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