Team Evergreen Racing Weekly News - Thursday January 17th, 2008

• Welcome to the TER weekly news.  This email news goes out to all team members early Thursday mornings.

• 2008 TER Application - is available on the website and here.  Deadlines for clothing is Dec 31, 2007 and for RIP qualification is Mar 31, 2007.  Any questions regarding the application please contact René Pirolt.

• Two TER racers ready to hit the CX course last month.
  Photo by Jon Farinholt

• Update on Team Clothing – We should be getting the artwork for the kits approved this week, so our bulk order will go in. The socks have recently been ordered from DeFeet. The Team Store will be opening soon, so standby.  Contact: Cory Kramer.

• Winter Training - Saturday 1/19/2008 training ride is on. Meet across from the Conoco at C-470 and Morrison road for a 10:00 rollout.  Please arrive early enough to be ready to ride at 10:00 sharp. We will ride the normal winter route which covers 50 miles and takes approximately 3 hours ride time. Contact Mike McKenna (mikejavamck@yahoo.com home: 303 932-1958 cell: 303 847-6102) for more information.

• Maintaining Focus

Everybody has an optimal level of arousal where their focus is sharp, clear, and directional. When you hit that optimal zone – The Zone! – you know it. The effort seems easier, objectives are clear, decisions are made with alacrity.

We tend to suffer from lapse of attention in situations that are either under or over stimulating. Finding that careful balance of necessary adrenaline can be challenging and sometimes difficult to accomplish.

As athletes, we frequently face both extremes of stimulation. On one hand, training (particularly when done indoors) can be a bit under stimulating. On the other hand, racing can be a time when our arousal level (and the associated adrenaline) is high. Neither situation is optimal for maintaining focus on our objectives.

Here are some tips to get the most out of your training in the off-season (we’ll look at some calming techniques for race situations as the season progresses):

1. Know your Objectives: Having a clear training plan is the start of your success. Each workout should have an objective – or maybe 3 or 4. If you’re putting in the miles for endurance work, make your form count. Be aware of your pedal cadence, form, and efficiency. If it’s an interval workout, set clear objectives for the training zones you intend to hit and the duration of each. Knowing what your goals are with each workout will help you center your attention for the time needed.

2. Warm up: Getting the blood flowing is critical for clearing the mental debris of the day. This is a great time to review your objectives for the workout and ensure that your time is used effectively.

3. Get a Training Partner: The power of accountability is a strong one. Commit to be there with another and your excuses will melt away.

4. Change Things Up: Variety in your interval work and strength training can do a lot to keep you interested in the task at hand. This is a good time for some cross-training and exploring. Try something new (bring your training partner!

5. Music and Movies: There’s a lot to be said for the right song at the right time. Load your mp3 with the best selection you’ve got and get moving! You can also watch some footage from le Tour or rent “The Flying Scotsman”.

Sometimes a little boost can really make a workout great. Get creative and make the best of this training season. If you’ve got any unique and effective methods of getting ready for the training day, I’d love to hear about them.

Cheers, David
 

• Winter Races! - There are 4 MTB races scheduled in Leadville in Jan and Feb.

  Leadville Winter MTB Race Series. $20 to register.
  Call Cycles of Life for specifics at 719-486-5533  Registration on Active.com and at:
   Jan 26 East Side Epic 9AM registration
   Feb 9 Tennessee Pass Night Race 6PM registration
   Feb 23 Turquoise Lake Loop 9AM registration

   Pedal Powers's Winter Tri: Snowshoe, Snow MTB, x-country Ski (5K/10K/8K)
   Feb 2nd. Registration form

  Questions about the courses and/or events please email Mark Wallace.

• Bike Fit - Gain a month's worth of fitness in less that 90 minutes.
  Most cyclists can dramatically improve their race times through lower relative heart rates, increased power output, and have less overuse injuries if they improve their economy. But one of the simplest ways to improve economy is by having your bike position analyzed through a bike fit.
  GMS is now the exclusive bike dealer in the Denver Front range to obtain and use the Retul System. This is the same system used by Chris Carmichael and his company, Carmichael Training System.
  For the month of January, GMS is offering Team Evergreen Racing 25% off a dynamic fit using the Retul system. Regular $300, Team Evergreen Racer's investment is $224.
  Call Corky at GMS (303-987-8758) to set up an appointment.
  For more information, see www.retul.com or email Rolo.

• Accelerade - Take advantage of this TER deal on their products.

 If you have news to add for next weeks blast email send it to news@teamevergreenracing.com

Team Evergreen Racing 2007     PO Box 3804, Evergreen, Colorado 80437          webpage version