Posts by Source Endurance
How Much Time Does it Take to Improve FTP?
As a reader of our blog, you’re probably familiar with the term FTP, or functional threshold power. This number is most often approximated to maximal one hour power output and is one of the foundations of modern training and performance analysis for cycling. Very much like your 1 mile, 5k or 10k pace in running,…
Read More5 ways to NOT DNF at the BWR
The Belgian Waffle Ride has a 30-40% Did Not Finish (DNF) rate. That is roughly 1 in every 3 people who start BWR don’t finish and need to be picked up by support or get their own ride home. With proper preparation and following these tips you will make sure you are not one of…
Read More10 Fueling Tips for Belgian Waffle Ride and other long cycling events
Mass start, dust up the nose, endless climbs, stretches of captivating scenery, clock ticking. Long Classic-style races are sweeping the hearts of cyclists across the country for the opportunity to complete something epic, try something new, enjoy beautiful scenery, and challenge oneself. Do I want to be a finisher, or do I want to try…
Read MoreCornering in gravel at BWR
Cornering in gravel is hard. It’s a traction issue. On a road bike, your tires grab, sliding is bad, and you can really lean the bike over. On gravel there’s not really any major bike leaning. When the speed is high enough that you can lean the bike over, if you’re on gravel you’d just…
Read MoreUtilizing winter sports for BWR training
I’m going to paint a picture and it may resemble your situation. Minnesota in February. You’re working during the day, watching the weather, and it does not look good for your weekend ride like it did in July. Looks like another evening on the trainer. You’ve found Zwift, you’ve tried TrainerRoad, your coach writes some…
Read MoreShould you incorporate strength training into your BWR preparation?
To lift or not to strength train, that’s NOT the question. In your run into BWR, you will be gaining fatigue. If 100% of your CTL (chronic training load) is from riding, you’re leaving some potential power behind. We’ve seen the BWR course. Besides some major tweaks that Michael Marckx may throw at us the…
Read MoreRunning for Cyclocross
Howdy folks, Today we’re going to talk a little bit about running. Cyclocross running, that is. A couple of years ago, I wrote this: With certain regional exceptions, the way folks are designing cross courses in the US these days you might not need to train your running at all to be really, really damn…
Read MoreDon’t Compromise on your Gravel/ Everything Bike- You Don’t Need to.
“When it comes to gravel, play it as it lies” – Joseph Schmalz Gravel bikes are not limited by any national governing body in any way. Therefore they are not restricted by any rules for equipment the likes of which are in the 49 page UCI equipment rules and regulations. By any logical discussion, cycling…
Read MoreGravel Bikes are Pruning the Bicycle Tree of Evolution
As life began to fill every corner of the globe, it has become adapted to each area. Every environmental niche has an organism that is perfectly suited to it. That sort of evolution is exactly what we expect from life. It’s also what have come to expect as we become more adventurous in our ever-expanding…
Read MoreI See Food in your Power File: Fueling Adequately for Training
A few weeks ago I hosted a webinar for USA Cycling on the Nutrition Care Process. I discussed how Registered Dietitians conduct nutrition assessments and how coaches can apply these concepts to identify nutrition-related issues in their athletes. The webinar inspired this article where I present a few cases where athletes were unable to complete…
Read MorePower Analysis of Achilles Tendinitis Injury to Heroic Feats by Kristen Arnold MS, RDN, CSSD
“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” is a cheesy but appropriate quote to use for this article. Stories of triumph coming out of misfortune are not new in sports, but it is helpful to tell these stories and be reminded that all athletes go through injury and challenges out of their control. The brave…
Read MoreMasters Nationals at 6900ft: Air Force Academy 2019 Course Prep
For 2019 Masters Nationals lands at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs Colorado. The course is 18k in length per lap, has 968 feet of gain per lap. In total, Men age 35-65 will race for 110k, with 6 laps and a total of 5,808ft of climbing. Women age 35-65 will race 4 laps,…
Read MoreGravel Upgrades You Don’t Know You Need (Or at least would be a good idea)
It’s getting to be epic gravel season again and many more of us have set our goals to take on the challenge of events like SBT GRVL, Crushar in the Tushar, Rooted Vermont, FoCo Fondo, Belgian Waffle Ride, etc. All of us have read countless articles about the “best things” for gravel in far too…
Read MoreHow to Ride a Break Away at the Amgen Tour of California
In honor of the Amgen Tour of California week, we’re throwing back to 2018 where SE athlete Whitney Allison of Hagens Berman Supermint took the Most Courageous Rider jersey in the first stage. “Be aggressive. Ride hard. Make sure the Supermint team leaves a memorable impression on the race.” That’s been a general strategy from…
Read MoreHow to Make Winning Look Easy: Team Edition
Teams and directors, amateur and professional, on any given day try to put assets into the break away and up the road as early in a race as possible. From this strategic position many more opportunities and options are afforded those that have been successful with their aggression. Southern California has been synonymous with fast…
Read MoreSETCR Spring Road Camp Recap
The 2019 SETCR Spring Road Camp finished up on March 24th. It included four days of big miles all around Fort Collins, CO, for a self-selected A, B, and C group. The camp was run by SE coach Zack and Whitney Allison, along with SE coach Kristen Arnold. After a weather-phenomenon bomb cyclone the week…
Read MoreForcing the Break at the Redlands Classic Criterium
I did a bit of a contest on social media asking the internet what Alex Hoehn’s average power was in the Redlands Classic Criterium during those crucial first 5 minutes where the break away was being established. The answers were all accurate in that the power number was big, especially considering his weight. Let’s take…
Read MoreAre starches the new sugar? Types of carbohydrates for cycling and how they improve performance.
