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The Coach(ed) Corner: The importance of being humbled

By Jason Sumner
Published: Mar. 28, 2009
Relaxing after the Carter Lake ride.
Relaxing after the Carter Lake ride.
Photo: Jason Sumner

There’s a commonly held sports adage that says the best way to get better at your chosen activity is to play with people who are better than you. I certainly don’t agree with this in all cases. Hoops with LeBron would only equal thunder dunks in face. I’d probably drown in Michael Phelps’ wake. And clearly Troy Polamalu could rip all our heads off.

But when it comes to cycling, there’s something to be said for suffering on the wheel of those more skilled than you. Of course none of us are gonna hang tough on an Astana team training ride. But if your town is anything like mine, there’s at least one group ride that attracts lots of local hitters — plus a few muckers like me, intent on hanging on as long as possible even if it means being cross-eyed the entire time.

Boulder actually has several of these hammer-head rides, and I’m definitely not up to speed on all of them. But on the last two Sundays, I’ve given my best shot in what I’ve dubbed in my training log, the Carter Lake slugfest.

It starts on the north side of town, heads north out Highway 36, and then along the ensuing flat farm roads that meander toward the base of the Carter Lake climb. The climb itself isn’t too bad. The main pitch is probably a mile or so with grades in the 6- to 7-percent range. Then it levels off, save for the occasional roller as you make your way to the mythical finish line near the marina bar.

The coach and his star pupil.
The coach and his star pupil.

After a quick rest and regroup, the group drops down Carter Lake’s backside, then heads back to Boulder. Depending on the exact route — and where your home is — round trip is about 80 miles over four hours. Last week I wracked up about 2800 KJs.

So what’s the point you ask? Well, after two failed efforts to hang with the fast guys, plus two post-Carter Lake rest day when I felt like absolute hell, I asked Coach whether or not these kind of beatings had any long-term benefit. The answer was a very qualified, yes.

“As long as you’re not doing it three days a week, sure it can be helpful,” explained Coach Neal Henderson. “You’re obviously getting in a hard work out, plus you’ll learn a lot about positioning. It’s basically like motorpacing in a group, and the race-type simulation efforts will teach you how to deal with things like wind, especially when you’re tired.”

I can definitely vouch for that final point. The Carter Lake ride typically starts out with a casual two-by-two-take-a-pull-and-then-drift-back set-up, but eventually morphs into a rapid rotating pace line where things heat up quickly. The group usually splits soon after, with weaker riders getting spit out like watermelon seeds at the state fair. The climb uncorks further damage, and then it’s more of the same on the trip back to Boulder.

It’s amazing how much difference in effort just a few feet of draft distance can make. When things hot up, closing even small gaps takes big jumps in power. And it you don’t have the gas, you’re quickly waving goodbye.

But in a slightly sick way, that’s the attraction. Unlike the casual group ride with friends, which yields fitness boosts but not race simulation, Carter Lake and its brethren are essentially races without numbers. Not only are you getting in a serious workout, you’re also learning what to do and not to do when then the shit starts flying. Plus, it’s likely you’ll be able to hang on a little longer each week, which equates to improvement. And in the end, isn’t that what it’s all about?

That’s all I’ve got for this week, but before sign off I’ve got to give props to Coach Neal and his No. 1 pupil Taylor Phinney. Last week, the pair headed over to Poland for the world track championships, and as of this writing will be coming home with one world title (individual pursuit) and a silver medal (kilo TT). Great stuff guys! Congrats.

Lots of questions this go round. If you would like to ask Coach Neal Henderson a question please send e-mail to CoachNealQandA@gmail.com. Questions may be edited for content and clarity.

Hi Neal,
I have a very flexible job that allows for as much time on the bike as I can handle. I’m pretty careful with my weekly hours but I do train up to 18 hours some weeks. Some of my fellow racers always shake their heads, saying that’s too much or I need to focus more on quality. The fact is I do volume and quality workouts every week. My goals are to upgrade from cat. 3 to 2 in the next season, and a half and win a stage race or two along the way. I’ve had some really good results in stage races, and I attribute those results to my dedication to building a really big base during the winter and early spring. Yet, everyone keeps telling me how the 4-5-hour aerobic ride isn’t what it’s cracked up to be.

