Specialized BG Defroster Boots

I don't normally review cycling products that I purchase unless they REALLY make me happy. This weekend, I found a product that did just that..my new Specialized BG Defroster Mtn. Bike Boots.  I purchased these boots because I didn't particularly like wearing my regular lightweight, ventilated, low-cut, Summer Mtn. Bike Shoes with a neoprene booty overtop as Winter riding shoes.   This combination is just too bulky and it really doesn't do a good job of keeping my feet warm and/or dry. 

Sunday morning I went Mtn. Biking in Promised Land State Park (in the Pocono Mtns of PA)...a good test for my new boots.  It was cold when I started, about 21F.  Everything was frozen solid from the night before.  The shallow puddles in the road were frozen except areas where it was 6 in. deep or more.  Since I don't normally ride in the snow and ice I wanted to test the limits of my equipment as well as my bike handling skills.  I found out all too soon that my Defroster Boots were actually as waterproof as they claim to be.  That's because I tried riding across a section of road that was completely ice covered.  The problem was..the ice was only 1/2" thick, hardly thick enough to support my fat ass. (see photo below)  So, as not to defy physics/gravity I busted through the ice.  To keep from falling I unclipped as fast as I could and submerged my boot to the depths of the puddle.  Not only did my foot stay dry, it stayed warm the entire 2 hr. ride in 20F temps. I was amazed.

The ratcheting system on the boots are second to none too.  It is easy to tension...by a turn of a knob.  To release, just pull the knob out.  It couldn't be easier.  I wore one pair of good wool socks with the boots. That's all I think I'd need down to temps in the teens.

It never really warmed up above 25F by the time I left at noon.  The boots were a hit..and definitely worth the money spent.  I crashed twice on the way back to my car because although the temps never climbed that high, the sun did.  The sun JUST put enough of a glaze on top of everything to make it as slick as an ice skating rink.  Definitely a learning experience.  I also flatted 2 miles from my car and ran out of CO2 cartridges..so I had to walk it home.  Regardless, I had a blast..and hope to ride in the Park again soon...with my new boots. 

For other reviews..check this link out: http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/clothing/shoes/product/review-specialized-bicycles-bg-defroster-mtb-shoe-30858 

Power ON!  Coach Rob

2012 Tour of the Battenkill

Just a reminder..signup registration for the 2012 Tour of the Battenkill starts at 7pm on December 21st.  This "Queen of the Classics" sells-out in a heartbeat so you BETTER BE online at 7pm sharp or you're NOT going to get in. http://battenkill.squarespace.com/  I'm not going to be competing this year because I'm pretty sure I'll be moto-reffing instead.  This years race is on April 14-15, 2012.  If you don't have a room yet..I'd definitely start calling around.  Last year, I stayed in South Bennington, VT (which was about a 20 min. drive from the race start) with my wife.  I actually preferred it because it was quiet, and the town had some great restaurants.  And, the best part was- it wasn't crowded with bike racers.

By the way, if you're an athlete I coach (or coached), and you're training for the Tour of the Battenkill..and you need some good training advice..shoot me an email and I'll give you some tips on what to do (and not to do) for a successful race.

It's a great race!  Hope to see you there.  Power ON!  Coach Rob

Top 5 X-training Sports for Cyclists

It's hard to believe how someone can ride their road bike EVERY day of the week (365 days a year) and still like (and get motivated about) riding.  Besides, you REALLY can't tell me these roadies I see riding at 0730 on a cold dark Saturday morning in December, when the temps are in the 20s, are REALLY having fun.  I don't even care if they're dressed properly.  Don't get me wrong, I love to ride my bike but I also like to do other things in life and the off-season is no better time.  After all, if you love the outdoors as much as I do there are a bunch of things you can do all-year round.  I actually look forward to the colder months of November thru January as an excuse to get off my road bike.  For me, November through January are all about working out in the Gym, Swimming, Mountain Biking and Cross-Country Skiing.  And, if I could still run (bad back) I'd probably be doing that as well.  I still remember not too long ago getting up at 0700 in Salt Lake City, UT (on travel in January) and going for a 5 mile run on the hard pack snow.  It was beautiful.  When February rolls around, it's time to transition all of the strength and fitness off the bike...onto the bike.  February is the time when I start doing some serious indoor intervals on the trainer.  When I say "serious", I'm talking about HARD intervals that sometimes you quit on..because you're just not ready or feeling great that day.

