THE MAGIC PILL

You made it through the holidays to January 2014 without to much interruption. I hope! As we enter the New Year and a new cycling season, our goal is to become better cyclist and to win more races. Although I’ve been at this for a long time, I still think about the magic pill.  In 1966 I found myself asking lots of questions but getting very few answers. Years later, as a coach, it became clear. I discovered the magic pill wasn’t a pill at all.

Let me continue by saying the magic pill isn’t magic at all. It’s all the little things we do that add up to being our best on our bicycles. It begins with patience. We’ve all heard the phrase “Rome wasn’t built in a day”, I’ve got news for you, great cyclists and competitive racers aren’t built in a day either. There is a long list of accomplishments you must make to become a pack rider, and to win races. These things take patience, effort, and lots of hard work. I think the word I’m looking for here is “dedication.  

First and foremost it’s about what we do off the bike. Small things like maintaining protein levels, proper nutrition, stretching and adequate rest. If you’re not getting enough protein, warming up those muscles or getting plenty of sleep, most of your efforts on the bike will be in vain. Once you’re healthy, well rested and warmed up, your ready to get on the bike. Proper training begins with a coach you trust, one that will design a program specific to your individual needs. The cyclist coach relationship is an important one. A good coach will guide you through the program while holding you accountable. Listening, evaluating and motivating are other key traits you’ll look for in choosing a coach.

  

As you begin your 2014 training program keep this in mind, diet, protein, hydration, sleep, proper stretching, low stress and time management affect each pedal stroke you make. It all adds up – taking care of your body, learning from the right coach, maintaining the motivation to train regularly, leads to winning races. What should you avoid?  Over training!  If you are crash dieting and over training you can count the season gone till next year; in other words ride to build skills and develop as a cyclist, in lieu of pushing through a work- out just because.

Remember, no one gets better in a week or a month. If this was the case everyone would be racing a bicycle. Cycling is a hard sport, but if done correctly it can be one of the most rewarding sports at all levels. The racing season is right around the corner.  2014 is up to you, it’s your decision –keep moving forward step by step, workout by workout and day by day. Remain patient, stay focused and you will achieve your cycling goals! 

What’s the magic pill?  Dedication to the sport of cycling, and lots of hard work; sounds like a pill I’m willing to swallow, how about you?

NEW YEAR, NEW CYCLING RESOLUTION

Embrocation Cycling Journal

NEW YEAR, NEW RESOLUTION

By : Molly Hurford

To be a cyclist is to be granted a great opportunity. It sounds silly, but bear with me on this one. To race bikes means a few things, first and foremost being that you’ve got the ability to ride a bike. Think about how many people are never afforded that opportunity, either because they never learned as kids, or because for physical reasons, it’s not a possibility for them. Whenever I deal with leg cramps or hurting knees, I try to remember that at least I can pedal my bike, even if some days are harder than others. The second is a little more blurry and I know that there are exceptions to the rule, but to race bikes is certainly to live a privileged existence. I’ve heard plenty of amazing stories of people growing up with little money, even less opportunity, and every barrier in the world, but still managing to get bikes and start racing. For a lot of us though, while we may not have grown up in the “lap of luxury,” the mere fact that we can afford bikes (however high or low end they may be) and the time to train on them speaks volumes about our situations. A lot of cyclists have fallen into the habit of using the Internet meme “first world problems” when complaining about bike racing, and rightly so. We are a lucky group.

So, this year, I have a few resolutions. And since most of them are fairly generic to cyclists on the whole, I’m going to share them. Admittedly, maybe the act of putting them out here for everyone to read will also help me to keep them, or will at least serve as a reminder that I have amazing opportunities laid out in front of me, and to ignore them is practically sacrilege.

Bike Maintenance
I admit it: I am the worst person in the world when it comes to this. When the season is over, my bikes usually get tucked into the garage, not to be pulled out again for another six months, still covered in the grime from the last race. Things like regular chain cleaning (or, truth be told, bike cleaning in general) are not part of my weekly routine. If I check the tire pressure before heading out on a ride, I consider that a “win.” So this year, my resolution is to keep all of my bikes in good working order. I figure with true wheels, a clean chain, and a derailleur that actually shifts properly, my watts will go up in no time. And since I live with people who ride bikes for a living (bike messengers), I’m hoping they can be persuaded to give me a crash course in the care and keeping of bikes.

