Posts by Adam Mills
The Inaugural Belgian Waffle Ride Cedar City Experience, Explained
Adam Mills attended the inaugural Belgian Waffle Ride Cedar City late summer this year. He did a write up on this already legendary event over on Pure Gravel. Click below to check it out. Did you attend the event this year? Is it on your 2021 event list? Read it now.
Read MoreCdA and Aerodynamics of Cycling
Photo courtesy of SnowyMountain Photography. Seventy to ninety percent of the opposing force you face as a cyclist on a flat road is aerodynamic drag. Most of us have felt the experience of drafting before, or even a tailwind versus a head wind. This is the greatest drag we face on the bike and changing…
Read MoreMeet SE Coach Taylor Warren
Taylor Warren just joined the Source Endurance coaching team. Taylor began his cycling journey on the bike path as a kid and fell in love with racing shortly after. He’s spent time at the top in road and track, holding National Championship titles and racing professionally on the road with 303 Project. How did…
Read MorePre-order Your Source Endurance Gravel Kit
It’s that time of year again…the Source Endurance kit pre-order time is here! We use Castelli Cycling for our kits. This time we have the Podio Jersey and Team Bibshort in both men’s and women’s sizing, plus the unisex MTB jersey. Jersey options pair well with the Unlimited Baggy Short. Castelli Cycling has been…
Read MoreSE Athlete Meagan Gehrke breaks Trans Ohio record
On Saturday, October 3rd, Meagan rode her bike across Ohio. “We rolled out at 5:07am and it was 35 degrees with a frost warning. Clothing-wise I decided on a wool buff, wool base layer tank, my MFF Summer weight LS, my LGS winter jacket, a cycling cap, wool glove liners, Specialized long finger fall gloves,…
Read MoreDylan Zakrajsek comes back from bad crash to win his first race back!
Over the course of the past few weeks I have continued to train and do more recovery from my hard crash back in February. This past weekend I did my first race since the crash and man was that fun, and I won! Being able to get back in-between the tape and shake some of…
Read MoreWeight Cutting for Cycling E-Racing
This article compliments my colleagues’ two articles regarding the performance considerations of what e-racing requires and the ethical and conduct considerations as we enter this new sport. Read Virtual eRacing: Let’s Talk About Weight Cutting and Performance Improvement and Pitfalls in Weight Cutting for Virtual eRacing. Cycling is adding a new discipline of racing in…
Read MoreVirtual eRacing: Let’s Talk About Weight Cutting
The rapid rise of bicycle racing in virtual environments has led us to an interesting moment in time, where we are witness to the real-time emergence of an entirely new sport, a sport that will increasingly face the need to develop a set of systems and practices that reflect its unique identity, distinct from the…
Read MorePerformance Improvement and Pitfalls in Weight Cutting for Virtual eRacing
“That rider is cheating at e-racing (Zwift)!” seems to be a common utterance among virtual e-racers (Zwift, RGT, Rouvy, Bkool, FulGaz) regardless of what platform they’re using. Without a doubt every platform has cheating issues that they’re working hard to remedy and I’m sure there is significant progress being made. However, the rider could simply…
Read MoreFlavors Make You Fast
It’s no secret that food is fuel. Kristen Arnold has written many pieces giving excellent nutrition advice on how to fuel exercise and an active lifestyle. If you want to nail your workout, recover like a Pro, and keep making improvements, it’s imperative that you take in enough nutrition. But did you know that flavors…
Read MoreBelgian Waffle Ride Cedar City: Course Musings
Photo: Jake Orness The folks at Monuments of Cycling wanted a weekend of proper reconnaissance and feedback on the finalized Belgian Waffle Ride Cedar City course. A few of us made the trek with the mindset of learning what this course was all about and how it felt at speed. What follows is my initial…
Read MoreMeet SE Coach Nikki Peterson
