TRAINING: Spinervals Week No. 52

Number 52 Week of December 24 by Coach Troy Jacobson

• Warm up 5 minutes easy
• 3x30 sec 42x15 @ 30 sr (Seconds Rest = easy spin)
• 2 min easy spin
• Repeat 4 times
  • 30 sec superspin 42x18 (rpm > 110)
  • 30 sec easy
  • 1 min steady
    • 1st time 53x15
    • 2nd time 53x18
    • 3rd time 53x12
    • 4th time 53x15
  • 30 sec easy
• 2 min easy spin
• 3 x 30 sec one-leg drill (alternate 3 times each leg) 53x15 with 30 sr between legs
• 1 min easy spin
• 5 min of alternating between 10 sec hard 53x12 and 10 sec easy in same gear
• 2 min easy spin
• Repeat 5 times
  • 20 sec build effort 53x15, then
  • 10 sec out of saddle sprint 53x12, then
  • 30 sec easy, recovery spin
• cooldown 5-10 minutes

Merry Christmas!

I wish you all the merriest Christmas.
Eat, drink and be merry, for next year we ride!

Video Tutorials Now on Red Hawks Cycling Web Site

Because there are a number of Ripon College students who have very limited bike experience interested in participating on the team, I've taken advantage of the experienced experts at ExpertVillage.com. I've collected some of the best these folks have to offer on mountain bike riding techniques and routine bicycle maintenance and repair and posted them in a single convenient location on the Red Hawks Cycling Web site.

Saris to Provide 12 CycleOps Fluid 2 Trainers

Patrick Walters, director of new business ventures at Saris Cycling Group, confirmed yesterday that the company will provide the Red Hawks cycling team with 12 CycleOps Fluid 2 trainers. This is a huge boost to our young program from a world-class company. Saris' commitment to the program is an excellent validation of our efforts, and their trainers will allow our team to get a jump on training this winter. When students return in January, we'll begin regular group spin sessions to get them on track for spring and summer riding and racing.

Patrick and I also discussed various scenarios in which our students may be able to incorporate their academic disciplines with their passion for cycling. We're hopeful that this new partnership will offer students engrossing research opportunities in their fields of study that will mutually benefit their educations and Saris. This is an exciting proposition as these are precisely the type of real world laboratory situations that Ripon College promotes.

TRAINING: Spinervals Week No. 51

Number 51 Week of December 17 by Coach Troy Jacobson

• Warm up 5 minutes easy
• 3x30 sec 53x15 @ 30 sr (Seconds Rest = easy spin)
• 2 min easy spin
• 8 x 20 sec superspin 42x15 (rpm > 110+) @ 10 sr
• 2 min easy spin
• Repeat 6 times (6 killer minutes)
  • 1 min 53x15, then 1 min easy
  • 1 min 53x12, then 1 min easy
  • 1 min 53x18, then 1 min easy
  • 1 min 53x15, then 1 min easy
  • 1 min 53x12, then 1 min easy
  • 1 min 53x18
• 2 min easy spin
• Repeat this for 4 minutes
  • 10 sec 53x15 tempo effort, then
  • 10 sec easy, soft pedal
• 2 min easy spin
• Repeat 4 times
  • 20 sec seated 53x12 build effort increasing, then
  • 10 sec out of saddle sprint in same gear, then
  • 30 sec easy, recovery spin
• cooldown 5-10 minutes

For more info check the Spinervals site.

TRAINING: Spinervals Week No. 50

Number 50 Week of December 10 by Coach Troy Jacobson

• Warm up 5 minutes easy
• 3x30 sec 53x15 @ 30 sr (Seconds Rest = easy spin)
• 2 min easy spin
• 4 x 30 sec superspin 42x18 (rpm > 110+) @ 15 sr
• 1 min easy spin
• Repeat twice
  • 4 min 53x18, then 30 sec easy
  • 3 min 53x16, then 20 sec easy
  • 2 min 53x14, then 15 sec easy
  • 1 min 53x12, then 30 sec easy
• 2 min easy spin
• Repeat 6 times
  • 30 sec superspin 42x15 (rpm > 120)
  • 30 sec steady 53x18 (rpm 80-100)
• cooldown 5-10 minutes

For more info check the Spinervals site.

Don't let the snow stop you...

I rode my Mary 29er to the convenience store Saturday morning to pick up some milk, and this site on winter riding tips has given me the inspiration to ride to work tomorrow.

Weekly Yoga Sessions Available Next Semester at Ripon

The College's Student Senate approved a yoga program at Ripon to begin Jan. 17 and continue each Thursday night through April 17. This is good news for the Red Hawk cycling program, as yoga offers beneficial core strengthening and muscle balance.

