OK, so there was some rain on Saturday for the first big race of the season at Marymoor park called Starcrossed and it was a mud fest!!! It was great to see so many friends, Adam Craig back from the Olympics, Tim Johnson rockin the course as he always does, and new and old Cycle U team members out there with the hundreds of other local cross racers getting muddy. Check http://www.tpk-photography.com Tom's picture site (should be updated soon) for some amazing mud pics!
With the Starcrossed course so twisty, and me being a maven of cornering technique, I noticed something dramatic for the first time (something I had pointed out in others but not myself, nice to teach an old dog a new trick!), and that was that I could catch people on left hand turns, but they maintained their gap to me on right handers. Why is this? I talked to Dale Knapp after my race and he confirmed the same thing, and his theory is that because we are right handed that planting that foot feels better. The leg is more stable. Interesting thing is that during my hundreds of bikefits and watching people's pedaling propensity left to right there is a bias for right handers to be stronger with their LEFT foot.
For a couple years I scratched my head and kept noting this seemingly contridictory data, but now that I have seen it enough and thought about it I believe it is because if you are right footed, the left foot stays on the ground and stabilizes while the right foot kicks. So the right is more coordinated and the left is stronger. There goes Dale's theory at some level, I have seen that the left foot is often stronger.
I bet track (velodrome) builders know the answer to this, since all velodromes are races with only left hand turns. This must have been arrived at because of this same phenomenon, turning left is easier for right handers. I think it is more psychological and pattern driven than based on strength...perhaps it is the coordination....but I am still taking ideas so if you know shout it out!
Ride on,
Coach Craig
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About Cycle U
Cycle University is an endurance sports coaching company with 2 retail bicycle shops founded by former pro cyclist Craig Undem based in Seattle, WA . Cycle U is run by experienced professional coaches focused on providing athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and hobbyists with the proper education, training and equipment to empower self improvement and personal excellence. Whether the focus is recreational, advanced, or professional level, the education and processes crafted by Cycle University provides the knowledge, practice & expertise to improve your athletic performance.
Services include: athletic coaching, bike fitting, fitness testing, skills clinics, private lessons, indoor InCycle classes, bootcamps, coaching consultations and teams for Triathlon, Cyclocross, Road, Non-Racing Performance and MTB.
Services include: athletic coaching, bike fitting, fitness testing, skills clinics, private lessons, indoor InCycle classes, bootcamps, coaching consultations and teams for Triathlon, Cyclocross, Road, Non-Racing Performance and MTB.
We also have 2 full service shops that sell Specialized and Felt Bicycles along with a full array of gear and clothing.
Going strong since 2004.
Cycle U's Mission Statement
It is our mission to significantly help people become healthier, stronger, safer, and faster, by using science, as well as our experience as coaches, experts and educators to maximize health and performance. We commit to make our community a healthier and better place through endurance sport.
Coach Adrian Hegyvary
Good sensations blog
