Should I peak for an entire season or just one event?

Here's a question I was asked the other day:

"Lots of talk about training to "peak" at the right time of year or for an event but my question is how long can you stay at your optimal or peak performance? Is it possible to maintain it over the race series or is it best to focus on an individual race or two?"

Peaking for one event versus peaking for a series or even an entire season is a tough decision and can dramatically change how you structure your training in the off-season.  With more races on the calendar and our local and national series sometimes spanning eight months, it can be overwhelming trying to figure out how to do well at every event.  However, peaking for just one or two events can be incredibly stressful and can put an enormous amount of pressure on a rider to do well.  And if that one event doesn’t go well is the whole season a bust?  So what should you do?

First thing is figure out what events you want to do well at.  If you find your list is quite long then you should consider trying to “peak” for the entire season.  If you have only one or two major events that you want to do well at, then you can go for one or two major peaks.  

Here are the benefits and drawbacks to both approaches: 

Peaking for the season:

  • You have to be race fit a lot sooner, usually in late March or early April, and you have to maintain that fitness a lot longer
  • If you are trying to do well in a series, there is less pressure at each individual race
  • Your race fitness won’t be 100% at every race if you are doing a season long series
  • It can be a mental strain to always feel like you have to do your best at every race you go to
  • If one race doesn’t go well you have many other races in the series to make up for a poor performance
  • Even if you don’t end up doing well in the overall standings of a series, you can always look back at some of your better individual results

Peaking for one or two big events:

  • You don’t have to be race fit quite so soon in the season
  • It is easier to focus your training on just one event
  • You can still go to lots of other races, but the pressure to do well isn’t as high because your focus is on the “big” race coming up
  • You can train through a lot of early season races
  • The pressure will be a lot higher at your big event
  • The mental and physical preparation for your big event will be a lot more intense
  • If your big event doesn’t go well, is your entire season a bust?
  • If your big event does go well then you will have a fantastic result and an incredible emotional high from doing so well at the most important event of the season

 Which method is best depends on you and the kind of rider you are.  Figure out what’s important to you, how much money you can spend for the season, and ask yourself how you perform under pressure.  Weigh the pros and cons of each and then decide what works best for you.  Try one approach for this season and then maybe try the other for the next season.  If you’re willing to work hard you can do well at either one. 

Good luck and happy trails!

Alison

New dates for 2012 Moab Camps!!

Hi everyone! 

Hope your winter has been going well and you’re getting out on your bike.  Here in Colorado we don’t have much of a winter anymore so I’ve been riding a ton, mostly with Emmett of course.  I’m getting out on my mountain bike on the weekends and sometimes Greg and I even get to ride together.  Haha!  Emmett is now 15 months old and is running all over the place.  It is super fun and very entertaining to watch him learn and explore.  He still loves to go for rides in the bike trailer which is the only thing that keeps me sane.  Whew!

Wanted to let all of you know the new dates for our 2012 Moab camps.   The Novice/Intermediate camp will spend the first two mornings at City Park doing skills and drills and the rest of the time out on the trails, again with a heavy emphasis on skill work.   The Intermediate/Advanced camp will have more of a riding focus this year with less time spent doing skills at City Park and more time on the big epic rides.  As in years past, the camps are five days long and are all-inclusive.  You will be treated to four days of skill work, amazing rides, gourmet food, luxurious condos, relaxing massages, educational seminars, and coaching.  All of the details can be found on our website www.alisondunlap.com.  We’d love to have you join us in Moab!!

May 1-5  Novice/Intermediate

May 29-June 2   Interm/Advanced

Sept 25-29   Interm/Advanced

Have a great winter and happy trails!

Cheers

Alison

PS.  Here are some new photos beginning with Xmas 2011. 

Moab Mountain Bike Advanced Skills Camp Oct 4-8th, 2011

Hard to believe another Moab camp has come and gone; and it was the third one of the season!  The summer has just flown by and Emmett is now crawling everywhere and into everything.  My dad and his wife Connie came with me this time to babysit Emmett.  My Subaru Outback was once again bursting at the seams.  For this trip I borrowed a huge oversized Yakima rocket box.  Held a lot more stuff, but because there were three adults and one small child we brought a lot more stuff.  Somehow it all fit and we made it in one piece.

