A Season Goal Accomplished At The Desert Cities Criterium Series: 4-Questions With Yash Gokul3/29/2018 Cycling is more than a hobby for Yash Gokul, it’s his passion! As a founding member and manager of the Carefast/Storck Cycling Team, Yash is always looking out for each of his teammates. He wants to see them achieve their best in cycling and help fulfill the squads' vision of becoming the best cycling team in Las Vegas. Because it is not in his nature to boldly state his own race objectives, it was with quiet reservation that he mentioned his desire to win the Desert Cities Criterium Series Overall Title to Coach Brian in an offseason call. What followed was specific training, focused preparation, and even some team tactics drills so that Yash and his team could arrive at the first round of the series, ready to race. Excitingly, Yash won the first round and helped lead his team to a podium sweep, with the Carefast/Storck team taking first, second, and third on the day! Five races later, Yash was still on top of the podium, having won the overall series and accomplishing his goal, but not without plenty of challenge to test his mettle and desire to accomplish his season goal. Following his big-win, we caught up with Yash to talk about his success in this weeks edition of the BWC Athlete Profile. Enjoy!  Yash Gokul accomplished a season goal early in the year by winning the five-race Desert Cities Criterium Series. Photo Credit: Yash Gokul Athlete Bio: Primary Sport/Discipline: Road Cycling Average Hours of Training Per Week: 10-14hrs. Upcoming Goals: The San Luis Rey CA/NV State Road Championships Interview: Question #1: Congratulations on winning the overall title at the Desert City Criterium Series Yash! This was one of your big goals for 2018. How did you win the five-race series? Yash Gokul: I think there was several things that had to come together for me and the team to win the overall in the Desert City Crit series: Consistency, Teamwork and Strategy. Consistency: Doing every race in the series was essential. I knew I did not have to win every single race, but consistently getting good results was important to earn the overall. Teamwork: Having my Carefast/Storck teammates at each race really helped alleviate me putting to much pressure on myself. Organizing a group of fit guys with a race-plan and a team objective, every race, was a big key to helping us win! Strategy: BWC helped me with advice and strategies for each of the 5-race series. I believe this is one of biggest assets of having personalized coaching. Anyone can find a great training plan online nowadays… but putting the finishing touches on that training with race knowledge and tactics makes a big difference. Coaches Perspective/Coach Brian: I am so proud of Yash for earning this victory! In the offseason he expressed his desire to win this series, but also had reservations because he was not fully confident he could outright win every race. It was during those discussions and season-planning calls that we talked about the power of team-work and the importance of involving team members in individual, not to mention team, success. What came out of this series was Yash being a more confident and capable leader, not to mention a great criterium rider! Yes, having a team helped a lot, but Yash wouldn't have it any other way. The numerous individual wins and podium placings scored at the Desert Cities Series is something that every Carefast/Storck teammate can be proud of!  Yash and his Carefast/Storck teammates worked hard to earn the top three spots in the overall series at the Desert Cities Criterium Series. Photo Credit: Yash Gokul Question #2: Earlier in your cycling career you 'fancied' yourself a climber. Now, you are finding success in criterium races and winning sprints. What was the most challenging race in the series for you, and which was the most rewarding? YG: When I first started racing bicycles I had my best successes in climbing races like the Death Valley Stage Race, Mount Whitney Stage Race, and the Mount Charleston Hill Climb…at that time I was terrified of Criteriums! In fact, I can remember pulling myself out of my first Valley of the Sun Criterium because I was so scared. I am happy to report that Coach Brian has been adamant about helping me with confidence and trusting my training so that I can now be competitive in any race I line up for! The most challenging race in the series for me was the first visit to Ivins, Utah in which we competed in the pouring rain. At that round I raced very conservative after having discussed the race conditions with Coach Brian. I knew I didn’t have to win that race to win the series… but I could easily lose the entire series with a mistake in the rain. Racing cautiously forced me to use extra energy throughout the race, causing me to be 'nipped' at the line for fifth, but also to lose