Gear Maintenance
Much like Resolution Number 1, I admit to some serious failings in this arena. Sure, the gear doesn’t make the cyclist, but beat up sunglasses with scratched lenses, a PowerTap computer that’s never charged, a watch I can never find and kit that takes 15 minutes to get together certainly are not helping my case. Maybe if I could get out of the house 15 minutes faster, with a saddlebag, frame pump and water bottle all on my person, I could actually spend more time on the bike, rather than prepping to ride it. Time for some serious shelf reorganization!

Listening to my coach. Always.
I’m generally pretty good at listening to what my coach has to say about my training, and following training plans … that is, assuming I have the time for it. This season, I have no such excuse, since I’ve purposely carved enough time out of my workday and came up with a schedule that allows for no whining, only riding. This also goes for when my coach yells at me for my nutrition (or lack thereof). He’s trying to help make me faster, so who am I to ignore or suppress his advice? So when my coach says “jump,” I will say “how high?” though not without some confusion, because why is my coach asking me to jump as training for road season?

Give back
The cycling community has given so much to me, and I want to take the time this year to give back to it. In particular, the women in cycling have really been amazing, and the more I learn about the ladies in the sport, from the beginners to the pros, the more I want to help promote women’s cycling in any way that I can. To that end, I’m working with some rad ladies on a few new projects. This is one resolution that I have to encourage anyone reading this to think about: help to promote cycling and give back to this community this year, whether through working with a group like Bikes Not Bombs, giving a kid in your neighborhood his or her first bike, showing some juniors how to take barriers better, or even just taking some time to help with course setup for a local race. The community has definitely embraced me this past year, and I’d love to be able to do something in return.

Race hard
This one sounds really obvious, but admit it: there have been races that you’ve done at some point where you finished and realized that you could have gone much harder. This year, every race, I want to leave it all on the line, give every race everything that I have. If I’m not tasting blood from burst capillaries in my lungs at the end of every time trial, crit, road race or ‘cross race I do, I didn’t do it right. Because what’s the point of racing if you’re not going to push as hard as you can, and then just a teensy bit harder?

Stay positive
All the 80s hardcore kids will laugh at this last one (“Stay posi” being the motto of the times), but it’s one of my hardest and most important resolutions for the year. It’s easy to get defeated (see one of my first columns on The Art of Losing ), and some days it’s hard to want to get out and ride. Maybe I had a bad race, or just a crappy start to a training ride. Whatever the obstacle that I have in front of me, I want to always remember that I’m doing something that I love doing, and I’m the luckiest girl in the world because I’m able to do it.

© Copyright 2013 - Embrocation Cycling, INC

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 getting stressed 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 Workouts
In 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.

Scheduling
If 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 fly
For 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 our 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.

BIXBY BICYCLES INDOOR CYCLING CLASS

Indoor cycling with a certified coach can be safe, fun, and effective. BIXBY BICYCLES AND ACCESSORIES  Indoor Cycling Class is geared toward the outdoor rider. It takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:00 pm and is currently replacing the Tuesday, Thursday outdoor group rides. It also includes the 5:50 pm to 6:00 pm Training Class. Focused on equipment for the novice, strength, intensity, endurance and consistency for the experienced cyclist and those preparing for an event or race; USA Certified Cycling Coach Buster Brown presents an all-encompassing experience.

Is it a spin class? No. Spin Classes use stationary indoor bikes. These bikes have a “fly wheel” which ranges from 30-40 pounds. It provides resistance as you pedal. With these bikes your hamstrings work harder and slowing down the pedals is more difficult. At LEGENDS you’re on your own bike. You can provide your own trainer, use their trainer, or WIND or MAG Trainers, Trainer Bock and Mat can be purchased from Bixby Bicycles.. Are the effects the same? No. You’re using different muscles so you’re getting different results.

