Power guy

I had a guy recently tell me his so-so result was OK because he wasn't a big "power guy" and right away I wondered why he was offering this up to me. As he continued I could see that it was an insecurity of his and something he used as an excuse to make him self feel better about his style and lack of effort in trying to become stronger. For a rider whose ability limiter is power, hard strength training workouts mean the difference between success and failure in crits and being able to sprint it out with the big boys. By explaining to me (and telling himself) that he isn't a "power guy" I feel what he really is saying to me that.... "Hey Ed I have a weakness that I'm not going to work on and I'm trying to be ok with that" I really believe anyone can improve there power numbers with a little effort and become a very powerful rider with A LOT of effort but if you say you can't...... you're right, if you tell your self you're just not powerful...... you're right, and if you never switch things up , try something new and work on your weaknesses I'll say....... "you're right" you just aren't a "power guy"

Support system

There is nothing better than having a great support system. I know I have been blessed with a very supportive family and it goes a very long way in helping me achieve my cycling goals. I have that same support plus more when it comes to starting this coaching business. Not only do you get access to my cycling and training knowledge, through me you will also have access to training tips and inside info from to some of the top riders in the province. 4 years racing senior 1 has brought me in contact with the cream of the crop on the local cycling scene. Sharing training tips and advice, attending training camps, travelling and racing with these talented individuals has given me the knowledge and confidence to race at a very high level and believe I can help you achieve the same, plus If I don't have the answer one of my decorated team mates will. The likes of Darko Ficko, Merrill Collins and Heath Cockburn are always there for me when I need advice and support and that support can only bring a huge benefit to anyone I coach.

You can check out their rider profiles at http://www.labicisquadra.com/

Newmarket Eagles- Beeton TT

I will be at the Newmarket Eagles Tuesday night time trial tomorrow night if you would like a little info about the July 27th TT clinic. I can briefly explain what the clinic is all about and maybe give to a tip or two on how to tackle the Beeton course ( not my favorite )

The Beeton course isn't your typical TT, It's HARD!! it's hilly and that makes it hard to get into a rhythm. Dave Viney has the course record with a very impressive time of 32:09. That's a 44.79 km avg over 24kms!! See you on Tuesday night!

Cross Train - ALL YEAR LONG!

Why is it that we try other sports and hit the gym in the off-season and then as soon as it gets warm out we abandon everything and just log miles and miles on our bike? I'm a firm believer that you need variety to keep things fresh and you need to switch it up a bit to continue to progress. When my legs are begging for a break I ride up to the lake and go for a swim. I get the cardio workout I need to stay fit and my legs get a bit of a break. I also force myself to run a least once a week. Yep I did say "force" running is crap, I do not enjoy it and it doesn't come natural to me BUT it gets me out of my comfort zone, gets me sweating and burning calories and also shows me that I'm not in the shape I think I am.

So...switch it up! are you a cyclist or an athlete? I can help you with being better at both!!

Newmarket Eagles - TT Clinic

I will be putting on a time trial clinic for the Newmarket Eagles Cycling Club Monday July 27th at 7pm at the Newmarket community center. We will discuss bike position and aero gear but mainly focus on pre-race preparation and mental focus during the TT. This is an indoor clinic with an outdoor clinic to follow(to be determined)

You can email all your questions to Ed at real.deal@rogers.com

Recovery

Recovery is almost always forgotten. You only think about it when your sore and tired. To stay sharp you have to reward you body for all the work you make it do.

So first things first....

Drink water!!!! 60% of your body weight is water, so there is buffer system to cover water loss during training. Nevertheless this water loss has a huge impact on your performance and must be replaced as soon as possible. Plain water is under normal circumstances adequate for rehydration, since solid food replaces the electrolytes lost during exercise. Thus, if you eat properly, you do not need to take any supplements to make it up for the electrolytes. Under very hot conditions it is though necessary to replace electrolytes as well as the lost water.

Eat carbohydrates!!!! Blood glucose concentration regulates the secretion of insulin, which works as an anabolic steroid for you after training. Thus, we are interested in eating carbohydrates to stimulate the secretion of insulin and get all the benefits of this natural hormone.