So, is volume — as a basic principle of base training — dead?
Sam in Salt Lake City, UT

Hey Sam,
Overall, having long rides as part of your training is fine. The one qualifier is the type of races you’re doing. If it’s nothing but two-hours circuits, short TTs and crits, then you don’t need to do a ton of big volume. That said, volume is definitely not a bad thing, especially early in the season and every couple weeks during heavier phases of training. If you upgrade — which certainly could happen — then the endurance and base miles will help in that next step. Volume is not dead but it’s also not the be all end all of training. It’s one component. More intense quality and specific training should also part of a well-designed training program and race preparation.

Good luck,
Neal

Coach Neal,
Due to time constraints with work and family life, I’ll be limited to only racing on weekday nights for the foreseeable future. So I made the decision to move from a road racing program to track and crit racing. Unfortunately, I’m learning that there are practically no resources out there for building a track training program. What kind of changes too my traditional road program should I make as I get closer to riding the boards?

Cheers,
Jeff

Jeff,
First you need to decide if you will be more a sprinter or endurance track rider, because in track you really have two different styles. Sure there are some rare birds like Taylor Phinney who seem to be able to do both. But for the rest of us it’s one or the other. You’re either a sprinter like Chris Hoy or an endurance guy like Mark Cavendish (remember we are talking track not road). If you’re an endurance track rider then road training helps, and your crossover to track will be nearly seamless. Cavendish won Milan-San Remo then headed straight to the world track championships In Poland. But if you are going to be a pure sprinter, then your training will be different, though you will still need some road training, maybe crits with extremely high intensity work with more rest and recovery than most endurance programs provide. That could be 30-second max intervals with four minutes rest, or one minutes with three to four minutes rest. That would be more sprint specific. Some racers even do five- to ten-second maximal bursts because their training for the flying 200 meters which is used to seed sprint events.

Have fun and be safe,
Neal

Hello Neal,
I began competitive cycling last year after a long running career. This past weekend, I got my first win in category 4. Now I’m hoping to get upgraded to cat. 3 in the next couple of months. This summer, my wife and I will be making a trip across the country on touring bikes from Virginia to Oregon. I am really looking forward to it, but as strange as it sounds, I worry that riding 80-plus miles a day at a slower speed and lower cadence will get me out of racing shape, and that I will not do well in any fall races as a result. Do you have any suggestions, either for staying in racing shape while on the tour? Or for quickly getting back into it once we return?

Thanks,
George in Atlanta, GA

George,
First off remember that unless you’re riding a single speed across the country, cadence is optional. So do not mow along at 50-60 rpm the whole time. Consider riding at a normal RPM (make sure you have enough gears). Also throw in some intensity every couple days during the tour, either sprint, threshold or VO2 max intervals. You can zip ahead of your wife for a minute or so, then turn around and come back. Do this and you’ll have no problem staying fit.

Have a great trip,
Neal

Coach Neal,
I’m a 52-year-old cyclist racing cat. 3 in both road and mountain. I ride 4-5 times a week and seem to have difficulty riding a fast pace with the pack. After about 15 minutes my aerobic capacity just falls flat on its face. What is the best way to increase it? And at what intensity and HR range. Thanks for your thoughts!

Sincerely,
Scott in Shadow Hills, CA

Scott,
The first thing to consider is, are you riding with right group? If you are in way you’re your head, say with a bunch of cat. 1-2s in their 20s, it may be time to find ride a more appropriate ride. If it is your peers then you may need to stay away from the group to build fitness to then be able to handle the group ride. Often group rides will maintain natural order in that fast guys will be within themselves and the rest are just hanging on. That means the fast guys will get faster because they are riding within themselves, but the rest will not because it’s too much to handle. So look for an appropriate group, and consider doing some solo training to get up to speed.

Have fun,
Neal

Dear Coach Neal,
I’m somewhat new to the sport having started riding in May of 2008. I primarily ride rally and charity-type events and have recently hooked up with a local club that does weekend rides as well. I’ve built a fairly good base and am now working on training harder and more efficiently so as to compete in some races — and to give our swift group a run for their money on the weekend rides. I was curious as to how to structure my training with riding season here in two weeks. I currently do two sessions a week indoors on rollers (Tuesday/Thursday), one at steady state for and hour, and one of intervals for an hour. Then I ride the weekend ride which is usually 50-65 miles and normally hilly. I plan to ride an event every other weekend through the summer, and in between events ride the local club ride. Should I stay with the rollers as well twice a week? If so at what intensity? I include two morning workouts a week (Monday/Wednesday) for upper body and core as well.

