Shop News and Winter Session Update

Hello Everyone!
We are over half way through the Fall Session already! Time is moving fast and so are the pedals. With the focus on skills and drills this Fall everyone's legs are going to be prepared for the popular Winter Session in the pain cave.  The upcoming week is a rest week and there are no regularly scheduled classes.

Leg speed drill in the Weds night class

The Saturday Class having some fun with lots of Duncans.  It wasn't all pain and suffering this Fall. We managed to have some fun along the way. 

 Winter Session Update

The Speed Shop 2015 10 week Winter Session will begin on January 5, 2015 and end on March 14, 2015. All the details regarding registration are on our website at www.kelleyacres.net   or go to BikeReg

A few changes to note.  The Saturday Classes will now be at 7am with Coach Ray, 9am with Coach Vicki, and 11am with yours truly. All classes have a 5 rider minimum with the exception of the Early Bird Tuesday Class which has a 6 rider minimum.   We are headed into the bad weather months.  Please note the cancellation policy.  

   

                                            Winter Training Tips

Winter weather has arrived and it is more important than ever to include off the bike movements into your routine.  This will help with staying balanced and healthy throughout the year.  This article from VeloNews can provide some insight on why functional movements are important.

If you have any questions contact me at kelleyacres@gmail.com or 301.788.4631

    Happy Thanksgiving!

Up Next...Season 7!

While the outdoor riding season is slowly losing daylight, "Kelley Acres" Speed Shop is gaining momentum for Season 7!  If it sounds like a television series that is because we have had a different vibe each year since 2008.  It is true not all the shenanigans that go on in the pain cave would be appropriate for television but having some fun while sharing the pain one pedal stroke at a time makes the darker days of fall and winter go by a little faster.   

Fall Session Information

When: 10/20/2014 - 12/20/2014 check out the class schedule on the website
The schedule will be the same as last fall assuming the rider minimums per class are met.  Random classes will be added if the weather is bad. There will be more classes offered on the schedule in the 2015 Winter Session. 

What: The Fall is the perfect time to start establishing good riding habits and make improvements. Working on a fluid pedal stroke and proper form for efficiency while getting a great workout will lay the foundation for the 2015 Winter Session
The first week of class will be the Functional Threshold Power (FTP) class to establish power and heart rates zones in order to train specifically to your data. Establishing training parameters is important to get the most of this program. Weeks 2- 8 will build on each other in order to prepare for the Winter Session in 2015.

Cost: 1 class per week $179 or 2 classes per week for $315

Registration: Opens 9/21/14 at 7pm on BikeReg

*5 rider minimum for all classes except Tuesday Early Bird is a 6 rider minimum
*No classes the week of Thanksgiving - this is a REST week.
*Cadence sensors are available - you will need a magnet, some are compatible, available for $5 if you need one
*Trainer skewers are required - available for $12 if you need one

Any questions please call 301.788.4631 or email kelleyacres@gmail.com

Summer Update

Hello from "Kelley Acres" Speed Shop!  It's time for a summer update because the Fall is closing is fast.  It has been another amazing outdoor season with so many accomplishments and success stories on the road.  It appears those long, hard, winter indoor sessions paid off big this year.   This has kept the motivation at all time high to keep the quality workouts coming  for Season 7 at the Shop!   There is a lot of good stuff in the pipeline so enjoy the rest of the summer and outdoor season and stay tuned for an exciting Fall update.  

Near and Dear 

Just one of many interesting classes with Jim

The Speed Shop will have a different vibe this fall with the absence of Jim Weinstein.  Jim and his family moved to Dayton, Ohio this summer.  Jim came to Frederick in 2010 and added a new layer of depth not only to the Speed Shop but to the entire cycling community.  A huge thank you to Jim for sharing his knowledge and experience with everyone in the Speed Shop and on the road.  We are hoping you will end up back in Frederick with even more exciting and new stories to share.  In the meantime we need to make a Tuesday Night Indoor Worlds Skype date this fall!  Best of luck on your new adventure.  

