Going through the process of writing a race report, whether you share it with others or just do it for yourself, is a great way to learn from your experiences. It is a simple process. You start with your preparation and then go through the event itself, being sure to include your...
Tips for tapering
Tapering is when you decrease your weekly volume to allow your body a chance to fully recover for an A race or key event. Overall, the reduction in training will result in some fitness loss but this loss is made up by the fact that you will now be 100% mentally and physically recovered. Some people take longer to recover than others...
Maximize your training in AND out of the saddle.
One of the ways you become a better cyclist is through muscular adaptation. In very basic terms, this is what happens: The stress of training causes micro tears in your muscles. Your body then repairs the damage, which results in an inflammatory response (the swelling and tenderness you feel after a...
Sprint intervals and traffic don’t mix.
Vancouver has embraced the large number of bikes on the roads by providing bike lanes and specific bike routes that are great routes when traveling to and from your workout but definitely not the place to lay the hammer down. So how do you deal with training when you live in...
Four ways to train for a Fondo and how to get the most out of your training
If you have signed up for a fondo this year, you will want to follow a training program. The purpose of having a program is to ensure that your training progresses slowly but consistently enough to allow your body time to adapt to the training stress and grow stronger with...
Improving on your goals from last season
Many riders think of their finish time as the only goal. This often leads to disappointment as there are so many elements beyond our control which alter our finishing time without giving a clear picture on whether or not we have improved. Last year, I asked my riders to include specific detailed goals for every event. If you did this, go back to those...
Marathon #30 in Philly
That’s medal number 30! Thank you for all the good luck wishes for my 30th marathon! I don’t usually write a race report for (just?) a marathon, but since it was my 30th and a destination race, I thought I’d shared a little about my day…. The weather had...
It is better to start a Fondo undertrained instead of overtrained
If you haven’t heard this saying before and you have a race coming up within the next two or three weeks, I want you tape this sentence on your bike and read it before every ride. Most people are procrastinators. Whether you are studying for an exam or training for...
Bike Nutrition
Some of you are moving away from being casual riders to cyclists training for an event. One of the most important things you will need to learn, practise and eventually master is the art of eating during long rides and during your event. I’m not talking about eating while pedalling,...