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

2015 Coaching, Riding and Racing! A look back.

2015 is coming to a close and this is a great time to look back on the goals you had set or the new goals you have set for the next journey.. As a coach, racer and all round like to exercise this time of year if we do it we can learn to grow and challenge ones self to new experiences and well just more fun!
2015 meet me with the year to finally be healthy. After a few years of getting over a crazy accident in a CX race I felt like I was ready to take my training and racing to a new level. Several seasons ago I started racing the MTB. What a blast! After my first full season I decided to request my move to the CAT 1 division. Not really the best move on my part but a necessary move to keep me moving forward in my goals.The Wicked fast old man's group I call it CAT1 M50+ I get to race locally a National Champion and several other just wicked fast guys. There are not many who race the WFMG but you know each and every time to go to an event you will have these guys to keep you honest and you to keep the honest. Weather played a big role in what was to be and was not to be. Rain, Rain, Rain again can we say Rain held up most every race on the 2015 calendar. From Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma and Kansas it was rain date after rain date of change. So be it. I was able to get to just a few of the race I wanted to race. Had to miss some key events I had hopped to race this season but family and date changes just did not work our. I was looking to get make a good mark in the Unified Dirt west Series To my surprise after all the water had drained out I managed to get a third place overall finish to a damp season.
Keeping my goals in perspective I started to get my Cyclocross skills in check earlier that expected cause I could. The MTB season was over by July for me so what not be CX fit. Set my goals on several out-of-town events to move away from some of the local guys. Rolled over to Herman Sourish for an early September race. Sadly this was the last year for the DogFish Hermann Cyclocross. Short film of the venue and race here! Racing the M 50+ both days lead me to a Saturday 2nd place and Sunday 3rd place. One of the most fun two days of racing Id had in many years since the races out at Smithville lake in 2010 stopped happening. Loved the Money Tree! So I took my good fitness to ST. Joe and raced fair but not what I had hoped for but that is racing. From there I traveled to a few other out of town venues to just to keep it legit. One last CX race I prepped for the CX off The Old year Flier! From here we may as well kick off the 2016 year and prep for CX Nationals we will hit the Grote Prijs Shawnee! 
All in all my year was very good and happy I was able to stay healthy all year. My 2016 goals are in place. Working on those now! Are you!
GRAVEL will be the 2016 season opener with the Land Run 100, sold out and I'm in. This will be the first of many fun long gravel events I will be racing. 2016 will also be MTB racing and CX of course.
Power Team Coaching will be making changes to its offerings that we are sure will be more in-line with all people. Making things simple is the way for longevity.
If you are looking for guidance to your fitness goals let PTC help you get where you want to go.
Just few photos of this years racing and rideing.

 

GRAVEL Grinding and Racing

GRAVEL the "NEW" Endurance challenge events that are on the rise in the US. What has been a way to get outside in the winter to see other parts of the country landscape and keep some of that road fitness, many people have for years turned to the gravel roads. With the rise of GRAVEL Specific race events like the DirtyKanza 200, http://www.dirtykanza200.com/ Gravel Worlds, http://www.gravel-worlds.com/ Trans Iowa, http://transiowa.blogspot.com/ just to name a few of the big ones that I would say are local to the Kansas City area there is a real need for specific training.
There are also a small number of localized events coming out one could use as pre-event tune ups to the big events.With the rise of participation of such events across the country this has opened a new form of race challenge. Like IRONMAM or a triathlon of any kind, gravel adds it own allure and challenge. Most gravel events are self supported and are 100 miles or more. Some gravel events are adding in 25 to 75 mile grinders that allow a beginner grinder an opportunity to try and complete a challenging event like a sprint Triathlon to a Half Ironman to a Full Ironman.

Like any endurance event no matter how or what we deem as long it takes training, nutrition planning and some form of time commitment to achieve the goal. What ever your goal a comprehensive plan will make the journey much more enjoyable. Power Team Coaching has first hand experiences with endurance events, not limiting us in knowledge from ultra running, triathlons, and gravel racing. We are putting together training plans for the Boneshaker Gravel Series, LandRun100, Gravelleurs Raid and Cool Hand Luke Gravel Grinder. These are just a few of the local events we are working on to prepare for the DK200. Even if you are not planning now to do the full DK200 we have plans for all levels and goals. For more gravel grinding events across the country look here, --> Riding Gravel. The Kansas Cyclist.

