Positive Performance Coaching

Motivational Mondays – The Revision

admin — Mon, 13 May 2013 12:00:45 +0000

Each week, barring technical difficulties I will post something motivational to help us all get through the week here and on the PPC Facebook page. Check them both out for a double dose of motivation. I have athletes tell me their goals and objectives when it comes time to develop their training plans. I also learn from their training logs, emails and discussions how they are or are not doing. How are you doing? Is your training going to plan? Are your goals and objectives being met? Is it time to revise them? What are you going to do today and this week to improve the outcome of your goals and objectives? Have a great week everyone! Look for some new articles this week! Don't forget to like us on Facebook and friend us on twitter. Coach Rob

Mental Toughness Lessons

admin — Thu, 09 May 2013 14:10:59 +0000

I shared in a guest post at a friend’s web site last year about a story of one of my toughest Road Races when I first started racing. It was about how I decided I wasn’t a very good climber and how I just couldn’t seem to do well when the roads turned up. My coach was out riding the course with me and he shared some great tips with me. I was complaining about how hard and long the climbs were and that I wasn’t any good at climbing. He stopped me in my tracks and said. “As long as your thinking that way you wont be good at climbing.” We rode along and talked about Mental Toughness and positive self-talk and how it could be applied in my case. It was a great lesson that I think back on often. When I look back on my mental toughness moments I think about workouts I have completed and races where I struggled but prevailed. Lately I have been thinking about the athletes I coach. When I was looking for an image that would do a descent job of conveying toughness and overcoming the pain of training and competing I came across photo after photo of many men and women in the US Armed Forces training for their jobs. I am proud and honored to say that I have been able to coach and train many from our armed forces. Some that I coach are from the Army, Marines, Navy and even special forces and I promise you they are all very tough men and women indeed! What can we learn from Olympic athletes? I love watching the Olympics and hearing the athletes being interviewed. You will hear the athletes say that almost all athletes participating are on equal ground when it comes to fitness and ability but that winning or loosing comes down to mental toughness. So what is mental toughness you might ask? Mental toughness is having the natural or developed psychological edge that enables you to cope better than your opponents with the many demands (e.g., competition, training, lifestyle) that are placed on you as a performer. David Yukelson, Ph.D., Coordinator of Sport Psychology Services Morgan Academic Support Center for Student-Athletes, Penn State University But I am not a competitive cyclist All cyclists could learn and apply the characteristics of mentally tough athletes to their event rides and tours. Doctor David Yukelson, mentioned above, has provided four easy to remember characteristics that everyone can learn from when trying to become mentally tough. I am going to adapt these to be more appropriate to the tour and expedition rider but they will still be applicable to competitive athletes. So here are some characteristics of mentally tough athletes. Self-Belief You must believe in your ability to complete your cycling goals! You must also understand that you bring unique abilities to your ride that allows you to complete your goals. Motivation You need an unflappable desire to train and ride in order to meet your goals. You must not look at training or riding setbacks as the end to your goals just as new challenges. Focus When things aren’t going to plan or your body is not living up to it’s potential you need to be able to remain focused on the task of training, riding and touring. You need to be able to discern what is a distraction and what is a priority. Composure/Handling Pressure I like to think of this as “Grace Under Pressure”. The ability to not cave in to negative self-talk when the ride gets harder than my body or mind is use to. This may be the hardest to train for. While its helpful to read over tips on mental toughness it requires a consistent and concentrated effort and practice to develop mental toughness. In training we need to recognize that all training is planned, training doesn’t just happen. If you find that you are no longer enjoying riding due to one or more aspects of your training, riding or touring you need to ask yourself why. If you cannot find the answers to this question I strongly suggest you seek out more knowledge on sports psychology or even speak to a sport psychologist. “We would accomplish many more things if we did not think of them as impossible.” Vince Lombardi Train Smarter not Harder! Coach Rob

Motivational Mondays: Success or Failure

admin — Mon, 06 May 2013 12:00:48 +0000

Back in March of this year I started a new series of posts only on the PPC Facebook page entitled Motivational Monday's. Each week, barring technical difficulties I post something motivational to help us all get through the week. I decided that I am going to post my past posts here at the PPC website too. However I encourage you to get a double dose of motivation by liking us on FB on and getting to motivational posts! Below is the first post.

Have you set your self up for success or failure? This is one of the toughest questions I ask myself every time I review a new athlete’s profile when they first contact me. Creating goals like I want to be the winner of this and that race or event is what we all want. But why haven’t you yet? Is it because you’re a new athlete or is it because you don’t know how? Is creating an outcome-based goal instead of a performance-oriented goal hurting your motivation?

What is holding you back?

Have a great week everyone! Look for some new articles this week! Don't forget to like us on Facebook and friend us on twitter.

