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Ever wanted a personal online coach?
 

Certified Coach

As a professional cycling coach, life-long rider, racer and professional bike wrench, I have tried, failed, and tried again with every workout, diet, and performance product known to man. Now with years of riding and racing experience under my belt I get daily requests to pass that knowledge on. I am currently training racers from the Masters category to the Juniors as well as BMX racers and triathletes. The results are impressive and I would love to share my training philosophies and secrets with you. If you are interested in a dedicated and practicing cycling coach but didn't think you could afford one, give me a shout. I incorporate many of the training techniques used by such phenomenal coaches as Chris Carmichael, Jo Friel, and Jim Ochowicz along with periodization plans I have found truly effective throughout the years. The No-Pain, No-Gain approach is dead, and good riddance. Let me show you how to maximize your time on the bike and be the best cyclist you can be. Its inexpensive, and the results are guaranteed. E-mail me for details.

CLICK HERE to watch a short video presentation of how our online coaching program works.

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Training is specific for each individual and tailored to either your Mountain biking, BMX, or Road racing or triathlons with specific goals and "peaking" for specific events in mind. Let me work with you on a training plan that will identify and address any specific target or weakness you want to improve. I am not just an online coach, but a practicing participant in road and mountain bike racing as well as a former BMX racer.
Click Here to meet some of our athletes.
Some of the areas we concentrate on include:
-Daily workouts specific to you and your goals, e-mailed directly to you every week.
(there are no standard workouts for everyone, so you wont get some pre-made form workout that is the same as your riding buddies)
-Proper nutrition                                                                                                 
-Weight control
-Training with Power meters, heart rate, or perceived exertion                                                                        
-Peaking for Key events
-Specific workouts to target individual skills
-Weight training for endurance athletes
-Focusing on your strengths while conquering your weaknesses                      
-Proper bike fit and much more.
-Tactics and strategies for your next race
-Unlimited E-mail coaching consultation
-Monthly progress evaluation

Want to train with Power? E-mail me about a new Powetap 
 SL Bontrager set up with your training plan. Special offers on the Powertap SL system with your coaching plan.

                                                                                                                          
Pricing is simple. Cost is $125.00 per month with a minimum 3 month commitment.
There is a $100 set up fee which is where a great deal of work is done to construct the outline of your individualized
training plan. Sign up for 6 months and the set up fee is waived.
Cost for training using power (SRM or Powertap files) is $199 per month.
I am professionally trained and certified in the use and translation of power files and designing training plans
based around power. (My personal instructors were Dr. Andy Coggan and Hunter Allen, authors of the book 'Racing and Training with a Power Meter'. I use software that will automatically upload your power files right into your daily log.
If you want real improvement, dont spend a couple thousand dollars on a 300 grams
lighter bike frame when properly structured, coached training will get you real speed.
Want to really impress people at the race? A flashy new set of bling wheels is one way to do it. But the best way
would be to blow by them in the field sprint. I hear it all the time, "Your coaching fees were the best
upgrade money I ever spent!"  Get serious about your training.
We begin by getting as much information about YOU as we can, your current skills and fitness, your current
habits and training, and your specific goals. Whether it be as general as wanting to be the best overall cyclist
you can be, or as focused as wanting to win the State Championships on a specific date this summer. We then begin to build a training program for you, with your obligations and time limitations in mind.
Once you see how easy and effective this program is, you will be glad you gave it a try.

I know you have questions. E-mail me. You will be amazed how fast I respond.
We combine strength training with cardio work to maximize your potential.  
 

If you would like to sign up for our coaching program, click here to begin by filling out our online Questionnaire.

Why do you need a coach?

Here are 5 good reasons:

Individualization: Coaches use their expertise to create individualized training programs that meet your specific needs.

Feedback: Coaches provide experienced feedback and evaluation of your training and racing.

Measurement: Coaches can measure improvement in your performance through physiological and performance testing.

Motivation: Coaches provide the guidance and advice that are necessary to maintain confidence and motivation.

