Six Week Cycling Training Plan: Bike 2. Miles. I knew right then I had chosen the right man for the job to be my biggest motivator and wise coach for this special journey. I met the super- lean, sweet- faced, 3. I did this awesome climbing camp with Carmichael Training Systems in early June. Since New York City is pretty flat (most local cyclists roll out to New Jersey to find more challenging elevation gains), I flew out to Colorado for a three- day camp to learn from the pros how to conquer my fears of climbing steep hills without, you know, rolling backwards, tipping over when I can't pedal anymore, or simply having a heart attack. There, I rode twice a day with Coach Daniel and a handful of other talented pro- level cycling coaches who work at the Colorado Springs- based training center founded by the world’s most famous bike and endurance coach, Chris Carmichael (he's worked with legendary Tour de France riders, including George Hincapie and Lance Armstrong). Under their guidance, I was able to take my biking to new heights—literally. One of my fave mental tricks that I learned at camp: Counting to 1. I try to match each pedal stroke to a count to steadily pace myself to the top. When the opportunity came up to do this 2. YSC's Tour de Pink, I instantly thought of Coach Daniel as the man who could help me get ready—even from all the way in Colorado—for the nearly 1. Why Do A Cycling Tour?: A review of various tour companies and general tips. A guide to bicycling event in Colorado. Wheel Options is a great opportunity to try and track new alternative transportation modes and take charge of your commute. Wheel Options encourages employees to. Here's a bike with no identity crisis. THE RIDE As with all our test bikes, the Kona Rove got passed around between a few different test riders. When we spoke on the phone about it last week, his you- can- do- this attitude and calming Southern drawl (he's a Kentucky native!) was just what I needed, along with the right amount of positive pressure to step up my game. With him in my corner—ready and willing to answer my most burning questions about how to physically, mentally, and nutritionally prepare for the ride of my life—I do believe he's right, especially with his kickass six- week training plan. It's a perfect mix of interval training to increase my lactate threshold (I call these days my “speedwork”) and consecutive days in the saddle so I can get used to sitting on a narrow, rigid, unforgiving bike seat for three days straight. Follow it with me even if you don't have a multi- day bike event coming up in October like I do. Biking is a great way to lose weight, stay in shape, burn off some steam, get outside, and push yourself to go farther (and faster) than you ever expected. READY, SET, RIDE: Six- Week Training Challenge. To best understand the training plan, which is written in very concise shorthand, check out this document, “The Train Right Guide Workout Descriptions.
Whether it's to boost your fitness, health or bank balance, or as an environmental choice, taking up bicycle riding could be one of the best decisions you ever make. Not convinced? Here are 3. UK readers: can you help us get more people on bikes? Whether you’re a keen cyclist or a complete beginner, we’d love you to get involved in our Get Britain Riding campaign, in association with B’Twin. Click here to sign up! You’ll get there faster. Commute by bike in the UK’s major cities and you’ll get there in half the time of cars, research by Citroen shows. In fact, if you drive for an hour in Cardiff’s rush hour, you’ll spend over 3. And even in bike- friendly or less congested cities outside of the UK, you'll still generally get around the city centres faster on a bike. You'll sleep more deeply. An early morning ride might tire you out in the short term, but it’ll help you catch some quality shut- eye when you get back to your pillow. Stanford University School of Medicine researchers asked sedentary insomnia sufferers to cycle for 2. The time required for the insomniacs to fall asleep was reduced by half, and sleep time increased by almost an hour. Riding will help you sleep more deeply“Exercising outside exposes you to daylight,” explains Professor Jim Horne from Loughborough University’s Sleep Research Centre. You'll look younger Scientists at Stanford University have found that cycling regularly can protect your skin against the harmful effects of UV radiation and reduce the signs of ageing. Harley Street dermatologist Dr Christopher Rowland Payne explains: “Increased circulation through exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to skin cells more effectively, while . Exercise also creates an ideal environment within the body to optimise collagen production, helping reduce the appearance of wrinkles and speed up the healing process.” Don’t forget to slap on the factor 3. Boost your bowels According to experts from Bristol University, the bene. In addition, aerobic exercise accelerates your breathing and heart rate, which helps to stimulate the contraction of intestinal muscles. Increase your brain power Need your grey matter to sparkle? Researchers from the University of Illinois found that a . That’s because cycling helps build new brain cells in the hippocampus — the region responsible for memory, which deteriorates from the age of 3. It boosts blood . Beat illness Is cycling good for you? Forget apples, riding’s the way to keep the doctor at bay. Cycling regularly is a surefire way to keep illness at bay. In fact, according to research from the University of North Carolina, people who cycle for 3. Live longer. King’s College London compared over 2,4. Save the planet. Twenty bicycles can be parked in the same space as one car. It takes around . Bikes are ef. You have your weight ratio to thank: you’re about six times heavier than your bike, but a car is 2. Cycling improves your sex life. Being more physically active improves your vascular health, which has the knock- on effect of boosting your sex drive, according to health experts in the US. One study from Cornell University also concluded that male athletes have the sexual prowess of men two to . Meanwhile, research carried out at Harvard University found that men aged over 5. It’s good breeding. A . According to research from Michigan University in the US, mums- to- be who regularly exercise during pregnancy have an easier, less complicated labour, recover faster and enjoy better overall mood throughout the nine months. Your pride and joy also has a 5. Cycling while pregnant will help both mother and baby“There’s no doubt that moderate exercise such as cycling during pregnancy helps condition the mother and protect the foetus,” says Patrick O’Brien, a spokesman for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Heal your heart. Studies from Purdue University in the US have shown that regular cycling can cut your risk of heart disease by 5. And according to the British Heart Foundation, around 1. Cycling just 2. 