Editor's Note: Tom LeCarner, VeloNews' copy editor, is an avid cyclist who has been unable to ride and train for most of 2008 because of knee pain. He is being treated at the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine and using Specialized Body Geometry equipment and services at Specialized's expense, and reporting on his progress in regular columns. You can read LeCarner's previous columns here.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Up until a few weeks ago, my personal “camp” experiences had never gone very well. The one time I went to soccer camp, when I was 10, I cut my knee on a rock, got stitches, and later ended up on a flight for life helicopter when the whole mess got so infected one of my doctors said they might have to amputate. Fortunately the antibiotics kicked in and I got to keep my leg, but I never went back to soccer camp.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
While you may not have totally obliterated the good eating habits of last season, it's time to get your 2009 nutrition plan into shape.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Editor's Note: Tom LeCarner, VeloNews' copy editor, is an avid cyclist who has been unable to ride and train for most of 2008 because of knee pain. He is being treated at the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine and using Specialized Body Geometry equipment and services at Specialized's expense, and reporting on his progress in regular columns.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Fluid and energy packaged together appeals to cyclists.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
The last lap of the last event of my 2008 season provided a perfect encapsulation of this first year of serious training and racing. Just after passing the one-to-go sign during the waning moments of the cat. 4 Colorado state championships cyclocross race, I twisted the throttle and moved past two riders into what I’m fairly certain was a top 10 placing.
It was a crisp fall day here in Boulder as I pulled up to the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine with my bike on my car and all my gear in a bag. I was swiftly directed to the locker room and changed into my kit while my bike was rolled away to the fit lab by a staff member for “calibration.” I was then brought into the biomechanical fit lab, which was impressive, and, frankly, a bit intimidating. When I walked in, my bike was already there in the center of the room, mounted to a trainer, which was hooked up to a remote unit that controlled the wattage output.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
This week’s column begins with an apology. My act of contrition goes out to anyone who had the misfortune of witnessing one of several temper tantrums I threw at the last couple Colorado Front Range cyclocross races. See, after having one of my best career ’cross races (a come-from-the-back-of-the-pack 11th in the 35+/cat. 4s at round No. 2 of the Boulder Cup), I’ve gone three straight without making it to the finish line. And in each case I was well ensconced inside the top 10 before being taken down by mechanicals (two poorly timed punctures, one busted chain).
Well, today was my first meeting with Andy Pruitt at the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine. I was warmly greeted by staff, filled out the requisite paperwork and waited to be called in. As I waited I noticed, among the many motivational photos of the outdoors, that there were various autographed photos of athletes from around the world thanking Pruitt for his help; I was quietly hoping that the day would soon come when I’d be able to send him a photo of myself offering him my thanks…
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Editor’s note:Tom LeCarner, VeloNews’ copy editor, is a 41-year-old longtime cyclist and former racer who has been struggling with tendonitis this year. Specialized has offered to help Tom overcome his injuries with its Body Geometry equipment and treatment by Andy Pruitt of the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine. Tom will report on if and how he progresses in a regular column on VeloNews.com. His first piece here gives some background of the causes of his injuries.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Monique Ryan reviews a new study on caffeine consumption after exercise
I don’t know about the rest of my fellow weekend warrior ’cross-aholics, but race time is often also deep thoughts time. It’s not like I’m out there unfurling the complexities of E=mc2 while hopping barriers. But rarely does a race pass when I don’t find myself pondering something beyond the typical “pedal harder-don’t crash-shit, I crashed-man, I’m cracking-cool, I feel better” merry-go-round.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
At this time of year, many of us will be moving our training indoors to better deal with the elements and engage in some active recovery.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Greetings from seat 15B of Continental flight 34, Denver to Houston. It’s leg No. 1 of a two-flight journey that will deposit me in Chihuahua, Mexico, a few days ahead of next week’s seven-stage Vuelta a Chihuahua. I can’t tell you a whole lot about the race at this point, except that it has a lot of climbing (the north-central Mexican state of Chihuahua is roughly along the same latitude line as Colorado and the Rocky Mountains), Garmin-Chipotle is sending a team, and I think I’ll get to see Copper Canyon, a gap in the earth so grand it apparently dwarfs Arizona’s Grand Canyon.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Check out CyclingTips's author page.