Training for ‘Cross
I recently upgraded my phone, tablet, laptop, and TV to their most modern respective operating systems. These devices are now are so interconnected that they know what I want long before I do. In fact, I might not want it all, but no one can tell because I’m already doing what they told me I want to do. Presumably while driving.
I have become quite adept at texting while riding my bike. My phone buzzes, I reach into my pocket, examine the message, and determine whether I should answer that particular buzz immediately or wait until I’m at a stop or at home. I don’t navigate any kind of logic tree to make this determination; I simply respond to my inner monkey and tap away my inane response. I should not have this skill, texting while riding. By all rights I shouldn’t even have my phone with me. I shouldn’t need to be reachable when I’m on my bike. That’s part of the point of being on my bike.
There is something about being out in the wilderness that flips a primal reset switch in my soul. Mountain biking and backcountry skiing often take us away from phone networks and traffic the way little else can. The problem with mountain biking is a lack of the hypnotic rhythm that riding on the road offers, which is part of the enormous appeal of riding a bicycle; the rhythm of the legs pedalling along has a trance-like quality to it and the spell is broken whenever the bike hits a root or a rock or a rut. This, for me, is the appeal of a good gravel ride or even a good Cyclocross ride: you’re still on a road bike with most of its hypnotic trappings, but you still get to descend into the wilderness and experience the great escape from technology. Along with just enough technical riding to make a tantalizing cocktail of Awesomeness.
Fall is here, which means the road season is all but behind us; ahead of us lie chilly, wet rides in our Flandrian Best. And Cyclocross. I have an extensive background riding rigid mountain bikes in the 90’s, which makes me almost automatically good at Cyclocross. Except Cyclocross also includes running and remounting. My basic trouble with training for ‘Cross is that I never do my drills for things like remounting. My remount looks like a wounded duck trying to ride a pogo stick. I could master it, of that I’m certain, but once I’m riding my bike I find it nearly impossible to climb off just for the privilege of climbing back on.
In the immortal words of @G’rilla: I don’t cross-train. I train for ‘cross.
Ditch the phone. You are a Velominatus, aren’t you?
althpugh i a resolutely NOT a fan of running in any form, CX does look like fun. there’s a swamp cross series here in S Louisiana. i may give it a try one day. plus, an excuse to buy another bike is always a plus.
Don’t yet have a cross bike, but do have a MTB (Koga of course). Am looking for a track bike (Koga Nemo right now), which does not bring me into the wilderness, out of network coverage. Fwiw, network coverage in Switzerland is very good, even in mountains which is great when skiing with the kids and one of them takes the wrong slope.
However, the reason why I carry my phone with me on a ride is to call if needed, not to get called or texted. By the time I stopped, picked the phone out of the pocket, took it out of its plastic bag (against sweat), and hit the answer-button, the call is already gone. Even when off the bike, I am horrible with texting. Wish I still had my Blackberry.
Na, never take a call or text while riding. I usually only use my phone to send the obligatory “look, I’ve gone a bit further than planned and I’m going to be late home” text, or for an emergency call “Yeah, I’m only 10km from the chalet but the road is blocked so I’ve got to go all the way back. Yes, over the Tourmalet again”.
And as for Cross, fortunately I don’t have any delusions I’d be good at it. I’ve seen how trashed the cross-specialist from the cross get, and many of them are stronger on the road than I am. The only talent I could bring to Cross is not falling off when by rights I really should. I’ll be riding the boards this winter instead.
@frank
I know next to nothing about ‘cross other than it takes a lot longer to clean the boy’s cross bike after a ride than it does to clean a road bike but having read this on the train this morning, your opening paragraph resonated (connected or spoke to me, in social media speak?).
I know it’s wrong but my Garmin tells me when someone is ringing, texting or emailing. I can then choose to ignore it unless it’s from home (or work if I’m “working from home”). I’d have to stop and have a look otherwise which is much more likely to break my focus and rhythm than a discrete message on my Garmin.
I’m thinking a good cyclocross ride is different from a good cyclocross race. Kinda reminds me of difference between sailing and racing sail boats. They’re two wholly different things.
@chris
Terry Pratchet had it right.
@Teocalli
I never really got on with Prachett’s books*, apart from the Long Earth collaboration**, which almost leaves me feeling like I’ve missed out on something. I’ve held that feeling at bay by generalising that Prachett’s fans are all bearded obsessives sporting wizard’s hats. Harry Harrison and Larry Niven also disappointed.
*I did try read one of his books, possibly the first discworld book, whilst at school. Everyone at school seemed to be into it.
** Two or three of the series then got bored.
@chris
I’m re-reading a Discworld book right now. It’s brilliant.
I can only conclude that there’s something wrong with you. Does that help?