Nikki Peterson is Source Endurance’s newest coach. A lifelong endurance athlete and current professional mountain biker, she backs up her experience with years of education in the Nutrition and Exercise field. We did a little Q&A with her so you can get to know her. What was your athletic career pre-cycling? I started running in…
Read MoreTraining in smoke: Hacks for fire season
A lot of the West is currently on fire and tens of thousands of people have been evacuated. It’s smoky but safe where you are, it’s hard to breathe. Should you ride? Check your local air quality and decide if you should be outside or not. Then, adjust training as needed. Contact your coach if you…
Read MoreMatthew Mack takes the WIN in multiple stages at Zwift BC Bike Race
Having participated in a Zwift BC Bike Race event I was invited to participate in the Virtual BC Bike Race 7 day stage race challenge between 7/4 and 7/10. Since all of my real world race goals had been cancelled my coach and I decided I should give it ago. It was quite the experience…
Read MoreNikki Peterson wins Rim Nordic Time Trial-format XC Mountain Bike Race
I got to race on Saturday, July 18th! Rim Nordic, a legendary race venue in Southern California, held a Time Trial-format xc mountain bike race. The racers were started in 20 second intervals and the Pro Women’s Category had 7 racers. I started 4th and caught up to the 2nd and 3rd ladies by the…
Read More5 Benefits of Cycling Coaching in a Pandemic
The global pandemic is very real. If you’ve been fortunate enough to maintain your health and employment, you’ve probably also felt bummed to watch all your 2020 events and goals go up in smoke. We’ll never be taking events for granted again, that’s for sure… Here are five ways Source Endurance coaches are here to…
Read More6 Tips for Riding and Exercising in the Heat
As the temperatures rise and the workouts get tougher I wanted to take a quick moment to remind everyone about training in the heat. Here are some quick action items: ALL HEAT ADAPTATIONS ARE DEPENDENT ON YOUR ABILITY TO SWEAT MORE. This means that you need MORE fluids on your rides vs riding in primo weather. …
Read MoreThree ways to increase your FTP
Hire a coach and level up your FTP Functional Threshold Power or FTP is a single power value used by athletes and coaches to define a range of training ‘zones’ as well as assess overall fitness gains, losses, and status. FTP, as defined by Andy Coggan and Hunter Allen, is the highest average power or…
Read MoreAre V02 and Blood Lactate Tests Still Relevant? With WKO, probably not.
If we’re focusing on raising FTP or Lactate Threshold power, we need the best metrics to track change in FTP. 5 and 10 years ago, we sent our athletes into a lab or university to get the athlete’s blood lactate and maybe Vo2 max tested. Back then, that was the best way to check FTP…
Read MoreTyler Reynolds knocks out first 200k ride
From Tyler: First ever 200 kilometers. Few friends and I had too much time on our hands that day, so we decided it would be a great day to just keep on pedaling and getting Some solid tan lines! It wasn’t a super hard effort the whole time, it just felt good to be out…
Read MoreRobert Ellis basks in Midwest summer heat
From Robert: It’s amazing how quickly the seasons change. We had record rains and cold in May and suddenly it’s in the 90s and hay season is in full swing. Suddenly boom, it’s summer! No racing around here yet. When it first turns hot it’s tough to get used too. Kind of a power drain…
Read MoreSkyler Mackey creates new custom kit for his “going solo” debut!
From Skyler: Smack Racing is a go! Massive thanks to Vie13 Kustom Apparel and my dad for making this little project of mine a reality. With going solo this year I wanted something to call my own that would stand out Amongst the racing crowd and I think that goal has been achieved. I have…
Read MoreJune Challenge: DIY Ride Food
Kristen Arnold MS, RDN, CSSD shares her favorite easy ride food recipe: sweet potato bites! This month, we challenge you to make your own ride food at some point- whether it’s Kristen’s recipe or something else. Kristen’s special tip for sweet potato bites: freeze leftover bites. You can put them directly in your pocket and…
Read MoreLori McCarty gains new riding partner!