Travel Section

One of my favorite success stories this summer is from Kim Chaney and Ron McCurdy.   After committing to a cycling trip to Tuscany this Spring, Kim and Ron decided they needed to hone some bike skills and gain some fitness to get the most enjoyment out of the trip.  They came to the Shop to "observe" a session to see what they might be getting into. After a warm welcome from the regulars they decided to pull the trigger and sign up for the full 10 weeks of torture on Monday Nights. The most impressive part is they actually managed to secure 2 spots on one of the more sought after evening sessions. The bikereg.com team even sent me the pre-registered riders time of entry to show how fast that class filled (less than a minute).  I knew that their commitment to the program would make their vacation even more enjoyable.  They sent me this picture of proof that they had a successful trip and had a great time.  Way to go Kim and Ron!

"Kelley Acres" Speed Shop socks in Tuscany

Congratulations

Congratulations to Coach Vicki on completing her USA Cycling license certification.  Now she is even more qualified to inflict torture.  We would also like to wish Vicki good luck as she takes on her 8th Ironman next month at Ironman Chattanooga.  

Stay tuned for the Fall 2014 Season 7 Update

On the Road!!

A BIG Thank You to everyone that signed up for the Fall and Winter CompuTrainer classes!    Despite Mother Nature torturing us with frigid temperatures, snow, and  icy roads the Fall and Winter season went great!   The focus at  "Kelley Acres" Speed Shop is to give all riders a similar experience in a fun environment regardless of your fitness level.  It seems this season we accomplished just that and more.   We were even able to help take the edge off by adding some long endurance Sunday rides going all over Europe with fun ErgVideos.

As Season 6 ends and the spring outdoor riding season begins there are many options to take your Speed Shop skills on the road. Below are just a few of the links that may be of interest. Please feel free to continue to use the Speed Shop Google Group and Facebook page during the spring and summer to share any information that may be relevant to the group. 

We also love to hear your success stories. There are lots of rides, races, vacations and personal goals in the works. Let us know how you are doing!  

Antietam Velo Club  - an inclusive competitive cycling club dedicated to supporting and promoting the bike racing in the Mid-Maryland area

DC Randonneurs - bicycle rides that are long-distance, unsupported, non-competitive, and time limited

Frederick Bike Rats Google Group -a forum for fun, inclusive local group rides in Frederick email:  frederickbikerats@googlegroups.com

Frederick Pedalers -  is a non-profit volunteer-led organization that promotes bicycling in Frederick County by leading rides, conducting cycling classes and cycling outreach activities

Frederick Velo Yahoo Group  a race oriented group ride centered around the Tuesday Night Worlds leaving from Glade Elementary

Frederick Triathlon Club provides a social setting where triathletes and multisport athletes of all abilities can learn and discuss the sport of triathlon and multisport offshoots

Mid Atlantic Bicycle Racing Association - primary resource for all road racing information in the Mid Atlantic

Mid Atlantic Time Trial Series (MATTS) a fantastic series of 5 Time Trials, aka  "the race of truth", held throughout the spring and summer

Racine MultiSports family focused multi-sport endurance races 

Team Integrity Cycling  - a competitive cycling club located in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia

Camps and Clinics

Michaux MTB School - great place to hone your mountain bike skills with top local pros

Cat 4 Women's Race Clinic will be held on Saturday, April 26, 1:30pm. (see link below for clinic and race info) General race etiquette and skills, cornering, pack riding, and other race rules will be covered. Bring your bike and helmet and your questions! Our goal is familiarize new riders to racing and what to expect on race day. Contact Evelyn: wag3@starpower.net

April 27th: https://www.bikereg.com/22873

May 4th: https://www.bikereg.com/22988

Cycling Camp San Diego comes to the right coast

Go to the Warrenton Camp

And finally a big SHOUT OUT to Coach Vicki and Coach Ray for helping out again this season.  We couldn't have had as many classes or kept the Shop running smoothly without your support!  Thank you!