Perspective: Coaches offer a trained perspective that may be different than your own.

Improvement: For all of the above reasons, a coach can take you to a higher level of performance. Take your cycling to the next level!

Still not convinced? Here is a scientific study that shows the effects of a coached athletes performance when
compared to the same athlete buying the latest and greatest high performance parts for their bike.
Its a bit wordy, but its an amazing study.
 

Here are some tips for riding in a Paceline.

• Pacelines, Pacelines, Pacelines. Single or double, rotating quickly or slowly but always smooth and tight. This is the single overriding feature common to every experienced group ride.
  
  
• Accelerate slowly and with an eye to keeping the group together. Attacks, jumps, short-hard pulls and other race-like riding may be fine for certain smaller rides but have no place in a group oriented ride. I'm often surprised that novice riders sometimes think this kind of aggressive riding is better training than a good rotating paceline.
  
  
• A consistent pace is key. Try establishing a pedaling rhythm before reaching the front, and maintain it until just after pulling off. If you're feeling especially strong accelerate and/or take a longer pull but if you do increase the pace do it gradually. Don't forget to pedal harder on descents to make up for the extra aerodynamic resistance.
  
  
• Go hard on the hills (and elsewhere) but don't forget to regroup. This doesn't mean waiting for every last straggler but always make a reasonable effort to regroup after the harder sections.
  
  
• Wheelsitters are always welcome, but please stay at the back. There's nothing more disruptive than someone who rotates to the front only to slow down on hitting the wind. If you're feeling extended, tired, or otherwise not inclined to pull through there's no problem with sitting at the back, just let the riders who are rotating know when they've reached the back of the rotating section.
  
  
• Don't open gaps! If you find yourself behind a gap close it _slowly_. A skilled group will remain in a tight paceline through 95% of an average ride including stops, corners, short climbs, descents, and traffic by closing the inevitable gaps before they become problems.
  
  
• Don't point out every single pothole, oncoming car, or other obstacle. Each rider has to take responsibility for themselves. This means that everyone should be paying attention to the traffic and the road, even at the back. The frontmost riders should point out unusual hazards of course, and steer the group gradually around glass, potholes, slower riders and such but don't ever assume that you can leave it up to the other riders to watch the road ahead.
  
  
  
  • The lead riders are most responsible for the group's behavior and must take this into account at stop signs and lights. Don't accelerate through a yellow light unless you know the back of the group can make it too. If the group does get split ride slow until the rear group has caught back on. If you're at the back please don't run the intersection just to maintain contact unless it is clear that traffic is waiting for the entire group to pass.
    
    
  • Don't accommodate elitist attitudes. Perhaps the best thing about good group rides, aside from training, is socializing. Team affiliation, racing experience, helmet use, type of bicycle, etc. are all matters of individual preference and should be left as such. As long as the rider is safe and able to keep up they should be welcome.
    
    
  • Experienced riders should point out mistakes. This must be done diplomatically of course but it is important to make people aware of unsafe riding, hard braking, cutting blind corners, unnecessarily obstructing traffic, etc.
    
    

The Week Before a RACE
How hard should I go?

I suggests the following intensities for your training the week before an event.

Typical Daily Volume for a Seven-Day Microcycle:

Day                            Volume                        Purpose
1                                 55%                            Recover
2                                 60%                            Build
3                                 70%                            Build
4                                 90%                            Build
5                                 50%                            Recover
6                                 75%                            Build
7                                100%                           Maximum (Race Day)

These recommended intensities are the best way to get the most out of the week before a race.
On day one, go at only 55% of what you will in the race. This is extremely easy, and you may wonder, 'Why did I even bother to ride if I was going to ride this easy'. But its a great way to get the blood flowing in those legs and lungs and get the nutrients where they need to be. Same story for day 5. Then don't be afraid to go 75% on the day before the event. it gears your body up for the real work on Race day. You wont be doing the same amount of mileage that you do in a typical training week, that will be decreased, but the intensities you hit in these shorter workouts are designed to activate your various metabolic systems for use on the big day.     