A yoga program can build a cyclist's strength and endurance and introduce flexibility to chronically tight muscles, according to an article in Yoga Journal by Baron Baptiste and Kathleen Finn Mendola.

"Bicycling, like other linear sports such as running, hiking, and swimming, calls out for the counterbalancing benefits of yoga. Not only do poses aid in elongating and strengthening overtaxed muscles, but applying the finer nuances of yoga alignment will help you establish a new relationship with your bike, one of comfort and ease."

I'll be encouraging all of my cyclists to participate.

Super Spin Saturday: Ride for Rosita

I'm encouraging my Ripon College prospective team members and anyone else for that matter to participate in the Fourth Annual Super Spin Saturday Jan. 26 at the Fond du Lac YMCA. As far as riding your bike on a trainer or rollers (or riding a stationary bike) goes, this is one of the most fun events you can participate in. The event begins at 9 a.m. and runs until 2 p.m. You can ride one hour or all five. This will be my fourth year participating, and I've ridden all five hours each time (with the exception of the regular potty breaks).

All riders are asked to raise pledges/donations to benefit health care in Rosita, Nicaragua. A group of "medical missionaries" from Fond du Lac have been visiting Rosita regularly since February 2003. Last year, more this group treated more than 600 patients.

Great prizes will be awarded, including a chance to win one of three bikes.

For more information, download the registration and pledge form or call the Fond du Lac YMCA: 920-921-3330, ext. 14.

TRAINING: Spinervals Week No. 49

Number 49 Week of December 03 by Coach Troy Jacobson

• Warm up 5 minutes easy
• 3x30 sec 53x15 @ 30 sr (Seconds Rest = easy spin)
• 2 min easy spin
• 30 sec hard 53x12 then 30 sr
• 60 sec hard 53x15 then 30 sr
• 90 sec hard 53x18 then 30 sr
• 60 sec hard 53x15 then 30 sr
• 30 sec hard 53x12 then
• 2 min easy spin
• 5 min race tempo and every 20 sec shift into a different gear)
• 2 min easy spin
• Repeat 5 times
  • 15 sec 53x18 then
  • 15 sec 53x15 then
  • 15 sec 53x12 then
  • 15 sec easy spin
• 2 min easy spin
• 3 x 30 sec hard 53x14 (20 sec seated build intensity, 10 sec standing sprint) @ 30 sr
• cooldown 5-10 minutes

Indoor Spin

Fond du Lac Cyclery and Oshkosh Cyclery are welcoming cyclists to spin on trainers at their stores. Bring your bike and a stationary trainer if you have one — if not, the shops have a limited number of loaners. Groups are spinning at both locations Tuesday and Thursday nights from 6 to 8 p.m. Additional spin time is available at the Fond du Lac store Saturday and Sunday mornings from 7 to 9 a.m. All spinners should be ready to go at 6 p.m. or 7 a.m., so show up early and be prepared to go on the hour.

USA Cycling Newsletter Highlights Ripon

USA Cycling's weekly newsletter, published Nov. 29, includes a nice feature on the Red Hawk Cycling program. Ripon even gets a shout out across the top of page 1. Download a PDF here and turn to page 8 for the story.

Fuel: Some Tips for Off Season and On

I happened upon a couple of articles by Steve Born on the Hammer Nutrition site that I think are worthy of a good read by any competitive cyclist or other endurance athlete.

The first offers suggestions for off season nutritional supplements. The second offers 15 tips for nutrition and hydration during exercise: both training and racing.

Born is senior technical advisor at Hammer Nutrition. He is a member of the Ultra Cycling Hall of Fame, having competed in the Race Across America five times. The Hammer site contains many more related articles by Born, who obviously knows a thing or two about how and what to eat during rigorous competition.

TRAINING: Spinervals Week No. 48

Number 48 Week of November 26 by Coach Troy Jacobson

• Warm up 5 minutes easy
• 3x30 sec 53x15 @ 30 sr (Seconds Rest = easy spin)
• 1 minute easy spin
• 5 min tempo 53x15 (Time Trial pace) then easy 30 sec
• 4 min tempo 53x14 (TT pace) then easy 30 sec
• 3 min tempo 53x13 (TT pace) then easy 30 sec
• 2 min tempo 53x12 (TT pace) then easy 30 sec
• Off bike, 3 x 18 vertical jumps with 15 sr between sets of 18
• On bike, 1 min easy spin
• Repeat 3 times
  • 3 min tempo 53x15, then easy spin 15 sec, then
  • 30 sec out-of-saddle sprint 53x12, then 30 sec easy recovery spin
• 2 min easy spin
• 5 min tempo 53x12, with last 10 sec of each minute standing and sprinting
• cooldown 5-10 minutes
  

Holiday Survival Guide

Here's what Chris Carmichael has to say about keeping the holiday pounds off.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Gives Team Props

Tom Held posted a nice feature on the Red Hawks cycling team on his "Off the Couch" blog today. Read it here.