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Here is my Top 5 list and some tips if you engage in the following Cross-Training sports:
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Weight Training- no reason to go overboard in the gym.  I like to keep my training focused on my core and my legs.  I do ALL of my workouts on machines vs. free-weights.  It's not that I'm opposed to free-weights, it's just that I don't think it's worth the risk of getting hurt..if you don't have a spotter.  For core exercises, I like crunches, planks and back extensions.  For the legs, I like: leg presses, lunges, leg extensions, leg curls, calf raises and squats.  I'll throw in bench press and pullups for the chest and arms.  Don't forget to spin for 15 min. at high rpm after your leg workout.  That's it..in/out in an hour. 

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Rollerblading- is a great Cross-Training Sport for cyclists.  And, it's fun AFTER you learn to skate properly/well.  I used to rollerblade with my Field Champion dog Kali..but she's gone now..which is probably why I haven't been on em in a while.  Perhaps I'll get back on them this Winter and train hard..a tribute to my girl.  When/if you do go, pick a route that is void of traffic where you can do laps/intervals.  I used to rollerblade in a local park with a loop that was one mile. I'd go one lap hard then easy the next and repeat til exhausted.  1 hr. max.

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Mountain Biking- is FUN!  I'm not even good at it (technically speaking)..and I have fun.  I like to target off-road hill climbs when I Mtn. bike.  It keeps the speed down which is important when the temps are in the high teens and low 20s (like this weekend for me).  I go relatively HARD for about 2 hrs. then call it a day.  Just this past weekend, I went up to Promised Land State Park and Mtn Biked in the snow- by myself.  It was a hoot..granted I fell twice on the snow/ice.
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Cross Country Skiing- if you've NEVER done it..you have to try it.  I was always an Alpine (downhill) skier since I was a kid.  I lived for it.  I was a ski instructor as well as a Giant Slalom racer in College.  So I spent a LOT of time on the snow.  But, ever since I hurt my back, I can't alpine ski.  Therefore, I picked up Nordic (X-Country) skiing.  And, to tell you the truth..it's ALMOST as much fun, and it's definitely a better/harder workout..no relaxing/resting on a chairlift in X-Country skiing.  Actually, nothing is more fun as bombing the slopes on long boards in Alpine skiing- NOTHING!  For Nordic skiing I like long endurance workouts as well as lap/interval workouts.
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Running- I don't run anymore but I miss it a lot.  No need to go long.  I used to run in the Bucks County 5k Winter Series.  It was a great time...sometimes racing in the snow.  I highly recommend all cyclists run at least a 5k a month in the off-season.  It will keep your cardiovascular system in top shape...especially you Cyclo-Cross guys.  A 5k won't take you more than 30 minutes (at least I hope not).
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So, there you go..my Top 5 Cross-Training List for Cyclists in the off-season.  They won't take much of your time and no excuse NOT to fit them in your busy schedule.  What's nice about them too, is that you can wear your Winter cycling gear for the outdoor stuff.  Are there other Cross-Training Sports for cyclists?  Absolutely.  Swimming is a good Cross Training Sport for Cycling.  In fact, I do it whenever I can (have time for).  Actually, it should be on the list.  But, it's really an indoor sport like weight training and I'd rather be outside all-year round.   I'd also have to drop one of the others to keep it at a "Top 5". ha
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Power ON!  Coach Rob

Weight Training for Cyclists

If you've been frequenting gyms like I have since High School..you'll have noticed that equipment in the gyms are changing all the time.  Why is that?  That's because the sales/marketing folks have to keep inventing new ways of getting our fat assees in their gyms or their gyms go out of business.  And, they do it by coming up with a new piece of equipment...or toy...that looks "cool". Who cares if it works.

