By Coach John Hughes December 2021 Gasping for air. I can do this. I’ve climbed Berthoud Pass many times. I live at 9,000 feet. I’m only at 11,000 feet. Pressure on my eyeballs. The top’s just 300 feet higher. Legs feel like tree stumps. No room between the guardrail and US 40. Not safe to…
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…
QUESTION: I’ll have a great week with solid rides and even new personal bests, but the next week, due to weather, family, work or lack of motivation, I just go through the motions. What’s the key to training more consistently? — Randy W. RBR REPLIES: Here’s our belief: The recreational roadie who juggles career, family,…
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…