The drive out was gorgeous!  This has been one of the best seasons for aspen in a long time.  My dad came down with the flu the day before we left so he decided to wait a few days before coming to Moab.  So it was Connie, Emmett and me driving to Moab.  One of our many stops was in Vail to do a short hike and enjoy the wonderful colors.  It was warm and sunny and a nice break to the monotony of driving.

After almost a twelve hour day we made it to Moab.  We stayed at Rim Village condos again on the south end of town.  We were able to check in two nights early which made life a thousand times easier.  Having Emmett makes “crashing at a friend’s house” a thing of the past.  The two nights before the camp starts I usually stay with my dear friend Cathy Mattingly.  But with 3 ½ of us there wasn’t the room.  Luckily it worked out to stay in the condos.

On Monday I spent a good portion of the day getting stuff ready for the camp.  I was able to ride late in the afternoon with my good friend Jim Rutkowski.  He was here for our camp for the seventh time.  And he came a few days early so we were able to hook up for a ride before the other participants arrived.     It was almost 80 degrees out!  Gorgeous day.

On Tuesday the weather changed and became cold and cloudy.  Our guests arrived in the late afternoon to an ominous weekly forecast.  Darn!  We got to know each other with yummy appetizers, red wine, and a delicious dinner.  After dinner I went through the schedule and the details for the week and then sent everyone off to bed.

Our first morning was spent at City Park doing skills and drills.  It’s a great way to get people loosened up and relaxed.  Moab can be so intimidating that it’s hard to ride technical trails first thing.  We covered everything from basic balance and position on the bike to cornering and switchbacks.  It also gave me a chance to assess everyone’s skill level.  After a quick three hours it was time for lunch.

We had lunch at the park and then loaded up the vans and drove out to the Bar M trailhead north of town.  This area has been extensively developed in the past two years, with some great new singletrack trails.  We rode a trail called Deadman’s.  It was a good solid intermediate trail with a little of everything, including switchbacks.  A good introduction to Moab riding.  Even though we didn’t ride very far we spent a lot of quality time working on skills, and taking lots of pictures of course.

Back at the condos the campers were treated to relaxing massages and then late afternoon appetizers.  Dinner was a Dutch Oven lasagna with chocolate brownies for dessert.  It’s a good thing we’re out riding our bikes all day!  Bobby, our Rim Tours guide did a great bike maintenance talk after dinner.  Then it was off to bed.

Thursday was another cold gray day.  The sun peaked out a couple of times but the wind kept everything fairly chilly.  We started the day with a skills and drills session at City Park.  Today we worked on the front wheel lift and riding up and down ledges.  In just one day I could see big improvements from everyone.  We had lunch in the park before loading up and heading up to the Slick Rock Trail. 

After unloading all the bikes a fast moving squall blew through, dumping heavy rain and hail for about ten minutes.  Our timing was very fortuitous in that we hadn’t started our ride yet when the front moved through.  We all piled into the van and waited for things to clear.  They did and we were soon our bikes.  The nice thing about the Slick Rock trail is that it is one of the best places to ride in the rain.  It should really be called “Sticky Rock” because of the amazing traction.  Any of the sections that weren’t on rock were in deep sand, which actually got much easier after the rain. 

We split into two groups and did the Practice Loop.  At one point we took shelter under a ledge as another storm blew through.  Not a great day for the weather but everyone still learned a lot and had fun on their bikes.  At 3:30pm we loaded the van and drove back to the condo for massages and a little relaxation.  Dinner was a delicious Mexican pile-up.  After we ate I gave a power point presentation on racing, training, and nutrition.  I borrowed a projector from a friend of mine and showed it up on the wall.  Made it easy for everyone to see.

