We get email and Twitter questions regarding our training plans all the time. We strive to answer each one, and it occurred to us that maybe sharing this information could be good for other self-coached triathletes out there. Enjoy!
Rich and Patrick
Looking for info on pedal stroke technique. ½ iron athlete and have always kept an even down/up power stroke and sliding across top/bottom of the stroke. Trying to keep circles but seems something is missing. Seems that there would be a hole in the power in the top/bottom…Any references / thoughts/ suggestions ???
Thanks!
RonRon, there are tons of great resources out there on proper pedaling techniques and drills. A quick search of YouTube should give you more than enough fodder. The particular deadspot you are talking of is pretty common for triathletes, especially in the aero position. Good on you for noting it’s top and bottom…most only notice it on the bottom side. These folks are forgetting that the cranks are fixed, and that your ability to pull through the bottom of the stroke is only as good as your ability to push the other foot over the top of the other side!
This could be a flexibility or strength related issue (or a combination). I suggest two approaches.
#1, work on hip flexor flexibility. Consider doing some lunge stretches, where you really push your hips forward to open them up. Perhaps even consider arching backwards to really do a number on your hips. You can also do this as you stretch your quad on that side. Holding your heel to your butt, stand erect and push that hip forward as you hold the stretch. You’ll feel it!
#2, work on strengthening the area. The hip flexors and psoas muscles can be a bit weak and fatigue easily, especially if they are tight. Once you have started stretching, consider adding in some cycling-specific strength work. I prefer to do single leg pedaling while on a trainer at about 60-70 rpms. Load the wheel up to the point where you really need to slow down – but not so hard so as to put undue strain on your body. Work on a smooth transition from 10 o’clock to 2 o’clock. As you build up confidence and skill, add more speed (less resistance). Do this each leg for 45-60 seconds, alternating sides. So six minutes of that plus 4 minutes of regular pedaling with both legs as recovery, done a few times a week, should help you out!
Summary: We sleep in, pack the bikes, watch the TT downtown and take WAY too many pictures of pro’s and sweet bikes!
The Full Run Down 6 days, over 25hrs, and nearly 400 miles of riding and we are DONE!! Time to rest and watch the pro’s take on the mean streets of Los Angeles for the time trial stage!
Though he has the day off, Riley assumes his post as Camp Mascot
Sonny tries to stowaway in a camper bike box
A Schleck, in need of a sammich
Spartacus!
George warms up
Mo' Jens is always Mo' Betta'
Chrissie sighting, after her TT on the course before the race
Camper Chris (HED hat) scores a spot IN the start house!
Trent scores a spot ON the TT announcer's platform!
Chris Horner
The Laydeez compare pro tour boyfriend pics over beers at the Yardhouse
The Endurance Nation Tour of California is a members-only event. Please join our waiting list to receive an invitation to join TeamEN as space becomes available.
Theme of the Day: “I think I may have undersold this stage…” — Coach Rich
Summary: We insert ourselves into about mile 85 of Stage 6, still good enough for more than solid mileage and climbing. The campers witness the first mountain top finish in ToC history.
The Full Run Down After 3 years of doing the ToC camp, we know that everyone is pretty well trashed by Thursday, just in time for an easy day and pastries in Solvang before another solid day on Saturday. But not this year! Stage 6 is in Coach Rich’s backyard. He rides the San Gabriel mountains regularly and the thought of riding the complete stage, from Palmdale to Big Bear…just crazy!
So we exercised the Local Knowledge Card and inserted the campers just beyond where the course intersected Interstate 15 in the Cajon Pass, and pointed them east (and up, up, up) to Big Bear, including a VERY steep KOM outside Crestline followed quickly by an intermediate sprint…with an evil little 18% kicker in the last 200m…ugggg!!!
The campers continued onwards on Hwy 18 to Big Bear, some following the ToC course along the north shore of the lake, other opting for the more direct south shore. Everyone made it to town with plenty of time to enjoy a sandwich and watch the finish: 800-1000m at 3-4%. The lead group of about 30 riders were seriously hurting up this grind.
Dinner at Rich’s house in Monrovia featured kabobs, beer, wine, and a week’s worth of tall tales and memories shared around the fire.
Coach Rich's briefs the campers before Stage 6
Hwy 18, Rim of the World Highway
Levi grinds it in with the lead group
Good times and smack around the fire
The Endurance Nation Tour of California is a members-only event. Please join our waiting list to receive an invitation to join TeamEN as space becomes available.
Theme of the Day: Yeah, no, this stage is boring….let’s do something epically cool!
Summary: Coach Rich leverages his knowledge of California’s best roads to create a custom stage — a climb through Sequoia National Forest, max elevation of 7300 feet, then a descent down the Kern River to a sprint finish just outside Kernville!
The Full Run Down: It seems that most years the Tour includes a stage that is less than exciting, meant to put in the miles between points A and B. Last year it was a mostly flat and windy stage across the Central Valley…which we skipped, opting instead to ride through Fort Hunter Liggett to the coast and back, one of the most scenic rides in California. This year it was Stage 5 from Visalia to Bakersfield. A little weary of the time pressure of being chased by the Tour and so close to the Sierras and epic riding, we pulled ourselves off the course and rode through Sequoia National Forest to Kernville instead!
The plan was simple: drive out of Visalia and into the mountains until the GPS said we were at about 3500ft elevation. Jump out of the vans and climb south on Hwy 190 and the Western Divide Hwy through Sequoia National Forest, over 7300ft elevation and through the Trail of 100 Giants. Descend down to the Kern River and finish up in Kernville before our drive to Monrovia, Rich’s home outside LA.
