CRITERIUM

 CRITERIUM RACE

A STREET CIRCUIT HELD IN TOWN ABYSS

ARE YOU READY FOR A HUGE TEST OF YOUR STRENGTH, POWER & SPEED?

The short circuit style race course we are riding, comprises of a hill start,  where we climb up and around left & right hand bends, winding up around the streets to face an even steeper ascent requiring big power. After reaching the cities heights, we embark on a steep downhill, and then absolutly fly to the finish line on a flat road (......named baker street!?). This course requires riders to be strong, powerful and speedy. It is absolutley neccasary for everyone to utilise RPE scales within this ride to make it successful and reliable in terms of progression from week 1 to week 2.

As we make our way through each lap,  team coach demands that we shave 2 minutes off each lap time. He's a demanding old chap isn't he? This only means that we must scale further up the ladder in exercise intensity & RPE' approaching the final two laps. We CHALLENGE our bodies to do this by executing sharper turns on the first ascent; placing extra demands on each side of our body- our muscles will feel like they're scraping the tarmac!!!. We utilise massive gears with accelleration to maximise wattage on the second ascent, then we reduce the work to recovery ratio's (RPE's) on the descents and flats during the final stages to reduce our lap time. After all the less time we take- the more successful we will be...

On week 1, we are preparing for our competition. It is your job as team leader to take your riders through a training run of this course, the maximum RPE's would be 95%. This is a stage where we are working towards maximum but we do not get breathless. It is ultra important that you take the week to do this, so we pNroperly prepare our peleton physiologically and psychologically for week 2,  where the going gets tougher.

During week 2 it is GAME ON as we riders are now in to COMPETITION. During the warm up it is time to remind oneself of last weeks work. What was your power outage? Where did you get to on your RPE scale? What were your areas of strengths & weaknesses? The battle begins with a stronger start simulated by a higher gear/RPE than when you started last week. The margins are reduced between your work and recovery phases. This means that you will perfrom at higher levels, competing with last weeks perfromance reaching 100% of your physiological workload...Question is...DO YOU WANT TO WIN? Well, my peleton, as you approach the final circuit, you know there will be 'no easy way out'. Big efforts here will produce BIG pain and massive WINS. RPE 'levels' range from 90% to 100% and not below !!!! On the last flat of the last lap you are chasing GOLD. Feel the 'rainbow high in the sky'! and achieve your dreams. Can you be brave, compete with pain to push harder, faster & stronger? The grimace of pain on your faces shows team coach who gets over the LINE FIRST! Is it YOU?

WARM UP- Music by Nick Thayer & Ali B. TIME: 3:13

LAP 1:

WINDY ASCENT: Sunshine by Groove Watchers. TIME = 7:16. Week 1 RPE 60%-75%. Week 2 RPE 70%-85%

STEEP ASCENT: Since you've been gone by Daruso. TIME = 5:03. Week 1: RPE 70%-85% Week 2: RPE 80% -95%

DOWNHILL-FLAT-FINISH LINE: Baker Street by The Sax Brothers. TIME = 5:11. Week 1: RPE 50%-80%. Week 2: RPE 60%-85%

LAP 2

WINDY ASCENT: Freed From Desire by Steve Forest. TIME = 5:57. Week 1 RPE 75%-85%. Week 2: RPE 80%-90%

STEEP ACSENT: Mr Brightside by Jealous Guys.TIME = 4:18 Week 1 RPE 80%-95%. Week 2 RPE 85%-95%.

DOWNHILL-FLAT-FINISH LINE: Wii Go Crazy by Gammer & Dougal.TIME = 5:22 Week 1 RPE 60%-85%. Week 2: RPE 70%-90%

LAP 3
WINDY ASCENT:No Easy Way Out by DJ Fait. TIME = 5:16. Week 1 RPE 80-95%. Week 2 RPE 85-100%

STEEP ACSENT: Levels by Defiant DJ's. TIME = 4:29. Week 1 RPE 80-95%. Week 2 RPE 90-100%

DOWNHILL-FLAT-FINISH LINE: Rainbow in the Sky by DJ Paul Elstak. TIME: 3:28. Week 1: RPE 70-95%. Week 2 RPE 80%-100%

RACE STAGE 4

Welcome riders to Race Stage 4 !

RACE STAGE 4 - TRAINING AT ALTITUDE, NEEDS REAL WORK ATTITUDE!

Check out the tracklist:
http://soundcloud.com/bodywizeaustralia/sets/indoor-cycle-race-stage-4

This stage of our race is the penultimate test of our endurance, or as I like to call it 'staying power.' It is of extreme importance that we maintain our current strong position as a peloton within this race. The sacrifice the riders face in order to accomplish this, will take mental and physical strengths to a whole new level. The main tactic to keep in mind during race stage 4 is this; Endurance is the ability to persist; even with ever increasing pressure & fatigue. This must evolve from each and everyone of us within our crew, dropping out is not an option, but the efforts required to compete for a place on the podium is an option.

During our cruisy warm up we remind ourselves of our goals and ambitions of this race stage. Whilst we are 'Running' and gradually increasing our intensity, we remind one another that to gain new fitness & improve perfromance is not going to be an easy ride. Then....BANG!!

