TULSA TOUGH

It's great to be in Tulsa Oklahoma and to have the opportunity to be part of this event. LEGENDS will have a tent and we'll be competing in the race. If you haven't been part of this amazing event, you've missed one of the nations top cycling events.  Be sure to download the 2013 Tulsa Tough Tour Tracker App, it's your guide to all of the events, and go to www.tulsatough.com for more details.  See you June 7, 8, and 9 in downtown Tulsa.

TULSA TOUGH - History/Wikipedia

Saint Francis Tulsa Tough Ride and Race is a three-day cycling festival in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It features non-competitive riding through scenic areas around the Tulsa Metropolitan Area and professional level races. It is held each year on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the second weekend in June.

Saint Francis Tulsa Tough attracts professional and amateur racers from across the country racing criterium style races on three different venues in the streets of Downtown Tulsa and along the Arkansas River. Prize money rivals the largest purses in the nation. The quality of the venues and the top level race operation already has professional teams making Tulsa an important stop on their annual racing schedules.

In 2008, Tulsa Tough's women's pro races were selected by USA Cycling to be on the prestigious National Racing Calendar. Based on voting by racers, race officials, and announcers, Tulsa Tough was ranked in the top 10 out of 30 NRC races in only its third year. With this proven success, the men's and women's races were again on the National Racing Calendar for 2009 and after the event were ranked in the top four among all NRC events. Top professional cycling teams plan their domestic racing schedules around NRC events, assuring a high level of national attention on the hosting events.

Saint Francis Tulsa Tough offers two days of tour rides with 50 km, 100 km, 200KM, and 100 mi options each day covering nearly 400 miles of Northeast Oklahoma hills and scenery. All routes feature aid stations  and rolling support for riders of all sizes and abilities. The tour rides are expected to grow to well over 5,000 riders as cycling enthusiasts discover the challenging, epic riding available in Oklahoma's Green Country.
Saint Francis Tulsa Tough has received national attention from major cycling publications and continues to be a topic on cycling forums and in the media.

Saint Francis Tulsa Tough is jointly promoted by the Tulsa Sports Commission and Tulsa Wheelmen and is supported by corporate sponsorship. Guidance for the event comes from an executive committee made up of several Tulsa area cyclists and business people.

Thanks Wikipedia. Read more at:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulsa_Tough

CYCLING IN INCREMENT WEATHER

Don’t’ let the rain keep you indoors. The right equipment, proper clothing and these few tips will keep your wheels spinning in good weather and in bad.  

WET WEATHER CYCLING

• LIGHTS:  Use a front headlight and a flashing red taillight.
• AVOID PUDDLES:  Puddles can hide potholes and other roadside debris.
• AVOID FOG LINES:  Painted features can be slippery when wet.
• AVOID WET LEAVES:  Wet leaves can cause you to lose control.
• BRAKE EARLY:  Stopping distance while riding (unless you have disc brakes) will be increased. Lightly pulse the brakes to remove water from the rims – avoid breaking hard. Never brake or corner in the center of the roadway at intersections - these are some of the oiliest sections of the road.
• TIRE PRESSURE Check your tire pressure. Proper air pressure is related to the rider, bike weight, road conditions, cycling trails and weather in your area. A cycling coach or cycling vendor/sales representative can help you determine the right tire pressure.
• TAKE YOUR TIME:  Slowing down lets you detect and react to hazard roadways.
• STAY ALERT:  Driver’s see what you see and in increment weather you are equally challenged. Bright clothing and lights aren't always visible in heavy rain and nighttime fog. Be guarded – don’t take chances, be watchful – when things look really bad they are really bad, take cover, be extra cautious 

WET WEATHER GEAR.  

The wetter you get the colder you are going to be. Being cold and wet is a quick way to get sick. Keep your core warm – enjoy the ride regardless of the weather.

