The Right Fit

Getting back on the bike has been a huge challenge for me (Dawn). Many years ago, when I first met Chris, I was able to use cycling to get myself back to health after a nasty bought of CFS that was disabling. It was tough but this time around it is even tougher. I am older, I had another child and I am now cycling in an area with a lot more hills than flats. (The first time around I was cycling around flat terrain.) It is harder to get that same satisfaction that riding gives you when you feel like you are constantly battling hills.

When I was able to use Darth Fuji it was a blessing and a curse. The blessing was being able to take hills a whole heck of a lot easier (Carbon is frickin' amazing!) the curse was that it was sized for a man over six feet tall. I was so far stretched out that after ten minutes of riding I was tormented by the strangest combination of intense burning pain and numbness in my low back. Riding Darth Fuji was the most fun I have ever had in my life but the pain made it difficult to get in the length of rides I need for my goals and recovery was taking much longer than my usual agonizingly slow pace.

Riding Darth reminded me of the Chinese phrase, "to eat bitter". I continued to ride through the pain as if I needed to go through that crucible to earn time on Darth. If I could eat the pain, the bitter, and keep going, that meant that I appreciated what gifts I had been given by so many folks who have been helping me get back on the road.

Okay, self-sacrifice... martyr... yada... yada... yada... After a few rides to purify myself I was done with the pain. That was when I went to The Wizard (Rob) at Body Concepts. He took one look at me on Darth and told me right off that the stem was way too long and that I should get the bike fit to my dimensions. We were really concerned about how much to change as this was a loaner that would have to be converted back quickly if it was needed. Rob said it wouldn't be a problem and whipped out an old, stubby stem he had handy.

Every girl needs her "Spinderella" moment.

Rob set Darth up on the trainer at the Body Concepts office and I mounted up. He watched closely as I pedaled away. He would stop me, take measurements and tweak the seat. I rode more and he stopped me, swapping out the stems, tweaking the seat more. I resumed pedaling and he started talking to me about my posture on the bike. I had deep bends in my wrists that were setting me up for pain down the road. My core was weak and I was slouching as I rode, also not good for back pain. He helped show me how to improve my riding posture and then set me loose for a test ride around Old Folsom.

The difference was amazing! Before I had been afraid of Darth, not realizing that my discomfort was because I had much less control because I was way too stretched out. Instantly I felt in total control of the bike and cornering was amazing. I no longer had anxiety about crashing. The difference of a simple bike fit was intoxicating! I had never even heard of a bike fit before I met Rob. I though you just raised and lowered a seat and that was the best you could expect. The difference that I feel now is like night and day.

Has Darth been lured away from the Dark Side? Will I someday look good in the Princess Leia slave outfit? We shall see, but in the week since the bike fit I have lost two more pounds and I feel like I am on my way to becoming a real cyclist!


NOTE:
If you are interested in checking out Body Concepts and learning some great cycling tips be sure to check out their Presentation Classes! There is even one tonight! See you there!

Please RSVP to: nrobyn@bodyconceptsinc.com  or (916) 939-6800 ... only 30-spots available per presentation 

DATES:

All presentations 7-8:30 pm at Body Concepts

April 28^th      Injuries- how to prevent/recover from them

May 12^th       Flexibility- a less painful performance enhancer

May 26^th       Core Strength- turbo charge your leg power

June 16^th      Bike Fit- a balance between comfort and performance

June 23^rd      Biomechanics- optimize your efficiency

PRESENTER:

Robert Kopitzke has been an Orthopedic-Sports Physical Therapist for over 23-years, he obtained an "Elite" USA Cycling Coaching license in 1998, is a Master Pilates Instructor and certified Neuromuscular Reprogrammer. He has worked with hundreds of cyclists throughout the Sacramento region since 1994 as Peak Cycling and established Body Concepts in 1998.

For more information about Rob and Body Concepts: www.bodyconceptsinc.com 

Darth Fuji

So the day that I had been dreading had come, the “safe” indoor clinics and classes at Body Concepts had now progressed to practical clinics actually on the bike out on the road. Not only did I need a suitable bike but I was also concerned that my lack of recent cycling experience and physical fitness would be my undoing. I just didn’t feel ready; I had been struggling for so long trying to figure out how to get back into some sort of physical shape.

It was only in the past week and a half, after getting some much needed advice from “The Wizard” (Rob Kopitzke), that I felt that I had begun making some good progress towards the eventual goal of “fitness”. After the big "Thud”, I was at a real low point in my morale and had all but given up on myself. Late last month I had attended a class at Body Concepts about training where I was able to ask The Wizard about my challenges of training with CFS.