Winter Training Program

   The Bike Shop offers a full winter training program open to all of its customers.

    During the cold and snowy months, we invite all of our friends to join us for trainer sessions indoors at the shop.  Just bring your trainer and bike along with some water and a towel, we will provide the training videos and moral support.

    Our winter training program isn't quite as tough and rigorous as depicted in the photo to the right, but you most certainly can stay tuned up and ready for the spring season!

    Indoor training sessions begin around the first of November or whenever the weather drives us indoors.   We meet every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for trainer sessions with such video coaches as Troy Jacobsen and Johnny G.  Our videos include the Cyclerobics series as well as the Spinning series.  We alternate these videos to mix up the workout so as to alleviate boredom and broaden our fitness base.

    If you have never joined a team trainer session, you don't know what you're missing.  Trainer workouts are notoriously boring.  But surround yourself with 10-20 other riders working out just as hard as you are and it's like a pep rally.  The best part is that now you can train with riders of any skill level and nobody gets dropped!  It will keep your hard-earned summer fitness all through the year and make your next season your best.

    Our after-shop-hours rides (pictured at right) are usually an enjoyable venture.

    Training sessions meet at 6:00 p.m. and generally last about 45 minutes with a 10-minute stretching session immediately following.  Some of our regulars are in the physical therapy and medical community, so you can be sure we are constantly exploring the best techniques in workout and recovery exercises.  Call us for more details. 

    We are now into the first phase of our off-season training schedule.  Some of the local club members will soon go inside and hit the trainers for the Monday-Wednesday-Friday routine.  It includes sessions of 45-55 minutes of intense training viewing instructional cycling videos that put us through our paces.  The videos take us through intervals, pyramids, and hill climbs as well as pedaling technique and rest periods that make the most of our short indoor rides.  You are welcome and encouraged to join us, but if you can't, here is a recommended training schedule for the months of November and December.  This schedule was devised by Greg Lemond and is the first part of his preparatory cycle for the coming racing season for a typical amateur racer. These workouts are only a very general representation and do not illustrate the specifics needed to get the full benefit of personalized coaching.

   Since the human body only recognizes the duration of the workout, rather than the number of miles ridden, all workouts are given in time you should spend riding.

Monday --	Ride for 1 hour at a moderate pace
Tuesday --	Rest day
Wednesday --	Ride 3 hours (endurance ride)
Thursday --	Rest day
Friday --	Ride for 1½ hours at moderate pace
Saturday --	Ride for 3 hours (endurance ride)
Sunday --	Rest day or cross train for 1 hour at an easy pace

    These suggested workouts will begin to build a base for the upcoming season for a beginning cyclist who wants to try to become more fit and might try some racing this spring.  The Friday and Saturday rides should include a bit of everything from sprints to hill climbing to intervals.   But don't over do it.  Remember, we are building a base for the real work to be done in the spring.  It's winter... don't burn yourself out.  This will give you about 9 hours of training per week.  We will bump that up to 13 hours in January and 16 hours in February.  Our goal will be to peak for the spring races and then again for the summer races.

If you are a beginning cyclist, you should start with 3 easy rides per week for a couple of weeks.  Don't worry if you can only go for a few minutes at first, it will get easier.  After you have acclimated your muscles to cycling, you should increase your mileage by no more than 10% per week.

Eventually, you may get into a routine of mileage and effort.  This is good for your circulation and overall well being.   But, if you want to continue to improve as a cyclist, you simply must mix intervals and intense training into your riding.  The old saying goes, if you never ride 30 mph, you'll never ride 30 mph.  In other words, if you want to be able to dance up those hills and beat your riding buddies to the next road sign, then you have to occasionally stomp on those pedals and tear up the hills.  Don't be afraid to sprint faster than you know you can for a short time.  Sure you may over do it a bit and limp home early, but it is the only way to tune your body into improvement.  We will work some specifics into future training articles as the season draws near.  So, stay tuned!

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