• FENDERS:  Protect yourself, your equipment and other cyclist. Reduce road spray kicked up by your bike, while protecting your feet and lower legs. Today’s fenders are an upgrade from earlier fenders. They are versatile, easy to put on, easily removed, and a must have in increment weather.
• WATERPROOF CLOTHING: A waterproof cycling jacket is a must. Pit zips, ventilation, proper cuffs and more are important in choosing the proper jacket.  Waterproof pants are also a must, along with proper socks, booties and shoe covers, waterproof gloves, hand and foot warmers, and a helmet cover - all basic bad weather necessities.  
• REFLECTIVE PRODUCTS AND WEAR:  Yes, it might not be the most appealing for some but it can be a life saver in cloudy, foggy, rainy or snowy weather. Today’s reflective products are easily affixed and just as easily removed. Being seen is a lot more important than looking “Kool”.
• EYEWEAR:  In low light, clear or yellow lenses for eye protection are critical.  When riding in the rain sunglasses will cut out light, making road obstacles hard to see.  Fight the fog with anti-fog drops and lens wipes. Lens wipes vary – tell your sales rep or cycling coach what type of weather you’ll be riding in. 

Cycling as a commuter, a professional cyclist, or as a way to stay fit and healthy can be fun in any kind of weather.  LEGENDS Bicycles and Accessories will meet all of your cycling needs; Bike sales, Bike repair, Bike maintenance, Bike accessories, Bike inspection, Bike training, and Bike Coaching. 

Cleveland Clinic Adds Pedals To The Pills for Parkinson's Patients

We all know the benefits of cycling.  What you might not know is cycling's benefits on the brain. Last year the internet was flooded with articles on the benefits of cycling for Parkinson's Diseased patients. 

For more information, 

link to the  articles listed below. 

"Covey says the idea for the tandem ride came from recent studies that have shown that Parkinson’s patients pedaling 80-90 rpms for 40 minutes or more at least three days per week have seen a decrease in symptoms."

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2013/04/07/2546814/parkinsons-patients-show-improvement.html

Fast Cycling Benefits Parkinson's Patients 

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/253197.php

·         How pedal power could ease Parkinson's: Cycling can improve connections in brain regions linked to the disease

·         Scientists say exercising on a bike is an 'effective, low-cost therapy' for the disease

·         US neuroscientist Jay Alberts started research after noticing positive impact it had on partner who suffers from disease

·         Scans revealed pedaling boosted connections between brain regions linked to movement

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2238450/Cycling-improve-connections-brain-regions-linked-Parkinsons-disease.html

Five Questions You Should be Able to Answer by Now

Wednesday, April 24, 2013 at 9:03AM

As the weather warms up and you start moving from the treadmill and trainer to the trail and road, your thoughts are likely turning to your racing calendar. Actually, you’ve probably already got your first few early season races under your belt. But did you really do all your “homework” in the base period to set yourself up for success? Take our pop quiz and find out. Here are five questions that all athletes should be able to answer by this point in the early season.

Q1. Which events are your “A” races and which are your “B” races? 

You likely have a calendar of races set up by April, but is it prioritized? Prioritizing your schedule is one of the first things that should be done when planning your season. “A” priority races are the ones you want to peak for and be at your best. “B” races are events that will help you prepare for your A race or are events you want to do more for the fun of it.

This is a task that can get complicated if you let it. In a perfect world, your A races are well spaced out through the season. Realistically, you can only have two to three A races per season. The shorter the distance of your A events the more you can have, but you still need to beware of over-racing.

With your A races set, you can find B priority races that will prepare you for the A race. There are several questions regarding B races. When should they be, how many and how to train for them are the most common. In a perfect world these B events are the right distance and timeframe away from your A race and don’t require travel. While it is impossible to set concrete rules regarding A and B races, there are guidelines. The longer in distance the A race, the farther out on the calendar the B race should be. If it is a long event like an Ironman, it is better to have two or more B races. It would also be good to start with shorter distances and work your way to longer events. Running a 5k two weeks before an Ironman won’t hurt, but it isn’t the best race prep either. In the real world, you will have to make some decisions.

