Hello everyone,

I'm headed to FL for vaca with some family for the next week coming back Friday 11/4 and have a big (for me) cyclocross race on 11/6. This is my first year of racing cross and only my 4th cross race. Now, since the roadracing season came to an end earlier this month I have been in a transitional phase and have still been riding but at a much more relaxed pace/intensity for the most part. Since unfortunately I can't take a bike with me I'm wondering what kind of cross-training might be recommended to do while I'm down there? I was planning on doing some light running and I know they have a gym so I was thinking some light squats (also kind of thinking about this as the transition between now and when I start base training for next road season).

Any suggestions will be appreciated!

Running, squats.

Burpees until it hurts. Faster the better.

or this, only takes 4 minutes, so it doesn't interrupt your vacation/family time.

0:00 - Squat Thrust
0:20 - Rest
0:30 - Mountain Climbers
0:50 - Rest
1:00 - High Knees
1:20 - Rest
1:30 - Jumping Jacks
1:50 - Rest
2:00 - Squat Thrust
2:20 - Rest
2:30 - Mountain Climbers
2:50 - Rest
3:00 - High Knees
3:20 - Rest
3:30 - Jumping Jacks
3:50 - Rest
4:00 - Done/Weep in pain.


Look up how to do this individual exercises on YouTube if you need to.

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Exp001

For such a short period of time cross training is probably going to do more harm than good. Cross training is in effect a form of de-training when it comes to the specificity of the activity. That being said something is better than nothing for longer periods. If doing running look at short bursts on an incline (mechanics will be "closer" to cycling, and perhaps applicable to cyclo), rowing is excellent too (once again, similar mechanics). Elliptical machine, "exercise bikes", etc are also good choices. But I strong recommend NOT doing any slow jogging or the like. Only do any weights if you have already been doing similar, same with plyometrics.

(FWIW I vaguely recall some work being done on transference of VO2max from different methods of training to cycling with some slightly positive results BUT, IIRC VO2max was the only benefit, there was no improvement to longer efforts.)

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"Physiology is all just propaganda and lies... all waiting to be disproven by the next study."
"I'm not a real doctor; But I am a real worm; I am an actual worm." - TMBG

When I go abroad, the only thing I do is run stairs. Simple and effective.

Yup. Wake up early when on business trips, and do a pantload of stairs, till it really hurts.

Seems to work quite well and takes care of the issue of whether the hotel has a nice fitness centre or not...

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Cervelo R3, Campagnolo Chorus/Record mix... pastatrails.blogspot.com
And you can call me Macktastik Honey Pete Kicks, thank you.