magnus Backstedt have proven that.
You can definitely improve your climbing, but you are never going to be a climbing specialist, so don’t make your priority A races those with huge climbs or sustained steep hills. But in races with shorter rolling hills where you may be staying in the big ring and climbing for 30 seconds at a time, you could potentially put the hurt on the little guys.
Are far as things to look at, number 1 is to evaluate body composition. Are you carrying excess weight or are you just big? Curtis was an example of the later. He was probably under 8 percent body fat, but 190 pounds at his leanest. Then work on the fitness aspect as much as you can. You need to do threshold work and supra-threshold work. Most big guys don’t like to spend time climbing, but if you continue to work at it you’ll continue to get better. Don’t pigeon hole yourself with an I-can’t attitude. If you believe it, it can come true.
Best,
Neal
Editor’s Note: Jason Sumner is a 38-year-old, 170-pound freelance writer and Cat. 4 bike racer who in 2008 worked with a cycling coach — and trained with a Power Tap power meter — for the first time. Sumner underwent a full battery of lab tests at the beginning of the season, producing a 250-watt lactate threshold, a 3.2 watts per kilogram score and a VO2 max of 51.5, then was retested in mid-November and produced a 275-watt LT, a 3.6 watts per kilogram, and a VO2 max of 59.6. His 2008 goals included improving on his usual mid-pack finishes, not getting dropped on the weekend group rides, and learning something along the way. He is documenting his experiences for VeloNews.com is this twice-monthly column.
His coach, Neal Henderson, is sports science manager at the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine and a well-regarded elite-level coach. Henderson’s clients include 2008 Olympian and Team Livestrong rider Taylor Phinney. Henderson is also the winter triathlon coach for the U.S. national triathlon team, and was named 2008 USA Cycling National Development Coach of the Year. Henderson is working with Jason Sumner on a pro bono basis.
