Big news Tampa Bay! The P/C Miller cycling team and the new Ironman store in New Tampa are in the process of joining together to form an iron-strong road cycling team.

On Sunday, July 18 our cycling team, P/C Miller had the opportunity to be the first to try out the new Ironman Road Team bicycle jerseys and cycling bib shorts from the new Ironman Store in Tampa.

It was a wonderful experience to wear these cycling uniforms and to be the first ones to represent an Ironman Road Cycling Team in one of the most challenging and competitive group rides in the Tampa area.

The Ironman logo on the bike jerseys and lycra cycling shorts must have given us iron-strong legs because we rode incredibly fast on the ride, reaching a maximum speed of 43 mph according to our bicycle computers.

If you also want to feel the Ironman power that you can get from wearing a cycling kit with a world-recognized brand name such as Ironman, visit www.Ironman360.com or stop by their new shop in New Tampa and treat yourself to a new Ironman road team cycling uniform. Go to your next group ride wearing your new kit and join us in representing the first and only Ironman Road Cycling Team in the country.

“How To Work as a Team To Close
Gaps During Cycling Group Ride Training!”

Last Saturday, we had another big group ride with many fast riders. A lot of these riders attacked throughout the whole ride to break away from the peloton to win the three sprints that we do during the ride.

Everytime there was a breakaway, it was difficult to close the gap. Normally, in this type of situation, the peloton would work together, each rider taking their turn pulling hard at the front until the gap is closed.

However, during this ride, that didn’t happen because the riders in the peloton were not working together in an organized manner. The only way that we could bring all the breakaways back was by sending one rider from our team to the front, going at full throttle until the breakaway is caught.

This is a good strategy when working as a team to catch a breakaway. One of the team members goes to the front to chase everything down, keeping his teammates with fresh legs for the sprints.

Note: If you’re looking for our free weekly training plans, we have a whole year of weekly cycling training plans available in our blog archives.

“Tampa Cyclists Wear Radio Shack Team Uniforms To Ride In Tampa’s Fastest Group Rides To Show
Their Support For Lance Armstrong!”

Tampa is becoming a big city for cycling. Every weekend more and more cyclists of all ages want to be part of Tampa’s competitve group rides.

This weekend a lot of cyclists showed up to the rides dressed like Lance and the rides were so big and so fast that it felt like we were riding stages in the Tour de France.

I think that by wearing Radio Shack’s team uniforms, Tampa cyclists are showing their early support for Lance in the upcoming 2010 Tour de France and are already sending positive energy to the universe in advance so that Lance can win for the eighth time and bring home another big cup, stuffed lion and champion jersey.

Here Is This Week’s Chavez Cycling Training Plan:

Monday:

• Off (rest day)

Tuesday:

• Time On Bike: 2-2.5 hours
• Gear: 39/16 (small chain ring, easy “spinning” gear)
• Speed: 18 - 20 mph (30 - 35 km/h)
• Leg Speed Workout: 8-10 downhill sprints of 200m each (15-20 second sprints at 5 minute intervals) Start standing on your pedals & finish sitting at your maximum cadence.
• Cool Down: 10 minutes

Note: Start doing your sprints after one hour of riding.

Wednesday:

• Time On Bike: 3.5 - 4 hours
• Gear: 53/18 or 53/17
• Speed: 18 - 22 mph (30 - 40 km/h)
• After 2 hrs of riding, 8-10 uphill repetitions. Start seated and finish standing for the sprint. Hill should be 500m - 1k in length:
  • 2 repetitions in 53/15 sprinting at the top for 20 seconds
  • 2 repetitions in 53/14 sprinting at the top for 20 seconds
  • 2-3 repetitions in 53/13 sprinting at the top for 20 seconds
  • 2-3 repetitions in 53/12 sprinting at the top for 20 seconds

Note: Allow 5 min. recovery between repetitions

• Continue riding to complete your 3.5 - 4 hours

Thursday:

• Time On Bike: 3 hours
• Speed: 18 - 22 mph (30 - 40 km/h)
• Gears:
  • 20 min. in small chain ring
  • 40 min. in 53/19
  • 30 min. in 53/11
  • 40 min. in 53/19
  • 30 min. in 53/12
  • 20 min. in 53/19
• Cool Down: 10 minutes (in small chain ring)

Friday:

• Time on Bike: 1 hour
• Speed: 18 mph (30 km/h)
• Gear: small chain ring (easy recovery ride)

Saturday:

• Time On Bike: 3 hours
• Find a group ride or race

Sunday:

• Time On Bike: 3.5 hours
• Find a group ride or race

Note: You can customize this cycling training plan according to your schedule. You can do more hours on the bicycle if you have plenty of time to train. However, if your time is limited, you should at least do your downhill sprints (Tuesday training) and uphill sprints (Wednesday training) to develop your leg speed and leg power.

“A Stampede of Cyclists on Tampa Group Ride Training Super Fast To Increase
Cycling Performance!”