CX is clearly an essential part of a pro-cyclist’s development……
@RobSandy
When not in use does your cycling specific eyewear stow away neatly and securely on your pointy hat or do you tuck them away with the remains of your breakfast like other beardies?
@Teocalli
Certainly explains why this guy was so ‘cross.
@chris
@chris
Mine appear and disappear at the wave of a wand – why do you ask?
@Teocalli
Just a question I’d always wanted to ask a wizard.
As long as it’s not a frame mounted wand and the pointy hat is positioned in accordance with the directives of Messrs Holm and Bugno rather than a jaunty hipsterish manner I guess no harm is done.
I was lucky and a cross bike fell into my hands before I even knew what the sport was. Now a few years later, I’m pretty good off-road considering I was strictly a roadie. YES, heading into the woods is Awesome and a GREAT way to not have to deal with motorists. Also, an hour long cross ride feels satisfying and is do-able for me, with a local park and a local uni. forest reserve nearby. An hour road ride, with 15 minutes spent getting out of town, then back, only leaves a half hour of crankin’, which I don’t find satisfying.
Only shame is that the local forest is closed for hunting during a majority of the fall. Argh (and I hunt!, but not there).
In other news…Sagan is a fucking champion. Best season of all time for a guy in the WC bands?
@RobSandy
I think he didn’t get into it until his La Vie Claire days, but learned to dismount and remount on both sides in a single day. It helps that he is a bad ass.
My NDS remounts are getting smoov as. I’ve tried a few DS but my fear of undercarriage damage is strong.
Oh, and carrying around a 17 pound baby is providing a serious upper body workout.
To paraphrase, ‘I’d almost certainly be awesome at it’ but I’m not…
So, the solution is clear. You train more and become amazingly powerful and skilled that you never dismount, need never lower your standards and for shame – run. Henceforth you ride every stair and every sandpit…
Solved it for you.
@Kybikegirl
If this is a first V-Site post it’s a goodie.
Welcome!
Frank, consider this a bit of useful knowledge should you venture south to Oregon. In this state texting while operating a road going machine, be it car, bike, or skateboard, you can be stopped by our police and given a rather substantial fine. I try to ignore all communication if possible, but if not, I stop, take a look and add in a sprint to make up for the lost time.
@RobSandy
The Badger was a very keen ‘cross man. His attitude? Ride it “because you never know what you’ll find under your wheels.” In other words, it makes you a much better bike rider. Evidence he was right? I can think of Hinault crashing three times: Dauphine 77, the Tour where he broke his nose, and the Paris-Roubaix when he narrowly missed the dog.
Oh, and it looks like he’s doing ‘cross wearing a yellow jersey. Just in case you forgot who you were riding against!
@Ccos
Before LVC I think. He’s wearing Gitane/Campagnolo shorts so it must be winter 78 when he rode for Renault-Elf-Gitane, after he won the Tour for the first time that year. (I’m pretty sure he’s wearing a yellow jersey).
It does appear that his jersey in the cyclocross photo is indeed a yellow one. The photo in this post is tagged as from 1979.
@Rick
Different jerseys, SS -v- LS, and a more prominent sponsors logo but same badges.
This would suggest that the cross photo was from le Cyclo-Cross international de Cuiseaux the result of which was reported on 6 November 83.
@chris
I was looking for one with similar badges as all else can be changed. In this case, We need some stinking badges!
@wiscot
Somebody didn’t fact check Slaying the Badger very well then. I would agree with your observations on the photo but why let facts stand in the way.
I would love to see Froome ride cross, but the aberrations he would commit in style might cause mass hysteria.
@chris
Actually, in the photo, I think he is wearing arm warmers. And 79 would make sense as he won the tour that year too!
Taking a phone on a ride? Of course you do! How else do you make the ‘call of shame’?
“Yeah, about 30 miles north, I’ll be standing at the side of the road…”
@Ron
after Eddy Merckx won the 1971 Worlds in Mendrisio, he immediately knocked off the Tour of Lombardy. he opened the spring classics season in 1972 with his fifth Milan-San Remo victory, followed by his third Liege-Bastogne-Liege, which he paired with a Fleche-Wallone victory, making him only the third rider to do the Ardennes double. next, he won the Giro d’Italia for the third time and Tour de France for the fourth time, where he also won the points jersey for the third time.
then, he set the hour record, and put it on the shelf for the better part of three decades to anyone using a conventional bicycle.
and the ’72 campaign wasn’t even his best year, just his best world champion year.
@Ccos
I only posted that because I thought it was a good pun.
@Rick
What.A.Fucking.Legend.
This one’s going in my Badger shrine. Along with all the photos of him punching people.
@Greg Titus
But then how the fuck would he take all those selfies???
By the way, Frahnk, you’re up shit creek if you come and ride with me in Germany.
