Was a great day for the Berkeley Hills Road Race. I went expecting 90 degree’s, hot a searing sun. Instead it was very moderate, overcast with a thick marine layer and windy. It actually was a good climate for a bike race. There are races where everything just seems to come together. I had a good few weeks of training and was diligent about my diet recently, so I went into the race with confidence. This is also a course with rolling hills, though painful, should give me an advantage.

My start was at 8:00 and we had a full field in the 45+ Category 4’s. We were kept neutral from the staging area to the race course - then the race was on. True to our field that meant nothing happened. Seems everyone is saving themselves foe the hills - On The Last Lap.

It’s getting where I know a number of the riders in my field and this is where future strategy needs to kick in. No one team seems to dominate my field, Me from Berkeley Bike Club, a few members from Taleo, one from Dolce Vita, Red Peleton… The first lap was as usual getting to know the terrain as well as the other riders. Who was looking strong, who was on a bad day and from larger teams who was going to work for whom.

The race brought us over a course known as the three bears and I could tell that these would be a challenge. The first lap and for that matter the 2nd lap no one made any major moves. Pretty much at this point is was a good Mothers Day Ride.

As we came off the last of the three bears on the 2nd lap there was a short steep climb to bring us back to San Pablo Dam Rd. I DROPPED MY FU***** CHAIN. As this was a major little hill it was a big set back, and I wasn’t the only one. One of the Taleo guys also dropped chain. Once the chain was reattached I was in a big gear so it was tough to get moving again. I thought that the race was aver for me and was thinking I would just return to the car. I saw our Peleton down the road and thought “I can get them!” The Taleo guy got into traffic and drafted off of a few cars. I got a spin on and was able to catch back on. I tried to get the Taleo Rider’s attention to grab my wheel so we could work together. Thank you riders for your leisurely pace as getting back on was not a problem. The race official gave me the Thumbs Up when I caught up. It was a good job.

I knew from the last two laps to stay to the right of the Peleton as I would be sheltered from the wind and was able to retake my spot toward the front of the pack. I mentioned to my buddies that I wasn’t out yet. RIGHT ON!

AS we were into the final lap I positioned myself at my most dangerous spot toward the front, but determined not to take the front. I was able to hold this position until there was about three miles to go and as we started up one of the bears I ended up on the front. In my head I was optimistic as this strategy worked for me at Ward’s Ferry where I was able to pull ahead and get about 2 mins on the pack. Not today.

AS I passed by a friend and cried HELP he shouted back words of encouragement. Later he told me everyone was just hanging behind me enjoying the pace and waiting to attack. We came up to the final climb and riders started to power ahead. I insisted to myself it was just too early waiting to get to my best guess of the 200 meter sprint. About a dozen riders passed me up the climb but I was able to regain 2 or 3 putting me in my best guess the top 10 finishers.

I am happy with my performance as far as ability to keep the pace and to climb. The fact that I could so easily catch back onto the group after dropping my chain indicates that I could also work to orchestrate the same effort off the front.

What I need to work on:
Developing camaraderie within the field, talking to about 6 other riders who are of equal ability and planning to do a break during the race.
Also: riding with others to learn how to work together.

After racing the Wente Road Race yesterday I thought it wouldn’t be a complete weekend without doing a crit today.

I entered the 35+ Cat 4 race which went off at 9:20AM. Was able to sleep in until a reasonable 5:30 before heading out at 7:00.

The course was a flat one mile course through an office park, perfect for a crit. Relatively wide road some good chicanes and plenty of room for spectators. Our race was to last 45 minutes which resulted in 18 laps. Considering the size of the course for over 50 riders that were in our race it made things pretty tight and we had to maneuver carefully through the field and around the turns.

For me I was doing well sitting in the pack, a few times I found myself at the back and a few times I made my way to the front. I only led the pack on one lap so felt I was saving a good amount of energy for the end. The pace picked up on the last lap and I was thinking 1. I need to relax, and 2. I need to be very careful about what is going on around me. About 3/4 of the way around there was a bad crash right in front of me. It is a horrible feeling to see bikes going down with arms, legs and tires flying through the air. My first thought was that I was aging to run right into them - Aaron, your going to get the call! There was no place for me to react and in not reacting I did the right thing, the slid out of my way I brushed right past them without missing a beat.

As we rounded the final corner it was a straight away to the finish and the riders filled in. Some riders fell back not able to keep up the pace while others maneuvered into any gap that would open up. Again, one had to be careful as you didn’t know if two riders would vie for the same spot, or if someone was coming up behind you wanting to take your spot.

Crossing the finish line we were maybe 15 or more abreast. Even though I was maybe a bike length or two from the leader my finish was 32nd. A friend who was a wheel length behind me was 49th. I am pleased with my performance but do want to take the steps necessary for an even stronger finish.

