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Is there value in “junk miles”

Traditionally, Labor Day marks the end of the road and crit racing season and the start of cyclocross.  For me, that means it's time to shut down the training and wind down for the season.  Most people start easing into the off-season by riding for fun and putting in a few “junk miles.”  I've mentioned in the past that fall is my favorite time of year to ride, and this year will be no exception.  Getting away from training is often a refreshing change of pace.

This year, I've spent most of the year away from my bike, so there's no training to get away from.

For the first time in many years, I've put in less than 2,000 riding miles.  I've done minimal training and I've raced fewer times than I have fingers on one hand.  My riding has been limited to 40 miles every 10 days or so.  With that little riding, it's been impossible to train with any regularity.  I've been stuck with short, high-intensity efforts in a desperate attempt to find some form and fitness.  Alas, it was not to be.

This year, my riding has basically been “junk miles.”

Just this morning after a short hour on the deep back roads of NJ, I came to this realization.  I also realized that I have learned something through this year's lack of training.

Click through and learn what junk miles mean to me and what they could mean to you.

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Don’t Let Your Power Meter Kill Your Performance

A power meter is now a ubiquitous piece of equipment for many cyclists.  With the emergence of affordable power meters more and more riders are training with power.  Training has become more specified and directed.  Coaches have options to evaluate fitness improvements that they never had before.  Athletes are able to build their own training programs and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses with minimal direction.

But for all the benefits, your power meter may be hurting your performance when the chips are down.  Click through the jump to see if you're guilty of any of these performance killing power meter faux pas:

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“Friction Facts” Bicycle Chain Lube Process

Bicycle chain lube has come a long way in the past 20 years.  Gone are the days of dripping 3-in-1 oil on your chain, wiping it with an old washcloth and calling it good.  These days, chain lube is researched almost as much as any other component on your bike.

In the quest for “marginal gains, ” chain lube is one of the new frontiers.  While aerodynamic gains are still the king of the hill in terms of gaining seconds during a time trial or race, chain lube efficiency can save a few extra watts.  Combine those few watts with savings from ceramic bearings, derailleur pulley bearing, and pedal bearings and you could be saving 5-6% of your energy.

Friction Facts is one of the kings of evaluating your drive train efficiency.  They have published tons of material on chain lube efficiency in the past.  After doing some reading about the process, I decided to give it a try and see how effective (and long lasting) it is.

Check out my experience after the jump and learn how you can try this bicycle chain lube process yourself at home.
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10 Devastating Cycling Mistakes I’ve Made (So You Don’t Have To)

Everyone makes cycling mistakes when they're starting out.  Even the best riders, the most experienced racers, and the best coaches make mistakes too.  Sometimes those mistakes are small hiccups in your training and sometimes they can be dangerous or hazardous to your health.  I've made a ton of cycling mistakes in my journey from beginner to racer to coach.  Each one has been a learning experience, and each one has formed my training, racing and coaching strategy.

In today's Tailwind Coaching Podcast, I'm going to share the 10 most devastating cycling mistakes I've ever made.  I'll tell you how they happened, how they can ruin your cycling fitness and how you can prevent them from happening to you.

If you like the podcast, don't forget to head over to iTunes and rate the podcast 5 stars to help me reach a few more cyclists each episode!

Click through the jump to listen and check out the podcast show notes, which contain all the links I've mentioned in the podcast.

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Warming Up for Cycling In The Heat

Every time summer rolls around, I get a lot of questions about warming up in the heat.  People are riding, racing and training in the heat and find their performance suffering.  Even though it's hot, you can't skip your warm up, because much of your performance depends on priming your body properly.  These tips will help you optimize your performance during a warm weather warm up.

The importance of warming up

Warming up is a key to a high-quality performance.  Your body needs time to activate it's “aerobic machinery” before competing.  Until you really get the enzymes and pathways going, you'll be running on more anaerobic systems.  This means you'll burn matches faster and have less energy available when it counts.  By warming up, your body is prepped to produce energy through the electron transport system.  It starts oxidizing fats, giving you (nearly) limitless aerobic energy.  I'm sure you know from experience that a poor warmup will leave you feeling tired and weak during the beginning of your ride.

So warming up is really important, but what kind of warming up should you do?  In “The Pre-Race Warmup” I said the length of time you warm up is dependent upon the activity you're warming up for.  The longer the activity, the shorter the warm-up, and visa versa.  What I didn't talk about in that article were the factors that temperature and weather play in your warm up.

Check out the tips after the break to stay cool while warming up:

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