Keystone Cycling

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Posted 1 month ago

Spring is here. Don’t go crazy!

Spring is finally here and we have had a cold long winter. Most cyclist think I am way behind everyone else and I need to get as many miles in as possibly these first warm days. Don’t fall into this common mistake since they can lead too:

Injury - Doing to many miles or high intensity intervals right away can lead to stress injuries to ligaments and tendons Your total body needs time to adapt, heal and recover. The old rule of thumb is 1000 base miles. I don’t like these cookie cutter numbers as the better answer is it depends on how long you have been riding. How active you are during the winter. When is your first event.
Burnout - If you do to much to soon you will soon you will see results but they will be short lived. Without the needed rest you will plateau quickly. Remember, this is supposed to be fun. Some indications that you may be suffer from burnout are: lack of motivation, trouble sleeping, trouble maintain a healthy weight and diet (both too high or low), and become irritable.

Either or both of these could ruin your goals and possible your season. Rest is the best way to recover from either of theses issues above and can take weeks or even months to get you back on track.

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Posted 2 months ago

Goal setting

Spring is almost here and now is a good time to set some goals for the cycling season.

While the SMART acronym is not new, I find it easy to use:

Specific: State exactly what you want to accomplish

Measurable: How will you be able to demonstrate or evaluate if you have met your goal?

Achievable: You should push your self but you need to be realistic about your goals.

Relevant: Set a goal that in meaningful to you.

Time-base: You need to set a deadline and schedule to measure, analyse, and readjust if necessary to meet your goal.

Here is an example of a poor structured goal: I want to lose weight.

It is not time-based or measurable. How would you know if and when you have reached your goal.

The better way would be: I want to loose 10 lbs in the next 3 months to help me increase my avg miles per hour.

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Posted 2 months ago

How to pick a coach

If you are considering hiring a coach for cycling there is a good process to follow.

Are you ready to follow a coaches advice? If the answer is not 100% yes then you are not ready to invest in hiring a coach.
What is your idea of coaching? i.e. mentor, guidance, motivation The coach you hire should match your needs.
What are your reasons for hiring a coach?
How do you want to interact with your coach?

After answering the questions above, construct a set of questions to interview and find the right coach for you.

Some other things to consider when choosing a coach.