Why Wisconsin?

Some may wonder what Wisconsin has to offer for cyclists, especially mountain bikers. Well, for just one: the top marathon mountain bikers in the country will be back in Wausau next summer for the USA Cycling 24-hour national championships.

Kevin Eccles and Team Sports Inc. will host the nationals races for a third straight year, while celebrating the 10th anniversary of the 24-9 at the Nine Mile Forest in Marathon County. The 2008 event is set for Aug. 2 and 3.

Ripon College will enter a team if there is interest.

TRAINING: Spinervals Week No. 47

Number 47 Week of November 19 by Coach Troy Jacobson

• Warm up 5 minutes easy
• 3x30 sec 53x15 @ 30 sr (Seconds Rest = easy spin)
• 2 minute easy spin
• 15 killer minute repeats (110% hard effort!)

• 1 min hard (alternate between 53x12 and 53x15 during the minute) then
• 1 min very easy spin to recovery

• Off bike, 2 x 2 min wall sit with 20 sr between sits
• 3 x 15 vertical jumps with 20 sr between sets of 15
• On bike, 2 min easy spin
• 10 x 30 sec tempo 53x14 (time trial effort) @ 1 min easy spin
• cooldown 5-10 minutes

TRAINING: Legs and Core

Here are a couple of quick workouts that I picked up from Bicycling Magazine to specifically target two fundamental regions of any cyclist:

Legs: Six Strengthening Moves | Core Exercises

TRAINING VIDEO: Strength Workouts

Ripon College Cycling Wallpaper for your computer

Help spread the word about Ripon's new cycling program by downloading this wallpaper and proudly show the RC colors on your desktop.

800x600 or 1024x768.

I'll get something for you widescreen folks soon.

Fond du Lac/Oshkosh Cyclery, Rudy Project Offer Support

The Red Hawks Cycling team has received offers of support from Fond du Lac Cyclery/Oshkosh Cyclery and Rudy Project.

FdL/Oshkosh Cyclery will give all Ripon team members a 30% discount on almost everything in either store. Certain items may be excluded. After all, owners John and Carol Bartow still have to pay their bills, and not all items — such as helmets — have a significant mark-up to justify the discount.

That said, Rudy Project has extended a BRO contract (not quite a pro contract, more like the discount you'd give your brother) to the team which provides a 30-50% discount on their full line of sport optics (that's the fancy word for glasses) and helmets.

Links to websites can be found under the Supporting Partners on the right.

TRAINING: Spinervals Free Workout

Visit the Spinervals website to check out Troy Jacobson's workout of the month, “Aerobic Training Session A” (or download a PDF here).

Coach Troy also posts a workout of the week. I'll post them here, as they can be valuable methods to break the winter monotony.

Number 46 Week of November 12 by Coach Troy Jacobson

• Warm up 5 minutes easy
• 3x30 sec 53x15 @ 30 sr (Seconds Rest = easy spin)
• 1 minute easy spin
• 4 x 1 min one-leg drill (alternate 4 times each leg) 53x15 with 30 sr between legs
• Off bike, 3 x 1 min wall sit @ 20 sec rest
• Off bike, 4 x 10 explosive vertical jumps with 20 sec rest between sets
• Back on bike, 1 min spin
• 2 x 6 min tempo 53x14 @ 60 sr
• 3 x 30 sec one-leg drill (alternate 3 times each leg) 53x12 with 30 sr between legs
• 8 min steady tempo 53x13
• cooldown 5-10 minutes

Getting it done.

It's been at least three years that Athletic Director Bob Gillespie, President David Joyce and I have been kicking around the idea of forming a bike team at Ripon. Now, the vision is becoming a reality. Following a unanimous vote by the faculty in support of the program, Ripon is set to compete in the 2008 Midwest Collegiate Cycling Conference mountain bike season.

Now comes the hard work of recruiting a cast of talented cyclists to field a competitive team. In the last week, I have received a fair amount of interest from current Ripon students who want to participate. I've also received inquiries from prospective students and offers of assistance from bike shops and other coaches.

Helping to get the word out was this post on the VeloNews Web site.