For those who may not be up-to-speed on my saga: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) can do a nasty number on your health. Recovery from illness, injury or exhaustion can become a life altering ordeal. Overtraining is dangerous, especially for someone like me who is caring for a rambunctious toddler alone for 8 hours a day. I have to be able to function to care for my son –and two daughters, two step-sons and a racing husband- so working out is often something I have been too afraid to take on lest it made me too weak to care for my family. The Wizard had a solution for me that was so practical and logical that I felt like a complete idiot for not thinking of it myself: he advised that instead of one longer work-out session break it up into several smaller 10 to 15 minute sessions spaced hours apart.

So for this past week and a half I did yoga in the morning, took my son for a brisk 15 minute stroller walk during the day and then throw in something else like a short ab workout, tai chi or running after the kids at the park. The result? I lost five pounds. So with those kinds of results do you think I would miss out on taking a skills clinic with The Wiz for lack of a bike or a little anxiousness of my own abilities? As one of my students from Bryan College would say, “Oh, he-e-ell nah!”

Now that I had decided to go I had the other problem to solve: What does one do when one is signed up to go to a cycling skills clinic and one has no ‘cycle? The short answer: you borrow one.

My loaner turned out to be a sleek, black carbon-framed Fuji. When I lifted him for the first time I felt an electric jolt. The lightness was unreal; it was a paradoxical entity of power and ethereal beauty. I admit that I was intimidated and fearful, his dark carbon frame held a Force I couldn’t fathom and wasn’t sure could be harnessed by the likes of me.

It was a deal with the devil, if I wanted to make that skills clinic I had to make an alliance with the Cycling Sith Lord: Darth Fuji. I had to wonder if he would even deign to carry me: would he blow a tube at the indignation of being ridden by a woman still packing too many baby pounds? Would he crack in frustration at a frightened, physically limited CFS sufferer who hadn’t ridden more than 30 total minutes since the loss of her last bike several years ago? His frame had carried the likes of riders like The Punisher and my husband! Even if Darth Fuji would agree to carry me, could I even carry myself? And yet, Darth Fuji and I showed up to the clinic last weekend; a mismatched pair as you ever saw.

To say that I was anxious was an understatement – I was, in fact, TERRIFIED! I didn’t care how well I did at the skills I was just hoping that my body wouldn’t give out on me, forcing me to drop out of the class early. I was also plagued by visions of not clipping out in time crashing to the ground and damaging an expensive and insanely light carbon bike. Darth Fuji was intimidating but he was also beautiful and I could not bear the thought of marring his frame or the shame of returning a borrowed bike in anything less than perfect shape. I was shakier than a Cat 5 Squirrel. God, please don’t let me wipe out one of the other students!

We met at the Body Concepts office and mounted our bikes to ride out to the bike trail. The myriads of doubts in my mind were only exacerbated when I found that clipping in and out of my left pedal was about as smooth as a budget vote for the California legislature. Was it that the pedal was just worn out from age and years of use or was Darth Fuji already showing his displeasure using dark powers of the force to make me yield to the dark side and turn back home before it was too late? Would my world explode with millions of voices suddenly crying out in terror, only to be suddenly and forever silenced?

With all of these thoughts running chaos through my brain I somehow I managed to wobble my way along at the end of our pack until we arrived at a straight stretch of bike trail as our final destination. My back was already aching from being stretched out on a bike set-up for a much taller man to ride. We had lowered the seat to help but the stem was too long and had my arms way too far extended. Over and over I tried to shake the knowledge that I was going to bail, going down in the flames of insult and injury. It was only when Rob began to speak that my mind calmed and I focused on what he was explaining.

We were to start with braking skills. He set up two BC water bottles filled with a day-glo orange liquid spaced about ten feet apart as markers. We were to head down the trail, return at a quick pace and practice braking beginning at the first “cone” and ending at a full stop before reaching the second “cone”. My legs quite literally shook and if it weren’t for Linda’s humor I think I might have just turned around and headed for home. She galvanized us students and took the lead in braking drills.

From the very beginning I was scared to death of the tight u-turn we needed to make on the trail and I have more visions of disaster: these with me taking a turn wrong and Darth Fuji sliding out from under me. Linda was perceptive; she saw my worry and once again came to my rescue coaching me to lead my turns with my eyes, looking to where I wanted to go with the bike. It worked like a charm and I thanked her to which she responded that she was only repeating advice she had heard Rob give over and over again to other riders.

