Stop light sprints

Photo by Mikael Colville-Andersen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling_advocacy#/media/File:Bikecultureincopenhagen.jpg
Cyclists queued at a stop light. Photo by Mikael Colville-Andersen

Thanks to a little something I call stop light sprints, those damned self-entitled cyclists are helping me get faster. If you find yourself working a lot, you start to get creative with your training. I don’t drive to work – ever – therefore I always have an opportunity to take my leisurely 5 mile commute and turn it into something less leisurely.

First off – let’s talk about the gorilla I just invited into the room with the title. Stop signs. Stop lights. Those things where we all know that outside of Idaho and a few places in Colorado we are all supposed to stop. And the place where many of us don’t stop. Stopping and training. Aren’t those terms mutually exclusive? Keep reading →

Tapering for the big event

No... Not 'tapir' - taper.
No… Not ‘tapir’ – taper.

It is a frequent mistake of many cyclists – overtraining. No where is this more true then the weeks leading up to a big event. I’m right there, right now. In two weeks from today I will have just finished the Seattle to Portland ride. That means this is prime time for me to think about tapering, and how that impacts my training schedule.

This year my training schedule had a bit of tapering forced upon it by a mechanical failure on a training ride. With my primary road bike in the shop a lot of my recent training rides were skipped, or switched completely different style of bike. But for most, the tapering process should be a lot more deliberate and planned. And no…. riding less is not going to undo all the hard work you have put in in the saddle. Keep reading →

This mountain bike is going to make me faster.

This mountain bike is going to make me faster.

It was one of those “Well duh!” sort of moments. The times when you suddenly realize something that, in retrospect, should have been obvious all along. And once I did I knew that riding my mountain bike on the streets was going to make me ride better on every bike. Keep reading →

Everyone needs to do a solo century

bridge
Crossing the I-80 / Carquinez bridge.

The Century is often the benchmark for amateur and recreational cyclists. Often taking the form of fund-raising charity rides or hosted club-run rides, they often feature food, music and expo-like activities at the end. These full day events are, as they say, all about the bike. You are surrounded by fellow cyclists (or sympathetic family supporters of fellow cyclists) and the camaraderie is palpable.

However, there is a ton of benefit – both training and mental – in doing longer rides such as this on your own. For me personally riding with other cyclists definitely improves my performance. I find myself pushing myself just a tiny bit more when the guy in front of me starts to gap me, or when fellow riders are on my wheel. I have the opportunity to slip onto someone else’s wheel for a bit of respite while still maintaining pace.

When you’re out on the road on your own, however, those options don’t exist. It is you, your bike, and the thoughts in your head. Keep reading →

Exploring new areas

Photo via VirtualErn

I hadn’t really realized how much I had become used to riding on the same ol’ roads and paths around my family’s home in Sacramento.  I had several routes I already knew of, and was familiar enough with them to match them to whatever my particular goal was for the ride.  If I wanted to grind hills, I knew where to go.  Looking for a flat TT type ride?  That would be repeats on Captain’s Table road.  Long endurance ride?  Ride through Old Sacramento to the American River Bike Trail and just keep going.

However, now that I’ve got my self a new hometown (well, part time hometown at least) in San Mateo I’m kinda at a loss for where to ride.

Keep reading →

Rode a trainer – that’s something, right?

To a cyclist there is possibly nothing worse than an injury in spring.  The sun is shining, and folks are out en masse riding around.  Every corner seems to echo with the sounds of folks clicking in – the whir of chains on cogs.

At least, that is how it seems when you are stuck waiting for a silly collarbone to heal.

But yesterday I did take my first tentative steps by mounting my bike on the trainer and spinning for a little less than an hour.  The tenderness at the broken bone as I supported my weight on the bars for the first time indicated that the bumps and vibrations of the road are at least a week or so out for me still.

Nonetheless, this may be one of the first times that my indoor trainer was a welcome device – instead of a necessity to grumble through.

Winter cycling in Sacramento

It was about 8:30am on Dec 12.  It was a chilly winter’s day.  The skies were overcast, the ground was slightly damp, and the temperature was…

…57 degrees.

OK.  For most of the country Dec 12 is supposed to be a chilly winter’s day.  Folks think about storing the bike for the winter, or long workouts on a trainer until spring comes around to thaw out the ground and let us all outside.  But I ride in Sacramento.  And to be honest, I can’t really find a good reason to ride any differently in the winter than the summer.

I was out in my normal kit – just jersey and bibs.  No base layer, no arm warmers, no leg warmers.  And I wasn’t cold at all.  My only real concern was the wet mass of leaves that formed into slippery piles in my paths.  I also wasn’t some “nut job” out in inclement weather.  Lots of folks are realizing the possibilities of winter riding.  57 degrees is early morning summer temperatures in some parts.  Even if you are the type that favors warmer weather, a simple jacket, or long sleeve jersey, will probably make you comfortable.

And don’t forget – pro cycling goes on too.  Teams are out at training camps, getting to know new team members after transfers.  And the race calendar kicks off with the Tour Down Under on Jan 16.

If you really must have an off season, take off the week of Christmas and New Year’s Day.  Otherwise, keep on riding!

Made it through my first TT

Time trials.  The race against the clock.  The race of truth.  The race of pain…

Time trials are probably the purest test of physical abilities in the cycling world, with no small measure of psychological toughness required as well..  There is always some amount of strategy in every human competition, but here the strategy is simply about how to meter out your power in such a way that you don’t blow up somewhere in the middle.  There is no drafting, no jockeying for position, no antics.  Just rider, bike and the course in front of them.

Keep reading →

Uh-oh – is that winter approaching?

September.  The daylight starts to go away a little earlier and arrive a little later.  Students are heading back into the classrooms.  For some, it is time to break out the toe clips and start the cyclocross season.  But unfortunately for many of us, it just means less hours of daylight and a higher chance of rain or snow ruining our outdoor riding experiences.

Keep reading →

Great ride – and a great Mountian View fitness studio

Today I had the opportunity to ride with Al and Kristen from Integrate Performance Fitness.

Al Painter is Mr. Integrate Performance Fitness.  When he is not spending time making folks enjoy his special brand of fitness building pain, he is also spreading his fitness wisdom at the VeloReviews podcast and cycling social media website.  In fact, the VeloReviews podcast is where I first heard of Integrate and Al Painter.

Keep reading →