Q2. How much are you traveling and how will you train through your travels?

In this process, consider your summer travel schedule. Family vacations or work travel can have a huge effect on your training and racing. There are obvious scenarios to avoid, like traveling just before your A race. Even if you are not travelling just prior to a race, you want to consider how it will affect your training. A two-week vacation during your build phase is less than ideal - unless of course you can fit your training into the vacation. Running is the easiest to work around, with cycling and swimming being harder to accommodate. Your ability to train while traveling will depend greatly on where you are going, what you plan on doing and the facilities available, like a pool or gym with a stationary bike. Research facilities ahead of time and have a plan for when you will get your workouts in. Minimize the interruption of travel as much as possible.

Q3. Should I race my B events, or should I train through them?

Once the B events are scheduled you can turn your attention to the training. While they may only be a B priority event, it can be hard to go into an event less than 100 percent. Hopefully your B races line up well with the A races. If so, your training should be progressive and you can train hard for the B race while still preparing for the A race. As a general rule, if the B event closely mirrors the A event, race it, if not, train through it. 

Remember, just because you make a race a B event, that doesn’t mean you don’t take it seriously. It is only your preparation for that event that is not optimal. B events are great for determining where your fitness is, working on nutrition strategies and choosing equipment. B events are also a great way to work on a specific weakness or aspect of the A race. For instance, if you are not a good hill runner, or your A marathon is on a hilly course, find a hilly 10k or half marathon, focus on hill training, then use the B event to gauge your improvement. B events are the stepping stones that prepare you for the big A day.

Q4. When are you starting your race-specific build?

With the A race in mind, you should know when exactly your training is going to become more race specific. By “race specific” we mean training at the goal heart rate/pace/power you want to achieve in the race, and training on a course similar to the race. After all, if you don’t train at race intensity you can’t expect to race there.

In general, an 8 to 10 week block of race specific training is good for long events, and 6 to 8 weeks is ok for shorter ones. This is where a properly placed B race can be a great advantage. Having a half marathon that you will run at a faster pace than your goal marathon pace 8 weeks later, is a great race specific workout. Keep in mind that for an A race, your build phase should end 2 to 3 weeks prior to the event to allow for a taper period. There is little you can do training-wise to improve your fitness in the last 2 to 3 weeks (simply not enough time for the body to fully adapt), but doing too much can have a negative impact by putting too much fatigue on the body.

Having a coach is the best way to ensure that you get your race specific build right (and in fact your whole season), but if you want to follow training plan instead there are many options. Plans will vary depending on the event, your goals and experience. You want to find a plan that strongly mirrors your own commitment level and available time. Once you have decided on your plan, stick with it and don’t second guess three weeks into the plan. Like any plan in life, you need to allow for enough time to see the true fruits of your labor.

Q5. What are your current threshold and zones?

Threshold is a very important element to your training. It is a zone that you should train in, and it also sets your other zones, like aerobic capacity and recovery. Threshold is the effort you can steadily maintain for one hour. It is a powerful predictor of fitness and can be used for pacing in all sports and distances. You can monitor your threshold via heart rate, pace or power depending on your sport and the device you have.

Hopefully you already know your threshold pace, power and/or HR, but if not you can determine it with a simple field test. With this determined, your other training zones will be properly set so that you can do structure zone training and proper periodization. Here’s the key though - as you do more work at threshold, especially during your race specific phase, this value changes. For instance, you may start with a run threshold heart rate of 160, then six weeks later after some training at threshold, it may increase to 170. This would also change your other training zones. That’s why we recently created the Threshold Improvement Notification Option to help you stay on top of your threshold value. (Read more about why you would want to make sure you have this feature turned on at this point in the season)