Once I was turned around I became focused on the problem with clipping in and out of my left pedal. So much so that I made a mess of the drill, clipping out way too early over and over again. I will admit that I am an incredibly slow learner -easily the slowest learner in the class- but I understand this weakness of mine so I try to make up for it by repeating the drill over and over and over and over until I pound it into my wee unreceptive block of a brain. I rode up and down our small stretch of trail braking repeatedly and when I felt fearful I punished myself by going faster and faster. If I didn’t learn how to brake I would go down on asphalt for my failure.

It was then that the tide changed for me. Between Rob’s confident and encouraging coaching and the thrill of speed all the doubts fell away. The adrenaline hits and the fear melts away, it washes away my weakness and clears my mind. A small voice far, far back in the recesses of my mind warned me that I would pay for my repeated bursts of speed but I was having so much fun with the drills and with the new skills I was learning that I put my faith in Darth and The Wizard and let it all go. I was free, no longer worrying about kids and bills and everything else.

Today I sit here writing this blog and I am shaking all over. My legs are weak and I know that every ounce of energy I have today must be saved for caring for Jax and helping the older kids with homework. My juice is gone, I am weak and recovery will be a few days of as much rest as I can scrape up interspersed with gentler workouts. But despite my exhaustion I feel STRONGER; more able to take on the world, more joyful and more hopeful. Now I just have to figure how to weasel another date with Darth Fuji for the next Body Concepts skills clinic…

Metal Dragons (Body Concepts Kick Off Ride Part 3)

In yesterday's blog I described a car's role in amateur race training as... "All you need to remember is that cars are metal dragons and you look like a nice, juicy, two-wheeled prince(ss)." Even in the hands of the most well-meaning driver, they are two tons of metal hurling themselves down the same roadway you are on. It only takes a split-second of distraction to turn you from rider to ridden over. No one can guarantee your safety once you decide to mount up, but following the rules of the road can go a long way to ensuring that you survive the journey and get back to your castle in one piece.

Rob at Body Concepts really emphasizes obeying traffic laws; especially when it comes to red lights and general road etiquette like staying far right when cars are approaching.  We are billboards for our sponsors and need to act in a way that represents them well.  Not only is Rob watching out for the team’s image, and the sponsor’s good names, he is looking out for our safety. I’ve been witness to group rides that imperiled its participants with dangerous behaviors such as running red lights, blocking roadways and general rudeness. Rob’s emphasis on traffic laws really shows up in our rides as this is the most careful group I have ridden with; which makes it kind of odd that we were the target of a few attacks while minding our own business.

At times it is hard not to want to retaliate when when drivers attack (yelling, honking, spitting, throwing garbage, swerving, etc…) without provocation.  I feel the urge to yell something back or even flip them off.  However, as I thought more about this I realized something; for someone to feel the need to yell at or threaten you their life must really be bad and they must be in a lot of pain themselves. They are not someone to engage, they are someone to pity. They are not experiencing their joy as I am at that moment on my bicycle. Once that thought came to me, my anger melted away, the driver is forgotten in the moment of freedom and the road.

Speaking of which...  To the guy that drove by us and yelled that he hoped we would “all get run over” (along with a few other choice words, keeping this blog family friendly); Happy Holidays!  I hope you and your family have a safe and peaceful holiday filled with joy. To the rest of my fellow cyclists, remember, do not mettle in the affairs of metal dragons for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

Concept Five: Look Out Below! (Body Concepts Kick Off Ride Part 2)

It’s not just a warning about what is on the ground, sometimes it’s who’s on the ground. We (Body Concepts racing team) were practicing continuous pacelines while travelling through Lincoln. We approached a T-intersection with a stop sign. There was no traffic so we rode through the right hand turn. I was towards the front and as I came out of the turn I hear a bike slide and scrape against the ground behind me. As I look back I see a rider on the ground. The rider behind her isn’t able to stop or turn in time and ends up running over her legs. I quickly stop and get off my bike, setting it on the sidewalk next to the road. I run back to the accident as fast as I can in my cycling shoes. Other riders that were closer are already there asking if she is okay.

Good focus is key in helping prevent mishaps and injury.
Image of Rob Dunlap photo credit: Body Concepts Inc.

