General News

Over the past weekend I took advantage of the opportunity to attend the Elite Coaching conference offered by USAC at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO. Always wanting to be a ‘student of coaching science’  it was a great four days of listening to presenting lecturers along with plenty of discussions concerning an array of cycling performance related topics. About thirty coaches were in attendance, all having differing backgrounds and connections to the sport . At times some of the material certainly raised questions, but this is all part of the learning process. As a coach it can be easy to get comfortable with a set way of doing the training, but as more research is done there will always be ways that we can better ‘tweak’ the old tried-and-true, even if for no reason other than to offer a rider a new challenge towards a familiar outcome.  The conference was a good reminder that it’s important to question methodology and to do things purposefully.

My coaching mantra has always been to understand a rider’s situation (how does riding mesh with the day-to-day life) and goals, then to move forward by prescribing purposeful and directed training so that progress can be measured and goals accomplished along the way.  Fitting with this philosophy, the discussions concerning nutrition periodization, sports psychology, interval training, and overtraining were all very applicable. With some athletes more coaching attention given to nutritional concerns could really aid their overall performance, while for others more conversation regarding the ‘nuts and bolts’ of their interval sessions might be most helpful in the end.

Each rider brings something unique to the coaching experience so having four days to cover an umbrella of topics was fantastic. I’m excited to use a bit of the conference with each of the athletes I’m working with. Coaching is rewarding work and the conference proved to be a nice part of my continuing education. As a USAC certified coach since 2003, it’s nice to have earned the ‘Level I’ certification, even though certifications don’t mean a whole lot when it really comes down to the day in/day out coaching. Fortunately those who I work with seem to agree that it’s largely a positive experience.

Enjoy the ride,

who: you and your ‘cross friends
what: Cyclocross Practice
when: 7:00 am Tuesdays
where: Himmel Park (google directions)
why: have fun while refining your skill and fitness all at the same time

With a full slate of Cyclocross racing to come this season take advantage of an opportunity to hone in your ‘cross skills with a weekly cyclocross session. This informal practice will allow you to dial your dismount and perfect your transition over the barriers and back onto the bike.  Cyclocross requires a certain level of finesse and practicing will allow you to become more smooth. Whether cyclocross is something brand new to you, or if you’re a veteran of the discipline, feel free to join in. Ride your cross bike or your MTB (minus bar-ends).

We’ll set up pvc barriers and do some trial runs, move things around and try some more situations. Himmel’s terrain even allows for a run up. Come ready to practice and enjoy all that is ‘cross! Make it a skills ride or incorporate some race efforts to boost the fitness. Have questions or need further details? Simply stop on by or email twoodruff@momentumendurance.com.  See you there!

For further reference, here are some links to some helpful cyclocross resources:

Wiki – what is cyclocross?
Tucson CX Series – Calendar
AZ Cross (Phoenix series)
AZ Cycling.com

Momentum Endurance will be attending numerous races in the upper Midwest this season so be on the lookout. Stop by and say hi or ask a question or two if you have the chance. It’s our goal to enhance the experience of all participating athletes. Look for Momentum Endurance  at  WORS events and also the ‘Triple Crown’ of the Ore to Shore, Chequamagon, and Iceman. Best of luck with your training and preparations. Enjoy the ride,

Here’s what the Wildcat, student newspaper of U of A, has to say about the event. The newspaper talked about online site that will help college people more about English skills such as advanced synonym and etc. There are more things that college students and even athletes would need to have. You can click here for the full linked version. It was great that Momentum Endurance got to volunteer with the club for the race weekend. Keeping busy with bike repairs, numerous bike washes and of course feedzone and start/finish line duties was the story. There wasn’t a single mechanical mishap for our riders and everyone finished well despite the horrendous course conditions. Collegiate cycling is alive and well!

Cycling

Sophomore Chloe Forsman and the Arizona club cycling team had a banner weekend among the mud and muck of North Carolina at the 2007 USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships.

Forsman successfully defended her 2006 cross country title and also won the Omnium National Championship. The Omnium title is awarded to the athlete with the highest combined scores from four different mountain biking disciplines – cross country, downhill, short track and dual slalom.

Dual slalom is a head-to-head race down a man-made course, usually with grated turns. The course frequently has man-made obstacles such as jumps or berms.

The five-person team rolled into Banner Elk, N.C., on Thursday afternoon, and the rainy conditions made for a rocky, slippery weekend of competition – which meant much discussion about mud, tires and bike modifications.

Despite the possibility of climate shock moving from the sunny Southwest to the more sodden Southeast, Arizona coach Travis Woodruff felt the team performed well.

“These Wildcats performed well in the muddy conditions,” Woodruff said. “Coming from the dry conditions of Tucson, this was a big success.”

Forsman had the biggest weekend, winning the cross country race by over a minute. Forsman also finished 10th in the dual slalom, second in the short-track event and 26th in the downhill. She was the only Arizona athlete to compete for the Omnium award.

Other high finishers for the Wildcats included mechanical engineering doctoral student Kyle Colavito, who placed 17th in the men’s cross country race, and civil engineering graduate student Evan Hyde, who placed 14th in the short-track race.

As a team, Arizona finished seventh overall in a field of 38, with a combined score of 346 points.

who: you and your ‘cross friends
what: Cyclocross Practice
when: 7:00 am Wednesdays
where: Himmel Park (google directions)
why: have fun while refining your skill and fitness all at the same time

With a full slate of Cyclocross racing to come this season take advantage of an opportunity to hone in your ‘cross skills with a weekly cyclocross practice session. This informal practice session will allow you to dial your dismount and perfect your transition over the barriers and back onto the bike.  Cyclocross requires a certain level of finesse; surely this time will be highly valuable and enjoyable all at the same time. Whether cyclocross is something brand new to you, or if you’re a veteran of the discipline, feel free to join in. Ride your cross bike or your MTB (minus bar-ends).

We’ll set up some portable barriers and do some trial runs, move things around and try some more situations. Himmel’s terrain will even allow for a run up. Come ready to practice and enjoy all that is ‘cross! Make it a skills ride or incorporate some race efforts to boost the fitness. Have questions or need further details? Simply stop on by or email twoodruff@momentumendurance.com.  See you there!

For further reference, here are some links to some helpful cyclocross resources:

Wiki – what is cyclocross?
Tucson CX Series – Calendar
AZ Cross (Phoenix series)
AZ Cycling.com