By Coach Rick Schultz This summer, I took a bucket-list cycling trip to France to ride on many of the roads – including many of the most famous climbs – featured in the Tour de France. After my return, I've been asked about the trip, and my preparations for it, by many cycling friends. So I decided to write an article detailing a few tips you, too, might benefit … [Read more...] about How Should You Train for a TdF Cycling Tour?
Training Plan
Do Training Rides Need to Be As Long as Events?
Question: I'm 48 and in the past rode 12-15 hours per week but was usually overtrained. This season I'm trying to recover better by doing 10-hour weeks including weekend rides of about 100 miles and building up only for major events. I'm planning to ride one of Australia's toughest "classics," Grafton-Inverell. It's 140 miles, starting at sea level and ascending to about 4,000 … [Read more...] about Do Training Rides Need to Be As Long as Events?
Even a 100-Year-Old Can Improve With Training
By Gabe Mirkin, M.D. A new research report shows that you can improve athletic performance with proper training, even if you are over 100 years old. Traditional feeling among scientists is that aging is progressive and inevitable, and that your genetic programming causes you to age no matter what you do. This paper shows that physical training can reverse … [Read more...] about Even a 100-Year-Old Can Improve With Training
How Can I Best Use Commuting as Training?
Question: This past fall, a job change meant a change to my commute. I now ride over 15 miles each way. This means my weekends are now recovery time instead of riding time. I can fit intervals into my commute twice a week and I can occasionally take a day off by getting a ride from a co-worker. But other than that, how can I, at 51 years old, use this commute time as a … [Read more...] about How Can I Best Use Commuting as Training?
Improving Performance Through Marginal Gains, Real Life Example
By Coach John Hughes Elizabeth Wicks, 72, is a long-time friend and client of mine. We’ve written about her preparation and accomplishments in earlier Newsletters because she's a terrific example of putting into practice – and benefitting from – so many of the training concepts that all recreational roadies have at their disposal for improvement. As we … [Read more...] about Improving Performance Through Marginal Gains, Real Life Example