At one point in our lives we have all heard the expression, “how hard does this feel?” Even at the doctor’s office, we are asked to rate our level of pain on a scale of 0-10. Rate of perceived exertion (RPE), has been a term used since the very beginnings of endurance exercise. Way...
We are all different, and these differences are reflected in not only the way we train, but in the way we set our goals. Whether on the roads or in the office, how we approach planning is very dependent upon the way we best operate mentally. Are we organized to a T? Or do...
The 2022 Unbound 200 was another incredible episode of America’s premier long-distance gravel event that came down to a 4-up sprint finish in the men’s race, while the women’s winner soloed most of the final 100 miles to earn victory. The 2021 event was held on the North course with strong winds and high...
We have all been there before, one minute you feel invincible, and the next you’re ready to throw in the towel. When things are going well, it is easy to do the “right” things. What about when the going gets tough? Are you able to separate how you “feel” from how you talk to...
VO2 Max has been a lab measurement discussed for decades in regards to the world’s top-performing athletes. It is synonymous in endurance sports to relate one’s athletic potential to their VO2 Max measurement. Is this metric the end all be all? If you don’t possess the aerobic capacity of Olympic cross country skiers are...
Endurance athletes can be notorious for placing too large a focus on increasing their hours of swimming, biking, and running, in the “more is better” belief. Perhaps they are missing a key element in this way of thinking, which is strength training! For a while, there was push-back from endurance athletes in regard to...
Why is there a difference between the power you can put into the pedals outdoors than the power indoors? The difference between indoor cycling power and outdoor power tends to be more pronounced with shorter, higher-intensity efforts, especially when you’re out of the saddle. The reason why comes down to a few different factors....
Fitness testing is an essential part of improving as a cyclist as it allows you to quantify where you are, set training zones for your workouts (either through heart rate or power), and track your progress over time. If you are new to riding with power, where do you begin? Power testing to determine...
You’ve trained hard for your race, putting in the workweek in and week out so you’re in top form. Now comes the big day. Don’t let all of that hard work and preparation go to waste by getting your race day nutrition wrong. Just like you can’t put sawdust in the tank of an...
As much as we try to avoid it, injury at times is a part of the sport. There are the lucky few who can go throughout their careers relatively unscathed, while others seem to come upon a hurdle to clear more often than not. Whether it is your first injury or your 50th, the...
How do you quantify the quality or exertion of a workout? When it comes to training metrics, most programs will calculate this using TSS or the Training Stress Score. There are many things TSS represents in a workout and many misconceptions within the endurance community about this metric. So what does it all mean? ...
Perhaps you’ve gotten away without strength training when you were younger, but as you got older you started to notice a few more creaks and cracks in your joints following a tough session. Whether we like to admit it to ourselves or not, our aging body’s ability to handle the same training loads as...