Eat proteins!!!!!! This is not an advice just for strength athletes and body builders only. Muscles cells are built of proteins and they are broken down during training. Endurance athletes also need proteins immediately after training to recover from their effort. Just like carbohydrates, proteins stimulate secretion of insulin, which help in building up the muscle again.

Cool down!!!! Take a short ride in small gears. It helps your muscles to recover from hard intervals or races. Removal of lactate is enhanced when you do light exercise. Depending on your overall fitness, I will recommend you do a 5-20 minutes ride after each training session.

Sleep!!!! Go to bed! Take a nap! Staying up to watch Letterman will not make you the king at the local crit. It you can squeeze in that short workout, you can squeeze in that short nap!

Relax a bit! Life's too short to stress about everything. Make time to......have a bath, get a massage or enjoy a cold beer!!

Coaching - My way!

This is a new venture and of course I want it to be a successful one. The success of my clients will greatly impact everything I'm trying to build here. It really is everything when it comes to coaching. What I can do on a bike means nothing! It's what I can get you to accomplish on a bike that will make or break me as a coach. To be successful at something you have to have drive and be able to stay focused. Staying focused is extremely hard when we are pulled in all kinds of different directions juggling everything life throws our way. When you have only a few hours every week to train and become the athlete you've always dreamed you can be, you have to be able to use those few precious hours for all the worth. This is where I can help.

My coaching services will give you guidance and keep you on track. With my no-nonsense approach and simple "back to the basics" format, I will have you getting the results you deserve. The problem is.....I'm tough. I don't put up with half assed efforts and I have no sympathy. I see through people, their excuses and their bullshit! I'm going to push you to your limits and only the strong will survive!!

This is how I see it...

People are lazy! Everyone is looking for an easy way, doping, a scientific break through, a secret supplement, the newest workout trend or a cool short cut just to avoid........HARD WORK!!

I'm all about effort and anyone I train will give me 100% or I won't train them.

If after reading this your still interested : ) contact me at real.deal@rogers.com

Crit Racing

A good criterium racer needs experience. Get out and race! Being fast and fit is only a part of the equation. Patience, strategy pack positioning, bike handling and luck are just a few strengths a crit racer possess. But while you are working on becoming "that" crit racer, you have to tailor your training to mimic a criterium. First, it is important to define what actually happens in a criterium in terms of power in order to replicate that power in your training. Without getting into a detailed description, power in watts is to a cyclist, as horsepower is to a Mustang! Like the silver one you see me driving! At first glance, the power output of a cyclist racing a criterium looks like a lot of peaks and and a lot of valleys. A typical SRM or PowerTap file from a criterium spikes up and down several times per lap creating a complicated maze of peaks to the untrained eye. However these short sharp peaks, anywhere from 300-1000 watts or even greater, represent the cyclist sprinting out of corners, accelerating, attacking, counter attacking, and finally the big spike: the field sprint.

Those valleys ( no power ) represent time spent coasting, setting up for a corner, cornering, or just getting sucked along in the peloton’s draft. Further analysis shows how much time was spent in certain power zones and also how much time was spent at zero power.

There are two power zones critical to successful criterium racing that are often overlooked in a traditional training plan: power above your threshold and a no power zone. Often times comparison of files between the winner and a pack finisher in the same crit reveals that the winner spent more time at zero! However, when it really counted such as making “the break” or the sprint finish, the winner’s power output dwarfed the pack finisher. Why? Because the winner spent more time at zero, was more rested, and metered his efforts better than the pack finisher. Something to think about when your at the front working for no reason at all.

So.....does this mean the guy who rolls off the couch once a week to work on his sprints can hang on in the draft in a high speed crit then blast his way past everyone in the final few meters?

YEP! If he knows how to draft, conserve, ride with in himself and stay safely protected at all times, the guy with the most power, the guy willing to go anaerobic, the guy who has the most left in the tank (the guy who just rolled off the couch) will blast past all the other pack fillers!

You have to work on your top end if you want to win!! It's a must!!

REAL DEAL RACING is alive!!

I've been playing with the idea of coaching as a career for a while now and I believe there is no better time than now to give it my all.