Many athletes ask themselves how much sugar they should have, when, and from what sources. Studies show eating or drinking carbohydrates before and during workouts improves performance in endurance exercise1. For decades sugars have been king of performance enhancement during exercise in endurance sports. Hundreds of companies make products with sucrose, glucose, maltose, dextrose and…
Read MoreChoosing a Tire for Your Next Gravel Adventure
“Hey… what’s the best tire for this event?” That’s something I’ve been hearing a lot over the last few months as more and more mixed surface and gravel events come on the calendar. I remember back to my full time cyclo-cross (CX) days riding with the KCCX team and all the conversations we had about…
Read MoreWhat does bike type, comfort, power, efficiency, injuries consideration, feedback, longevity have in common?
What’s my bike fit “philosophy”? These can, or just maybe should, be keywords to all fit philosophy. There has been bike fit developments in recent years. Big developments. There are new bike types, gravel bikes, enduro bikes, changes to many if not all geometries of bikes. For bike fits, there are apps, bike fit bikes,…
Read MoreHow to Get Better at Bike Racing Skills
Bike racing is a puzzle requiring numerous pieces. When an athlete fits all of the puzzle pieces together as one, great things happen, like winning! As a coach and a racer, I cannot emphasize the importance of ‘skills’ in racing and training. Typically, when asked how to define skills for bike racing, coaches focus on…
Read MoreHow to Choose your Peak Events
To peak means to reach a highest point. In endurance sports this means training intensity and volume accumulate over time to reach top-level fitness at a specific time for a given individual. Reaching peak fitness can be tricky as there is a balance for every athlete to reach their highest fitness at the right time,…
Read More2019 Belgian Waffle Ride Survival Camp- Day 3
Day 3! We focused our efforts on Lemon Twist, plus some odds and ends, finishing Day 3 up Double Peak one last time, and lunch at The Lost Abbey. Day 3- Chamois Butt’r required! PR Lotion too. One final Source Endurance coaching lecture… 100% Cycling glasses for optimal coverage and visibility. (Nite Rider) Lights, camera,…
Read More2019 Belgian Waffle Ride Survival Camp- Day 2
Day 2 was the big one: 100 miles, 8400 ft of climbing, and a LOT of dirt….errrr mud. It rained a bunch the night before and when we started bright and early, it was still drizzling. Good morning, Day 2! All ready to go with a sleek Orucase saddle bag. Castelli came to the rescue…
Read More2019 Belgian Waffle Ride Survival Camp- Day 1
Day 1 of the Belgian Waffle Ride Survival Camp kicked off with getting everyone settled- getting Canyon Bike demos dialed, goodie bags distributed, IRC tires mounted, and Castelli Cycling custom BWR Survival Camp kits distributed. Danny Munson of DMunson Photo captured the whole weekend for us. Yes please! Campers got all sorts of goodies from…
Read MoreFilm Study: Cycling’s New Training Frontier
While many sports have benefited from film and video technology for years, and even decades, cycling is not quite there yet. There are a variety of reasons for this, but primarily it’s due to the lack of accessible video and the associated cost of filming or otherwise capturing the correct things in a sport that…
Read MoreRider Highlight: JP Brocket ticks off bucket list event: Taiwan KOM
Check out this guest post from JP Brocket who recently took on the Taiwan KOM Challenge in October! Bucket List event checked off!!! I have wanted to do Taiwan KOM Challenge for several years and this year life events lined up perfectly. The timing of the race is right in the middle of my Cyclocross…
Read MoreCycling Training: Workout completion over perfection
October is an odd month for cycling athletes. In many ways it’s a great time of year: fall is here, the leaves are changing, warm weather sticks around sometimes and can make for some great riding and training. October, November, December are also when athletes are most likely to look backward or inward. If you…
Read MoreAthlete Highlight: Blaize tackles RPI
