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Motivation Monday: Gravel Q&A

It's been said that there's no such thing as a stupid question.  And whoever said that is right.  Chances are if you have a question about something, someone else is wondering the same thing.

Gravel questions are one of the most common questions I get these days.  So since a lot of you probably have similar questions, it's time to answer some of them and spark your stoke for slaying some groad.

It's time for the Guru of Gravel to answer your questions!

It's no secret that gravel riding and gravel events have become one of the hottest and fastest growing segments of the cycling world.  Gravel bikes are everywhere and new events are popping up all the time.  But with all the new tech and new events out there, how do you know what bike or event is right for you?

Most of my listeners know that I've been riding dirt and gravel for years.  Hell, it wasn't even a THING when I was riding it and writing about it.  But here we are, and getting dirty is the popular choice for a lot of riders.

That being said, I've got a bunch of questions that my listeners and readers have asked me.  And because I'm sure a lot of you have similar questions, I'm going to answer some of them in today's episode of the Tailwind Coaching Podcast.

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Motivation Monday: Going Gravel

It's been no secret for the past few seasons that the gravel bike market has been steadily picking up steam.  Recent trends from Eurobike and the Sea Otter Classic certainly point to this trend as a fact.  Whether it's the machinations of the cycling industry feeding us new (and expensive) gear to gobble up or a true shift in cycling culture remains to be seen.

What does not remain to be seen, however, is the fact that riding “off the beaten path” or “gravel grinding” is fun.  Really fun.  In fact, it's some of the best fun you can have on two wheels.

Regular readers will recognize that I've long been a huge proponent of riding on unpaved surfaces.  From tips about dirt road riding to an unhealthy obsession with racing Battenkill a number of times, I've been churning through dust and dirt for years.  I've done a lot of road, crit and track racing since the Battenkill years, taking me away from the dirt.  This year I decided to return to the unpaved madness for Monkey Knife Fight 9 and seriously put my gravel grinding legs to the test.  To say I failed would be critical: I simply didn't hack it all.  Partly due to fitness, partly motivation and a little touch of equipment choice made for a long day.

Well, it's time to rectify that with a #newbikeday.  But why did I choose to go this route?  For this Motivation Monday, I'll chat about the road less traveled, why it's so nice and why you should think about turning down it.

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Motivation Monday: Getting Dropped By The Group

If you've been following any of my previous Motivation Monday posts, you'll know that I had a big date with Monkey Knife Fight 9 earlier this year.  Suffice to say, the northeast winter put the damper on most of my training and I ended up bailing out on my first goal of the season after only about 55 of the 72 miles.

That was a bummer.  A big bummer.  And it kind of tanked my motivation for the next couple months.

However, if you've been looking at my Strava profile recently, you'll have noticed a big bump in the amount of riding I've been doing.  That's because I've been through “the reckoning” that most of us have been through in the past.  I've suffered at the hands of others.  There are times I've looked down at my legs and wondered why.

I've been dropped out of the group.

Click through the jump and let's figure out why getting dropped out of a group is such a motivating experience.

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Motivation Monday: Monkey Knife Fight 9 Recap

If you read my previous “Motivation Monday” posts, you'll know I was somehow suckered into riding the Monkey Knife Fight on April 14th.  I'd suggest you read those posts to get an idea of what I've spent the winter and early spring training for.  I described it as “a spring classic, Pennsylvania style.  That means dirt roads, gravel, steep climbs, shitty weather and lots and lots of fun.  And beer.  There's a beer sponsor.  I think it's Funk Brewing, actually.”

Well, the beer sponsor was indeed Funk Brewing (who makes a wicked IPA I might add.)  I'll also add that I was completely correct about the description with one notable, important exception, which I'll get to.

To get an idea of how I proceeded to tackle a beast like this, check out my previous posts about the training theory behind a ride like this.  Yeah, it was lots of muscular endurance and plenty of VO2 max work.  No, it wasn't glamorous at all, but it (sort of) got the job done.

In this edition of “Motivation Monday” I'll recap Monkey Knife Fight 9, tell you what went wrong and what went right.

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Motivation Monday: Monkey Knife Fight For Fun and Fitness Profit

It's been no secret that last year was a tough year for me when it comes to riding a bike.  I spent much of the year planning and executing a plan, but not a typical training plan.  No, buying a business (most of you know I'm a chiropractor by trade) was a plan unlike any other that sucked most of the time out of my life.  I raced all of four races last year and put in the fewest training hours I've logged in any year in the last half a decade.

Because of that, and because I now have the additional responsibilities of running a practice, it's time for a renaissance of sorts.

“Friends don't let friends get fat”

I had been looking for a little motivation to build my early season on.  Sitting on the trainer isn't the most fun, so a fun early season target would be most welcome.  What was out there that would be worth doing, though?

This most recent challenge, which I intend to document in a series called “Motivation Monday” is based on a challenge/request from a friend of mine (thanks, Nate!)  Nate, much like myself, spent much of last year on the sidelines, albeit for very different reasons.  Those reasons don’t really matter, suffice to say he was in the saddle less than I was.  Recently, when he texted me and asked if I had any interest in an early season ride, he framed it a little differently then most requests people make:

“Monkey Knife Fight – April 14th.  I've been intrigued by this ride for a few years and I should really stop being fat.  Any interest?”

How can you say no to that?

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