my series lead, that was frustrating. Conversely, the most rewarding race in the series was the first round: The St George Softball Complex Crit. It was the most rewarding because it was our first criterium win of the season and all of my teammates played a roll in me taking the victory that day. It was great to "mix it up" with other teams and execute our race strategy to perfection. The last race of the series was also very rewarding because it was a return to Ivins. I was able to get redemption for my poor performance in the rain by winning the field sprint and secure my overall win. Coach Brian: Winning a series of races or stage race takes consistency. Although that may not be a surprise, the part that is less obvious is that there are often many more days you can lose it all. Leading into the first Ivins race, it was forecast to be raining, possibly sleeting, so Yash and I talked about the pro’s and con’s of racing aggressively versus conservatively. We determined that it was better for him to race hard at the front, using precious energy to fight for position, rather than risk a crash at the back of the field waiting to sprint. Although Yash lost his series lead with this tactic, he avoided the major crashes that took out some of his main contenders. Each of them failed to score points toward the overall, while Yash added a small amount of points to his tally. This was an important calculation, and required Yash to get outside his comfort zone, never sitting-in, always pushing the pace. In the end the series title dream ended for various contenders on that day, but not for Yash. He was still in the fight!  Yash and his Carefast/Storck teammates raced well at each round of the Desert Cities Criterium Series. Their teamwork helped them secure overall victory for Yash and score plenty of individual results along the way. Photo Credit: Yash Gokul Question #3: What is one of your biggest cycling objectives for this season and what events are you most excited about? YG: My primary objective this year was to come into the season strong and win the overall in the Desert City Criterium Series. Mission accomplished! Looking ahead, I am very excited to compete in my first San Dimas Stage Race and race the Masters/Elite Road Race Championships for California and Nevada in San Luis Rey in a few weeks time. Also, I am really motivated to help my Carefast/Storck teammates accomplish their goals for the 2018 season. It is very satisfying "paying back" all the guys who helped bring me and the team our early season success at the Desert City Criterium Series. Coach Brian: Yash just keeps the goals coming! Just last week he completed his first San Dimas Stage Race and had a great performance. It’s very encouraging for me to see him motivated to help his teammates, that’s a very important part of road cycling that often gets overlooked, but for Yash, it’s who he is. He always puts team success ahead of his own. I am excited to see how San Luis Rey goes for him as right now he is riding with some of the best fitness he has had in recent years. It should be a great day for him and his #PlaidArmy teammates (AKA the Carefast/Storck Cycling Team).  His first criterium win was not just an early season race, it was THE FIRST race of the year, too! It also happened to be a podium sweep for the Carefast/Storck team. Photo Credit: Yash Gokul Question #4: What is/are your favorite workout(s) in your training program? Also, please share a ‘knowledge-bomb’ you have learned while training with BWC. YG: My favorite work out is the Saturday Carefast “Shootout” group ride! It’s one of the most competitive group rides in Las Vegas and it has a little bit of everything to offer. Coach Brian has me work on sprinting, sometimes attacking, sometimes conserving, there is always a different strategy for the ride! Almost any type of training can be done on this ride and you really get to see were your fitness stacks-up week to week. There are 2 BWC knowledge bombs I would like to share: #1 Everyone Is A Sprinter: Unless you are winning every race solo, you better have some sort of sprinting ability. Not long ago I would avoid crits and flat road races because I didn’t think I could sprint. I have learned that sprinting is a very important part of bike racing whether it be a field sprint or sprinting out of a breakaway. Everyone is a sprinter! #2 Extra Credit Makes For Better Fitness: Out of convenience I would typically cut my rides a few minutes short here and there. Now with BWC I have learned to be a big advocate of ‘extra credit’. Adding an extra 15-25 min. to the end of a ride may not seem like much, but looking at the big picture it really makes an impact on my fitness when done consistently. An extra few minutes a day means an extra hour or more of training for the week, which adds up to an extra few days of training for the month… you get