Category: Road Cycling

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What to Eat on Long Ride

First, if you have figured out that whole food is better for your health and performance, don’t hesitate, go to Skratch Labs and order a copy of ‘The Feed Zone’ and ‘Feed Zone Portables’ and get cooking. If you’re not yet convinced about real food, then you need to order your books even faster. No doubt, you’ll find a plethora of ideas in either of the Skratch Labs cookbooks. They say it best:

In the Feed Zone, the menu has changed and no one can argue with the results: real food is better. Real food tastes better, digests quickly, and helps you perform at your best.

Not to mention you’ll save money, while keeping your body free of unwanted chemicals and additives. Here’s a sample recipe to try: Feed Zone Portables Sample Recipe: Blueberry & Chocolate Coconut Rice Cakes.

Ready for more recipe testing? Try these granola bars from Good Things Grow. If a grain-free, higher-fat, lower-carb option is your personal dietary preference, stop at Outpost Natural Foods Coop for the the Birdy Bar, or try Jennifer Motl’s recipe recreation below.

BIRDY BAR SQUARES Makes 16 bars

  • cup sesame seeds cup unsalted
  • toasted sunflower seed kernels
  • cup coconut flakes
  • cup chopped almonds
  • cup dried cranberries
  • cup pumpkin seeds (the plump, green and toasted ones, not flat, white ones)
  • cup natural peanut butter [Sydney’s note: substitute another nut butter if you prefer.]
  • cup honey

Procedure:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Mix dry ingredients (seeds, coconut, nuts and berries) in one bowl.
  3. In separate microwave-proof bowl, dump peanut butter and honey. Microwave on high for 60 seconds. [Sydney’s note: this step can be done in a pan on the stove-top.]
  4. Mix peanut butter and honey with rubber spatula until smooth.
  5. Add dry ingredients to peanut butter and honey and mix thoroughly.
  6. Scrape mixture into 9-by-9 ovenproof dish and spread flat with rubber spatula.
  7. Bake for 20 minutes, then cool on a wire rack.
  8. While the bars are still too warm and gooey to eat, cut them into 16 pieces. The bars will harden as they cool.
  9. When the bars are fully cool, cover the pan with plastic wrap to store. To serve, lift out individual squares with a fork or knife.

Recipe from: Jennifer Motl, inspired by version created by Outpost Natural Foods in Milwaukee Nutritional information per bar: 230 calories, 7 g protein, 16 g fat (3 g saturated fat, 6 g monounsaturated fat, 6 g polyunsaturated fat), 19 g carbohydrate, 2.5 g fiber, 80 mg calcium, 3 mg iron, 90 mg sodium, no cholesterol. Good source of magnesium.
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Road and Cyclocross Skills Upcoming

Road Skills – Group Riding

Get comfortable riding with a group, or take it to the next level. Learn how to stay protected, take a strong pull, work with other riders and sit on when you need to. Keeping a group intact is a specialized skill that takes practice and tact. Here you’ll learn how to act as the stronger rider and how to hang on when you’re not. Leave knowing the universal language, skills and actions to be welcome on group rides everywhere.

Register Now!

Bike Handling Skills for Cyclocross

August 26 @ 5:45 pm

Any roadies and mountain bikers looking for a fun fall activity should try cyclocross. In this one-night clinic, we’ll learn the secrets to this fun event from mounts and dismounts to cornering and riding skinny tires on grass, gravel, dirt, mud and ice/snow. Master the hills, barriers, carrying your bike and how to go fast off-road.

Register Now!

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Road and Mountain Bike Training and Skills Upcoming

Road Skills – Group Riding

Monday, June 3 – 5:45-7:45 pm

Get comfortable riding with a group, or take it to the next level. Learn how to stay protected, take a strong pull, work with other riders and sit on when you need to. Keeping a group intact is a specialized skill that takes practice and tact. Here you’ll learn how to act as the stronger rider and how to hang on when you’re not. Leave knowing the universal language, skills and actions to be welcome on group rides everywhere.
Register Now!

Performance Training – Sprinting and Speed

Wednesday, June 5 – 6:00 – 8:00pm

Speed training is used to develop quickness and explosive power. It involves short, intense periods of cycling, from about five to 30 seconds in duration with long recovery periods. Learn More … or Register Now!

