Running first thing after waking, before fussing with making food, or any other task on the to-do list, is a great mental trick to make sure that training happens. Some may call it "eating the frog", or "putting first things first". By training first thing, there's less risk of interruption, of an infant requiring attention, … Continue reading Training on an empty stomach;
High school biology class was not particularly interesting. The topics covered, while not interesting to the average tenth grader, are extremely pertinent to endurance athletes. Endurance sport, for the individual, comes down to the capacity of the body to convert the molecules in food into specific forms of movement. Knowing a bit of physiology and … Continue reading Metabolism for Endurance Athletes, Part 1
Right off the bat, nothing here is medical advice. You should always consult with your doctor before beginning an exercise routine. Delayed onset muscle soreness is a topic requires that warning, because it's a symptom many experience when they first start exercising, especially after a period away. Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is pain and … Continue reading Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, and what can be done about it;
Bikes have become money pits in 2024. The equivalent bicycle to what I ride (A Felt AR with Ultegra Di2) is $9,000 new, and the cheapest option in that line is $3,500. Now, you do get quite a bit for that money; electric shifting, thru-axles, carbon fiber everything, electric shifting and hydraulic disc brakes. But, … Continue reading Aerodynamic Efficiency and understanding the goal;
There's a familiar pattern recommended for most workouts. Start with a period of light activity, as a warm up. Then proceed with your workout. Finally, bring the intensity down in a gradual manner, the cool down. Proponents of this method tout the last stage as facilitating recovery, promoting clearing of metabolites from the muscles and … Continue reading Do cool downs matter?
Endurance activities like running, cycling and swimming are often cited as beneficial to fitness and health. Exercise is good for the brain, regular exercise improves performance on a variety of physical fitness skills, protects against aging and balance, and has become a general prescription for most of the population. I would not dispute any of … Continue reading Don’t take your health for granted, talk to your doctor;
The 2019 Giro Del Cielo was held July 6-7 this year. The series features three stages, a time trail, a crit and road race. The time and trial and crit were scheduled for Saturday, with the road race on Sunday. The events are scored individually, with points award in a general classification for the overall … Continue reading Race Recap; 2019 Giro Del Cielo
Someone requested my answer to the above question on Quora. My response can be found here, and copied below. Disc brake systems offer two main advantages on a road bike. First, and often overlooked, is that the rim can be manufactured without concern for a braking surface. This enables the rim manufacturer to use different … Continue reading Quora Question: What is the advantage of disc brakes on road bikes?
Last night I raced a weekly training series race at Sussex County Fairgrounds, put on by Skylands Cycling Club. The criterium race series is held most Tuesdays at 6pm throughout the spring and early summer, and is divided into an A (1/2/3) and B (4/5) race. It's mellow and a great opportunity to practice strategies … Continue reading May 21, 2019 Augusta Training Series Race Report;
Three weeks ago I started to dramatically change my diet in favor of a paleo-ish diet loosely based on the Wahl's Protocol (you can see a full breakdown of my plan from last month here). I have always felt that my diet was a detractor from my performance generally, and want to consume a plant-based … Continue reading Wahl Diet Update;
