By Coach John Hughes As you age, inevitably you’ll tire sooner. You can’t ride as far so you quit sooner. You don’t climb as well. You can’t go as fast. You may not notice this yet — but it will happen. Through proper exercise you can slow the rate of decline — but eventually you’ll…
Coach John Hughes Dehydration hurts performance, right? Not necessarily. But don’t ignore it. Pro racers ride so hard their guts can’t absorb enough fluid to replace all that they sweat out. Race rules may restrict when a rider can get a bottle toward the end of a stage. Although somewhat dehydrated, the pros sprint quite…
By Coach John Hughes Nutrition for gravel rides is similar to nutrition for other endurance rides, with these differences: Riding rough roads takes more energy per mile. One study on The Effect of Cycling-specific Vibrations on Neuromuscular Performance tested 30 trained cyclists. The study found “Oxygen consumption (+2.7%) and heart rate (+5%–7%) increased significantly in…
By Coach John Hughes A recent study by a “Brazilian team found that 20 percent of the 1,700 older adults tested couldn’t balance on one leg for 10 seconds or more. And that inability to balance was associated with a twofold risk of death from any cause within 10 years.” [New York Times] Falls are…
By Coach John Hughes What’s the best sports drink for you? One you like and will drink! And also provides the calories you need. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends consuming 25 to 60 grams (1 to 2 ounces or 100 to 240 calories) of carbs per hour after the first hour of…