So, how did you score? Can you answer the above questions with certainty? If not, now is the time to get on it and play some catch up! If you can finalize your plan and set your preparation in stone within the next couple weeks, you will be on the right track throughout the year

http://blog.trainingpeaks.com/posts/2013/4/24/five-questions-you-should-be-able-to-answer-by-now.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+trainingpeaks%2FXAlX+%28TrainingPeaks+Blog%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mail

UCI's Stance Towards Anti-Doping

LeMond not optimistic about UCI's stance towards anti-doping

April 23, 07:30

By: 

Cycling News

Believes governing body must be separated from drug testing

Three-time Tour de France champion Greg LeMond has reiterated his long-standing view that the UCI should not be in charge of running the sport of professional cycling and that he firmly believes the sport as a whole, including riders, teams and race organisers, want the sport to change. The UCI, on the other hand, has done little to change the mind of the sole US Tour winner.

LeMond's most recent comments came from a discussion group held at the University of Texas, Austin,symposium on doping in cycling. The event held last night was dubbed "The Real Price of Winning at All Costs". The outspoken former professional, who sat with a brace around most of his chest after breaking his back, was part of a panel that featured his wife Kathy, Betsy Andreu - the wife of one of Armstrong's former teammates Frankie Andreu -  and USADA's general counsel Bill Bock. Armstrong was invited to attend the discussion in his home town but declined the offer.

"I'm hopeful the riders want to change, I think the race organisers want to, but I am not optimistic where UCI stand in doping," said LeMond. "Most of the big scandals have been criminal. Festina involved the police because it was trafficking."

"Drug testing has to be separated [from the UCI]. It's not a game," he added.

Still a passionate supporter of the sport LeMond remained firm in his belief that cycling is capable of change and that it would be up to the riders and team to ensure it follows the right path. With so many former riders turned managers remaining in the sport, removing the old ways is arguably going to take time.

"I want to see cycling get to where I can say I can see a real winner."

LeMond also threw in a shot at the International Olympic Committee, which UCI president Pat McQuaid has held a position since 2010, stating that the Olympics should not be playing a heavy-handed role in how the sport is run.

"I believe cycling is an incredible sport and really do believe the riders want to change. It should be the riders, it should be the teams, they should get rid of the UCI. I don't care about the IOC – I'm sorry. We actually destroy the sport every four years. I never raced the Olympics. The Tour de France was enough by itself. When you think about World Championships, Olympics, 10 guys get to go from the US and we are letting guys from Switzerland (UCI) destroy the sport."

One of the key messages brought up in the two-hour discussion was that the outcomes following the USADA's Reasoned Decision document into systematic doping at the US Postal and Discovery Channel teams was, and remains, not just about the fall of the once seven-time Tour winner Armstrong.

Bock was quick to outline the tactics employed by UCI during their investigation and suggested that no other sporting body has refused to cooperate in such a way.

"It's the same people involved, it's the same problems we have always had in the sport and what UCI did in our case; we the brought the case under US rules and UCI rules. We clearly had jurisdiction over an American athlete to bring the case, we went on for a month and when Lance Armstrong's lawyers filed a case in federal court here in Austin, Texas and took the position that Lance had only agreed to play by UCI rules not by US rules, UCI dramatically changed its position and said 'that is right, that is the position'.

"They [UCI] asked us to drop the case, they don't just ask, they demanded that USADA drop the case.

"We asked the UCI for information on Lance Armstrong and they said 'no, he hasn't consented to you having that information'."

The fallout from the 1,000 page dossier was about uncovering and exposing some of the ingrained problems the sport of professional cycling has endured. It's the UCI who want the public to believe the problem lies simply with one man, according to USADA general counsel Bock.