Since COVID, I struggled to find time and energy to ride my bike. Juggling new roles and developing new routines I wondered how I did it before. Luckily, Adam was encouraging and said not to worry, get it in when you can. He suggested I give Zwift racing a try. I’ve been hooked, it’s a…
Read MoreCasey Cohenmeyer sneakily snags sourdough at the Swift Sourdough Seekers Challenge
From Casey Cohenmeyer: We are all looking for some entertainment in this weird world we are living in right now. Enter the The Swift Sourdough Seekers. Rally Cycling pro and sourdough ninja Robin Carpenter came up with a rad game for us. He picks a Strava segment or two and we all go out and…
Read MoreShadd Smith maximizes variety in training and adds exploration rides
From Shadd Smith: Since the start of the mandatory COVID-19 quarantine I have been working from home, home schooling my two teenagers, working on way overdue house projects and riding a shit load. With that said boredom has not entered my vocabulary not even once. On the cycling and training side of things, having a…
Read MoreScott Rollins finishes century ride in under 5 hours!
From Scott: I have always struggled with endurance. It seems like every time I hit mile 70 or so the legs give out. I wasn’t sure if it was nutrition related, a lack of strength, or my aerobic capacity. That has all changed over the past 10 months. I started working with Zack Allison with…
Read MoreMay Challenge: At Home Strength Training
SE coaches and next door neighbors, Kristen Arnold and Zack Allison are challenging you to share your at-home strength workout or try theirs! Tag us on Facebook or Instagram in your at-home strength workout post or story in May for a chance to win schwag from ENVE, AMP Human, Chamois Butt’r and of course, Source Endurance! …
Read MoreBasic Nutrition for Endurance Athletes, Part 3: Foods to Boost your Fitness, Putting it All Together
Build a Strong Fueling Foundation for Victory, Blog Series Part 3 Now that we’ve discussed what nutrients are, macro and micro, we can start to put it into practice with foods! Below is a list of nutrient-dense foods which are rich in micronutrients and also high quality macronutrients. Nutrient density is a term used often…
Read MoreTyler Reynolds joins Zwift Driveway Series and finishes 2nd
Riding on the trainer can be a drag for the most part, but my coach Adam and I have found a way to implement it into training and filling in what we can for racing with Zwift racing. The main Zwift race I do is the Driveway Series because it has great competition, a good…
Read MoreAlex Hoehn of Wildlife Generation Pro Cycling tackles virtual racing with Zwift
From Alex: Last weekend I competed in my first virtual race through Zwift. It was definitely a challenge trying to learn everything about virtual racing as it is very different than racing on the road. One of the biggest challenges I had was with drafting. It is a very simple thing to do on the…
Read MoreDean Parker includes exploratory rides (with caves!) in his training
From Dean: Since the lock downs have taken affect, most of my training is by myself. So when I’m doing the intervals and hard efforts that Adam prescribes it’s fine. Nobody else wants to suffer with me. But, Adam also allows some fun rides to help the mental attitude. On Thursday nights, we do a…
Read MoreUtilizing Indoor Training Apps for Coaching
Source Endurance launched a free guide titled Utilizing Indoor Training Apps for Coaching, written and designed by Colorado-based senior coach Zack Allison. This guide evaluates the smart trainer and all the apps and tools that have come in its wake. Designed with cycling and triathlon coaches in mind, it is also beneficial for the devoted…
Read MoreBasic Nutrition for Endurance Athletes, Part 2: Micronutrients, What are They and Why Athletes Need Them
Micronutrients, What are They and Why Athletes Need Them Build a Strong Fueling Foundation for Victory, Blog Series Part 2 Piggy backing off last month’s post where we discussed macronutrients, this month we will discuss micronutrients. In order to optimize performance through nutrition we need to start with the basics and build a solid foundation.…
Read MoreTraining & COVID-19
We’ve learned that all of us are on a ridiculous number of email lists since the COVID-19 alarm bells went off. We’ve also learned that many of them aren’t aware that “cancelled” has two Ls. Yes, everything is cancelled. Right now, there is still hope for summer events and beyond. That timeline seems far off…
Read MoreLori McCarty ups gravel skills at the BWR Survival Camp
From Lori: Incredible. Source Endurance knows how to do camp. My 1st time in California and I rode alongside my favorite cycling celebs, we even squished in vans together. The coaches were open, resourceful and encouraging. They looked out for us and offered advice and humor along the way. The different group options made it…
Read MoreBasic Nutrition for Endurance Athletes, Part 1
Build a Strong Fueling Foundation for Victory, Blog Series Part 1 Over the next few months we will discuss the basics of nutritional needs for endurance athletes. In order to optimize performance through nutrition we need to start with the basics and build a solid foundation. Similar to how base training builds a foundation in…
Read More5 ways to NOT DNF at Unbound Gravel
Many begin Unbound Gravel but only the prepared and enduring finish. Although the numbers are not public, we know a high percentage of riders never cross the finish line and need to be picked up by support or get their own ride home. 200 miles is a tall order for most, and likely the longest…
Read MoreQuestionable Decisions World Tour 2020. Volume 2: Rock Cobbler Recap.
