Articles and Resources

Training, nutrition, and mindset information based on science and experience to help support you in your cycling, triathlon, and running goals.

Training for a 100-Mile Gravel Race and Making Your Training Plan
Training Karen Talley Mead Training Karen Talley Mead

Training for a 100-Mile Gravel Race and Making Your Training Plan

Training for a 100 or more mile gravel race can be both daunting and exciting, and anyone can do it—as long as you are willing to put in the effort. While that may be a significant effort, you can still get there even if you have limited time to train—especially if you have a good training plan. Learn how to prepare to complete a 100 mile gravel race. Select a training plan or create your own.

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Sports Nutrition For Endurance Athletes
Sports Nutrition Karen Talley Mead Sports Nutrition Karen Talley Mead

Sports Nutrition For Endurance Athletes

While there is not a single answer to sports nutrition that works for cyclist, triathlete, or runner, there are several elements that are important for everyone, and a few general guidelines can help you find a starting point for your sports nutrition plan. This article discusses key foods to include in your diet on a daily basis, foods to avoid for general health, how much carbohydrate, fat, and protein endurance athletes need, and high-level nutrition for training and racing.

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Weight Loss for Endurance Athletes
Sports Nutrition Karen Talley Mead Sports Nutrition Karen Talley Mead

Weight Loss for Endurance Athletes

Whether you are cycling, running, or swimming, It can be difficult to both lose weight and gain fitness at the same time. If your goal is to be faster, most athletes will benefit more from focusing on training over weight loss. However, if you are at a point in your season where it makes more sense to focus on weight loss, or if you need to lose weight due to health reasons, the following tips can help you lose weight without sacrificing performance.

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Beginners Guide to Gravel Racing  and 100K Training Plan
Training Karen Talley Mead Training Karen Talley Mead

Beginners Guide to Gravel Racing and 100K Training Plan

This plan is designed to prepare you to complete a 100k gravel race. This plan is suitable for beginners and also experienced riders who are new to structured training. The workouts progress in intensity and duration throughout the plan to prepare you for race day. This plan is designed to make the most of your time spent riding through structured weekday workouts and a longer weekend endurance ride.

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Cycling Training Zones for Power, Heart Rate, and Perceived Effort
Training Karen Talley Mead Training Karen Talley Mead

Cycling Training Zones for Power, Heart Rate, and Perceived Effort

Whether you are training based on power, perceived exertion, or heart rate, you should be targeting different cycling training zones to achieve specific adaptations per your training plan. Races are not typically spent in a single zone, but focusing on specific zones for cycling training is effective because it allows you to maximize efficiency and track your progress.

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Getting Started with Power-Based Training
Training Karen Talley Mead Training Karen Talley Mead

Getting Started with Power-Based Training

Training with power allows you to track fitness changes, identify weaknesses, and use quantifiable data to determine if your training is effective. This can all allow you to be precise and efficient with your training. For these reasons, training with a power meter or a smart trainer is a great way to get faster–but only if you use it right. Learn a few basics to make the most of your power meter.

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Mobility for Endurance Athletes
Mindset and Wellness Karen Talley Mead Mindset and Wellness Karen Talley Mead

Mobility for Endurance Athletes

You are probably aware that you “should” be stretching and foam rolling and doing yoga, etc, but do these things really have an effect on athletic performance for cyclists and runners? And does it matter if you can’t reach your toes anymore? Research is limited and difficult to quantify on this topic, but in general, studies agree that there is a benefit.

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