Fast Talk

Hello and welcome to Fast Talk, your source for the science of cycling performance! I'm your host Chris Case, and today Coach Connor and I are joined by Coach Steve Neal of The Cycling Gym, which now resides exclusively in the virtual world: https://online.thecyclinggym.com/. Let’s get into the questions. Our first question comes from Dan S., as a follow-up to episode 113 on recovery period lengths: “What do you make of the FTP test protocols that call for a 5-minute maximal effort followed by a 5-minute recovery followed by a 20-minute FTP measurement effort? Is the 20 minutes representative of what an athlete could do for a 60-minute FTP test and, thus, what their FTP training power zones should be?” A second question from Dan S. on body fat and hypothermia: “First, are athletes with lower body fat composition more susceptible to hypothermia? Second, is there a notable difference in chilling effect when either wetness or wind are added?” James K. wants to know how to structure a rest week: “How should I structure the rest week to get the most from it? Should I have multiple days completely off? Any opener intervals?” Our next question comes from Ellis P. of Rugby, England. He, like many this year, has had to pivot after his target event was cancelled. He wants to know how to adjust his training: “Can you ‘build’ forever?” he asks. “I need both a very good aerobic and anaerobic system to be at the sharp end of the field. Initially my events were far enough apart that I could peak for U23 Nationals, take a break and then base/build/peak for the National Hill Climb Championships. With my original goal not taking place, can I base/build/base/build until September when I will start racing Hill Climb TTs in prep, or should I still take a break and reset? I don’t and won’t need a mental break, it’s only a physical break I’m concerned with. Given I haven’t ‘peaked’ yet this year do I need to take time off? Essentially, what I’m asking is do you need to change your training regularly/can your body get tired of one type of training even if you’re progressing that type of training (e.g. longer intervals)?” Israeli coach Dror H. asks about rest between VO2max efforts: “During your recent episode on rest periods between intervals with Sebastian Weber (FT113), you raised a point about the impact of recovery time between intervals on lactate removal and performance in the next intervals. Specifically, you mentioned Dr. Seiler’s article which showed no difference between 2 minutes and 4 minutes rest period. According to Dr. Weber, the reason why there was no difference is that in both cases the ATP-Phosphocreatine system recovered to the same level and the lactate levels were pretty much the same. So, from a physiological perspective 2 minutes and 4 minutes rest are almost the same. Now comes the question: In the case of 8-minute VO2max efforts, should we recover much longer to be able to generate similar power each time?” Finally, Devin K. wants to know: “What is happening when you ‘blow up’ on a ride?” Let's make you fast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Which cycling shoes should I buy? This may seem like a straightforward question. But the better thing to ask is: Which shoes are right for my feet? If you’ve been a professional cyclist with extensive experience as a bike fitter, like show host Colby Pearce, the answer to that more complex question becomes an hour-long podcast, filled with the nuances of human anatomy. There are several questions about your physiology and biomechanics that need to be answered before you can select the ideal shoe for you, and for the purpose of your rides. Dial that Boa in—but not too tight. There’s much to be learned in today’s episode of Cycling in Alignment. REFERENCES Lake 403s – https://lakecycling.com/products/cx-403?variant=30307106029662 Device that expands toe-box – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B4SKS82?tag=duckduckgo-osx-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1 Cycling Tips Podcast about Bont shoes: https://cyclingtips.com/2015/05/bont-vaypor-s-shoe-review/ Bont Helix – https://www.bontcycling.com/products/road/helix/index.html Bontrager XXX – https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/bike-clothing/cycling-shoes/road-bike-shoes/bontrager-xxx-road-cycling-shoe/p/25000/ Lintamen – https://www.lintaman.com/ Hanseeno – https://hanseeno.com/collections/performance/products/u100g-shoes www.feetfreex.com/ Treadlabs orthotics – https://treadlabs.com/ Superfeet orthotics – https://www.superfeet.com/en-us Icebug orthotics – https://icebug.com/insoles G8 orthotics – https://www.g8performance.com/ Colby’s Site – http://www.colbypearce.com/ Email – [email protected] Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/cyclinginalignment/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/CyclinginAlign_ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/cyclinginalignment-110271017351743 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re taking a good long look at training metrics. We’ve released previous episodes on how to use different numbers, what many of them mean, and how they’re calculated. Today, we tie it together into one package, with a master of data analytics, Tim Cusick, who is not only the product leader for TrainingPeaks’ WKO platform, but also an elite cycling coach of athletes including Amber Neben and Rebecca Rusch. As Tim likes to say, if each ride you do is a single note, to get the most out of your training, you want to string those rides together in the most elegant way. That is, you want to make