Forget to sync your iPhone or Droid and don't have the latest episodes of your favorite Podcast? Like they say in Jamaica, No Problem – Mon 🙂
Go and get the Stitcher SmartRadio App that streams Podcasts directly to your Smart Phone. It's completely FREE and is one of the few Apps that I see using more than once or twice.
Here's why.
I'm very excited to announce that The Indoor Cycle Instructor Podcast has been selected to be part of this exclusive network. We join a number of other excellent Fitness Podcasts like; Keith Burnage's Cadence Revolution, The Get Fit Guy Ben Greenfield, The Fred Cast + all the big name news outlets like CNN and the Wall Street Journal.
Currently only the free version of the Podcast is available. The way their system is setup only new episodes, starting with #157, are available. I see that Stitcher supports a number of Premium (paid) services and I have contacted them to see if ICI/PRO members will be able to stream Audio PROfiles in the future.
Those of you who don't regularly update your device will find this very helpful.
We are seeing and hearing a new emphasis on studios offering Beginner or Introduction to Indoor Cycling classes. The idea is really very simple; provide new students with a safe and inviting class, teach them the basic techniques, let them develop their fitness and then graduate them to more intense classes when they are ready to be successful.
Programs like Cycling Fusion have learned that these beginner class are most effective when offered over a series of classes, where concepts like fit, form, technique, cadence, power, Heart Rate training zones and others can be introduced gradually.
I love the concept because I see it as an excellent way to reach people who, for multiple reasons, refuse to set foot in an Indoor Cycling class. I also see this as having huge potential to build your class numbers 🙂 Companies like Curves have built very successful fitness businesses based on providing Safe and Inviting facilities.
Beginner class aren't (and shouldn't be) dumbed down classes and to that end ICI/PRO, starting today, will begin to offer members Audio PROfiles that will prepare you to competently teach this class format.
In this latest Audio PROfile Master Instructor Tom Scotto walks you through a 30 Min intro class designed to help your new students Explore their Aerobic Fitness.
Here's your Spotify PRO/Playlist!Deezer. We have made every attempt to replicate the original playlist. In some instances the tracks specified were unavailable in Spotify. When necessary we have substituted individual songs of similar length and tried to maintain the Instructor's intent.
I came up from the “Man Cave” (my office) and heard cheers of approval and encouragement coming from our TV. I had been preparing for an interview with a nationally known Nutritionist who has some interesting ideas on how we should be communicating to our students. “What are you watching Abby?” I asked my elder daughter. “Man vs. Food” she replied. “It's a show where this guy is challenged to eat these impossibly large meals in a race against the clock.”
Maybe it's just me, but I started to getting really angry watching this very over weight show host stuff his face with a mountain of food. It took me a minute to understand where my anger was coming from, and it wasn't caused by the host.
What I was reacting to was the crowd behind him and how they cheered his destructive behavior. I couldn't help but think of similar self-destructive people like John Belushi or Quasimodo from The Hunchback of Notre-Dame who resort to self-deprecating humor as a way to seek approval of others. How pathetic.
Please watch this and tell me if I'm alone here.
Listen for the money quote;and then like an idiot, I dig in.
Which calls to mind a line from John Belushi's biggest movie Animal House (but he doesn't say it and it's directed at the Bluto – the stereotypical dumb fat guy) Have you no self respect, man?
Reaching the end of the MS150 yesterday Amy commented to me that she was still relatively fresh and willing to go longer… which was the exact opposite from last year when we arrived completely trashed at the end of both days. I was in complete agreement and began to wonder why I too felt great at the end of 150 miles in the saddle and didn't feel like I wanted to eat everything I saw for the next 24 hours.
Pulling up front, for 150 miles, riding the bus
The question we both had was WHY? This was the exact same route, distance and trusty Trek Tandem. (We call it the Bus) Our training was about the same both years… so that wasn't it. This year was a little bit cooler and there was a minimum amount of wind… helpful, but we have ridden in the wind before without needing a nap the minute we got home. So what was it?