Rebecca’s Private Idaho is a 96 mile gravel race at elevation in the mountains of Idaho. Source Endurance Athlete Blaize Baehrens showed up to last years event self-coached and finished in a respectable 5 hrs 45 mins. This year training under coach Adam Mills, this race came up as a long training weekend leading into…
Read MoreHow to get a Bolo- Tie at the FoCo Fondo
The FoCo Fondo has all the makings of an iconic gravel event that flirts with the mountains and is based out of Fort Collins, Colorado. The 2018 event started and finished at New Belgium Brewery and I think that should be a requirement for all epic gravel events. Coach Zack and Co. put on the event…
Read MoreRider Development: From a Cat 2 to U23 National Champion
I was introduced to Alex Hoehn and his family by a mutual friend and Source Endurance alumnus, Phil Groninger. Phil had always said, “This kid is crazy good. Watch him and you’ll see he has the right stuff.” Apparently, Phil made a similar pitch to Alex and his family about the work we do as…
Read MoreRider Highlight: Sylvia Maas tackles Haleakala
Sylvia Maas never shies away from a challenge. She recently took on the infamous Haleakala climb on Maui. The road to the top of Haleakala on Maui is the longest continual climb in the world. Sea level to 10,000 feet in 36 miles. Sylvia and her coach, Adam Mills, have been working on power to tackle this long…
Read MoreHow to Corner in Gravel
SE Coach and FoCo Fondofest promoter Zack Allison spends a lot of time training on Northern Colorado’s gravel roads…while cornering in gravel is instinctual to him, for a lot of folks, it’s something that takes a hot moment to learn if you are unfamiliar. Check out these tips from Zack (originally posted for FoCo Fondo…
Read MoreRider Highlight: Cole Limpach takes the win at East Village Crit in Des Moines, Iowa
Junior athlete Cole Limpach has been crushing this season…he most recently took his first P/1/2 win, complete with post up at East Village Crit in Des Moines, Iowa. “I got in a break with two teammates and one other. After about 5 laps in the break. I attacked and rode solo for about 3 laps until…
Read MorePeaking during crit season with Matt Bosman
There’s a few different ways to build your periodization around crit or general road season. Periodization is key in cycling and coaching. Even if you don’t have power, even if you have major A races scattered through the season, periodization of your training and timing where you will peak is a necessity. In Matt Bosman’s…
Read MoreRider Highlight: Sonja Johnson secures win at Tour de Big Bear Grand Tour – 70 mile Female
Sonja not only took the win at Tour de Big Bear, but she essentially took it from the gun- crusher! Here’s her story: On August 4th I competed in the 70 mile distance of the annual Tour de Big Bear in Big Bear Lake, CA. Right from the gun, I took an early lead and…
Read MoreAthlete Development: Connor Brown's Journey from Elite Athlete to Pro
When I first rode with Connor, he was a guest rider on our then Think Finance Cycling Team in 2014. Over the next couple of years, the team would become Elevate- KHS Pro Cycling Team, and I would move out of full time racing and into the role of a coach/ mentor. In that time,…
Read MoreRider Highlight: Yurik Norton summits Kala Patthar, Gokyo Ri, Everest Base Camp, and Cho La Pass
Yurik Norton recently summitted some of the worlds most famous peaks on a 105 mile round trip trek. He summitted Kala Patthar (18,514′), Gokyo Ri (17,575′), Everest Base Camp (17,598′), and Cho La Pass (17,782′). Total elevation gain was 21,000′, total distance hiked was 105 miles, total trip length was 2.5 weeks. Yurik worked with SE…
Read MoreBlaize Baehrens Tips for SPNDX Stampede Big Bear Edition
SE athlete Blaize Baehrens shares his insider knowledge on the upcoming SPNDX Stampede Big Bear Edition: If you haven’t seen it yet, Hornbeck has been dropping some knowledge to get you prepped for the upcoming SPNDX Stampede Big Bear Edition on the SPNDX Stampede website. He’s got some Tips for Riding at Altitude and a nifty 45 second…
Read MoreRider Highlight: Tom Lewin wins the Cat 4 KS State Crit Championships!