Thursday was our first full today of riding and a chance to really fine tune the skills we had worked on all week.  It was also the first day of sunshine we had since the camp started.  Yippee!  We took our group to a ride called Blue Buffalo.  It’s a great ride to work on slickrock skills; riding up and down steep ramps and learning how to launch off ledges of all sizes.  There was something for everyone.  And we had lots of sunshine and no wind.  Lunch was at Uranium Arch just below the Seven Mile Rim.  By the end of the day everyone was mentally and physically exhausted.  We stopped ½ mile from the van and scrambled up the slickrock to a beautiful petroglyph and pictograph panel high above the valley floor.  Years ago there was a blue buffalo painted on the rock, also known as a pictograph and also the name of our ride.  Unfortunately vandals destroyed the painting and you can only see a very faint outline of where the buffalo used to be.  Many of the other petroglyphs were still in good condition and made for some great pictures. 

After another relaxing afternoon of massages, pool time, and a nap.  Tonight’s dinner was “dress-up” night.  It was fun to put on something other than sweats and a t-shirt.  Being our last night we didn’t have an evening presentation.  Everyone hung out and shared pictures, phone numbers and emails.  Then it was off to bed.

Saturday morning we woke to rain and low dark clouds.  After yesterday we were certain all the bad weather had moved on.  Unfortunately it snowed overnight in the La Sals making it impossible to do the planned shuttle ride up to Hazard County.  After consulting with Kirstin, the co-owner of Rim Tours, we changed plans and drove up towards Island in the Sky to do a ride called The Magnificent Seven.  This is fairly new singletrack that just recently became a legal trail.  It was the perfect ride to end with.  Starting up in Island in the Sky meant that most of the ride trended downhill.  There were still a few bumps and one long uphill climb at the very end, but otherwise it was fast fun singletrack. 

Eventually the trail joined Gold Bar Rim and started to climb.  This portion of the trail became more technical and definitely more challenging for the lungs.  I enjoyed getting my heart rate up!  Great views and to our surprise the weather cleared and we got a nice afternoon of sunshine.  Finally!  The ride back out to the cars was long and tiring, mostly because there was a painful 20 minute climb in the last hour of the ride.  Ugh!

Finally back to the van we celebrated a successful four days of riding by enjoying a bag of potato chips!  Boy does salt taste good!  Back at the condos everyone packed up their stuff and said their goodbyes.  Sad to see everyone go!  The five days always goes so fast.  Luckily I had our staff condo for one more night so we didn’t have to pack up until Sunday morning.  I took my dad and Connie out for a delicious dinner of Thai food to thank them for all their help.  It’s not easy taking care of Emmett for five days straight.  I spent the night packing and answering a few emails.  I also came down with a head cold yesterday and was pretty miserable for most of the da.  Yucht!  Glad the camp is over because I’m exhausted!

The drive back was long and slow, mostly because we have to stop a lot for Emmett.  My dad and Connie took Emmett in their car so I could make phone calls to my athletes and get caught up.  Emmett held up really well and didn’t get fussy until the last 45 minutes of the drive.  Not bad for an eleven month old!

This summer was the best season for our Moab camps in three years (when the economy tanked).  We filled three camps; two in May and the one in October.  They are a lot of work but I get to meet such great people.  And it was also fun for Emmett to spend so much time with his grandparents.

And we’ve already got our dates for next year!

 

May 1-5 2012:  Novice/Intermediate

May 29-June 2 2012:  Interm/Advanced

Oct 2-6 2012:  Interm/Advanced

Thanks for a wonderful week and I hope to see you back next year!

Alison

A long overdue update on our summer of organized chaos!

Hard to believe summer is almost over!  Our Moab mountain bike skills camp is right around the corner, we just got back from our annual trip to Michigan, and our son Emmett is almost walking.  Walking?  Wasn’t this the little guy that just last week started smiling and then a few days ago learned how to roll over?  It is amazing how time has literally doubled in speed since we had Emmett.  The days disappear before I even finish breakfast.  The months are measured by trips to the pediatrician for vaccines and by how many clothes he outgrows.  We are approaching his first birthday at the end of October.  It’s been one heck of a year!  When they tell you that having a baby is the hardest thing you’ll ever do, believe them because they are all right.  Having Emmett has brought more joy and laughter to our lives then I ever imagined possible.  I have also had more meltdowns in the past ten months than my entire forty-two years combined.  But it has been an amazing journey, one that I would never give back.  So here’s the scoop…

Alison Dunlap Adventure Camps:   We are getting ready to host another Moab mountain bike skills camp on Oct 4-8th.  My dad and his wife Connie are coming with me to babysit Emmett for the week.  We have eight participants, two of which are coming back for the fifth time and one is coming for his seventh!  We will be doing rides and skills clinics on the classic Moab trails along with some of the new singletrack that has been built this past year.  I’m super excited to get to ride my mountain bike for five days in a row!  Greg, unfortunately, has to stay home.  He’s got the real job and can’t take that much time off from work.  We’ll miss him terribly.