After the DK200 we will continue our training for gravel events later in the season like Gravel Worlds, FarmHouse Classic and Pony Express 120 and the Big Ring Gravel Road Race series to name a few. 

I know its cold outside now but it will be warm soon. Contact us soon so we can dial in your plan to match your goals.

Remember you do not need to be a seasoned racer to use Power Team Coaching services. We work with all sizes and types of people as part of our commitment to health and fitness. 

Coach

913.523.3696

ptcruder@gmail.com  .

Cyclocross Specific Training

Cyclocross season kicked off this past weekend for the UCI guys and gals. If you have not started and your plan is to race the Cyclocross season it's well past time to be riding your CX Rig. Gravel, Road and MTB seasons are not over but ask your coach when your plan will start the transition. NO plan! NO coach! How about a weekly CX training opportunity?  A coach lead session so you can increase your fitness, fine tune some skills and get your body ready for those CX specific efforts without thinking about what to do.  Each session will have a good mix of off camber, short hill, power, cornering skills. Each weekly session will have something creative to keep you learning.
Fees for one-on-one 1 hour session is $45.00
Have a group of two or more 1 hour sessions $30 each person (must sign up together).
This will be an ongoing during the season opportunity. If you find you are not able to get to that next step I am here to help you. Your season starting latter because of your schedule let me help you get ready.
Want a plan! lets talk.
Contact me to schedule your session today.


Respectfully
Coach Ruder

Rise and Fail of The Group Ride

What seams like years ago and it has been that I've seen the rise and fail of what people deem as a Group Ride. There are a few true group rides happening around our city but I do mean a few.

What is a Group Ride? A ride that has a specific goal of keeping the group together for a fitness and education aspect. A place where the new rider and intermediate rider can learn how to ride in groups safely. Not always is it for racing but for the safety of other riders in the group or at an event. What I have seen happen is those old school group rides are now being lead by people who do not know what they are doing and are just out to punish the group. Who gains anything from that? The rest of the group just feel like they can never get better, or I will never be like :::::::! Or why do they always do this? With those uneducated loosely called leaders are rolling through stop signs teaching the new rider it is ok because we have a STRAVA segment to try and kill!

Once the leader set a good pace for all to maintain and if a hill came up the group would slow a bit at the top to allow the slower rider to latch back on. Get a flat or mechanical issue and the group or one or two would take the time to wait for the unfortunate rider to get his bike back running and help pace them back to the group. Not today! It is a community race as the so called RACE TEAMS are leading some of these rides and making it a race not a good ride. Do not get me wrong there is a time and a place for these type of rides but not at all the local restaurant rides or charity events.

Steve Tillford had this article out a few month or so ago about the group training ride. http://stevetilford.com/2015/05/19/group-training-rides/

There are rides in our area that are a training rides and they are not your group rides. You may ride in a group if you are one of the front guys but that is about it. The difference is you know this going to that ride and the Novice or new cyclist is more than likely not attending this ride. YET!

I guess what I am trying to say is BRING BACK THE GROUP RIDE! In the not so distant past when I was leading yes leading groups along with other leaders all we ever heard is "that was a great ride! We all rode well and finished well ahead of our personal best times. I think that is what we would all call a successful Group Ride!

Bring back the GROUP RIDE!

Respectfully
Coach

July! Time is slipping by!

Well it has been way too long since I've posted anything. I had decided to take a short break(longer than Planned) to focus on some rest, family and managing my training plan. Many of you know I took up Mtb racing a few years ago and have put much of my training into the dirt. Last year racing was not as good as I had planned but I learned lots which set me up for a better 2015 season, Early MTB races like Gods Country Marathon was delayed two time from early April to May then we finally race in June. My first marathon event. We raced at the Lawrence River tails, a fast, flat flowing trail system. Races some really fast Elder men in the CAT 1 50+. I took 4th overall and I was happy with the finish

God's Country Marathon

God's Country Marathon last Hill

The MTB CX session started May 2-3 rd with the Kansas State FAT Tire festival out at Wilson Lake in north Central Kansas. What a beautiful area. A lake my family visited often when I was a child. The trails are really as they call it EPIC and one would not know you are in Kansas Prairie Land. Sand Stone makes up lots of the trail with larger rock gardens to challenge the experts and really challenge those not so expert but all is rid-able or walk it if you must. I did! The first day it got hot so my body did not want to work very well so I DNF'd for my own safety. 

