In the summer of 1996, I took an introduction to velodrome racing class. I had been riding my bike quite a lot that year and the year prior. Learning how to ride and race on the San Diego Velodrome just seemed like the next natural thing to do with my cycling. A velodrome is an oval track with banked turns. Velodromes can be made out of wood, asphalt, or concrete. They are built indoors and outdoors. There are only 25 velodromes currently in the United States as opposed to Japans 67 velodromes. Recently velodromes are being called hipster Nascar, as the rise of fixed-gear bike riding is currently cool. In my opinion, all things leading to more people on HPVs (human powered vehicles) is good.
Since 1995 I have ridden a bicycle. This is my 16th season racing my bicycle. I still can't get enough of the adrenaline rush of going fast. My motto is going through corners at 30 mph is good, and going through corners at 35 mph is better. My current job is coaching cyclists. I coach all kinds of cyclists: athletic enthusiasts, adventure racers, century riders, masters racers, and a professional. This coaching started when I was asked to be an assistant coach at the San Diego Velodrome in 2008. This is my fourth season as a coach at the velodrome, so it seems I have come full circle. I learned to race on the velodrome in 1996 and now teach people to race on it.
If you want to come and learn how to ride and race on the San Diego Velodrome, click on the link below or let me know. Our six-week classes start in early March and end in late September.
This link is for the 6 week Developmental class at the San Diego Velodrome. This class is appropriate for riders of all levels, from true beginners to experienced trackies. Sean and Jesse will split the class participants up into two groups. The beginner or Level 1 group, and the advanced or level 2 group. The level 1 group will learn the basics of track riding, while the level 2 group will learn more advanced training and racing techniques. The cost is $120 + a $3 online registration fee. The cost of the class includes a rental bike if you need one. Class is from 7-9 PM on Wednesday evenings. Please arrive a little early, especially before the first week of class. You will receive an email a few days before the first class with a reminder and more information.
http://clients.mindbodyonline.com/ws.asp?studioid=7102&stype=-8
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Cheers,
Cycling Coach Jesse Eisner
619-962-3176
www.eisnercoaching.com
www.crankcycling.com
Showing posts with label Bicycle racing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bicycle racing. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Racing at the top
As the team manager for the Ranchos DET Team I have the opportunity to share in the challenges and successes of cyclists who ride at the top tier of amateur racing. One of the Riders I work with now is Bryan Larsen. He started out the year as a category 2 and has recently gotten his upgrade to category 1. Category 1 is the top of the amateur ranks. Bryan is a full time student and getting his upgrade has taken lots of hard work, focus, and balance. Bryan was recently invited to participate at the Sacramento Gran Prix as part of a Composite Team. Below is a race report of the Sacramento Gran Prix. The Sacramento Gran Prix was a Pro-Am event held the same day the Tour of California finished in Sacramento.
Sacramento Grand Prix write up:
Hometown. Hometown crowds and friends. Same Course as the Tour of California circuit. And Money. What other reason do you need to be motivated, nervous, and excited all at the same time? And I think nervous was an understatement, as I was more nervous before this race than I had been since national championships back in 2008. My nervousness was only amplified by my crash last week at the Long Beach Grand Prix while still in contention for a descent place.
I’ll walk through a couple key points from the race:
50m in: Crash.
1 lap+50m in: crash.
2 laps: crash.
Etc etc etc
No joke, There was a crash at the start. And while receiving a free lap the rider(s) proceeded to take down half the 170 racer group moving at 34mph on the following lap while trying to reintegrate themselves into the pack. They ended up giving about half the pack a free lap and let them start riding prior to the front end of the groups arrival at the pit, which means I went from about 15th place to 85th place in a second.
