As the coldest winter months set in, the discussion on training progress and strategic goal-setting takes center stage, offering a critical perspective on our riders' development during this transformative season. The harsher conditions and challenges of winter provide a unique testing ground, making this a crucial phase in building towards the competition season ahead.

Winter Training: A Test of Adaptability & Toughness
As light is scarce, temperatures drop, and trails become frosty, winter training becomes tougher. Partner that with longer, base-building rides, and you have a recipe for developing physical resilience and mental toughness. Evaluating training progress at this stage allows us to assess not only physical fitness but also the riders' ability to adapt dynamically to the unpredictable nature of winter conditions. Like anything else, practicing the skill - in this case being tough - will make you tougher.
Because winter becomes a litmus test for our riders' adaptability to factors (like cold weather, slippery surfaces, and reduced daylight), this assessment is more than a snapshot of fitness; it is an exploration of how well riders can navigate these challenges. This adaptability and resilience will prove crucial when facing the unpredictable terrains, conditions, and schedules of future races.

Motivation During Winter Months
The winter landscape, though stark, should offer an opportunity for a renewed sense of motivation. The discussion on training progress and goals should be a means to kindle motivation that may have been dropping with temperatures. Focus should turn to understanding motivations that drive training, and thereby progress.
Acknowledging and feeding these motivations is more than a short-term coping strategy; it is an opportunity for the athlete to build a direction for the entire season, creating internal drive for the athlete that will stay the course. Some find motivation in hitting higher numbers, while others seek the thrill of a high-octane short track race; some just want the fitness to adventure. Whatever the motivating factor may be, understanding these motivations helps us tailor our approach to the season, ensuring that the winter training aligns with the riders' roadmap, lending easier access to motivation.

Strategic Goals: Mapping the Winter Road to Success
Winter months are also a great time to fine-tune the strategy in our plan for success. Discussing Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (S.M.A.R.T) goals should be incorporated before the season picks up; turn winter into the time to plan and build a foundation for the season. Specific goals ensure each rider's trajectory aligns with their unique strengths and weaknesses; you may look at quantifying progress in power output, endurance, technical proficiency, or in any number of different ways. Whatever you choose to aim for, setting achievable goals will inspire growth while remaining realistic. Don't be afraid to have a few 'reach' goals, too, but remember that it's important to give yourself a chance in checking it off before the season is done. The relevance of each goal is evaluated against the challenges and opportunities of winter. Time-bound goals instill urgency, guiding riders to channel their efforts purposefully during this critical phase.

Cultivating a Growth Mindset
In the face of winter challenges, a growth mindset becomes crucial. Practicing this mindset guides riders to approach challenges as lessons and setbacks as opportunities for improvement. Winter is not just a test of physical endurance but an environment for riders to learn and grow.
The growth mindset cultivated during winter training becomes a compass, guiding riders through challenges. As we discuss training progress and goal-setting, we foster an environment where setbacks are viewed as opportunities for improvement. This is critically important in the overall success as of an athlete throughout the year, as it is exceedingly rare for any athlete to have a season without any setbacks.

To recap, the discussion on training progress and strategic goal-setting is particularly significant during winter. The winter / base season is a time to build toughness & adaptability, rekindle motivation, set strategic goals, and cultivate a growth mindset. The dialogue on training progress and goals becomes the roadmap guiding riders through the season and beyond.

Cheers and happy training,

Coach Luke

With 16yrs of racing experience, and another 7 as a cycling coach, I've witnessed the transformative impact of strength training on cyclists, propelling them towards peak performance during the race season. In this article, we'll explore the significance of incorporating strength training into a cyclist's build-up to race season, shedding light on how to seamlessly integrate these workouts, what aspects to focus on, and the most compelling reasons for their inclusion.

Understanding the Role of Strength Training for Cyclists:

While the essence of cycling lies in endurance and aerobic capacity, overlooking the benefits of strength training would be a disservice to the ambitious cyclist. Strength training serves as the secret weapon in the arsenal, offering a myriad of advantages that directly translate to improved performance on the bike.