Rob (BC team leader) was very fast to organize the group and directs someone to watch for traffic. Another rider and I head towards the stop sign to make sure no one drives around without seeing that there are riders on the ground. (This safety measure was also discussed in Folsom High Cycling Ride Leaders training.) Rob looked like he had been through something like this before as he assessed the situation, checked out the riders for injuries and sorted things out.

After everyone was cleared from the road I talked to one of the riders who had blood coming from some road rash on his face.  As I was talking to him I was asking if he took any hits to his head while looking at his helmet for damage.  Everyone was okay and we all looked at our bikes to make sure everything was still in working order. Rob fixed a rider's front tire and we resumed the ride with even the injured stoically picking themselves up and finishing the ride. I am sure that it could have been a lot worse and that I will be a witness -crossing fingers, knock on wood, rubbing lucky rabbit’s foot- but hopefully not a participant, in future crashes.

When out riding here are a few things to look out for:

·    Obvious hazards such as potholes stand out but sometimes the deliberate texturing/grooving of asphalt can grab a tire unexpectedly. This also applies for the border edge between asphalt and sidewalk.

·    Various flora cast-offs like sticks and branches are obvious but also watch out for those nasty tree seed balls or hard little round “fruits” that can roll out from under your tire.

·    Road debris is always an issue: gravel, nails, staples can be a real pain and cause flat tires but glass is one of the worst as it can slash a tire and make it impossible to repair on the road.

·    Other riders. Sometimes you may be riding with someone less experienced/more reckless or someone who is usually a steady rider can be distracted (stung by a bee or something) and they can swerve into you. Always expect that someone on the road is actively trying to kill you by surprise (think Cato in the Pink Panther) and you can cut down your accidents.

·    Super Secret Hidden Hazards. Until you get some experience you may not realize that some of your greatest enemies emerge from such harmless looking things as a stripe of paint on the ground. Paint on the road creates a smooth, slick surface especially when wet. Another hidden hazard can be the smooth metal of some pothole covers. There are other types of metal on the road (drainage grates, construction plates, etc.)

·    Fauna (or what some riders may refer to a “potential road pizza”) like quail, squirrels, rabbits, turkeys, coyotes and even snakes (we have rattlers in our area and I’ve almost run over a few). Critters can dodge out of nowhere and if they don’t outright take you out physically then the shock of their sudden, darting appearance can spook you into a crash. Sometimes speeding up is the only way I have avoided certain mayhem.

·    Cars. All you need to remember is that cars are metal dragons and you look like a nice, juicy, two-wheeled prince(ss). More on that tomorrow….

So, remember to keep your eyes scanning the road. Even if you are riding at a leisure pace you do not have the luxury of complacency. Plan for what could happen, be ready to react and most importantly, Look Out Below! And look out tomorrow for Part 3 of our Body Concepts ride blog.

Training Concepts: Body Concepts Kick Off Ride Part 1

image provided courtesy of Body Concepts Inc.

I had originally thought to cover the first Body Concepts training ride for the 2011 season in one blog but realized that there were multiple points to cover so I am making it a three part series. For today, I want to cover the training concepts that were covered in the ride. For those of you relatively new to road bike racing (as I am) I hope to give some insight on what you might expect as you begin your journey.

Concept One: Not As Easy As It Looks on TV
The goals for the first ride were pretty simple.  Take it easy while building time in the saddle and practice pacelines. We did a lot of work on the continuous pacelines in flat and downhill (a long gradual descent) conditions.

Review from a previous blog: Continuous pacelines is where you have two lines.  In this case, the line on the left is the line driving the pace.  The line on the right is going about one mile an hour slower.  As a new rider takes the lead on the left, they only lead long enough to clear the front wheel of the line on the right.  At that point, the rider on the right yells "Clear" to signal that the rider on the left can move over and slow down.  As last rider on the left passes the last rider on the right, he yells "Last One" to signal the rider on the right to join the faster line on the left.

Everyone worked hard to make the continuous paceline run as smooth as possible.  It isn't as easy as it looks on TV when the pros are doing it, but at the end of the day I would say we did an outstanding job.  Through practice, it became much easier. 

Two things that are difficult to remember: 
1. When you take the lead, don't charge ahead, keep an even pace.
2. When you move to the slower line, remember to back off and slow down. 
Helpful hints: Always keep an eye on your speedometer. It will tell you how fast to go when you take the lead. Use your speedometer to maintain the speed you were at when you took over the lead. When you pull off the lead, look at your speedometer again and subtract one mile an hour from it to get your new pace speed.