Coaching:  My coaching has picked up this year and I now have eleven athletes.  It has been steady work all season, which is a nice change from the past two years.  It has also been harder than ever to try and get all my work done while taking care of Emmett.  He doesn’t take very long naps during the day so my free time has been very limited.  But somehow I get it all done.

Cycling:  I’m not racing this year for obvious reasons.  I am riding a bunch pulling Emmett in my Chariot bike carrier.  That thing is the best!  He can sit in it for over 2 1/2hrs without complaint.  We’ve been riding everywhere!  And what a killer workout!  I get out for a mountain bike ride maybe once a week.  Harder to do because I need to get a babysitter.  I do plan on getting up to the mountains in the next few weeks to do some aspen rides while the colors are in their prime.

General:  We just did a great seven day trip to Michigan to visit Greg’s family.  First time they have seen Emmett since he was a newborn.  He was amazing and they adored him, of course.  We took him sailing on Lake Michigan one day, a big hike around Meijer Gardens, out to dinner twice, lunch and breakfast, and to the Fallsburg Fall Festival for some great bluegrass music.

Life is crazy to say the least.   I call it organized chaos.   But we love it and wouldn’t have it any other way.  Check back with us in a few weeks for pictures and an update on the October Moab camp.  It’s going to be a blast!

Until then…..

Alison

Moab Mountain Bike Advanced Skills Camp May 24-28, 2011

After having done our novice mountain bike camp two weeks ago I felt like I was a little better prepared with all the stuff I had to bring.  Before I had a baby I kind of laughed at all those parents that felt like they needed all these different baby items.  But now that I’m a parent I totally understand.   I DO need all that baby stuff; pack-n-play, jungle gym, Johnny jump-up, stroller, high chair, toys, clothes, bath supplies, stuffed animals, noise maker, hiking gear etc.  To say that my Subaru Outback was bursting at the seams was an understatement!

Mom took care of Emmett for the week while I ran our advanced skills camp.  We had nine participants. Two of the riders came to this camp three years ago.  It was great to have them back.  And one of my young mountain bike athletes from Breckenridge also came.  We stayed in the Rim Village condos with everyone getting their own room to spread out.  And like the first camp, we worked with Rim Tours again.  Our guide was Sylvie, an amazing woman and phenomenal mountain biker.  I think she ended up having more fun than any of us!

Everyone arrived Tuesday afternoon to warm sunny skies and a weather forecast that was about as perfect as you get in Moab; mid eighties, clear skies and no wind.  Yeah!  After a casual afternoon of socializing, wine, and appetizers, we had a big dinner of grilled chicken, veggie pasta and a big salad.  I took the group through the week’s schedule before sending everyone off to bed.

Our first morning was spent at City Park reviewing the basic fundamentals and core concepts of mountain biking.  Having an advanced group meant we were able to move a little faster and cover more skills.  By noon everyone was mentally exhausted.  Lunch took care of that!  My mom brought Emmett to City Park so I could feed him before heading out on the trails. 

After loading up the van we drove north of town to the Bar M singletrack.  This area has been extensively developed in the past two years, with some great new singletrack.  We rode a trail called Deadman’s.  It was a good solid intermediate trail with a little of everything, including switchbacks.  A good introduction to Moab riding.  Even though we didn’t ride very far we spent a lot of quality time working on skills, and taking lots of pictures.

Once we returned to the condos, each guest, including my mom, was treated to a relaxing massage and then late afternoon appetizers.  Dinner was a yummy Dutch Oven lasagna with chocolate brownies for dessert.  Definitely not a week to try and lose weight.  One of the Rim Tours mechanics came out after dinner and gave an extensive bike maintenance talk.  By the end, half our group was nodding off.  Time for bed!!

