Stability-Ball Exercises to Build Strength and Flexibility

If you're like many cyclists, after completing a long ride your biggest complaint isn't the pain in your butt or legs; it's the pain in your back, often caused by riding for extended periods in the drops or hunched position.

The key to thwarting the chiropractor and the massage therapist is developing core strength. A strong core region (abdominal, lower back and hip muscles) stabilizes your spine and acts as a link in the transmission of power between the upper and lower body.
Read more of Mike Price's Article which appeared in Triathlete magazine

5 Ways to Improve Your 5K Speed

As short as it may seem, the 5K distance still offers a challenge to those with a need for speed. Use these tips to drop time and improve your overall training.
Click here to read More

Cross Training

Running is a great cross Training Activity here is a list of some running events coming up in November.
Most of them are 5k's So you have October to get ready.

11/01/2008
October Beer Fest on November 1st 5K Rahway, New Jersey

11/01/2008
United We Race NJ Flemington, New Jersey

11/01/2008
Drive Sober 2M Camp Hill, Pennsylvania

11/01/2008
Race Against Time to Beat Childhood Cancer Northampton, Pennsylvania

11/01/2008
TurkeyRama 1M Family Fun Run Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

11/01/2008
Warrior Run Trails 5K Watsontown, Pennsylvania

11/02/2008
Run with the Vikings 5K Monmouth Junction, New Jersey

11/02/2008
Transitions Autumn Fest Washington (Warren County), New Jersey

11/02/2008
5k for the Children's Tumor Foundation Ithaca, New York

11/02/2008
St. Joe's Bob Ivory Run Tonawanda, New York

11/08/2008
Beacon Animal Rescue 5K Run & 1M Paws and Claws Fun Run/Walk Sea Isle City, New Jersey

11/08/2008
McGuire Mud Run McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey

11/08/2008
Lindsay's Legacy 5K Tonawanda, New York

11/08/2008
The Interlaken Steeple Chase 5K Interlaken, New York

11/08/2008
Autism Cares Foundation 5K Newtown, Pennsylvania

11/08/2008
Dash for Drew Greencastle, Pennsylvania

11/08/2008
HTCC Annual 5K/Pump & Run Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

11/08/2008
Love Your Lungs 5K Walk/Run Langhorne, Pennsylvania

11/08/2008
Veterans Day 5K Summit Hill, Pennsylvania

11/08/2008
White Rose Run York, Pennsylvania

11/09/2008
Bergenfield Community Center 5K Bergenfield, New Jersey

11/09/2008
Passaic Valley Rotary River Run Little Falls, New Jersey

11/09/2008
Westfield Garden State Plaza 5K Paramus, New Jersey

11/09/2008
5K Turkey Trot Pomona, New York

11/09/2008
Fall Harvest 5K Race Cornwall-On-Hudson, New York

11/09/2008
Fall Schiff Scout Off Road Duathlon Wading River, New York

11/09/2008
Harrisburg Marathon & Relay Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

11/09/2008
Roman Run 5K Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

11/09/2008
Trimax Seven Mile Sampler Leesport, Pennsylvania

11/11/2008
Valatie Veteran Run Valatie, New York

11/15/2008
5K Turkey Trot Franklin Twp, New Jersey

11/15/2008
Goodwill 5000 Meter Run Montclair, New Jersey

11/15/2008
Making Tracks for Families 5K Run & Fun Walk Buffalo, New York

11/15/2008
Fight For Life 5K Apollo, Pennsylvania

11/15/2008
Runnin' Rover 5K Run & Walk Easton, Pennsylvania

11/16/2008
DC 5K 4 H20 Amherst, New York

11/16/2008
Great American Smoke Out Bloomsburg Pennsylvania

11/16/2008
Schuylkill River Loop Run Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

11/22/2008
Hanover Township Community Center 5K Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

11/22/2008
Thanks for Lebanon 5K & 10K Lebanon, Pennsylvania

11/22/2008
Towamencin Turkey Trot Lansdale, Pennsylvania

11/23/2008
Jingle Bell Run for Arthritis - Syracuse Syracuse, New York

11/27/2008
Sparta Krogh's Turkey Trot 5K Sparta, New Jersey

11/27/2008
Turkey Day 5K PenNsauken, New Jersey

11/27/2008
45th Annual Cohoes Turkey Trot Cohoes, New York

11/27/2008
Active International Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot Rockland Lake, New York

11/27/2008
Gail Gorin Memorial Turkey Trot Smithtown, New York

11/27/2008
Race with Grace to Benefit HDSA Hilton, New York

11/27/2008
Smiles Change Lives Turkey Trot Blue Point, New York

11/27/2008
Abington YMCA Gobble Wobble Abington, Pennsylvania

11/27/2008
Burgettstown Turkey Trot 5K Run & Fitness Walk Burgettstown, Pennsylvania