Concept Two: Not Every Racing Team Has to Leave Slower Riders in the Dust
One of the great things about the Body Concepts team is that they don't leave people behind that can't keep the pace of the stronger riders.  As the stronger riders make it to the top of a hill, they turn around and and go back until they pass the last rider.  At that point, they do a u-turn and do the climb again. Not only does it help encourage the slower riders to keep at it, but it ends up enhancing the ride for the stronger rider by getting more hill work.

Concept Three: Sometimes You Take A Hill in Something Other Than A Granny Gear
As we approached the big climb for the day, Baxter's Grade, Rob (the team leader) suggested that we approach the hill differently than normal today.  To help build strength we are to climb the hill using a hard gear.  Climb it while keeping about 50 rpm (which is really low) and keep your heart rate in Zone 2 (for those without heart rate monitors: you are working hard but still able to keep a conversation).  That was a fun challenge that I hadn't tried before. I can't say that I have suddenly noticed a difference in my climbing since I have only done it once, but it is something that would be good to practice more and see what happens.

Concept Four: Staying Alive in Hazardous (read: wet) Conditions with Good Communication
The road was extremely wet and slick from recent rains.  This made me really nervous to do paceline work during the whole ride.  When you ride in pacelines, you don't have a good view of obstacles in front of you. Pot holes, steel grates, man hole covers, and rocks become major hazards.  If something doesn't get pointed out you can find yourself on the ground or flatted quickly.  Fortunately everyone on the team did a great job of pointing out hazards when they had a turn in front. Communication is key for safety.

Concept Five: Look Out Below!
This is just a teaser. I will be covering this more in tomorrow's blog.

For my first real glimpse into riding with a racing team I felt happy to be a part of the team and really looking forward to the next ride. I hope to have many more lessons to share on my new journey into the next level of cycling glory. Stay tuned for part two (which I hope to post tomorrow morning) when I reveal the story behind Concept Five.

A Perverse Desire To Do Something I Shouldn't

Sometimes I have a perverse desire to do something I shouldn't. Mom was always yelling at me for running up and down the stairs. Thank goodness she never found out about the scissors in my pocket. Moms are always trying to do that, yelling about "playing in the creek during rainstorms... blah... blah...blah..." Never seemed to stop my brother and I from trudging home, covered in thick mud. Sometimes, the best moments in life come from a "shouldn't."

The forecast had been calling for rain the past few days and I kept mumbling something to my wife about "alternative workouts". I knew, for certain, that a Friday ride would be out of the question. I made plans in my head, weighing the gym versus the rim trainer. I knew I really needed saddle time now that I am on a racing team. I had myself almost convinced to ride the rim trainer but the session I had a few days ago still had me emotionally scarred and I just couldn't bear the thought of staring at the kitchen floor, puddled with little oases (had to look that one up) of my sweat.

The clouds looked like they wanted to break open and pound out what little grey matter was left in the cavity under my helmet. I peered up and contemplated the clouds and the voice in my head said, "Don't go." So, of course, I went anyway.

For me, some of the best rides are when the weather looks threatening.  I threw on some rain gear and joined the three other brave souls on the trail. The ride was awesome!  Not only did I stay dry but a normally busy bike path was virtually empty.  The air was clean from rain earlier in the day and the temperature was surprising pleasant. When someone greets you with "It's a beautiful day!" You don't normally envision gathering coils of storm clouds. But for me, it was a beautiful day.    


The reward for braving the elements today, a beautiful view of Nimbus Dam and the encroaching rain.
(Hey, pretty good for an iPhone shot, eh?)



Body Concepts Race Team

Chris MTB racing during TBF race series

Being born to a cyclist I've been a cyclist for all my life. I've wanted to race for as long as I can remember but there's always an excuse not to do it. After listening to me talking about racing for years, last spring my wife told me to get out there and just do it. Stop talking, start racing.

I experimented with mountain bike racing and had a blast. I decided to continue to train to get into road racing. I still want to mountain bike so I just became a ride leader for the Folsom High School Cycling Team (but that's another blog entry).

Finding a compatible team to ride with was harder than I thought and teams form in the fall. I ended up spending the rest of the year getting stronger and researching riding groups and teams while I waited for signs ups to roll around again.  I was lucky enough to stumble upon a great riding group at work. In a few short months riding with these guys my skills, speed and endurance went through the roof.  A good friend from the group told me that Body Concepts was a great team for people interested in getting into racing so I decided to give it a shot. Waiting several weeks for the first team meeting and sign-up was tough and it was all I could think about. 