0 miles a week reduces your risk of heart disease to less than half that of those who take no exercise, it says. Your boss will love you. No, we don’t mean your Lycra- clad buttocks will entice your superiors into a passionate of. A study of 2. 00 people carried out by the University of Bristol found that employees who exercised before work or at lunchtime improved their time and workload management, and it boosted their motivation and their ability to deal with stress. The study also reported that workers who exercised felt their interpersonal performance was better, they took fewer breaks and found it easier to . Sadly, the study didn’t . Cycle away from the big CThere’s plenty of evidence that any exercise is useful in warding off cancer, but some studies have shown that cycling is speci. One long- term study carried out by Finnish researchers found that men who exercised at a moderate level for at least 3. And one of the moderate forms of exercise they cited? Other studies have found that women who cycle frequently reduce their risk of breast cancer by 3. Lose weight by riding your bike. Loads of people who want to shift some heft think that heading out for a jog is the best way to start slimming down. But while running does burn a ton of fat, it’s not kind to you if you’re a little larger than you’d like to be. Think about it — two to three times your body weight goes crashing through your body when your foot strikes the ground. If you weigh 1. 6 stone, that’s a lot of force! Instead, start out on a bike — most of your weight is taken by the saddle, so your skeleton doesn’t take a battering. Running can wait. You’ll make more money. If you’re cycling to lose weight then you could be in line for a cash windfall. Researcher Jay Zagorsky, from Ohio State University, analysed data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth — which saw 7,3. Zagorsky concluded that a one unit increase in body mass index (BMI) score corresponded to an . So, shed a few BMI points on the bike and start earning. Avoid pollution. You’d think a city cyclist would suck up much more pollution than the drivers and passengers in the vehicles chucking out the noxious gases. Not so, according to a study carried out by Imperial College London. Researchers found that passengers in buses, taxis and cars inhaled substantially more pollution than cyclists and pedestrians. Cyclists breathe in fewer fumes on the street than drivers. On average, taxi passengers were exposed to more than 1. Bus passengers sucked up just under 1. Cyclists, meanwhile, were exposed to just 8,0. It’s thought that cyclists breathe in fewer fumes because we ride at the edge of the road and, unlike drivers, aren’t directly in the line of exhaust smoke. Bike riding means guilt- free snacks. Upping your salt intake is seldom your doctor’s advice, but in the few days leading up to a big ride or sportive, that’s exactly what you should do. This gives you the perfect excuse to munch on crisps and other salty foods you might normally avoid. The sodium in them helps protect your body against hyponatraemia, a condition caused by drinking too much water without enough sodium that can lead to disorientation, illness and worse. Enjoy healthy family time. Cycling is an activity the whole family can do together. The smallest tyke can clamber into a bike seat or tow- along buggy, and because it’s kind on your joints, there’s nothing to stop grandparents joining in too. Cycling is something the whole family can do together. Moreover, your riding habit could be sowing the seeds for the next Bradley Wiggins. Studies have found that, unsurprisingly, kids are in. Put simply, if your kids see you riding regularly, they think it’s normal and will want to follow your example. Don’t be surprised, though, if they become embarrassed by your tendency to mismatch . Get better at any sport. Whether you want to keep in prime shape or just improve your weekly tennis game, a stint in the saddle is the way to begin. A recent medical study from Norway carried the title Aerobic Endurance Training Improves Soccer Performance, which makes it pretty clear that the knock- on bene. Make creative breakthroughs Writers, musicians, artists, top executives and all kinds of other professionals use exercise to solve mental blocks and make decisions — including Jeremy Paxman, Sir Alan Sugar and Spandau Ballet. A study found that just 2. Credit goes to the . You’re helping others Many cyclists turn their health, . The London to Brighton bike ride has raised over . You can get fit without trying too hard. Regular, everyday cycling has huge bene. According to the National Forum for Coronary Heart Disease Foundation in the US, regular cyclists enjoy a . Boost your bellows. No prizes for guessing that the lungs work considerably harder than usual when you ride. An adult cycling generally uses 1. TV for the same period. Even better, regular cycling will help strengthen your cardiovascular system over time, enabling your heart and lungs to work more ef. This means you can do more exercise for less effort. How good does that sound? Burn more fat. Sports physiologists have found that the body’s metabolic rate — the ef. Riding regularly will help you burn off the fat. And as you get . One recent study showed that cyclists who incorporated fast intervals into their ride burned three- and- a- half times more body fat than those who cycled constantly but at a slower pace. You’re developing a positive addiction Replace a harmful dependency — such as cigarettes, alcohol or eating too much chocolate — with a positive one, says William Glasser, author of Positive Addiction. You’re a happier, healthier person getting the kind of . Get (a legal) high. Once a thing of myth, the infamous . Yet despite the name, this high is applicable to all endurance athletes. University of Bonn neurologists visualised endorphins in the brains of 1.
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