Our second day started at City Park, with a quick review of the skills we covered yesterday before moving on to the more advanced techniques needed for the bigger rides in Moab.  It was fun watching the participants ride up and down ledges that only yesterday they said “No way!” when I showed them what was in store.  After three hours of mental gymnastics we enjoyed a tasty lunch with Emmett and my mom.

Then it was up to the Slickrock Trail.  We split the group in two and went in opposite directions on the Practice Loop.  The name is very misleading.  The Practice Loop isn’t any easier than the main trail; it’s just a lot shorter.  Everyone got to practice the techniques for super steep climbs and descents.  Because the trail is almost entirely on rock you get amazing traction and can ride up and down stuff you would never otherwise consider.  By 3:30pm we were done and it was back to the condos for massage, appetizers, and a dip in the pool.

Dinner was grilled salmon, pasta, veggie kabobs, and a huge salad.  Plus a delicious dessert of homemade lemon cookies courtesy of Kirstin, co-owner of Rim Tours.  Tonight was movie night!  I showed everyone the “Off Road to Athens” movie to give them a better perspective on what I used to do for a living. 

Thursday was our first full today of riding and a chance to really fine tune the skills we had worked on all week.  We took our group to a ride called Blue Buffalo.  It’s a great ride to work on slickrock skills; riding up and down steep ramps and learning how to launch off ledges of all sizes.  There was something for everyone.  And we had lots of sunshine and no wind.  Lunch was at Uranium Arch just below the Seven Mile Rim.  By the end of the day everyone was mentally and physically exhausted.  We stopped ½ mile from the van and scrambled up the slickrock to a beautiful petroglyph and pictograph panel high above the valley floor.  Years ago there was a blue buffalo painted on the rock, also known as a pictograph and also the name of our ride.  Unfortunately vandals destroyed the painting and you can only see a very faint outline of where the buffalo used to be.  Many of the other petroglyphs were still in good condition and made for some great pictures. 

Another afternoon of much needed massage and rest.  We always have a special “dress-up” night for our last dinner of the camp.  After eating way too much food we all hung out, drank more wine, watched videos from the week and had a lot of laughs.  Hard to believe this was the last night of the camp.

Saturday was the grand finale of the camp.  We shuttled up to the Kokopelli start of the Upper and Lower Porcupine Singletrack.  This has become one of the best rides in the Moab area, and it was a perfect ride to end the camp.  It starts up in the La Sals at almost 8000 feet and then descends back down to Moab at 4500 feet.  Much of the trail follows the edge of Porcupine Rim, giving everyone incredible views of Castle Valley and Castleton Tower.  Of course nothing is every truly downhill.  There are a few leg burning climbs on this ride making you appreciate the downhill that much more. 

Lucky for us, my husband Greg joined us for the day.  He drove out to Moab late Thursday after work, mostly to see Emmett, but also to help me out with this ride.   His dry sense of humor was a big hit with the campers and kept us entertained all day.  And after six plus hours, numerous flat tires, a broken cleat, and a few mechanicals, we made it down with everyone intact, grinning from ear to ear.  Whew!  I’ve done this ride at least 50 times and it is still my favorite!

After returning to the condos we unpacked the van, loaded up the cars, took a few last pictures, and said goodbye.  The end of camp is always bittersweet.  I am relieved to finish, but I also feel like I’m saying goodbye to my best friends.  It was a big success and I can’t wait to go back in October and do it all again.

Have a great summer and maybe we’ll see you this fall in Moab!

Cheers

Alison

Moab Mountain Bike Novice Skills Camp May 3-7th, 2011

This year’s Novice Moab mountain bike camp gave new meaning to the words “adventure” and “logistics management”.  Last year at this time I was five months pregnant.  This year I have a very energetic little boy named Emmett.  He came with me to Moab, along with my mom and a car load of cycling gear and baby supplies.  My mom, Ginny, graciously volunteered to be the nanny for the week.  Without her this camp would have never happened.  But it did and we had a fantastic week of riding, weather and good food.

