Welcome to the world of the Pain Cave! Whether you're preparing for a grueling race or just trying to stay fit during the off-season, setting up the perfect indoor cycling workout space is key to maintaining your training regimen. A well-organized and comfortable "pain cave" can make all the difference in staying motivated and logging … Continue reading Setting up your indoor training space
Tag: Training
Maximizing Cycling Endurance: Pro-Level Nutrition Tips for Amateur Riders
When it comes to world-class endurance cycling, nutrition has become as critical as training. The 2024 Tour de France showcased just how far the sport has evolved, particularly in the realm of fueling strategies. Cyclists like Tadej Pogačar are managing sustained efforts indicating Functional Threshold Power approaching 7 w/kg. Chris Froome rode away from the … Continue reading Maximizing Cycling Endurance: Pro-Level Nutrition Tips for Amateur Riders
Metabolism for Endurance Athletes, Part 2
A week or two ago, I published Metabolism for Endurance Athletes, Part 1, which I recommend you read if you haven't. Biology was not something of interest to many of us in high school, but knowledge of human metabolism is very helpful in planning and executing endurance training. Last time, the main topic was an … Continue reading Metabolism for Endurance Athletes, Part 2
Do cool downs matter?
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?
Sweet Spot with VO2; “Kickers”
It's early in the season yet, but I'm making plans for workouts on commutes. One of the best ways to build fitness without building excessive fatigue is through Sweet Spot Intervals. Here's the sweet spot (the gold star), measured by training intensity and volume: Training volume and intensity lead to positive changes in fitness and … Continue reading Sweet Spot with VO2; “Kickers”
Rest Days and Goal Setting;
Back in October, I was training hard for a running race in November and I really started to appreciate rest days. I wrote a short blog post then on appreciating rest. For what it's worth, I always subscribed to a "train hard, race hard" mentality, but struggled with burnout and injuries. In August of 2018, … Continue reading Rest Days and Goal Setting;
Developing Resolutions for Endurance Athletes;
This is the second is a series of posts on New Year's resolutions. The first post covered willpower, and how people have a tendency to overestimate their ability to change. To summarize that post, your future self has a limited amount of willpower to achieve your goals, and probably less than you expect. If you … Continue reading Developing Resolutions for Endurance Athletes;
Willpower for the New Year;
The holidays bring lots of wonderful things, time with loved ones, maybe a few days off or even some new equipment! But those benefits are counterbalanced with potholes on the road to a successful season; there's heavy meal after heavy meal, desserts lining every coffee table, and the weather turns sour and the days get … Continue reading Willpower for the New Year;
Tapering tutorial;
It's a scary thing to look at the calendar and realize that a race for which you've been preparing is just a week away. That final week of real training is typically not easy; you're peaking and putting down performances that are a little startling. And with that difficult training comes a focus on just … Continue reading Tapering tutorial;
Half Marathon Training; Southern Fried 13.1
The half marathon is a great distance for the recreational runner. The race takes about 2 hours, and doing any sort of exercise for two full hours without a break is an achievement for most people. The race has the added benefit of being a distance which one can train remarkably well while working; training … Continue reading Half Marathon Training; Southern Fried 13.1
