tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6472745669038138928.post7884157751459588936..comments2023-10-19T04:33:22.878-05:00Comments on Red Hawks Cycling: First Time TrialRic Dammhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09685551251931560127noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6472745669038138928.post-14850071193620829242009-08-20T19:25:05.029-05:002009-08-20T19:25:05.029-05:00First of all, it's been great to see your prog...First of all, it's been great to see your program grow over the last year and I'm looking forward to seeing your team at the races this Fall. I don't think we've met in person, but I'll be sure to introduce myself to you this Fall - I'll be racing in the Men's A for U of Michigan.<br /><br />Regarding the time trial, you should consider lengthening it so it lasts closer to 20 minutes. Perhaps have your riders complete two laps. The reasoning for this is because 20 minutes seems to be known as the minimum time needed to accurately estimate functional threshold power (FTP) for cyclists. Even though your riders aren't using power meters, it's still good to go for 20 minutes because the longer distance will enable you to measure aerobic power (or, in this case, TT time at an aerobic pace) instead of anaerobic power. For MTB racing, aerobic power is a much stronger determinant of a rider's strength and ability. Training aerobic power, specifically, will result in the greatest gains for your riders. With that being said, however, anaerobic power is still very necessary for courses with punchy climbs and close finishes, so it's still worth taking it into consideration.BrendanBensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09227224271984889538noreply@blogger.com