The off-season. It’s a sliver of time in most athletes’ calendars that is either dreaded or eagerly looked forward to. Regardless of your relationship to it, this 2-3 time is vital to your training, health, and growth as an athlete.
As many years as I’ve done this, I understand how it can be a daunting time. For 48+ weeks you’ve been on the bike and had a training goal. Now you’re forced to step off of it and recalibrate. Do not view it as a step in the wrong direction, view it as making room for the growth to come.
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The Advantage of Being a Jack of All TradesThis month’s article blends a debrief on recent racing adventures and some lessons I took from those experiences. In one week late September, I competed in the USA Marathon Nationals Champs as well as Marathon + Cross-country World Cups in Snowshoe. This got me thinking about what it means to be a jack of all trades…
The quote that gets tossed around doesn’t do the full adage justice. The full version says, “A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.” That has a bit different implication than the Hallmark version, it means that having versatility and being adept in many things can actually lead to better performance overall. Whatever your goal is, having many tools in the toolbox to work with is better than specializing in one. As we anticipate the season kick-off this Spring, it is important that we prepare ourselves, not just physically, but mentally as well. This is my three-part mini-series entitled “Coaches Corner” for my race program Dirt Camp Racing.
What is your Why? What is it that drives you forward in the sport? Why do you want to succeed? I hate to break your heart, but your pursuit of excellence in this sport should not be based on results but on what your WHY is. I’ve struggled with finding my ‘place’ and where I ‘should’ be in recent years – worrying about what others think about the things I do. Where you’re supposed to be is right here: at this point in the pursuit. I’m excited to bring you some of my top tips regarding how we approach fueling during winter training. The impact of cold weather, on top of changes in training activities, can influence how our body uses energy and performs. Here is what to keep in mind this winter
This piece touches on the practical application of Fasted Training (FT), its downfalls, and the potential performance-enhancing benefits. It's not a "how-to" guide, but rather a briefing for making your own decisions!
Let's dig in. A stage race can be one of the most telling events of an athlete’s total energy awareness; this is a culmination of fitness, fueling, and planning. For one, it requires multiple days in a row of race efforts…whether it be 3 days or 3 weeks. If you’ve got the depth to finish and/or perform for multiple days in a row then you’ve got a step up. However, if you haven’t got the diligence and preparation in store to keep up with the fueling demands then it can drag your performance down.
I was fortunate enough to get my hands on the elusive Supersapiens CGM & software for two months. During this time, I trained heavily, raced across the county, and analyzed my daily responses to diet. The whole process was extremely simple and user-friendly, where I received minute-by-minute updates at my fingertips.
This product, in my opinion, is going to be a true game changer at every level; for the amateur athlete looking to improve their diet to the world tour pro aiming to optimize their fueling. After nearly 60 days with a CGM, I’m still learning about my glucose from both a health and performance perspective. Here are my biggest takeaways from this experience. In a world where we can follow icons of the sport on Strava, see real-time numbers during a World Tour race, and track ourselves while we sleep …where do we draw the line when it comes to data? The accessibility of power meters, heart rate monitors, CGMs, etc. is a great evolvement for the sport, but it makes stepping away from the numbers even harder to do. There’s something to be said for being able to turn off the noise and focus in on our bodies, the task at hand, and how we “feel”. Furthermore, there’s nothing you can do about Van der Poel’s power up the Poggio or what Nino Schurter’s FTP is – it’s about you and your situation.
Building your Race CalendarThe season is winding up and it’s due time to take a look at your race + event plans. Here are 5 of the most important factors to consider when building your calendar to capitalize on your goals!
Heat: “If you can’t handle the heat, stay outta the kitchen.” Or, just get stuck in the kitchen more often. Heat is a tricky thing to tackle when it comes to endurance events. It’s an uncontrollable, inescapable part of competing certain times of the year and in certain locations. Excessive heat (or more specifically the inability to handle it) can lead to an increase in overall core temperature and just a few °F can make things go downhill quickly. The brain starts to realize that there are more important things than you pushing hard on the pedals and will try to put a stop to that. Overall, heat stress will reduce the ability to achieve maximal metabolic rates during exercise. to a Cardiac drift is common term for the increase or “drift” of your heart rate upwards over the duration of an effort/event and is expedited with dehydration or heat. Often, this dance with the discomfort of heat is manageable over the duration of a training session or short XC style event. However, if gone unaccounted for it can lead to a drastic drop in performance. Things may start with discomfort and an annoyingly hot feeling…typically if you are equipped to handle it then it will stay that way. If you can’t, then some dizziness, nausea, and/or waning ability to really focus on the task at hand can follow. Below, I’ll dive into ways to manage the heat from an micro (small) perspective around racing or training + from a more macro (big picture) perspective. Managing The Heat
There are Manny things we can do to mitigate the effect of heat. In the lead up to the big event/workout/race, it’s important to think about your prep 2,3,4 days prior. Firstly, hydration cannot be neglected during these days and a greater importance should be placed on electrolytes. The idea behind this is to increase the essential minerals we need and that especially being sodium; as sodium levels in the body rise, water will follow. Thus, if we slowly increase these minerals we will “hold onto” more fluid in our cells over time. Yes, you will gain a little water weight but SO WHAT if it means mitigating the effect of heat. On race day, keep all your bottles, fuel, etc as cool as you can and try to buffer heat through cooling vests, shade, and less aggressive warm ups. PRO TIP: fill pantyhose with ice and stick them in your jersey collar while getting ready. Acclimatizing [“uh-kli-muh-tizing”) From a bigger picture, and longer timeline, you can prep for key events by acclimatizing to the heat. If it’s during the warmer months or you are in a warmer climate, try moving some of those moderate workouts towards the warmer part of the day….gradually. If it’s the winter months (as my Puerto Rican race trip was) you can leverage sitting in a sauna to get acclimated. This looks like: 7+ days of 20-30min sauna sessions around 180°f if possible and ideally immediately following training. (Check this article out for a scientific review…) Here’s What’s Happening Heat acclimation typically takes around 10-14 days depending on variables. During this time, your body will be learning how to send more blood to the skin quicker, in greater amounts, and more efficiently. One big reason for this is due to the increase in plasma volume in your blood (the fluid part). These processes lead to more liquid coming to the skin which cools you through convection. As you begin to get more acclimated, this typically induces more sweating but less mineral/sodium loss. Additionally, your body’s entire cardiovascular system becomes more responsive and efficient when it encounters this heat stress and the hormonal system is becoming more adapted to this “new normal”. For a detailed interview with someone that has a lot of experience on this subject, see the Trainerroad Podcast with Dr. Minson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8edDmyhHes |
AuthorCarson Beckett, 26 | Coach, Pro, and Co-Founder of Dirt Camp Racing | Carson Beckett Coaching CategoriesArchives
November 2024
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