Of all the events on the QDWT2020, this one presents some unique challenges as a coach and also to Casey as an athlete. First, it’s early in the year. February 7 is dangerously early and most of the country spent the weekend shoveling snow while Casey was riding in weather good enough to warrant a…
Read MoreQuestionable Decisions: World Tour 2020
Meet Casey. Casey is a NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) Doctor full time and then some who features a hectic work schedule. She’s also a badass who spends her off-hours at some of the most challenging and ridiculous events that her gravel bike can tolerate. She has all the typical limiters that plague the non-pro…
Read MoreThe Science Behind Time Trial Pacing
To define pacing in cycling is simple, it’s the rate at which you complete a course. Every course has a pace whether or not you’re aware or in control of your pace. A mindful pacing plan based off the course conditions, your personal power curve, and physiological knowledge can leave you minutes ahead of your…
Read MoreWhen To Start Training For Next Season And Why
Now. The time is now. As coaches and athletes, fall or early season is training season and this is the most exciting time of year. We can look back at last season and be objective in looking at the data and seeing what worked and what didn’t. We can sit down and map out the…
Read MoreLogan’s Cyclocross Season: Start With Strength Training
Logan VonBokel has been a bike racer for a long time. From winning junior races in the St. Louis area to elite cyclocross racing in Colorado. The last 18 months has been a recovery story for Logan from a back injury, resulting in an artificial disc, to a real push in fitness for goals this…
Read More2019 Canyon Belgian Waffle Ride: When Good Plans Go Sideways. A Lesson In Humility
When I first moved to SoCal in late 2014, I heard of this groovy and “weird” ride in San Marcos called the Belgian Waffle Ride. It went on dirt some, pavement lots, and was ridiculously hard. Back in Kansas, we always took gravel roads and dirt paths as connectors between cool roads. Also, with my…
Read MoreCasey Cohenmeyer: 2019 Canyon Belgian Waffle Ride BWR Done
TLDR Version: Thank you Michael Marckx, Andy Brightman, Phil Tinstman and all the countless others and volunteers who bring this insane event to our community. Thank you cycling community for being awesome. Thank you to Nick, Steve and Ned for putting up and being involved in this nonsense. Most of all, thank you Adam Mills at…
Read MoreSylvia Maas Sets Record At Race Across The West
Sylvia Maas is no stranger to arduous challenges so it’s no shocker that she set a record recently at Race Across the West!! From Race Across the West’s post (see original): TEAM IN OUR PRIME FINISHES WITH JUST ONE RIDER R201 In Our Prime, USA, finished first in the 2-Person Female (50-59) category. Team In…
Read MoreSource Endurance is Hiring 1-2 Coaches
Overview: Source Endurance is expanding with the addition of 1-2 qualified cycling coach (es) and/ or multi sport coach (es) to work as independent contractor(s). New coaches should have a comprehensive understanding of exercise physiology and modern training theory in addition to strong organization and communication skills. He/she will be responsible for coaching a variety…
Read MoreSpicer Ranch CX Clinic Sept 10 in Beatty, NV
We are excited to be hosting/ instructing this CX Clinic. It will be at the intended location of the future Nevada state cyclocross championship. Spicer Ranch Cyclocross Clinic presented by Clifbar Saturday Sep. 10, 4PM – 730ish PM (last light) Spicer Ranch and Trails #1 Boiling Pot Rd. Beatty, NV 89003 Featuring instruction by: Adam…
Read MoreOften Discussed, Never Explained: Base Training, Part 2 of 3
Part 1 established what base training is, and for those who have the time to ride them, base miles are highly effective for a few reasons. Low intensity, high duration training provides a low muscular stress alongside a high aerobic stress, making athletes fitter while maintaining relative freshness in the legs, when compared with high…
Read MoreNew Clothing Order