the picture! And that really impacts training in a positive way over the long-term. Coach Brian: I love those “knowledge-bombs”, great share Yash! Cycling is a sport that rewards the disciplined and committed Athlete. This is especially true for competitive cyclists at any level. This sport is not like the local soccer league, a once weekly softball game, or any other traditional sport. Successful cyclists commit a lot of time to their craft, making the sport ultra-competitive, but extremely rewarding for those that put in the work necessary to achieve their goals. As for sprinting, I learned a long time ago, there are only two ways to win a bike race, solo, or in a sprint… That is why every rider must know how to sprint to the best of their abilities. Because if you don’t, you immediately lose a chance to win in many scenarios!  #ThePlaidArmy, as the Carefast/Storck Cycling Team are known, is a tight-nit group who support each other in every way possible. We had the opportunity to work with the whole team a few years ago at a summer training camp and the team has only grown since! Photo Credit: Steve Keltie
Summary: We hope you have enjoyed reading about Yash Gokul’s Desert Cities Criterium Series success as much as we have enjoyed sharing it! It took Yash outside his normal shy and conservative demeanor to step-up and tell his teammates he wanted to win the Desert Cities overall, but the journey was well worth it. Along the way he learned how to be a more effective leader, challenged himself to maintain his best fitness over the 10-week series, and helped some of his younger, less-experienced teammates earn great results for themselves. What is most impressive to us is that he stepped outside his comfort zone to achieve something he had only dreamed about. By reaching for the stars and asking for help, he achieved something beyond what he considered possible. And as Coaches, this is the most rewarding part of our work. Having the opportunity to help our Athletes go further and be more successful than they thought possible is what we strive for! #TrainYourPotential Until Next Time, Be Safe, Train Hard, & Have Fun! -Brian & Joy McCulloch Big Wheel Coaching Athletes are creatures of habit, constantly repeating actions or rituals that are intended to improve their chances for optimal performance. Unfortunately, most Athletes do not have a proven routine of race-day rituals designed and tested to create the situation that unleashes their highest potential. Although no Athlete ever sets-out to sabotage their chances of a great performance, it is all to easy to skip over a few fundamental attributes that make a personal best performance possible. It is with this notion in mind that we want to share four of our favorite pre-race rituals that can be used by every cyclist, on-road or off, to create a low-stress environment that will unlock their best performance at any event.  Even the nicest accommodations can't guarantee a great night's sleep. Thus, getting restful sleep while still in your regular surroundings is a small detail that can increase your event-day performance. Photo Credit: Rob Raede #1: Start The Day Well-Rested This may sound obvious, as sleep is paramount to optimal performance. However, many Athletes fail to recognize that the anxiety and excitement that is felt the night before a big event drastically reduces sleep quality. That is why being well-rested leading into an event starts multiple-days before a race, before any anxiety or excitement sets-in. If your event is on a Saturday, you can almost expect Friday night’s sleep to be less than optimal. That necessitates adding an extra half-hour of sleep (or more) to your regular routine during the middle of the week as a way to “charge” your batteries and build your energy reserves. This is especially true for events in which you must travel. Sleeping in hotels or other unusual environments can make an Athlete sleep restlessly or simply interrupt the valuable deep-sleep cycles that our bodies depend-on for maximum rest. That is why it is best to emphasize extra-sleep when an Athlete is in their regular surroundings, so that they can get the benefit of the extra rest. This seemingly small detail and focus on sleep will undoubtedly help you arrive motivated and energized for a great performance on event-day!  