11/27/2008
Embarq Turkey Trot Carlisle, Pennsylvania

11/27/2008
Run For The Diamonds Berwick, Pennsylvania

11/27/2008
SMT Turkey Trot New Cumberland, Pennsylvania

11/27/2008
Tel Hai 5K Turkey Bowl Races Honey Brook, Pennsylvania

11/27/2008
Turkey Trot Uniontown, Pennsylvania

11/27/2008
Nazareth YMCA Pumpkin Pie 5K Run & Scenic Walk Nazareth, Pennsylvania

11/28/2008
Jolly Holly Millville, New Jersey

11/29/2008
Westfield 5 Mile Turkey Trot & 1M Westfield, New Jersey

11/29/2008
Habitat for Humanity 5K Quakertown, Pennsylvania

11/29/2008
Historic Turkey Trot 5K Run/Fitness Walk Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

11/29/2008
Home for the Holidays 5K Mansfield, Pennsylvania

11/30/2008
Navesink Challenge Middletown, New Jersey

11/30/2008
The Thanksgiving Sunday 10K & 3M Fun Run/Walk Long Branch, New Jersey

My Time with CTS

I originally started training with CTS in the summer 2002 While recovering from a broken collar bone during the time of the tour I had seen an Internet advertisement for CTS (I didn't have OLN back then so went to the web for my daily dose) I decided that it would be a good way to get my training back on track, and salvage the remainder of the season.
(I was racing sport)
The training began with a field test to determine my fitness level, set a base line, and determine Heart rates for the various rides and intervals that make up the workouts. My 1st few weeks were primarily base miles with some tempo rides and a little bit of steady state. I went to Mt. Snow in August feeling pretty good and took 12th place I continued to progress thru the remainder of the year and the last race of the NJSCS season I took 1st. This left me pretty motivated and I trained diligently throughout the winter. During this time my coach had been promoted so I was assigned a new coach he was later promoted and again I was assigned a new coach It was at this time that I upgraded my coaching level and locked in with Coach Darcie. We finished out the 2003 season with a few back to back podium finishes and decided that the following year I would move up to expert a raced expert during 2004-2005 and part of 2006 but limited training time and waining motivation helped me to make the decision to downgrade to sport in the middle of 2006. 2007 was a great season marked with a few top 5 finishes and only one finish below a top 10.

The training with CTS is not easy the field test alone are pretty rough you ride all out for 3 miles for approx. 7 min at about 200 watts then after a 10 min break you do it again.

Looking at ride volume in time as opposed to miles was different for me as well. The 1st week of training I logged about 12 hours of Endurance miles and rides that I would normally do on the weekend because they were 40 miles or so became part of my daily training rides that were between 2-3 hours. I spent more time than I can remember riding the same hills over and over, the same stretches again and again. However it was mostly fun because although it was the same terrain the workouts would vary. A hill that you spin up can be quite different when performing Muscle tension intervals. During the time that I rode competitively my body changed quite a bit most notably my Weight I went from a high 168 to a low before Nationals of 135 with an average weight of 148. At 168 my workouts were with weights and incorporated very little aerobic activity. Food was focused around limiting fats and getting enough protein. With CTS I still did some weight training (more during the winter months) but mostly aerobic conditioning. Nutrition focusing more on Carbs and replenishing Glycogen stores (Ah the glycogen window bring on the milano cookies). I would recommend Chris Carmichael's book Food for Fitness.

Training with Darcie and CTS definitely improved my fitness, my knowledge of how to train,

and my enjoyment of cycling I have and will continue to recommend CTS for individuals looking to step up their training and become a better athlete.

Thanks

Mike

I have had it!!!

Last week I got back on the bike, Which is to say I rode more than 1 day during the week and am trying to get back into a training regimen. I rode back-to-back days, I went to the Gym, I am trying to eat better. I am not racing this year so why train? That is simple - The better my fitness level the more fun I can have. It is no fun getting dropped especially by those who you dropped last year or getting to the top of a climb gasping for breath (breathing really heavy is fine needing to stop to decide if you can go on without loosing your lunch is not). I now appreciate the fitness I took for granted last year. I think one of the great things about the bike is that it becomes an extension of our physical selves which allows us to do things we could not without it. i.e. I cannot run 30 mph but I can pedal that fast. This gets lost on those who are passed by old men with walking sticks on the trail. I do not want to be the one who abandons his ride and walks up the climb head down cursing and breathing heavy I need to be the one who gets to the top of the climb 1st or at least have it in me to make an effort to do so. So I will train hard, eat better, and get better sleep all the while keeping in mind that the fitness I will try hard to attain can be wiped out in a few weeks.

