Wenzel Coaching would like to welcome Earl Zimmermann to the coaching staff.  Earl has over 12 years of experience in road racing, triathlon and running.  Earl's work in the corporate world designing training programs for new employees inspired him to use his skills to coach athletes.  As someone who overcame asthma at an early age, Earl is understanding of the physical challenges some athletes face.   He is also a husband and a father of two children and can assist athletes that are juggling the demands of a career, family, training and racing.

Learn more about Earl...
 

by Coach Valerie Spees

Well, I went and did it again; I had another baby.  And while she's the cutest thing in the world, the extra fifteen pounds she left me with aren't so cute.  You might be tempted to think, "So much for her 2006 training" along with my sleep, my clean house, and sometimes my sanity.  But that's not the case anymore.  The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists actually recommends that women with uncomplicated pregnancies get at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise a day on most, if not all, days of the week.  My training log will attest to the fact that I hardly cut back at all until my belly was too unwieldy to maneuver.

Unless you're experiencing serious complications, sitting around won't do much for you or the baby.  On the other hand, exercise can help ease or even prevent discomfort associated with pregnancy, boost your energy level, and improve your overall health.

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"In sport, mental imagery is used primarily to help you get the best out of yourself in training and competition. The developing athletes who make the fastest progress and those who ultimately become their best make extensive use of mental imagery. They use it daily as a means of directing what will happen in training, and as a way of pre-experiencing their best competition performances." 
~Terry Orlick, American Peak Performance Expert, Trainer

 

Use your power meter to refine your cadence and pedaling style. The cadence and pedaling style that gives you highest average power for the same perceived exertion, or the lowest perceived exertion for the same power is the best. To do these tests accurately, the length of the effort has to correspond to the length of effort of the same intensity that will be required in races. A cadence that may make tremendous power for a few seconds or minutes with low perceived effort can become much more taxing in a longer effort.

Interested in trying some hardcore mountain bike racing?  Visit ride424.com and see what 24-hour mountain bike racing is all about. Wenzel Coaching's own Karl Etzel is an in house expert on ultra-endurance mountain bike racing and has dedicated this site specifically to this sport. You'll find tips on gear, training, coaching and nutrition as well as product reviews. There's also information on upcoming races and blogs by 24 hour racers.