Alison's Powers - Featured Cycling Training Tips Blogger - Pactimo

6th Annual ALP Cycles Climbing Challenge

by Alison Powers

2020 has started in a very unique way. Because of that, we have decided to follow suit and do something unique as well. We are moving our annual Climbing Challenge from October to May.

tag(s) Events & Races Motivation

SBT GRVL: Final Preparations & Race Recap

by Alison Powers

Since I didn’t post about Friday or Saturday, I’ll start there. Friday was a day off the bike. I packed, I worked, and I got ready to leave early Saturday morning. I do remember rolling and stretching in the evening.

tag(s) Events & Races Gravel Racing Tips SBT GRVL

SBT GRVL: 3 Days Until the Race

by Alison Powers

Triple national champion Alison Powers prepares for the premier Colorado event SBT GRVL, a 141-mile race with 100 miles on dirt/gravel roads.

tag(s) Events & Races Gravel Racing Tips SBT GRVL

SBT GRVL: MTB Drills with 4 Days to Go

by Alison Powers

Triple national champion Alison Powers prepares for the premier Colorado event SBT GRVL, a 141-mile race with 100 miles on dirt/gravel roads.

tag(s) Events & Races Gravel Racing Tips SBT GRVL

SBT GRVL: Dialing in the Final Details

by Alison Powers

Triple national champion Alison Powers prepares for the premier Colorado event SBT GRVL, a 141-mile race with 100 miles on dirt/gravel roads.This close to a big event, it isn’t really about the bike or the training anymore.

tag(s) Events & Races Gravel Motivation SBT GRVL

SBT GRVL: To Rest is to Recover

by Alison Powers

Triple national champion Alison Powers prepares for the premier Colorado event SBT GRVL, a 141-mile race with 100 miles on dirt/gravel roads.

tag(s) Events & Races Motivation Racing Tips SBT GRVL

SBT GRVL: A Week to Go

by Alison Powers

Triple national champion Alison Powers prepares for the premier Colorado event SBT GRVL, a 141-mile race with 100 miles on dirt/gravel roads.

tag(s) Events & Races Gravel Motivation Racing Tips SBT GRVL

SBT GRVL: Training Ride with the MTB Team

by Alison Powers

Triple national champion Alison Powers prepares for the premier Colorado event SBT GRVL, a 141-mile race with 100 miles on dirt/gravel roads.

tag(s) Events & Races Gravel MTB Racing Tips SBT GRVL

SBT GRVL: 8th Rest Day in 3 Weeks of Training

by Alison Powers

Since I have started this SBT GRVL blog, I have had 7 recovery days. Today is my 8th. I want this to sink in— in the past almost 3 weeks, I have had 8 days off.

tag(s) Events & Races Gravel Racing Tips Recovery SBT GRVL

SBT GRVL: Training with 40/20's

by Alison Powers

Today was an early morning so I could get to Boulder to meet and ride with one of my ALP Cycles Coaching athletes. He is a very strong rider and would be on a TT bike, so I needed to bring my ‘A’ game (that’s part of the reason I didn’t go longer yesterday).

tag(s) Events & Races SBT GRVL Training Tips

SBT GRVL: Getting Everything Dialed

by Alison Powers

Today was my last big/hard training ride before SBTGRVL. The last day to get everything dialed in. I tried a different approach with my dynamic warm-up and activation this morning. Since I did core yesterday, I felt pretty “activated”, but tight.

tag(s) Events & Races Inspiration Motivation SBT GRVL

SBT GRVL: The Dreaded 5x5's

by Alison Powers

Triple national champion Alison Powers prepares for the premier Colorado event SBT GRVL, a 141-mile race with 100 miles on dirt/gravel roads.

tag(s) Events & Races SBT GRVL Training Tips

SBT GRVL: A Rest day is a Rest Day!

by Alison Powers

There are days when a rest day and a day off are completely different things. Yesterday was a good example of just because you have the day off the bike (or away from training) doesn’t mean you had a rest day.

