Alison Powers - Featured Blogger

This past weekend, I took a 3 day mountain bike coaching course to attain my Level 2 BICP (Bicycle Instructor Certification Program) certification. It was amazing.

For most of us, 2020 has been a year long "off-season". Most races have been canceled, and personal and athletic goals have shifted. But, I would not call what most people did this year an "off-season". Some of you were training harder and with more quality than you ever have. Without races, we have had an 8 month training season. 

A recent post-workout comment, one of my athletes wrote, was, "I had no idea this workout was going to be so hard. I could not complete it." That comment, for me, was puzzling because within the workout description was, "this is a hard workout. Be ready to suffer."

"At a recent event, to talk about and grow women's cycling, I was asked what the biggest limiter I see that athletes have to overcome to achieve success. My thoughts went right away to things like; kids, a demanding job, lack of financial resources, living in a place that's challenging to get quality training, etc. But the more I thought about it, I realized motivation can overcome hurdles like these." 

As the last few days of 2019 come to a close, I'd like to give thanks to our community of athletes who have allowed ALP Cycles Coaching to be a part of their cycling journey. Our athletes represent many disciplines: road, track, para-cycling, cyclocross, mountain biking, gravel, and Zwift.

Come Cyclocross season, or during the lead up and build to CX season, we are often asked about running. Should our athletes run in preparation for CX? The short answer is - yes. But, it's not that cut and dry. 

Summer is winding down and many parts of the country have already seen a shift of weather, signaling the end of a long road season and for others the start of cyclocross season. Whether you take a break now from structured training and racing or do it after cross, it's important to get the most out of your off-season. This is where the biggest gains can be made.

It’s finally summer time. The weather is nice and the days are long. However, for many bike racers, June is a tough month, motivation wise.  Early season races have come and gone, goals have either been met or not quite achieved, you pretty much know how your season is going to turn out.

"Looking for a workout that will help you win a bike race? Look no further than Race Winning Intervals. These intervals will help you attack and get off the front of the race, then be able to stay on the gas to stay away, and finally, sprint for the win. After a good warm-up you will do 4 intervals of 3:40 min."

"We Alp Cycles Women's Racing Team headed to Leadville, Colorado for #alpfatcamp - three days of fat biking, Nordic skiing, yoga, and team bonding. Some teammates were meeting for the first time, and others were completely new to fat biking and Nordic skiing. At 10,000ft with cold temps and new equipment, we were all in for a great adventure."

For the past 3 years, ALP Cycles Racing has had Spring training camp in Grand Junction, Colorado. Each year, it has proven to be so much more than a training camp. This year, was no different with a daily exercise of flexibility.

The art of being prepared comes down to one thing - no surprises on race day. 

Preparing for race day is more than training and recovery. Success on race day requires precise preparation. This means the things you can control should be dialed in, ready, and give you confidence to have the best performance possible. 

Two weeks ago, while in Leadville for ALP Cycles Racing's Winter Training Camp, a few of the riders asked me if I had started to train yet, and if so, how it's going. A bit of history here: 3 months ago, I signed up for the 141 mile Steamboat Gravel race in August. My reply to the if I had started to train or not question was, "I'm more in the training to train phase. Meaning I have to get my body back to a place where it can handle a training load required." 

We are excited to announce the addition of a Cyclocross Women's Race team to our ALP Cycles arsenal. ALP Cycles Racing is a women's race team based in Boulder, Colorado which augments individual professional coaching with race team techniques and camaraderie. By providing coached training rides and team races with team race strategy. ALP Cycles Racing hopes to change the way local race teams train and race. 

When I was 14 years old, I started mountain bike racing. With very little fear, and no sense of self preservation, I crashed - a lot. I loved to ride my bike, loved to get my legs burning and heart pumping, and I was a little bit competitive. But, I had absolutely no skills. 

"I'm 100% sure I can't do this." I told the yoga instructor after she showed us the next pose we were supposed to get into and hold. With tight shoulders and a delicate elbow, I was sure that my body would not get into or like the pose. The nice instructor came over and, in less than a minute, I was in the pose doing something I was convinced my body couldn't do and it actually felt good.

In order to reach peak performance during competition, our bodies and minds need to be prepared and ready. What goes on between our ears leading up to the competition and during competition can make or break the result.

Each month, the ALP Cycles Coaching get together for a coaches meeting. We discuss training, ask each other questions, throw around ideas, plan events, come up with ways to take over the world, etc.

"Preparing for the World Championships feels like preparing for any other race. Only this time I traveled to Europe about 4 weeks before and raced 2 stage races equaling in 10 race days over 11 days total. After that block was finished it was about some recovery and then back to work continuing to build over the remaining two weeks."

Riders who, in my mind, were on better teams, who had better equipment and who being provided better opportunities, were beating me. After years of pushing back weakness, I had no idea I was the one holding myself back. Relying on myself was causing me to not grow as an athlete or teammate- and thus as a person.

The art of being prepared comes down to one simple thing—no surprises on race day.

Preparing for race day is more than training and recovery.  Success on race day requires precise preparation. This means the things you can control should be dialed in, ready, and give you confidence to have the best performance possible.

“Fail to prepare and prepare to fail”—famous quote by someone who inspires people to get their sh*t together.