Rest days when training but are often skipped, or put off until you feel physically fatigued.. It’s hard to slow down when you’re feeling good, but they are one of the most important parts of a training plan. Below are some of the reasons rest days are so important. Muscle recovery: Physical activity, especially strength…
Preparing for your first century ride, which is a 100-mile bike ride or 100 km for a metric century, requires a structured training plan to build endurance and improve performance. Here is a general outline of a training program for riding a century. How long it takes you to prepare will depend on your fitness…
Most people know that as an endurance coach, I support athletes who are preparing for events such as long-distance cycling and other endurance sports like hiking and kayaking. Here are some of the other things I do as an endurance coach: As an endurance coach, I work with athletes of all levels, from beginners to…
I previously posted about the benefits of high cadence pedalling, today is about the benefits of low cadence pedalling. Both have a place in a training program. Here are 4 benefits of low cadence pedalling: Increased muscle activation: Lower cadence pedaling recruits more muscle fibers, including slow-twitch muscle fibers that are important for longer endurance…
I thought I’d do a quick post on why high cadence pedalling was beneficial to all cyclists, not just roadies. High cadence pedalling refers to cycling at a high number of revolutions per minute (RPM) and is considered important in training because it can improve several aspects of a cyclist’s performance. Here are 4 benefits:…
Illness or injury will keep most of from participating in our favourite sport at some point. It was after an injury that I rediscovered road riding. I’m glad I did since I never would’ve decided to take part in the Tour of the Moon in Grand Junction, Colorado otherwise. The Tour of the Moon is…
Low-carb/high-fat diets like the keto diet are a popular dietary approach for weight loss and health improvement. This interest has leaked over into the elite athlete community. Especially since some early studies have renewed intrigue around potential benefits of very low-carb, high-fat diets (PMID: 31713719). Endurance exercise is prolonged activity sustained at a moderate-to-vigorous intensity….
Cortisol is known as the stress hormone since it’s released when the body is under stress. It can be a sign of overtraining or be caused by outside factors like a busy or stressful time at work, family pressures or emotional stress. It’s a balancing act, your body has a finite amount of energy and…
Mahatta River isn’t on most people’s radars, let alone on anyone’s list of top places to see. It’s nothing more than a logging camp 55 km from Port Alice, BC. When the locals heard that Robynne and I were going to ride our bikes out there, they thought we were nuts! Their reactions made us…
There are 3 types of muscle fiber, all of which are important in a training program. Type I are commonly known as slow-twitch fibers. These are the fibers that are good for endurance since they take a long time to fatigue. They also produce the least amount of force. The lower body is predominately made…