Why Strength Training Matters:

1. Increased Power Output:
   
   
   • Why it's important: Cycling, especially during races, often demands explosive bursts of power—whether it's powering up a World Cup climb at VO2 Max, or sprinting towards the finish at Road Nats. Strength training amplifies the cyclist's ability to generate power, providing a distinct advantage in such scenarios.
     
   • Focus: Incorporate compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, and leg presses to target major muscle groups involved in cycling. Bonus, when done correctly, these build core strength too!
     
2. Improved Muscle Endurance:
   
   
   • Why it's important: As races intensify, sustaining power over extended periods becomes the race winning factor. Strength training enhances muscular endurance, allowing cyclists to maintain a higher level of performance for longer durations.
     
   • Focus: Implement high-repetition, lower-weight exercises to mimic the sustained efforts required during races. Pro tip, wait until after your 'strength' and 'hypertrophy' phases to build muscular endurance.
     
3. Injury Prevention:
   
   
   • Why it's important: The repetitive nature of cycling can lead to muscle imbalances and overuse injuries. Strength training helps correct these imbalances, fortifying the body against injuries and ensuring longevity in a cyclist's career, and helping the athlete's body stand the stresses of riding.
     
   • Focus: Include exercises that target stabilizing muscles, such as lateral leg raises, core workouts, and compound movements.
     
4. Enhanced Core Stability:
   
   • Why it's important: A strong core is the foundation for efficient pedaling and bike handling. Improved core stability not only boosts performance but also contributes to better posture and reduced fatigue during long rides.
   • Focus: Incorporate movements like the 'McGill Big 3' and other core-specific exercises into the strength training routine.
     
5. Optimized Energy Transfer:
   
   
   • Why it's important: Strength training refines the coordination between different muscle groups, ensuring efficient energy transfer during each pedal stroke. This efficiency is a game-changer, especially during high-intensity efforts.
   • Focus: Include exercises that mimic cycling movements, such as step-ups and lunges.

How to Incorporate Strength Workouts:

1. Periodization:
   
   • Why it's important: Sync strength training with the overall training cycle, emphasizing different aspects during the base, build, and peak phases. This ensures that strength gains align with the cyclist's racing & riding goals.
     
   • Focus: During the base phase, build foundational strength with compound movements. In the build phase, transition to more sport-specific exercises. In the peak phase, maintain strength with reduced volume.
     
2. Frequency and Consistency:
   
   • Why it's important: Consistency is key to reaping the benefits of strength training. Regular, focused sessions are more effective than sporadic, intense workouts.
   • Focus: Aim for 2-3 strength sessions per week, with a mix of lower and upper body exercises.
3. Functional Movements:
   
   • Why it's important: Cycling-specific strength gains result from exercises that replicate the movements and demands of riding.
   • Focus: Prioritize compound movements like squats, deadlifts, and lunges. Include single-leg exercises to address muscular imbalances.
     
4. Progressive Overload:
   
   
   • Why it's important: Progressive overload is fundamental for continual improvement in strength. Gradually increase weights or resistance to challenge muscles and stimulate growth.
   • Focus: Track progress and adjust resistance accordingly. Periodically take rest,  reassess, and modify the strength training program.
     
5. Recovery and Flexibility:
   
   
   • Why it's important: Adequate recovery is vital to prevent overtraining and ensure that strength gains are sustainable. Incorporate flexibility exercises to maintain mobility.
     
   • Focus: Include rest days between strength sessions. Integrate stretching or yoga into the routine to improve flexibility and prevent stiffness.
     

Tips for Success:

1. Seek Professional Guidance:
   
   • Why it's important: A  coach can provide invaluable insights and ensure that the strength training program aligns with cycling-specific goals, help you stay accountable, and adjust your plan as necessary.
     
   • Focus: Consider working with a coach to develop a customized strength training plan and receive guidance on proper form.
     