"I think the ultimate tragedy would be if this whole scenario is viewed as 'The Lance Armstrong Affair'," said Bock. "That's how the UCI want everyone in this room to view it. Their view is, Pat McQuaid [said] in his press conference 'Lance Armstrong has no place in cycling'. They want you to believe that, 'look here's the problem over here, it was Lance Armstrong, now look over here and it's a different arrow'."

http://www.cyclingnews.com/editions/second-edition-cycling-news-tuesday-april-23-2013

GET THE MOST FROM YOUR TRAINING

 

How to Get the Most Out of Your Training

By Jeb Stewart MS, PES

Too often these days people can get overwhelmed, frustrated and feel like they aren’t doing a
“good job” if they aren’t getting all of their workouts in to the letter. I can assure you that this is
not the case, but if we don’t know how to adapt our training during these times, then it is likely
to occur. Your coach should be relatively available often for any questions you have regarding
your training or to help you adapt the training when life interferes. Heck, we encourage it
vehemently! However, if you do not have a coach, or even if you do, here are some simple tips
and strategies to help you adapt on the fly and make the most out of the training time you do
have.

In the course of working with my clients, I want them to learn how to adapt their training when
things come up so that they feel empowered and accomplished rather than feeling like they failed
and gettingstressed out about it. I try to create the weekly workouts to give my athletes bang
for their buck training to help make the most out of the days of the week when time is at a
premium. Most coaches are well aware of how hard it is to even get that time in as most of us
have families and full-time jobs just like those who they coach. So, when time is scarce, I show
my athletes a few ways that they can adapt their workouts in a time crunch to still get them in
and make them count.

Key WorkoutsIn an ideal world we would all sleep 7-8 hours, train for 3-4 hours a day, eat perfectly, take naps
and go to bed by 10pm. Unfortunately that doesn’t happen very often, if ever. So, when all else
fails, if you get your KEY WORKOUTS in for the week, you will at least know that you are doing
enough to maintain or even improve your fitness.  For most of us, our key workouts fall on Tue, Wed or Thu and on your long day/days on the weekend. These workouts usually consist of intervals or specific drills during the week and your long days if you are outside on the weekends. If you are stuck inside, your workouts should be kept brief, i.e. 1.5-2 hours or less, and very specific. Your key workout in the gym is your leg and core day. If you are only going to get one gym workout in for the week, make sure it’s that
one. And lastly, always make time to stretch. It only takes 5-10 minutes and is critical to
performance, recovery and injury prevention regardless of what some of the “experts” tell you
these days.

SchedulingIf you miss a workout on the day it falls in your training plan, either skip it and don’t give it
another thought or get it in when you can that week if it is a time of the year when workout
sequencing is not critical. If you have a coach, I would encourage you to contact them to find out
how to adjust your schedule to accommodate your situation. If you miss a KEY WORKOUT, it is
better you get that in, than skip it and do the easier stuff unless you are just happen to be worn
out from stress and fatigue. Then it would be best to take the day off or just ride easy to
rejuvenate your body, mind and spirit. When you are really tired, either riding easy or taking the
day off and pushing that key workout until the next day can be a good call. In the early part of
the season, specific scheduling is not as critical and we need to keep our training fun for it to be
effective long term.

Adjusting on the flyFor most of us, we are keeping the workouts during the week to the meat and potatoes to help
us get in effective training while keeping our lives balanced, but sometimes the workout may be
longer than the amount of time we have available to train that day. In that case, here’s what you
will need to do to adjust it on the fly so that you get in a good workout, even with a minimum of
time.


Cardio and bike workouts
Start by cutting your warm-up and cool-down in half but still get it in. Then if you still need more
time, cut your workload in half by doing less than the recommended number of sets for the day.
Then, if you still need time, you can cut the rest periods in half. If this still isn’t enough, you can
cut the interval times in half. Please go about it in this order as it is designed to eliminate things
in their order of importance. Of course, this is only to be done in case of emergency, in which
case it will allow you to still get in a quality workout in. Contrary to popular opinion, something is
still better than nothing, for our heads as well as our fitness!