That's it! The start gun fires, we have to begin a-blazing the heart and legs as during this track as we have a hill start and lengthy mountainous finish. I'm talking about a mountain which is an ultimate test of our leg strength and persistance to an absolute extreeme level SOMEWHERE YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN BEFORE!This is your chance of being in the race for the polker dot jersey.
'Give me Luv' is a 10 minute and 41 second relentless stint of working up and holding the highest loads we can handle. Team coach is looking for 100 percent effort on the big gears, aimng for an RPM of 65. Once our cadence drops, this is when our team will be in trouble, so we ride like warriors, shoulder to shoulder like a swarm of bees, aiming for the 1st of our 3 summits during this race. We have to grit our teeth, give our body the tough 'love' it needs to change to a new level of fitness and an even better position for our race. Our RPE builds from 8 for the first 4 minutes then for our next 6 minute stint we do not drop our effort below 100%- anything less we will slip down the hill and be out of our race position. Do not make this possibility...fianlly we reach the peak! Congratulate one another once we hit the summit, it's a whole new level which we reached together,a gruelling level of strength that we could only have ever dreamed of, has just been reached. As we reach altitude, we must suck up all the oxygen we can, remain in the the game and keep pressing ahead.

We are 'On The Run' during track 3 over a few small bumps in the road. Accelerating on top; attacking out of the saddle until we arrive at the top of each bump, then maintaining this cadence once we hit the deck as we swiftily descend down the backside of the bump; before we rise again. This track is split into 2x two minute halves. Feeling an uncomfortable RPE of level 7-8 throughout the track, it certainly is not an opportunity for sitting back and letting things wash over us. Moreover; we must use the opportunity to practice attacking, as we drive out of the saddle for short sharp bursts. The main objective for us is to maintain cadence over a moderate load, whilst controling through our centre of gravity so that we ride with efficiency, allowing us to save some energy for later down the track.

Track 4 AKA 'Adagio for strings' arrives which means we are testing all areas of our fitness during our mixed terrain where the working phases are between 2.5 to 3 minutes in duration. Its time to turn yourself in to an awesome all-rounder. Although adiago means the beat is 60 RPM's, we are riding way beyond this speed at many points during this track. Beginning with an intermediate climb, our second summit completes with another extreme ascent, this time dig in deeper you won't regret a thing! It's a short sharp stint of strength. Beyond our strength peak lies a flat. We bust out speed & sprints for an enduring 2.5 mins before descending for the final 3 minutes! Strength, power, sprinting, speed and endurance are all being put to the test riders, and due to this factor if we let circumstances control us, this part of the race may begin to bend your mind. It's up to you to leave absolutley no room for doubt in your mind that you can get through this, we must be there to abolish our competitors. As great allrounders it is our chance to get ahead.

The reward of working hard, is of course experienced during the next track, 'Rapture'.  A sweet, easy flat terrain. Some great, well earned recovery where we can move comfortably into the slip stream, easing out to a better position during 2 occasions but over all, our mission is to be able to conserve our energy sources for our grand finale.

Before we know it,  the easy terrain disappears. When we look onwards and upwards up all we can see is our final mountainous terrain. 'Sweet Dreams' of.... POWER, POWER and more POWER! Have you got what it takes to stay up with the hill climbers and allrounders? Ladies and gents its the fight for the yellow jersey. We split into 3 mini groups to make us a force not to be recond with. 3 stages which of blocking and attacking to bridge the gaps, will drive your legs and heart into total oblivion. This is going to get messy so hold on tight and push like mad, looking for control from RPE of 7 working to 9.5. Persistant attitude at altitude is what we need to get to the top first. If you had the attidude you owned that for sure!

Just when you think you can't do anymore..... there is more. Dig in and see what yoiu can get! Your Performance is only  'getting better' from here; 1x practice run,  followed by 2x time trials marking the end of our race. You have 1:45 seconds to sprint to the line and if you don't get there the first time you have another chance to nail it. This track is what we call 'the truth'...you will find out why!!!
All you got to think is GO! GO! GO! Are we gasping for air? Of course we are! We know this is where results live, SO COMPETE NOW FOR YOUR BEST before you go home!

1. WARM UP.RPE 3/4/5 Running. Sultan, Ned Shepard, Freddie Le Grand & Mitchell Crown. Genre = Progressive House
2. MOUNTAIN START. RPE 7/8/9/10 Give me Luv. Alcatraz. Genre = House
3. BUMPY ROAD. RPE 7&8.5. On the Run. Feat David Boomah. Shy FX. Genre = Drum & Bass
4. MIXED TERRAIN. RPE 8-9.5 Adagio for Strings. Technical, Steve Hill. Genre = Hard Dance
5. EASY FLAT. RPE 6&7. Rapture. Avicii new generation extended mix. Nadia Ali. Genre = Progressive House
6. POWER CLIMB. Sweet Dreams. RPE 7,8&9. Nick Club Remix. Dj Nick Corline. Genre = Progressive House
7. 2 X TIME-TRIAL FINALE. Recovery phases RPE 4 work phase RPE 9&10. Getting Better. (Gammer Update). Darren Styles. Genre = Hardcore
8. RECOVERY RIDE. RPE 5/4/3. The Arrival Feat.Tali & Waahli. Smokey Joe & The Kid. Genre = Hip-Hop
9. STRETCH. Im your Baby tonight. Ely Bruna. Genre = Chillout