Fall / Winter CX, Gravel, MTB and some Trail running!

Ah the change in the weather has many of us ready for the Cyclocross (CX) season. Training for most started a month or longer ago and with the Jingle CX hangover its time for the Local Cycling season to get ramp'd up. If you are new to the sport of CX and are looking for training or general skill sessions give me a shout. I am booking 1:1 time now with space being limited on time and daylight. Night CX training can be rewarding on its own with heightened awareness with skill building techniques.
Link to USA Cycling events calendar. Just click on a state to see what you can do!

Gravel is also on tap for the fall/winter time. Getting of the ash-fault pavement is a good way to keep that road fitness and build strength and power during the CX season. Power Team Coaching will be leading a few Gravel rides this Fall/Winter in preparation for the early spring gravel races. Look at the Gravel Grinder Blog for up and coming rides in the area.
If you are planning a few Gravel races in 2017 now is a great time to make the commitment to go farther than you did the previous season. Gravel training plans are available through Power Team Coaching.

MTB racing is still in the mix with a few Classics on the calendar like the Berryman Epic 10.22.2016. With MTN Marathon National being held in Arkansas first weekend in May 2017 this winters training will be critical. Power Team Coaching will be heading down so if you thought you could not train for the event with possible trail conditions not being favorable for us locally get with me. You can and I will help you make it a reality.

RUNNING! Not everyone's favorite thing to do but this has many benefits that out weight the negatives. You can really go anytime. Not a lot of gear required. Does not need to be long. CAN be fun if done right. I continue to run during all my training fazes. Running is a great way to break up training and you can do it anywhere. Having FUN while training is my motivation to get out and do! Here are a few great local links to trail running. I prefer to run on the trails but when I can not there are lots of grassy placed to put a foot down.
Trail Nerds
Lawrence Trail Hawks

See you outside
Coach

Core training a Re-post because its important!

I know ugh the dreaded core/trunk workouts that just seem to never get easier, or how do I come up with a good combination that you can see and feel results. What if you had all the core workouts you needed sent too you weekly, monthly? What if you can forget about figuring out how to get that stronger core/trunk you want for that better feeling for everyday life. It's not just about the BIKE! Sorry Bike racer peeps! Core and Trunk fitness is vital to all athletes and the non athlete who just want to get around better, run or swim better. As we age, I know, I am aging, and we need to do more to keep us just moving along to prevent injuries. A good stable core/trunk is a key, well along with eating better and cutting back on the things you know you need too.

The stairs are a tool

Simple tools

If you fallow PTCoaching on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram I've posted a few photos of simple items you can use in your home to get the core/trunk fitness you are wanting. Trust me there are plenty of things you can do in and around your home, I do it most days of the week. Got 10 min? Got 20 min? How about 30 or 60 min? I like the 20/20 a day with one or two 60/60 sessions a week.

Now you can take the guess work out of all this. Power Team Coaching will set you up with all the core/trunk combinations and time differential you need for a successful transformation. Just tell tell me what you need and I will set you up. Want my 20 in 20 min, 30 in 30 or the sweet 60 in 60? Do not have 20 min what about 10 in 10? I have you covered. Want a circuit core/trunk session? I can cover that too and I will send it to your in-box. No thought, no hassle just look at the tools you have and let me put a program together for you. Open your in-box print the workouts and GO! By keeping up on the latest trends I can keep it fresh and fun! I am always experimenting with different ways to take a simple exercise and give it an advanced element. When you are ready to advance or get through the first 12 weeks we can add more challenges.  All NEW athletes program's start with a one hour overview to go over all the exercises.  Sign up now and get started next week.



Your's
Coach

LandRun 100 + Gravel Road Race Stillwater, OK

TheLand Run pose

March 12th 2016 was the http://landrun100.com/ just a 107 mile stroll around Stillwater Oklahoma, the site of the Land run in the 1800's. What a day for all who just started the day. Overnight light rains meant what was dryish and fast was going to be a messy muddy slog. After a crazy rolling start out of town, (always such a dangerous thing) with 800 people it can be a bit crazy with slow rolling and lots of people just not paying close attention. I was just glad to get out of town without a wreck. The group was just getting split up a bit so I moved up to one of two groups just prior to hitting the dirt. Once we hit the dirt we had some fair roads and a few roller hills to then separate those people who just are not good hill climbers. I am not the best but I can hold my own when called too.

