<![CDATA[BJL Coaching, LLC. 2026

<![CDATA[BJL Coaching, LLC. 2026 - Blog Archive]]>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:42:57 -0400Weebly<![CDATA[Virtual Racing: Use Judiciously in the Base Period]]>Wed, 05 Feb 2025 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.bjlcoaching.com/blog-archive/virtual-racing-use-judiciously-in-the-base-period

As we reach mid-February, some athletes have been in their non-competitive, non-event, or “shoulder” season for several months. Others who raced a full ‘cross calendar may feel like they have just shut it down. Wherever you fall in the spectrum, hopefully you’ve taken some time to dial it back, get off the bike a bit, enjoy other outdoor activities, and then start getting ready for next season.

During this time, many coaches and athletes will include strategically placed higher intensity workouts on the schedule. Strategic and deliberate with purpose. Over the past five or six years, there’s been a new way to include intensity all year round.

Like it or not, Virtual Racing, or E-Racing is here, and quite likely here to stay. There’s even National Championships, Professional Zwift Racing Teams, and some real money behind the competitions.

Virtual races can really be a lot of fun. I’ve participated in a good handful, and may recommend a race to some of my clients. They’re a great way to really push yourself and mix things up when forced to train indoors. I’ve even had clients use E-Fondos to qualify for the National Fondo Championships. This is great as it makes the event much more attainable for the individual who doesn’t have the luxury of traveling to several far away events a year.

But unless you’re sandbagging or e-doping (lying about your weight and/or height), they are usually quite intense. Often too intense. Some group rides wouldfall into this category, too. They can make for a really fun workout or provide that extra motivation during the cold winter months, but we must be careful with their placement on the calendar and how frequently we’re participating.

On the virtual platforms like TrainingPeaks Virtual and Zwift, at some times of the day you can find a race starting nearly every 15 minutes. You can certainly find races every single day. Other platforms might not have the same saturation as these two, but they’re there.

Even in the height of “in season”, athletes can easily overdo it with virtual racing and intense group rides. It’s important to respect the intensity of these events and be mindful of where they fall on your calendar. They’re fun and some folks report that they can be addictive. And they’re certainly an easy answer to the question, “what should I do on the trainer today?” Our brain’s pleasure center gets all fired up with the hard efforts and, assuming things don’t go terribly wrong, we can leave the event on a pretty good high.

If you’re still three or even four months away from the start of your season, I would suggest no more than 1 or 2 virtual races a month. Oh the blasphemy. One or two per month? For sure. I’m not suggesting zero intensity. Not at all. I’m a proponent of programming “intense” workouts with a specific objective that is targeted to help you reach goal. These workouts will often be progressive in duration of the intervals and/or the intensity of the intervals. Unfortunately e-racing doesn’t always afford this same kind of progression.

As mentioned, virtual races are often super intense and take a significant amount of time to properly recover. Additionally, most indoor setups, regardless of the number of fans, create very warm environments especially during the intense sessions like a race. Despite our best attempts, we’ll often end up in a dehydrated state. Along those lines, it’s not uncommon to under fuel for our indoor workouts. They’re indoors. How hard can they be? Very.

I came across this quite technical article on the recovery from a Zwift Race:

Zwift Recovery
https://www.endureiq.com/blog/recovery-from-a-zwift-race

The science is cool, and the summary is:
“So, next time you are thinking about jumping into a Zwift race, it might be worth first considering the time-course of physiological recovery from a high-intensity effort like this, and what training you had planned in the subsequent 24-48 hours. In the case of the athlete described here, I’d say that refraining from the Friday night racing in an effort to maximize their outputs in their subsequent planned weekend of training might be the best approach. Thursday may have been a better night for racing, such that enough time was allowed for recovery prior to those planned intervals!”

With the extended recovery period, our subsequent workouts may be of lower quality. Or worse, we can quickly approach a non-functioning over-reaching state, which can have even longer negative implications. And while true over-training is not actually as common as folks would suggest, it’s definitely possible. All of these things can impact your progress as an athlete, but more importantly, the quality of your life as a healthy human being.

If the racing doesn’t put is in a bad place, maybe it’s still not the best course of action. Every choice in life has an opportunity cost, and by choosing a race it is keeping us from a workout that may be more beneficial to reaching our goals. That other workout might be more targeted intervals, a steady Zone 2 ride, strength training, or maybe REST is what would be best.

It’s also very easy to remain at a fitness plateau all year long we don’t respect the seasonality of our sport. Virtual platforms and indoor cycling has all but eliminated that seasonality. I remember on one of the FastTalk Podcasts Coach Connor talking about Florida as the “land of the eighty percenters.” He elaborated noting that with weather that allows for outdoor riding, group rides, and races all year long, there’s no “off season.” I’ve adopted the term “non-competitive” (or non-events/group rides) season, since we’re usually not “off” from exercise from long at all. But the idea is that if you’re doing the same thing all year long year after year, you might be at 80% of your potential, but never really rise above that.

