Greetings!
It's cyclocross time! Do you have your dismount down? Check out this month's article on whether to "step through" or "step back" by dirt specialist Martin Baker. If you are still pounding the pavement this month, review some tips for success in pacelines by Coach Steve Long. And finally, if your season is over for 2010, be sure to review the tips on end of season recovery timing.
This month we welcome coach Michael Hanna, MS. Michael brings experience in coaching, physiological testing, bike fit and specific research in altitude training among other credentials.
As always there are the Tip of the Month, Resource and Quote of the Month as well as Client Successes. We encourage you to submit your nutrition and sports psychology questions for our monthly column and value your email input always.
Happy training and racing!
~ Kendra Wenzel, Scott Saifer, & the Staff of Wenzel Coaching
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Coach Article: Guidelines for Successful Pacelines
by Coach Steve Long
 As a race breakaway starts to organize, it forms a group working together to succeed in their escape attempt. However, when not all the riders in the group are working smart and cohesively, the group will almost always fail or split. Then the inevitable happens and the peloton absorbs most or all of the riders who had broken away. A large part of successful breakaways is a working paceline.
Below are a few characteristics of a pacelines that can make them very fast and efficient...
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Training Tip of the Month: How Much Recovery is Enough During the Rest Period?
All Wenzel cycling and triathlon programs include annual extended recovery periods, usually about a month in length, though cross racers might break the month into two chunks, one before training for cross and one before training for road or MTB. In general, an endurance athlete who has raced a full season with one or two bike races every weekend or a couple of short course triathlons per month, or even just one or two long-course events, will do well to take about five weeks off training, maybe a couple of weeks more or less. That doesn't mean that the athlete can't be active, but that he or she should not be focused on training. Some will hang up the bike or running shoes entirely. Others will ride or run for fun. During the rest period, you should not be working with the goal of improving fitness. Take time to recover both physically and emotionally from the past season. Do enjoy some hiking, mountain biking, swimming, cross country skiing, skating... anything that is active and fun for you. If you like video games, or reading novels, do that. The important things are to rediscover your life outside of your sport, and not to get fat.
I noted that the rest break might be longer or shorter, so here's how you decide...
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New Coach Profile: Michael Hanna of Denver, CO
 Wenzel Coaching would like to welcome new Coach Michael Hanna of Denver, CO. He holds a Masters Degree in Exercise Physiology and Nutrition from the University of Massachusetts and employs current scientific methods of training, lactate testing, altitude training, and sports nutrition. Michael has coached athletes to Leadville 100 MTB finishes, Colorado Best All Around Rider Championships and Tour of the Gila Podium finishes. He is confident working with athletes of all levels, from competing in the national championships, to entering their first Cat 5 Cyclocross race, to losing 10 pounds and improving their life through fitness and nutrition.
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Quote of the Month
"The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses--behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights."
~Muhammad Ali, Three-time World, Heavyweight Champion
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Resource of the Month: Music and Exercise
 Do you like to listen to music while you do your workout? Ever wonder what type of music would be the best motivation? Check out this article in the New York Times on the correlation between music and exercise intensity. Remember you may sometimes want music to pump you up, and other times to help you stay calm.
Check it Out>>>>>
The websites found in the "Resource of the Month" are in no way associated with Wenzel Coaching and we are not responsible for any information they contain.