Creek bottom to Stairway to Heaven 

With more separation and rollers, the base of the day was set. The rode about 4-5 miles or so then it all became messy, real messy. The first real place we had to walk was this little hill. I started to ride up it but I had to finally get off and walk because so many people where all over the road. I finally got back on my rig and rolled into another area less than a mile from the first to find more people walking. I rode it and just kept a good fair pace. That was the plan from the start, keep it simple and steady, So more separation and so forth. From there it was muddy nasty roads mixed with crazy down hills into messy muddy crap. Did I mention it was a muddy messy? (check it here )There where plenty of places you just had to walk. In training one should not just ride ones bicycle but do a few
other things to prepare for anything, right! We walked into a reclaimed pathway, I think once was a creek bed they used for jeep ride training that led into a single track into a creek bottom raven that had a great place to wash off your bicycle. Then walk up this stair way from Heaven into you got it the old road that was reclaimed by the creek and used by Jeep training maybe. We finally came out of that hiking area and greeted by a few nice guys telling us its just a 3/4 mile hike to the next road. What this is a road, yes a mud road. Off we walked. At a few places me and a few guys got back on our bikes and rolled down the slope just for the sake of not carrying the bike. By this time we where about 23 or so miles in I think. Lots of broken derailleurs already. Got to the end of that mud road to a water stop and gravel roads. Cleaned the bike with my plastic pastry knife that fit into all the areas I needed it to and strong enough to hold up. Fit well into my cassette to clear mud. I did say it was muddy.
Back on fair roads that lead into more muddy tracks that lead into more areas I know those jeeps where not going to venture into cause they would have gotten stuck, then into more bike kike stuff. One photographer said sorry guys I'm sure we got some photos of you riding your bike too!  Yes and off we go ride and kike. After this there where just a few other place prior to arriving into Perry Ok the half way point I found to be better to walk just for energy savings and manage the drive train. Some place in-between the mud stuff and Perry I was rolling with Jim Cumming and had a flat. Jim ended up 3rd in our age-group. Known for my speed in fixing/changing a flat on the road led to a 40 min fight with my bike tire. I was running tubeless and the cut in the sidewall was not sealing. I had Orange Seal all over me. With all the mud and wet I could not get the bead of the tire to separate from the wheel. I was getting angry as I knew all those riders I had passed had now passed me. I kept my back to the road. I almost gave up! Almost! ONE last fight to unseat the tire and I got it. The tire was so tight on the wheel I could not get my lever under the bead to get it off. I had to get my multi tool out and poke a hole into the spoke hole to get it under the bead to then get my tool under it to get it over the rim. Thought I just screwed my self! I know I needed to put a tube in and now my rim strip was compromised. I said a few more choice words then calmed down and just put the tube in, not booting the tire or rim, pumped it up and decided I will let it roll as far as I can. By this time I had lost a full 40+ min. Back on the road and into Perry.
In Perry I found my drop bag easily. They had this area set up very well. Just no sign for the bathroom! Changed out hydration bag and water bottle, ate my sweet roll and drank my Coke, removed MUD from the bike and rolled. I was in Perry for 10min maybe.
Ok as I rolled out of Perry it started to rain but was short lived. The wind was picking up by then out of the south so the south road was tough. What the front part of the day was a muddy mange your drive-train ride, the back part was the relentless hill after hill after hill, did I mention hill ride. I was so glad to make that left hand turn, but wait more hills. Hey the roads where mostly dry with a few spots of slop but nothing like earlier in the day. So my tire issue. Periodically I would see orange seal on my tire as it rolled around! I was having to be cautious with it cause I did not need a flat. I just easily rolled through things trying to ride light.
What does one think about on your bicycle for so many hours? Well I was thinking about the dang hills and then I was wondering, when they did the land run back in the day did some of the people chose their plot of land due to the horses died from running up and down all the dang hills? Ok so every time we turned direction we turned into a hill. Just have to love the people who put this event together. Slug you with some mud, yes mud and then lets just toss in 56 miles or relentless hills, yes lets do that!
By the last little rest stop they said about 20 miles to go I took a short break there just to get of my ass. I was about 7 hours in I think. My drive train was making all the crazy noise one could imagine from all the grit and MUD. I was sure my bottom bracket was going to explode, creek grind creek grind clunk was a noise I heard for many hours. The finish was Outstanding. I was overwhelmed with emotions after such a fight with the elements and with the body. I had a great plan going into the day. I trained for all the aspects of the event and kept to my plan. Eat and drink, eat and drink. pedal pedal, pedal. Be consistent race your race, be consistent, tempo, tempo.
All in all one has some goals so mine going into the event was 7 hours. With the change in the weather and road conditions I figured 8 hours. With out my flat issue I would have been pretty close. For me I call it my perfect race. I had a great plan I stuck with the plan I came out real well. I had great support form the Velo+ race team and crew. I will go back in 2017 because I love hills and well mud.

