June 05, 2017
The last lap took everything she had. She crossed the finish line euphoric and then slumped over her bike, weaving to a stop and bent over, exhausted from the effort.
We all have a pain cave. The question is - how deep do you dig when you approach it? How willing are you to push beyond your perceived physical and mental limitations? And what is it you fear most that you tend to avoid because it shines a light on an area you need to address?
Read More
May 03, 2017
Shhhhhh…. Don’t tell anyone new to the sport but cycling is based on suffering. A lot of suffering. You have to push your body to the extreme to overcome gravity, inertia, strong winds, and at time physical ailments just in order to cross the finish line. It can be painful, gut wrenching, exhilarating and 100% satisfying.
Read More
April 07, 2017
Lately, a lot of people are dealing with nasty seasonal viruses/flu that are going around. Athletes are a primary target because after intense training, our immune system are compromised and they can’t protect us, causing an "open window effect". That “open window effect” has a duration of about 3 to 72 hours. This is why it is very important to get enough and proper recovery especially after a hard ride, workout or race!
Read More
February 27, 2017
While working at the team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank Pro Women's Cycling camp this spring, I had the chance to go to the FASTER AZ wind tunnel in Scottsdale Arizona. I spent a whole day at the wind tunnel with 3 of the TIBCO riders. I never had the chance to test my bike position/ equipment in a wind tunnel during my own racing career.
Read More
February 15, 2017
2 Comments
Getting together with your team and taking the time to ride is one of the most beautiful parts of our sport. The lifelong friendships, shared laughs, and connections made on the bike are among my favorite experiences. Period.
Read More
February 10, 2017
Deliberate practice. You can apply it to anything you're trying to learn: musical instruments, racing cars, martial arts, any newly acquired skill and of course, bike racing. But practice is more than just riding a bike - deliberate practice is a method of acquiring and learning a skill. It's breaking down movements with rigorous skill assessment, doing that movement repetitively, getting specific information feedback and working on better skill performance.
Read More
January 23, 2017
As the road racing season approaches (and has started for the lucky ones that got to race in Australia - me!) it’s important to remember the importance of teamwork.
Read More
December 30, 2016
1 Comment
You’ve probably heard all the rage about making your own food on the bike. A lot of companies in the market are coming up with more organic and natural recipes for their bars and gels, but they can be expensive. Plus it’s not as much fun to buy them when you can make them inexpensively right in your own kitchen.
Read More
December 14, 2016
Unless you live in the tropics or some warm southern state like Arizona or Florida, chances are you’ve succumbed to the trainer this winter. While the trainer is better than not getting on the bike at all, you may experience differences in power output. I asked a bunch of coaches, from my fellow ALP Cycles coaches as well as my network of colleagues to see what their experience is with indoor verses outdoor power, and it turns out they all agree that for some athletes, there is a difference. But just how much of a difference is unpredictable at best.
Read More
December 05, 2016
Last weekend, in Colorado Springs, was the USA Cycling Coaches Summit. Every two years coaches from around the country come to USA Cycling to increase their coaching knowledge and knowhow.
Read More
November 22, 2016
This blog is about my experience at the UCI DS training program. I spent the last 3 weeks in Switzerland. The main reason for the trip to my home country was because I attended the 8 days DS training program. The class took place in Aigle, at the World Cycling Center (HQ of the UCI). Every autumn, the UCI is offering a class and exam to receive the UCI DS certification. Right now, the UCI DS certification is mandatory for all Sport Directors working for WorldTour teams and Pro Continental teams. As we got told, this rule will soon also apply for Sport Directors that are working for UCI women's teams. I was lucky enough to receive one of the few scholarships for this 8 day class. Thank you to the UCI for offering such scholarships and thank you to Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank for the help to get me a scholarship. Fun fact about the DS training program: it was almost like a reunion! I knew lots of the people in my class, people that I have met somewhere during my long pro racing career.
Read More
November 07, 2016
"How many of you have overtrained?" asked Dr. San Millan to a room full of 25 coaches and athletes.
Every single person raised their hand.
Everyone, at some point in their athletic lives, will overtrain. In the summer time it's easy to throw in extra mileage even though you've done 15 hours of riding that week and it's only Friday - what's the harm? And while it's ok to pile on the extra miles every once in a while, making a habit of it means you'll eventually find out why rest days are super important. And that lesson could cost you a week, a month, a season or a full year.