Coach Rob

On bike nutrition strategies

admin — Thu, 02 May 2013 18:20:20 +0000

I get asked all kinds of questions about sports nutrition as a coach. What I share is practical knowledge based on my own experience as an athlete and a coach. It also doesn’t hurt to be coached by one of the best Sport Nutritionists in the industry, Kelli Jennings of Apex Nutrition LLC. What I am going to share is just the basics of in ride nutrition strategies. I also want you to think of nutrition on the bike as fuel! When fueling for a ride you must first think of the day in its entirety not just the time you are on the bike. When you eat and what you eat will play a very large part in how well you do on the ride. What I eat during the day On the day of a race or a long training day I like to keep it simple. My daily nutrition consists of whole foods with little to no processed foods. I will consume more protein than your average person due to my high volume of training. My protein sources come from lean meats, fish and whey protein. When I am concerned with daily carbs I also like to limit it to fruits and vegetables. I try to limit/remove sugars and starchy carbs as well as they can lead to insulin spikes and the inevitable low energy crash. The healthier I eat the more this “crash” is noticeable when I cheat and eat something I shouldn’t. So where do all of the gels, sports drinks and protein bars come in? In normal weather conditions I only consume sports drinks, gels before and during rides and races lasting longer than 1.5 hours. If it’s hot and the humidity is over the top I will consume sports drinks on rides 40 minutes or greater due to potential electrolyte losses. I will only eat protein bars after a long race or ride when it is not easy to consume a recovery shake of my own design. That’s it? I hate to say it but I like to keep it simple when it comes to my nutrition concerns and rarely change my diet. I have found that the longer I train and race the less time I want to spend over analyzing what I am eating. What if I don’t have access to my favorite nutrition? I recently received a comment from a reader that liked my sports drink formula in the hydration article but when they calculated how much they were going to need they calculated about 100lbs of Sports Drink Mix in an effort to meet my requirements for hydration. To answer I have a simple response to all concerned. “Do the best you can with what you have.” This is actually some of the best advice I was ever given as a child from my Grandfather and it has helped me through many a tough decision. It may be impossible to get your favorite nutrition on a cycling tour but there are few rules that you can follow that will help you stay healthy.

Eat cleaned whole foods (Fruits, Vegetables, Roots, Nuts, Berries, Lean Meats/Protein)
Stay away from packaged foods that have ingredients you do not recognize
Stay away from packaged foods that do not have ingredients listed
Drink only water that has been purified or bottled
Stay away from packaged foods that contain sugar alcohols, as they can be tough on digestion especially in hot climates
Stay away from High Fructose Corn Syrup as a sweetener used in many packaged sports drinks and supplements

As I said before do the best you can. You may be in the middle of nowhere and only have a handful of power bars and can of coke to fuel with. Its not the end of the world its just not the best fuel for the long haul. What I enjoy eating I also get asked quite a bit about what I like to eat during training, racing or on long rides. I have had several sponsors over the years and some have some great nutrition products and some not so great. Right now I am sponsored by GU Energy Labs and I really like there GU and Roctane brand of gels. I also use be a huge fan of Cliffshot blocks but after trying GU Chomps I am now a convert. When it comes to electrolyte mixes I use to be sponsored by the new Defunct Motortabs. I found that NUUN tablets were very similar to Motortabs but tasted better. I now use GU Brew and it works as well as the NUUN tables. Just wished there was a bit more sodium. I also like to bring bananas along for long steady distance rides. I find on slower rides that whole foods just stick with me longer. How often do I fuel On hard rides and workouts lasting an hour or longer I will take a gel 15 minutes before starting. Then I will take on a gel every 30-40 minutes. If I am doing lots of intervals and distance I will use the same formula for consuming gels but also add a bottle of my sports drink mix per hour of training. This sports drink I will take a sip every 5 minutes. If your not comfortable constantly looking down at your bike computer you can set an alarm on your computer or sports watch to remind you. Eating while riding I see far to many cyclists stop to eat. In some cases it s perfectly fine to stop get off the saddle and eat but if you are having a hard enough time fitting in your rides and training then its time to start eating and riding at the same time! It is actually easier than you think With prepackaged gels, blocks, protein bars and fruit you just need to know a few tips.

Not comfortable reaching in your back jersey pocket while riding? Store a gel just under the leg elastic on your shorts or bibs
Don't want to tear into packaging while riding? Open the package before you start
The idea of riding in a group and eating make you nervous? Drop to the back to eat and drink
What do I do with all the wrappers? Put them back in a free jersey pocket. GU wrappers can be placed in a zip lock baggie too
I don't like taking my eyes off the road. Don't! When pulling your bottle out of rack to drink do it by feel not sight!

As I wrote at the beginning of this article this was going to be very basic and non technical and I will give you one more piece of advice that has served me well on long rides. “Eat before your hungry and drink before you are thirsty.” Don't forget to register for our newsletter. Big announcements going out every month! Just enter your email to the right and hit the subscribe button. Until the next article Train Smarter Not Harder! Coach Rob