A final thought on this to think about your season and when you really want to be fit and fast. We used to joke about the “Valentine’s Day Champs” or the “Saint Patrick’s Day Champs” well before Zwift. These were the folks that absolutely killed it during the winter, and maybe hit a warm training camp or two. Then, come mid-February to mid-March, they would be ripping. Sounds cool, right? They downside was, best case scenario was that they hit their peak and then dropped off the scene. Maybe they could get it back together for a second peak, but I rarely saw that. Worse cases were burnout, getting discouraged and disengaged from our awesome sport, or the worst—injury. We’re seeing the same thing with the virtual winter racers now.

If you’ve never raced on a virtual platform, check it out when you’re well rested and don’t have an intense or long workout for a couple of days. If you are a virtual racer, take a moment to think about how these fit into the big plan and are they really helping you progress, or are the just fun. Fun is good, but make sure it’s truly the fun you’re looking for.

Here’s another article talking about the importance of managing your effort:

https://www.stickybottle.com/coaching/zwift-burn-why-workload-balance-is-crucial-with-indoor-trainers/

And if you’re interested in learning more about Virtual racing, check this out:

https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/fitness-and-training/zwift-racing/

Or hit me up and we can chat and do a TPV or Zwift ride or race together.

Aside from racing, if you're looking to make the most of your indoor riding, check out:

https://www.bikereg.com (search for BJL to see the most recent sessions)

Keep mixing it up and get outside whenever you can. But when you’re forced to be on your trainer or rollers, plan your rides with purpose.

If you are looking for more information about indoor training and meaningful workouts for indoors or out, give me a shout. I create workouts that can be downloaded to all major online platforms and head units and are easily followed on the screen.

Thoughts, questions, or comments on virtual racing? I’d love to hear! Post up below.

Cheers,
Coach Brian

]]><![CDATA[Set Up Your Indoor Training Area for Success!]]>Wed, 11 Dec 2024 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.bjlcoaching.com/blog-archive/set-up-your-indoor-training-area-for-success

The Godfather of endurance coaching and author of the Training Bibles, Joe Friel, recently wrote a whole book, called Ride Inside, on indoor training. Indoor training has become increasingly popular, and with the interactive platforms such as Zwift and RGT, and the more "realistic" equipment available, riders are logging more hours indoors. Some athletes are actually dedicated and sponsored indoor racers! Being forced inside during 2020 certainly added fuel to this fire.

Riding indoors has it's own set of challenges.  Cardiovascular Drift, which is not uncommon during indoor training due to increasing body temperature and dehydration. There are steps you can take to help avoid this as well as more considerations about your setup.

Here's a great article by Joe Friel that was posted on the TrainingPeaks Blog about setting up your indoor training area:

Making Your Indoor Cycling Setup Work for You
https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/making-your-indoor-cycling-setup-work-for-you/

If you don't have a dedicated smart bike, if you have a second bike that you can leave on your trainer, I find this eliminates one of the barriers that often exists for athletes. Little things like that can really help to make sure you get on your bike for your workout.

It doesn't need to be fancy, but with a little thought, a couple of box fans, a little entertainment, and plenty of fluids, you can have a much more enjoyable time.

To sign up for my remote indoor training classes, click here:

Remote Indoor Training Classes

Go HERE for a Free Trial Week!

If you want to get more out of your indoor AND outdoor training, I offer customized training programs that will upload to all popular training platforms and head units. If you're interested in setting yourself up for your best year ever, drop me a line.

Email Coach Brian

Coach BrianThe Godfather of endurance coaching and author of the Training Bibles, Joe Friel, recently wrote a whole book, called Ride Inside, on indoor training. Indoor training has become increasingly popular, and with the interactive platforms such as Zwift and RGT, and the more "realistic" equipment available, riders are logging more hours indoors. Some athletes are actually dedicated and sponsored indoor racers! Being forced inside during 2020 certainly added fuel to this fire.

Riding indoors has it's own set of challenges.  Cardiovascular Drift, which is not uncommon during indoor training due to increasing body temperature and dehydration. There are steps you can take to help avoid this as well as more considerations about your setup.

Here's a great article by Joe Friel that was posted on the TrainingPeaks Blog about setting up your indoor training area:

Making Your Indoor Cycling Setup Work for You
https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/making-your-indoor-cycling-setup-work-for-you/

If you don't have a dedicated smart bike, if you have a second bike that you can leave on your trainer, I find this eliminates one of the barriers that often exists for athletes. Little things like that can really help to make sure you get on your bike for your workout.

It doesn't need to be fancy, but with a little thought, a couple of box fans, a little entertainment, and plenty of fluids, you can have a much more enjoyable time.

To sign up for my remote indoor training classes, click here:

Remote Indoor Training Classes

Go HERE for a Free Trial Week!

If you want to get more out of your indoor AND outdoor training, I offer customized training programs that will upload to all popular training platforms and head units. If you're interested in setting yourself up for your best year ever, drop me a line.

