Question: I am 59 years old and I been cycling for 12 years. Each winter of the last 10 years I have been looking for a training plan to improve. My FTP hovers around 225 watts after winter training and reaches around 240 watts by the end of the outdoor cycling season in Southern Ontario. I am curious if there is a physical test one can do to determine one's potential … [Read more...] about Can I Determine My Potential Functional Threshold Power?
Coach John Hughes
Nature Breaks and Dehydration
By Coach John Hughes Watching the Tour de France, every so often you'll hear commentator Phil Liggett say that the riders have stopped for a "nature break," and the camera pans to something else. Maybe you've noticed that during a multi-hour race the riders will only stop once or twice. A reader, Andy, emailed me about nature breaks: “I learned how little time one of my … [Read more...] about Nature Breaks and Dehydration
Don’t Get Baked in the Summer
By Coach John Hughes I raced the Furnace Creek 508 through the Mojave Desert and Death Valley in 1989 and 1993. I set a course record and won both times. I raced for over 30 continuous hours in each of those two races. The 508-mile race, with 35,000 feet of climbing, is a qualifier for the Race Across AMerica. I wasn’t the fastest rider—many would have beaten me in a … [Read more...] about Don’t Get Baked in the Summer
How Many Miles Should I Ride My Bicycle to Ride Faster?
By Coach John Hughes Will racking up more miles on your bike this year help you ride better? Yes, and no. Just riding a lot more probably won’t help you to improve as much as you want to improve. Let's take a look at how big miles can help. Then we'll discuss when those big miles don't really help. … [Read more...] about How Many Miles Should I Ride My Bicycle to Ride Faster?
How to Defeat Nausea Problems as a Cyclist
By Coach John Hughes Nausea while riding in the summer is almost as common a complaint as cramps. Like cramping, there are multiple factors that may cause nausea. Often, no one factor causes nausea but the combination of several factors can create a perfect storm when you want to blow chunks over the handlebars. This sick feeling can be a showstopper. A showstopper is … [Read more...] about How to Defeat Nausea Problems as a Cyclist