Making the ultimate sacrafice

admin — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:37:43 +0000

Amateur endurance athletes enter into competition for many reasons and in all cases our actions getting there speak volumes about our desires, work ethics and sometimes our emotions. I hope that the tragedy that unfolded at the 2013 Boston Marathon does not deter you from your dreams, desires, hopes wishes and prayers as a runner. Please do not let the actions of cowardice dissuade you from becoming the athlete you want to be. To some that follow me on social media or read this web site may feel that this pep talk is to early. I will disagree. I have on many occasions written not for you the reader but for me the athlete who is learning new methods of training, needing motivation or for making sense of the senseless. And I need a pep talk... While we wait to learn the reasons for this senseless act lets not forget to remember those that made the ultimate sacrifice while supporting and cheering on their competitors or the competitors who were doing their best putting one foot in front of the other to prove to themselves they could do it. For the competitors who were their in support of a loved one or a cause or in the memory of a friend or family member. No matter what the reason NO ONE deserved this. I encourage all athletes to lend a hand in the wake of this violence anyway you can. Here are some ways you can help Boston: Boston Police Help Line: Family members looking for information about individuals injured during the incident are encouraged to call (617) 635-4500. Boston Marathon Athlete Tracker: This section of the marathon's official website lets users track runners by name or bib number to find out if he or she finished the race and when. Visit the website by CLICKING HERE. Google Person Finder's Boston Marathon Page: Google's Person Finder launched a page specifically for the Boston Marathon tragedy that lets users look up information to either find someone or offer information about someone. Visit the website HERE. The American Red Cross of Eastern Massachusetts: This branch of the Red Cross has opened a disaster operation center to help families locate loved ones who were at the Boston Marathon. Visit RedCross.org/ma/boston for more. RESOURCES FOR MARATHON VICTIMS: Boston Marathon's Official Facebook Page: Marathon officials have been regularly updating their Facebook page with the latest information, including where runners can pick up their running bags.Visit the Facebook page HERE. American Red Cross's Safe and Well website: This allows people to register their status with the Red Cross so family members can search for them. Visit the website HERE. Strangers Offering Housing to Marathon Victims: Marathon participants or spectators who are stranded in the Boston area and need a place to stay can fill out THIS FORM to connect with people who are offering housing. WHERE TO SUBMIT INFORMATION: Boston Police Tip Line: Anyone with information about the incident at the Boston Marathon is encouraged to call the Boston Police Department's tip line: 1-800-494-TIPS or call the department's task force tip line at 617-223-6610 or email Boston@ci.fbi.gov Community members wanting 2 help this investigation can call 1(800) CALL-FBI or the BPD's Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 1 (800) 494-TIPS. How to help after this tragedy has left public's attention: Volunteer at a race: You will see many stories and emotions unfold not only at world event like the Boston Marathon but at local 5k races all over the world. You will be inspired! Encourage an amateur athletes: Please never ever ever discourage someone from attempting to become more than they are! Share the road: Please give runners and cyclists the room they need to be safe on the road while they train Start running yourself: Want to truly be inspired. Sacrifice some of your time to become a runner. You won't be sorry. Coach Rob Grissom

The bike fit, The next level of obsessiveness or just common sense cycling?

admin — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:54:36 +0000

So far I have been writing about how cyclists can utilize basic tactics, hydration, climbing techniques and how to become a more efficient rider. The most recent article helped cyclists discover why good posture is important for various types of riding. All of the training, technique and tactics are great places to start but if you hurt while you ride none of the above is going to be much good to you after mile 100. So lets answer some pretty common questions about a bike fitting experience. Why do I need a bike fit? I am strong proponent of getting a bike fit to you the day you purchase a brand new bike. However there is something to be said for getting your bike re-fit to you each and every season. Our postures, flexibility, power and physical size are not static as our fitness changes from year to year. Having a bike fit to a cyclist use to be a service offered to elite competitive cyclists but is now available to anyone who wants it done. Getting your optimal position fit to a bike will make for a much more comfortable ride, improve your efficiency and ward off over use injuries Who offers bike fitting services? Most local bike shops offer some kind of fitting service and there are even dedicated bike fitting studios in most major cities. Many bike fitters are now certified in one or more of the popular bike fitting services such as Guru Dynamic Fit, Serotta, Retul, F.I.S.T., PowerFiTTE and others. As you can see there are several certified services from reputable bicycle companies, sports scientists and physical therapist to choose from. I would strongly recommend doing a little research on each of the certifications before spending any money. What does a bike fit cost? A bike fit from a local bike store can cost as little as nothing to as much as $800.00 usd. You do get what you pay for! Bike fits cost an average of $200.00 a session and the average bike fit session lasts 2.5 hours. You may be advised to purchase updates to your bike such as a different saddle, handle bars, stems, cranks and even pedals. This will of course add to the overall cost. Just remember that if you are asked to purchase upgrades to your bike ask why changing this or that part will help you perform better or alleviate this or that ache and pain. You should also walk away from a bike fitting session with your measurements in case you ever need to apply them to a new bike. When should I get a bike fit? The best time to get a bike fit is just before you purchase a brand new bike. You can get a fit done anytime you want with your existing bike but I would not recommend doing it just before a big ride or race. It can take your body a few hundred miles to get use to the changes. A safe schedule would be to have your bike fit done 3 months in advance of an important ride or race. Where can a bike fit help me the most? It depends on what you want to focus on. If you want to become faster, more efficient or deal with a nagging physical problem such as an achy back, IT Band Syndrome or cyclists palsy (Numb Hands). I would split the difference and look to optimize performance with out compromising comfort. If you are about to give up on cycling due to a nagging injury than work with a fitter that either has a physical therapist on staff or partners with one to not only discover what is causing the problem but give you the necessary work outs to rehab the problem. How does a bike fit get performed? Bike fits may start out doors where a bike fitter will watch you ride. They will look at your pedaling technique, posture and how you navigate corners and hills. More often than not the bike fitter will put your bike onto a trainer or an ergometer or have you climb aboard a dedicated stationary bike designed for fitting. Your pedaling technique will be monitored again. You may even be video taped and data captured on cadence, left and right leg dominance, power, heart rate and speed. This information will be used through out testing to quantify changes in performance. The fitter through experience, various measurements and performance data will potentially change the following:

Saddle height
Fore and aft position of your saddle
Saddle level
Cleat position
Position of break levers
Change the width of the handlebars
Change stem length and or rise.

Fitters may also make additional adjustments and suggestions based on their experience and the data collected such as:

Moldable foot beds for shoes
Changes in pedals or crank lengths
Changes in bar tape
In extreme cases may recommend a new smaller or larger bike frame

Fitters will also make suggestions on how to improve your performance through their experienced observations and the data they have collected. I know some of this sounds subjective and expensive and some of it is but much of it is based on the science of bio mechanics. So should you get a bike fit? If you are about to invest considerable time in training and preparing to ride in an expedition tour wouldn’t you want just a bit more assurance that you have done everything you could to make your trip successful? Lets recap some of the benefits of a bike fit:

Helps to prevent over use injuries
Addresses cycling posture problems
Addresses cycling technique deficiencies
Helps you to become more comfortable on the bike
Helps you to become more efficient on the bike
May just make you a bit faster to!

I think it’s only fair to talk about potential cons to bike fits:

Bike fitting services can be very expensive
You may need to make several visits to get your fit right
May “require” expensive upgrades to your bike

Buyer beware I would also like to mention that I have heard horror stories from friends, teammates and athletes I coach on their journey to get a great fit to their bikes. So asking a few questions could save you some time, money, headaches or even prevent an injury.

Ask your bike fitter for client references
Ask around your bike club for who is recommended in your community
Check on bike forums for fitters in your area
Don’t be afraid to use a reputable bike fitter who isn’t certified (certs are new)
Steer clear of fitters who are upgrade happy
Ask lots of questions before laying down your hard earned cash
Run away from any bike fitter that makes you a guarantee on results

Does PPC Offer Bike fitting Yes, we do for athletes we coach. To learn more about getting your Road, TT/Tri or Mountain Bike Fitted to you click here. Until next time train smarter not harder Coach Rob

Training Nutrition Thursday: 5 Tips to Avoid the Post-Ride Fatigue

admin — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 13:42:24 +0000

Question: Is it usual to get really sleepy a couple of hours after a ride? I’ve recently started riding at the weekends (though I’m a long-time commuter and spinning fan). A typical example would be a two or three hour ride, in which I drink 500ml of energy drink, with a recovery shake straight after. But 2 hrs on, sleepiness sets in. I also always seem to get hard-to-identify cravings, as though I need more salt/sugar/carbs but I can never quite decide what. Bit like a hangover where you think “maybe a fried egg sandwich will cure it” (though it rarely does…). Be great if you could help! Kelli’s Answer: Hello and thank you for the question! This is actually very common among endurance athletes. In fact, many Pro or Olympic level endurance athletes are known to sleep 10 hours a night PLUS 2-3 hours in a nap during the day. Why? Not sure exactly. It hasn’t been determined in research, nor has it been well studied. There are hypothesis, though. Some experts think that the cytokines released during long, intense training causes sleepiness afterwards – this does not occur with shorter exercise. In fact, most shorter or easier training is invigorating…longer can cause sleepiness. These are the same cytokines released by the body during a short illness such as a cold, which is why most people feel very sleepy when they are sick. Bummer. While I may not have a “magic bullet” to fix all of this, I can help you optimize your fuel to give you the best chance of recovering well and staying energized after training and throughout the day. And, maybe we can lessen the effect of those cytokines. Here are my recommendations: 1) Hydration: More hydration during your ride: Aim for 16-24 oz. per hour (at a minimum, 16 oz. per hour). Dehydration is detrimental in many ways as it can cause nausea, fatigue, headaches, cravings, etc. Additionally, stay on top of hydration day to day, aiming for 64-80 oz. fluid per day (in addition to what’s needed for training). 2) Carbohydrates: Aim for 40+ grams of carbs per hour on the bike. For these rides that are longer than 60 minutes, I recommend sports drink + 15-25 grams of additional carbs from a gel, ½ energy bar, energy chews, etc. 3) Recovery: Your recovery shake needs to contain 30-60 grams carbohydrates, 10-30 grams protein, and fluid. I also strongly recommend adding Medium Chain Triglycerides, from organic extra-virgin coconut oil, as they are an efficient energy source that’s used directly by the mitochondria (energy powerhouses) of the cells. As a bonus, antioxidants and probiotics are helpful in recovery – the probiotics increase the absorption of the antioxidants which fight the extra free radicals created by exercise. For a recipe, try this Recovery Smoothie and use plain yogurt in place of milk. Try to consume your recovery snack within 30 minutes of finishing your ride. 4) Supplements: It’s beneficial to most endurance athletes to supplement with a high-quality multivitamin. One brand I like is the Rainbow Light Brand, and they have a multivitamin specific for men. Since it sounds like this is an issue after long rides, and not fatigue in general, it doesn’t sound like an iron issue to me. Also, being a male cyclist (as opposed to a female runner), you’re not in a high-risk group. 5) Healthy Fats: Since omega-3s from fish oils slow the release of cytokines and thereby reduce their effects, hypothetically it’s possible that omega-3s may reduce this endurance-exercise-sleepiness issue – and, they’re healthy for you anyway, so it’s worth a try. I generally recommend 1000 mg of DHA/EPA per day from supplements + 6 oz. fatty fish 2 times per week for ~1500-2000 mg of DHA/EPA per day. Vegetarian sources of omega-3s may also help, but most research has used fish oil. I hope this helps! Let me know after your next big ride! Give your body what it needs everyday and during training with the right Foods, Drinks and Supplements. If you would like my help with it, I offer comprehensive plans as Instant Downloads and as Custom Clients starting at just $20. And, as a PPC and FuelRightBlog reader, get a further discount with coupon code: password-frblog username-reader. I’d love to work with you! Fuel Your Adventure. Nourish Your Body. Coach Kelli RD

