First season in cross not looking good

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rustychain
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by rustychain

I have been doing lots of road riding (300 mile per week) and some mtn biking but this will be my first season on cross and I'm having a few issues. Like I can't run for crap! The faster I try to go the harder I stomp :oops: My road speed is going to hell as the result of all this stomping/running. Its killing my sprint. I am considered to be a strong cyclist and very fit but a short uphill run and I'm turning my lungs inside out. Am I just to far out of running shape to pull off a cross race? To add to my troubles my dismount and mounting are not so smooth, in fact I suck. Any suggestions for training are welcome. This stuff is hard!
WW Velocipedist Gargantuan

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Zeed
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by Zeed

Running isn't about jumping, its about trying to move yourself forward with the least amount of energy. Instead of running naturally, try to push yourself forward more rather than bouncing up and down. Practice a smooth stride at a slower speed, then gradually ramp it up. You don't really need to run for too long either; just get the form dialed.

Watch some of those videos on mounting and dismounting on youtube. Those helped me...

mayhem
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by mayhem

Don't worry about it too much, esp since it's your first season. You're going to have your hands full negotiating a course with 100 of your closest friends. Barriers will be the real issue. Running isn't so common as most promoters either don't have a venue to force runs or aren't creative with what they have.

Find your local 'cross practice and start making that your top priority. Or keep an eye out for clinics. I can think of at least three going on in DC alone in DC, along with the Cycle-Smart camp in MA.

Fast is slow. Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast. Work on getting your technique down, the work on doing it faster.

RobBj1234
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by RobBj1234

Finish your road season (successfully) and then start thinking about cx. You can practice your dismounting on a large gras area, maybe build a few hurdles out of wood, cardboard boxes or stuff like that. Normally you can find a few branches lying around that can be arranged into a nice hurdle.

Then you search yourself a nice 6-8min CX round with hurdles, stairs/uphill runs, a little trail etc. Do your hard training rides mainly on your course, doing maybe one fast - one slow - one fast lap. And then you can also add 30-60mins of running in the morning, including with a few uphill/upstairs sprints. Doing all this, plus racing on the weekends and having a very decend road shape, you will be doing good really quick.

rustychain
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by rustychain

Thanks all, I do have a course available within riding distance that will work for training. I will also check on the local cross training available, thanks for the advise.
The dismounts are going well but still not keeping the momentum on the remount :oops:
WW Velocipedist Gargantuan

pinky
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by pinky

For the running/dismount stuff the best I can recommend:

Find people that know what they're doing and learn - best way to learn technique is watch and ask, then practice it a ton (I used to use PVC pipes on buckets to practice dismounting without killing myself)

As for running, besides simply running more (I'd start with a mile a day with a few accelerations then decrease the distance to minimal and focus on repeats of short (10-50 meter) accelerations/sprints. Its worth making sure your form is good (thats another story or paragraph...)

If you really want to work on your running, get a friend to measure out your stride length, shave about a shoe length off that distance and set some kind of item in the ground (popsicle sticks or with the kids I coach, plastic silverware), marking of about 10-20 of those intervals, then sprint the distance making sure you shorten your stride to the markers - it will train increased leg speed but when you stop using the markers your stride will go back to normal, just with faster feet.

mayhem
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by mayhem

What problem specifically are you having maintaining momentum? Hesitant getting on the bike? Having trouble lining up you and the bike before you make the leap? Hitting the pedal when you land on the bike?

Steve P
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by Steve P

rustychain wrote:I have been doing lots of road riding (300 mile per week) and some mtn biking but this will be my first season on cross and I'm having a few issues. Like I can't run for crap! The faster I try to go the harder I stomp :oops: My road speed is going to hell as the result of all this stomping/running. Its killing my sprint. I am considered to be a strong cyclist and very fit but a short uphill run and I'm turning my lungs inside out. Am I just to far out of running shape to pull off a cross race? To add to my troubles my dismount and mounting are not so smooth, in fact I suck. Any suggestions for training are welcome. This stuff is hard!


I was in exactly the same boat, i only ran when chased and getting on and off the bike was silly and painful at times. Practice Practice Practice and it will come, Im doing things a lot better.

rustychain
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by rustychain

As to my "remount" I guess it comes down to timing. I find I keep skipping on one foot. Fear of landing on the saddle wrong also plays a part but once on the bike by the time I'm clipped in I not moving much at all. The dismounts doing pretty well. As for the running I am starting to relax but as my running gets better my cycling not so much. My knees are a bit over taxed from poor running form. I contacted a local running shop, got good shoes and some advise based on what they could see on the treadmill. As suggested I was spending more effort goiung up and down rather then forward. My upper body was stiff as well. My leg speed is still poor so I will try the short stride advise. I am still suprised that considering my form on the bike I'm so winded when running esp up hill or stairs.
I have been riding my cross on the local mtn bike trails at speed to help get comfortable sliding in mudd and the limits of my bike handling and thats going well. Love it in fact. I may even enter a mtn bike race thats not to technical. If I ever get the running and remaounting skills down I think I will have a shot at not being dead last :wink:
Thanks again
WW Velocipedist Gargantuan

mayhem
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by mayhem

You have to commit. That's probably what's causing your stutter step. That said, it's not a leap of faith, it's swing your thigh on to the saddle and sliding over on to the pedal. Really 15 minutes with someone in person would really help. Not sure where in VA you are but I might be able to make some suggestions.

I'd cut back on the running, or make it more specific. You may have 0-1 dismounts on some of those courses, since they'll be so dry all year and people aren't typically creative about forcing a dismount with terrain.

If you're going to bust a nut training so hard, why not hit a clinic or camp?

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the Repeater
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by the Repeater

Start pedalling before you clip in after you remount. Pedal on your midfoot till you're at a good pace then worry about clipping in.
Serious delirium.

ParisCarbon
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by ParisCarbon

I have enough room in the backyard where I can roll into a barrier slowly, dismount, and remount. I've been doing the following which is helping me get better:

I have adopted the 1-2 JUMP rhythm, which has been slowly get rid of the stutter step... I am nowhere as smooth as I would like to be, but I can see progress, and that is good!! It should really make a difference this season I hope...

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