Tom Lewin recently took the WIN at the Cat 4 Kansas State Championships! Here’s how the victory went down: The race was super hot with a good field. My teammate, Sam Loring, and stayed near the front the entire race. With 2 to go Sam went off the front while I blocked. At about 1/2…
Read MoreRider Highlight: Whitney Allison finishes 7th at US Pro Nationals Time Trial
Whitney Allison of Hagens Berman Supermint Women’s Professional Team recently competed at the US Pro Nationals Time Trial in Knoxville, TN, where she sat in the hot seat all day, ultimately finishing 7th. Photos courtesy of SnowyMountain Photography. How’d the race go down for you? The course was new this year- I had a good idea…
Read MoreNeil Shirley's Final Thoughts on Unbound Gravel
As we’re all slowly crawling out of our post- Unbound Gravel hangover, I wanted to do one last blog post with some final thoughts about the work that Neil and I did together. From the feedback Neil gave me during our debrief, here’s a quick summary of my notes: Neil didn’t think that he needed…
Read MoreRider Highlight: Whitney Allison takes the Most Courageous Rider Jersey at AMGEN Tour of California Stage 1
Whitney Allison of Hagens Berman Supermint Women’s Professional Team recently competed at the AMGEN Tour of California Women’s Race. The three day Women’s World Tour stage race kicked off with a 77-mile pancake-flat loop around Elk Grove, California, where she took the Most Courageous Jersey. How’d the race go down for you? The AMGEN Tour…
Read MoreRider Highlight: Casey Cohenmeyer tackles the Italian Sausage Ride
SE Athlete Casey Cohenmeyer recently tackled the Italian Sausage Ride. While not an official event or race it is a gathering of riders possessing questionable judgement: 127 miles, 12k feet, 62 miles off road. Here’s Casey’s Recap of the epic self-supported day: So what are you doing this weekend? ISR…. it’s kinda like Belgian…
Read MoreCory Williams- 2018 Air Force Classic Sprint Analysis
There is zero chance or randomness in a field sprint. In fact, the term “field sprint” is misleading. What we witness isn’t a field sprint but more like a handful sprinters having at it with the remaining riders following and incorrectly believing that they have a chance. It is no coincidence that we would…
Read MoreRider Highlight: Meet Robert Ellis Gravel Guru and Enthusiast
SE: Want I to talk to you about gravel cycling in the Midwest, and about the Trans Iowa. RE: Cool. SE: Tell me about your cycling routine and your training during the year. RE: I do base miles in the winter on gravel and on the road. And I try to work on some endurance…
Read MoreAthlete Highlight: Preston Glace on winning TTT Team at Texas State Championships
Preston Glace was on the winning team time trial team at Texas State Championships, a flat 40k race. They snagged the course record as well! Which coach do you work with and how did your training help you prepare for the event? Mitchell had me spend a lot of time on the TT bike doing…
Read MoreRider Highlight: Esther Thais takes 3rd at Oklahoma Pro Am Classic- Day 3
Esther Thais recently took 3rd at Oklahoma Pro Am Classic Day 3: Automobile Alley in the Cat 3/4/5 field. This technical, L-shaped course featured a little punchy climb before a fast sweeper into the final turn. She works with coach Adam Mills and is heading to Tulsa Tough this weekend! How’d the race go down…
Read MoreUnbound Gravel 2018 Recap with SE Coach Adam Mills
What an adventure! I went to Unbound Gravel to experience the event and to cheer on all my friends, as well as the many Source Endurance clients we had there. While I’m sure I didn’t see each one of them, I’m proud of them all. I entered the 100 mile event knowing that any substantial…
Read MoreRider Highlight: Maison Chen finishes 2nd in his age group at Quick n' Dirty MTB Race
Maison Chen recently finished second in his age group at the Quick n’ Dirty MTB Race, Sports category. This road-rider friendly course was low on the technical skill required and had big open sections where drafting was beneficial. How’d the race go down for you? This was the best Quick n’ Dirty result for me…
Read MoreRider Highlight: Chris Rea takes 4th at Dana Point Grand Prix in the Masters 35+ 1-3
Chris Rea recently finished 4th at Dana Point Grand Prix in the Masters 35+ 1-3, arguably the most scenic crit! Nice work, Chris. How’d the race go down for you? Rolling up to the start line I could see the race was absolutely stacked with Monster Media riders. I never got a final count but…
Read MoreRace Week Tips from Coach Matthew Hill