40 Euro fine for using your phone while riding. And also you can get drunk driving (riding) charges as well if you are over the 0.05 limit here. As soon as I heard those I immediately thought of you!
@Cary
Damn Ron! I was thinking the same thing! Talk about myopic viewing from me! I should have realized that The Prophet would have set the standard so high that it was nigh untouchable. Thanks Cary for the much needed lesson!!!
Ha…I was essentially tossing that out there to test our resident historians! I knew I was likely very wrong. Thanks, Cary!
I often grab a beer at the end of my ride and finish it on the roll home. Never been stopping. I’m under the impression that the city police have far bigger things to worry about that a skinny man in Lycra riding 15 km/hr and drinking a beer.
Hey Buck…on an unrelated note, but since your in the med biz…I stupidly tried to collect a stray dog the other week. A fucking chihuahua. I hate little dogs. The bastard bit me when I tried to pick him up. Do you have any clue how much rabies shots cost in the U.S.? I didn’t! And my insurance is only covering some of it. I could buy a very, very nice new bike for what I’m stuck with. So much for being a good neighbor. Never again.
@Teocalli
“Mark 1, mark 2 and Mark 5.“
Genius!
@Ron
Fuck Mate! That’s crazy! I always get all of my much needed rabies shots for free from Uncle Sam.
And I think that Oli just plain was so disgusted with your (and my) post about the Rainbow jersey year that he refused to even acknowledge it!
It’s good to let them think that they know a lot. I feel that is a large part of my contribution to this collective here on the V site.
@Kybikegirl
Nailed it. I now realize all those other words were just a waste of time.
@RobSandy
The demands of my job mean I almost always have to be reachable during a ride, sadly. But yes, this is the dream scenario.
@frank
Hostage negotiator? That’s what I assume all those people must be who are yakking on their phones while driving.
@wiscot
Such a monster. That’s legit ‘cross too. 32mm balloons are boss; the soft modern pro’s race Paris-Roubaix on that shit!
@Teocalli
This was all just so…dorky…it went all the way round and became awesome again.
@Buck Rogers
Wow, that’s quite a character assessment.
@Ccos
Remote heart transplants.
@frank
You must get a lot of calls from Wall Street and D.C then.
@frank
I know what you mean, I’ve recently benn obliged to have a work phone and occaisionally, answer it. But if I get an urgent call out if work hours it means I’ve really REALLY pissed someone off.
but hey, it’s handy for checking velominati and playing Angry Birds…
I am not sure how many of you have ever trained for the cyclocross season. In years past, I would come out of the regular season and jump on my cross bike and just race. This year I actually have been putting in the effort to work on specific skills and run with and without the bike. I can not believe how sore my legs are from the training I did last Thursday evening. I actually had to cut my Saturday group ride short because my legs had no power and burned with the slightest efforts. My legs are still tender on Monday. I have a new found respect for the men and women that train for cross season. I thought I was in shape having one of my best road seasons in years. But, my legs could not tolerate an hour of cyclocross training without screaming back at me. Who has been there?
@Sparty
I have not trained for cyclocross but I can relate to your running experience. Back when running was my primary avocation I ran with a group once or twice a week. Even at almost 40 pounds above my current weight, I was one of the fastest in the group. When I began road cycling four nights a week I assumed that I could continue running once a week or so. I believed the weight loss from road cycling would transfer to faster runs. Nothing could be further than the truth! Even after losing 20% of my body weight I couldn’t keep up with the slower members of the group. The repetitive nature of cycling had developed my muscles in a certain way and it felt as if my legs were fighting themselves in order to run even a few feet.
Therefore, I am not surprised that your best road biking season has made running, with or without a bike, more difficult.
@frank
Hey, you know, when applying for your next gig feel free to list me as a reference. Always willing to help a mate out!
@RobSandy
Emergency text home.
@Frank, please tell me you’re kidding here, and pulling our collective shaved leg, right? Using a telephone while riding your bike?? Surely, the only valid reason why one should be carrying a phone while on a bicycle, is so that one can call a loved or trusted one after a bad crash or non-repairable technical mishap? Said phone should be switched off until such mishaps may occur. (By the way: what is this ‘texting’ of which you speak? Aren’t we supposed to use telephones for the delivery/exchange of spoken missives?)
The ride is a sanctuary, after all – and using the phone while riding, sounds suspiciously like multi-tasking. To the best of my knowledge, the boffins have found out that multitasking is bad for you: It means you are trying to do two things at the same time – and you inevitably end up doing neither well.
@Buck Rogers
Buck, as an old fart who realizes too seldom that he knows very little about anything, I couldn’t help laughing out loud at this. Cheers!
@chris
Thank you very much for the link to the “Used to be a human being”-article. Great read, and really thought-provoking. Excellent stuff.