tag(s) Events & Races Recovery SBT GRVL

SBT GRVL: A Day for Hill Attacks

by Alison Powers

Yesterday, I blogged about how much sitting I do. Today felt like the exact opposite. The day started with coaching a 2 hour private mountain bike skills lesson. I very much enjoy this type of hands-on coaching and she was a strong rider so we got some solid pedal time.

tag(s) Events & Races SBT GRVL Training Tips

SBT GRVL: Are the Legs Ready?

by Alison Powers

I woke up in the middle of the night worried about what I was going to do for hot water (coffee) and bathroom while in Steamboat for the race. I plan to #vanlife it for the race- a quick in and out trip with one night spent in Steamboat. But that one night is important and that one morning (race morning) is most important.

tag(s) Events & Races SBT GRVL Training Tips

SBT GRVL: Rest then Go Big

by Alison Powers

The best 3 days on a road bike every year. This year, I was a bit selfish and scheduled the Tour exactly 3 weeks out from Steamboat. Three weeks out from an event is a perfect time to do a big training block.

tag(s) Events & Races SBT GRVL Training Tips

SBT GRVL: A Day of Pedaling

by Alison Powers

Triple national champion Alison Powers prepares for the premier Colorado event SBT GRVL, a 141-mile race with 100 miles on dirt/gravel roads.

tag(s) Events & Races SBT GRVL Training Tips

SBT GRVL: Aspen to Carbondale

by Alison Powers

Day 2 of our annual tour of Colorado went from Aspen to Carbondale by way of Maroon Bells and Ashcroft; two amazingly beautiful climbs. I was support and van driver today (coaches Paddy, Brie, and I take turns driving the van and riding). Because we had 2 out and back climbs, I was able to squeeze in a little riding between van stops. I was tired today but felt surprisingly better than I thought I would after yesterday.

tag(s) Events & Races SBT GRVL Training Tips

SBT GRVL: Active Recovery

by Alison Powers

Laying in bed with aching legs and low back does not make for good sleeping and sleep is the #1 most important tool for recovery.

tag(s) Events & Races Recovery SBT GRVL

SBT GRVL: Ride at Other People's Pace

by Alison Powers

I have a small group of friends who are also “in training”. Among other races, both are racing SBTGRVL. Every couple of weeks we get together and ride. I very much like these rides as they let me pick the route (usually very hard), and they are mostly ok with my “no phaffing” philosophy (No B.S.- let’s ride and then get home to work and take care of dogs).

tag(s) Events & Races SBT GRVL Training Tips

SBT GRVL: Mental & Physical Rest Day

by Alison Powers

After 5 days of riding, I was ready for a break (more mentally than physically). I mentioned in Day 1's blog that I have no plans to pre-ride the Steamboat course. So, today I took the time to get to know the course.

tag(s) Events & Races Recovery SBT GRVL Training Tips

SBT GRVL: Training On The Flats

by Alison Powers

Today's ride goal was 2 intervals to the Portal (the flattest road around here). The goal was steady/hardish riding. I wanted the second interval to be just as fast as or faster than the first interval. Each interval was ~28min and the second was far more uncomfortable than the first (a sign that this was good training for my body).

tag(s) Events & Races SBT GRVL Training Tips

SBT GRVL: A happy bike racer is a fast bike racer

by Alison Powers

While playing and having fun on bikes isn't necessarily the best for headspace and staying happy; which in my mind is more important than forcing a "training" ride or intervals. A happy bike racer is a fast bike racer.

tag(s) Events & Races SBT GRVL Training Tips

SBT GRVL: Some MTB Training

by Alison Powers

A last-minute MTB skills clinic cancellation (I coach/teach a small group, private, big group skills clinics) meant I had a surprise free day. I was still jonesing to ride my MTB and after a rest day yesterday, I was feeling good and motivated to ride.

tag(s) Events & Races MTB SBT GRVL Training Tips

SBT GRVL: 4 Weeks to Go!

by Alison Powers

I used to be a full-time professional athlete. So, in my opinion, my training thus far has been just "ok". To some, it would be quite good, but because I know what it's like to train 100% for an event, I know I have not done what should be done (I have yet to get a ride longer than 4.5 hours and have no plans to pre-ride the course).

tag(s) Events & Races Motivation SBT GRVL

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