Castelli has come through once again! New items are the 2016 collection of clothing and they are the best we’ve ever seen or worn. We have new WINDVESTS and LONG SLEEVE jerseys to accompany the SE lineup. In addition, other premium Castelli in- line accessories are being offered. Store closes Feb 20. Get…
Read MoreOften Discussed, Never Explained: Base Training, Part I
It’s not necessarily that inaccurate conclusions are being drawn about base training, but more that some conclusions are misguided. I’ve decided to write a bit about base training because it’s important to understand the correct reasoning behind those conclusions as well as what the alternatives to base training can do for athletes. Everyone has unique…
Read MoreWhy Gravel?
At the tender age of 15, I ran my first and last marathon. Mostly on a dare, but also because I was a runner at the time, I lined up for the 1984 Macy’s Marathon in Kansas City and at the conclusion of the race (which took longer than I care to admit) I swore…
Read MoreBWR: Equipment Choices
Now that we’ve read about the Belgian Waffle Ride and what physiological challenges to expect, let’s talk about the equipment challenges of such an event. Unless you’re coming from a mountain bike background, the discussion of equipment challenges is a bit of a foreign topic. One of the biggest equipment considerations for a road racer…
Read MoreThe Greatest Monument of Cycling in the US
Hello, my name is Michael Marckx and I love waffles and all things Belgian. I also love riding my bike a long way and drinking Belgian ales directly after. I’m Flemish; we’re just odd that way. Being Flemish and growing up with an affinity for the culinary delights and ethnic characteristics of the Belgians,…
Read MoreBWR Survival Camp, What to Expect
The Belgian Waffle Ride is a classic adventure that challenges the young, old, strong and stronger in ways many veteran bike riders can’t begin to comprehend. We had a couple clients at the 2015 edition and based on their data, we expect the following output from the day. 7-9 hours of pedaling covering 140…
Read MoreCreating, Establishing and Committing to a Break Away
Creating, Establishing and Committing to a Break Away Adam Mills. Source Endurance, Senior Consultant Welcome to the mid-season for road racing, 2015. All around the country, Source Endurance athletes have been taking chances and getting up the road only to have the breakaway attempt fail for a multitude of reasons. I thought I’d take…
Read MoreWinning the Race: Tactical Monologue and Analysis of New Braunfels Road Race
“How do you win a bike race?” is a question I am often asked and the answer changes every race and situation but for myself the first thing I try to figure out what I have to do to win. What are my particular strengths and what do I have over the other riders I…
Read MoreCompression Garments: The Verdict
While most of the data indicate that the use of compression garments does not provide an advantage, there are a handful that do show possible benefits. It is important, however, to tease out the possible causes and evaluate the efficacy of the items. For instance, Bringard, Perrey and Reaburn (2006) found that running economy may…
Read MoreCompression Garments: Moving Into Athletics
Previously, we discussed the mechanism by which compression garments aid people from a healthcare perspective as well as how their mechanism of action may not work in athletes. However, as often seen in science and medicine, tools can be employed in ways not originally intended with great benefit. This is often due to some other…
Read MoreCompression Garments, Part I: Before they were used for sport
Working in the complimentary fields of medicine and exercise physiology can provide insight in to new ideas and products. It can also aid in teasing out how the theories behind various practices are developed. An example of this is the use of compression garments to aid recovery and increase performance. While increased recovery or enhance…
Read MoreOffseason Training, Don't Waste Your Base (2 of 2)
Once it was observed that many of the benefits seen with longer and easier training sessions were also seen with shorter and harder workouts, the next step was to identify which changes do and do not occur among the two training modalities. By analyzing training adaptations at different intensities in individuals of various fitness, multiple changes occur…
