Dave Holmer asked that I reveal some training tips. Tip #1 is don’t listen to me. Why are you still reading this, did you not adhere to rule #1? If you are still reading, you are stubborn and foolish, so I’ll share with you my opinions on running. JV may have much different advice, and since he actually knows what he’s talking about, I’d listen to him. At least this might get some discussion going. With discussion we can usually find new and creative ways to make fun of Quinlan, and that’s what cyclocross is all about.
I don’t think much of long runs to get ready for cross. With that having been said, now is a good time to run for 20 minutes once a week to get your legs used to moving in something other than circles. A 20 minute run for a cyclist is humbling and humiliating, so after about mid-Sept, abandon that and focus on 'cross-specific running.
During the season, I only run wearing my cycling shoes since running form, and the muscles utilized in stiff shoes is much different than in running shoes. I focus on uphill running, since most running in cross is uphill (a long sandpit is the exception) and I also only do sprints--you are never jogging in 'cross.
During the season, I do my run workouts on Tues mornings at the local park. The workout only takes about 30 minutes, door-to-door, so I don’t have to get out of bed too early. Also, I don’t see a point in dedicating too much time to running since the average race involves maybe 2-3 minutes total off the bike. I ride my bike for about 10 minutes to warm up. Then, I do 6x45 second running intervals in the park on grass, with my bike. I dismount, run up the hill for 45 seconds, try to do a smooth remount (it's important to practice being able to remount after a run since bobbling the remount can cost you as much time as your gain on a lesser runner), coast down the hill, pedal softly for about 15 additional seconds (a total of about 35-40 seconds of "rest"), then dismount and run the hill again. I'll work up to 2 sets with about 5 minutes of easy riding between them. At that point, 12x45 second really hard efforts is far more than I'll ever run in a race, and it's done at a race-pace.
Since I know even less than Ponytail Man, I thought I'd give my two moo's worth. What does Quinlan look like when he runs?
I searched a little for running suggestions for cross and I found nothing to support a run longer than 30 minutes. I was dissapointed, because I like to run long distances, never been much of a sprinter. With a 30 minute max run, I thought that sprinting uphill for 10-20 yards, about every 3 minutes, could simulate all we possibly do in cross. That distance would provide the max length of any (cross) run I've experienced, and give a little extra for that acceleration before remounting. (I've seen riders get passed by a longer runout).
And with all these numbers added up, and divided by three, 31 I think, I decide that 31 ounces of Chimay was necessary to recover from that run.
Moo
Moo