music. I love that analogy for the art of training and coaching. To set the stage for our conversation, it’s helpful to understand that even a data aficionado like Tim fully understands that metrics are not the be-all-end-all—the power of numbers is in their ability to effectively inform the decision-making process. Athletes and coaches should use data to learn more about how best to train, but the data cannot be the solution unto itself. It’s also helpful to define some terminology. Most of you will have heard of stress, or external load; then there’s strain, the internal load applied to a system; and finally TSS, or training stress score, which we will define and dissect. Likewise, you’re likely familiar with the PMC in TrainingPeaks. The performance management chart shows trends in your season. Finally, Tim often mentions the “content” of the work used to generate these different metrics. What he means by that is the composition of the training rides, whether they’re intense or easy, long or hard, and so forth. To tie it all together, today’s episode is about utilizing a training philosophy to design the right type of workouts—the content—then using the metrics as a guide to inform how much, how often, and how difficult those rides should be. Voila, you’ve got some Mozart, hopefully. Maybe if you’re Trevor is more like Celine Dion or Shania Twain. (They’re Canadian) On the program today, we also hear from a host of other prominent figures about how they use, or don’t use, all the metrics we have available today. Guests include physiologist Jared Berg, pro mountain biker Payson McElveen, the legend himself Ned Overend, WorldTour veteran Brent Bookwalter, and Xert creator Armando Mastracci. Time to crunch some numbers, and fill out the all-important comments field. Let's make you fast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s Q&A episode we invited coach and co-owner of Forever Endurance, Grant Holicky, to join us for a lengthy discussion on a myriad of topics. First, we converse about sweat rates. Ernest Boskovic references our discussion in episode 111 with Dr. Cheung, and asks several intriguing questions. (It makes us believe we’ll soon invite Dr. Cheung back to the program for a full episode on the subject.) Here are a few of Ernest’s questions: What is the relationship of sweat rate to intensity? What is the relationship of sweat rate to intensity? Is it a linear relationship? What is the relationship of sweat rate to core temperature? What is the relationship of sweat rate to dehydration? We then discuss how to use polarized training for cyclocross. Can it be done? Should you stop polarizing at some point and bring in more specificity? Or should you become even more polarized as the season approaches? Next, we discuss ROS and the differences between pros and amateurs. Then we jump into VLAmax. Devin Knickerbocker asks why it is that having a higher VlaMax means your endurance performance suffers? We then chat about big gear work on the flats: there is value in high-torque intervals, so how does one execute such intervals properly, particularly in flat areas of the world or on the trainer? Finally, we converse about recovery tools—when and how to use them most effectively. All that and much more in today’s episode. Let’s make you fast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Long-time friends, training partners, and competitors, Jonathan Vaughters and Colby Pearce have a deep racing history and relationship. With decades of experience in pro cycling, they have gained many insights about training, coaching, and the trajectory of the sport. Colby and JV first discuss their early training techniques, taught to them by their first cycling coach, Adrie Van Diemen, a Dutch exercise physiologist now with UAE Team Emirates. Many of the techniques are now considered to be standard practice. The pair reminisce about how they were ahead of their time, in many ways, even though they didn’t realize it. Vaughters, who has coached many pro cyclists over the years, then gives examples of experiments gone right—and wrong—and how certain training regimens should be applied to certain types of athletes. He also openly discusses the conflict of interest in coaching athletes while also serving as their team manager. The discussion then turns to the finer details of cycling technique, including a detailed explanation of how crank length affects a rider’s ability to climb, sprint, and win. JV even describes the time he swapped cranks behind the back of his former team manager, Johan Bruyneel. Next, the conversation turns to Rigoberto Urán, who finished second in the 2017 Tour de France. The Colombian’s diet at that year’s race included bananas and… bananas. Vaughters uses that example to illustrate how the natural and simple solution oftentimes bests all of the “advanced” nutrition expertise in the world—and how athletes often discover what works best for them and “solve their own equation.” That, and much more, in today’s episode of “Cycling in Alignment.” REFERENCES Book: “One-Way Ticket: Nine Lives on Two Wheels” https://www.amazon.com/One-Way-Ticket-Nine-Lives-Wheels/dp/0143134140 Coach Adrie Van Diemen http://www.webtrainer.com/nl/ Colby’s Site: http://www.colbypearce.com/ Email: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cyclinginalignment/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/CyclinginAlign_ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cyclinginalignment-110271017351743 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’ll hit the subjects of cornering and descending from many sides. Our