Getting Ready for Winter Riding....The Ride Inside Part II

Getting Ready for Winter Riding....The Ride Inside Part II

Let's face it if you live in the Northeast you have few riding options either endure some nasty weather(Snow, Wind, Sleet, Cold Rain) or ride inside.
Sure every once in a while the cycling gods smile upon us giving is a sunny, calm day above 40 degress, but a regular ride schedule cannot be planned based on this and fitness will suffer.
Even if you are hearty enough to brave the elements on most days there are going to be times that you may not be able to get out for a ride especially because the days are shorter.
I personally do not mind spinning inside (or as it tends to be for me active movie watching) I have done 4 hour sessions watching some epic movies, series, or Other Movies plus their sequals. Sometimes I will watch a movie and then do a CTS training video. I also find that doing a structured workout makes the time go faster. This is also a great time to work on pedaling efficiency and mechanics

Having a good space to ride is helpful as well. Although my space is not great it serves it's purpose and takes up only about 12 Square feet.

I try to have everything right where I need it I am a horrible Procrastinator and don't need any reason to put off getting on the bike. I also keep a list of Heart Rate ranges handy.

My Television is small it only has a 12" screen but It's bigger than the screen on my ipod
I have a small fan right in front of the bike to help keep me cool.

I also have a picture of Lance on my wall riding in the tour during some very nasty weather to remind me that I should get outside a little more often, lest my bike handling skills will go to pot but that is another article.

Short List of Movies
PlushII
Iron Will
Breaking Away
Most Tour Videos - Any climbing stage will Do
Band of Brothers
Sopranos
Start Wars (All of them)
Die Hard

A good Start: Base miles are something that you hear everyone serious about training talk about ("You have to have a good base that we determine the quality of the rest of your season")
Base Miles are the equivelent of what runners call LSD (Long Slow Distance)
On the bike this can be some of the most enjoyable riding you do - This past weekend was the ideal day to get some much awaited time on in the saddle outside (see the ride inside)
The weather was perfect sunny and warm with just a slight wind. I picked a friend that I knew would hang for the ride (a good mechanic as well so if something went wrong far from home McGuiver would get us rolling again - foutunately a bad link was found in my chain prior to ride we were able to swap that out with a sram link and I only got a flat on the road)
Our ride was a total of 82 miles thru New Jersey and New Your with 2 considerable climbs (Skyline drive and Peter Hill) The pace was (in the words of Borat) "A Very Nice"
We rode past lakes and streams reseviors and Dams on mostly low traffic roads
A little State highway section between 17a and 17 Junction
Defininetly a good ride to get some base miles or a climbing workout if you want to push the pace a bit you could also cross back over skyline drive again by getting of off 17a at Sloatsburg to add some additional climbing and miles

GPS Link: http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/invitation/email/accept.mb?senderPk.pkValue=90387&unitSystemPkValue=2&episodePk.pkValue=2537143

Don't let the weather stop your from getting in a Training ride

The Ride Inside:
Sunday I needed to get in some base miles So I was Planning on a 4 hour Ride on the road however at 8:00 AM it was 32 Outside.
So I decided to Ride on the trainer indoors - Armed with my 2003 Tour DVD's, a Gallon of Water, a Cliff Bar, and 2 Honeystinger Gels I started my ride.
I had a bit of a structured workout scheduled for the 1st hour I would ride at the high end of my aerobic zone with 2 Fast Pedal Intervals of 2 min Each. The 2nd Hour would be a Tempo of 30 Minutes. 3rd Hour I would do some SS and Time trials. 4th Hour was back to High end Aerobic Ride with Another Fast Pedal and a cool Down.
This helped to Break up the monotony of riding inside.
2003 was a very good tour the early stages had some spectacular crashes Tyler Hamilton Broke his Collar Bone and Continued to Ride and one rider from Euskatel Managed to Hop his bike over 2 downed riders and stay upright (That was more impressive Bike Handling to me than Lance veering off the road into an open Field (to Avoid Joseba Beloki when he Crashed an Broke his hip)then Run Across the Field Jump over a drainage ditch and get back ino the race (Wait that was pretty cool) The Early Mountain stages had Alpe d'Huez and Constant attacks on Lance. My ride Finished at the end of Stage 7 DVD 2 in the Extended Coverage.
The Ride was long but not too bad.
The Bottom Line: If you have to ride inside (or it seems more resonable to ride inside) have some stuff to eat and drink on hand, a varied workout, and something interesting and/or motivational to watch and the hours will go by quickly.