The week before a big – especially a big long race – start adding a little bit of extra salt to everything. Drink a little bit more water with everything. Cut out the caffeine heading into a race, and you will get a bigger bump from it on race day. Well proven, and helps with……
Read MoreRider Highlight: Andrew Ennis hits 40k TT goal
Written by SE athlete Andrew Ennis A century ride, ride tour de France climb, win a road race…as cyclists we all have a bucket list of things we would love to do or achieve. One of the most popular and on my bucket list, was to do a sub 1hr 25mi (40k) time trail. At…
Read MoreCase Study: Tyrel Fuchs' Journey to Cat 1 Upgrade
Tyrel Fuchs just got his Cat 1 upgrade at 19 years old! Nice work! It took a ton of work on Tyrel’s part to get here and this article is a way to highlight his work and a follow up the Junior / U23 trajectories article before this. Tyrel’s brother Caleb was a very fast…
Read MoreThe Trajectory of a Junior Cyclist
Young riders are the future of our sport. Whether or not a certain junior cyclist will go pro on the quick trajectory, or that rider will stop after college, take a break, come back as a Cat 3 and race through masters, every young rider entering the sport is someone that should be cultivated. With…
Read MoreRider Highlight: Skyler Mackey takes 6th at Collegiate Nationals in the Crit
Skylar Mackey recently finished a respectable 6th at Collegiate Varsity Men Criterium Nationals in Grand Junction, Colorado. The course was super tight and technical with very few places to move up. The changing surface from asphalt to concrete and to brick made for interesting corners throughout the track. How the race went down: During the…
Read MoreRider Highlight: Esther Thais takes the win at Grunnlovsdagen Kriterium Cat 3 Womens Race
Esther Thais recently took the win at Grunnlovsdagen Kriterium Cat 3 womens race. The course was a 1.07 mile L-Shaped loop that was flat with good blacktop/concrete surface. Three of the five curves were smooth, fast curves with the other two corners were hard right turns. How’d the race go down for you? This was…
Read MoreRider Highlight: Emily Rodger wins the TT & Road Race at the New Brunswick Provincial Championships
Emily Rodger recently competed at the Tour de Dog -New Brunswick Provincial Championships and took the win at the 7.5km TT and the 75km RR. Nice, Emily! How’d the race go down for you? I won both the TT and the RR. During the RR, I attacked at the top of a descent with 28kms…
Read MoreRider Highlight: Shadd Smith takes age group wins at God's Country Fat Tire Festival and OMBA CARAMBA Mountain Bike Race
A challenging part of coaching is keeping riders mentally fresh as they prepare for their upcoming season. Shadd Smith, a cyclocross-focused athlete, is working with his coach Adam Mills to use some mountain bike races to prepare for the ‘cross season. Shadd took things one step further and won his age division at God’s Country Fat…
Read MoreSaving Your Season
Where is the line between procrastination and irresponsibility? We don’t mow the lawn the exact day it needs it. Yet, if we wait too long, the city sends us a citation. We don’t depart an extra hour early just to make sure we are on time, yet if we’re consistently late it’s deemed irresponsible. And…
Read MoreRider Highlight: Blaize Baehrens comes from injury to Top 10 at BWR
Blaize Baehrens had lofty goals after an unexpected crash at Rock Cobbler leaving him with broken ribs and a collapsed lung…plus a series of winter colds leaving him off the bike for over a month. Nevertheless, he continued to move towards his goals, slowly and meticulously with the help of his coach Adam Mills. He…
Read MoreGet Your Source Endurance Socks
There are two ways to get some sweet Source Endurance socks: Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, share a photo from a recent bike accomplishment (send to marketing@source-e.net) and share your story with us here. We’ll then mail you a free pair of socks! Purchase below for $14. Price is inclusive of shipping and applicable…
Read MoreRider Highlight: Dean Parker takes the win at Bazaar Road Race
Dean Parker recently won the Bazaar Road Race in the infamous Flint Hills in Kansas, taking the sprint by three bike lengths! The Bazaar Kansas race is a out and back course, mainly North/South. That turn around point is really important because it is generally a tailwind back to the start. Here’s how the race went…
Read MoreNeil Shirley Road to Unbound Gravel: Checking in at the Belgian Waffle Ride
Neil Shirley’s exploits as a professional road racer are well-documented in the annals of cycling. You can do a quick Google search and find a library of articles with him mentioned as a protagonist at “name that race.” Unfortunately, because of Neil’s career as a journalist, you can also find a good deal out there…