Back in the day, gyms didn't have any machines per se. Most of the equipment was: free weights, peg boards, medicine balls, kettle bells, dumb bells, inclined boards, weighted balls, swiss balls, etc. Most gyms resembled dimly lit (concrete floor and wall) dungeons instead of the carpeted, bright, chrome and glass, TV and stereo wired, electronic health clubs of today. But, does that make the gyms/health clubs BETTER today? I don't think so. If anything, most modern health clubs today are reverting back to the functional equipment of yesteryear. If you don't believe me, go to a relatively NEW or popular gym in your area and take a look around. You'll see ropes, kettle bells, medicine balls, swiss balls, free weights, etc. And, you'll notice that not too many people are working-out on the weight machines. They are either lifting free-weights or using the treadmills, bikes, elliptical trainers, etc. Why is that? That's because most people don't know how to use the machines.  So, they just use what's easiest to use: a bike, a treadmill, an ellipitcal machine, a ball, a dumbbell.  You think I'm kidding? I'm not. There is nothing wrong with using the weight machines such as Nautilus, etc. In fact, I highly recommend that you do...since they are a lot safer to use than free-weights, or kettle bells.

But, before you engage in ANY resistance training (with machines) at the gym know what the hell you're doing. If you don't, you'll end up hurting yourself and setting your training back even further. What I mean by that is, when you get ready to do leg extensions on a machine, for example,..know the correct seating height position and leg position on the machine. If you don't set the machine up properly, you're not going to be isolating the muscle properly. Also, know the correct weight to use, the correct motion/speed, and the correct repetitions. I can't tell you how many times I see people using too much weight and jerking the weight with other muscles in order to lift the weight. This is not only counterproductive, it could lead to injury. Lastly, know how to breathe correctly. If you don't, you'll get light-headed. Trust me! Don't be afraid to ask one of the personal trainers or employees how to setup a machine properly or how to lift a particular weight properly. That's what they're there for..but yet I NEVER see anyone ask. If you don't want to ask, go on the web and check out some videos. Here's one from VideoJug (of Canada and the UK). It seems elementary but it covers all the basics: properly positioning of the machine, movement and breathing. http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-exercise-your-thighs-using-a-weight-machine-2

I shouldn't have to tell you the advantages of an off-season resistance training program for cyclists.  All you have to do is Google the subject and you'll get plenty of good articles on the benefits from reputable cycling coaches.  Working out at the gym in the off-season will NOT make you "stronger on the bike" per se, but what it will do is strengthen your core and ensure that both your legs have equal strength/balance to push the pedals when you get on your bike. (If it did make you stronger on the bike, you wouldn't have to ride your bike, just go to the gym for a workout instead)  Resistance training will also strengthen the tendons/ligaments/muscles in your legs and prep them for the hi-intensity interval workouts on the bike beginning in February (provided you started your training in December).   And, for those of you opposed to resistance training in the off-season, it will NOT put on additional weight in the form of muscle mass.  You're hardly in the gym long enough or with enough frequency to generate any "appreciable" muscle mass.  In fact, with resistance training, you'll end up burning more fat (and calories) and replacing it with muscle. 

For you skinny guys, I promise you they won't laugh at your skinny-ass frame when you walk into the gym..that is, as long as you keep your shirt on and don't start flexing in the mirror..ha. 

And, that's the skinny...Power ON!  Coach Rob

Tis the Season to be Jolly...NOT Fat!

For those of you that haven't gained weight in the off-season, you're either under the age of 40, you don't drink beer, or you're exercising as much now as you were during the race season.  If you're one of these people, consider yourself lucky.  Lucky that you're young and your body's metabolism is high, lucky that you can drink as much beer (and/or eat) as you want, and lucky that you have the time to exercise as much as you did this Summer.

For me, I'm not one of the lucky ones.  When I eat/drink it seems to go right to my gut and butt.  I don't have time to do anything these days..especially during the week.  And, usually by the end of a long work day, the last thing I'm thinking about is getting on a bike and doing an interval workout on a trainer.  I'd love to ride outside except it's too dark, cold..and like I said..I'm beat!  I got on the scale yesterday and couldn't believe me eyes; I weighed almost 20 lbs. more than I did last April.  I thought perhaps the scale was a bit off (people do that- we try to blame our weaknesses on somebody or something) but when I tried on my size 32" waist jeans this a.m. I could barely snap them..let alone get them over my fat ass.  Yes, I'm FAT!

