Just a thought... it's a gorgeous day out today. I dare you to ride the shorter loop in your neighborhood. I bet you can't! I say so because once you get on your bike, you are going to want to stay on your bike.
I love biking! So happy to be riding outside. Yes!
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Reply to Nate Barnes, Bike Tour Participant
Hi Nate,
Three things come to mind right away:
1. If you are "seriously kicked" after 20 minutes, you may need to slow down the pace so that you can work out a little longer. It may sound counter-productive, but you said you want endurance. Endurance first. Speed later on. Sounds like you might need to slow down your outdoor runs too. See #3 for more input on that.
2. If you are commited to make substaintal gains in a short period of time, one way to advance is TWO workouts a day. Even if you didn't change the length/effort of your current workout, but added a second 30 minutes per day (i.e., workout in the morning and at night or at lunch then again at night -- depending on your schedule).
3. It's not a secret that treadmill running is "easier" than outdoor running. That is because the belt is moving under your feet... With that said, to make it more comparable to outdoor running, I've read 1% grade on a treadmill is like running flat road outside.
Feel free to call me to talk more.... 603-396-8763 cell.
Lisa :)
From Nate Barnes, Bike Tour Participant
Hi lisa and.....help!!! Read your blog ...wow you are some accomplished athlete. I bow to your unyielding endurance. Right now I am writing to you and eating a reece's peanut butter cup x2 ...probably not the best nutritional supplement hunh...oh well I've been craving chocolate like crazy since I quit smoking in January. Any way enough stream of consciousness blabber. I need some help. My partner Chris Courage (ALA NH director of event planning) said to check out your blog as a resource for training. Training tips you wrote were super. Should be a big help. My big problem is I want what you've got......endurance. I am working on it but man is it slow going. I have been hitting the gym averaging about 30 minutes of cardio i.e. treadmill, elyptical and recumpant bike approx. 3x wkly and doing some light weight training. I just don't seem to have a lot of stamina. I can run almost 3miles on the treadmill but when I get outside....kersplat!! I hit the wall before I get to 2 miles. I'm really getting nervous about the bike thing because as you said I will be using a lot of different muscle groups. When I get on the bike at the gym my butt is seriously kicked after 20 minutes. Yikes. I have been working soooo hard, I think but maybe not hard enough. I know I am kinda throwing a ton at you but I am really excited about this bike tour and I don't want to make an ass out of myself because I can't finish. Any input you might have would be great! Talk to you soon I hope. Sincerely, Nate Barnes
Saturday, April 7, 2007
BIKE SETUP AND BODY POSITIONING
Bike setup and body positioning are crucial to feeling comfortable and helping to prevent injury. If you have just dusted off your old 10 speed, or if you’ve just purchased a new road bike, I recommend taking your bike to a bike shop to get properly fitted.
In the meantime, the main things to look for are:
Seat height. You want your seat height to be tall enough that you are able to use all of your leg muscles in the rotation, but not so tall that you are overextending your knee. Your knees should be going straight forward. If you seat is too low, your knees my turn to an outside angle, as if you were sitting Indian style. You want them to go straight forward, as if they were headlights.
Seat aft position. You can move your seat closer or farther away from your handlebars. You don’t want to be reaching for the handlebars (i.e., overextending your arms). You should be able to comfortably rest your hands on your handlebars in all of the positions your bike allows (top of the handlebars, drop bars, aero bars).
Handlebars. If you are a beginner rider, try a higher handlebar position. You can adjust your handlebar position by increasing or decreasing your stem length. Raising your handlebars should prove to be more comfortable because it allows the rider to stay in a more natural, upright position. A higher handlebar gives a rider less efficient aerodynamics, but far superior balance over a low handlebar position.
In the meantime, the main things to look for are:
Seat height. You want your seat height to be tall enough that you are able to use all of your leg muscles in the rotation, but not so tall that you are overextending your knee. Your knees should be going straight forward. If you seat is too low, your knees my turn to an outside angle, as if you were sitting Indian style. You want them to go straight forward, as if they were headlights.
Seat aft position. You can move your seat closer or farther away from your handlebars. You don’t want to be reaching for the handlebars (i.e., overextending your arms). You should be able to comfortably rest your hands on your handlebars in all of the positions your bike allows (top of the handlebars, drop bars, aero bars).
Handlebars. If you are a beginner rider, try a higher handlebar position. You can adjust your handlebar position by increasing or decreasing your stem length. Raising your handlebars should prove to be more comfortable because it allows the rider to stay in a more natural, upright position. A higher handlebar gives a rider less efficient aerodynamics, but far superior balance over a low handlebar position.
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