Read More
October 18, 2016
We’ve become obsessed with data and athletic performance: watts/kilo, time spent in specific zones, nutrition, strength training and conditioning - yet very little emphasis is placed on the importance of sleep as a means to optimize athletic performance. You work hard at hitting your numbers during interval workouts, gaining strength at the gym, logging your every move - but are you sabotaging your efforts by not getting enough sleep?
Read More
September 22, 2016
As a coach, I'm always looking for ways to improve my coaching game. I read anything sport psychology I can get my hands on, study race tactics, share information with other coaches and I also get to apply self-coaching to see if what I'm sharing actually works. I'm also blessed to be married to a coach and we frequently bounce ideas off of one another. When I found myself floundering in the national level crits this season, struggling with how to surf the front of the field verses tail gunning the back, Benjamin had some suggestions.
Read More
September 20, 2016
Fall is right around the corner. The road racing and MTB season is coming to an end, many of my athletes have already completed their last race for 2016 or then they maybe have 1 or 2 races left. The question is now what? Taking an off season break already is a bit early- even though your mind is probably tired and the motivation not as big anymore.
Read More
July 08, 2016
Two words: Ice Socks. by Jennifer Sharp, ALP Cycles Coaching It’s summer in the Northern Hemisphere and temperatures are hotting up. While each person responds differently to heat (some drive, others wilt) there are a few things you can do to beat the heat and ensure you have a good performance. When should I ride? […]
Read More
June 06, 2016
Preparing for race day is more than training and recovery. by Alison Powers, ALP Cycles Coaching The art of being prepared comes down to one simple thing – no surprises on race day. Preparing for race day is more than training and recovery. Success on race day requires precise preparation. This means the things you […]
Read More
May 31, 2016
…cluttering that routine with unnecessary rules is a good way to keep chaotic dialogue going in your head. by Jennifer Sharp, ALP Cycles Coaching This past April and May, I had the pleasure of racing the Cherry Creek Time trial series with ALP Cycles Coaching Athlete, Kimberly Hodes. Kimberly (who is very goal driven – […]
Read More
May 23, 2016
What to do when riding isn’t an option. by Alison Powers, ALP Cycles Coaching Good fitness requires consistency. Good bike riding fitness requires consistent bike riding. However, for some of us, it can be tough to find time to fit in 3 bike rides a week. And for others, due to travel, work, family, and […]
Read More
April 26, 2016
“Chicago Women’s Elite Cycling Team Warming up for the Time Trail at Joe Martin Stage Race.” by Jennifer Sharp, ALP Cycles Coaching 3% You spend money on equipment, coaching, nutritional advice, etc. yet are you getting the most out of your racing? If you knew that you could improve your cycling by 3% and increase […]
Read More
April 19, 2016
“Cooking at home and eating healthy is one way you can improve and meet your overall health, fitness and training goals.” by Patricia Dowd, ALP Cycles Coaching-Tuscon Training Camp Chef What’s for dinner? I recently learned this question is dreaded by many people who find cooking a chore, intimidating and something they would rather not […]
Read More
April 08, 2016
“If all else fails, try taking melatonin 30 min before bedtime.” by ALP Cycles Coaching A lot of us use exercise to improve our sleep. However, for many of us, after a hard training ride, it can be tough to get a good night sleep. Here are some tips to help ensure a better night […]
Read More
March 27, 2016
“Race season is here!” by Jennifer Sharp, ALP Cycles Coaching As winter becomes a distant memory and spring arrives with a bang – you can look back and reflect on the dozens of intervals, hours of gym workouts, and mental preparation you’ve devoted to the dark winter months. Race season is here! Whether you’ve been […]
Read More
March 21, 2016
“We rode to the Louisville Criterium course, a moderate course with 1 tough corner and an uphill finishing stretch that is usually windy.” by ALP Cycles Coaching We think the most important thing a coach can do for her/his athletes, is to ride with them. So much knowledge and information can be gained from seeing […]
Read More
Pactimo is a Colorado company known for quality, reliability and unsurpassed customer service. Since 2003, we’ve shipped over 1.5 million garments to Olympians, national champions, teams, clubs and individual cyclists around the globe. We hope you feel the inspiration of Colorado and our passion for cycling in everything we do.