Email Coach Brian

Coach BrianThe Godfather of endurance coaching and author of the Training Bibles, Joe Friel, recently wrote a whole book, called Ride Inside, on indoor training. Indoor training has become increasingly popular, and with the interactive platforms such as Zwift and RGT, and the more "realistic" equipment available, riders are logging more hours indoors. Some athletes are actually dedicated and sponsored indoor racers! Being forced inside during 2020 certainly added fuel to this fire.

Riding indoors has it's own set of challenges.  Cardiovascular Drift, which is not uncommon during indoor training due to increasing body temperature and dehydration. There are steps you can take to help avoid this as well as more considerations about your setup.

Here's a great article by Joe Friel that was posted on the TrainingPeaks Blog about setting up your indoor training area:

Making Your Indoor Cycling Setup Work for You
https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/making-your-indoor-cycling-setup-work-for-you/

If you don't have a dedicated smart bike, if you have a second bike that you can leave on your trainer, I find this eliminates one of the barriers that often exists for athletes. Little things like that can really help to make sure you get on your bike for your workout.

It doesn't need to be fancy, but with a little thought, a couple of box fans, a little entertainment, and plenty of fluids, you can have a much more enjoyable time.

To sign up for my remote indoor training classes, click here:

Remote Indoor Training Classes

Go HERE for a Free Trial Week!

If you want to get more out of your indoor AND outdoor training, I offer customized training programs that will upload to all popular training platforms and head units. If you're interested in setting yourself up for your best year ever, drop me a line.

Email Coach Brian

Coach Brian

]]><![CDATA[IF YOUR ARMS ARE COLD, COVER YOUR LEGS]]>Mon, 07 Oct 2024 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.bjlcoaching.com/blog-archive/if-your-arms-are-cold-cover-your-legs

"If your arms are cold, cover your legs."

As I rode around on a chilly fall day, I was filled with extra motivation and joy with how many cyclists were out and about. One pattern I began to see, however, was long sleeves on top and bare legs on the bottom for many of the riders. I get it. It feels invigorating, and it looks "pro." And your legs don't "feel" cold. (Check out the article below for the WHY.) However, what I did notice as my ride progressed throughout the morning, was the local top performers, some of which are former pros, all had their legs covered along with their arms. No, they're not "soft", that's for certain. There are many reasons why those incredibly successful and strong women and and men have been doing our wonderful sport for so long, one of which is taking steps to ensure that longevity.

One of my goals as a coach and lover of all things bike, is to help make sure people can ride bikes for as long as they live. It's a great sport for LIFE, but there are some precautionary measures that need to be considered to keep us all rolling.

A joint in our bodies that potentially takes a toll from riding a bike is our knees. There are steps we can take to help keep our knees healthy and functioning well starting with a proper bike fit and avoiding large increases in volume and/or intensity.

But protection from the environment is important as well.

As the temps drop, we also need to consider protecting our knees. Not only our knees, but all of the hard working muscles in our legs.

I've long been a proponent of keeping knees and legs covered, but this podcast from Fasttalk really gets into the "why" and how damaging that pushing our muscles and joints in the cold can be.

Cold, Bare Legs Make You Dumb, Not Tough
https://www.fasttalklabs.com/fast-talk/cold-bare-legs-make-you-dumb-not-tough/

The title is perhaps a bit harsh, but really drives the point home.

Although it looks "cool" to wear a long sleeved jersey and shorts, it's just not a good idea. And I fully agree that just knee or leg warmers with a short sleeved jersey is not particularly stylish. In that case, just cover your arms and legs.

If it will be warming up during the course of your ride, you can always stop and take the warmers off and stash them in your pocket.

My own personal rule is 65 degrees or below, my knees and legs are covered.

Do what makes you feel good, but keep in mind the words of Coach Connor that if you're overdressed you're maybe uncomfortable, but if you're underdressed, you're doing damage. Who wants to do damage?

So get yourself a set of leg warmers and maybe some knee warmers and keep your legs happy.

What's your take on covering your legs? Post a comment or question below.

Ride on and enjoy these great early Fall days!

Cheers,

Coach Brian

]]><![CDATA[Training with Specificity is Important; Just Make Sure It's the "Right" Specificity]]>Thu, 29 Aug 2024 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.bjlcoaching.com/blog-archive/training-with-specificity-is-important-just-make-sure-its-the-right-specificity

Training with specificity is important, especially as an athlete gets closer to their event. Once the aerobic engine has been built from months or more of generalized training, it’s time to adapt the training to meet the specific needs of the event. Training with specificity is not limited to just the type of intervals that an athlete would perform, but also the terrain that they will encounter and necessary skills. For example, if an athlete planning on a gravel event with very rough terrain and plenty of short, punchy climbs, these would be two specific areas to target during training. Another example would be a twisty, tight mountain bike race. An athlete who is preparing for an event like this should try to spend time on similar trails at race pace.

While training with specificity is very important, it’s also important to not spend unnecessary time training for discipline specific demands that will not be encountered during the event(s).

Huh?

