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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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5 Tips To Accelerate Your Fitness (Podcast #37)

First ride of springHere in the northeast spring has officially sprung (despite the recent short stint of cold, rainy weather) and that means everyone is starting to take their training outside.  The big question is how do you get that boost to your spring training that makes you nigh on invincible on the Sunday group ride?  You may have been putting in countless hours on the trainer and rollers over the winter, but you may still have trouble when the speed ramps up or you find yourself unable to cover those massive group surges.  A little adjustment to your training, a little specific work to boost your higher end energy systems, and you'll find yourself pushing the pace at the front of the group instead of dangling off the back.

On this episode of the Tailwind Coaching Podcast, I'll talk about:

  • The importance of having goals for your outdoor rides
  • How important it is to build your FTP (Functional Threshold Power)
  • How to ramp up your Zone 5 fitness
  • The importance of repeatability
  • The Fartlek concept
  • Why your recovery rides may be hurting you more than helping you

As always, if you enjoy what you hear, head 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 to support our sponsors and help to keep this podcast free.

With the racing season quickly approaching, don't get stuck at the back of the pack or shelled on the first climb.  Check out my modular training plans in my online store and get started on the path towards killer fitness today.  And don't forget to save 10% with the coupon code in this week's podcast.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 45:24 — 62.4MB)

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The High Intensity “Trap” (Part 2, Podcast #36 )

High intensity trainer warmupLast time on the Tailwind Coaching Podcast, I talked about the “High Intensity Trap” and how your average Joe Sixpack cyclist can get in trouble with too much high intensity work.  I touched on some of the physiological benefits of high intensity training, factors that influence your training and recovery and the basic concepts behind physiological adaptations to training stress.  But that's only part of the story: what happens in your body when you overtrain?  How does your daily activity, daily stress and mental outlook factor into your daily training stress?  And what happens when you find yourself in the position where you're trying to build a lot of fitness in a little bit of time?

On this edition of the Tailwind Coaching Podcast, I'll discuss:

  • The physiology of overtraining.
  • The role that cortisol plays in adaptation and recovery.
  • How outside stress can push you over the overtraining edge.
  • Ways to combat overtraining situations.
  • How I plan to avoid the “High Intensity Trap” with only 2 months to go until race season.

If you're enjoying what you hear, head 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.

With the racing season quickly approaching, don't get stuck at the back of the pack or shelled on the first climb.  Check out my modular training plans in my online store and get started on the path towards killer fitness today.  And don't forget to save 10% with the coupon code in this week's podcast.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 51:16 — 70.4MB)

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Building Your Own Bike – Rear Derailleur Installation (Podcast #35)

BMC ProMachine ModuleBuilding your own bike can seem like a daunting task to anyone.  Beginners to the sport, long time riders, racers…almost everyone has some hangup about building a bike.  When you break it down into easily digestible bites, building a bike is nothing more than a series of simple part installations.  From a simple derailleur install to complex drivetrain tuning, this series of video blogs will detail the process of building a bike (in this case my BMC ProMachine SLC01 race bike for this season) from a bare frame into a functioning ride.

If you're following this series in order, we've installed our bottom bracket and crankset and mounted our front derailleur so far.  In this post, my video blog will detail the installation of the rear derailleur onto the derailleur hanger.  After watching the video, check below to see a few of my tips and tricks, and remember to post any questions to the Tailwind Coaching Facebook Page.

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Building Your Own Bike – Front Derailleur Installation (Podcast #34)

BMC ProMachine Module[dc]B[/dc]uilding your own bike can seem like a daunting task to anyone.  Beginners to the sport, long time riders, racers…almost everyone has some hangup about building a bike.  When you break it down into easily digestible bites, building a bike is nothing more than a series of simple part installations.  From a simple derailleur install to complex drivetrain tuning, this series of video blogs will detail the process of building a bike (in this case my BMC ProMachine SLC01 race bike for this season) from a bare frame into a functioning ride.

Last time, we looked at how to install a bottom bracket and crankset.  In this post, my video blog will detail the installation of the front derailleur and front derailleur clamp onto the seat tube, as well as basic positioning of the derailleur.  After watching the video, check below to see a few of my tips and tricks, and remember to post any questions to the Tailwind Coaching Facebook Page.

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