by Fred Matheny Hard training doesn’t always lead to better performances. Combine it with inadequate recovery and you’ll almost certainly get worse instead of better. How can you avoid this depressing phenomenon, known as overtraining? How can you recover better? Stress is Cumulative Pro cyclists rarely overtrain. They ride enormous mileage (on the order of 400 to 600 … [Read more...] about A Guide to Overtraining and Recovery for Cyclists
1Training & Health
Ask the Coach: Questions on Winter Training for Endurance
By Coach John Hughes I’ve had several excellent follow-up questions on my column on 8 Tips for Endurance Training This Winter. Running For Endurance Leigh wrote, “What would you consider an endurance run in place of a ride. We get a lot of ice in Toronto and simply can't get onto the roads because they're too busy with cars even if you have spiked tires. I don't mind … [Read more...] about Ask the Coach: Questions on Winter Training for Endurance
Brain Benefits from Exercise
by Gabe Mirkin, M.D. Three new studies help us understand the many good things that exercise does for your brain. The first study, from the University of Maryland, shows that a regular exercise program alters blood flow to the brain to improve mental function in older people who suffer from mild cognitive impairment that often precedes dementia (Journal of Alzheimer's … [Read more...] about Brain Benefits from Exercise
Carbo-Loading: A Coach’s View
By Coach John Hughes Two weeks ago Dr. Mirkin wrote a very informative article about why Carbohydrate Loading Does Not Work. His column is directed at racers. I coach regular roadies -- not racers -- and have a somewhat different point of view. In the 1970s before the Davis Double Century, Roger, Steve, Gareth and I used to carbo-load. For four days we exercised and ate … [Read more...] about Carbo-Loading: A Coach’s View
Do You Know These Cycling Training Terms?
by Fred Matheny Every human activity has its own jargon, a unique set of words (or a unique way of using familiar words) that befuddles newcomers. Learning the lingo is the key to understanding the activity and getting accepted by its practitioners. Training on the bike may not be as jargon-ridden as medicine, yachting, pipefitting or musical counterpoint—but it comes … [Read more...] about Do You Know These Cycling Training Terms?
10 Great Reasons Why You Should Continue Training on Your Bicycle Year Round
By Fred Matheny Cycling is traditionally a summer sport. Feeling the breeze on your bare legs and the sun’s warmth on your back is as much a part of riding a bike as lubing your chain. There’s something deeply wrong, many casual cyclists would argue, about riding in the cold with snowflakes sticking to your sunglasses. Traditionalists may contend that you need a break … [Read more...] about 10 Great Reasons Why You Should Continue Training on Your Bicycle Year Round
8 Tips for Endurance Training This Winter
By Coach John Hughes With the polar vortex slamming the midwestern and eastern US outdoor endurance riding hasn’t been possible. Or has it? My client Elizabeth Wicks who lives in Massachusetts rode 75 miles on Sunday. Another client Rob (also in Massachusetts) reported, “Our weather continues to be ‘rideable’. Thursday ride was cold at 18 degrees but so far the only snow … [Read more...] about 8 Tips for Endurance Training This Winter
Carbohydrate Loading Does Not Work
By Gabe Mirkin, M.D. "Carbohydrate loading" the night before a big race can impair your performance and damage your health. More than 45 years ago, in the Journal of the American Medical Association (March 26, 1973;223(13):1511-1512), I reported the case of a marathon runner who had a heart attack after carbohydrate loading. The "carbohydrate loading" regimen was supposed … [Read more...] about Carbohydrate Loading Does Not Work
10 Ways to Cross Train for Cyclists
By Coach John Hughes Eight inches of snow and it’s still coming down! Am I depressed because I can’t ride? No — I get to play! And I don’t mean building a snowman. In season I train, each week I ride a planed mix of endurance, tempo, intensity and recovery rides. My riding has structure and I pay attention to my heart rate. In the winter I ignore the structure and numbers … [Read more...] about 10 Ways to Cross Train for Cyclists
A Huge Personal Goal Achieved
Jim’s Tech Talk By Jim Langley You may have noticed that at the bottom of every Tech Talk there’s a little note that reads, “Ride total: X,XXX,” where the Xs are replaced with a number. Today’s number is 9,164. If you divide today’s number by 365, you will see that 9,164 daily consecutive rides equals a little over 25 years. I thought I’d make an official announcement … [Read more...] about A Huge Personal Goal Achieved
What’s the average speed of a beginner cyclist?
Reader Question: What kind of average speed should I expect as a beginner road cyclist? Stan Purdum replies: Many beginning road cyclists ride at average speeds between 10 and 14 mph on the road. It’s certainly possible to sustain a higher speed, and some new riders who were already runners or some other type of endurance athlete may pedal at 15-18 mph or even higher. … [Read more...] about What’s the average speed of a beginner cyclist?
Sunlight: More than Vitamin D
by Gabe Mirkin, M.D. For many years I have offered my opinion that sunlight provides benefits that are not gained just from taking vitamin D pills. Recent research is confirming that opinion, and many scientists now believe that low vitamin D blood levels are only a marker for not getting enough sunlight. People who get little sunlight are at increased risk for heart … [Read more...] about Sunlight: More than Vitamin D
Jumping Rope for Cyclists: An Interview with Buddy Lee
By Lars Hundley Recently, I came across a new book about jump rope workouts called 101 Best Jump Rope Workouts, by Buddy Lee. The book piqued my interest initially because my own experience with jumping rope has been that it is extremely aerobically demanding and also also requires a lot of coordination. The book led me down a path that ended up at this YouTube video of Mr. … [Read more...] about Jumping Rope for Cyclists: An Interview with Buddy Lee
Anti-Aging: You’re Only as Old as You Think
By Coach John Hughes 83-year old Joe Shami, of Lafayette, CA climbed Mount Diablo last year for the 500th consecutive week. Diablo (3,849) is at sea level about 40 miles east of San Francisco, CA. Most of the 11-mile climb is a 10-12 percent grade averaging 8 percent. “The wall” the final stretch to the top is 17-19 percent. Wow! He rides from his home and depending on … [Read more...] about Anti-Aging: You’re Only as Old as You Think
Treat Knee Pain with Lifestyle Changes
by Gabe Mirkin, M.D. A review of 47 studies on 22,037 patients with knee osteoarthritis treated for at least 12 months showed no clear difference in controlling long-term pain between medications and placebos (JAMA, 2018;320(24):2564-2579). There was a slight time-limited pain control with a non-steroidal (celecoxib) and glucosamine. With the exception of immune … [Read more...] about Treat Knee Pain with Lifestyle Changes