Simply said, don’t spend time training something that exists in the sport but that you won’t encounter.

Cyclocross is a very good subject of this statement.

‘Cross is a very unique sport in that there is terrain in some ‘cross races that you might not ever see in any of your other events. Examples of such terrain include sand, snow, or wood chips. Likewise, there is often at least one point on the course where racers will be forced to dismount, run with their bike, and then remount. While this may happen in a mountain bike race or even some gnarly gravel events, it’s not a “mandatory” part of mountain bike course construction and layout.

A specific example:

For many years I held a weekly Tuesday cyclocross training practice where we did all sorts of drills and had some short races at the end. As the years progressed, we started spending more time practicing shouldering and then running with our bikes. While this is a good skill to have in ‘cross, as I reflected on my races, not once did I need to shoulder my bike. It was a dry year and the nature of our courses did not involve any stairs or long and steep runups where shouldering would have been advantageous. The only dismount during the races was for the barriers, and most riders were “suitcasing” their bikes with a top tube grab and carry. This was actually the same for several years in a row. Was this a huge loss of time? No, but probably a skill that we didn’t need to continue to sharpen week after week.

Another example from ‘cross would be riding through sand. Again, a great skill to have and can really develop some amazing bike handling. There are also some similarities between riding in loose sand with mud and snow. BUT, if none of your races will include a sandpit, then perhaps spending time and energy seeking out sand to practice in is not the best use of these precious resources.

More obvious examples can also come from the duration of the events. If an athlete is targeting “shorter” races such as criteriums, time trials, cyclocross, UCI XC mountain biking, and even sprint triathlons, riding for 5+ hours during the height of the season can be downright counterproductive. This can be a hard pill to swallow for those out there who, like me, love to ride their bikes. And I’m not suggesting that there is not value in long, low intensity rides during the base period. However, as you get closer to your events, this type of riding will likely not benefit your performance.

If you're into podcasts, this is a super listen:

https://www.fasttalklabs.com/fast-talk/jim-miller-usa-cycling-should-you-build-the-best-engine-or-focus-on-specificity/

And here are some great articles to help us all think about the specific demands of our events:

https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/training-with-specificity/

https://pezcyclingnews.com/toolbox/intervals-part-4-race-specificity/

I encourage you to train with specificity, and if you have questions or need help with this, I’m ready to lend a hand!

Cheers,
Coach Brian

]]><![CDATA[Hydration, Sodium, and Cramping]]>Thu, 18 Jul 2024 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.bjlcoaching.com/blog-archive/hydration-sodium-and-cramping

I was first introduced to Andy Blow and Precision Hydration many years ago, but I really got to know their philosophy and science in 2020. When the pandemic hit, I took the opportunity to get as much sports science and coaching education that I could. One of the certificates I earned was through Precision Hydration and TrainingPeaks. While this field continues to evolve, the basic tenants of Precision Hydration, which are grounded in science, practice, and good sense, have stood up to the test of time.

Here’s great listen about hydration, sodium, and cramping:

https://extramilest.com/blog/extramilest-show-43-andy-blow/

Despite it being a running focused podcast, the principles can certainly be applied to cycling and other endurance sports.

I’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and general musings!

Cheers,

Coach Brian

]]><![CDATA[There's more to tire pressure than just PSI]]>Mon, 01 Jul 2024 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.bjlcoaching.com/blog-archive/theres-more-to-tire-pressure-than-just-psi

This is sometimes a tough one for those of us who have been in the sport, particularly road riding and racing, for a long time:

Fact: Lower pressure (to a point) is often faster than rock solid.

I started road riding and racing on 21's and 23's, and I'm sure some of the readers were on 19's. I can remember seeking out 23c Vredstein tires because even with a tube, they could be pumped up to 140 psi, as opposed to many other's topping out at 125 pounds per square inch (psi). During a stage race a couple decades ago, a friend let me borrow his disc wheel with a tubular. He said, "just check the tire pressure. " I replied, "How much? Like 125, 130?" He simply laughed and said "Not quite. Pump that sucker up to 180." One hundred eighty psi on a disc wheel with my aluminum bike! To say it was a bit of a harsh ride is an understatement. I don't fault my friend. At that time, it was readily accepted that harder was faster.

While it's been accepted in the off-road world, particularly in 'cross, that lower and very specific tire pressure provides SIGNIFICANT advantages, the road world has been a little slower to adopt this mindset.

This Fasttalk podcast with the master himself, Lennard Zinn, does a great job of explaining the concept of psi and how tire size, road/trail surface, rider mass, rider style, and other important factors need to be considered.

https://www.fasttalklabs.com/fast-talk/lennard-zinn-and-the-art-of-tire-pressure/

And here is a great tool to help you get a starting point:

https://silca.cc/pages/sppc-form

So I encourage you to experiment from that starting point and find out what works for you. Things to consider are the whole "system" weight. Will you be wearing a hydration pack? Packs on your bike? What's in your pockets? For cold winter days, even the weight of clothing can add up.