Then we figured it out. This year we managed our intensity while pulling our team for nearly the entire distance; 150 miles over two days. And while averaging ~20MPH for the total distance we found ourselves ready for more. That's right, we pulled the whole thing 🙂
Now if you are confused as to how we were able to ride for hours without a break and still felt fresh at the end, it's really simple. I used my HR monitor as a GPS, instead of a Speedometer. Let me explain…
In years past we had two very strong members on our team: Dana and Jim. They could ride very comfortably at ~ 24 MPH, seemingly forever. Now if you don't ride outside trust me when I tell you that riding a steady 24 MPH pace takes a very fit and strong cyclist. Our strategy for the ride was to use Dana and Jim's strength to pull most of the time and the rest of us would keep up, riding in a nicely disciplined pace-line behind them. Sounds like a good plan except for one thing: with a combined total weight of ~320lbs (Me, Amy and the Bus) riding in a pace-line becomes a bit of a challenge. After years of racing both bicycles and motorcycles, riding very close to others is easy for me. Yes, Amy trusts me. Our problem was in responding to all the small changes in speed that occur in a group. In any pace-line these changes in speed can create a sort of Slinky or accordion effect that has riders in the back constantly slowing and then accelerating to catch back up. What can be easy for a single rider becomes a series of intense intervals on a 320lb tandem. Because the Slinky gets more stretched out, the farther back you are, we found that we needed to sit in the number two or three position.
As the third strongest bike in the group, Amy and I took occasional turns up front. The expectation (maybe peer pressure is a better way to describe it) was to maintain a constant 24 MPH. With one eye on my computer and one on where we were going, our pulls lasted until we could no longer keep our target MPH. I didn't pay any attention to my HR monitor other than a quick look to confirm what I was already feeling; I was way over my T2 – anaerobic threshold. Despite what you may think, both riders tend to work equally hard on a Tandem. Equally hard in relation to their level of fitness that is. If I'm above Threshold, then Amy will be as well. With both pedals solidly connected there is no way for the Stoker in the back to coast.
The end result was a fast, but very exhausting MS 150 that left us completely spent at the end of both days. And did we EAT! We would skip every other rest stop and when we did stop I would be shoving PB&J's down as fast as the volunteers would hand them to me.
This year was very different.
Guided by my Blink - Not my Speedometer
With no Dana or Jim this year we were a bit concerned about setting a respectfully fast pace that would have us showing off our sponsor's jersey, while passing hundreds of other cyclists. Amy and I decided to sit up front for a while and experiment with our speed on the flat sections. While monitoring my HR with my Blink HR monitor this is what we found:
17 MPH = ~140 BPM
19 MPH = ~ 146 BPM which is my T1 (Aerobic Threshold) or what I refer to as JRA (Just Riding Along)
21 MPH = ~ 154 BPM
23 MPH= ~ 162 BMP my T2 (Anaerobic Threshold)
So we settled into a very steady 21 MPH which we were able to maintain for hours at a time. If we encountered a change in grade or headwind I kept my HR right there in between both Thresholds, without concern for our actual speed.
Amy and I safely completed our 10th MS 150 ride this past weekend and are beginning to feel like Pros at this event. For those of you considering participation in a large fund raiser we wanted to offer you some random observations, tips, hits and misses we have learned along the way.
Observations
Join a team for your first year.
Back in the late 90s I was teaching Indoor Cycling classes at a local bike shop. One of our regular students asked if Amy and I would like to join their MS150 team. We can't begin to tell you how helpful it has been being a part of a group. The MS Society publishes a complete list of registered teams. I suggest contacting a few to see if they will allow you to join them.
Find a Sponsor
With over 3,600 participants and 1,000 volunteers, events like these are perfect for promoting most any consumer business. We weren't looking for money, but logistical support. Our sponsor this year was FreeWheel Bikes and they were invaluable to our success and enjoyment. FreeWheel provided us with their enclosed trailer to transport all our gear, our own mechanic Matt and get this… Joe (who's a professional chef) and Brian his assistant who fed us like Pro-Athletes!
Ride as a team
And if at all possible ride together before the event to get a feel for everyone's level of fitness and ability. Riding as a team means staying together for the whole ride and assisting anyone who needs help. Amy and I tend to be the leaders on the road and set the pace with our tandem. Your team needs leadership, from experienced cyclists, to keep everyone organised and safe.
Get properly fitted to your bicycle
Do you have a pet-peeve that makes you want to scream “RAISE YOUR SEAT UP!” ? 75 miles with your knees above your waist can't be fun… and yet I have never seen anyone providing even simple bike fit adjustments.
Hits
I have personally decided that Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches, on wholewheat bread, are the perfect rest-stop food! They offer a fantastic blend of carbs, protein and fats. Amy doesn't agree. She prefers to wait for the Subway's at the lunch stop.
Amy and I decided to ditch our Racing saddles in favor of something similar to what we are used to sitting on in class. Comfort at last!
Misses
We didn't see any Health Club or Fitness Studio teams… none 🙁 Beyond local bicycle retails we didn't see any fitness business listed as sponsors of the event related teams.
With 3,600 cyclists riding down the same path I'm also surprised that I didn't see some Guerilla Marketing along the way. A few cheep yard signs scattered on the trail (think Burma Shave ads from the 50's) could have communicated an offer from your studio to a highly targeted demographic.