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Client Successes
Wenzel Clients had 72 top 3 finishes including 33 victories this month
Coach John Forbes
-1st at the US Masters National Championship Points
Race, Men 60-64
-2nd at the OBRA State Championship Criterium, Men
60+
-5th at the US Masters National Championship Pursuit,
Men 60-64
-His latest article on fueling for riding is posted at
BicyclingHub.com
Elaine Bothe
-1st at the Salem Short Track Series, Women Pro/Cat 1
-1st at the Westview Short Track MTB, Women Pro/Cat
1
-2nd overall at the Portland STXC Series, Women
Pro/Cat 1
Joe Meyer Fuchs
-1st at the New Jersey State Criterium Championships,
Men Cat 5
-2nd at the Tour De Fair Haven, Men Cat 5
Coach Laurel Green
-1st at the California State Masters Match Sprint
Championship,
Women 40-44
Beth Butrymowicz
-1st at the Northern California/ Nevada State Master
Track Championships Points Race, Women 30-34
-1st at the Northern California/ Nevada State Master
Track Championships Pursuit, Women 30-34
-2nd at the US Masters Track Nationals Points Race,
Women 30-35
-2nd at the US Masters Track Nationals Pursuit, Women
30-35
-2nd at the US Masters Track Nationals 500m TT,
Women 30-35
-3rd at the Hellyer Park Friday Night Track Racing
Omnium, Elite Women
Mac Carey
-1st at the Warnerville TT, Men 55+
-1st Place at the Challenge Road Race, Men 55+
-1st Place at the Esparto TT, Men 55+
Dennis Hastings
-1st at the Colorado Masters Track Team Pursuit, Men
60+
-1st place with his teammates at the US Masters Track
Nationals Team Pursuit, Men 60+
Jade Wilcoxson
-1st at the OBRA State Championship Criterium, Women
Cat 1/2
-1st at the Eugene Celebration Stage Race, Women Cat
1/2
Coach Steven Beardsley
-1st at the OBRA State Championship, Senior Men
-1st overall at the Alpenrose Heartbreaker, Senior Men
Leia Tyrell
-1st at the Longview Criterium, Women 1/2/3
-1st at the OBRA State Championship Road Race,
Women 1/2
-2nd at the OBRA State Championship Criterium,
Women Cat 1/2
-3rd overall at the Eugene Celebration Stage Race,
Women Cat 1/2
Gabe Varela
-1st at the Ontario Criterium, Men Cat 1/2/3
-1st at the Liberty Road Race, Men A
Sue Butler
-1st at the OBRA State Championship MTB XC, Women
Pro/1
-1st at the OBRA State STXC, Women Pro/Cat 1
-1st at the Pain+Suffer'n STXC, Women Pro/Cat 1
-1st at the Pain+Suffer'n CX, Women Pro/Cat 1
-3rd at the Rad Racing GP CX, Women Cat 1/2
-3rd at the StarCrossed CX, Women Cat 1/2
-5th at Cross Vegas UCI C2, Women Elite
Tim Butler
-1st at the OBRA State Championship STXC, Men Cat 1
35+
-1st at the Pain+Suffer'n STXC MTB, Men Cat 1
-1st at the Rad Racing GP CX, Men 45+
-2nd at the Pain+Suffer'n XC, Men Cat 1 35-44
-2nd at the OBRA State Championship MTB XC, Men
Cat 1 35+
Lisa Hern
-1st at the Henleyville Road Race, Women Cat 4
-2nd at the Giro di San Francisco, Women Cat 4
-2nd at the Coppertown Circuit Race, Women Cat 4
-3rd at the Central Coast Circuit Race, Women Cat 4
Coach Kari Studley
-1st at the MFG Cyclocross #1, Women Cat 1/2
-9th at Cross Vegas UCI C2, Women Elite
Erika Krumpelman
-1st at the Rad Racing GP CX, Women 35+
-1st at the StarCrossed CX, Women 35+
David Thornton
-1st at the Presque Isle Fall TT, Men 40-49
-3rd at the Pennsylvania State TT Championships, Men
45-49 and Men Cat 4
-3rd at the Tour of Millersburg TT, Masters 45+
-Upgrades to Cat 3 on points
Chris Hellman
-1st at the Wollombi Wild Ride MTB XC, Open Men
Coach Ron Castia
-2nd at the Kirkwood 9-5 MTB XC, Men Solo 40+
John Wylie
-2nd at the Welsh Masters National Championship Road
Race
Carl Arriola
-2nd in his age group at the Hidden Springs Duathlon
-Beats his PR in the Bogus Basin Hill Climb
Ray Anderson
-2nd overall at the Mt Bachelor Hill Climb
-3rd at the Mt Ashland Hill Climb, Masters Men 50+
Steve Banta
-2nd at the ACCTT #3, Men Cat 5
Dave Maminski
-2nd at the Northern California/Nevada State Track
Championship Team Pursuit, Master Men, 40+
-8th at the US National Masters Track Championships
Pursuit, Men 45-49
Bruce Malmer
-2nd at the Hampshire 100 Endurance MTB Race, Men
Sport Masters 50+
Colleen McClenahan
-2nd at the OBRA State Championship MTB STXC,
Women Pro/1
-5th at the Starcrossed CX, Women 35+
-5th at the Rad Racing GP XC, Women 35+
Ruth Kostur
-2nd at the OBRA State Road Championship, Cat 4
Women
Heather Ross
-2nd at the Hellyer Park Friday Night Omnium, Elite
Women
-3rd at the California District Track Championship
Scratch Race,
Women Elite
-3rd at the Northern California/Nevada State Track
Championship Team Sprint, Senior Women
Coach Kaytee Petross
-2nd overall and 2nd in her age group at the Ford
Ironman Wisconsin and qualifies for Kona 2011
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Feature Article:
Finding the Best Cyclocross Dismount
by Coach Martin Baker
One of the most common questions among less experienced cyclocross racers involves the use of the "step through" dismount. Many have been taught that technique as the "proper" way to dismount, but then notice that on the elite level, the step through dismount is not prevalent. Most racers "step back" onto their right foot instead of "stepping through" with their right foot. In fact, if you compare the Second Edition of Simon Burney's Cyclocross Training and Technique book to the third edition, you will notice that the dismount technique he teaches changes completely from the "step through" to the "step back." So, does that mean that the "step through" is dead? Before tackling that question, let's look at what each technique involves.