It's moments like these, however, that are a WAKE-UP call for me.  It's time to stop making excuses and start getting my butt (fat) in gear.  After all, it's only going to get worse (temptations) in the weeks ahead.  All those Christmas/New Years dinners, desserts, junk food, etc.  It's time to start exercising more and stop eating/drinking JUNK!

If you do a Search on my Coaches Blog you'll see that I've written quite a few blogs on Weight Gain/Fat/etc.  That's because it's just as important as developing power on the bike.  After all, it's your Power-to-Weight ratio (w/kg) that seperates the men from the boys in cycling..especially if your a roadie who races on hilly courses.  Even if you don't race on the road, it's just as important off-road on a Mountain Bike or a Cross Bike.   You want to increase your power and drop your weight to maximize your w/kg ratio.

Stop making excuses why you can't exercise.  If it's cold out, buy decent clothes.  If it's dark out, buy a decent light for your bike.  If you don't like riding on the roads at night, ride off-road.  If you don't like training indoors on a trainer, make it so you do like it.  Buy a nice Audio/Video system.  Buy a Computrainer and a couple Erg Videos.  Yeah, I know, these things cost $$.  Well, so does entry fees in bike races. Do you want to piss that $$ away?  That's what your doing if you don't train properly in the off-season and keep your weight down.  If you travel as much as I do, find a local gym that has spin classes.  Or, take your bike and trainer with you and ride in your hotel room.

Also, stop eating junk food.  Give up the desserts or if you have to- split them with somebody.  And, limit your holiday drinking to one or two glasses of wine/beer a day..that's it.  No reason to get all slopped-up drunk over the Holidays.  Plus, don't even think about drinking and driving.  You're stupid if you do..just too much at risk. 

Again, tis the Season to be Jolly...NOT Fat!  NOW is the time to start shedding those pounds.  Don't wait for the New Year.  Do it NOW!

Power ON! Coach Rob

Are you ready?

If you're NOT ready to start your Annual Training Plan (ATP), what are you waiting for?  Especially if one of your "A-events" is the Tour of the Battenkill on April 14-15, 2012.  (Just a reminder, sign-up is in three weeks (Dec. 21st) if you're interested.  And, I shouldn't have to tell you that it fills-up FAST!)  I don't think I'm going to be racing this year, probably because I'll be moto-ref'ing at Battenkill instead.  Regardless, I know how to train for Battenkill (if you want to do well in your age-group)...and if you haven't started your training yet..you better get on it soon.

Additionally, if you don't have a goal for 2012..now is the time to make one.  For me, I've stopped making event-goals. i.e. I stopped wanting to do this or that at a particular event.  Instead, I made my goal for 2012 a power and weight goal.  That is, I want my power-to-weight ratio as close to 4.0 as I can get it by May.  (Last year it was 3.7.)  That way, I'm not disappointed if I crash or don't do well in a particular event.  After all, why should an entire off-seasons work be assessed by just one race?  This is NOT the Olympics..thank God.

What I do to stay motivated, during the Winter, is to make a chart like the one above and track my progress.  I plot my current FTP and weight and my goal FTP and weight and fill it in as I go.  Last year I achieved my goal.  This year, I intend to do the same with a lot of hard work over the Winter.  And, it starts this Thursday (Dec. 1).  Actually, it started this past Thursday (Thanksgiving) since the weather has been so nice.

Are you ready?  If not, get ready.  If you don't, you're not going to meet your 2012 goals. 