Read MoreNutrition for the Canyon Belgian Waffle Ride
This years’ Canyon Belgium Waffle Ride is shaping up to be another great event. With a growing field of over 500 Riders in the Waffle Ride, and nearly the same amount in the Wafer Ride, the competition will be fierce. The sheer act of completing this event will be a feat, but how you finish…
Read MoreSETCR Spring Road Camp Recap
Source Endurance Training Center of the Rockies hosted their second annual Spring Training Camp in Fort Collins, Colorado this past weekend. The “A” Group saw 4 days and 18 hours of riding, 355 miles and over 20,000 feet of climbing. The “B” and women’s groups were not a whole lot less!! When you get a group…
Read MoreRider Highlight: Jerry Bueno smashes the Land Run 100 Double
SE athlete Jerry Bueno not only finished Land Run 100, but also the Land Run 50K Ultra Marathon the day before, for the Land Run 100 Double. Brief event/course description: 50K run (Friday) followed by 100 mile gravel (Saturday) How’d the race go down for you? Stillwater, Oklahoma is a lot hillier than I anticipated!…
Read MoreHelp! BWR is only 4 weeks away!
Check out our Emergency BWR Training Plan It happens, life gets in the way of our goals. You can still make some big gains in four weeks you have and have a successful BWR! [maxbutton id=”2″ url=”https://www.trainingpeaks.com/training-plans/cycling/gran-fondo-century/tp-113681/4-weeks-to-belgian-waffle-ride-bwr-help-me-from-the-officially-licensed-bwr-coac” text=”Emergency Training Plan” ]
Read MoreJanne Hamalainen takes back-to-back wins at La Primavera at Lago Vista
Janne Hamalainen competed at La Primavera at Lago Vista, 40+ 1234 and 50+ 1234, an extremely popular early season Texas Road Race on a hilly circuit course, where he smashed, taking two wins, back-to-back! Which coach do you work with and how did your training help you prepare for the event? Adam Mills. Structured training…
Read MoreThe Mental Aspect of Winter Training
The mental aspect of training in winter can be the hardest part. We worked with Utmost Performance to figure out what you can focus on to keep those winter blues from derailing your training even with a vast majority of rides on the trainer. Here’s a brief interview with Mario Arroyave on how to stay…
Read MoreUtilizing winter sports for cycling training
I’m going to paint a picture and it may resemble your situation. Minnesota in February. You’re working during the day, watching the weather, and it does not look good for your weekend ride like it did in July. Looks like another evening on the trainer. You’ve found Zwift, you’ve tried TrainerRoad, your coach writes some…
Read MoreEndurance athletes: Don’t beat winter, embrace it!
Cycling training in the northern US presents many challenges. Shorter days, inclimate weather, and possibly even psychological factors associated with seasonal affective disorder may lead to training inconsistencies. Living in a subarctic climate presents challenges of training indoors versus outdoors and making optimal workouts can be a task. Potentially even more important than your chosen…
Read MoreAll about that gravel endurance training…
When Neil Shirley and I started discussing his 2018 goals I did most of the listening. When a legend such as Neil takes his time to reach out and discuss his goals and ask for guidance to meet those goals it means a few things: Neil is focused and no longer satisfied with just finishing,…
Read MoreBelgian Waffle Ride Survival Camp 3.0 Recap Day 3
The Belgian Waffle Ride Survival Camp 3.0 ran January 12-14, 2018, for three days of course reconnaissance of the BWR course. Check out our photo journal from Day 1 and Day 2. The day focused on all the technical gravel sections which take many tired victims every year. All photos are by DMunson Photo. Day 3: …
Read MoreBelgian Waffle Ride Survival Camp 3.0 Recap Day 2
The Belgian Waffle Ride Survival Camp 3.0 ran January 12-14, 2018, for three days of course reconnaissance of the BWR course. Check out our photo journal from Day 1. Day 2, riders rode 100 miles with the arduous Black Canyon climb as the ride’s peak (no pun intended). All photos are by DMunson Photo. Day 2: …
Read MoreBelgian Waffle Ride Survival Camp 3.0 Recap Day 1
The Belgian Waffle Ride Survival Camp 3.0 ran January 12-14, 2018, for three days of course reconnaissance of the BWR course. Check out our photo journal from Day 1. All photos are by DMunson Photo. Day 1: Riders arrive, get settled and check in. They also get ready for ride #1, an easy 2-hour ride.…
Read MoreSuccessful Cyclocross Master's Nationals for Paul Bonds, JP Brocket and Shadd Smith