Happy Spring!

February Focus

Rolling into Week 5 brings us to the middle of the 2014 Winter Session. Everyone is settling in and taking advantage of the new features the Perf Pro software offers.  It is exciting to see everyone getting stronger and becoming more efficient through forced accountability with intensity and pedal stroke. Balancing the hard intervals equally with recovery will maximize your training. This software is like nothing we have experienced in the past.  Using it in the MultiRider environment has been made this season like none other.

With the polar vortex challenging not only our sanity but our ability to train on the road the Speed Shop is working hard to keep the training top notch and fun.  

While we are on the topic of sanity, February is a great month to take time to regain focus that may have started as a New Years Resolution or a simple goal that could be sliding off the radar. NOW is the time to take inventory of what you are working towards in 2014.  Is it a fitness or nutritional goal - riding, racing, losing weight, eating healthier, or getting more rest? Take a moment to see if you are on track. January is a month that so many goals have been set. February is the perfect time to take a breath and regain the motivation to execute the plan that will help you reach your goals.  

One component to achieving your goals or making long term changes is consistency.  Stay true to your plan and take one day at a time. Another important component  is to understand that life will throw curve balls along the way. Knowing this and being flexible and adjusting to challenges can help you keep focused.  Lastly, a positive and strong support system makes all the difference. Surround yourself with positive attitudes.  Move away from negative energy and embrace those who want to see you succeed. 

Let's use the next 5 weeks of the Winter Session to help each other stay focused and on track for a happy and healthy 2014 on and off the bike!

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Shop Notes

Perf Pro Summary Page - after most of your workouts there will be a summary page pop up.  It has a lot of detailed information.  Feel free to take a picture of the information.  Please keep in mind if you need further explanation on the data there are a number of resources that you can refer to.  Start with your FTP report and then check out this link, Training with Power Information which can help answer additional questions. 

A special thank you to everyone for taking an extra minute to clean your rear tire before mounting your bike on the trainer. It will keep the equipment running smoothly.

Remember if you want to find a sub, switch classes or need to communicate with the group send and email to kaspeedshop@googlegroups.com

2014 Up and Running!

Week One of the "Kelley Acres" Speed Shop 2014 Winter Session is in the books.  Thank you to everyone that signed up again and to the many new riders that took that leap of faith and joined us for the first time. 

One component to the Speed Shop that stands out is how each class comes together like a family during their time slot. Sharing the pain one pedal stroke at a time while offering encouragement, helpful tips, and of course an occasional heckle.  Providing an egoless fun workout environment for everyone can be hard to do but I think we have it! 

The first week of classes determined each rider's Functional Threshold Power (FTP).  The FTP along with Heart Rate and Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) help each rider train specifically for their fitness level.  It is important to have a starting point because in the Winter Session each class builds on the last one. As riders gain fitness the FTP can be adjusted.

Saturday Morning 10:30am FTP class 

The Healing Cyclist

Dave Weiner FTP Class - before picture

This is Dave Weiner.  He joined us for a few endurance classes this fall and decided to take the leap and for twice a week training sessions this winter with some specific goals in mind.  To learn about Dave's story and follow along with his progress check out his blog The Healing Cyclist  If the first week of class is any indication of his motivation this is going to be a fun journey to watch. Keep up the good work Dave!

Shop Notes

If you are interested in picking up a drop in class or joining in one of our bad weather Sunday long endurance sessions make sure you belong to the Google Group. The classes will be posted there.  There is a subscription option setting that lets you control how you receive your communications. Send  an email to kelleyacres@gmail.com if you would like to be added. 

A special shout out to Coach Vicki Fuchs and Coach Ray Trentini for helping to keep the Speed Shop running at full tilt again this Winter!  

Onward to Week 2!