Joshua.

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Lone Star CX in Suffolk

Good day of racing yesterday.  The course was really fun.  Some tight, technical turns in the first part of it with some long, heavy sections.  Descents, run up and climbs finished it off.  The only problem for my legs were the amount of grass sections.  Actually, it was all grass.  That made is very challenging and very hard.  I big ringed it the whole way and although I got last of the finishers in the Cat 3 race, I felt like I race well.  I pushed myself in the hurt locker.  I had a bad remount after the run up where I started to get gapped and after that it was impossible to catch up.

Our newest teammate Chris Larkin raced the Cat 4 race and did very well.  He has had his CX bike for just 6 days so a 7th place finish was pretty good.  A couple of bad remounts and getting stuck behind riders who let gaps form caused him not to be able to stay with the leaders, but he raced great.

Jon Nisbet raced with me in the Cat 3 race.  Although he had a better showing at Bryan Park, I think he probably looks back at this race as a success.  The bottom line is we are out there to have fun.  That we did.  We all hurt and we all suffered, but we hurt and suffered with friends.

Great job to Albe and the crew from All About Bikes Racing.  Great race, great course.  Thank you.

Stay safe, stay healthy, stay fit...this is how we do it.

The weather was bad on Friday, no doubt about that.  We had planned on riding the Tripower ride on Saturday morning, but wet roads on a cold morning with a group that seems to crash every week, not so appealing.  So we had a plan B.  Indoor workout.  Say what you want about indoor training.  I hear it all the time, "I would rather shoot myself than ride for 2 hours indoors" or how about "Riding in the cold, wet weather builds character."  That it may.  But why risk the stupid injuries, illness and overall discomfort and eventual discouragement.

So four of us met at Performance Point on Saturday morning with our trainers, bikes and alternate workout shoes.  The workout was 1-1/2 hours long.  The workout consisted of steady efforts of around 85%, or aerobic effort on the bike, Jacobs Ladder and Versa Climber.  It also consisted of technique and spinning drills.  We essentially got a great workout, appropriate for the time of year, had a great time while training with friends and stayed safe and motivated. 

Beat that!

Want to join us next time?  If you become a member of Performance Point you can join us anytime you want.  We are going to make this a standard on bad weather weekends.  If you don't want to become a member I'm sure we can arrange a drop in rate.

If we get enough people on their bikes there, soon we will end up with Computrainers.

Enjoy the weather.

Training Facility for Cyclist Performance Improvement

To All Hampton Roads Cyclist:

A few months ago I sent out an announcement about an off-season conditioning program offered by Performance Point in Virginia Beach.  This conditioning program works to improvement movement, balance, flexibility, power, strength and endurance.  Unique equipment is used that you won't find in other gyms or training facilities.  The program also includes group trainer workouts that will be targeted to the time of year.

Originally when I sent this out the program was going to occur every Tuesday and Thursday at 6pm from the beginning  of November to the end of March.  We realized that these days may not work for everyone and this may restrict some of you from signing up for the program.

We want to hold an open house.  This meeting will not obligate you to anything.  It will simply be a chance to see the facility, talk with the trainers and hear what we have to offer.  It will also be a chance for us to talk with you.  The program will be based on 2 classes a week but will not be limited to that.  We are hoping to have enough interest to hold numerous workouts throughout the week so that we will be able to work around everyone's schedule.  Come on to the open house, talk with us and let us know what days work best for you.  We will then develop the schedule around that.

CYCLIST PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT TRAINING PROGRAM
OPEN HOUSE
OCTOBER 26, 2009
7PM
2644 BARRETT STREET
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA 23452

Email me with any questions.  Or call me.  515-5940

If possible, RSVP to joshua.goyet@p2fit.com

My $6 CX Barriers

I went to Lowe's today and bought $6 worth of pvc pipe, elbows and tees.  I then constructed a set of portable cx practice barriers.  They are regulation height but only 4 feet wide.  I didn't glue them so if needed I can break them apart to fit in my trunk.  They, however, fit tight enough that I don't have to worry about them coming apart.  They are light enough that I could carry them while on my bike to the neighborhood park to practice my dismounts and remounts.  I'm actually pretty excited about them.