An early arrival on event-day means more time for race-prep, like having a team meeting or looking at the course. Photo Credit: Joy McCulloch #2: Arrive Early/Allow Plenty Of Time To Prepare No one likes to rush, or be pressed for time, but that is all too often the case for many Athletes, especially for events that begin in the early morning. Event-day is not the time to sleep-in to the last moment or hope that commute traffic is ‘lighter’ than normal. In fact, when it comes to creating optimal performance, staying focused on the task at-hand is the best way to create what Sports Psychologists refer to as, the “Ideal Performance State” or IPS. You might have heard this referred to as being “in the zone”. By arriving early to an event and allowing plenty of time for parking, equipment set-up, number/packet pick-up or registration, not to mention the frequent bathroom stops that come with race-day nerves, it is much easier to create IPS. Although arriving early to an event is not the only factor necessary to create the Ideal Performance State, it is most definitely a factor that will create a low-stress environment that makes it easy to produce a maximal physical effort.  A specific and individualized warm-up is key to helping you perform optimally on event-day. Photo Credit: Danny Munson, DMunsonPhoto.com 3: Warm-Up Appropriately: Do What Is Best For You! Warming-up properly is another simple habit that can pay big dividends on event-day. This is especially true for events that start out at high-intensity such as XC MTB-races, cyclocross events, and criterium’s. However, it should be said that a suitable warm-up for road races, Gran Fondo’s, and Endurance MTB events are important for optimal performance. So what warm-up protocol is best? That depends… As the title of this section states, finding the best warm-up for your body, event, and fitness is key. Warm-up's range from short bouts of riding smattered with “leg-opening” efforts to long-durations of easy riding and everything in between. Suffice to say that, generally speaking, the longer your event is the shorter the warm-up is likely to be. A warm-up for a short-course XC MTB race will be much longer than one used for a Gran Fondo. Just as a dedicated time-trialist would have a different warm-up protocol for a 10km vs. a 40km TT, every Athlete should look to develop a variety of warm-ups that suit their particular style, fitness, and event. Not sure what warm-up protocol is best for you and your next event? Call your coach or contact us to set-up a consultation. We would be glad to help you with this!  Knowing the course, and critical sections of a course, ahead of time can help you prepare equipment as well as your pacing for event-day! Photo Credit: PB Creative/Phil Beckman
#4: Do Your Homework On The Course & Competition And you thought your days of homework ended in grade-school…Not-so! Being an Athlete is much more than a physical endeavor and in no sport is that more true than cycling. Tactics, strategy, pacing, fueling, wind conditions, drafting, equipment, hydration, and so many other aspects of the sport can, and do, influence an Athletes ability to perform optimally, which is why it is important to “do your homework”! Leading into an event it is very important to know the course conditions, as well as the weather that is anticipated on event-day. It is also important to know your competition and predict how you might “stack-up” against them. Gathering this information is much easier with the advent of internet as event-websites offer access to so much data, such as, complete lists of attending riders and archives of past editions of the event, not to mention finishing times and other relevant data. This is all in addition to utilizing websites like Strava and TrainingPeaks to evaluate personal performances, segment times, and other important details that can give an Athlete a competitive-edge on the riders they will face. Summary: Training is only one element of becoming the best Athlete possible. Performing your best on event-day is at least as important, if not more so, than developing your very-best fitness. With these simple habits as your base, it will be easy to develop a whole repertoire of race-day rituals that will enable you to perform to your absolute best every time you line-up for an event. And there is nothing more gratifying in sport than setting a goal, knowing that you prepared well for it, and then performing to your potential on event-day! #TrainYourPotential Until Next Time, Be Safe, Train Hard, & Have Fun! -Brian and Joy McCulloch Big Wheel Coaching For cyclists of all disciplines the ‘spring-forward’ Daylight Savings time-change is an anticipated milestone each year, as it typically signals a transition away from indoor training. With longer daylight hours and warmer weather around the corner, it’s an exciting time to be an Endurance Athlete as the “great outdoors” becomes more and more pleasant. What’s more, in addition to increased outdoor training, this time of year often provides opportunity for greater variety in training with the emergence of various group ride to participate in each week. Wether you are a dedicated ‘roadie’, die-hard MTB-rider, or anything in between, group rides should absolutely be a part of your training regimen as the group dynamic offers an intensity component that is difficult to replicate outside of competitive events or races. We think of these group workouts as ‘intervals by osmosis’. With that said, and the knowledge that maximizing training time with purposeful workouts is key to obtaining top-level fitness, it is important to make the most of these group ride by having a specific goal for each session. That is why we offer the following group ride strategies to incorporate into your next outing at the local “weekday world championships”.  