At U.S. Cyclocross Nationals, three Source Endurance athletes competed in the Master’s Men 45-49 category. Paul Bonds raced to 3rd, Shadd Smith to 6th, and JP Brockett to 18th! Rider 1: Paul Bonds- SPCX p/b RK Black Pre-Race Goal Have fun and relax. The rider with the least mistakes will win the race. The fitness…
Read MoreAthlete Highlight: Jason Knight secured first gravel grinder podium at Oklahoma Gravel Growler
Jason Knight secured his first gravel grinder podium at the Oklahoma Gravel Growler in the Men’s 100k race. The course had only 10-20% road with the remainder gravel- a tough course! Here’s how his race went down: How’d the race go down for you? We were riding with a group of 15-20 and Rob Bell…
Read MoreTop 5 Mistakes of the Self-Coached Athlete
Every so often at Source Endurance we get individualized consults done for the self-coached athletes or we get athletes signed on that have been self-coached and we get to see what they were up to before they signed on for coaching. There’s a few patterns that we see with self coached athletes along with patterns…
Read MoreTopical Edge PR Lotion Significantly Improves High-Intensity Interval Performance
If you remember last fall, we were recruiting study participants in the Fort Collins, Colorado, area to participate in a study using Topical Edge. Well, the results are in! Here’s an excerpt from Topical Edge and a link to the full study and results: Coming on the heels of the clinical trial at San Diego State University…
Read More5 Best Beers for Cycling Recovery
Beer. Its delicious. From a health perspective, a moderate amount of alcoholic beverages does correlate to happier lives and living longer. We aren’t writing this to prop up good or bad studies as proving the correlations we like. We want to talk beer and cycling. Here is what we know. When you workout you become…
Read MoreWhy You Should Choose Orucase The Next Time You Travel With Your Bike
WRITTEN BY: COLIN JASKIEWICZ We all know what it’s like to travel with a bike. Lug a 25 pound (empty of course… 40? 50 fully loaded?) plastic case to the airport. Now it’s time to check in, how much are they going to charge you? It’s a continual guessing game as to the mood the…
Read MoreAnti-inflammatory Nutrition for Endurance Exercise and Overall Health
Many of us, athletes included, have developed some negative habits when it comes to our diet. Specifically in preparation for our workouts, whether that means breakfast or a pre-workout meal mid-day. We’ve been led to believe we need to dominate our caloric intake with carbohydrates to have maximal energy. While many aim to maximize the…
Read MoreRider Highlight: Dean Parker takes the win at Keen Wealth Kansas State Cyclocross Masters 65+
Dean Parker, a Kansas force to be reckoned with, has been ripping it up in Kansas. He recently took the win at Keen Wealth Kansas State Cyclocross Masters 65+! Brief event/course description: Course had a lot of climbing, in fact as soon as you turned off the pavement the climbing started. The other tricky part…
Read MoreRider Highlight: Skyler Mackey takes 2nd at Cyntergy Hurtland UCI Cyclocross
Skyler Mackey recently took an awesome 2nd at the Cyntergy Hurtland UCI Cylocross race in the Elite Men category. Thanks to photographer James Gann for the generous use of the photos of Skyler. Brief event/course description: The course has a good mixture of turns and straight aways. Never a flat spot except towards the end…
Read MoreRider Highlight: Joseph Schmalz podiums at Red Dog 100 Men's Open
Joseph Schmalz, pro rider for Elevate KHS Pro Cycling Team, has been dabbling in some gravel events this fall including a recent podium at Red Dog 100 Men’s Open in Jefferson City, MO, where his team went 1-2! (Podium shot by James Joe Froese). Check out his story below: Red Dog 100 Men’s Open Course…
Read MoreEveryone Deserves a Good Bike Fit
Too many people find cycling uncomfortable. The saddle is uncomfortable, the rider’s hands, their lower back…the list goes on. While these are normal complaints and perfectly reasonable reasons to not get into cycling for transportation or fitness, there is a simple solution: get a bike fit! Everyone deserves to be comfortable and feel strong on…
Read MoreRoad to Ironman: Execution, Willpower, and Sacrifice
Recently, Source Endurance athlete Nick Coil completed his first Ironman triathlon. When I first discussed the process with Nick, I knew there would be some big obstacles to overcome. Nick has a young family, a demanding full-time job, and even moved in the 8 months leading up to Ironman Wisconsin. It’s safe to say the…
Read MoreMeet SETCR Member Jenny Gerow