Why the indoor class? It’s so much more than a way to avoid increment weather. Staying on the bike year round is imperative. Maintaining muscle fitness, weight distribution, familiarity with equipment, and calorie burn is important. Many cyclist experience differing numbers when indoors, relative to heart rate when riding outdoors, (a common complaint), some higher, some lower. This differing number can be explained in a number of ways, the primary being, riding on a street or road is different from riding on a trainer – you use different muscles, you’re exposed to the elements, you’re using gears to control your equipment, your bike sways as you ride, and roads aren’t smooth so your continually recovering.

Which is better? Being on your own equipment and controlling that equipment indoors makes for a smoother transition when you’re once again outdoors. Oklahoma weather is consistently changing. Cyclists go from indoors to outdoors throughout the winter months. Saturday outdoor group rides are an easy transition for Bixby Indoor riders.

If you’re interested in an indoor spin class, check out one of our earlier blogs on Spin Classes. If you’re interested in maintaining consistency and transitioning from indoors to outdoors on your own equipment, give Bixby Bicycles and Accessories a call. The fees are minimal and we have lots of fun.

Nutritional Meal Replacements - Look To The BARS

Ahhh the scent of the holidays!  The season is upon us. Three joyous holidays all involving fatty foods, calorie laden desserts, and sugary treats.  If you’re following a long-range nutrition plan, you’re on the right track, however if you’re like most, healthy eating and nutrition is something you plan and think about but never stick to long term. This makes the holidays even more of a challenge.

Whether you’re a professional cyclist, mountain biker, spinner, or casual rider, you’ll never be at your best if you’re pushing the Reese’s Cups to the back of the bowl hoping the doorbell has rung for the last time. Be strong and trash the extra Halloween candy. Real chocolate, adult beverages, cookies and chips can be built into a healthy diet that includes fresh vegetables, lean meats, low-fat dairy products, and whole grains. But who has time to plan and prepare healthy quick meal substitutes and snacks – you do!  Check out the BARS. 

     Today there is an array of BARS on the market:  Many come with vitamins, protein and calcium and contain less than 200 calories; Luna Bar Chocolate-Dipped Coconut contains 1,000 milligrams of calcium, vitamins, folic acid, fiber, antioxidants and is only 190 calories. The Cliff Crunch Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bar is only 190 calories and the Balance Bar Bare Blueberry Acai contains 15 grams of protein and is just 200 calories. 

     Others suggested by nutritionists include the ThinkThin Crunch Fruit and Nut Cranberry Apple & Mixed Nuts Bar, Corazonas Blueberry Oatmeal Squares, Pure Naturals Peanut-Raisin Crunch Bar, and the Rise Raspberry-Pomegranate Energy Bar. Although most bars contain protein, fight fatigue, and act as snacks and meal replacers, many are no more than sugar and oil.  Read the ingredients! 

     Bars that list whey or casein protein will contain the essential amino acids your body needs; bars with more than 5 ingredients however, should be avoided. Remember you’re replacing real food with a packed snack, if you can’t read the ingredients it’s not real food. Many nutritionist say: 20% of your diet can take a diversion to treats without significant negative consequences.  Make your treat a healthy one – look to the BARS!   

   Bixby Bicycles & Accessories carries a large variety of healthy meal and snack replacement bars. Whether you’re a cyclist or someone wanting to supplement your diet plan, we can meet your specific needs.  Call us for more information. 

BUSTER BROWN - USA Level 3 Certified Cycling Coach

WHY HIRE A CYCLING COACH. 
There are a number of reasons to hire a USA Certified Cycling Coach. From the novice to the advanced the right coach sees you as an individual. Training programs are prepared based on fitness, background, schedule and restraints, and includes mentoring, coaching, providing feedback, setting goals and selecting events.  A coach knows when to adjust a training plan (avoiding injury), imposes dedication and commitment to each exercise, and challenges the cyclist to be the best he/she can be.  

THE USA CYCLING COACH

Call it accredited or call it certified, Accredited Coach Certification with USA Cycling is a big deal. Just becoming a coach has its challenges.  There are three levels to bicycle coaching; entry, advanced and expert and there are manuals, training packets and exams at each level. Once all three levels are completed you are certified – not so fast, for many this process can extend years into the future.