2. Listen to Your Body:
   
   
   • Why it's important: Overtraining can lead to burnout and injury. Listening to your body's signals ensures a sustainable and effective strength training program.
     
   • Focus: If fatigued or experiencing pain beyond normal muscle soreness, adjust intensity or take extra rest days.
     

The incorporation of strength training into a cyclist's build-up to race season is not merely a supplement; it's a strategic investment in enhanced performance and overall well-being. By understanding the profound impact on power output, endurance, injury prevention, core stability, and energy transfer, cyclists can embrace strength training as an integral component of their training regimen. Balancing periodization, consistency, and personalized programming is the key to unlocking the full potential of strength training for cyclists and paving the way to success on the racecourse.

Whether in bringing my athletes National Championship titles or PRs, or just in my own training, I understand the critical role that a well-structured base training program plays in a cyclist's overall performance. The base phase is the cornerstone of any training regimen, laying the foundation for strength, endurance, and resilience that will be crucial during the competitive season. In this article, we will delve into the intricacies of a base training program, outlining what athletes should focus on, why it's essential, and offering tips for optimizing success during your base build.

Understanding the Base Training Phase:
The base training phase typically marks the beginning of an annual training cycle, lasting several weeks - or even months. Its primary objective is to build an aerobic foundation, enhancing an athlete's endurance capacity and overall fitness. This phase is characterized by longer, lower-intensity rides that form the base upon which more specific and intense training can be later added.

What Athletes Should Focus On:

1. Endurance Building:
   • Why it's important: Endurance is the bedrock of cycling performance. The ability to sustain effort over extended periods is critical for success in races and rides - both short and long.
   • Focus: Emphasize long, steady-state rides at a comfortable - but not lax - pace (Zone 1-2). The goal is to enhance cardiovascular fitness and improve the body's ability to utilize oxygen efficiently.
2. Aerobic Capacity:
   • Why it's important: Aerobic capacity is the maximum amount of oxygen the body can use during exercise. Improving this capacity enhances the efficiency of energy production.
   • Focus: Include tempo (Zone 3), and later LT ( Zone 4) rides  to elevate the heart rate and challenge the cardiovascular system without inducing excessive fatigue.
3. Strength Building:
   • Why it's important: Cycling requires muscular endurance, especially during climbs and sprints. A strong foundation is crucial for withstanding the demands of the competitive season.
   • Focus: Integrate resistance training and cadence work to build strength. Include both seated and standing efforts to target different muscle groups on the bike, and the big-3 of lifts in your resistance training.
4. Mental Toughness:
   • Why it's important: Endurance sports often demand mental resilience. Base training provides an opportunity to develop the mental fortitude required to push through fatigue and challenging conditions.
   • Focus: Incorporate longer rides to simulate the mental challenges of races. Develop strategies for maintaining focus and motivation during extended periods on the bike. Practice staying positive!
5. Injury Prevention:
   • Why it's important: The gradual progression of base training helps prevent injuries by allowing the body to adapt to increased training loads. It prepares muscles, tendons, and ligaments for the more demanding phases of the training cycle.
   • Focus: Use a training program that uses progressive overload, in measured quantities, to trigger your body's adaptive response. This not only makes you fitter, but also more durable.
6. Enhancing Metabolic Efficiency:
   • Why it's important: Base training encourages the utilization of fat as a primary energy source. This shift towards metabolic efficiency is essential for long rides and races, where glycogen stores can be depleted.
   • Focus: Stay in your assigned zones as much as possible. When training is prescribed correctly, this will encourage your body to burn fat; the more you practice, the better your body will get.