Thanks for any help you can provide.
James in Saginaw, Texas

James,
Generally speaking, you should maintain some specific quality work during the week even during event period, but you may want to drop to one quality day if you’re not recovering well. Doing strength and core is good because bone mineral density can be an issue for cyclists, so core and strength is good. I’d also recommend having specific goals for your Tuesday and Thursday sessions. Write out your plan a few weeks ahead, but if you’re not improving back off to one day a week of intensity. You also might consider consulting with a local coach or picking up one of the many great coaching books on the market. They are a great resource, especially when you are just starting out.

Ride on,
Neal

Hi Neal,
I am a 37-year-old female cat. 3 cyclocross racer and cat 4 road racer (mostly crits). Once I get my six-week okay for exercise resumption next month, what do you suggest to prepare for fall race season? I rode easy spin rides until I was three months pregnant. Is it realistic to think I can be competitive for fall cross?

Thanks!
Stephanie in Georgia

Hey Stephanie,
First off congrats to you and your family. As for training and racing, assuming you have doctor clearance, then you have plenty of time to rebuild fitness levels and be strong for fall. Just remember to consider energy needs if you are currently nursing. That will increase caloric demands. Also if you are going hard it will effect the taste of milk so make sure to time it right and don’t do intensity right before feeding time. That will make for an angry and under feed baby. I would suggest an 8-12 week base building program, then a build stage in the early fall assuming you are trying to peak later in the season. A lot of women actually gain fitness after having a child. There are some physiological changes that occur during pregnancy, and the act of child birth can up a women’s pain threshold, so all the sudden cycling doesn’t hurt so bad.

Good luck,
Neal

Hi Coach,
I am a busy masters racer and dad to two little girls. I liked reading about the short and intense training plan. That has been my approach more and more. I would like to give the 40/20s a shot, but since I am bad at math I’m having trouble figuring out the rest interval between sets. Also what would a good longer interval workout look like?

Thanks,
Andrew in Brooklyn, NY

Andrew,
Typically I use a progression where I start riders off with 10 seconds of effort and 50 seconds of rest, then 15/45, 20/40, 30/30 and so on up to 40 on 20 off, which is about as hard as I have anyone go. The first three — 10/50, 15/45 and 20/40 — are done above VO2 max. So it’s a sprint-type effort with 4-6 intervals and then 5-10 minutes of recovery, doing 2-4 sets. With the 30/30 and 40/20, you’ll aim for power at VO2 max, so it’s not an all out sprint. It’s power that’s sustainable for 5 minutes, challenging but not brutal. You’ll do sets of 6-10 intervals with 5-10 minutes recovery between and 2-4 sets. The nice thing about all these is that you always start at zero on the clock, making it easier if you get hazy in the head. Longer efforts should be in the 5-10 minute range at or just above threshold.

Good luck,
Neal

Neal,
Any thoughts on training for a mountain bike stage race? I have done three in the past and my training typically consists of riding as much as possible, a mix of road and mountain, and tapering in the ten days before the race. I try and race a couple of shorter events before the big event to get used to some top end. Like most adults, I have ebb and flow in my professional life that mandates some time off the bike. Ideas?

Thanks
Jeffrey

Jeffrey,
Definitely bank fitness when possible but don’t go manic and train non stop. You need rest days in your training blocks. Also don’t go crazy when you can’t ride as much. Cross train if possible, and if you can plan far enough in advance so you know you are working toward a bigger goal. Part of training is gaining confidence and knowing you’ll be prepared. You don’t have to do a full race effort to be prepared for your race. Nobody does a Tour de France equivalent before the Tour de France and that’s okay. Also remember to work on the mechanics of what it will take to be successful: technical riding skills, in-race fueling, pacing and recovery will all be extremely important.

Have a great race,
Neal

Coach Neal,
What affect does a nasty cold have on fitness (the two-week plus variety)? Is the best strategy to try to get in some level of riding, even if it is not intense, or just wait out the cold and start over when you’re well? How much fitness does one loose when down and out for a couple of weeks, and typically how long to regain lost ground?