Levels go from 3-1 with Level 1 being the highest. In order to achieve Level 1, a coach must be a Level 2 coach in good standing for 5 consecutive years and attend a Level 1 Clinic, or be a Level 2 coach for 3 consecutive years, accumulate 200 CEU’s (Continuing Education Unites) following completion of the Level 2 Clinic and attend a Level 1 Clinic. Them comes the Level 1 test.  A compilation of subjects ranging from organizational structure to Role of the Coach, The Cyclist in Traffic, Basic Equipment, Sport Science, Health Issues, Principles of Training, Track Racing, Road Racing, Cyclo-cross Racing, Mountain Bikes and the list goes on.

To be one of the best and become renowned as a coach, specialization is a must. Discipline Specific Certification is to teach coaches to more effectively coach in a specific discipline. Only open to licensed Level 3 coaches, there’s Cyclo-cross Specific Certification, Track Specific Certification, and Mountain Bike Certification.  Specific Certifications are one and a half day pre-scheduled classes the coach is required to attend. Perhaps this explains the certified coaches pricing scale. Certification isn’t easy and it isn’t cheap. There are costs associated at each level, and coaches must “recertify” at each level every two years.

The  team is proud to announce our own Buster Brown has completed USA Cycling Level 3 Coaching Certification.  Training classes are beginning November 5, 2013.  Call Buster Brown at 479-530-9491.

COMMUTING BY BICYCLE

Are you riding your bicycle to work?  People all over the world are changing their methods of transportation. The millenniums and Y Generation have forced us to think differently about a lot of things. Some do it to save the planet, some to save money, others find they are forced economically and financially to find a better way of doing things. Transporting ones-self five days a week, 50 weeks a year is costly. Whether by car, bus or train, getting from point A to point B sustains a cost whereas bicycling is virtually free. True, there are upfront costs, yet once you have the bicycle, the clothing, a couple of spare tires, a wire bottle and a good pair of shoes, your cost free.  There is one factor which remains a challenge for many – the physical requirements. Hoping on a bicycle and riding 6-8 miles to work doesn’t come easy.

Google commuting by bicycle and you’ll find articles referencing exercise, fitness, race training, health benefits and more. There is very little however on how to prepare for the commute. If you don’t exercise at all, jumping on a bicycle and expecting to ride 6-8 miles on day one will led to parking your newly purchased bicycle in the garage or hanging it from a hook in the ceiling never to be touched again. If you don’t know your physical limitations, you will end up hating the experience as much as you hate the bicycle.

Although cycling is a low-impact exercise, any prolonged physically activity (you’re not prepared for) can leave you with injuries.  Back strain, arm pain, shoulder and knee discomfort are problem areas new and many seasoned cyclist experience.  Tiredness, fatigue, a lack of hydration and poor nutrition should be added to the list.  If you are planning to purchase a bicycle, or own one you’re planning to use for commuting prepare yourself for the ride – emotionally and physically. There are rules and regulations when riding in traffic, there are challenges riding up and down hills, bike routes aren’t always available and safety is a major concern.

Group bike rides are a must. Before heading out alone join a local group bike ride. Most have different levels and many offer indoor classes before taking to the road. Bike Shops such as Bixby Bicycles and Accessories can provide maps to lay out safe routes.  They also have coaches who can help you prepare physically, give nutritional advice, ensure equipment fits properly, and teach recovery methods. No one wants to feel great about bicycling to work and arrive unable to put in an eight hour day. Your boss just might have something to say about that. Being aware of the weather conditions, having extra clothing, and having a plan B is crucial. Bicycling is physical exercise and if you’re in a hot climate you’ll need a way to freshen-up once you arrive at the work place. You don’t want to arrive exhausted neither do you want everyone to smell you coming.  Snow, rain and drastic changes in temperature can make the ride home challenging, have a plan B. Preparation is key!

Commuting to work by bicycle is more popular than ever.  You save money, see things you’ve never seen before, avoid rush hour traffic and rush hour crowds, save money, save the planet, get your daily dose of exercise, and let’s not forget the freedom of the ride. If you’re properly trained, physically fit, and properly attired for safety and comfort, know your route and have a plan B for unexpected changes in the weather or that requirement to work overtime, commuting by bicycle can be a truly rewarding experience.