See you on the next adventure.
Coach

Its CORE time! A re-post because its important!

Dog is not a tool 

I know ugh the dreaded core/trunk workouts that just seem to never get easier, or how do I come up with a good combination that you can see and feel results. What if you had all the core workouts you needed sent too you weekly, monthly? What if you can forget about figuring out how to get that stronger core/trunk you want for that better feeling for everyday life. It's not just about the BIKE! Sorry Bike racer peeps! Core and Trunk fitness is vital to all athletes and the non athlete who just want to get around better, run or swim better. As we age, I know, I am aging, and we need to do more to keep us just moving along to prevent injuries. A good stable core/trunk is a key, well along with eating better and cutting back on the things you know you need too.

The stairs are a tool

Simple tools

If you fallow PTCoaching on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram I've posted a few photos of simple items you can use in your home to get the core/trunk fitness you are wanting. Trust me there are plenty of things you can do in and around your home, I do it most days of the week. Got 10 min? Got 20 min? How about 30 or 60 min? I like the 20/20 a day with one or two 60/60 sessions a week.

Now you can take the guess work out of all this. Power Team Coaching will set you up with all the core/trunk combinations and time differential you need for a successful transformation. Just tell tell me what you need and I will set you up. Want my 20 in 20 min, 30 in 30 or the sweet 60 in 60? Do not have 20 min what about 10 in 10? I have you covered. Want a circuit core/trunk session? I can cover that too and I will send it to your in-box. No thought, no hassle just look at the tools you have and let me put a program together for you. Open your in-box print the workouts and GO! By keeping up on the latest trends I can keep it fresh and fun! I am always experimenting with different ways to take a simple exercise and give it an advanced element. When you are ready to advance or get through the first 12 weeks we can add more challenges.  All NEW athletes program's start with a one hour overview to go over all the exercises.  Sign up now and get started next week.



Your's
Coach

Its CORE time!

Dog is not a tool 

I know ugh the dreaded core/trunk workouts that just seem to never get easier, or how do I come up with a good combination that you can see and feel results. What if you had all the core workouts you needed sent too you weekly, monthly? What if you can forget about figuring out how to get that stronger core/trunk you want for that better feeling for everyday life. It's not just about the BIKE! Sorry Bike racer peeps! Core and Trunk fitness is vital to all athletes and the non athlete who just want to get around better, run or swim better. As we age, I know, I am aging, and we need to do more to keep us just moving along to prevent injuries. A good stable core/trunk is a key, well along with eating better and cutting back on the things you know you need too.

The stairs are a tool

Simple tools

If you fallow PTCoaching on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram I've posted a few photos of simple items you can use in your home to get the core/trunk fitness you are wanting. Trust me there are plenty of things you can do in and around your home, I do it most days of the week. Got 10 min? Got 20 min? How about 30 or 60 min? I like the 20/20 a day with one or two 60/60 sessions a week.

Now you can take the guess work out of all this. Power Team Coaching will set you up with all the core/trunk combinations and time differential you need for a successful transformation. Just tell tell me what you need and I will set you up. Want my 20 in 20 min, 30 in 30 or the sweet 60 in 60? Do not have 20 min what about 10 in 10? I have you covered. Want a circuit core/trunk session? I can cover that too and I will send it to your in-box. No thought, no hassle just look at the tools you have and let me put a program together for you. Open your in-box print the workouts and GO! By keeping up on the latest trends I can keep it fresh and fun! I am always experimenting with different ways to take a simple exercise and give it an advanced element. When you are ready to advance or get through the first 12 weeks we can add more challenges.  All NEW athletes program's start with a one hour overview to go over all the exercises.  Sign up now and get started next week.



Your's
Coach

Hang on MTB fans!

So hot off the presses you might have just found out here that after a year of hibernation some great MTB events will be added to the United Federation of Dirt series. My friend and yours Chris Locke

is reserecting a few oldie and goody races to the KC area. There are many event organizers around and Chris and Cow Town Cycling have put on many good ones. So here is the Scoop!
Mark your calendars and get ready to GO!