Ahh Choo,
Ken

Ken,
In a couple weeks, if doing no training you’ll lose a couple percentage points, maybe… If you are able to do some maintenance, you may not drop at all. It may not feel good after you come back, but you’ll get there soon enough. The first week start at 50 percent of normal, then 75-80 percent the next week, and then back to normal the next week. Don’t hammer right away or you’re likely to relapse and get sick again.

Feel better,
Neal

Hello Coach,
I’m a cat. 2 rider an have always had a weakness in time trials. My climbing is generally good and I typically like climbing out of the saddle. I would like your recommendation on how to build up leg power that will provide me with better overall speed for TTs and when the speeds in races really picks up.

Thanks,
Peter

Peter,
No. 1: ride your TT bike. I coach one pro who last year was not a great TT rider, but then got some solid results. The key was getting him on his TT bike. I had him do one day with longer intervals, and also in saddle training, which is more difficult and helps develop leg strength and power. You also may want to try bigger gear intervals. Doing 10-20 rpm less than normal can help build strength.

Best,
Neal

Neal,
It is early in the season and I have been training quite hard. Mainly intervals and endurance rides. My quads and calve muscles are sore the day after but my hamstrings are not. Could this be a problem with bike fit or my spin? Normally I do not get too sore once the season is rolling.

Kindest Regards,
Nick

Nick,
Usually you use more quads and calves, but bike fit can also effect this and could be related. Soreness on the bike is kind of rare. The motion is not like running or strength training, which can cause soreness. So a lot of soreness is kind of rare, so maybe it is something else? Are you going to the gym or playing another sport? Also examine your position, and maybe try some one leg drills to find dead spots in your pedal stroke, which could also be a factor.

Go well,
Neal

Hello Coach,
I have been away from cycling for over 15 years to pursue other sporting interests, but the itch and simple joy of cycling has come back. Fifteen years ago I was competing in expert class mountain bike races and cat. 3 road races and consistently placing top 20. I am 36, in fairly decent physical condition at the moment due to a kayak training program that also involves weight training, some running and some swimming for a total of 12 workouts per week. This most recent program began last November.

I have read a pile of books, but they all say that these programs are meant for people who have at least two years worth of riding in their bodies. How does one spend those two years training effectively to build up to the point of having an in-depth, periodised training program? At my age, my time is valuable and I would far prefer to train efficiently and effectively. I guess this is a classic case of off the couch to cat. 4 in 2-3 years but with a twist. My current VO2 max score was done on a 20-meter shuttle run test a little over a month ago and hits just under 50. I am 6-feet, 168 pounds with 11.8 percent body fat.

Looking for some direction and ideas,
Michael in Vancouver, BC

Michael,
Based on what you did over the years you should be good to go with an already-trained training schedule. Aim for 8-12 hours a week and your fitness should come up. Clearly you are fit and healthy, so just get on a cycling program and have fun. Also think about consulting a local coach to set some targets and goals to build to.

Good luck,
Neal

Hey Coach Neal,
How would you simulate a cat. 1, 2 or 3 climb on a mag trainer. What resistance level and gear ratio would provide the closest simulation of a categorized climb?

Many thanks,
Adrian in Brisbane, Australia

Adrian ,
No. 1, if there are any climbs near you, go ride outside. Even multiple repeats on a short hill would be good. If you have to stay inside you can try elevating your bike, but it wont be exact. If you are able to monitor power output, try to keep it around your threshold. It all depends on your gear ratio and the trainer you have. Use HR or power compare to what you’ve done in real climbs.

Neal

Editor’s Note: Jason Sumner is a 38-year-old, 170-pound freelance writer and Cat. 4 bike racer who last year 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 2008 season, producing a 250-watt lactate threshold, a 3.2 watts per kilogram score and a VO2 max of 51.5. Sumner was retested in mid-November 2008, and produced a 275-watt LT, a 3.6 watts per kilogram, and a VO2 max of 59.6. In 2009, he’s continuing to train, hoping to up those numbers further — and maybe win a race. He is documenting his experiences for VeloNews.com is this periodical 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 brand new individual pursuit world champion 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 Sumner on a pro bono basis.

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