Articles — cycling RSS



Anne Galyean Interview: Finding Balance

For those of you who don't follow the mountain bike racing scene closely, Anne is one of the top North American enduro riders. She's also a scientist with a PhD in studying nanoparticles in the environment who currently works at an environmental toxicology consulting firm. Quite the combination. There's far more to her than just being a super-smart mountain biker, however. Anne likes to commit 100% to whatever she does -- no holding back. If she can challenge preconceived notions in the process, it's even better. I've recently gotten to know Anne and decided an interview was in order to give everyone a better picture of what makes this unique individual tick.

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Eating with a Purpose

Eating with a purpose means making smart food choices to fuel whatever it is you want to accomplish with your meal. Want to be able to train and compete at your best? A huge part of this is being intentional about what you put in your body. Whether it's going on a big ride in the mountains, sneaking in a quick weekday interval session, or having an easy recovery day, fueling yourself appropriately for the task at hand is the only way to maximize your long-term performance.

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The Pre-Ride: Getting Ready for a Cyclocross Race

Cyclocross races aren’t that long—30 to 60 minutes depending on your category—but there are thousands of decisions to make in that concise amount of time. During a race you’re constantly assessing when to draft vs lead, which line to take around a corner, whether to ride or run, when to attack. The more automatic and instinctive those decisions are, the better. Experience over years of racing certainly helps with making these decisions on the fly. However, regardless of your level of expertise, the pre-ride is another essential component to informing and pre-determining race decisions. Here are a few tips to make your pre-rides effective:

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Metabolic Flexibility by Daniel Matheny

How can an athlete gain the advantages from following a low-carb / high-fat diet without suffering from its disadvantages? Consider this approach an attempt at metabolic flexibility. The intent is to up-regulate fat oxidation while not substantially down-regulating glycogen utilization. It’s not completely proven yet, although there is a growing body of research and current studies likely ongoing. In my eyes the principal holds some possibilities and with the limited but promising results I’ve witnessed, I’m willing to keep it in my arsenal of coaching tools.

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