Tip #125.
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)
119. Peanut butter is the perfect power food. It has a good glycemic index and is easily digested—unless you are allergic to peanuts! Mixing it with honey makes it even better.
120. Early digestion is key to having good energy for race day. Use Metamucil if you don’t want to race with any extra weight.
121. Bring your own food. Don’t depend on others.
122. Race hard. Recover hard.
123. Seek out an experienced coach who didn’t learn everything off the Internet. A successful, well-known coach with references might be a few dollars more, but certainly worth the investment.
124. No, shaving your legs is not a prerequisite to enjoying cycling.
125. Choose the right wheels for the course. And no, they don’t have to match in depth.
126. Higher tire PSI is not always better! Vertical bounce, rolling resistance and chance for puncture must be taken into consideration.
127. Never give up; always finish and you’ll learn something every time. The motto, “Winners never quit and Quitters never win,” is one of our favorites.
128. Know your competition, study them before the race, know their race number for the day. Some go as far as writing them on their top tube.
129. Adjust your calories for the miles. Don’t over or under eat!
130. Lighter equipment is not always better. Reliability trumps weight.
131. Lighter body weight is not always better; it’s about body composition.
132. Always go to the start line alert and ready to go. Be prepared for the early break, or better yet, launch one.
133. Good body definition does not always mean a rider is strong.
134. A good training base makes for a good race season.
Tip #135.
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)
135. Never, ever, chase down your own teammate. Let other teams do the chasing.
136. Always know the wind direction. Read it during the race, as it can change. Especially know wind direction on a sprint finish.
137. Always represent your sponsors on the podium. It’s the least you can do.
138. Prevent getting sick. Use hand sanitizers daily.
139. Take your chamois off right after the race to avoid rash, infection and saddle sores. An ounce of prevention will prevent illness and save two weeks off the bike.
140. Sinus rinses, for example the Neti Pot, will help decrease sinus infections and maintain your health, especially after riding hours in the wind, air pollution or bad weather conditions. |