Read MoreOffseason Training, Don't Waste Your Base (1 of 2)
The off-season doesn’t exist to many racers on structured training plans. It’s a period to race cyclo-cross and/or recover for a short bit before prepping for the next season’s races. This period can also be tremendously beneficial in gaining fitness. However, the elements are against most racers with cold weather, snow and ice, and jobs…
Read MoreSports’ secret weapon: sleep. By: Michael J. Breus, PhD
The search for performance enhancement leads some athletes to turn some pretty dark corners. It’s a shame, and not just because doping is dangerous, unethical, and frequently illegal. It’s also a shame because athletes at all levels of play have access to a powerful tool to improve their performance, one that won’t break any laws…
Read MoreIschemic Preconditioning
One interesting aspect of studying exercise physiology is the ability to incorporate a multi-discipline approach to developing new ideas. The major underlying theme is the body being placed under a form of stress and monitoring the response. The crossover between exercise science and medical research is well founded as it’s not uncommon to see researchers…
Read MoreEarly Season Stages of Grief
Denial– I’m fit. I’m just having a bad day. Anger– I’m so mad I let myself get so unfit. I’m getting fit now! These guys are a-holes for showing me I’m unfit. Bargaining– If I get through this, I’m going to start training 30 hours a week so I’m never unfit again. Depression– I’m so…
Read MoreInvaluable
This post really has nothing to do with fitness, coaching or anything of performance value. Actually, it reminded me exactly why it is so very difficult to write about things that truly move you……. Sometimes it takes an event that can described as nothing except sorrowful to give you a bold reminder of your mortality.…
Read MoreJoin SE: 500k Training Camp with Kristian House p/b Nelo’s Cycles
Camp Flyer HERE All Source Endurance clients, ask about your special pricing! Spend 5 days training with the former British National Champion on the sameroads he uses to prepare for his upcoming race season. These same roads androutes have led him to great successes in previous seasons, now you can takeadvantage of the phenomenal training…
Read MoreMid Season CX Musings… but coming a little late.
As the cross (CX) season begins its final push towards Nationals and Master's Worlds, some random thoughts come to mind. CX is as much a learning process as it is an endurance sport: Source Endurance has done a couple CX clinics this fall with the goal of providing the basic skills from which a solid…
Read More2012 CX National Championships- Men Elite Prediction
Tim Johnson. That's my prediction and barring injury or illness at this point of the season, and I'm sticking to it. I told a few friends back in September that the one who will win CX Nationals will only begin to see championship form around Thanksgiving. And I'll followup the statement with this, “the guys…
Read MoreThe Off Season: It Will Make or Break the Coming Season
By: John Hobbs, Senior Consultant The passing of the Road World Championships tells the time of the year. CX-ers are gritting their teeth during eye-popping efforts, winter athletes are preparing for the transition to snow, and roadies have rounded out their season and wrapping up their time off. That time off is just where the…
Read MoreCyclocross Course Design, Technical skills, Fitness
Groups of riders usually signal un-technical riding.Photo Credit: Lyne Lamoureux Following some recent races both at the national and local level, some have been asking, commenting, and wondering how Cyclocross (CX) course design plays into the outcome of the race. This proves a very interesting topic and something that could be debated indefinitely. But first…
Read MoreThe problem with applying science to training.
John Hobbs, MEd Senior Consultant Many of our athletes have a history of marginally following haphazard training plans or blindly trusting current and old training fads, which had effectively prevented them from realizing most of their athletic potential. As we have learned from our clients, equally detrimental is the blanket application of scientific literature to…
Read More