We had six participants in our novice camp this year.  Everyone arrived on Tuesday afternoon to the Tierra del Sol condos off Hwy 191.  We had riders from Washington, San Francisco, Colorado and Iowa.  Great group of people!  Bobby, our Rim Tours guide and mechanic worked on the bikes to get them ready for the first ride while everyone else drank wine and enjoyed appetizers under the warm afternoon Moab sun.  After a yummy dinner and a short meeting to go over the schedule for the upcoming week, it was off to bed.

We woke to a gorgeous sunny day!  What a relief because up until today the weather had been unstable with a lot of rain and even snow up in the La Sals.  After a big breakfast of French Toast we drove downtown and started our day at City Park.  We spent the morning doing skills and drills on the grass and rock features in the park.  It’s a great place to learn and review the core concepts of mountain biking.

My mom brought Emmett to the park for lunch.  I’m still breast feeding so it was great to get to nurse him before heading out on the trails.  After lunch we drove north to the Bar M trail.  This is a fairly easy ride and makes for a good introduction to Moab riding.  Plus it gives everyone a chance to practice the skills we learned in the morning on an actual trail. 

Once we returned to the condos, each guest, including my mom, was treated to a relaxing massage and then late afternoon appetizers.  Dinner  was a yummy Dutch Oven lasagna with chocolate brownies for dessert.  Definitely not a week to try and lose weight.  Matt Hebbard, co-owner of Rim Tours, gave us a trailside bike maintenance talk while dinner was cooking.  And then it was off to bed. 

Our second day started at City Park, with a quick review of yesterday’s skills, and then an introduction to the more advanced techniques necessary for riding safely in Moab.  We had another yummy lunch with Emmett and my mom before driving out to Klondike Bluffs.

Klondike Bluffs is a good intermediate ride and offers a little of everything; slickrock, sand, ledges, drop-offs, and amazing views.  We stopped at anything technical and spent time explaining, demonstrating, and then practicing the challenging moves.   Took videos of everyone trying various things.  Watching video of yourself riding is one of the best ways to learn.  The ride back to the trailhead was all downhill and generated a lot of laughs and big smiles.  The day was a success.

Another delicious dinner, this time prepared by Kirstin, the other co-owner of Rim Tours.  It was Mexican night with slow roasted pork, black beans, guacamole, salsa, and salad.  Tonight was movie night!  I showed everyone the “Off Road to Athens” movie to give them a better perspective on what I used to do for a living.

 

Today was our first full today of riding and a chance to really fine tune the skills we had worked on all week.  We took our group to a ride called Blue Buffalo.  It’s a great trail to work on slickrock skills; riding up and down steep ramps and learning how to launch off ledges of all sizes.  There was something for everyone.  And we had lots of sunshine and no wind.  Yippee!  By the end of the day everyone was mentally and physically exhausted.  We stopped ½ mile from the van and scrambled up the slickrock to a beautiful petroglyph and pictograph panel high above the valley floor.  Years ago there was a blue buffalo painted on the rock, also known as a pictograph, and also the name of our ride.  Unfortunately vandals destroyed the painting and you can only see a very faint outline of where the buffalo used to be.  Many of the other petroglyphs were still in good condition and made for some great pictures. 

Another afternoon of massage and a much needed soak in the hot tub.  We always have a special “dress-up” night for our last dinner of the camp.  With everyone in their finest we enjoyed grilled salmon, orzo, veggie kabobs, and a big salad.  Dessert was a sinful chocolate fondue.  We spent the evening watching videos from the previous three days, sharing stories, dranking lots of wine, and having some good laughs.  Hard to believe this was our last night already.

Our final day of riding took us up to the Intrepid Trail at Dead Horse Point State Park.  9 miles of fun mellow singletrack winding around the rim overlooking the White Rim Trail and the Colorado River.  The views were stunning to say the least.  There were a few technical sections on the trail, but otherwise it was fast and fun and a great way to end the camp.  We had lunch on the trail and then walked up to the official “dead horse point” overlook by the visitor center for more pictures. 

After a relaxing drive home we said goodbye to everyone as they met their spouses and friends at various places in Moab.  Camp was over.   It was a huge success with everyone making big improvements in their skills and confidence.  It was a relief to be done, but also hard to say goodbye to such great people.  I think my mom was the most excited to be done.  Taking care of Emmett for a solid week wore her out!  We head home tomorrow and then in two weeks we’ll do it all again!