What I need to work on:
1. Positioning in the field
2. Sprints
3. Longer Intervals
4. remaining focused

This is 45 minutes full out, the only way to improve is to be comfortable at this pace and this level for a longer duration.

Today I was in the early flight for the Wente Road Race, our start was at 8:30AM. The Wente Road Race is about a 15 mile loop that we would repeat 3 times for a total of just under 50 miles. After an easy roll out from the start we hooked a right for what was not such an insignificant climb. The climb wound through the hills of Livermore eventually leading us past the feed zone and what would be our finish line. Yes, at the top of the hill - Ugh!

The first lap I was feeling weak and had trouble getting into my groove. Hitting the hill so early in the race can be tiring. I spent the first lap toward the back of the pack not wanting to put myself in the front and doing the work early on. I was able to become familiar with the other riders and their riding style. Those that were good at climbing, those that would drop off the climbs, as well I was aware of who was better at descending and confident in the corners. I did drop my chain on one of the climbs but was able to catch right back on. Note to self, be careful of the shifting

The course brought us through the Wente Vinyard’s as well as the famous windmills of Livermore. The temperature was perfect (thanks to the early start) and the winds light. The 2nd lap was uneventful and I would not want to make any kind of move until after we go over the more significant climbs.

When I did start to make my way to the front of the pack sure enough I ended up off the front, right where I did not want to be. I ended up pulling for a while hoping that someone would come up and relieve me - Chris where were you? I soft pedaled and even pulled out into the lane to let others pass. They just slowed down with me.

Finally we hit a wide open road which had a bit of a head wind. One rider powered up the hill and I was thankful for the relief from pulling the pack. After he past me he directed me to ride back through to the front. What an A**. What is it with these riders that don’t want to do ANY work? Chris V. where are you?

It would be nice as I get to know other riders to work together and orchestrate a break. I am certainly strong enough to pull off the front and with 4 to 6 other strong riders I am sure we can take it well off the front insuring each of us a points finish.

I ended up at the front, or one off for the next stretch which would certainly tire me out for the hill to come which would take us to the finish. As we started the climb I was able to stay with about 6 - 10 other riders who also proved to be strong. I knew them from past races and was no stranger to their riding style. Like me a few even had some misfortune in some other rides, but we had a great course today and could not use the excuse of bad pavement or gravel.

As we entered the feed zone - about one kilometer to go - I was probably in 10th place, but not out of the race by any means. As this is my final effort for the day I poured it on and was able to catch a few other riders - Including the A** Wh*** that kept me in the front. My final finish was 8th. I am happy with the finish but am certainly capable of being top 5. Others out there seem to expect it of me and seem surprised that I didn’t take the race. Glad for their confidence in me.

What could I do differently?
What do I need to improve?

1. I ate well being very aware of my diet the last 2 weeks, although I still need to focus on getting the weight down a bit. Goal for now is #165.
2. I need to work on hills - More Climbing and also some Hill Sprints.
3. I need to work on sprints.
4. I would like to learn to orchestrate a break
5. Longer races are coming up so I also need to work on distance and endurance.

Over all a good race without the hassles which plagued me the last few races.

For the Sea Otter Classic this year I participated in 3 Races, The Critirium - 40 mins, The Road Race - 53 Miles and The Circuit Race - 50 mins.

The Critirium 45+ Category 4:
The Crit was held on a small portion of the Laguna Seca race track, the weather could not have been better. There was a bit of wind. I seated myself toward the front of the pack for my noon start. Once we started rolling I kept myself toward the front. There were a couple of hairpin turns which needed to be taken carefully. Attempting to pedal through the first turn I did bottom out so vowed to be more careful on the following turns. After the first turn there was a slight headwind coming at us from about 10:00 so the place to be was to the right of the field. As I positioned myself there I also noticed that the up hill went more easily. The track was completely smooth, it was nice to be in a situation where we did not have to deal with broken pavement, gravel or dirt.

The timing of the course would yield about 8 - 10 laps. I was strong for a good part of the race, but as is true to my racing style I still spent too much time in the front. My final position for the race was 7th, had I saved something more for the end I could have done better. Many in the field thought I would take the race.

Next time.

The Road Race, 45+ Category4:
The Road Race Started on the Laguna Seca track and then went on to the open roads of Monterey. The roads were closed to traffic meaning no center line rule. At 8:00 the E4’s started, 8:05 35+ 4’s, 8:10 the 45+4’s. It was a neutral start for about the first 4 miles until we got out to the loop. Kind of a long time to stay in a tight pack.