Tips for Success During the Base Training Phase:

1. Progress Gradually:
   • Start with manageable training volumes and gradually increase duration and intensity. Avoid the temptation to push too hard too soon, as this can lead to burnout and/or overtraining.
2. Monitor Fatigue Levels:
   • Pay attention to signs of fatigue such as persistent soreness, decreased motivation, or changes in sleep patterns. Adjust training intensity or take additional rest days if needed.
3. Nutritional Considerations:
   • Fuel your body adequately for the demands of training. Focus on a balanced diet with sufficient carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Stay hydrated and consider nutrition during longer rides. Eat or drink a recovery shake within 15-20 minutes of finishing your rides and workouts.
4. Cross-Training:
   • Include cross-training activities to maintain overall fitness and reduce the risk of overuse injuries. Activities like strength training, running, yoga, or swimming can complement cycling well.
5. Rest and Recovery:
   • Prioritize rest and recovery as much as training. Quality sleep, proper hydration, and active recovery techniques are crucial for allowing the body to adapt and improve.
6. Set Realistic Goals:
   • Establish realistic and achievable goals for the base training phase. This might include improvements in average speed, increased endurance, or achieving specific training milestones. Make sure your training plan is sustainable!
7. Evaluate and Adjust:
   • Regularly assess progress and be willing to adjust the training plan based on how the body responds. Flexibility in the approach allows for a more tailored and effective training experience. A coach is a valuable resource here.

Base training phase is the cornerstone of a successful cycling training program. By focusing on endurance, aerobic capacity, strength, and mental toughness, athletes can lay a robust foundation for the competitive season. Understanding the importance of this phase and implementing smart training practices will contribute significantly to long-term success on the bike. Navigating this foundational period with a well-crafted and individualized plan is key to unlocking an athlete's full potential.

In years past, 'off season' has taken a variety of meanings. In 2015, my off-season consisted of sporadic CX racing and the occasional run.  In 2016, off-season was about being a college student for 3-4 fleeting weeks. Wednesday night beer specials and college football let me reset mentally and take much needed time off the bike. 

My off-season in this year has been nothing like either. Running has become my new outlet for the time being (until I get back on the bike for base training). My focus has been on preparing for an 8k running race on the 23rd this month. It's been refreshing in two ways -
1) Running is different. After a long season of pedaling day in and day out, different is good.
2) Running isn't my favorite. Of course, I like running enough to do it for a month, but by the end (right about now), I'm ready to start riding again. 

The fact of the matter is that off-season can come in a lot of different shapes and forms. One year, you may feel ready to charge right from one season into the next, and another year you may feel like you need a full 2 months away from riding. While going to these extremes really isn't advisable in most circumstances, it's important to tailor your off-season to your physical and mental wellbeing. 

In my case, running has struck a good balance between maintaining fitness and taking time off the bike. While I don't think I'll become a full fledged runner anytime soon, it's been satisfying to switch it up. 

​Great write-up from Brice Shirbach on riding in Virginia. Happy to have such a wealth of riding and terrain only a state away. As Jeremiah (Bishop) likes to remind me, I need to visit more often!

I had a great time riding and exploring some new (to me) trails in the area, and meeting some of the VA mountain bike community's most active members. 

Check out the full writeup on PinkBike's home page here: 
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/east-bound-and-down-harrisonburg-virginia.html​

After MSA, the Bear Dev Squad geared up for the drive to Windham, NY. We took off early on Monday morning, and made it to our host's (Steven van der Zwan) house in the evening. Luckily for us, Steve was kind enough to host us for the entire week leading up to the race. Thanks Steve!

With the week to kill, we focused on keeping our training ticking on time for one more week; Windham was the last ProXCT of the series, and the last race of the season for many of us!

With no short track, our full focus was set on Saturday's XC. The course featured a long (roughly 10min) climb, followed by a descent that took us all the way back to the start. This style of course, with the climb punctuated only by a very short descent, is akin to older XC courses. For us, this course was a change in pace from the short, steep climbing of more modern XC courses. We enjoyed the course nonetheless! 

