HSPX cyclocross training session #1 is in the books! The early morning started at the lower field at the Queen Anne Bowl running track with Todd’s warm up including some dynamic movements and a game of push-up tag. Richter and I then led riders with some starts, barrier work, and run ups. With only a couple crashes on the barriers, it was a pretty successful first practice of the year! These first few early season workouts are all about getting used to the bike, and getting the body used to the accelerations and terrain that cyclocross will dish as you. The race simulation part of the workout ends up being less about cardiovascular gains, but more of a technical skill session, just trying to make it around the course with the rubber side down. Once we can get that out of the way, we can focus on actually racing the bike come Steilacoom, Starcrossed, or Alpenrose.

The course we designed at Queen Anne Bowl had all of the elements that you would want – a tough loop with a lot of elevation, turns around trees, a good run up, and little time for recovery. With almost the entire course being on wet grass and on the side of a hill, we got a lot of grinding and sliding today.

Thursday we will be at Woodland Park, and promises to be a much faster, wide open course that will be similar to the fast races we have, like Steilacoom and Kelly Creek.

See you out there,
David Fleischhauer