A group ride amongst friends on familiar roads is the perfect place to try new strategies and test your fitness. Photo Credit: Joy McCulloch #1: Work On Your Weaknesses Part of being the best cyclist possible is becoming a ‘complete’ Athlete, meaning you must develop all aspects of your cycling fitness and skillset. One cannot simply rely on being good at the things they already excel at. That is a recipe for disappointment and underperformance! For example, do you fancy yourself as a climber? Then you should learn how to sprint properly. Are you always contesting sprints and feel confident about your top-end speed? Then you likely need to learn to attack effectively. Regardless of your individual strengths, one of the most important cycling skills that can only be developed through group riding is drafting and riding in close proximity to other Athletes. If the majority of your training is solo in nature, as it is for most cyclists, using group rides to hone your ability to ‘move-about’ the peloton can be the most important tactic you ever learn. We suggest you make it a point to practice one of these strategies each time you attend a group ride so you have both an effective and fun day on the bike.  Being able to safely and efficiently navigate a peloton of riders along a rolling course on live roads builds skill and requires energy conservation, which is a skill every cyclist must develop! Photo Credit: Ryan Voth #2: Work As Hard As Possible On the other side of the proverbial ‘coin’ from learning how to ‘move-about’ the peloton with ease, is working at the front of the group as much as possible. If there is one detractor with group workouts it is that they are often devoid of continuous workload. That is to say that group rides lack steady-state riding. To combat this, and continually reinforce an Athletes endurance fitness, it is important for cyclists of all abilities to use their local group ride to work at the front of the peloton as much as possible. By riding at the front of ‘the bunch’ and reducing the amount of rest between hard efforts a cyclist is able to push their top-end fitness higher and higher. This workload will dramatically increase your ability to ride at or above threshold for long periods of time. Trust us, it’s hard work, but the pay-off is well worth it!  Come race day, you are going to want the confidence that you trained hard. By making the most of your group rides, you can earn that confidence! Photo Credit: Joy McCulloch
#3: Add Training Time Before And/Or After The Workout For those Athletes that are already in the Big Wheel Coaching family, they have heard us refer to this concept as ‘extra credit’. This is because the extra training stress that comes along with riding before and/or after a group ride will translate to stronger legs and deeper fitness as the season progresses. Although every workout should be book-ended with a proper warm-up and warm-down, adding additional training miles ensures that your fitness will serve you beyond the ‘hour of power’ that characterizes many weekday group rides. Note: It should be said that this ‘extra credit’ does not have to be hard. In fact, steady-state sub-threshold work is all you need to compliment the high-output intensity of a group ride. Summary: We hope that with these strategies, more daylight, and warmer weather being the norm in the coming months, each group training session you do will be both productive and potent. In closing, we should mention that specific strategies tailored to your season goals, skill-level, and group dynamics are beyond the scope of this article. However, we are certain that incorporating these basic tenants of group riding into your training routine will ensure that each workout is purposeful and effective. With that said, if you want more specific tactics and techniques that will ensure your weekly hammer-fest is moving you toward your goals, instead of just making you tired, contact us to set up a consultation. We would be excited to help you make the most out of each training session and achieve your cycling goals! #TrainYourPotential Until Next Time, Be Safe, Train Hard, & Have Fun! -Brian and Joy McCulloch Big Wheel Coaching At Big Wheel Coaching we have the privilege of working with many dedicated Athletes, each of which understands that cycling success is influenced by how we pedal our bikes as much as it is by how hard we pedal them. It is with that in mind, and the knowledge that first-hand experience is invaluable to a Coach’s ability to guide his or her Athletes that we are excited that Coach Brian will be representing Big Wheel Coaching and his Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling Team at this years’ Tour de Taiwan!  