Until then…

Alison

Diapers, breast feeding, coffee, and my new life as a full-time mom

I’m 41 years old, a retired professional cyclist, and six months into one of the hardest and most rewarding adventures I’ve ever undertaken.  I’ve become a mom to a wonderfully outgoing, energetic, time consuming, attention getting baby boy named Emmett.  I heard it almost every day of my pregnancy, “Being a parent is the toughest job you’ll ever do; get a lot of sleep now because you won’t get any once he is born; having a child is the most rewarding thing in the world, etc. etc.”  I hate to say it but everyone was right. 

I’ve done a lot in the past 41 years.  I grew up in Aurora, CO, went to Smoky Hill High School, graduated valedictorian and went on to get a biology degree at The Colorado College in Colorado Springs, CO.  It was there I got into cycling.  Since then I have spent the last 22 years riding and racing all kinds of bikes all over the world.  I got to make a living doing something I loved.  Up until six months ago I thought there couldn’t possibly be anything harder than racing in the Olympics, or spending hours and hours training alone, or fighting back from a life threatening injury.  Of course that all changed on Oct 23rd, 2010.  That’s when I went into labor.  I’ll tell you now that I have a new found respect for every mom out there that has gone through labor and delivery.   After 46 hours of mind-numbing contractions I gave birth to a healthy 8lb baby boy.  That experience now wins the prize of being the hardest thing I’ve ever experienced both physically and emotionally.  But the end result is that I’m madly in love with this gorgeous little baby and it’s true, my life will never be the same.  

Now my days are totally consumed with changing diapers, breast feeding, cleaning baby bottles, doing laundry, picking out the cutest outfit possible for Emmett, and drinking lots of coffee.   I am also running a full-time coaching business from home and three mountain bike skills camps in Moab, UT this spring and fall.  And of course I am totally addicted to endorphins, which means that if I don’t exercise I get really grumpy. 

So how does one fit it all in???  Life has become one big balancing act to say the least.  One thing that hasn’t changed is I still love to ride my bike.  No matter how busy or stressed out I get, I always make time to ride.  I’ve accepted that it doesn’t happen every day.  And I’ve also accepted that there are other really fun things to do for exercise.  But I love my bike.  And I am so looking forward to the day when I can take Emmett in my new Chariot bike carrier for his first ride on the bike path.   Riding my bike has a way of making the chaos of life disappear.  It is something I will do for the rest of my life.   And it is something I hope Emmett will want to do for the rest of his life as well.  

Happy trails and happy motherhood!

Alison

Alison Dunlap Announces 2011 Moab MTB Camps!

We’re back for our ninth year and more excited than ever about our Moab Skills Camps!  Come join me, Alison Dunlap, World Champion and 2-time Olympian, for our popular Novice/Interm 5-day Skills Camp in early May, or for those of you looking for more advanced riding, the Intermediate/Adv Skills Camp in late May and early October.

Spend the week with me in Moab, UT, the mountain bike mecca of the world.  We'll fine tune your technical skills, improve your confidence, and take you on some of Moab's most famous rides.  And after spending all day on your bike you'll be treated to gourmet food, luxurious condos, relaxing massages, educational seminars, and coaching. We’ll cook for you, teach you everything you need to know about mountain biking, clean your bike, pamper you, and create memories you’ll want to share with everyone.

Novice/Intermediate Skills Camp: May 3-7th, 2011

Intermediate/Advanced Skills Camp: May 24-28 and Oct 4-8th, 2011

All inclusive: $2185

Camp and food only (no lodging or massage):  $1577

Please visit our website www.alisondunlap.com  for all the details.  We'd love to have you join us in Moab in 2011!

Happy trails!

Alison

I'm a mountain bike racer and I want to race cross this fall. What fitness abilities should I work on developing that do not cross over from mountain biking to improve my cross performance?

Mountain biking and cyclocross are both difficult and painful sports.  The physical skills you have already from mountain biking will help you do well in cross, but if you want to really excel there are a few easy but painful workouts you can do to help your body transition into a cyclocross racer. 

