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Lost Art of the Group Ride – Podcast #45

Everyone loves a group ride, right?  Group rides are chances to catch up with friends, get in a good workout, chase a  few stronger riders or tear the legs off your riding buddies.  But a group ride is as much a dance as it is a ride, and there are a number of things you SHOULD have learned along your journey as a cyclist. Whether you are a group riding sage or a newly minted rookie, you should observe the rules, the etiquette and the sanctity of the holiest of Sunday cycling practices (aside from watching the pros on Eurosport, of course…)

In today's episode of the Tailwind Coaching Podcast, I'll wax poetic on those things that you need to have learned in order to execute the perfect group ride, and I'll cover a couple of things in the cycling news sphere that caught my attention.

That said, today's podcast will include:

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Setting Tempo

[dc]F[/dc]rom the latin “tempus” meaning time, tempo has come to represent a large number of definitions across different parts of life.  Typically read on a page of music notes, determining how fast or slow a piece should be played, it takes on new meaning when applied to cycling.  We've all heard the ubiquitous phrase of “setting the tempo”, usually at the front of a peloton (note that said phrase is often augmented by specific adjectives denoting suffering, like “infernal” or “blistering”.  And more often than not, someone of the Jens or Fabian stature is the said disher out of epic pain, simply adding to the mystique of the setting of that tempo.  But I digress…)  We've come to realize pace, speed and tempo are almost interchangeably linked, much like the internal tempos we become acutely aware of the deeper we delve into the cave of pain, either of our own volition or that of those sitting in front of us.

Getting back to tempus, we could articulate many different bodily machinations as fitting it's definition.  The pounding of our heart as we grind our way up our favorite climb is a perfect example of the rhythmic undertones of tempus.  Our breathing falls into this category too, as inexorable as the march of the second hand on your wrist watch.  But in cycling, as in the face of a clock, we think of tempo as the metronomic revolutions of our legs upon the pedals, incessantly ticking away a beat to accompany the rhythm section playing throughout our bodies.

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How to Start Road Racing – Podcast #40

Every year, the Tour de France comes around, being brought to the masses through Eurosport, NBC or various Twitter or internet tickers.  Concurrently, there's always a spike in cycling interest around the tour, and I get plenty of questions about racing and starting to race.  I guess watching people turn themselves inside out on TV is inspiring for those among us who are inclined to pin on a number.

Regardless of your motivation, it's always awesome to see riders thinking about jumping into the deep end of the racing pool.  Many times, your average cyclist doesn't really know how to “go about getting involved in racing.”  Well, I'm going to put some of those fears to rest with today's podcast.

I'll cover the following:

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Exploration By Bike

High Bridge NJ Tunnel[dc]A[/dc]s I mentioned a while back (in Bike Therapy,) in the past two and a half years my life has transitioned from the quiet contemplation of the Hudson Valley to the hustle and bustle of New Jersey.  Along with the change of location came a change in scenery; familiar roads were gone, trusted bike shops were distant, and new relationships had to be formed.  While there's trepidation in the unknown, there was also a distinct thrill of discovering new places, new clubs, new roads and new people.  But why does it take a new place to get us in to mood to explore?

Perhaps more importantly, what lessons have been learned through this period of forced transition and how can we apply them without having to relocate 200 miles away?

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Setting SMART Goals (Podcast #31)

SMART Goal SettingPicture this:  It's the dead of winter, there's snow on the ground, freezing rain and wind in the air.  You're stuck inside on the trainer, doing intervals and skills.  Motivation is hard to come by at this time, and you're a little bit aimless in your training.  How do you break out of the slump?

You hunker down with a pen and paper (either virtual or physical) and start setting some goals, that's how.

I talked about planning your season in our last edition of the Tailwind Coaching Podcast, but I only glossed over one of the most important aspects: setting your goals.  To be frank, you can't even really plan your season without setting goals to build your season around, so you may have picked a few goals already.  But the question I have for you is….are they SMART goals?

In this edition of the Tailwind Coaching Podcast, I'll explain the concept of SMART goal setting, and cover the following:

  • How many goals are appropriate to set for a season
  • The SMART paradigm of goal setting and what each letter stands for
  • The difference between goals and objectives

If you like what you hear, go over to the Tailwind Coaching Podcast on iTunes and rate it 5 stars.  Don't forget to post any questions to the Tailwind Coaching Facebook page.
And don't forget: Tour of the Battenkill is April 5th and 6th.  You can get my new, revised and improved 20 week Battenkill Training Plan in my store, and be well on your way to the podium.  Remember to save 10% with the coupon code Podcast10 in this week's podcast.

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