Take notes as you go along and make sure you record the conditions. For example, was it wet and slick or dry and dusty? What was the terrain like? How about the road/trail surfaces? All this can help you get dialed in and make informed decisions. I know I need to continue to progress from my stock "x psi in the front, and y psi in the rear."

Remember: safety first!

Until next time, bust out that floor pump, get an accurate gauge, and maybe a little lower is actually faster!

https://www.bjlcoaching.com/bls-blog/august-9-tip-of-the-week

Cheers,
Coach Brian

]]><![CDATA[Want to recover better? Pay attention to your glycogen window! Or not?]]>Mon, 29 Apr 2024 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.bjlcoaching.com/blog-archive/want-to-recover-better-pay-attention-to-your-glycogen-window-or-not

I've never met an athlete that did not want to perform better. Can a performance advantage be gained by something as simple as eating within a fixed period of time after your workout? Maybe...or maybe not.

I can't recall the first time I heard the term "glycogen window." I've also heard it called the "window of opportunity", the "carbohydrate window", the "metabolic window", and I'm sure there are others. I feel like this was a "truth" that was taught to me many, many years ago and since then has been reinforced. And certainly something I practice.

If you're not familiar with any of these terms, it's the notion that your muscles are most receptive for glycogen (the stored form of glucose (sugar) that is made up of many connected glucose molecules) replenishment within the first 30 minutes upon completing your endurance exercise. Many experts in the field suggest a 3 or 4 to 1 ratio of carbs to protein to maximize the uptake. Since carbs and protein both have 4 calories per gram, one can simply look at the number of grams of carbs and compare it to the number of grams of protein. For example, if the food item at 40 grams of carbs and 10 grams of protein, that would fit the bill of a 4:1 ratio.

That's right, 3 or 4 times as many carbohydrates as protein. So you may want to reconsider if a protein shake or bar is your go-to recovery food after that hard cycling workout.

Please understand that these recommendations are for after intense and/or "long" bouts of exercise. A 60 minute Zone 1 recovery spins doesn't need major refueling. A spin to the coffee shop on the beach cruiser while on vacation won't need any refueling. But a ride or event where you're putting down the power or riding for over 60 minutes with a fair bit of aggression, your muscles will get tapped of their glycogen. And that's a notion that is not argued by many. However, there are some instances where exercise less than 60 minutes may require some attention to refueling, such as a 'cross race, crit, or TT.

Back to the "window"...

If you dive into this and do some research, you'll find more than one source that says this window does not exist, or if it does, it is much, much longer. I've seen as long as 24 hours after completion of exercising proposed.

Personally, I subscribe to, and try to practice the 30 minute window. I also recommend this to the athletes I coach. I don't have any muscle biopsies to back up my thoughts, but I do have decades of practical experience with three main points why I think it's a good idea to eat within 30 minutes.

1. Almost everyone I work with is busy. It's part of our culture. We cram more and more into our days. If you make it a habit of eating/drinking within that 30 minute window, it will get done. I've had more than one client tell me how they "forgot" to eat when they got done or "ran out of time" or "didn't have anything handy" and ended up going for many hours or worse, going to bed without refueling. Almost without fail, they didn't feel great during their workout the next day. And maybe even days after that. So if you make it a routine and maybe even have your recovery meal or drink prepared ahead of time, you'll be sure to get it in every time.

2. If we eat something sensible and planned during that 30 minutes, we're less likely to raid the cabinets and refrigerator and make bad choices later on. Those bad choices can often lead to filling our bellies with non-nutritious food, only to be hungry again after a very short period of time. Get in a good recovery mean or drink, and you'll set yourself up for better choices later on.

3. You will recover better and feel stronger on your next ride. Again, this is purely anecdotal for me, but I've worked with many athletes since becoming a coach in 2005, and have heard both successes and failures. Often those failures can be traced back to poor refueling the day before. I know I've certainly put myself behind the eight ball after not being prepared or cutting my time to close to properly refuel. Better to end your ride 15 minutes early and get some food than to push it and put yourself in a hole. Consistency is going to pay off more than intermittent solid workouts.

Dr. Allan Lim is one of my favorite exercise scientists to read and listen to. Not only is he extremely knowledgeable, experienced, and interesting, he also delivers down to Earth, practical advice. You probably know his company, Skratch Labs, and may have come across his books. Here's a great quote from his Feedzone Cookbook.

WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT After racing or training more than 4 hours, it’s critical that you eat at least 4 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight within 30 minutes of finishing. For exercise lasting less than 2 hours, the goal is 2 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight. This amounts to about 500 to 1,000 kcals for a 150-pound athlete, depending on the duration of training. Generally speaking, this means that you will eat as much as possible right after getting off the bike if it has been a hard day of training. After an easy day of training, you will eat enough to take the edge off. We need to eat immediately after exercise because our muscles are extremely sensitive to insulin during this time. Insulin brings carbohydrate into the muscle, where it can be stored as glycogen. Consequently, eating right after exercise helps to better restore muscle glycogen.