All About the Inaugural PPC Training Camp

admin — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 17:45:40 +0000

Well our very first training camp is behind us! A total of 12 cyclists converged on the Smoky Mountains from Arkansas, Michigan, West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee to learn quite a bit about group riding, pace lining, bike handling, climbing and descending. The cyclists that joined us for our first camp ranged from beginning competitive cyclists to intermediate competitive cyclists. We even converted a club rider to a competitive cyclist by the end of camp! So what goes on in a training camp? That’s easy, having fun, lots of riding, learning, eating, and meeting new people is what happens at a PPC training camp! So before I begin with the specifics of the camp and what we accomplished as a group I thought I would share with you some of the reasoning behind the camp and it’s organization. I have hosted several one day and afternoon/evening skills clinics for one-on-one and moderately sized groups since before Positive Performance Coaching was even a business. I know as a coach in order to grow my business in the hopes of one day becoming a full time business owner I will need to do more than just coach individuals. I also knew as the sponsor and coach of a development cycling team I needed to have the team review and learn some foundational skills. So I felt that after 2 seasons it was time to host a camp and not just for the team I coach. I opened the camp at first to just athletes I coached and was really excited when so many wanted to attend. I then decided on how many people I could realistically manage at a camp, set a date and booked a lodge for all of us. The above is a bit over simplified but its pretty close to how it all came together. So let’s talk camp! Day 1, Thursday: Most of us get to the lodge early to get in a cool easy ride before the official kick off. I quickly decided on the way out that the ride needed some guidance and it turned into a clinic on group riding etiquette, pace lines and bike handling. The return trip back to the lodge was impressive. I would of thought that the group had been riding together for years! Pace lines were smooth and communication was fantastic! When we returned it was to late to get another ride in so instead we waited for the arrival of the rest of our campers, set up shop in the lodge, swapped stories and made plans for dinner out in Pigeon Forge TN. Day 2 Friday: On our second day we reviewed everything from day 1’s clinic on group riding etiquette, pace lines and bike handling. Then we covered Climbing and Descending skills because this would be a day of two climbs for many of us. We all walked down the hill from the lodge and hit the road at the base of the mountain. We proceeded to ride to Cades Cove on an easy steady climb and a loop around Cades Cove. The group did very well and handled themselves like pros on the climbs and dealing with park traffic. I was also very impressed with descending skills of all of the campers. We made it back to the lodge for a quick clean up and some refueling and went back out for one of two rides. Campers had a choice between a recovery ride or a shorter steeper climb up part of the Foothill Parkway. Tony Young, a long time PPC athlete, was my assistant at the camp and he guided several on a recovery ride while I and several of our campers climbed as much of the Foothill Parkway as we could before we started loosing light. I had also prepared to talk about several topics that were important to the campers and on Day 2 we covered Performance nutrition. I also spent some time talking with individual campers about logging data, power meter selection and looking at data using some of the premium features in Training Peaks. Look for webinar on Performance Nutrition soon! Our discussion on Performance Nutrition happened right after a dinner prepared by several of the campers and teammates. We dined on baked spaghetti that was covered in Venison meat sauce. Wow was that amazing! Day 3, Saturday Saturday’s weather was perfect in the valley and in the mountains so the decision was made to climb Clingman’s Dome instead of the Foothills Parkway. The distance to the top of the Foothills parkway is about 14 miles and includes almost 13 miles of climbing. Climbing to the top of Clingman’s dome from the Visitors center is about 22 miles of non-stop climbing! The grade to the top was never ridiculous. We did have a few steep pitches but nothing to drastic. We did suffer the road conditions going up Newfound Gap. We had several tires that had issues with the rough conditions. In total we had one tire replaced on the way up and two once we completed our descent. Total time to ascend with breaks making sure everyone caught back on with the group took a total of 3 hours and change. It took just under an hour to descend! The road down from the top of Clingmans was damp but clean and amazing to descend. The descent down Newfound Gap was a bit trickier but nothing that we couldn’t handle after our clinic on descending! So we headed back to the lodge to relax get cleaned up and prepare for another couple of topics and dinner. We spent considerable time hanging around outside and in front of the massive outdoor fireplace, especially at night. We talked about Flexibility, Rolling and Recovery, Posture and Bike Fit as well as Time Trial bikes and Time Trial bike technology. I will also be having webinars on these topics too. Dinner was an amazing assortment of vegetables and wild game! We had ELK and Venison! Remind me to make sure hunters come along for the next camp! Day 4, Sunday We were not able to squeeze in an easy ride liked I had hoped on the last day but we did talk quite a bit before working as a team to pack up and pick up. We talked more about power meters, wheels, bikes, performance data collection, coaching and training plans. I am sure I have missed a few things we discussed because it was non-stop from sun up to sun down! I have received several questions form campers and those who wanted to attend but couldn’t make it so I have set up a FAQ below. But before I jump into the questions I want to thank everyone who showed up for the first PPC camp and to everyone who helped make it a success. Special thanks to Tony Young for assisting on rides, Rusty Barrett, for being the Grill Master, Andrew and Bill for the killer Spaghetti and everyone who made side trips to the grocery. Pretty much everyone who shared their photos for this article and Facebook posts. So will we be hosting more training camps? You can bet on it! How long will camps last? Camps will last 4-5 days How much will camps cost? Our inaugural camp had two prices. One price for those that we coach and one for the general public. This years spring camp was super cheap since it was the first one. Future camps will range from 300.00 - 700.00 for each participant depending on location, number of participants and length of the camp. What does the cost cover? The cost of the camp covers lodging, materials and in future camps, meals. The cost may also cover some local transportation and items like camp t-shirts, caps and or jerseys. The fee also covers the cost of coaching services in the field and the coach(es) and camp staff’s own travel and lodging expenses. Will you host a camp just for our team or club? I sure will. Just email me and let me know the dates and particulars you have in mind. Where will you host your camps in the future? We will be back in the Smoky Mountains for sure but would also like to host a camp in the Caribbean next season too! We also hope to host more camps in Kentucky and surrounding states but have no problem traveling to set up camps. Are your camps just for cyclists? No not at all. We will also be holding camps and clinics for multisport athletes and runners in the future! I don’t think I can afford to go to one of your camps. Do you work with athletes one-on-one or just for the day in a group setting? We will also be hosting one-on-one coach rides and or one day or weekend clinics. Our first clinic of the year is coming up. We will be hosting a Time Trial Clinic in May. Watch our events page for details and registration If you have any other questions about our camps or clinics email us! Until next time Train Smarter NOT Harder! Coach Rob