The biggest difference between the two sports is the intensity level.  Mountain biking is all about going fairly hard for a long time.  The effort in a mountain bike race is fairly consistent over the course of a 2-3hr race, with a few bursts of power to get up a short steep hill or a technical section.  A lot of racers will go into “time trial” mode, riding a nice steady consistent pace from start to finish.

A cyclocross race is much shorter, only about 40 minutes for women and an hour for men.  The intensity level is higher, with most of the race spent at or above your “red zone”.  It is one big suffer fest!  Cyclocross is also about explosive power; being able to sprint out of every turn; being able to follow attacks, and being able to jump off the bike, sprint, and then get back on the bike without losing any speed.  There are huge changes in speed and intensity during a cross race.  Cyclocross is all about anaerobic power and the ability to tolerate high amounts of lactate in the muscles with very little recovery.  The “time trial” mentality of mountain biking won’t help much in a cross race.

To get ready for cyclocross there are some great workouts you can do that will help you develop the fast twitch muscles and the explosive power you’ll need.  One workout I like is called Microbursts.  After a 20 minute warm-up, the workout consists of a 10 minute interval.  During the interval you will do a 10 second sprint, a 20 second recovery, a 10 second sprint, 20 second recovery and so on for the full 10 minutes.  Then recover for 10 minutes before doing another set.  Each sprint should be done in the drops and as hard as possible.  Sprint like you were attacking in a race.  Heart rate won’t respond to such short efforts so don’t look to it as a guide.  The microburst workout will help you develop high end anaerobic power and the ability to recover from repeated accelerations without blowing up.

Another great workout that helps develop the anaerobic power needed for cyclocross is the Kilo.  Kilos are some of the most intense intervals I’ve ever done.  You’ll need to find a flat stretch of uninterrupted road.  Measure off a one kilometer stretch, marking the start and finish.  This workout is most effective if done with a power meter.  Get up to speed before crossing your “start line”.  Once you cross your start line start your power meter.  You want to go as hard as you possibly can for one kilometer.  You are going for the highest power output over one kilometer.  This effort is harder than the standard Vo2 interval.  On a flat road with little wind it should take you around 1 ½-2 minutes to reach your “finish line”.  Stop your power meter when you finish the kilometer.  Now recover for 10 minutes.  When you do your second one, try and generate a higher average power and a faster time for the same distance.  This workout is exhausting and I recommend doing it only once a week.

Of course there are lots of other workouts you can do to help prepare your legs for cyclocross racing.  These are two of my favorites and I’ve gotten great results from both.  Remember, though, that it takes time and your legs won’t become cyclocross legs overnight.  Give yourself a few months before you start seeing changes.  It’s worth the time and effort!

Happy trails!

Alison

Week Three: breast feeding, changing diapers, and sleeping??

Our little guy is now three weeks old.  Hard to believe!  We’re already seeing changes in him.  Of course he has put on weight and is filling out.  He is breast feeding like a champ!  I’ve figured out how to sit at my computer while feeding Emmett.  Let’s me get some work done during the day.  He isn’t the fastest feeder so I’m spending a good 45 minutes to an hour each time I feed him.  We are using cloth diapers with him.  It’s great for the environment, healthier for him, and easier on the wallet, but I admit it is a pain in the ass at times.  You can’t let him sit for 3-4hrs without changing him.  Cloth diapers don’t absorb as much and become saturated rather quickly.  Disposable diapers keep baby dry which means you can get away with not changing him as frequently.  Cloth diapers need to be changed at least once every hour.  Most of the time it’s not a big deal.  However when he is fast asleep I hate to wake him for a diaper change, so I tend to let him sleep and deal with the leaking diaper later. 

Our Border Collie Jiggs has adjusted well to the baby.  He doesn’t mind the crying and just wants to be where the action is.  Emmett can be screaming at the top of his lungs, and Jiggs is fast asleep on the floor below.  I’ve been taking both of them on walks every day.  Feels great getting out.  I’m also back to hiking at Palmer Park.  I may try riding my bike next week.  Can’t wait!  We’re still having some wonderful weather which makes it hard to stay indoors all day.

It’s gorgeous outside today so I’m off for a hike with the boys.  Have a great week.  Until next time!

Cheers

Alison