El Dorado Park Race Series Info - March 2002 Just a short reminder that El Dorado Racing Series starts at 4:45pm this Tuesday, 3/5/02. Some of you had concerns about the construction, and we've been assured that this will not impact the course for 2002. A few basic reminders: If it's raining, El Dorado does NOT occur! Our cell phone number is 714/356-1214 (this is different from last year), so call if you have questions. Most of you should have received an information letter from us- if you didn't, please let me know & we'll add you to our database). The categories & cost are the same as last year Everyone can come out to play, just have an ANSI/SNELL helmet & normal road bike (no TT bars/funny bikes). We hope to see all of you during the next few months. After entering all of the racers from last year into our database, we had over 400 different racers attend El Dorado for 2001. Over 85% of you are over the age of 30, which makes you eligible for USCF Masters Nationals in Bakersfield, California from July 9 to July 14. El Dorado promises to be excellent training this year as our So Cal hopefuls train & prepare for the National Championships in July. The racing season has been off to a great start with full fields, fast racing, and outstanding weather; we look forward to providing you with some of the best training that any racer (in the nation) can find on a Tuesday night! Christopher & Vera vncracing@hotmail.com --posted March 2002

Wenzel Coaching Program - March 2002 The following is a condensed and simplified version of the Wenzel Coaching program for March 2002. By now you should be racing or doing one or two hard club rides every weekend, and you should be beginning to have a feel for speed and a tolerance for hard work. Before racing get a generous warm-up of at least 40 minutes, a full hour is better. Start with 20 minutes very easy. Then gradually build up to three AT intervals of two minutes with three-minute rests. Finish with five minutes easy spinning to end about fifteen minutes before the start. Warm up brings up muscle temperatures and causes some hormonal and metabolic changes. Once you are warmed up the effects will last at least twenty minutes if you wear warm clothing. Going hard without warm up will limit your endurance and your chances of placing. Ask the coach if you want the physiological details. The warm up is time to review your race goals and plans, which should have been developed over the previous few days. Immediately after a race get plenty of fluid and some carbohydrate and protein (Metabolol is good, a sandwich is better if you can stomach solid food), and then go for your post-race ride. The most important training of the week occurs immediately after racing. How much should you ride post-race? Add 1 1/4 hours to the length of the longest race you will do regularly this year. This is how much time you should always put in on race day. If a particular race is long, then after the race you can just go for a half-hour cool down ride. Spin easy for ten minutes during which the pain in your legs should fade and the strength should return, then crank it up to the endurance zone and cruise for at least twenty minutes. If the race is shorter, go for a longer endurance ride to make up the difference. If the race was easy, or if you went out with a mechanical and didn't finish the race, do some intervals and sprints on your post-race ride. If you are feeling really tough and a certain race is not that important to you, you can do a long endurance ride before the race. The rest of the week focuses on maintaining your base and getting yourself to the weekend fresh and roaring to race. Monday is strength maintenance day. Go to the gym, warm up thoroughly and do a lifting workout that hits all the muscle groups with light weights. Legs could get six sets of 10 reps, with three sets of six reps for the arms, back and belly. If you are using appropriate weights, the routine, not counting warm up and stretching, should take twenty to thirty minutes. If you haven't been lifting, don't start now. Just do an easy spin and a good stretching routine on Monday. This month's sprint day moves to Tuesday, as far before the weekend as possible. Warm up thoroughly and then do up to ten hard simulated race finishes with five minutes or more rest in between. If you want to win races this year, practice sprinting with a group. Successful sprinting is as much or more about tactics and drafting as it is about strength and speed. Practicing alone will never prepare you for sprinting in races. If you can do your sprints with a group you may learn something about tactics as well as develop the physical abilities of sprinting. Sprints should be as similar as possible to the ends of races, so always sprint from a decent speed, or from a corner. Don’t over-organize group sprint practice. How often can you tell your competitors in a race that they can’t start winding up until a certain point or that they have to use a certain gear? Wednesday is endurance maintenance day. Go for a long ride at a strict endurance pace. No hammering, no breathing hard, and preferably no steep hills unless you use a triple. Thursday is a rest day. Take it off or do a short ride of up to 30 minutes at a very easy pace. Thursday is the day to get your bike and kit ready for the weekend and also to set your goals for the races. That way if you need parts or professional assistance you'll have all day Friday to take care of it. Friday is also tune-up day for the weekend's races. Do a half hour or more easy to get loose and warm, then one interval near A.T. for five to ten minutes depending on your strength. Finish off with at least fifteen minutes of easy spinning. If you are lucky enough to have the free time, it's good to drive to where you'll be staying the night before the race and do the tune-up there. In any case, don't do the tune-up ride more than 18 hours before the race. The above schedule is general for people who are racing every week and who don't count any race as much more important than any other. If you have a special event coming up and the next few races are not so important you will want to follow a schedule with more hard work during the week, and more easy riding and days off in the week before the big event. Talk to Neil for suggestions. All Velo Allegro members are entitled to a limited amount of free consultation. A full program and generous consultation costs $50 per month for Velo Alegro members. Call Neil Browne at 562-438-3051 or e-mail him at NeilBrowne@Wenzelcoaching.com. You can also check our web-site at http://www.wenzelcoaching.com. --posted March 2002

Velo Allegro's 2002 Race Results Results aren't comprehensive. They respresent only what was submitted to Melanie Ochoa. Snelling RR Women 4/5, 34 riders, 38.1 miles 1st. Annette Padilla 3rd. Hollie Lund 4th. Linda Nichols Women 3, 26 riders, 49.8 miles 1st. Jennifer Franklin, 4th. Melanie Ochoa Master 45+, 50 riders, 49.8 miles 14th. Floyd McGinnis Senior 5, 47 riders, 49.8 miles 5th. Bruce Barnhart Valley of the Sun: Stage Race Women 3, 25 riders 12th Jennifer Franklin Women 4, 32 riders 11TH Hollie lund 13th Linda Nichols 25th Amber Rinderknecht Women 35+, 20 riders 5th Denise Phillips 6th Liz Kurtz 7th Jeanine Curcione 8th Melanie Ochoa Masters 45+, 43 riders 31st Robbie Mcginnis Masters 55+, 12 riders 6th Gerry Phillips Valintines Day Masacure Criterium Woman’s 3/4, 38 riders 1st Liz Kurtz 3rd Melanie Ochoa 7th Jennifer Franklin 16th Linda Nichols 18th Denise Phillips 19th Hollie Lund Woman’s 1/2/3, 30 riders 11th Jennifer Franklin 16th Denise Phillips --posted March 2002

Ritchey Order Info The Club's first Ritchey order is expected to arrivebefore the end of March. Anyone who ordered stuff or is interested in the next Ritchey order can contact Greg Surbeck. --posted March 2002

Clif Order Info To order product from Clif at discount, you must: Fill out one of the official Clif order forms completely, which means you must do all the math, including tax, shipping, etc. Include with that form with your correct payment total (by check made out to Velo Allegro). Give everything to a VA Club officer (for a list, click here). All orders will be sent as a group. Contact Buzz Long for more information. --posted March 2002

Club Members Celebrating March Birthdays! Andrew Calasanz ** Cara DiMassa ** Mitchell Eng ** Julio Flores ** Steve Jones **Rob Kordich ** Buzz Long ** Barbie Lucas ** Louie Molatore ** Joe Scott ** Ken Strickland --posted March 2002