Coach Brian is participating in the Tour de Taiwan for the second time in as many years. Photo Credit: Todd MacMillan, Not Far Now Studios Having raced into the break-away on the longest and hottest stage of the 2017 edition, Coach Brian is excited to return to Taiwan to improve upon last years results and help his Elevate/KHS Pro Cycling Team achieve success. For Coach Brian, competing in international-level events offers him the chance to perfect racing strategies, hone team tactics, and test new training methodologies amongst the best cyclists in the world. What’s more, racing at this level is a high-pressure crucible that demands the best ideas come forward, as innovation and the disciplined application of the fundamentals is key to success. It is these racing experiences, and the lessons learned through intense competition, as well as the tips and tricks of maintaining peak performance that Coach Brian is keen to share with his Athletes as well as the entire Big Wheel Coaching family of Athletes!  Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling was on-hand at the Tour de Taiwan Press Conference representing all their Taiwanese partners, KHS Bicycles, Maxxis Tires, Velo Saddles, Xpedo Pedals, and FSA Components. Photo Credit: The Tour de Taiwan For anyone wanting to follow the Tour de Taiwan, we are excited to say that each stage will be televised live on YouTube! You can follow all the Tour de Taiwan racing action through these links: Tour de Taiwan YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Tour+de+Taiwan+2018 Tour de Taiwan Website: http://www.tourdetaiwan.org.tw/index.aspx Tour de Taiwan Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Tour-De-Taiwan國際自由車環台公路大賽-122239464553708/ Tour de Taiwan Official Start List: https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/tour-de-taiwan/startlist Tour de Taiwan Race Results: https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/tour-de-taiwan  At stage races throughout the season Coach Brian's teammates know that before and after the race they can be find him on this computer checking training plans, emailing clients, and even making a few phone calls to connect with his Athletes. Photo Credit: Kevin Girkins
Summary: We hope you will have the opportunity to check out some of the racing action from Taiwan as each stage is sure to be fast-paced and intense! For the Tour de Taiwan, this year is set to be one of the most competitive and difficult editions in the races history. In closing, we would like to wish Coach Brian and his entire Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling team “good luck” as they take-on some of the best teams in the world at the Tour de Taiwan! Note: Stay tuned to Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling’s social media for complete race updates and happenings on the teams race performance! Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elevatekhscycling/ #TrainYourPotential Until Next Time, Be Safe, Train Hard, & Have Fun! -Brian and Joy McCulloch Big Wheel Coaching For endurance cyclists the most foundational workout is the no-frills, “endurance ride”. This workout may not be as exciting as interval work or as exhausting as sprint efforts, but it is absolutely one of the most important workouts to master as every cyclist needs to maximize their aerobic economy. For the unknowing cyclist, it can seem mundane or unhelpful to hold-back and only ride at an endurance pace. After all, most of us grew up embracing the “go hard or go home” mentality of stick-and-ball sports. However, the seemingly unassuming endurance ride can bring distinct gains to cyclists of all skill levels, disciplines, and abilities. With this notion in mind, we want to share three tips to help you make the most of your next endurance ride…and every one after that! Incorporating these tips will enhance your muscular endurance while developing a deeper cardiovascular economy, making you stronger and more efficient in every aspect of your cycling.  