“The Feed Zone Cookbook: Fast and Flavorful Food for Athletes,” by Biju Thomas & Allen Lim

Much like I wrote about a cool-down, I have not seen any literature or research that says it's detrimental to take in a recovery meal or drink within this 30 minutes. The biggest downside I see is perhaps taking in too many calories at this time or slamming a big recovery shake after an easy or very short ride. However, if you keep in mind the notion of the recovery meal or drink is for long and/or intense rides, you'll probably be in a good place.

Below are some other great listens and reads you can use as resources to help make your own informed decisions about your refueling practices.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Allen Lim on The Gravel Ride

https://thegravelride.bike/dr-allen-lim-founder-of-skratch-labs-talks-gravel-nutrition
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What Post-Workout Nutrition Looks Like by LENTINE ALEXIS

https://blog.strava.com/post-workout-nutrition-16547/
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The Truth About The Post-Exercise Fueling Window from Women's Running

https://www.womensrunning.com/health/food/the-truth-about-the-post-exercise-fueling-window/
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And if you really want to "nerd out", check out this article:

International society of sports nutrition position stand: nutrient timing

https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-017-0189-4
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I also found one article where they referenced a study that noted eating anything, even something "unhealthy" is better than nothing at all.

https://www.bicycling.com/health-nutrition/a20014558/what-to-eat-after-a-ride/
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Remember that there are plenty of real food options out there that will work well for recovery foods and drinks. Chocolate milk is great in a pinch, too. However, those recovery powders and bars are certainly convenient and going to be better than nothing.

Until next time, fuel ahead of time, fuel during, and re-fuel after. And the rest of the time try to practice healthy nutrition.

If you have a question or comment, please post below.

Cheers,
Coach Brian

Chocolate milk and a swig of maple syrup is the best recovery meal!
~Grady

Chocolate milk is GREAT in a pinch for sure! And like a true Vermonter, MAPLE SYRUP! https://untapped.cc/ Ted King Rocks!
~Coach Brian

]]><![CDATA[Protecting Your Skin is NOT a Marginal Gain. It's a major gain.]]>Mon, 08 Apr 2024 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.bjlcoaching.com/blog-archive/protecting-your-skin-is-not-a-marginal-gain-its-a-major-gain

It's fairly appropriate that as I type this there's a solar eclipse going on and viewing parties all over the north east. I hope the disposable glasses truly do their job, and this certainly speaks to the power of the Sun. We'd perish pretty quickly without it, but like so many things, too much can be detrimental. Maybe extremely detrimental.

It's almost impossible to be a part of the cycling multi-verse and not have heard the term "marginal gains." This term was made popular in 2015 by the commentators of many big bike races, most notably Le Tour de France, as they discussed Team Sky's approach of making sure every detail was taken care of. According to CNBC,

"Sir Dave Brailsford, former performance director of British Cycling, revolutionized the sport using the theory of marginal gains....

As this thinking became a culture and a philosophy shared by all members of Brailsford’s team, they kept searching for any and every area where they could make tiny improvements. Their goal was a marginal or 1% gain in every aspect of their training and environment.
Individually, each incremental change may have seemed unnecessary or random, but collectively, they helped create a powerhouse with a level of success that became the envy of the cycling world."

Well, this post is certainly about something relatively easy and "small" that we all can do, but its impact might not be so marginal.

I'm referring to making sure that, as we head out for 30 minute quick ride or an all day adventure, we put on that sunscreen and/or protective layers.

On a very surface (no pun intended) level, getting sun burnt just hurts. It's uncomfortable, can make sleeping tough, and generally make you feel more tired than you are.

From a performance standpoint, if your body is using significant resources to repair damaged skin, and then those resources are not available to repair your body from the effects of training. Sun burn is a form of inflammation, something we typically want to minimize.

Continuing along the lines of performance, if the burn is uncomfortable enough to disrupt sleep, you have now robbed your body of that most crucial time of repair and adaptations. The poor sleep can also negatively impact your next training session, and the snowball effect continues.

But the most important consideration is the long term damage that sun burn does to our skin, which can lead to much more serious implications down the road.

From the MD Anderson Cancer Center:

"How your skin changes during a sunburn
When ultraviolet radiation from the sun reaches the skin, it damages the skin cells and causes mutations in their DNA.
“Our bodies have a lot of amazing mechanisms to prevent and even correct these mutations,” George says. “But if the skin cells get more UV exposure than they can handle, the damage may be beyond repair, and the cells die off. Blood vessels dilate to increase blood flow and bring immune cells to the skin to help clean up the mess. All this causes the redness, swelling and inflammation we associate with a sunburn.”
The sunburn will eventually heal, but some of the surviving cells will have mutations that escape repair. These cells could eventually become cancerous.
Can you reverse sun damage?
Some beauty products claim they can reverse sun damage or even stimulate cell repair. But no research has shown that any topical skin care product or lotion can reverse sun damage.
“There’s no simple way to undo sun damage yet,” George says. “But there are lots of simple ways to prevent it by being sun-safe and avoiding sunburns.”"