Power ON!  Coach Rob  

The Power Meter Advantage

This past week I had the pleasure of joining my friend, coach, pro-triathlete Todd Wiley at a Power Spin Session he was instructing/running.  During our warmup, I was wondering why my PM was reading lower than what I thought it should be.  Was I REALLY that out-of-shape?  Could be!  After all, the only workouts I had in October were my 12 oz. curls of Octoberfest (bottled) beer while I was sitting on my fat a$$ watching football on TV.  I said nothing and continued on.  When the workout started and it was my turn to pull (in our imaginery indoor pace-line) I was cranking it up pretty good.  My PM read between 120-170w.  I knew this couldn't be right because my HR monitor said I was definitely riding Threshold pace.  And, even in the off-season..I know my Threshold Power never drops below 225w.  (At least in the last 5 yrs. it hasn't dropped below 225w).  So, I knew something was wrong.  After a minute or so, I figured it out.  My Garmin Head Unit (Computer) was reading the gals PM next to me..not mine.  Stupid me forgot to sync my head unit with my PM and instead of reading my PM I was reading the gals next to me..duh!  But, that's the beauty of knowing your FTP and riding/training with a PM.  After a while you pretty much know where your power is just based on your RPE and your HR.  Funny, I just realized that my FTP swings 50w from 225w in October to my peak of 275w the end of May.  Next year, I'll try to make sure that I don't let it drop below 250w (in the off-season) and see if I can get it up to 300w the end of May.  It would be a good test.

Another advantage of training with Power is comparing your fitness from year-to-year.  Training Peaks Software has a pretty cool feature called Multi-file/Range Analysis where you can compare two similar rides a year a part.  What I like to look at is my HR delta at the same Power Output..in this case 180w.  In the figure above, you can see I rode a pretty similar stretch of road on my Erg Video 3 software.  It was an L3 Tempo Workout where I compared the first 20 minutes of the ride.  My HR in 2011 was almost 20 bpm LESS (145bpm avg. compared to 165bpm avg.) than it was in 2010.  That's pretty good.   However, I'm NOT getting too excited about that..because I could have been more rested for this ride (in 2011) than I was last year.  I could also have been better hydrated, cooler, etc.  There are a lot of factors that affect HR..which is why I don't train by HR alone.  Nonetheless, I'm pretty happy that I'm not in as bad a shape as I thought I was.  More testing in the next couple weeks (performing similar comparisons) will reveal the truth- is my fitness level really better than last year (the same time)?  My PM and HR monitor will tell the tale.

Time to chow down on some Turkey and drink a few beers!  Hey, I deserve it, I went to the gym this morning for resistance/weight training and just finished an interval indoors on the bike.

Power ON! Coach Rob

Surviving the Holidays

In case you don't know, the average person gains about 5 lbs. between Thanksgiving and New Years.  It's NOT hard to do..trust me, been there done that.  However, for me, I actually lose weight between Thanksgiving and New Years.  That's because I'm more conscious of what I put in my mouth during this time period.  And, I exercise more.

For me, the Holidays are actually a period where I increase the frequency and volume of my workouts.  Where I used to work out only 2x per week (October) on the bike, I'm increasing that to 4x per week on the bike (November/December) and the workouts are longer.  I make sure I get at least one long ride (> 2 hrs.) in on the weekend too.  These longer rides are money in the bank.  I like to ride my Mtn Bike in November thru January.  I do that for several reasons: a) it's colder outside and I like the slower speeds to stay warmer b) the roads get all gunked up with salt, cinders, etc. which will rust your road bike out in a heartbeat (unless you're anal with cleaning) and c) I like the change from the road bike to the Mtn bike...it's just more fun to ride..especially when it snows.  

I'm also spending more time in the gym with resistance training.  It's imperative that cyclists work on their core strength as well as their leg strength.  No, this strength is not necessarily transferable to the bike..but it will make you healthier/stronger and get you ready for those tough hi-force, hi-intensity intervals that are coming in February.

Most of my training on the bike (about 80%) this time of year is done in the L3 Tempo Zone.  If I do any higher intensity interval training..it's usually in the L3/L4 Sweetspot Zone.  There is no need to be doing hi-intensity intervals more than once per week in November/December. 

Having said all that, the Holidays are NOT the time to say, "No, I'm sorry I can't eat that or can't drink that because I'm in training".  At least I don't think so.  Enjoy the Holidays!  Eat that big-ass Turkey Leg like I'm going to do tomorrow.  Have a glass of wine and a couple beers.  Have that piece of pie!  What you should be doing is training the morning of Thanksgiving Dinner, Christmas Dinner and/or New Years Eve Dinner.  And, don't forget to workout the following day.  If you workout the morning of that heavy dinner, and workout the following day, you probably won't gain a pound...provided you're burning the same calories that you're consuming.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!  Power ON!  Coach Rob