I also, since I was buying pvc, bought a little extra so that I can have my stretching poles.  My flexibility has increased a lot in the last year and I owe it all to the training I have done at Performance Point.  We use pvc pipes to stabilize ourselves during stretching because all stretches should be performed unsupported (off the ground).  This allows joint strengthening while increasing range of motion.  So now I will be more likely to stretch following a ride instead of just saving it for when I'm at the training arena.

Triathlon Club Open House

Any triathletes out there should check this out. Performance Point is starting a triathlon club. This does not require you to change teams, nor does Performance Point even have an idea of creating a team at this time. This club is for triathletes to get together and receive top of the line training and testing. Membership in this program includes swim stroke video analysis, run gait analysis with physical therapy, cycling analysis with computrainer and bike set up, and of course the top of the line training and open water swim technique.

The open house is October 22, 2009 at 7:00 pm at Performance Point located at 2644 Barrett Street, Virginia Beach, VA 23452. This open house does not obligate you to anything. So you might as well stop by and see what they have to offer.

Any questions? Email me at joshua.goyet@p2fit.com

Bryan Park CX

The Virginia Beach Wheelmen had the most racers at a CX race for Bryan Park then we have had for any other CX race. Five of us left Hampton Roads for Richmond. It was John Gray, Jon Nisbet, Tim Shockley, Mike Tamayo and myself. The Highlander was packed with most of the bikes and gear and then John another vehicle. Hindsight we could have fit 5 in the Highlander but I didn't know Mike had a hitch carrier we could have used. Next time.

When we got to Richmond we knew about the deal with the categories. John Gray, although a 3 on the road was a 4 for cyclocross. So he had to get ready quickly and line up. It was alright. It was his first CX race and now he had teammates to feed him and cheer him on. He did good for his first race. Would have been in the top 20 if it were not for a spill on the final lap. But he looked good and comfortable out there. Awesome job.

Then, even though a 2 on the road, Jon Nisbet was a 3 for cyclocross, so the rest of us got to race together. My personal strategy was just to have fun. Over the last few weeks I have gone through my deconditioning from the road season in order to build back up. So although I have been training, it has been pretty low intensity training. Regardless, I just didn't want to be last. We started off and Mike took off and led the pack for a while. Jon Nisbet was on Tim's wheel and I was on Jon's. I was feeling pretty comfortable. The second set of barriers on the first lap is where I started to have problems. The pace wasn't to high for me and the skill of dismounting and remounted was bad, but the acceleration after remounting is what was getting me. Unlike road with a fluid consistent pedal motion, the CX style was killing my legs. But I haven't worked on that at all this year.

So as the race progressed I saw the pack get further and further until I couldn't see them any more. Then I saw Mike in the distance. I tried to catch up to him but he found his second effort when a group of 4 met up with him. He ended up leaving most of them. So Jon finished strong in the second group and Tim just slightly behind him. Mike held strong as to not being lapped by leaders and I finished it out for the team getting lapped near the end of the last lap.

None of us stuck around for the results, but all of us considered the day a success. Mostly because of a great course, great teammates, a nice drive and it is always fun to race your bike...even if you don't post great results.

Watch for us next week at Lonestar. Exciting times.

Ready to Race

Physically....no. But that's okay. CX is just fun for me. Not while actually racing, but I tell myself it is fun. It keeps me on the bike this time of year, it forces me to work on bike handling skills, it has introduced me to a very close knit group of people who love this aspect of the sport, and it allowed me to buy another bike.

That being said, I have already started my training for the 2010 road season. It is low intensity right now, except for the days I am on the cross bike. So my weight is lower now than it was at any time during the 2009 road season, I am feeling good (just got over a cold) and I'm excited about racing.

Don't expect to see me near the front though. I will give it all I have and try to limit the excuses, but I still will probably end up rounding out the end of results sheet....we'll see.

The most exciting part to me is that 5 of our 8 racers are going to the Bryan Park race. We are going to car pool together and make a day of it. That is going to be fun, and that's what I am most excited about. Good showing for the green and blue of the Virginia Beach Wheelmen.

See you there.