Then the rain set in and I think I or all of us in this area hit single trails a few times prior to the next event on the calendar June 7 Down'n Dirty in Warsaw, MO. Great trail system there. I have only raced there now three times. First as a CAT 2 50+ and won and Second as a CAT 1 and DNF'd with 3 flats in the first loop of 3. I was done. This year it was time to get back on the + side. There where not many people at this years event I think cause many thought it would be too wet and another event across the state happening. Non the less we race. Not many in the CAT 1 50+ but one must finish an event in order to win place or draw. I finished and took a Second place. It was a hard and again a very hot day. It was all about perseverance. 

The following weekend it was the Mason's Midsummer Meltdown, a fund raiser for the Trail Masons at Wyandotte county lake Park. Not as warm as one would have expected in mid June. A good group of racers showed up to give this one a-go. As with this race not alot of CAT 1's in general but we are racing. The tails in the park are good flowing with climbing that makes you work all the time when trying to go fast. I was really glade to get this one over with for some reason. I was not sure where I was in the mix of things when we got into the single track from the start so I just kept on fighting to not let people just past me nilly willy. With great surprise I was third on the day again racing in a very fast and skilled class of CAT 1 50+ guys.

Masons MidSummer Meltdown

Stay tuned for more MTB racing and start of CycloCross Training

Workout Cliche, Change it UP!

(Cliche) Doing the same thing expecting a different result!
The old cliche stands even today for most people trying to reach a fitness goal. "I started off with a BANG and now I am not seeing results" "I want more but I can not seem to see any of the changes I thought I would".
All comes down to (Cliche) Doing the same thing expecting a different result, and getting the same or moving backwards. So, change it! Seems simple enough but if you use an online program cause it was FREE, well you get what you paid for. Or you once had a coach and now you are trying to use the old plan but different goals! What your program is lacking is creativity and type of work load to rest and then to load patterns called Periodization!. What is that? Here is the best definition I could find----
Periodization is the Systematic planning of athletic or physical training. _ The aim is to reach the best possible performance for the most important competition of the year. _ It involves progressive cycling of various aspects of a training program during a specific period. Conditioning programs can use periodization to break up the training program into an off-season, preseason, in-season and a postseason.  Periodization divides the year round condition program into phases of training which focus on different goals.
I tell my water aerobics class mostly older adults to change one thing in there routine, just one thing. You can choose but not the most challenging item. What can I change if I have limited time? How about take one day's workout totally out and replace it with something different! Adds a bit of FUN and adventure. Stimulates the mind and makes the next workout feel refreshing. Here is your chance to make a change. PTC will be holding EARLY morning workouts outside 5:00am MWF Corner of BlackBob and 143rd street in Olathe. WE start promptly weather permitting.

Cost breakdown:
First visit $5
Daily cost:
$10 a visit. so 10 visits is $100

Get a Power Pass!

Get a 5 visit Power Pass card for $45

Get a 10 visit Power Pass card for $80 Two FREE Sessions

Come as often as you like. Easy deal.
Like what I have to offer. Let PTCoaching take your FREE plan and build a plan that works better for YOU!

Power Camp

Things to bring on a daily visit

1.      Open mind

2.      Work out shoes

3.      Water bottle

4.      Hand towel, towel to lay on, yoga mat (your choice)

5.      1,2 or 3 lb hand weight your choice.

6.      Long sleeved shirt or lite jacket.

Optional items to bring

7.      Gloves such as an inexpensive cycling glove or weight glove.

8.      Hat, hairband to keep hair and sweat out of face

9.      Head lamp

Meeting location

The new Olathe Technology Support Center Parking lot, 14250 Black Bob Road Olathe, KS 66062

Please park in the most western part of the lot.

We start at 5:00am sharp. Classes will be 50-60 minutes.

Arrive 10 min early to be on time.