With about 8 laps to go a two place prime was announced and I wasn’t super far from the front so I decided I might give it a go and just start late and not dig too deep. I did start late and by the time I was starting to sprint Justin Williams was basically crossing the line while I rolled in securely in 2nd. We cruised back into the pack only to see lap cards one lap later. I got real nervous when I saw this for two reasons: 1) I had just done a sprint and only had 6 laps to recover now and 2) MORE CRASHES. Everyone thought they could win the race and were doing stupid things to try and get to the front which in turn only caused more pileups. A break went up the road with about 3 laps to go with Yahoo blocking for their rider in the break. The break was caught and Yahoo decided to do a Bahati style lead out while riding the inside straight before flicking riders to swing wide right before the turns before swinging back to the inside line. Coming on two laps to go, there was MAJOR crash in the last corner. It happened relatively close to the front and I could hear it not too far behind me. The following lap we were coming into those dangerous corners, 3 and 4 and the moto decided to try and neutralize the race but Yahoo and everyone else essentially went around him. There was no way we were being neutralized with 1.25 laps to go. People were still sprawled out on the pavement in corner 4 from the previous lap’s crash. 1 lap to go. And I’m sitting about 20th. WAY TOO FAR BACK! Crash again while a group of riders were pinched through a corner. Next corner: CRASH! Everyone wanted what only one person can have and that was a win at the Sacramento Grand Prix. I found myself flying into the last corner under Justin with a little heads up on my part he didn’t pinch me and as a result I let him role by me immediately following the turn. 500M to go. I’m 7th-ish wheel and glued to Justin Williams’ wheel. Yahoo was still at the front driving as hard as they could and I was out of the saddle almost immediately and before I knew it I was pinched by a Yahoo guy and forced me into the wind to the left of the rest of the leadout train which happened to be right when Justin jumped forcing me to lose out on that valuable accelerating draft. I had to push my own wind and continued to do so. I crossed the line 4th within ¼ of a wheels length from 3rd. I’m glad I stayed upright, in fact if you had asked me 5 laps into the race how I’d finish I would have said I was going to go down. Another note: I think I heard there were 5 or so crashes in the last 3 laps!
It was a neat experience racing on the same course as Cavendish would be winning later in the day as well as standing on the same podium step looking out with your hands up. Maybe one day a few years from now . . . well, it never hurts to dream ;)
Bryan is on the far right and Justin is looking back at him
Bryan is on the far right again
At the rate Bryan is going he will be in the professional ranks soon. Good job Bryan keep it up!
Cheer
Coach Jesse
Sacramento Grand Prix write up:
Hometown. Hometown crowds and friends. Same Course as the Tour of California circuit. And Money. What other reason do you need to be motivated, nervous, and excited all at the same time? And I think nervous was an understatement, as I was more nervous before this race than I had been since national championships back in 2008. My nervousness was only amplified by my crash last week at the Long Beach Grand Prix while still in contention for a descent place.
I’ll walk through a couple key points from the race:
50m in: Crash.
1 lap+50m in: crash.
2 laps: crash.
Etc etc etc
No joke, There was a crash at the start. And while receiving a free lap the rider(s) proceeded to take down half the 170 racer group moving at 34mph on the following lap while trying to reintegrate themselves into the pack. They ended up giving about half the pack a free lap and let them start riding prior to the front end of the groups arrival at the pit, which means I went from about 15th place to 85th place in a second.
