JOCKEYING SESSIONS! For today’s practice, all groups are to work on the skills associated with jockeying for position when the race course moves from single track, to double track, then back to single track. These sections of race course always present opportunities to pass (and to be passed). Emphasize to riders that need for smart pacing. We want to speed up to get in a good position for the single track but we also have to be able to maintain a strong tempo for the entire practice. Don’t burn up your legs/lungs by sprinting to pass everyone in the first 20 minutes of the workout.
Once you finish the jockeying sessions, ride at tempo for the rest of the ride.
LOCATIONS: There are a number of sections of trail in Corner Canyon that provide the perfect opportunity for practicing these skills. As ride leaders, your job is to help the riders understand when these sections of trail will be encountered so they know when to go hard and when to slow the pace back down. Here are some trail section examples for this type of practice (see the map we attached to the ride group email to see some of these locations highlighted in yellow…hope that helps):
- Sweet Caroline as it exits onto the “fire road” (the main dirt road that goes up into Corner Canyon);
- North on BST from the 5-way, where it exits out onto the two-track by where Gas Line starts;
- Further north on BST where it crosses the dirt road that comes up from the Orson Smith trailhead and then starts the climb (continuing north) in the direction of the suspension bridge;
- The upper section of Gas Line right after it crosses the bridge and climbs the hill toward where it exits out near Canyon Hollow;
- Canyon Hollow where it exits out to two track halfway between the Lower Rush and Middle Rush entrance points.
- Along the railroad and onto the gravel road next to the pond.
There are several other places where you can simulate this type of trail structure. Be creative, but be safe, as you work with your riders to practice this jockeying that will inevitably occur during races.
TRAINING PLAN DETAILS: After warming up, each of the combined groups will ride at a tempo pace (meaning more than conversational, but not by much). Ride to one of these locations where single track empties out onto a double track section of trail. Before the riders arrive at the double track, inform them about what is anticipated as soon as they hit the double track section. Once the riders arrive at the double track, they can launch into a sprint to jockey for a new position in their ride group. The riders shouldn’t be sprinting for position for too long. If necessary pre-define a pretend cut-off to the double track section so that it is clear when the “single-track” resumes. After the short period of jockeying for position, all riders should settle back into a tempo pace and continue the ride. Purposefully structure your rider groups with different riders at the back each time to mix things up for everyone.
Some riders in each group will be faster than others and the groups may get a little spread out during these efforts. Creative ride-leading can help here. Send one or two ride leaders 10-15 seconds ahead of the riders (make sure the route the riders should take is clear to everyone) so that the riders don’t outpace the ride leaders. Remember, every ride group must always be led by a qualified adult ride leader. Don’t let the riders get out in front even if that means they have to cut their pace back. Safety first, always. As ride leaders, you will also need to govern the pace so that all of the riders can regroup before the next jockeying session.
Remember, our goal today is to simulate the locations in every race where single track trail widens into a double track trail and then narrows down again. Many positions are won and lost in these critical race locations. Encourage the riders to go hard at these points in the ride, but not so hard that they over-exert themselves, ride unsafely, or lose their ability to continue at a race pace afterward. Do everything you can to make sure riders stay good-natured about how these sprints unfold. Everyone should be supported in their efforts, fast or slow.