  • Improve your reaction time and efficiency
  • Train your body to recruit the necessary muscles
  • Learn a sense of relaxation at a faster pace
  • Add variety to your workouts

Mountain Bike Skills – Bike Handling and Shifting

Monday, June 10 – 6:00 – 8:00 pm

Our small group will meet at Kletzsch Park in Glendale at the parking lot near the river in the north end of the park (map here http://goo.gl/maps/C4ILa) and spend the next couple of hours with progressive bike-handling drills that will improve your confidence, balance, and body position on the bike. We’ll also cover basic bike function and how to use shifting techniques for efficient and trouble-free riding. Plus, you may take home a few tricks to impress your riding buddies. We’ll cover:

  • Mount/dismount
  • Braking and shifting
  • How and when to ride standing
  • Balance/body position
  • Pedaling efficiency
  • Visual skills
  • Roll-over, step-up, drop-off
  • Wheel lifts
  • Bunny hop
  • Obstacle course, log stacks, rock gardens, etc.

Register Now!

Cost is $20 for a drop-in practice or $75.00 for each 4-week session. Further discounts apply if you register for additional Skills Sessions, click here for details and to register. Sessions require a 5 rider minimum.

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Summer Skills and Speed Training Session Schedule

Make a commitment to be a better cyclist. Choose among 4-week sessions throughout the summer season to improve your cycling skills, speed, strength and endurance. Or just drop-in for a day.

View the calendar and events lists for further information on each practice.

Cycling Skills Sessions:

Learn to use your bike handling for speed and safety with Cycling Skills Sessions on Monday evenings. Each 4-week session will include an evening of bike handling and shifting, cornering, climbing and descending, plus group riding skills. The Mountain Bike Skills session will end with trail riding, rather than group riding.

  • Skills Session 1 – Mondays, 5:45 – 7:45pm,
    Road Skills for Beginner and Intermediate Cyclists
    May 6 – June 3 (excluding May 27)
  • Skills Session 2 – Mondays, 6:00 – 8:00pm,
    Mountain Bike Skills
    June 10 – July 1
  • Skills Session 3 – Mondays, 6:00 – 8:00pm,
    Cycling Skills for Triathlon
    July 8 – 29
  • Skills Session 4 – Mondays, 5:45 – 7:45pm,
    Road Skills for Intermediate and Advanced Cyclists
    Aug 5 – 26

Cycling Training Session:

Improve your fitness with Cycling Training Sessions on Wednesday evenings. Each 4-week session will include an evening of speed specific training, threshold training, hill training and fast paceline practice.

  • Training Session 1, Wednesdays, 5:45 – 7:45pm
    Road Cycling
    May 8 – 29
  • Training Session 2, Wednesdays, 6:00 – 8:00pm
    Road Cycling
    June 5 – 26 (excluding June 19, $20 discount on this session)
  • Training Session 3, Wednesdays, 6:00 – 8:00pm
    Road Cycling
    July 3 – 24
  • Training Session 4, Wednesdays, 5:45 – 7:45pm
    Road Cycling
    July 31 – Aug 21

Register Now!

Cost is $20 for a drop-in practice, $75.00 per session (4 evenings total) or $70.00/session if you sign up for 4 or more of any combinations of sessions (e.g. Training Sessions 1-4, or Skills and Training Sessions 1-2.) Skills Sessions and Training Sessions are separate. All sessions are one(1) day per week. Sessions require a 5 rider minimum.

Please include your real full name, contact information and the sessions or days you would like to attend in the form below. I will respond with further payment details.

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Despite my understanding of the pervasiveness of drug in the sport, I found myself surprisingly overcome with emotion and deeply sad listening to the BBC Newshour recount of the news about Lance Armstrong. Shocking or not, it still feels like the death of something.

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Cycling Team Training

The summer cycling season is officially here, and we are taking full advantage! Our weekly “Team Training” rides are under way. The team format creates an environment within which we can maintain a steady improvement in skills and fitness, while building each practice session upon the previous. Our fundamental race training techniques build fitness and the ability to work together, tools for greater enjoyment in all future cycling endeavors.

Our team time trial practices improve paceline skills and lactate threshold fitness. We will learn to dominate hilly terrain through specific hill intervals and skills to capitalize on the contours of the road. With sprinting and lead-out practice we will train to work together to orchestrate a race-winning move, while sharpening top end speed. Additionally, our sessions will include cornering and descending skills practice, race-scenario simulation, and more!

Thanks to everyone involved. I am looking forward to a very fun summer of cycling.