Jenny Gerow is one of our newest SETCR members. She is a part of the Fort Follies cycling team. Between a freshly broken hand and a busy job at TrainingPeaks, she uses the resources at the training center to stay in shape with minimal time. We interviewed her recently: What is your favorite feature about…
Read MoreChoosing a Tire for Your Next Gravel Adventure
“Hey man… what’s the best tire for this event?” That’s something I’ve been hearing a lot over the last few months as more and more mixed surface and gravel events come on the calendar. I remember back to my full time cyclo-cross (CX) days riding with the KCCX team and all the conversations we had…
Read MoreRider Highlight: David Rosen took the win at Cross Crusade Race #4- PIR Heron Lakes, Clydesdale Category
David Rosen has been hard at work prepping for the cross season. His efforts paid off with a win recently at Cross Crusade Race #4- PIR Heron Lakes, Clydesdale Category. Here’s his story: Brief event/course description: Cyclocross Race/ 1.9 mile Cyclocross course. Mostly flat with 3 long straightaways. Muddy race conditions kept things slippery especially in…
Read MoreCanyon Belgian Waffle Ride Survival Camp 3.0 coming January 2018!
The Belgian Waffle Ride is quickly becoming one of the most well-known and most-sought after gravel events in the country. The BWR offers this growing and special breed the type of experience that requires months, if not years, to train for adequately, while requiring technical bike handling skills and, more importantly, the right equipment and nutrition…
Read MoreWhy Active Travel is the Best Medicine for Your Body and Mind
What if I told you that the key to getting healthier is… taking a vacation? (Yes, really.) Believe it or not, using those extra vacation days might actually be good for you. In today’s overworked, overstressed society, traveling provides numerous physical, mental and emotional health benefits. This has led to a new form of travel…
Read MoreWhat to expect when you're not expecting, an acromioclavicular (AC) joint injury.
Coming back from injury can be arduous Our Coaches are trained and certified to help you! Click Here Shoulder separations are among the most common type of injuries in sports. Not to be confused with a dislocation, a shoulder separation involves the Acromioclavicular (AC) ligament, and sometimes the Coracoclavicular (CC) ligament, whereas a dislocation refers…
Read MoreThe New Season, Part 2
In Part 1 we discussed a shifting calendar of national championship events. This shift undoubtedly affects any elite level athlete (U23, Masters, or amateur) with aspirations of winning the most prestigious event in cycling in the United States. So how can a 25% shift in the timetable be executed effectively? On the surface, it appears…
Read MoreThe New Season, Part 1
As we sit here building periodization models for some Source Endurance clients competing in elite events, we notice a general creeping of the National Championship calendar placement and the ripple effects from it. In 2010, the Masters National Championship events took place in early August. Coming up in 2018, that same anchor event on the…
Read More13 Ways Hiring Source Endurance for Coaching is Different than Simple Programming
Hire a Coach Today As endurance athletes, it’s easy to get caught up in what other people are doing that has worked for them. Many are also, unfortunately, familiar with the experience that what worked brilliantly for a friend has worked poorly for you. We’re also familiar with the idea of one-time-purchase training programs, which…
Read MoreA journey to Top 10 GC at Cascade Classic
The week before Cascade Cycling Classic, I was talking to a teammate about the race and how hard it is- the climbs, the courses, the heat. I’ve done the race a few times through the years and it’s always ended with me climbing alone. However, I have been riding really great this year and felt…
Read MoreRider Highlight: Paul Bonds takes the win at Day 1 of Jingle Cross
Paul Bonds rode to win on Day 1 at Jingle Cross and finished 3rd on Day 2 in the Master’s 45+. An impressive weekend! Event & Category: 45+ this weekend Brief event/course description: Friday not as technical as Saturday. Saturday, essentially the WC race. How’d the race go down for you? Great. Took the lead…
Read MoreRider Highlight: Alex Edwards takes home 3rd in the Omnium at Jingle CX
Alex Edwards raced fantastically at Jingle Cross in the Cat 3s, finishing 3rd in the omnium. He shared his experience: Brief event/course description: Very challenging, technical course, with a solid mix of climbing, running, and sand sections. How’d the race go down for you? I was able to take advantage of front row start spots…
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