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Beginning Cycling Classes with Head Coach Scott Saifer
Head Coach Scott Saifer will be teaching an adult-only, 6-week, on-bike class starting October 11 on true beginner cycling
skills. This beginner class covers things like bike fit, safety check, proper
use of the gears and brakes, cornering, hand signals, changing a flat, a bit of
group riding and pacing for hills.
If you have a friend or acquaintance who
would like to be more comfortable riding a bike, or who needs some motivation to
ride a couple of days per week, please share this clinic with them. All ages of
adults are welcome. You can even send your parents or significant others for
instruction so they can ride with you.
Scott is also available for private instruction for
individuals or small groups. Contact Scott directly at 925-933-7306 for details.
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Beginner Clinic with Associate Coach Ron Castia, Nov. 7
Join Associate Coach Ron Castia for a Right Start Beginner Clinic on November 7, 2010 in Livermore, CA. Learn race specific handling skills, close group riding, feeding on the bike, paceline skills, and sprint techniques. This clinic provides 4 Race Experience Points for a Cat 5 to 4 upgrade.
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More Client Successes
Rhonda Morin
-3rd at the
Starcrossed
CX, Women 35+
-3rd at the Rad
Racing GP
XC, Women 35+
Coach Jenni Gaertner
-3rd at MFG
Cyclocross#1,
Women Cat 1/2
Carl Hoefer
-3rd at the Eugene
Celebration
Criterium,
Men Cat 1/2
Leigh Lewis
-3rd at the
Mid-Summer
Olympic Triathlon,
Women 40-45
Alissa Maglaty
-3rd a the California
District Track
Championship
Kierin, Women Elite
Larry Szabo
-3rd at the Northern
California/Nevada
State Master Track
Championship
Sprints, Men 55-59
Susan Ryan
-Completes her first
century at the
Hancock Horizontal
100
Ian Hutton
-Completes his first
triathlon in under
1:30
Ken Silverman
-Sets a personal best
at Mt Ashland Hill
Climb, Masters Men
50+
Bart Stalp
-Sets a PR in his
second Olympic
Distance Triathlon
Andrew Osborn
-Climbed Mt Ventoux,
L'Izoard, Galibier
and Alpe D'Huez
Tour de France
Climbs, each without
stopping
Susie Shultz
-Takes nearly 3 min
off her PR on the
local 22 mi ride
and 5km run
-Featured on the
cover of Her Life
Magazine
Santiago Bolon
-Increases power at
endurance zone
heart rates by 50W
in two years
Jim Good
-Finishes with the
field in a road race
for the first time,
San Ardo Road
Race, Cat 4 Men
45+
Marcy Anderson
-Posts best time in
years on "personal
time trial"
benchmark ride
Heather Stallion
-Completes High
Cascade 100
Mountain Bike
Endurance Race
Missing your results?
We do our best to publish all the results we receive, but if we don't know what you did, we can't tell the world about it. Did you have recent results that we didn't publish already? If so, please send them to our newsletter editors. We publish top-3 in any event, completion of endurance events, top-5 in national events, any substantial goal reached (weight lost, training pace increased, personal best for a course...)
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Personal and Team Clinics Available
Could you or your club use focused work with a qualified Wenzel Coach in cycling, running or swimming? Clinics for individuals, small groups and teams are available for as
little as $150 for a half day session. Cornering or dirt skills, for example, running stride, or swim stoke work are all areas where Wenzel Coaches have helped clients save valuable time and energy. Contact the main office at 503-233-4346 or by email to inquire about a clinic for you or your team.
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