On race day, we enjoyed much cooler temperatures from the year before. Even though temps were still in the mid 80s, it felt wonderful in comparison to last years triple digit affair. The start went well for me; a good call-up, and great legs for the first lap found me in a great position. However, as the second lap rolled around, I started losing steam. Unfortunately, I had hit a 'wall', so to speak, and that lapse cost me time and positioning. Doing what I could, my legs slowly started coming around again, and I was able to finish on a good note, and grab a top 10 finish. With a UCI ranking of HC, my 9th place finish secured me quite a few UCI points. Overall, I was happy with the way I had persisted through fatigue in the early laps, and was glad to get a few more points towards my ranking. 

To that point, I'll be lucky enough to use those points at World Championships in September! With my results this year, I'm excited to say that I have made the selection for the US Team, and will be racing one more time this season. I leave on September 1st for Carins, Australia, where I'll spend the week with USAC and the rest of the team preparing for my race on the 8th. Wish me luck!


Photo: Dinner after the race, courtesy of Steven van der Zwan!

The Bear Dev. team left straight from Boston to end up in Canada on Monday evening. A bit of a haul with an 8 person group, we took a majority of the day to make the drive and were ready to hit the sack upon our evening arrival. 

With only air mattresses to sleep on, it was a little tough to get quality sleep (especially since Jerry Dufour and I were on the same 'queen' air mattress). Our 3 night stay in Quebec City was punctuated with day trips over to the course at Mont-Sainte-Anne (MSA), where we sussed out the course and got a feel for the venue. Thursday evening marked the start of our housing with the USA Cycling Federation - all of us were lucky enough to receive support from USAC for the race. 

With proper beds and a sweet (and tough) course, the week was going well. However, with the promise of rain on race day, we were a little apprehensive to race the already demanding track in even more difficult conditions... Sure enough, the rain started Friday evening and continued until Sunday morning, making course conditions slick. The notorious 'Le Beatrice' was a great spot for spectators to watch the worlds best slide around on greasy, rocky, switchbacks (and occasionally eat dirt). 

The race on Sunday morning started with a furious pace, and I quickly made a mess of my call-up. Starting on the second row had held the promise of a good start, but my legs didn't show up for the first 5min of the race, and as such I went backwards from the gun... I found some rhythm as the race progressed, however, and made my way back up into the top 15 (apparently within spitting distance of the top 10 according to spectators) before fading slightly back into 16th on the day. 

Overall, happy with the result! I managed to snag some good UCI points on the weekend, further improving my start position in later races. On top of that, we rode top notch trails all week, and even made an appearance at the infamous MSA after-party.

Next, we'll be back in the States for the Windham ProXCT (UCI HC), a great opportunity to put in a last dig and secure some more UCI points before the end of the season. 

Photo Credit: Juergen Gruenwidl

After Nationals, the Bear Development U23 squad went straight up to Boston for the last round of the US Cup circuit, the Boston Rebellion. The race was ranked a UCI HC, so there were a lot of points on the line. Additionally, with both the XC and STXC events attracting talented pro fields, the racing was sure to be good!

The weekend kicked off with the XC on Saturday, however, while pre-riding on Friday, I went down and hit my head pretty hard. Of course, I was wearing a helmet, but the hit left me feeling out of it and with a headache. I cut the pre-ride short, kept a close eye out for symptoms of a concussion, and decided to make the final call on whether I'd race Saturday morning. My head felt normal the morning of the race, so I decided I'd go ahead and race. 

The race was flat and twisty with plenty of exposed roots; passing was difficult for most of the lap. This meant the start was especially crucial... Ultimately, the start was chaotic as usual and I was stuck behind quite a bit of traffic in the woods. Most of the day was spent fighting back to the front, with only the last couple laps being more tactical racing. I ended up 5th on the day, snagging some good UCI points.

Short track was a lot more open, but still flat, meaning that the race was far more tactical. From my experience last year, I knew that the one separating feature was a mid-lap, flat rock garden, so I worked to stay at the front of the race to ensure I'd be clear of trouble in the rocks. This worked well, but I ended up lacking the last lap punch to make it higher than 5th on the day - where I would finish again. 

Overall, it was a good weekend and served much needed redemption after last years race there. Happy to have a few more UCI points, too!