l'm training for a century this spring so I trained all winter, following the schedule in your Off-Season Training for Roadies. Things were going great until I got a bad cold and was off the bike for two weeks. Now I feel like I’ve lost all my fitness. Should I start over from the beginning?
I'm 43 and have been diabetic since the age of 13. My health is good and my diabetes is under control. However, I can't find information about cycling and sports for people in my situation. Can you help?
Cramps are miserable. Carol Torgan, Ph.D., FACSM, of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute points out, cramps are multifactorial. No single cause seems to exist. Read on to learn some preventative measures provided by our experts and readers.
I'm 6 feet, 195 pounds with thick muscles from playing college football. I've been riding 5,000 miles a year for several years but haven't gotten lighter. How can I eliminate my bulky muscle and get down to optimal riding weight?
I'm a 26-year-old former college basketball player and track athlete who has an excellent vertical jump. I started riding last fall and want to begin racing, but I'm having trouble staying with the local training group, especially on hills, although I dust everyone in the sprints. They say I have too many fast-twitch muscle fibers and should forget racing because I'll never be any good. Are they right?
I just did some physiological testing at a university lab. The results were depressing! According to the physiologist, my wattage at lactate threshold and watts per kilogram of bodyweight were both below average for my racing age group. But last summer I was on the podium many times. Why the discrepancy between test results and race results?
I'm surprised that you say calves contribute nothing to cycling performance. I've had skinny bird legs my whole life -- even when I was lifting weights -- until I began riding last summer. I didn't take before/after measurements, but my calves have gotten markedly more muscular. They're larger and more defined, and a "new" muscle has appeared on my upper, outer shin. This occurred even though I cut out weight work almost entirely. It must mean that my calves are getting a workout when I ride. And if they're getting a workout, it stands to reason that they're contributing. Am I crazy?
You've said studies show that calves don't contribute much to the pedal stroke. They're merely a "cable" that connects muscles in the quads and glutes with the lever arm of the foot. While that may be true, wouldn't a cyclist want that cable to be taut so it could provide a firm, stable platform through the ankle joint? Then the power produced by the quads and glutes would be efficiently transferred to the pedal. When I put together strength-training programs for cyclists, I always include calf-strengthening exercises. I believe that although the calf muscles do not produce power to the pedal, they help power get to the pedal.
I'm a bike messenger in Seattle, preparing to race. I'm fast, but my lactate threshold seems too low and my resting heart rate (60s) seems too high. I've been considering deep-tissue massage to help "flush out" all the toxins that accumulate during my workday. Is this a good idea?
I'm a roadie in the Dominican Republic, so sun protection is important. It seems like my sunscreen washes off when I sweat. Is there a type that is better for cycling? What about lip protection?
In years past, I've consistently ridden 2,500-3,000 miles. This year I've done just 400 and have noticed was how much flexibility I've lost in my hamstrings. I know stretching has been a subject of debate. What do you recommend?
My jaw hurts after long downhills. It's painful under my ears almost like I've been chewing toffee too hard and overworked the muscles. Any idea what causes this? I don't like to descend, and I need to get better for a Colorado tour I'm doing this summer.
I'm serious about cycling. All the hardcore racers around here shave their legs. I'm as dedicated to the sport as anyone, but I can't figure out why they do that.
I plan to do a tour in New Mexico beginning at about 5,000 feet above sea level. One day includes a climb of 5,000 vertical feet (to 8,300 feet) in just over eight miles. I live at 300 feet in Illinois. Is there a way to prepare for the altitude?
Could you please urge men to get regular prostate exams? I'm recovering from prostate surgery. It's one of the most common cancers in men, and if you wait until you have symptoms, you've missed your best opportunity to cure it. Guys should begin PSA blood tests and digital rectal exams in their 40s and certainly by their 50s. There's also a lot of evidence that improved diet could prevent the whole affair.
I had surgery for prostate cancer six weeks ago. My surgeon says I can train as long as I don't pedal while sitting on the seat, though I can rest on it. So, I ride an old 10-speed on my trainer in the basement. I pedal in the biggest gear, standing, with the front wheel elevated about five inches. I do intervals of 3-5 minutes with a 1-2 minute rest between each one. The monotony is driving me crazy! Any ideas for some variety?
I have marginal hypertension, about 140/95. I don't smoke, drink, or eat salty foods. I ride 100-400 miles a week. Medication lowers my blood pressure but also reduces my max heart rate by 20 beats. Now I can't keep up on group rides. Will this medication always limit me?
Before parenthood, I rarely got sick. But now I pick up every little bug that my 18-month-old daughter gets. Is this normal for a new parent? This cycle is wreaking havoc on my training and racing schedule.
I'm 51 and a strong recreational cyclist who does about 250 miles a week, including two hard 40-milers with local racers (who seem to look younger every year). Recently, my body began "helping" me prepare for each week's two competitive rides by sending me to the bathroom several times on those days. I worry that I'll have diarrhea while riding, though I never have. The rest of the time, my bowel habits are totally normal. I psych myself up for these race-like rides and perform well. Should I be worried about these frequent trips to the bathroom?
Can cycling cause an overactive bladder? I ride about 10 hours a week both outside and on a trainer. The two saddles don't feel any different. I don't have any discomfort or prostate problems. I often have two cups of coffee before I ride, but very seldom need to relieve myself during rides. My problem is in the office afterwards. I head down the hall nearly every 30 minutes. Are you aware of any reason cycling should cause this?
I have an embarrassing problem. At the end of a sprint or a short, hard climb, I come very close to losing bladder control. I'm 45 and have no health problems. I notice that these "close calls" are becoming more frequent. Any insights?
I recently rode 170 moderately hilly miles in two days at an average speed of just over 14 mph. It was cool but I still managed to sweat. I drank plenty of water and sports drink and ate a small amount of carbohydrate every 10-20 miles. On the morning before the first ride, I weighed 205. After the second ride, I weighed 212. This weight gain always seems to happen after long rides. Why?
In the Race Across America this year, the lone woman entrant dropped out citing "fluid retention." How serious is this condition and what is the cause? Near the end of a tough two-week tour last year, my legs were quite swollen and took four or five days to go down (while my kidneys were working overtime). I drank lots of water each day. I'm leaving for another tour next month and would like to know how to avoid this problem.
Ed Burke's fatal heart attack, reported in the November 2002 newsletters, was a shock and a tragedy, and has tempered my enthusiasm for riding. (Ed was 53 and I'm 59.) The reports say that he had a "family history" of heart problems. What does that mean in the context of strenuous exercise? I assume Ed knew his situation and did everything right in terms of medical checks and healthy lifestyle, yet obviously it wasn't enough.
