Ride into Fall 2017 in CX-style (and comfort)
Umm, what? It's Fall already?
Hey ladies!
I have NO idea where summer went. It kind of feels like a blur whenever I see 'write email intro' on my to-do list because I'm just stunned that we're already into a new season. It was a hectic summer with our big foray into Ironman—the second for me, and infinitely better than the first. (You can read all about it here if you're interested!)
But Fall to me represents not just the start of cyclocross season for us cycling fans, it represents a sneaky new chance to dust off our New Year's Resolutions, another reset for the year. Maybe that's because of back-to-school, maybe it's because for some of us, it's our main race season, and for others, it means the beginning of the off-season. Maybe the leaves falling off the trees is a metaphor for life and the possibility of rebirth and renewal as the cycle continues (that's getting a little esoteric, but you catch my drift).
What that might mean for some of you is a new chance to get your bikes dialed, searching for the perfect saddle or bike shorts, or getting that fit (FINALLY) done. If you've had issues with saddle sores or chafing, maybe it's time to finally get that copy of Saddle, Sore and just deal with the problem at hand. And if you're racing cyclocross, it is 100 percent time to make sure that your chamois cream and embrocation stay far, far away from each other.
So, let's get riding... possibly to snag a pumpkin spice latte, if that's your thing! I want to hear your questions, your struggles, and your triumphs, so feel free to keep in touch by emailing me at Molly@SaddleSoreWomen.com.
Stay rad,
Molly
Want to Get Faster and Stronger, But Not Sure Where to Start? This $30 Three-Month Plan Can Help.
How are those New Years Resolutions about riding more, hopping into a couple of races, or even just crushing your group ride nemesis coming? Thinking about hitting reset on your cycling training to get faster and feel better? You may not have considered a training plan in the past, but hear me out: no matter what level you're at, structured training will help.
As we travel all over the world and get to hang out with, interview and train all kinds of cyclists—young, old, new, professional—we've realized something. Pro racers know that they need training plans. Racers know that they need a schedule. But riders who might be interested in racing someday, or just want to enjoy riding more? It's hard to find any who subscribe to any kind of training plan or schedule.
We meet a ton of awesome, enthusiastic cyclists who know that they're *so* close to reaching their potential on the bike—whether we're talking road riding, mountain biking, cyclocross, gravel grinding, triathlon, or just being able to hop into whatever ride the crew is up for this weekend, but they just can't get their training sorted out. There's often an imbalance: too much speedwork, too much volume, a weird strength session gone horribly wrong... Add that to certain saddle "issues" with comfort and you have a lot of bikes sitting gathering dust—or you're getting out and riding, but just not feeling as awesome as you could be.
If your goal is to ride more, ride happier, ride stronger, or ride faster, we've got something to push your riding to the next level, especially if you're new to riding and just considering the idea of structured training. (Tip: it's not just for pro riders or people who want to race. Having a bit of structure to your riding is HUGE for getting into awesome shape, gaining power and growing your confidence and skills.)
So, I’m so excited that SmartAthlete Coach (and my husband and podcast co-host!) Peter Glassford has partnered with me to make a great, easy-to-follow training plan for the awesome women (and men) who read my books on cycling comfort and nutrition, have come to our talks, or who've taken part in our clinics. In it, we incorporate many of the training concepts from my book “Saddle, Sore: Ride Happy, Ride Comfortable” into a 3-month training plan designed to help any cyclist—but especially someone new to structured training—get fitter, stronger, and ready to crush her goals for the season.
It also has gentle reminders about making sure you’re taking care of your body and your bike, in addition to simply putting in the training hours.
VIEW THE PLAN HERE
If you'd rather chat with Peter about a custom-made three-month training plan, or the possibility of skills coaching or a more serious one-on-one coaching relationship, check out SmartAthlete.ca for a free consultation!
Let's Talk Cyclocross
...Or at least, let's talk about 5 things you can do to make this season amazing.
Practice Those Skills
Dismounts and remounts, plus barrier running are the obvious skills that you touch on in practice and at clinics. But consider this: Most courses have 2 spots to dismount/remount, but over 50 corners per lap. If you can make your corners 2 seconds faster (trust me, that doesn't take much practice), you'll save over a minute per lap, compared to practicing remounts to save .2 seconds per lap.
Embrace the Crowd
The best part about cyclocross is the family-friendly atmosphere. Don't go to races alone, drag your whole crew with you and spend the day cheering and hanging out after your race.
Watch Where You Remount
Seriously, repeat after me: I will not slam my lady parts onto the saddle. When you remount, your upper thigh should be the first point of contact with the saddle, and then you'll slide over and onto said lady parts. But smashing into the saddle, labia first, is a recipe for disaster.
Get Ready to Go Deep
It's only 45 minutes, and those 45 minutes are going to freaking hurt. But don't give up, even if someone passes you, even if you crash, etc. ... Just focus on going as hard as you can and getting to the finish line.
Take Off Your Chamois
I say this a lot but CX is even worse, with mud, chamois cream, rain, sweat, etc... And then, the post-race hanging out and beer tent. Bring a skirt for a fast change, and get out of that wet kit ASAP.
Curious about cyclocross? I talked with Performance Bike about all things CX, and about how to get more women on bikes. Give it a listen!
