The daily ramblings of a paralympic cyclist

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Know your opponents!

This past week the the UCI posted on their the website www.uci.ch
the current classification list for all current Para-Cyclist.
Lots of people ask me to explain this, so here's a quick run down.

Each athlete is examined by an international panel of Doctors. The examination is
to place each rider in a classification with athletes with similair physical limitations.

In the 2009 every cyclist completing at an international level was reclassed using a different formula. The focus was to identify one's functionality on the bike instead of going off of a more medical based exam.

So with all that said, I was classed as a C-3. I looked at the other riders in this new class. I know a handleful of them already. It will again be very difficult to stand on a podium this season. But I do have the results to rival anyone in the my class.

Monday, February 1, 2010

status report for jan. 2010

the riding standards do drop to some degree when training in January.
If the start temp in around 30 with the hope of adding a few degrees then I suit up.
Suiting up requires multiple layers, booties, hat, gloves and sometimes hot tea in the bottles instead of cold water.
I ride through snow both on the grounds and swirling in the air. Training in this weather is difficult but needed when you figure that most of my training done in the winter is on a trainer.
I aim to be outdoors for both my weekend training rides. The other days I split time using the compu-trainers at both the Olympic Center and the new Endurance Club at Carmichael Training Systems main office. Both offer an enviornment's that motivate me to keep riding.
With it only being the first day of February I'm focused on regaining my aerobic engine. And that takes time on the bike. Throughout the week I have various efforts and intervals to complete but to regain that base fitness takes miles.
The biggest change in my training will come with the changing of day light savings. My week day rides will start to miove outside and at that point I'll include more intensity and race specific training.
But for now - you may see my sweating my arse off at CTS/OTC or bundled up on some deserted mountain rode.