Strength & conditioning
To save time here, similarly, start by cutting the warm up and cool down time in half. Make sure
you are super-setting exercises and performing circuits whenever possible to eliminate wasted
time between exercises. (Super-sets involve doing one set using the opposing muscles used in
the first exercise right after another without resting between the two. Circuits involve doing a
number of exercises one right after another without resting between each exercise. Both
concepts will reduce the amount of time you spend in the gym and the intensity of your
workout). Do 2 sets minimum so that you are at least maintaining and then do more next time
when your schedule allows. If you need more time, just do the key exercises for your core and
the biggest muscle groups such as squats, lunges, dead lifts, etc. And lastly, if you need more
time leave the stretching for another time later in the day or in the week and get on about your
day. Once again, this is to be done only when you are in a time crunch.

As you can see, there are many ways to adjust our training to help us get it in and avoid the
negative energy that we create for ourselves when life throws us a curve ball. The goal is to
make the training we do be effective and fun and avoid it becoming a pair of handcuffs or a
source of stress. Give some of these suggestions a try and let your coach or a friend know if you
have any specific issues you may be having with your training program and work on it together
to come up with a solution that leads to success.

For more information, visit www.endurofit.com or contact Jeb Stewart with any questions you
may have, at jstewart@endurofit.com. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

http://home.trainingpeaks.com/articles/general-fitness/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-training.aspx

Why Cycling

      Although the weather in Tulsa can change from hour to hour, spring has sprung, trees are blooming, and allergy season is upon us, yet outdoor activities are building to an all time high.  Statics say Oklahoma is one of the unhealthiest states in the nation. Not having access to the data I won’t argue the point, I will however suggest they take another look at Oklahoma, specifically Tulsa and surrounding areas. At LEGENDS BICYCLES AND ACCESSORIES cycling is booming.  Bike sales, bike repairs, Individual and group coaching, and group rides five days a week are changing the lives of Tulsans’.

      Why Ride a Bike

      An exercise for people of all ages, the benefits of riding a bike extend from increased cardiovascular fitness and strength building to increased balance, flexibility, endurance, stamina and one of the most important – increased calorie burn.  Many riders report a reduction in stress, feeling more relaxed, more energized and happier with themselves and their surroundings.

      Biking and the Environment

      Whether you believe in global warming or not, we all agree emissions from cars affects the environment. You need look no further than our large industrial cities and their clean air challenges. Biking puts fewer cars on the highways – it’s a fact!  Short trips to the train, bus or subway station can make a difference.  Look around!  More and more people are doing it. Cycling is fashionable, environmentally conscience and saves money.

      Why LEGENDS BICYCLES AND ACCESSORIES

      Blowing ones own horn is not always appreciated, however supporting each “toot” of that horn with facts makes all the difference. Buster Brown, owner of LEGENDS has a long successful race and coaching career behind him. He and his staff are heavily involved in the cycling community. Bike sales, bike maintenance, bike repairs and bike coaching are their passion.  An even greater love is for the Tulsa community. Unlike other forms of transportation cycling is “close up” and “personal”.  Careful instruction, coaching and success monitoring is an extended benefit of the LEGENDS organization.  Most importantly the place is CLEAN!  Nothing can turn a new rider of more than a greasy smelling, dirty, unorganized first impression. Men will be men and boys will be boys, but cycling is a family activity which makes presentation crucial to a bike shops success.  LEGENDS offers one stop shopping - bikes, clothing, helmets, shoes, socks, gloves, glasses, water bottles, and more. They got it all! Most important however is trustworthiness. Ethical practices, respect for the consumer, knowledge of their products and services and top down customer service can be yours.

      Why YOU

      I have heard story after story of fitness club burnout, of boredom jogging in circles on a dirt or concrete road or track. Of seeing the same trees, fences, buildings, people day, after day, after day.  It’s time to change the routine, break the habit, find something new, refreshing and exciting. Time to explore your community, take old dirt roads, discover places cars can’t go, feel the wind at your back, wave to a friend, talk to a kid, share a new experience with interesting people you otherwise might never have met.  It’s time to consider cycling – if not for any other reason, for the fun of it.