Is your cycling posture right for your riding style?

admin — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 13:47:02 +0000

In a previous article I covered how cyclists can improve pedaling efficiency through increasing cadence. This was accomplished using pedaling drills and several interval based workouts that smooth pedal strokes and increase leg speed. While pedaling efficiency is very important aspect of becoming and efficient cyclists there are many other things we can do to improve our ride as cyclists. In this article we will learn how to become even more efficient and confident on the bike when the ride gets technical! Cyclists often don’t understand that there is proper posture when riding. Cycling posture isn’t static and needs to be adapted to various riding conditions. Many of the tenants of good cycling posture are applicable to all riding conditions such as relaxed riding or technical riding. Relaxed riding is when a rider is sitting up in the saddle usually on flat stretches of smooth road. Technical riding is about riding in the aero position, cornering, climbing and descending. Relaxed riding posture Relaxed riding isn’t just about riding through your neighborhood or to the coffee shop. Relaxed riding is what cyclists do when it’s time to recover from hard efforts. So if you could ride a bit more efficiently and confidently wouldn’t that make for a nicer ride? Proper relaxed riding posture is the foundation for all types of riding conditions but the basics should be practiced on relaxed rides before trying in high speed riding.

Sit high in the saddle
Hands on the tops of the bars or the brake hoods
Hands should not have a death grip on the bars
Elbows should never be locked but slightly bent
Shoulders should not be hunched but relaxed
Looking forward never down at the road
Knees should not stick out past handle bars
Sitting towards the middle to the back of your saddle

So why is relaxed riding posture so important? Most posture concerns are about being relaxed on the bike. A tense cyclist is using energy that they do not need to waste.

If you sit high in the saddle you will find it difficult to slouch or look down at the road.
Keeping your hands on the tops of the bars opens up your chest for easier breathing. Riding with hands on the break hoods still keeps your chest open but gives you a bit more control over the bike and gives you a slightly aero position.
Not having a death grip on the handlebars keep you relaxed and ready for jarring bumps on poor road surfaces.
Keeping your elbows bent allows your arms to work like shock absorbers for the upper body.
Having your elbows bent will allow you to make more relaxed line changes. Trying to make a line change with elbows locked can lead to erratic bike handling. When pedaling with your knees behind the bars and close to the top tube keeps your legs out of the wind more.
Ridding towards the rear of saddle will utilize major muscle groups where as sitting towards the front of saddle while faster can exhaust fast twitch muscles much sooner.