You must sign a waiver the first day you come to class and then sign in each day you attend class.

Black Bob Cyclocross Clinic

It is that time of year to get yourself ready for my favorite bicycle racing discipline, Cyclocross.

With the Kansas race calendar, bordering states flock to events and other cycling events throughout the months it is becoming harder to hold clinics on weekend. This year I am hosting a two day mid-week CX clinic, August 20th and 27th. Back to my training ground Black Bob Park in Olathe with a few new features I am putting together for added challenge and skill learning. Get yourself ready for the CX season and go to a skills clinic. If your goals in CX are wanting to get closer to the podium skills and drills will help you more than overall fitness. Not that fitness is not part of it. If you and I are of the same fitness level and I can go around corners, hope barriers and get back up to speed faster who is in the front? July and I start my skills and drills now following a good MTB season so I can stay close to the front.

Come see what it is all about. The Black Bob clinic is limited per request of the Olathe Parks and Recreation so get registered now before time runs out.

Registration HERE  See Flyer HERE

A few photos from last years event

Skills, Drills and more Skills and Drills

Success is not determined with the winning of a race for all. Some of us Success is accomplishing something we have never tried before. That is what happened this year and at every skills clinic I have taught. Not that I am the best teacher but with the correct tools and state of mind with proper encouragement you! will and can be successful. What some will think is so simple others find frighting. Take for instance all you bike riders, drinking from our water bottle, standing out of the saddle or just riding in close proximity to another rider. It takes skill and self confidence to do all of these things. One this past weekend did all of these things and more. How cool is that!
Here are a few shots of the clinic. I will be hosting more in 2015 so be on the lookout. The clinics are even for you experienced riders who want to be a BETTER cyclist and it will make you better.

 

What is next for Power Team Coaching! Cyclocross season and more clinics

See you on the Bicycle.

Coach Ruder

The Kansas Velodrome! Yes a Velodrome in Kansas

Something I've wanted to do for a few years was to try my hand at track racing. I first saw the Kansas Velodrome (a grass track) at a Cyclocross event several years ago out a Joules CX. You know the place out by Lawrence, Kansas. Well I and my youngest son rolled out to visit Mark Thomas and the LocalCycling crew for a clinic. I was presented a loaner bike owned by the Kansas Velodrome Association. I added the Association for an official sound I'm not sure that is accurate but I like it. I received a few brief things important about the track bicycle ah, it is a fixed gear and you have not brakes and you should not stop peddling or it will or could hurt! Ha well that is true.

Mark took me around and explained all the aspects of the track. Where you can ride, how you are to ride in those areas and the purpose. I was allowed to ride around the track to get a good feel for of the bicycle and the track. Like many other cycling sports Safety track etiquette, tire pressure and bicycle set up are important. If you want to find out more about the Kansas Velodrome come on out to a clinic where you will get instructions on all the aspects of safety and track etiquette. Want to learn the history or more got to http://localcycling.com/index.php/kansas-city/2233-kansas-velodrome
Here are a few shots. By the way Track practice on Thursdays at 6:30pm. Need a loaner want to just try like me? Contact LocalCycling via http://localcycling.com/index.php/kansas-city

 

 
See you at the track racers.
Coach Ruder

Lone Elm MTB Short Track

All things new start off a bit slow but those who have been participating know the FUN you are not enjoying! I have been training on the MTB and Cyclocross bike out here at the Lone Elm Park for a few years. Nice secluded park low traffic (NONE) so while training this winter I thought this would be the perfect place to hold a MTB Short track event. Nice well bedded in gravel path that can sustain heavy traffic in all weather conditions. A vast area of grassy sections that the local high Schools run Cross country gave this area the perfect place to hold an event. With a sick mind for FUN I figured I could hold an event and not race/ride the same exact path each time. So far that is true. This past week June 18th I used the grassy infield in the likelihood more spectators would be there as in the past would give them just a bit more time to cheer there favorite rider on. With two sessions remaining and several MTB events coming up this is the perfect mid week tune up. July 2nd will have some fast flattish stretches with a nice hill climb to get you ready for Masons MidSummer Meltdown July 6th.

The final two days are July 2nd and July 16th.
Here are the results from the past 4 weeks.

See you at the races!

Coach