I’d much rather do cx-specific work outdoors that involves actually riding my bike and also getting in some run-training. This is something you cannot accomplish with a TR plan. I cannot over-state this.
With regard to the TR CX Specialty plan, I cannot imagine doing 8-weeks of Anaerobic/VO2 work coming into a CX season, assuming I’m going to have 5-7 race weeks following. That would introduce an UNREAL amount of fatigue. Even on low-volume there would have to be a point where you’d want to touch up your threshold after doing so much high-end work. I don’t know, just doesn’t seem like a well thought out approach.
From my experience I’m very wary of burnout during cx season. From Sept to Feb in a normal year in the UK there’s a potential 18 regional races, 5 National Trophy and a Nat Champs. To make it to the end as the weather gets harder and harder, you need to come into it raring to go rather than already tired from 6 weeks of short power build or cx specialty.
I appreciate everyone’s different though
I started weekly skills sessions back in May. Helps that I organise them for our club. We build a course, taped and everything, utilising some wickedly steep banks as well as flatter grassy areas.
At the beginning of the session no one can ride the crux features but then after many goes one of the kids will manage it and unlock the key to it. By the end of the session most will have ridden it and then we do a relay race with two teams.
It’s brilliant fun and really pushes you.
Great thread. I realized that the “A” crit I had based my plan on isn’t happening this year, so I redid it based on making the first weekend of CX my new A. It’s got me in the middle of short power build, which feels about right. Got a lot of VO2max work coming up in the next two weeks. I’ll try to do as much of it outside as possible.
Hmm… I’ve done a couple of seasons off the back of the TR progression. 2018 & 2019 I think (obviously 2020 was a non-starter). Seemed to work out pretty well but I take your point.
To be fair weekend rides are generally off road - CX past years but mostly MTB this year. I’ll need to start getting back on the CX bike pretty soon I think. I’ve never trained running before, maybe I should think about that.
This year I have the plan ending start of November with a few B races blocked in before this so TR will automatically back off a bit in the weeks before those.
Im just being curious, since the forum is primarily US based members, I have a question for racers/organisers, what categories are there at a normal CX event there? And how many people usually show up/enter?
For interest sake CX isnt so big where I am, we have maybe 5-6 events each year in my area, with kids age groups from balance bikes through to U17 and then A/B/C/Open grades for men and women. From 100-150ppl is normal (sometimes a bit more sometimes a bit less). B or C grade Men is generally the largest field
Prior to outdoor workouts, I would use TrainerRoad only October through March; stop for the summer and come back to it in Fall (I have since realized the importance of structured training). The last couple of years I have jumped right into the Low Volume CX Specialty Plan in late Sept/early Oct. I would do the Tues/Thurs rides indoors (run and weights the other days) and then race on the weekends (usually 2 races per day). I found this extremely beneficial in getting me in shape as the season progressed and I never got burned out. If there was an off week or I could get out of work early, I would go to a park and work on skills but I didn’t ride outside much due to darkness and weather. In October 2019, I started the CX plan with an FTP of 133 and retested in Dec at 142. [I am small ~115# and 64".] I have been using Plan Builder since then and actually did the CX plan last year with no races just so I could “remember what cross races feel like”. Can’t wait to see what happens this year as I am presently at 182! Less is more works for me:)
WI Series 2022 Wisconsin Cyclocross Series Schedule – Wisconsin CX Series
The US CX based classing is pretty much the same as road, in that there is Pro/Elite, and Cat 1/2/3/4/5. There will also be the same categories for women, then also a junior’s race. How many people show up is going to be greatly dependent on where you live, and how active the scene is. I pulled up results from my local series from 2019 (OVCX which is one of the larger series in the country I think), and one of the better attended events, and ~250 people were registered. In 2019, there were 9 events, with 2 of those being 2 days, and the other 7 being on Sunday only.
That’s interesting. In the UK we just have age group categories which include all abilities.
It’s hard for the guys in the 19-40 year olds when you’ve got Tom Pidcock racing Nationals in your race. Mate of mine only made two laps before being pulled in 2019😄
Our local series made the decision not to be USAC sanctioned, so it uses an A/B/C plus age groups. You can self select, and people are pretty good about not sandbagging, but the organizer reserves the right to force upgrades if necessary. Plus SS-A and SS-B and juniors.
Or Nick Craig if you’re a Vet50
In fact the depth across all categories is crazy … I’d love to ride a National Trophy race this season, but not sure I’m brave enough.
We use Elites + Masters (30+) in 5 yr age brackets for State championships and National level events, incl National Champs. Masters are allowed to race Elite if they want to go for the big prize All the local races are just graded A/B/C though
Seems like we are doing ok for a reasonably small city, and an area that doesnt really get a winter,. It is almost always dry in winter. Maybe we can push to get CX into the 2032 summer Olympics since its happening here now
Definitely wouldnt wanna be racing CX in summer here though, death by humidity. Possibly night time racing?
I think everyone in vet40 breathed a sigh of relief when Nick Craig moved up to vet50 .
I watched a round of the Nat trophy at Ardingly a couple of years ago. A bunch of continental guys raced the main race (Tys Aerts won). Nick raced as well, having won the vet50 the day before and was mixing it up with them. Came 10th if memory serves me right.
You should so do a trophy yourself. It’s gridded on national ranking points so you’ll be in a group of similar abilities on the start line. It’s a mega atmosphere and the courses tend to be a lot muddier as there will have been practice sessions the day before.
It’s a fantastically rewarding experience.
If you are looking for CX races in Virginia, we are about to release the VACX schedule for this year. A good amount of races in the Richmond and Hampton Roads areas. Should be between 8-10 races in the series, so plenty of opportunities to race.
The schedule is mostly complete, just a few races that currently have tentative dates, that are happening, they just don’t have a specific date picked yet. Expect 8-10 total races with two, 2 day race weekends with Go Cross and NNCX. Season starts September 18th and should end mid December.
We havent gotten a ton of rain, so that side of the park should be dry and fast. If rain picks up expect there to be a muddy wet slogging section. Marathons should be fine, very little to worry about and by the end of the first lap you will know the sections to be cautious in.
If you’ve never done it before be aware of the creek crossing. Last time it was literally an extension ladder with some plywood over it.
All the local races are just graded A/B/C though
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