Technical riding posture So if relaxed riding posture is about remaining relaxed to further enhance your efficiency, what does technical riding posture accomplish? Technical riding posture addresses a rider’s aero position, riding in a pack or pace line, cornering, climbing and descending. Riding in an aero position, riding in a pack or pace line

Same as the relaxed posture +
Sit towards the front of the saddle
Hands in the drops

Cornering

Same as the relaxed posture +
Sit towards the middle of the saddle or hoover just above the saddle
Hands in the drops

Climbing

Same as the relaxed posture +
Sit at the back of the saddle
Hands on the tops

Descending

Same as the relaxed posture +
Sit towards the middle of the saddle or hover just above the saddle
Hands in the drops

Is technical posture about being relaxed? Yes and no. Many experienced cyclists would argue that there is nothing comfortable about riding in an aero position. I think it’s easier to think of technical riding posture as how can you become more confident and stable on the bike. So how does technical riding posture help cyclists? Technical riding posture follows the same guidelines, as relaxed riding posture but is specific to technical riding. Cyclists can gain greater stability, efficiency and confidence when applying the following: Aero position riding is needed when riding in packs of cyclists, pace lines, windy conditions or riding with the purpose to gain and maintain speed. The aero position keeps the cyclist body in a position that streamlines airflow over the cyclist’s body. Riding with hands in the drops, bottom of road bars and sitting forward of the saddle. Cornering is often an uncomfortable topic for recreational riders who have not been taught to corner at speed. There are few things cyclists can do to help relieve some of the nervousness that comes with high speed cornering. Riding in the drops just as you do when riding aero is the biggest tip. While riding in the drops gives you an aero position it also lowers your center of gravity making you even more stable while cornering. Sitting in the middle of the saddle while keeping a light stance in the saddle allows a rider to shift their weight easily in the corner. While not a posture concern I will add that when a cyclist rides into a corner they are not steering a bike but leaning into a corner. To do this into a left hand corner means that your right pedal should be in the 6 o’ clock position and your right foot should be heavily weighted on the right pedal. You do just the opposite for a right hand corner. Climbing posture may actually be the simplest to grasp when practicing good technical climbing posture. We climb seated to the back of the saddle with our hands on the tops of the bars. As mentioned before when our hands are on the tops of the bars our chest is opened up allowing for easier and more complete breaths. While not a posture guideline but more of a tip for climbing, try pulling back on the bars gently when your dominant leg pushes down on the pedals. This should be a subtle motion and should feel like you are rowing not rocking. Descending posture is the same as cornering but I would add two additional tips. Instead of actually remaining seated try hovering just off of the saddle. When descending short straight hills with no corners you can also bring your pedals parallel to each other when coasting down hills for an even more aero position on the bike. I want to caution everyone reading this article that all of the above should be practiced before trying to use in a group riding or technical ride. I would also strongly recommend that if you feel that this article has shown that you are lacking in many of these areas that you seek out a local coach and ask if he or she hosts a skills clinic. A skills clinic offered by many coaches and cycling clubs will address many of the above posture and technique concerns. Please remember that while these are skills taught to competitive cyclists all cyclists can greatly benefit from this knowledge. I hope you found this article on posture helpful and if you have questions related to this or other articles please feel free to email me. Until next article Remember Train Smarter Not Harder, Coach Rob

Training nutrition Thursday: Build-Your-Own Pre-Training Smoothie

admin — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 06:00:44 +0000

Here is another amazing article from Coach Kelli. I get asked all the time how many carbs should I take in. Read the entire article and you will find out how many you need!

The pre-training ritual. Most every athlete has one, whether strategic or not. At the top of the list is what to eat. Some work out on nothing, even after fasting through the night. Some swear by oatmeal, energy bars, or baked potatoes. For me, when it comes to my favorite pre-training fuel, it’s gotta be a smoothie. Why? Mostly because I’ve never been willing to wake up 3 hours before race-time or ride-time to eat. I always feel “light” within an hour of drinking a smoothie. I can pack in everything I need, into a small volume, without risking a bloated stomach or extra bathroom trips during the ride. If made ahead of time, I have nothing to figure out, or even chew, in the morning. You can just relax, sip, and get your game-face on.

Recipe of the Week: Build-Your-Own Pre-Training Smoothie

Ingredients: Base ingredients:

1 cup frozen or fresh berries
1/2 cup cooked oatmeal
1/2 cup plain yogurt (can be dairy or soy)
1 Tbsp organic honey
1/2-1 Tbsp organic coconut oil
water/ice as needed for consistency

(280 calories, 50 grams carbs, 5 gm fiber, 8 gm protein) 15 gram carbohydrate add-ons:

1/2 medium banana (15 grams carbs, 0 grams protein)
1 Tbsp organic honey, organic agave syrup, or organic maple syrup (15 grams carbohydrates, 0 grams protein)
½ cup orange juice (or other 100% juice) (15 grams carbs, 0 grams protein)
½ cup cooked oatmeal (15 grams carbs, 3 grams protein)
1/3 cup cooked rice (15 grams carbs, 3 grams protein)

*For every carb add-on added, increase plain yogurt by ¼ cup Instructions:

Determine your pre-training carb needs below. Place all base-smoothie ingredients in a blender. Add in carb add-ons and extra yogurt if needed.
Blend well, adding water and/or ice to achieve desired consistency. Be careful to not over-process or allow too much air to incorporate into the smoothie (usually occurs when left to blend too long or on too high a speed). If you see a lot of air bubbles, allow the smoothie to “rest” a few minutes to reduce the air trapped inside.
Drink immediately, refrigerate for up to 48 hours, or freeze (allow 24-36 hours to thaw in refrigerator). If refrigerated, shake well before drinking. For best results, drink 60-90 minutes before training.