With about 8 laps to go a two place prime was announced and I wasn’t super far from the front so I decided I might give it a go and just start late and not dig too deep. I did start late and by the time I was starting to sprint Justin Williams was basically crossing the line while I rolled in securely in 2nd. We cruised back into the pack only to see lap cards one lap later. I got real nervous when I saw this for two reasons: 1) I had just done a sprint and only had 6 laps to recover now and 2) MORE CRASHES. Everyone thought they could win the race and were doing stupid things to try and get to the front which in turn only caused more pileups. A break went up the road with about 3 laps to go with Yahoo blocking for their rider in the break. The break was caught and Yahoo decided to do a Bahati style lead out while riding the inside straight before flicking riders to swing wide right before the turns before swinging back to the inside line. Coming on two laps to go, there was MAJOR crash in the last corner. It happened relatively close to the front and I could hear it not too far behind me. The following lap we were coming into those dangerous corners, 3 and 4 and the moto decided to try and neutralize the race but Yahoo and everyone else essentially went around him. There was no way we were being neutralized with 1.25 laps to go. People were still sprawled out on the pavement in corner 4 from the previous lap’s crash. 1 lap to go. And I’m sitting about 20th. WAY TOO FAR BACK! Crash again while a group of riders were pinched through a corner. Next corner: CRASH! Everyone wanted what only one person can have and that was a win at the Sacramento Grand Prix. I found myself flying into the last corner under Justin with a little heads up on my part he didn’t pinch me and as a result I let him role by me immediately following the turn. 500M to go. I’m 7th-ish wheel and glued to Justin Williams’ wheel. Yahoo was still at the front driving as hard as they could and I was out of the saddle almost immediately and before I knew it I was pinched by a Yahoo guy and forced me into the wind to the left of the rest of the leadout train which happened to be right when Justin jumped forcing me to lose out on that valuable accelerating draft. I had to push my own wind and continued to do so. I crossed the line 4th within ¼ of a wheels length from 3rd. I’m glad I stayed upright, in fact if you had asked me 5 laps into the race how I’d finish I would have said I was going to go down. Another note: I think I heard there were 5 or so crashes in the last 3 laps!
It was a neat experience racing on the same course as Cavendish would be winning later in the day as well as standing on the same podium step looking out with your hands up. Maybe one day a few years from now . . . well, it never hurts to dream ;)
Bryan is on the far right and Justin is looking back at him
Bryan is on the far right again
At the rate Bryan is going he will be in the professional ranks soon. Good job Bryan keep it up!
Cheer
Coach Jesse
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
It's time for Speed
June and July are the peak months for most racing seasons throughout the US. Most championship races are held in these months, including Junior, under 23, elite senior, and masters nationals. Some state championships also take place at this time of year. This means peaking, tapering, and speed leading into these months are key. All of these are accomplished by lessening time and duration in your workouts, while increasing intensity and effort.
These changes in your workout can be as simple as removing a long ride and adding more sprints, or by pacing with a motor and incrementally increasing the speed until your peak.
An important component to these efforts is having rest days so your legs recover, as well as phasing in new exercises gradually so as not to incur injury.
One of the efforts I have my athletes do are 30 second speed intervals. These 30-second bursts are followed by a 2-5 minute rest and repeated.
Efforts in races at the height of the season are usually shorter and repeated often. By this time in the season, most riders are fit from training and racing and want to show off that fitness by attacking over and over again.
Riding in this aggressive manner splits the race fields in half, thins out the weaker riders, and helps us drop our friends on the Saturday club ride.
If you need help designing a training program that can increase your speed, we at Crank Cycling can help you. Shoot us an email. Let’s see what we can accomplish together.
Cheers,
Coach Jesse
These changes in your workout can be as simple as removing a long ride and adding more sprints, or by pacing with a motor and incrementally increasing the speed until your peak.
An important component to these efforts is having rest days so your legs recover, as well as phasing in new exercises gradually so as not to incur injury.
One of the efforts I have my athletes do are 30 second speed intervals. These 30-second bursts are followed by a 2-5 minute rest and repeated.
Efforts in races at the height of the season are usually shorter and repeated often. By this time in the season, most riders are fit from training and racing and want to show off that fitness by attacking over and over again.
Riding in this aggressive manner splits the race fields in half, thins out the weaker riders, and helps us drop our friends on the Saturday club ride.
If you need help designing a training program that can increase your speed, we at Crank Cycling can help you. Shoot us an email. Let’s see what we can accomplish together.
Cheers,
Coach Jesse
Saturday, May 29, 2010
1st Annual Blue Trolley Criterium July 3rd
Come join us for the first annual Blue Trolley Criterium. It should be a great day of racing.
You can register at: http://www.socalreg.com/
You can register at: http://www.socalreg.com/
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