God's Country Fat Tire Festival

4/16/16 - Off-Road Duathlon

4/17/16 - XC race Lawrence River Trails

Meltdown 2013

Get your start to the Fathers day weekend by vying for a State Championship title.

The Meltdown (2016 Kansas State MTB Championships)
6/18/16 Wyco

As with all events we just need people to come out and have fun. Racing is FUN! Racing is a way to push your self differently than if you just go out and ride hard. The element of trying to go faster than the person in front of you or making sure the person behind you does not pass you adds a different flare to the ride. Well it does for me!

2014 God;s Country Du

I know I will be adding All of these to my race calendar. I wrote a while ago about my gravel training and riding that will go into the MTB season for 2016. One of many great thing about the God's Country Fat Tire Festival is it is the weekend after Gravelleursraid and the weekend prior to Cool Hand Luke Gravel Grind.God's Country will be a great way to freshen up after Gravelleursraid and prefect priming for Cool Hand Luke Gravel Grind.

Miss Bone Bender? Handle bar hang on but Chris is looking at dates now (late summer early fall) too add this in the mix. I missed out on Bone Bender a few years ago due to rain and date change. I have volunteered and officiated at this event in the past. I know you are as excited as I am. Stay tuned for full conformation on this event.

Need help keeping fit or need some personal one on one training give me a call. I work with all levels of fitness form the just getting off the couch to the upper level racer. If you are broken I can also help you get your rehab in order and organized safely.

Coach Ruder

2016 Racing Gravel, MTB into CX Season

Winter cold temps set in the past week here in the KC area. Just in time for gravel grind race training. I feel satisfied with my fitness cause I had started rolling gravel in late October through November and December all while keeping my CX fitness strong. Now that the temps are lower and bone chilling wind chills are here I can now focus on power, cadence and some speed work. It has been 5 years since I had taken to full on gravel seriousness. This weekend was the Kick off of the gravel grind fun events listed on Guru's Gravel Grinders. I'll see you at the events. PTC will be hosting one in late February.

The past few years I have been on a health rebuilding faze. Several years ago I was injured in a CX event that put me down for many months then back issues set me back even further. After a good 2015 based on the realistic goals I set for my self I meet them with an A. Raced the MTB well and had a great CX season for the events I chose to race. The MTB season was cut short for me due to rain outs, date changes too dates I could not make too a fractured MTB frame. With all of this I moved to focus on the CX season, again with realistic goals to stay healthy and give my all at each event but still limit my racing.

While I was reading about all the people and clients doing the DK200 this past June I had this vision to return for my quest of racing the sun and a finish. My sites where set on racing the DK200 in 2016. I planned my race training early so I could maintain a good fitness base line so when the temps where just too cold to be safe and stay healthy I could take a day off and find it would not hurt. Smart planing is the key to this success. Having a very busy schedule each training faze has to be balanced. I started planning a few key events that I could prepare for prior to the DK200 so the one was the LandRun100 and a few others.

The first week of January while I was having a silence and solitude day of bike work and house cleaning I started to think about what is the most important part of my racing life. I really love racing Cyclocross and I want to gear my year to the CX season. With the change I decided the DK200 for 2016 was not in the cards for me based on the training time and length I would need to race the event. There are differences in what people think about racing but for me it is not to just participate but be competitive. With the MTB being out of the picture for the first part of the year I will be racing the LandRun100 Gravelleursraid, and Cool Hand Luke Gravel Grind. These events will be perfect for me to go into the MTB season and then into the CX season. LandRun is March. Gravelleursraid and Cool Hand Luke are in April. The promoters of these two events are a series so sign up for both. If you are getting ready for the DK200 these should be a must do to test your fitness and nutrition combination.

From a coaching look at gravel it is a great way to build power, bicycle handling skills, mentally refreshing and psychically challenging. Looking at my training schedule and early race schedule the gravel will end and the MTB season will kick off with the United Federation of Dirt West series.
MTB season will kick off with the Kansas Fat Tire Festival out by Wilson Lake, Kansas. April 30 and May 1st 2016. As the MTB scheduale sits now I will be racing 5 events to end out July then it is full on CX season prep time. This could change if Jingle Cross gets a World Cup event then we will be heading that way and could be early September 2016. Stay tuned.

Need help keeping fit or need some personal one on one training give me a call. I do work with all levels of fitness form the just getting off the couch to the upper level racer. If you are broken I can also help you get your rehab in order and organized safely.

Coach Ruder