Training Tips

Life as we know it has derailed without a foreseeable ending to our self-quarantine status. Watching the new produces a roller coaster of emotions while we battle an enemy we cannot see. Events have been canceled, everything has been put on hold and you've got to find ways to exercise your body and mind in order to stay sane these days. 

With the increased training, cold weather training conditions, and all the viruses that are floating around, the body is often put into a suppressed immune state. The same formula occurs in season, with big racing blocks, added life stress and travel...point being, we are human and we will get sick. 

Poor advice or over enthusiastic training can either send the athlete back into a relapse of illness or prolong the period it takes to resume full regular training again.

Using a power meter is the preferred training device most professional cyclists and triathletes these days. Other devices such as a heart rate monitor and cyclometer can be used but this guide will focus on the usage of power meters to accurately track performance. Why train with Power?

If you want to get stronger and improve your performance, then you should make sure your rides (or workouts) are high quality vs. just adding up a lot of "empty training miles" or "junk miles." 

The winter and the holiday seasons are coming closer. Most of our ALP athletes enjoyed their off season break sometime back in October or November and by not it is time to be back training for next season.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

"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. 

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?

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 […]

“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 […]

“It’s important to plan structured, targeted and regular training followed by rest days and rest periods.” by Patricia Schwager, ALP Cycles Coaching We all know that to become better at something we need to practice. Consistent training is key, in order to make progress in your training. If you like to become better at riding […]

Things you do during the off season have a big influence on your next race season. by Patricia Schwager, ALP Cycles Coaching Off season is here and that means time off, time for vacation, or time for activities that you can’t really do during race season. Unless you are racing CX races-then your situation is […]

If you accept the pain and use practiced tools to mitigate it, you can set yourself up for success. by Jennifer Sharp, ALP Cycles Coaching Last month, Alison and I attended the TrainingPeaks Endurance Coaching Summit held at Colorado University in Boulder. The Summit brought together over 150 coaches, physiologists, businesses and thought leaders based in […]

Pain is complex because it is a subjective experience. by Jennifer Sharp, ALP Cycles Coaching Last month, Alison and I attended the TrainingPeaks Endurance Coaching Summit held at Colorado University in Boulder. The Summit brought together over 150 coaches, physiologists, businesses and thought leaders based in the field of endurance sports. During the break out sessions, […]