The ride, the scenery, and the relaxed timeline of the day was just what we needed to recharge our heads, if not our legs. The campers still got in X and Y, but the views were worth the work. The A-Group had fun attacking each other into the wind on the run into Kernville before an impromptu final sprint before the vans, which were conveniently staged at a general store offering tri-tip sammiches, milkshakes, and the Tour live on TV!
Coach Rich, after having cycled and moto’ed much of central and southern California, from SanFran to San Diego, declared this to be the BEST ride he has ever done. Period. Enjoy the pictures below!
Dan Socie, Coach Rich, and Trent "Drillbit" Prough at a roadside waterfall, elevation ~7k feet.
Sequoia National Forest, 7k feet elevation, and the road to ourselves!
Quick regroup on Western Divide Hwy before the descent to the Kern river
Waterfall, upper Kern River
Campers watch the final minutes of Stage 5, live, while enjoying tri-tip and shakes
The Endurance Nation Tour of California is a members-only event. Please join our waiting list to receive an invitation to join TeamEN as space becomes available.
EN ToC is met by members of the EN NorCal Sleeper Cell
Theme of the Day: The Team that is Endurance Nation comes together to make some pretty cool stuff happen for the camp.
Summary: We climb legendary Sierra Road right out of the gate, the EN NorCal Sleeper Cell meets the camp and leads us around some road closures, many are introduced to their first 20-25 mile continuous climb while the TeamEN machinery kicks into gear to take care of Coach Patrick and get him out of the San Jose hospital and back to his family as soon as possible.
The Full Run Down After the excitement and chaos of Stage 3, we were ready to get back to business on the Tour of California course! Stage 4 served up a mix of old and new terrain:
The legendary Sierra Road climb. This 5k, 8-17% climb has been featured every year of the Tour. For us, it’s like seeing an old friend…who promptly punches you in the nose 5 miles from your hotel!
The ride around Lake Calaveras, another Tour staple and one of the best example of “classic” California riding.
Mines Road, new this year but scouted out by Coach Rich during a training camp for the EN NorCal Sleeper Cell.
Del Puerto Canyon Rd to Patterson, a remix from ‘08, except this year we would descend the canyon from west to east rather than climb up from Patterson.
The area comprised of Mines Rd, Del Puerto, and Mt Hamilton (from ‘08) has been officially named the EN ToC Triangle, as funky stuff just always happens whenever we go in here.
The B group, now quite large as the campers were beginning to feel the cummulative effects of 4-5hrs of riding each day, left 40′ ahead of the now-very-small A-group, riding through town to the base of Sierra Rd. Some of the campers decided to TT up the hill (or at least to pay attention to their time) while others just got up the KOM. From there it’s a quick and scenic descent on Felter Road and then the course pops over the ridge and sweeps through the hills and switchbacks over looking Lake Calaverras. It’s hard to believe you only a few miles from downtown San Jose!
The course dropped down to the I-680 intersection for a regroup of all the campers. Coach Rich had organized an “admin portage” to shoot those interested forward through the course to either the base or the top of the next KOM, near the start of Mines Road. Stage 4 was a monster stage and we made sure that everyone knew there was still much riding to come in the Tour. Those wanting to get in the miles were met by the EN NorCal Sleeper Cell, several members who took off from work to meet their virtual teammates, many for the first time, and lead us around some road closures to the base of Mines Road. The scene in the Park and Ride was like a high school reunion, as 2-3 year long friendships created in our forum were cemented with a real world hug, handshake, and face-to-face. As leaders of the EN community, this was very, very cool to see!
But we’ve got riding to do! About 9 of us, led by the cell members, rode smoothly about 15 miles on surface streets to the base of Mines Road, where they peeled off and we continued with our day. Mines Road is a “classic” California climb, with a steep 5k start (the KOM) and then 20+ miles of continuous 3-5% grade climbing to a plateau before dropping 15+ miles down Del Puerto Canyon Rd to our extraction in Patterson.
The EN ToC Triangle: something always throws us a curveball in this area. It’s stoopid remote, with no cell service, and there always seems to be an overzellous volunteer or local police working traffic. The net this year is that our rear SAG vehicle was prevented from following the A-group into the Triangle and we were left to fend for ourselves. Again, this is a situation unique to the ToC: the road behind you is closed, you have unexpectedly lost your support vehicle, but you do have a cue sheet that tells you when the peleton is expected to be where you are now (ie, I’m about 60′ ahead of them!!). You’re out of water = you forage for water and even a bike pump to fix a flat quickly from the spectators on the road. The Team works together to get everyone through the course, to include creating a wind-breaking phalanx or a well placed push on the back to help out the weaker riders. Fun stuff, always an adventure!
Everyone made it safely to Patterson where we gorged on fast food before watching the peleton blast by and continuing with our day and drive to Visalia. Once at the hotel we found that we had chosen the same digs as Cervelo, BMC, Jelly Belly, United Healthcare and others. Much bike porn in the parking lot and the female campers were able to get their groupie on, snapping pics with skinny EuroProDoodes and fantasizing what they could do with the published room assignments. Sorry, ladies, bail is NOT included in the price of the camp!
Meanwhile, back in San Jose, the TeamEN machine was mobilizing to get Patrick out of the hospital and into a member’s home for several days of physical therapy before he was able to get on a flight to Boston. Very, very cool to see the team work so hard to make this happen!
The Endurance Nation Tour of California is a members-only event. Please join our waiting list to receive an invitation to join TeamEN as space becomes available.