The course started with a climb then it was smooth pavement and clear riding. The course was a 7.3 mile loop which we would repeat for 6 laps. Again I situated myself toward the front, but spent a lot of time in the front which tired me out for later in the race. The feed zone was along another climb, as we entered the feed zone I knew to take it easy. From there there were some nice rollers then a fast descent bringing us back to the climb. A couple of times when I was in the front I thought I could get a few others to work with me to break and stay away, but no one wanted to work together so I would just drop back into the pack. I guess I tried this a few times to many as on the 5th lap and into the 6th I fell off the back.

From there I was able to work with another rider to catch back onto the pack - it’s nice how riders will work with you to get back into the race! Once there I was confident once again of a strong finish. As we hit the climb into the feed zone I was able to pull back toward the front and more people started to fall away. It was nice to come down the hill and make a right turn toward the finish as compared to the big climb, however it was an uphill finish and riders continued to fall away from the pack.

1K to go - thank goodness and I was in a strong position gearing up for what would be the sprint. Then I heard it. I got a flat. Question was do I get off the bike and grab my sealant of do I just keep going. I chose to keep going as the tire didn’t seem to be going “completely flat” but I still was limping across the finish line in 23rd place. I should have pulled out the sealant as there were a few riders I could have caught if I was able to move.

Circuit Race - 45+ Category 4,

Confusion at the start. E 4’s were supposed to start at 9:20 and the 35+ & 45+ 4’s were supposed to start at 9:22. The ended up starting us all together catching the 35 &45+’s off guard. The Laguna Seca track is an awesome place for a bike race. It started with a nice climb which was followed by a “Corkscrew” down to the lower track where it was easy to get speeds exceeding 40mph and for the brave up to and over 50mph. There was plenty of room on the track and we were all having a blast. It looked like at the pace we would do about 8 laps.

I was tired from 2 days of racing so stayed toward the back and eventually dropped off with a few riders and we set our own pace. Those that stayed with the main pack started to fall away later in the race and couldn’t even keep up with our pace line.

With 2 laps to go the officials pulled us from the race, which was crazy as we were in a strong position. 2 riders I was with were in the 35+ Field and 2 were in the E4 Field. The official did let riders continue that were behind us. The official apologized and assured us that we would be given a fair finish. How would we have done? We will never know. The race never posted as there was a power outage when the finishers crossed the line. The only riders given a place were the E4’s and the 35+ First, Second and Third. Pretty lame as I was standing there with others we could easily have placed the finishers.

Summary: I love the courses and would like to ride there again, but due to other circumstances (see my other post: ) I would not likely do the Sea Otter Classic again.

When the client comes into the studio it is important to observe their disposition, mood and anything that is going on with their bodies. This may include stress from work (might want to work on breathing and relaxation exercise), monthly cycles, and other issues or problems that may arise.

Sometimes the easiest way to find the clients disposition of the day is to ask “How Are You?” or “How is your body feeling today?”. Also, I always start the session with a Roll Down as a tool to see where the client is physically on that particular day. Great way to start a session as well as to observe anything that may be going on with the body. Also I like to finish with a Roll Down just to check in on the results of the session.

By being sympathetic to the client and the energy they give off on that day you will be assured a more successful experience as well as longevity in the client instructor relationship.

I will attempt to describe the position in words, but the image gallery will say a lot more. Basically I hold the feet together engaging the adductors (inner thighs) which I find are a good segue into the abdominals, enhancing the deep abdominal work in the double leg stretch.

I have applied this position to other exercises including Coordination, Abdominal Work with Abs in Straps, Stomach Massage as well as several of the Mat Work Exercises and found that it really helped clients find/keep their focus as well as better understand the exercise.

I talk about the Diamond Position briefly in the following video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n__8A1oCg9s

In your next Pilates Workout give this position a try, I will be curious to hear what you think!

How Pilates Has Helped Me With My Cycling

Pilates has a misnomer of being the exercise favored mostly by women and dancers (and rightfully so as it is), however I have found that Pilates is a huge help in other endeavors as well as for men. Today I was on one of the more challenging rides in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Alpine Dam Loop: http://maps.google.com/?q=http://share.abvio.com/cf0f/9a72/4bf8/61d1/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20100612-0759.kml A challenging ride in it’s own rite.

During the entire ride I keep thinking about the principles of Pilates and the applicable exercises that keep me on the road and working efficiently.

1. Most importantly is Breathing (BASI Tenant Principle). In Pilates we focus on the breath into the ribcage and not the diaphragm. “Rib Cage Breathing”. Within the breathing Principle is a FULL Inhale and a Full Exhale. Riding up hill I tend to start panting and getting short of breath. The full breath that is taught in Pilates quiets the mind, relaxes the body and oxygenates the blood making the climb much more bearable.