main guest is Emile Abraham, who has racked up numerous wins because of his cornering and descending prowess, having grown up riding the twisty, steep roads of Trinidad and Tobago. Also in today’s episode, we hear from our friend and podcast colleague Colby Pearce, Petr Vakoc of the Alpecin-Fenix pro team, professional mountain biker Payson McElveen, and Kristen Legan, a coach and former cycling tech editor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we’ve invited Rambleur Rising coach and elite gravel racer Kristen Legan to help answer your many insightful questions. To give you a broader range of coaching opinions, Kristen joins Trevor and me to talk about the art of listening to your body, ketogenic diets, glucose transport, and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're all about off-road today! Our all-star MTB lineup includes: - Payson McElveen, 2x cross-country marathon Ntl. champ & host of The Adventure Stache podcast - Geoff Kabush, 3x Olympian, 9x World Cup podium finisher & 9x Canadian cross-country Ntl. Champ - Joe Lawwill, raced MTB as a pro for 10 years & is now Shimano’s North American MTB marketing manager as well as an MTB skills coach - Steve Neal, former Canadian Ntl. MTB coach & co-owner of The Cycling Gym (online.thecyclinggym.com/) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s Q&A episode, we cover a broad spectrum of topics including sugar consumption and its health effects, safe rates to increase volume, the pros and cons of group rides, the efficacy of topical bicarbonate products, and much more. Reminder, you can record a question for us on a voice memo app on your phone and then email it to us at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ll start today’s show with a simple question, one that few athletes ask themselves: why do we have rest periods at all? Then Trevor and I will discuss the metabolic milieu that is “perturbed” during intervals. Our main guest is Sebastian Weber of INSCYD, and we’ll also hear from national champion Ruth Winder, Dr. Stephen Cheung, and Jared Berg. Sebastian is creating a webinar that will complement this episode as well, so please visit fastlabs.com/fasttalk113 for that once it's available. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Colby Pearce interviewing Dr. Allen Lim, founder of Skratch Labs, is today’s esteemed philosopher. REFERENCES: LUX camp is June 15th to July 15th. Dr. Allen Lim https://www.doctorallenlim.com Skratch Labs https://www.skratchlabs.com/ Dr. Stacy Sims https://www.drstacysims.com/ Chek https://chekinstitute.com/product/holistic-health-and-performance-for-women-e-learning/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cyclinginalignment/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cyclinginalignment-110271017351743 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we’ll address several questions that we received from listeners via email, voicemail, and Twitter. The first question Coach Connor addresses is about interval work and HIIT exercises, which we use as a springboard to talk about the difference between HIIT and HIT workouts. Please take a moment to take our survey. As we consider the potential for new subscription offerings, we want to hear from our devoted listeners. Visit https://fastlabs.com/subscriptionsurvey! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’m your host, Colby Pearce. My goal is to help people express their highest potential by illuminating a path that enables alignment with truth. Ultimately, through this podcast, I aspire to provide a platform for useful insight and discussion around cycling and holistic health. Resources: www.industrytap.com/knowledge-doubling-every-12-months-soon-to-be-every-12-hours/3950 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re joined by Dr. Stephen Cheung, a professor in the kinesiology department of Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario. He is one of the world’s preeminent environmental physiologists, and studies how humans perform in extreme conditions. We’ll also hear from Nick Legan, Shimano’s road brand manager, and Whitney Garcia, former pro triathlete. In this time of online symposiums, Dr. Cheung is organizing a “Virtual Environmental Ergonomics” series. For more info, visit www.icee2021.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey Fast Talk listeners. We're proud to introduce the latest addition to Fast Labs. The Cycling in Alignment podcast is the brainchild of Colby Pearce, U.S. Olympic track cyclist and Hour Record holder. Colby has been a Steve Hogg Certified bike fitter for the past decade, working with elite athletes and teams. The minutiae of cycling and riding technique are just part of the story he shares. Alignment with nature and treating the sport as a practice are a couple of the philosophies that will be discussed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Getting off our bikes is the last thing most cyclists want to do. That, however, is just what we’re recommending in today’s episode of Fast Talk. We'll hear from former pro and longtime endurance coach Julie Young; RedBull athlete, MTB marathon national champ, and host of The Adventure Stache podcast, Payson McElveen; Petr Vakoc of the Alepcin-Fenix team; and Steve Neal, endurance coach and the co-owner of the Cycling Gym. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we have a classic, complex, Coach Connor special. We ask a question not many other physiologists are asking: Is an amateur’s zone 2 ride (in a five-zone model) as physiologically taxing as a pro’s zone 2 ride? We’ll discuss what that means in much more detail with today’s main guest Dr. Iñigo San Millan, lead physiologist for the UAE-Emirates WorldTour team. We’ll also hear from physiologists Dr. Stephen Seiler and Jared Berg; Xert creator Armando Mastracci, and Mitchelton-Scott's Brent Boo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have received so many great questions about TSS, or Training Stress Score, that we wanted to look at this popular metric from several angles. Most of today’s episode is devoted to those questions, and stay tuned for a future episode where we’ll take an even closer look at TSS. There isn’t a single answer as to the best use of TSS, or how effective it is for your overall planning. Some people might rely heavily on it, while others see it as a single tool, in a much larger toolbox, to be used spari Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we take a step away from the science, and talk tactics. When we’ll race again no one really knows. So we thought it would a great time to help our listeners at least daydream about racing with this episode. Specifically, we’re discussing how to be aggressive, when to be aggressive, in races. And we’re doing it with none other than the current national road champion, Ruth Winder, who we caught up with many months ago. Despite the halted season, we decided now was the time to release this episode Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As promised, today in episode 106, we bring in Dr. Stephen Seiler, one of the world’s preeminent exercise physiologists, to discuss how to adjust your training now that the world is in a chronic state of disruption. We dive into our recommendations for reframing goals given your new focus. We’ll touch upon planning the rest of your season based upon those new goals. Finally, we’ll address the immunological repercussions of training, which are particularly important in the present. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode, we address how to effectively and constructively deal with these emotions: the lessons will, of course, help both with dealing with the uncertainty of a pandemic and with addressing the emotional rollercoaster that is bike racing. Next week, with the help of Dr. Stephen Seiler, exercise physiologist extraordinaire, we’ll discuss ways to properly adjust your training. https://www.calm.com/ https://www.headspace.com/headspace-meditation-app Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, in episode 104, we wanted to give you something you’ve come to love about Fast Talk: a discussion on the science of training, and specifically answering your training questions. We take on 3 questions and cover details about respiratory exchange rates in relation to VO2max testing; we also discuss how to most effectively use your bike commute for training purposes; and finally, we address the always important, always challenging question of how to balance life with training. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

These are special times, challenging times, and this is a special edition of Fast Talk. This is the last episode of Fast Talk to be co-released on the VeloNews channel. As a way to say goodbye to our good friends at VeloNews, we invited editor-in-chief Fred Dreier to join us on the show to interview both Trevor and me, about Fast Talk—where we’ve been, where we’re going, and to discuss some of the highlights from our long history together. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the world is fixated on the spread of COVID-19, many of us are feeling various amounts of stress & anxiety. These are challenging times. By coincidence, we recorded & planned to release today an episode on performance psychology with Julie Emmerman, specifically on the principles of confidence, resilience, the power of reframing, self-talk, etc. There are immense lessons to be learned in this episode that are applicable both to riding your bike faster, and living your life in a more healthy, mindful way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Training Zones are Ranges for a reason. Today we hear from a vast array of former guests, including: - Colby Pearce, time trialist, coach & bike fitting expert - Dr. Stephen Seiler, one of the world’s leading sports physiologists - Sepp Kuss, pro cyclist with Jumbo-Visma - Toms Skujins, pro cyclist with Trek-Segafredo - Dr. Andy Coggan & Dr. Stephen McGregor, leading exercise physiologists - Hunter Allen, leading cycling coach - Sebastian Webber, lead scientist at INSCYD & el Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today in episode 100, we get nearly two hours of Dr. Seiler. Our conversation is very natural, casual even, but there are so many moments of enlightenment and clarity. We learn about the inception of the polarized method, from the creator himself. We discuss Dr. Seiler’s current research on the all-important aerobic threshold. And we jaw about the future of sport science. Get ready for the wisdom to drop. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Swim, bike, run. For our guests today putting these disciplines together represents a good day's work. Our primary guest is Melanie McQuaid, the first person to win the XTERRA world championship 3 times. She is now a triathlon coach in Canada, and she joins us to get specific and scientific about training 3 disciplines. We’re also joined by former pro triathlete Whitney Garcia. Because of her path to the sport, Whitney offers clear insight into the training dos and don’ts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, my guest is Meredith Miller. She may say she's "retired" from racing, but she absolutely has not retired from the sport. She is now the Rapha Cycling Club Chapter Coordinator in Boulder. She also works with USA Cycling as a coach and mentor in cyclocross. As a competitive athlete, she was the U.S. national road champion as well as co-owner and rider for the Noosa cyclocross team. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First, Peter B., thanks for asking us about intervals. We hope our dissection of the dreaded 4x8s is helpful! Enjoy Trevor’s graphs & analysis. Next, David S. brought up a really good point: How do you adequately train for Dirty Kanza, when you live in an area that doesn’t offer the rugged terrain you’ll be faced with on race-day? Finally, Jeremiah B., you know we love to talk about when to train in Zone 1, Zone 2 & so on, in the polarized model. Thanks for your question about cardiac drift. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Case is the former managing editor of VeloNews & co-author of “The Haywire Heart." He spent a good part of his early career as a neuroscientist, from dissecting monkey brains to working with patients with schizophrenia. Whether you're in the throes of training for a multi-stage bike race, or you’re riding a trail with your kids, it’s important to keep cycling fun. We laugh about the charades of youth, & share insights into how we integrate our love of sport into a balanced and fulfilled life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today our guest is Menachem Brodie. Menachem is the owner of Human Vortex Training & has over a decade of strength training and coaching experience. As you’ll hear in this episode, Menachem has graciously gifted a chapter of his new book, “The Vortex Method,” to Fast Talk listeners. Visit FastLabs.com/fasttalk97 to get your free download. Also coming on the podcast today is Red Bull athlete, and fellow podcaster, Payson McElveen. Check out his pod “The Adventure Stache." Visit Fa Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we're pulling from the Fast Labs vault to hear from one of our favorite guests, Colby Pearce. When we asked him about pedal stroke technique, Colby gave us this monologue of gold. We are very happy to say that Colby is the newest member of the Fast Labs family. Look for his new show in the coming weeks. We also caught up with reigning U.S. national road race champion, Ruth Winder, of Trek-Segafredo for more on how to train the pedal stroke, on and off the bike. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, with the help of two very talented technical gurus, Lennard Zinn and Nick Legan, we explain the complexities of the tire, tire pressure, and how those things lead to changes in comfort, grip, rolling resistance and much more. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @RealFastLabs. As always, we love your feedback. Email us at [email protected] or call 719-800-2112 and leave us a voicemail. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guess which one of our all-knowing hosts is an expert on Baby Yoda, and who hadn’t even heard of him until this recording? Or, more importantly, what is a palindrome? Welcome to our 2nd bonus episode of Fast Talk where Chris and Coach Connor are once again tackling your important questions! First is a question about training while fasting, then some goal-setting analysis, and finally some more discussion on the polarized approach. Submit your question: call 719-800-2112 or email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we’re joined by Brent Bookwalter of the Mitchelton-Scott WorldTour team, a man of both wisdom and humility, for a full conversation on balancing life and sport. We don’t all deal with the issues related to pro cyclists’ in our own lives, there are common themes about self-care, and working to keep your passions alive that we can all relate to. Today we also spoke to coach Katie Compton, and two of our favorite coaches and soon-to-be Fast Labs podcast hosts, Grant Holicky & Colby Pearce. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to this bonus episode of Fast Talk. These new episodes, which we’ll publish every other week, will run shorter than our regular episodes, and they’ll be geared toward answering your questions. All in all, they’ll contain the same great content you’ve come to expect from Fast Labs. If you have a question, give us a call at 719-800-2112 and a voicemail. If we can hear you loud and clear, we may include the recording in the show. As always, email us at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we're here to remind you that successful training is not determined by data and statics 100% of the time. Our main guest is former professional cyclist turned coach Julie Young, whose road racing career stretched over a decade with teams including Saturn and Timex. She continues to race and is currently part of the talented team behind the Kaiser Permanente Sports Medicine Endurance Lab in California. We’re also joined by Coach Steve Neal, as well as Trek-Segaf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Base training has traditionally been all about long, slow rides, but we've found some innovative approaches to improving training this time of year. Today, we’re discussing how best to deal with Base Season training challenges including poor weather and limited daylight. Our primary guests today are Andrew Randell and Steve Neal, the owners of Toronto's The Cycling Gym, joined by one of their athletes, Jeremiah Groen. We’ll also hear from pro roadie Erica Clevenger, as well as Lennard Zinn & Bruce Bir Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s show is about physiological testing. The result of a good test is a robust set of data specific to you, which can help you understand things like your true training zones & how well you can get up tough mountain climbs. Our guest is Jared Berg, exercise physiologist at the University of Colorado Sports Medicine & Performance Center. 