Weekend after weekend, throughout the year, in the cold or in the heat, more and more Tampa area cyclists are participating in the Tampa competitive group rides to become better cyclists.

This past weekend the group ride participants doubled in size and the amount of cyclists riding fast and strong in a single pack broke previous records.

That is why a massive peloton, like never before, came together at the end of this challenging 60-mile hilly route to compete for the final sprint where Daniel Chavez was the first one to cross the “mailbox” finish line raising his arms in victory.

Tampa group rides are the best places to go for any cyclist who wants to become a greater cycling competitor or even to become a state champion, like Pablo Santa Cruz did in his 2010 Masters State Crit.

Here Is This Week’s Chavez Cycling Training Plan:

Monday:

• Off (rest day)

Tuesday:

• Time On Bike: 2-2.5 hours
• Gear: 39/16 (small chain ring, easy “spinning” gear)
• Speed: 18 - 20 mph (30 - 35 km/h)
• Leg Speed Workout: 6 downhill sprints of 200m each (15-20 second sprints at 5 minute intervals) Start standing on your pedals & finish sitting at your maximum cadence.
• Cool Down: 10 minutes

Note: Start doing your sprints after one hour of riding.

Wednesday:

• Time On Bike: 3.5 - 4 hours
• Gear: 53/18 or 53/17
• Speed: 18 - 22 mph (30 - 40 km/h)
• After 2 hrs of riding, 6 uphill repetitions. Start seated and finish standing for the sprint. Hill should be 500m - 1k in length:
  • 2 repetitions in 53/15 sprinting at the top for 20 seconds
  • 2 repetitions in 53/14 sprinting at the top for 20 seconds
  • 2 repetitions in 53/13 sprinting at the top for 20 seconds

Note: Allow 5 min. recovery between repetitions

• Continue riding to complete your 3.5 - 4 hours

Thursday:

• Time On Bike: 3 hours
• Speed: 18 - 22 mph (30 - 40 km/h)
• Gears:
  • 20 min. in small chain ring
  • 40 min. in 53/19
  • 30 min. in 53/11
  • 40 min. in 53/19
  • 30 min. in 53/11
  • 20 min. in 53/19
• Cool Down: 10 minutes (in small chain ring)

Friday:

• Time on Bike: 1 hour
• Speed: 18 mph (30 km/h)
• Gear: small chain ring (easy recovery ride)

Saturday:

• Time On Bike: 3 hours
• Find a group ride or race

Sunday:

• Time On Bike: 3.5 hours
• Find a group ride or race

Note: You can customize this cycling training plan according to your schedule. You can do more hours on the bicycle if you have plenty of time to train. However, if your time is limited, you should at least do your downhill sprints (Tuesday training) and uphill sprints (Wednesday training) to develop your leg speed and leg power.

“Chasing The Superman of the U.S.A. Armed Forces National Cycling Team on his Training for
America’s Oldest Criterium Race!”

Every weekend the group rides have different riding dynamics. Sometimes there are early breakaways by two or more riders, other times the group stays together all the way to the final sprint of the ride.

But this weekend, something incredible happened! Sean Coleman, member of the U.S.A. Armed Forces National Cycling Team went by himself on a solo breakaway for more than 20 miles at an unbelievably fast speed of over 30mph.

Meanwhile, behind him, the main group of riders chased and chased him at high speeds as well. But Sean was riding so strong and fast that closing a second on him was very difficult and painful.

This weekend, Sean Coleman was the leader of one of the most challenging group rides in Florida. He went on a solo breakaway for a long time on one of the most hilly and windy routes in the state. And finally, when the group caught him he still had plenty of speed and power to make it all the way to the final sprint of the ride and even finished number one.

With this weekend’s outstanding cycling performance on the group rides, Sean Coleman wants to let the country and President Obama know that the “Superman” of the United States Armed Forces Cycling Team is ready to do his best this coming weekend in the oldest criterium cycling race in the nation in Summerville, New Jersey.

Here Is This Week’s Chavez Cycling Training Plan:

If you want to get the best out of your cycling training, remember to take your “easy week.” This week is “easy week” for those of you following the Chavez Cycling Training Plan.

Monday:

• Off (rest day)

Tuesday:

• Time On Bike: 2-3 hours
• Gear: 39/17 or 39/16 (small chain ring, easy “spinning” gear)
• Speed: 18 - 20 mph (30 - 35 km/h)

Wednesday:

• Time On Bike: 3 hours
• Gear: 53/17
• Speed: 18 - 20 mph (30 - 35 km/h)
• or do a group ride

Thursday:

• Time On Bike: 2-3 hours
• Speed: 18 - 20 mph (30 - 35 km/h)
• Gear: 39/17 or 39/16

Friday:

• Time on Bike: 1 hour
• Speed: 18 - 20 mph (30 - 35 km/h)
• Gear: 39/17 ,16, or 15

Saturday:

• Time On Bike: 3.5 hours
• Race or do a group ride

Sunday:

• Time On Bike: 3.5 hours
• Race or do a group ride