Endurance riding is important for cyclists of all levels, from recreational riders to seasoned pros. Every cyclist needs to know how to execute an effective endurance workout. Photo Credit: Danny Munson, DMunsonPhoto.com #1: Get The Cadence Up! There is no lack of research supporting a snappy and quick cadence as a means of increasing performance and prolonging power output for endurance cyclists. What’s less commonly known is that developing a quick cadence is one of the fastest ways to become more efficient and economical on the bike. And there is no better workout to develop both muscular endurance and aerobic economy than a long steady-state endurance effort. In order to make the most out of your next endurance day in the saddle, we suggest riding with a “comfortably quick” pedal-speed, preferably 85rpm or more throughout the entire ride. A great goal is to achieve an average cadence of 85-90rpm (including the warm-up and cool-down) for every endurance workout. Although this sounds easily attainable, and it might be if you have developed this skill, take a look at the data from your last endurance workout. What was your average cadence? Did you have the quick cadence you thought you did? If not, tomorrow is new day and opportunity to make sure you do! Note: If your average cadence is significantly lower than 85rpm, i.e. below 70rpm, we suggest gradually increasing your cadence average 5rpm at a time until 85+rpm becomes your preferred cadence.  Endurance riding is not just for 'roadies', cyclists of all disciplines, especially those in the world of endurance MTB or Gravel can benefit greatly from these sub-threshold days in the saddle. Photo Credit: Joy McCulloch Tip #2: Narrow The Gap Of NP To Avg.-Pwr. For power-meter users, Normalized Power is a lauded metric that offers valuable perspective and insight as to how hard a workout is. Unfortunately, it is all to common for there to be a sizable disparity between Normalized Power and Average Power in many of the workouts an Athlete performs, even ‘steady-state’ efforts. For an endurance workout, the most important comparison of power data is evaluating the difference between NP (Normalized Power) and Average Power (Avg.-Pwr.). In order to narrow the gap between Avg.-Pwr. and NP, an Athlete will have to produce a very “even” effort with minimal spikes in power output. This low variability in effort is the essence of steady-state work. Although seemingly simple, this tip can turn an average endurance workout into a highly-effective protocol that produces the greatest physiological adaptation to training. It take practice to narrow this gap, but it is well worth the effort!  Finding an open road or steady climb makes it easier to keep an even power output and narrow the gap between NP and Avg.-Pwr. Photo Credit: Brian McCulloch Tip #3: Shift Often/Use All Your Gears! Proper terrain selection for a prescribed workout is one of the most common difficulties for Athletes following a structured training plan. This is because not every Athlete has access to steady climbs or flat roads that make for ideal endurance training grounds. Despite this challenge we think this lack of steady/open roads offers a unique opportunity for those Athletes willing to replace their shift cables a little more often. By shifting more frequently, throughout an endurance ride, it will be much easier to maintain a quick cadence as well as a narrow power-output. If riding undulating terrain, all it takes is a little situational-awareness to shift to a lighter gear as the road tilts upward. Then, as the grade begins to soften, progressively shift to harder gears while maintaining an even output/pressure on the pedals and a fast cadence. Once the climb crests keep the steady pressure "on" and build your momentum! In short, be sure to use all the gears that your bike came with and shift as often as you need to maintain a steady-state effort!  Proper hydration and nutrition is essential to ensuring you can ride strong throughout a steady-state effort. Photo Credit: Joy McCulloch
Bonus Tip: Eat Early/Drink Often Because endurance rides are steady-state in nature, meaning the working Athlete is producing constant power with no rest, the need to fuel this type of effort is paramount! Additionally, despite the fact that an endurance ride is not “leg breaking” in intensity, these workouts absolutely require proper fueling to be executed effectively. With that notion in mind, we suggest that Athletes' utilize the same fueling strategies they depend-on to complete intense workouts for an endurance ride. That is to say that eating 200-300/kcal per hour in a mix of solid and liquid sources, coupled with consuming approximately one water bottle, per hour, will ensure that you are performing strong throughout your next endurance workout. Summary: Endurance riding may not be a cutting-edge training method, but it is absolutely an effective and foundational workout that Athletes of all fitness levels benefit from. In fact, as a cyclists' training volume increases, more and more of their miles have to be endurance-paced in order to avoid injury, burnout, and over-training. With that in mind, mastering each of the previously mentioned tips is critical for every Athlete looking to enjoy years of growth as an Endurance Cyclist. #TrainYourPotential Until Next Time, Be Safe, Train Hard, & Have Fun! -Brian and Joy McCulloch Big Wheel Coaching |
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