Consistency: The Secret Sauce to Your Best 100 Mile Mountain Bike Race?

June 26, 2014

Peak Cycles Race Team What makes for a successful first 100 mile mountain bike race?  Is it riding a ton of trails? Picking the best race?

Or maybe, it’s knowing the difference between riding and training.  Sure, many think if they ride a lot it will get them to the finish line.  And it will.  But training and preparing strategically for your 100 miler will not only get you to the finish line feeling your best, but it can actually prepare you for better performances in the future.  Here’s why.

According to the post, Nine Golden Rules for Training, consistency is key. That means consistently training but also, consistently racing builds fitness too.  Consistency in racing builds all kinds of fitness: mental, physical, and psychological fitness.  To ensure a successful 100 mile mountain bike race, you need to train all the systems.

You can start by looking at the type of race or races you like to race.  What types of terrain, geographical areas, and elevations profiles suit your strengths.  What about your weaknesses?  There are numerous 100 mille mountain bike races to choose from including the National Ultra Endurance Series, the 100 Mile Mountain Bike and Running Off Road Race Series and the the Leadville 100 Race Series.  Racing longer distances consistently builds an endurance baseline to build upon year after year.

Consistency in race preparation makes a difference too.  If your race day strategies are scattered, unorganized, and left to chance, all your training leading up to the race can only take you so far.  The post,  Top 10 Tips For Your Best 100 Mile Mountain Bike Race  states the importance of race day preparations.

Other resources reinforce dialing in your race day nutritional needs and bike inspections to avoid mechanicals, flats, and other bike related issues due to not having your bike parts in order for racing.  Imagine doing all the prep work for a major race and having to DNF due to not replacing a chain, derailleur, or tire.

Consistency in training helps you physical body prepare for the physical stresses of racing a 100 mile mountain bike race.  But minimizing or eliminating other stressors like those mentioned above helps you free up your mental and psychological energies so that you can successful focus on the task at hand: racing your best 100 miler ever.

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Racing at Altitude. What You Need to Know.

June 19, 2014

trail aThe beautiful scenery and challenging terrain of Colorado’s cycling scene beckons riders from all over the world to ride along the backdrop of blue skies and snow capped mountains.

However, one of the toughest challenges a cyclist can face is completing all of their training at their low-elevation residences, and then traveling to ride or compete in a race at high altitude.  For events like the Leadville 100, The Breck Epic, and The Triple Bypass, many are left questioning what to expect when riding at elevation and what are the best ways to acclimate faster to ensure optimum performance.

For starters, it’s best to understand how the body responds to altitude. The post, Understanding the Challenges of High-Altitude Racing at the Leadville 100 and USA Pro Cycling Challenge, gives us a detailed understanding. “The basics of altitude work like this: as you go higher the air becomes less dense, which means the oxygen molecules are more spread out. As a result, when you breathe in and fill your lungs, there are fewer oxygen molecules in that volume of air.”  More so, as you increase in elevation, heart rate and breathing rates at rest will be increasing elevated as your body tries to pull more air through the lungs so it can grab the oxygen it wants.

While at rest at altitude, you might experience a combination of headache, poor sleep, fatigue, and dizziness. While training, racing, or participating in an event at altitude, most likely you’ll discover an elevated heart rate and reduced power. And, your recovery rate between hard efforts will be longer and maybe not even complete.  So, what can you do if you want to perform your best at altitude?

Obviously, a no brainer is to have your bike and the correct bike parts in order!  If you are accustomed to riding on flat terrain, you’ll want to have the appropriate gearing for your event.  Specific to altitude acclimations, there is definitely science and research behind acclimating for cycling performance but without getting too technical, following are some of most common approaches.

  • Acclimate  – Spending time at higher elevations enables the body to adapt and increase the number of oxygen-carrying red blood cells. This improves your ability to deliver oxygen to the brain and working muscles at all levels of activity, including high-intensity exercise. The longer you can acclimatize – the better.  Keep in mind, true acclimation can take three weeks or more.
  • Hydrate Drink plenty of liquids. High elevations can cause fluid loss, so it’s important to stay well hydrated. Your best course of action is to stick with water or liquids that replace electrolytes and avoid sugary or caffeinated beverages. These liquids act as diuretics and can dehydrate you.
  • Tools – Use your training tools for biofeedback.  It’s important to know your limits going into an event and modify your strategy if necessary. This includes dialing in your race day nutrition requirements, heart rate limits, and using your power meter for feedback. Power meters are especially useful because they help riders to gauge their efforts.  To maximize your opportunity for best performance, consider running course intelligence and learn the course and the conditions due to time of day.  You’ll be better equipped to know when to attack and when to recover as it relates to time of day (heat), and course profile.

