Jim Mansoor, Ph.D.
jkmansoor@ucdavis.edu
I would like to start my tenure as the new DBC Race Team coach by introducing myself and starting a monthly column dealing with racing. I am a professor in the Physical Therapy Department at University of the Pacific in Stockton. I have my Ph.D. in Physiology from UC Davis (1996), where my emphasis was exercise and pulmonary physiology. I also have a masters degree in exercise physiology from CSU Sacramento (1989). I live in South Davis and have been a competitive bike racer for 7 years. Prior to that, I was a competitive distance runner for many years, as well as spending a number of years living in Tahoe City and working as a ski instructor.
Roughly 7 years ago I approached Sean Wilson about bike racing. At the time, Sean was in the same Physiology Graduate Group as I at UC Davis. Many of you know Sean as a long time DBC racer, coach and former professional rider. Sean encouraged me to show up at the DBC and Aggie race rides. I did and I was hooked. I spent a lot of time riding with Sean and picking his brain about bike racing. I have moved up through the USCF and NORBA ranks, currently riding Masters 1, 2, 3 on the roads and Veteran Expert on the trails. Last summer I achieved a goal that I had been striving for from the beginning: I won the Masters 40-44 District Championship Road Race. Sean was instrumental in my "early" years in helping me to develop the skills and strategies necessary to become a successful bike racer. I would hope that I can now do the same for other DBC riders.
For the first installment of this column I would like to start where I think all competitive athletes should start: goal setting. If you are a new racer, you should be considering your goals for the upcoming race season. If you are a veteran racer, you should have already set your goals for the upcoming season. Now this may sound simplistic and it is. But remember, goals drive the training process. And goals drive you as an athlete. If your goal is to peak for the District Championships in July/August, you have about 5-6 months to get ready and you should be considering the type of training that will get you there. Perhaps your goal is to score enough points to move up to the next USCF category. Or maybe you are a new racer and want to just get fit and gain experience. These different long-term goals will warrant different training programs. In addition, you want to set some short-term goals along the way as a checkpoint toward accomplishing your long-term goals.
Another thing you need to consider when setting goals is to not make your goals too easy or too hard. Both of these situations are what I consider "no-win" situations. If you set your goals too low, it's true that you will achieve them but at what cost? You will not reach your maximal potential. Equally as bad is setting your goals too high. You have set yourself up to never achieve your goals and again, you will not reach your full potential. What many riders need in setting goals is an outside observer who is familiar with how they ride. Let this person give you some perspective and help you formulate your goals.
My vision as Race Team Coach is to consult with anyone who would like to discuss their goals, training, riding skills and/or racing strategy. If you want a day-to-day training program written out for you for the next 6 months, my suggestion is that you pay a full-time coach. However, if you want some general ideas about your goals, training, skills and strategy, please let me know and I will be glad to help you with some ideas. My favorite office hours are on my bike, so catch me on the race rides or e-mail me and we can set up a long ride and talk.
Good luck in the upcoming race season and I'll see you all real soon on the roads and trails.