Determining Carbohydrate Needs: There are fuel components that are vitally important for performance and those that are marginally important. For an athlete whose main goal is optimal performance, carbohydrates are vital. Here are some recommendations for determining carb needs before a 2+ hour workout: If your primary goal is to lose weight OR you’re riding a short, easy, or recovery training OR doing math in order to make a pre-training smoothie seems ridiculous to you, stick with the base-ingredient smoothie and do not add smoothie add-ons. If your primary goal is optimal performance on a moderate to high intensity workout (without regard of weight loss), use 0.45 – 0.68 grams of carbs per pound of weight. This is a big range, so use your discretion with approximately 0.45 grams/lb weight for moderate intensity training 2-4 hours, and closer to 0.68 grams of carbs/lb weight for an intense 4+ hour training. So, if you weigh 180 lbs, and your riding 5 hours at high intensity, you can use ~108 grams of carbs and would need to add ~ 4 carb add-ons. If you are training at a very high level and are at a “race weight” (generally underweight compared to conventional ideal-weights), consume up to 0.9 grams of carbs per pound of weight. So, if you weigh 130 lbs, aim for ~117 grams of carbs and 4-5 add-ons. Also, increase the time before the workout to 2-3 hours. Of note: These calculations are based on 1-2 grams carbohydrate per kilogram of weight. Further Comments: Many factors play a large role in optimizing your pre-training fuel. You don’t have to pay attention to every factor on every workout. But, I use this smoothie’s ingredients to satisfy these nutrition needs: Carbohydrates: It’s important to use carbohydrates that are appropriate for the “timing” of your workout. For example, it can take many hours for a high-fiber meal to be absorbed and metabolized. If you eat a bowl of Fiber One before a 4 hour ride, it may well still be setting in your stomach when you’re showering afterwards. And, if it’s setting in your stomach, it will put you at risk of stomach issues. For my money, I go for moderately fast-acting carbs (which are accelerated in the liquid form of a smoothie) from a variety of sources (fruit, honey, oats, dairy). Protein: Protein is also important before long training. As long as you choose sources that are easy for you to digest, personally, they are a great compliment to carbohydrates. I choose plain dairy yogurt because it provides both a fast acting (whey) and a slow acting (casein) protein. If you have any issues digesting casein, you can substitute whey protein, or another protein for the yogurt, or you can use soy yogurt. Probiotics: I’m a fan of consuming these healthy bacteria before and after training. Why? They can reduce gastro-intestinal issues even in the short-term, and they increase the absorption of antioxidants. Enzymes: The natural enzymes found in live foods, such as fresh fruit and organic honey can aide digestion. Since many athletes experience digestion issues while training, the more enzyme help, the better. Antioxidants: The more work your body’s doing, the more biochemical reactions are taking place. With more reactions, you can get more of a build-up of free radicals and oxidative stress. In both the short-term and the long-term, this can spell trouble at the cellular level. The antioxidants found in fruits and organic honey can neutralize these trouble makers. Medium Chain Triglycerides: These special saturated fats are quickly digested and metabolized like carbs, bypassing the normal slow, bile-dependant digestive path of most fats. What’s more, they are used directly by the energy powerhouses of the cell, the mitochondria, and offer more than twice the calories (energy) of carbohydrates per gram. Organic coconut oil happens to be a great source of medium chain triglycerides. Fluids: Although you don’t want to overload your body with fluid immediately before a workout, it’s still a good idea to consume 8-16 oz. within 2 hours, especially after a dehydrating night of sleep. By adding water to a smoothie, you can easily down some fluid with this breakfast. Delivery: As I’ve stated, I’m a fan of the drinkability of a smoothie. I’m not a fan of waking up at 4am in order to race at 7am. To me, it’s easy, and it goes down fast and smooth. It doesn’t set in my stomach or make me feel too full when it’s time to ride. Even though this is my preference, I’ve always worked with my clients to optimize the fuel they want to use. There are definitely dozens of pre-training fuel options that will work well. Have you found your preference? If not, maybe it’s time to build-your-own smoothie. Give your body what it needs everyday and during training with the right Foods, Drinks and Supplements. If you would like my help with it, I offer comprehensive plans as Instant Downloads and as Custom Clients starting at just $20. And, as a PPC and FuelRightBlog reader, get a further discount with coupon code: password-frblog username-reader. I’d love to work with you! Fuel Your Adventure. Nourish Your Body. Coach Kelli RD