So that's the key right there: prevention.

I am much more careful now than I was in the past, using both chemical and mechanical forms of sun protection. I got these arm skins (arm coolers) from Champion Systems pictured to the left a couple of summers ago and love them for their speed and effectiveness. Speed? Yes, much faster than applying sunscreen to my arms for a sunny jaunt on my bike.

Are they hot? No, I'm not going to say they're "cool", but up to mid 80's they don't bother me too much. There's lighter options and colors out there, too. They make them for your knees and full legs, too.

Do watch with your kit. Some jerseys these days are almost see-through and don't provide much of a Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF).

In addition to my clothing, I hit the sunscreen religiously now. Most on the time I use the goopy zinc based stuff, but I figure if I'm going for it, I probably should use something healthy and decent. For those super long days out in the sun, I'll even throw a small tube or stick in my pocket and re-apply.

I know, I know. It's just one more thing as you're trying to get out the door for your 60 minute lunch ride or squeezing in 75 minutes before that next client meeting. But the 5 minutes you take to protect your skin, can turn into hours and hours saved by not having to go to the dermatologist. And that of course can transition from an inconvenience to a serious problem very quickly.

Here are some good articles with sunscreen options, how and when to apply, as well as more information and tips:

https://www.bicycling.com/bikes-gear/g20005485/the-best-sunscreens-for-cyclists/#:~:text=Goldman%20suggests%20applying%20sunscreen%20to,a%20long%20period%20of%20time

https://www.skincancer.org/blog/cycling-and-sun-protection/

https://www.theproscloset.com/blogs/news/cycling-sunscreen-and-sun-sleeves

And this podcast really only touches on the issue, but if you've been in the mountain bike world for a while like I have, it might really hit home with you, too. Travis Brown was one of the mountain bike superstars from the 90's into 2000's, and to hear him talk about his scare with cancer was very, very real:

Colby Pearce on Fasttalk

So let's all take care of our largest organ so we can keep riding our bikes and enjoying other out of door activities for the rest of our lives. As a coach, I want to foster life-long cyclists so let's all stay healthy.

There are so many options now with sprays, creams, sticks, etc. that we really don't have an excuse. Do it for yourself, do it for your loved ones, and, at the very least, do it for performance.

Cheers,
Coach Brian

]]><![CDATA[Should Endurance Athletes Use Caffeine?]]>Fri, 29 Mar 2024 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.bjlcoaching.com/blog-archive/should-endurance-athletes-use-caffeineCaffeine...some people can't operate without their first cup of coffee in the morning, and others hit it all day long. Some folks can fall right asleep after a full cup of high test (side note: studies have shown that this may not be quality sleep) and others are wired out of their mind.

Caffeine has long been a supplement used by athletes of all disciplines, and certainly not excluded are the endurance athletes.

I've been reading quite a few articles recently that shed some new light on how caffeine interacts with our bodies. This is a great article on Training Peaks by Carrie McCusker out of Portland, Maine.

Check it out and weigh the ups and downs yourself!

***Make sure you always consult with a medical professional about your own sensitivity or intolerance to caffeine.***

Caffeine: How it Works For and Against Your Performance

And a second article at Precision Hydration by Sports Scientist Abby Coleman:

Why do athletes use caffeine?

Now, it's time to go get that afternoon cup o' jo...or not?

Cheers,
Coach B.L.]]><![CDATA[Should you use erg mode on for trainer workouts?]]>Mon, 08 Jan 2024 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.bjlcoaching.com/blog-archive/should-you-use-erg-mode-on-for-trainer-workouts

Over the past 7-8 years, more and more athletes that I work use a smart trainer for their indoor cycling, and some of the new athletes that sign on to work with me only have experience with a smart trainer and ERG mode on for indoor workouts.

So is this a good thing or bad thing or is it neutral? Like most things, this is not a binary decision of “good” or “bad”, but a continuum. My initial thought was that there’s more bad than good, but I wanted to find out more.
Since power (measured in watts) = torque x cadence, as long as the product of those two variables is 200, it doesn’t matter if the cadence is 20 revolutions per minute (rpms) or 120 rpms, as long as the torque changes as well. And what happens with a smart trainer is the rider will HAVE TO change the torque, or the pedals won’t move. Torque is calculated by multiplying the force applied to the pedals, by the crank length (lever arm).

This is a very simplified view of the physics involved without going full nerd on you all, but the basic gist is there.

What I typically see with ERG ONLY athletes is that they have a difficult time producing a steady power output outside, especially on the flats. They also often don't learn the skill of what xxx watts "feels" like in their feet and legs. This “feel” is very useful when in a group ride or race situation where staring at your power meter is not a good idea. Or if your devices have an issue such as dead battery or bad calibration.

For more intense intervals, I have also seen their form really fall apart, in the way of just mashing on the pedals with a very low cadence just to hit the number. I can imagine it might not have been what we would call souplesse, or smooth pedaling like we see with the pro riders. This is not a knock on anyone. It would make sense that “if I’m hitting xxx watts and that’s the goal, then I must be getting a good workout.” Unfortunately, that’s not a binary decision, either.