2020 will be the year when Fast Labs expands beyond Fast Talk! Expect more from Colby Pearce & Grant Holicky soon. Check out www.FastLabs.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we're racing only three or four times a year, do we still need to periodize our season? Can we be on form all year round? Today we'll dive into planning a season with limited racing, asking the questions: What can we learn from the pros? What can we not take from pros? Then we'll look at several scenarios, including having four or five races in a short time frame, four or five races that are spread out, a single focus event, and the non-racer who just likes to smash. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Fast Talk, we’re going to discuss four of the most common overuse and imbalance injuries in cyclists and how to address them with off-the-bike work and proper bike fit. Patellar tendinitis, pelvic obliquity, back pain, and thoracic kyphosis, are fancy terms that our today's guest, Jess Elliott, the owner of Tag Performance and University of Denver faculty member in Human Performance and Sports, will help you understand. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ve received so many intriguing questions from our listeners, it was time to devote an entire episode to answering them. We appreciate the feedback, and generate many future podcast topics from your questions, so please keep them coming. You can always email us at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Fast Talk, we're going to cover: • Basic structure of a research study • Concepts needed to understand scientific research • Understanding scientific methods • Preferences among researchers • A study’s endpoints • The concept of the false null hypothesis Our primary guests are Dr. Jim Peterman, a professor of exercise physiology at Ball State University & Nate Wilson, a former elite U23 racer & head coach at Catalyst Coaching. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We sit down with George Bennett of the Jumbo-Visma WorldTour team to get a better understanding of how pros at the highest level of the sport train, and what amateurs can learn from those methods. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on Fast talk we’re diving into nutritional training: 1. Scientific approach to figuring out carb needs 2. G.I. distress 3. Race nutrition 4. Why most people can only absorb 60g of carbs/hour 5. Best mix of carbs to improve absorption 6. Dedicating time every week to training your gut 7. Potential health concerns, microbiome, and l-glutamine We're joined by Dr. Asker Jeukendrup, as well as Katie Compton, Colby Pearce & Ryan Kohler. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There’s a critical distinction between adaptation and recovery. In fact, sometimes what helps one, hurts the other. Recovery is about doing what you can so the legs are ready for your next workout. Adaptation is about the body repairing the damage caused by training—if the training provides enough stress, it will repair the system to come back stronger. But what’s good for that repair process may have you feeling less than perfect on the bike the next day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s been a long time coming, but Fast Talk is finally taking on cyclocross! Today on the pod: - Why cyclocross is so unique to the cycling world - What assets you need to be a good ‘cross rider - The short race season in cyclocross - Unique training side of cyclocross - ‘cross races - strategy, course inspection, & selecting gear Our primary guests today are Grant Holicky, one of his athletes Maxx Chance, Ellen Noble, and Katie Compton. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Complex training prescriptions are becoming increasingly popular. In this episode, we ask the question: Does it really need to be that complex? What do you gain from this complexity? With the help of seven different experts — coaches, scientists, and athletes — we’re going to try to make three key points: 1) human physiology is very complex; 2) properly executing intervals is very difficult; 3) but, the prescription should be simple. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we discuss how to use energy most effectively. We’ll define energy and discuss the pros and cons of trying to measure it. We’ll dive into all the ways you can unnecessarily waste energy including responding to every move, riding in the washing machine, poor positioning, and riding on the front for no reason. After we talk about all the ways you can waste energy, we’ll flip it around and talk about ways to save energy! Our guests today are Colby Pearce, Sepp Kuss, and Bruce Bird. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For three weeks every July we watch the best bike racers in the world tear themselves apart for four-plus hours per day at the Tour de France. Could we ever do something like that? What exactly does it take to race the Tour — physiologically, mentally, spiritually? Each day these phenomenal athletes race an event that would shatter most of us in just one day. It’s a feat that’s hard to comprehend, so today we’ll try to give a sense of what it takes to race the Tour. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices