PROBLEM: You just picked up a shiny new gravel or all-road bike, but you don't know where to ride it yet. How do you find gravel roads that are within a reasonable distance from your home? SOLUTION: Turns out that there are several different options to easily find nearby gravel roads and routes. Here are some that you might find helpful. … [Read more...] about Quick Tip: Find Nearby Roads for Your Next Gravel Riding Adventure
1Training & Health
Older Riders: Why Max Heart Rate Is Irrelevant
By Coach John Hughes In last week’s newsletter Dr. Mirkin wrote an informative column Tips for Keeping Your Maximum Heart Rate Up As You Age. He’s correct that the formula of (220 – your age) is a wildly inaccurate way to determine your maximum heart rate. However, your max heart rate – even if determined with a heart rate monitor by riding all out – is … [Read more...] about Older Riders: Why Max Heart Rate Is Irrelevant
Listen to Your Body
by Gabe Mirkin, M.D. The best way to achieve a high level of fitness without injuring yourself is to listen to your body. Don’t depend on heart rate monitors, fitness trackers or other gadgets. The most sophisticated fitness tracker and injury-avoider is your brain. Training to achieve a high level of fitness and to prevent diseases usually involves intense exercise, and … [Read more...] about Listen to Your Body
Dealing with a Pinched Neck Nerve
by Alan Bragman Question: It appears that I have a pinched nerve in my neck, probably between C6-C7 (according to my retired neuro nurse wife.) Sometimes the pain is really strong, radiating down my left arm and/or near my left scapula. I'm hoping this is not from riding! Obviously, when in the drops I am bending my neck back in order to see, which on most … [Read more...] about Dealing with a Pinched Neck Nerve
Setting Goals as You Grow Older
By Coach John Hughes My longtime friend John Lee Ellis, age 67, completed his sixth Paris-Brest-Paris (PBP) this summer. PBP is a 750-mile (1200 km) continuous ride from the outskirts of Paris to Brest and back, which must be completed in 90 hours or less. The 90 hours includes all stops for rest stops, meals, sleep, mechanicals, etc. Ellis finished in 83 hours 9 … [Read more...] about Setting Goals as You Grow Older