Overall, different people respond differently to attitude.  Experiment with what works for you.  And, while you might not get the same results racing at altitude as you do at sea level, the rewards of riding in beautiful Colorado is a reward in and of itself.

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How to Improve Joint Health While Cycling Safely 

June 12, 2014

healthWhen you feel great, you probably take your fitness and health for granted. But as many cyclist know, it doesn’t take but a quick spill on the bike to go from a physically fit state to an injured one with limitations on riding and training time. Surface injuries are the easiest to heal but as we’ve seen in the recent crash that injured BMC Racing’s Taylor Phinney at the Volkswagen USA Cycling National Road Championship, broken bones and muscle injuries can make a good season turn bad.

With June being National Safety Month, how can you avoid injuries, improve joint health, and capture the gains of an active lifestyle? Answers can be found in the post, Bike Inspections: A Guide for Injury Free, Enjoyable Spring Cycling, which shares the importance of having the right bike setup, cycling accessories and gear. More importantly, for safe riding, regular bike inspections are in order.  If you’re not sure what to look for, you want to notice any bike parts that need to be replaced.  For instance, saddle injuries are the result of poor seat position, height, angle or design. Replacing older items like saddles, cables, tires and brakes provide safety and peace of mind while riding.

Also, consider if the right bike parts can make a difference in injury prevention.   In a sport based on such a highly repetitive action, like pedaling, the first line of defense against injury is a proper bike fit. Whether you’re just starting to ride or you’ve been cycling for a long time, there are numerous benefits to getting a professional bike fit in which you can dial in the appropriate riding position for you as well as the exact bike parts needed to accommodate that fit precisely.

Cycling is safe and effective, fun way to improve fitness as well as joint health. It strengthens muscles which puts less pressure on joints and it is a low-impact exercise limits wear on cartilage around joints .  When you take a few preventative measures, as in bike inspections, bike maintenance and commit to a regular cycling schedule, not only do you improve joint health and fitness, but you also improve your overall peace of mind.  Enjoy a National Safety Month from the view of your two wheeled friend!

 

 

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How to Survive or Thrive Your First Century

June 5, 2014

Century RideFor many cyclists, a century ride (100 miles) is a goal that is equivalent to running a marathon. It seems like a crazy long distance but whether you’re pushing your limits to cover 100 miles as fast as you can or you are riding 100 miles for the first time, you can finish fresh and feeling good by planning appropriately. 

Set a Date
The most important step is to set a date and sign up. You will be more motivated to train once you pay an entry fee and have a date on your calendar. Knowing when the big ride is will also help you set your training schedule appropriately. There are several citizen road rides and competitive 100 mile endurance mountain bike races to select your event.  Discovering which one inspires you the most is the easy part!  With so many locations, routes, and rides to choose from, you can opt for a flatter course or one that offers more challenges. Pick one, get it on your calendar and begin your preparations. 

Prep Your Bike Gear 
Is your bike ready for the ride? Should you use a particular bike for the century? If you’re not sure, now is the time to stop by Peak Cycles Bicycle Shop.  We’ll help you identify your needs and confirm you’re on the right road bike or MTB for you. Presuming you have your bike and your bike does fit, get it and your cycling accessories ready.  It is not a good idea to make major modifications to the bike the day before the ride.  As you train for your century, it’s important to dial in all of your personal and bike requirements.  This includes your bike parts, helmet, cycling apparel, and bicycle tools for quick fixes.  If you don’t know how to change a flat, you might want to build that, along with performing bike inspections on a routine basis, into your gear preparations as well.  

Train, Train, and Train some more!
Do you know the right way to train? Having a strategic approach and structured training means every workout has a purpose.  Every step, pedal and stroke is being performed with the confidence it’s the right thing to do and performed the right way.  The post, The Right Way to Train, shares four essential components of deliberate practice.  You may also consider How to Dial in Your Race Day Nutrition Needs. If you are considered about stomach issues and performance, preparing well and listening to your body during training can significantly improve your enjoyment level during your century. 

Ride and Celebrate!
Embark on your century ride and enjoy the experience!  Remember to pace yourself and savor the experience.  Consider breaking the course into sections or have a goal to get to the next aid station.  Smaller goals are little victories aiming you towards the final big one at the finish line. 

Finally – Repeat!  Congratulate yourself on a well deserved accomplishment and sign up for another one! 

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