by Ainslie MacEachran of Gemini Training Systems

One of the beauties of cyclo cross is that very rarely is a race longer than an hour. Because of this, the required training, while still having a little over-distance/time riding, can be somewhat shorter. In the fall day light becomes in short supply and temps may not always be as agreeable. With this is mind, cyclocross workouts can be condensed into short high intensity efforts.

Workout #1 - Hill runs.

To do this workout you need to find a short (10-15 seconds) steep climb that you could run up with the bike shouldered. Additionally, you need enough room to remount your bike and ride 30sec or so back to the start of the hill. For instance, a park works quite nicely as long as bicycles are allowed.

Ride a minimum of 20-30 minutes as a warmup. Maybe the ride to the park takes that long, or you ride the circuitous way to the park. When you arrive, you’re going to ride right around lactate threshold for 15-20 second and then, at the base of the hill, dismount, and shoulder your bike and run full gas up the hill. At the top remount and then roll easy back to the base of the hill.

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Photo Credit: Brett Borders

Kenosha Pass - considered by many to be the best mountain biking trail in the Front Range - has perfect riding conditions this past weekend. There sky was clear, temperatures were warm, and the aspens were blazing the peak of the fall colors. On Saturday (9/24/11) at least 40 hardcore mountain bikers, in various small groups and clubs, completed the 24 mile high country ride from Kenosha Pass to Georgia Pass.

The Kenosha Pass trailhead is located approximately 50 miles SW of Denver, CO, on US-285 and it stands at 9,997 ft. In addition to the highway, the pass is crossed by a prime section of Colorado Trail singletrack with epic views of South Park and the Mosquito Range.

After parking alongside US-285, just after the clearly marked "Kenosha Pass - Colorado Trail" sign... ride on the Colorado Trail north, which is the right hand side of the road, up through about a mile of rooty forest before you begin the first decent.

For the intermediate rider, the best option is to ride the Colorado Trail through tight, relatively smooth singletrack that bombs through "tunnels" of colorful aspens until you reach County Road 37 and Beaver Ponds Picnic Area. Then turn around and ride back up to your car at the top.