I also experimented with Percussive Breathing and found in a certain form – slower than the Ron Fletcher method teaches and not so sharp – that it also was a help.

The exercise that I think about when working on my breathing is the Hundred’s – a classic Pilates Exercises and hands down one of the most useful exercises taught in the repertoire.

2. Efficiency and Precision in the movement. You may think that there is not that much involved in pedaling a bicycle, but this is untrue. You have to maintain your posture, constantly reposition your hands and yes there is a right and wrong way to pedal.

Keeping the deep abdominals engaged is key for more efficient use of the muscles around the hip – overuse the hip flexors and you get the equivalent of a shin splint in the iliopsoas muscle. It hurts. Also a key muscle is the Hamstring, or the Hip Extensors. Many people try to lean into the bike and push into the pedals to drive their bike forward. It is more efficient to pull on the pedals with the back of the leg and do what I call “Running Up The Hill”. By working in the hip extensors / Knee Flexors, and taking pressure off the Hip Flexors / Knee Extensors – The Quads – you are able to distribute the work more evenly.

Exercises that help with this include (but are not limited too):
Mat Work: Knee Changes,
Roll-Up
Rolling Like A Ball
Shoulder Bridge

Reformer Foot Work
The Hundred’s
Stomach Massage
Knee Stretch Series

Cadillac Foot Work
Shoulder Stretch

Wunda Chair Foot Work
Pike or Teaser
Standing Leg Press –
Forward Lunge
Backward step down or Mountain Climber.

This should not discount the importance of a thorough Pilates Workout that focuses on body movement in all planes of motion, flexion, extension and lateral flexion. The total body workout is important for balance in the postural muscles.

3. Finally I want to talk about Concentration of Focus. This is also a key especially for longer bike rides where you may get tired. In the Pilates Studio I insist on a quiet and minimal environment so that the client can focus on their exercises without distraction. I don’t play music or have artwork in the studio. I only wish I could block out the distractions of the out doors. Concentrating on the exercises in The Studio is practice for concentration while on the road.

So remember your Pilates routines while cycling and most importantly be safe. I tend to worry about other traffic while on the road, but while riding up the back of Mt. Tamalpais through the Red Woods one fell across the road. Thankfully no one was hurt however an awareness of your environment will insure that you do not get hurt.

I also found this great tool to monitor my bike rides, the Cyclemeter application for the iPhone. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cyclemeter-gps-cycling-computer/id330595774?mt=8 The Cyclemeter uses GPS tracking to measure your ride and give you your splits. This is a great tool to check and measure your progress. Abvio: http://www.abvio.com/ also has applications for Running and Walking. I did find some issues with battery life and accurate tracking, but an email to the developer and these issues were resolved.

Safe riding and – Tailwinds.

Kathleen Stanford Grant used to express dissatisfaction in how the masculinity of Pilates is not as prevalent in the work today as it has been in the past. Pilates was created by Joseph H. Pilates, a man – and there was a masculinity and beauty in the work. In recent years Pilates has been used by dancers and as many dancers have found their place as a Pilates Teacher it has greatly influenced the work.

Originally called Contrology, Pilates has been a training tool and secret weapon for elite athletes, both men and women. Many of my own clients are professional athletes – Basketball, Cycling and Olympic medalists. Pilates often gives the athlete that extra edge to win their competition – often where a fraction of a second matters.

Why does Pilates work? We have to look at the 6 core principles of Pilates: Centering, Concentration, Control, Precision, Breath and Flow. So long as these principles are present in every session the workout will be very relevant for a Men’s Fitness Programs. These core principles once practiced, and learned also become second nature to the client, they will find that these principles apply in their sport as well as daily activates. I will talk about my view of the principles in another article.

Using the equipment as well as mat Pilates, even for someone who is not well versed in intermediate or advanced work a pace can be maintained. As much as some of the more “dancy” movements can be a joy to perform it is also easy to adapt the equipment for a more masculine / stronger workout which will have the same affects on the body as working out in the gym. For example, Prone Pull Ups with the Long Box using the risers at the end of the reformer. Supine Pull Ups with the Infinity Bar moved up the reformer, as well as some of the more classical exercises – Kneeling Arms Side Series, Forward Lunges on the Wunda Chair, Planks and Push Ups. More and more I find myself playing on the equipment to find new ways to challenge these exercises.

So guys, I hope this takes some of the preconception that Pilates is for women. Once you lower your golf score or start to get ahead of your running mates you will just have to confess that Pilates is what helped with the improvement.

All this talk about Pilates for men - it is time for my own workout.

Larry Hall
The Center Studio
300 Sanchez Street
San Francisco, CA 94114
415-861-3932