The Plan

Hey grupo, there’s no organized practice for at least another 2 weeks (through April 10). So here’s the plan on what we’re going to do to stay fit, stay healthy, and stay sane.

If you’ve been riding, that’s great! We strongly encourage you to ride alone… it’s good for building mental strength and for not transmitting coronavirus. Also, ride safe! Now is very much not the time to need medical attention, especially not for a dumb crash.

This workout plan includes 2 rides on trainers/rollers per week. If you would rather ride outside, you can do that. But if you want a trainer or rollers, then get in touch with me to come pick em up. There’s a chance we’ll be fully shut in at some point, so might not be a bad idea to pick up indoor equipment before that happens.

Here’s the plan. There will be 4 blog posts/week. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

Mondays: We will post to the Blog a HIT workout (off the bike) that can be done 3x during that week (ideally Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). The workout will come with a video of me demonstrating exercises with Ben as comic relief. Since the workouts are just 3x per week, they’ll be full body.

Tuesdays: We will post a one-hour trainer workout, as well as bicycle race content that can be viewed as motivational entertainment during the workout.

Wednesdays: We will post a video of one of the two of us breaking down a skill that we feel is worth practicing so we can all maintain the basics and continue to improve. How to ride a drop, how to fakie, how to slam a gu, how to pick a quarter up off the ground, etc. We will also make an effort to post content in the form of mechanics training, pertinent cycling news, etc.

Thursday: Same as Tuesday

If your bike has mechanical needs, get in touch with me to drop it off at the clubhouse for us to fix it. If you need anything from the clubhouse (clothes, roller, mat, trainer, whatever) get in touch with me to set up a time Monday-Thursday to stop by.

Stay positive! We’re gonna get through this!

Movie and Resume

Hey Grupo, 2 things.

1- Remember theres a virtual resume workshop this afternoon at 4:30PM with Erika. Check the last blog post for details

2- Terrific news, Steve Peat, downhill MTB legend, released the movie about him for free. Won’t Back Down is super well done and highly entertaining. It’s a really good overview of downhill MTB history, with lots of footage from the bikes and racing in the 90s, interviews with icons from the sport, and just a huge stoke on riding bikes. It’s a discipline of cycling that we don’t really engage with much at el Grupo, but anybody who’s passionate about any kind of bike can relate to the feelings these folks are describing. Highly, highly recommend.

Content

Hey grupo, with no races this spring season I’m re watching some of my favorite finishes from over the years. Here’s a few of em:

2018 Milan San Remo

2016 Paris Roubaix (inside the winning team)

2014 World Road Championships

For the dirt jumpers:

The legend, Brandon Semenuk. Iconic video.

And 5 easy stretches you can do from home (especially if you’re doing huge rides!). If you want to borrow a foam roller, let me know!

Lastly, we had that mechanics class, but here’s a video that really breaks down how to adjust your rear derailleur. It’s probably one of the most common things to need to adjust on your bike, and it’s super easy. All of you are capable of doing this. Top comment, “I’d perform open heart surgery if this guy were walking me through it.”

Coronafitness

Hey guys, week 2 of no organized practice. I know it’s a major bummer because we’re all so used to exercising together and doing skills together and chilling on our (honestly disgusting, germ paradise) couches. We’re gonna make it through this though, and get back to the regular program. I/we don’t know yet when that’s… Read more »

No Practice through March 27

The title says it all. We’ll keep you updated as we know more, but this is step 1. The optimist in me hopes that we’ll get right back to our regular program in 2 weeks, but who knows what we’re looking at here. The virus is quite serious, and we don’t want to be a… Read more »

This Weekend:

Road Bikes all weekend. Saturday:  Meet 6:45, leave 7:15AM. Back by 11AM. Old Man Shootout- if you have done it before and made it at least to the bridge, and you are up for a challenge. I have a feeling it’s going to be a hard one. Meet 7, leave 7:30AM, Back by 11AM. Big… Read more »

Week of March 1

Hey team, sorry for the late post here. Practice schedule first, note from Kate second, link to dope video 3rd. Practice Schedule:  Tomorrow (Tuesday): NO PRACTICE. Ben and I are engaged all day tomorrow. Thought we’d be out in time for practice, but we will not be. The clubhouse will be open, so I do… Read more »

Week of Feb 24

Hey y’all. Hope you had a good weekend. Ben and I are working through your feedback and cooking up some trips. We’ll have more info soon. As always, the doors are open to chat with us about the team, practice, dynamics, or just to tell us a good ol’ fart joke. We’re here for you… Read more »

Practice Feb 19 (tomorrow)

Team, thanks for the meeting today. If ANYBODY has feedback they would like to share with Ben and me privately, anonymously, in a smaller group, etc, please either leave us a note in a cubby, or talk/email us. You are the team, and we want to hear from you. Practice tomorrow is ON. Sorry for… Read more »