Members of the Body Concepts Race Team
Photo Credit: Body Concepts Inc.


 

I was excited to finally go to my first team meaning but being a dad with kids -including a one-year-old who misses me during the week- can make it hard to get out the door. I ended up showing up a few minutes late -thankfully not the last to show up- which had me worried. When I walked in the door I was greeted with a warm and amiable atmosphere and I immediately felt comfortable. Later in the meeting, Rob (coach, team leader and owner of Body Concepts) gave us a friendly heads-up that rides started on time "when a ride starts at 8, we leave at 8" and I made a mental note to plan to arrive at rides and meetings 20 minutes early (so that on “baby time” I should just about make it there on time). We started the morning going over the team packet that explains rules, how to represent your team and your sponsors, goals and so on. We discussed team goals and rankings as well as individual goals. Some members listed their personal goal as finishing in the top five. At this point, my individual goal is to be a supportive member of the team and to help further the team’s ranking.

GEAR
One of the highlights was when Nike Vision and VSP were introduced as some of our sponsors. Nike had three samples of their glasses. All three models were light-weight, comfortable, felt like they would be durable and they had transition lenses which is great for year-round riding. I get tired of swapping out lenses all the time.

Next we tried on team gear to get an order ready. The gear was from Sugoi and it seemed very comfortable and well-made. (I already have a pair of Sugoi compression tights and a favorite jersey that I have had for years.) I am still having a hard time figuring out what I am going to order because I need a lot of winter gear but I am on a very tight budget. (How does one stay warm while still representing your sponsors on rides?) I am thinking of getting a thermal vest with arm warmers and shoe covers but that may change. I was told to double up on arm warmers and use a vest and that usually works pretty well for staying warm in our area. I also thought about getting a pair of shoe covers to keep my feet warm and help match the team colors. Who knows? I still have a few days to decide.

TECHNIQUES
When it came time to ride, the weather was looking ominous but everyone anxious to get out and practice skills so we braved the elements and mounted up. We found a quiet road off the American River Bike Trail and started working on a series racing techniques. We worked on:

Shoulder Bumps - As another rider may start crowding you off of your line, you may end up bumping shoulders.  Avoid the natural reaction to swing out an elbow and turn your head towards the other rider as each reaction will cause you to loose stability on the bike.  Keep your head forward, lean over (while keeping your bike upright), and put your shoulder into the shoulder of the other ride.  Remember that this isn't football; don't knock over the other rider.  The goal is to protect your line and to keep from getting run over.   Another reason to keep your bike upright is to reduce the chance of your handle bars from locking together.

Shoulder to Hip Bumps – This is the same idea as shoulder bumps.  The main difference is that you might be in a position where the other rider doesn’t know you are there so you end up bumping their hip instead of their shoulder. 

Taps – Once again, someone may be crossing into your line and you need to let them know you are there.  You can do some firm taps or a firm (without knocking the person over) push to keep the other rider from crashing into you.

Man in the Middle Pushes – The man in the middle tries to stay on the center line of the road while riders on each side exercises the three previous techniques.  Stay focused looking forward.  Keep your hands in the drop outs to prevent handlebars from locking together.

Paceline – Riders are taking advantage of drafting to achieve a higher average speed then what you can do on your own.  Each rider is about a foot behind the rider in front of them.  The lead rider spends about 30 to 60 seconds at the lead of the paceline and then rotates off the front to the back of the line.  The people drafting save about 25-35 percent power.  The more riders you have, the less overall work you have to do to cover the same distance.  It is extremely important that the new ride leader keeps the same pace as the previous leader.  It is tempting when you get the lead to ride hard.  However that will create gaps in the line and reduce the paceline advantage.

Continuously Rotating Paceline – The lead rider is only at the front of the line long enough for the previous leader to drop back far enough for the new leader to pull off.  On TV, this looks so fluid and easy watching the professional teams do it.  This is actually pretty hard to coordinate everything! 

Echelon – This is useful when there is a crosswind.  Instead of following in a straight line you form a diagonal.  This formation is difficult because there isn’t typically enough width in the road for a long line of riders. 

We wrapped the day up with a whiteboard session describing how all of the drafting techniques are applied during training rides and races. 

At the end of the session I was excited to be a part of the team and I am looking forward to doing a lot of racing.  Everyone on Body Concepts was great to work with during the drills. I am excited to see what the future holds.   After all of these years I have finally realized one of my biggest goals, I am now a part of a racing team.