Imagine a personal trainer prescribed squats at yyy pounds for an athlete. The instructions were to complete 8 reps at that weight, at all costs. Form didn’t matter at all, as long as the barbell came down and then back up. If this amount of weight is just beyond the athlete’s safe capabilities, chances are their form would go out the window and they could really injure themselves. But coach…I did the reps? Aren’t I going to get stronger now? Not if you’re laid up hurt.

First off, what is ERG mode?

ERG is short for ergometer, which, incidentally is not quite how we actually use in the term ERG in respect to a smart trainer. By definition, an ergometer is, according to Merriam-Webster:

Ergometer: an apparatus for measuring the work performed (as by a person exercising)

So the smart trainer’s ability to measure watts (work), as well as a power meter, would satisfy the definition.

When we speak of ERG mode as it relates to a smart trainer, we are usually talking about the smart trainer’s ability to set a predetermined intensity, measured in watts. For example, if the trainer is set to ERG mode ON and the intensity (power) is 200 watts, the rider would need to produce 200 watts. Period. It’s either 200 watts or you’re not going.

ERG Mode on for an interval workout. Perfectly executed?
An analogy would be a running/walking treadmill. If the treadmill is set for 10 minute miles, a.k.a. 6 miles per hour, an individual on the treadmill would need to move their legs to correspond to this rate. If they ran too slowly, they’d fall off the back. If they ran too quickly, they’d run into the grab bar and controls. The number of steps per minute does matter, but only in the sense that the stride length would need to change correspondingly. Bottom line is, they would need to cover 8.8 feet per second which is 6 miles per hour.

OK…enough of the physics and definitions.

I had researched the topic of ERG mode when smart trainers started becoming popular and found many similar thoughts such as the article I link to below. There’s been plenty of additional support since I first looked into the topic. I have also experienced that, with the athletes that I coach, as I help them transition them off of ERG mode that they're able to translate that power better to the "real" world.

For harder efforts, I believe it's VERY important to have ERG off. The benefit of ERG forcing one to do the wattage and stay steady could be beneficial for lower (Zone 2/Zone 3) workouts, but once we get to Zone 4 and above, the athlete should really listen to their body and hit the "range." ERG may force us to go much harder than would be appropriate for the day, the rep, the set, etc. Additionally, for the really hard efforts above LT2 (commonly referred to as VO2 Max Intervals or Anaerobic Capacity Intervals for example), like many coaches, I prescribe a range. The training platforms such as Zwift or Garmin will target the middle of that range, which could quite possibly be completely inappropriate if not unattainable for the athlete. Better to push the power that hits somewhere in the range and is repeatable for effective training.

Likewise, for any drill where there are quick cadence changes such as spin ups, fast pedaling drills, or sprints, the trainer can't always keep up. As important, it forces a specific power, which is often not the goal of the drill. High cadence is the goal and the power may be quite variable. While a high power number is usually an indicator of a strong sprint, true sprint efforts are so short that the power could fluctuate a fair amount from sprint to sprint.

In my opinion and anecdotal experience, ideally ERG mode would never be on, with perhaps one exception. What’s the exception? If an athlete has a hard time NOT going hard or needs to chase down everyone that passes them on Zwift, having ERG mode on to keep that rider at a lower intensity could be beneficial.

I’ve also had more than one client tell me that they put ERG on so they can “just shut off their brain and pedal.” I can understand and relate to this, but I also think that it’s important to “be there” when you’re training and think about your form, the goal of the workout, your breathing, etc. But if ERG mode on helps folks get through a lower intensity workout, then it could be worth it.

Check out this article that is not in support of ERG mode::

https://www.360velo.com/why-dont-use-erg-mode/

And here’s an alternative viewpoint:

https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/fitness-and-training/erg-mode/

Hope this sheds some light as to why I recommend not using ERG except for very specific conditions. If you haven’t tried doing workouts outside of ERG, give it a try.

What's your take? Have you ever used ERG Mode ON? Are you a die hard ERG Mode fan? Post a comment or question below.

Cheers,
B.L.

ERG mode is evil :D

I use it when doing intervals inside, they do take some getting used to though. For me they definitely become an exercise in keeping you cadence high enough to complete the session and would not continue if my cadence dropped below 80 rpm early in the interval. I think they were a positive for me my power improved and I didn't notice any issues with maintaining power outside, but typically I didn't just do trainer workouts for more more than a couple of weeks at a time, but mixed them in with real world sessions.
~STUART

Hi Coach -been awhile but i still follow you and thanks for including me in your emails !
This Post is very timely ... I have been hesitant to let go of ERG ! I am the guy who just doesnt want to think when on the trainer ... and struggling to get off ERG mode.
I will try your advice and do the harder work outs sans ERG.

thanks for your insights and the post !
~MICHAEL L LABAT JR

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