Dear Kendra,
You can't help but be inspired by the Olympic
Games that just finished on Sunday. If you are
feeling motivated and aren't already turning
your full focus toward cyclocross or a fall
triathlon, marathon or endurance event, you may
want to use the late summer to try something
new.
If you're a roadie, for instance, try a
hillclimb or mountain bike race. If you've never
ridden the track, now is a perfect time to give
it a try. Check out track specialist James
Hibbard's article this month on the
specifics of track riding and racing. August
is also a great time to plant the seeds of
fall-time running. Check out our
tips on restarting your running while
avoiding injuries that could affect your
training time.
This month we welcome to the staff
Dr. K.C. Wilder, PhD, experienced sports
psychologist and accomplished master racer, who
is now available for consultation. And as always
we have the Resource of the Month, Quote of the
Month and Client Successes!
We want your feedback! Please write to
newsletter@wenzelcoaching.com
or call 503-233-4346 with your comments, race
stories and ideas.
~ Kendra Wenzel, Scott Saifer, and the Staff of
Wenzel Coaching
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Although not everyone has a velodrome located
nearby, almost every cyclist can benefit from
the skills that are gained from racing and
training on the track. Track racing is a unique
sport in which the bikes are different and each
type of event requires certain technical
skills. For those who are focused on the road
or mountain bike, a track oriented approach to
cycling can be a great benefit.
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New Expert:
Sports Psychologist K.C. Wilder, PhD
Wenzel Coaching would like to introduce new
Sports Psychologist
K.C. Wilder of Bucks County, PA. K.C.
has worked with elite and recreational
athletes across a broad range of sports.
She won two Master's National Championship
Track titles in 2007 and went on to place
top ten at the Master's World Track
Championships. K.C. has also been the sport
psychologist for Nike Golf Schools and
currently enjoys helping athletes achieve
peak performance in their respective
disciplines.
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Training Tip: Are You Sleeping
Competitively?
Without effective recovery, training won't make an
athlete stronger or faster. Effective recovery
requires adequate sleep on a regular basis. Most
athletes need 8-9 hours of sleep per night to
benefit optimally from their training. Some can
get by with as a little as 4-5 hours per night,
and some need more than 9.
How can YOU tell if YOU are getting enough sleep?
Consider how long it takes you to fall asleep and
whether you are routinely tired. The more caught
up on sleep you are, the longer it takes you to
fall asleep. The more under-slept you are, the
faster you fall asleep. If you routinely fall
asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow or
within a couple of minutes, you are not routinely
getting enough sleep to get the most out of your
training. If you can choose to take a nap in the
afternoon, you may be okay but if you feel
compelled to nap because you can't keep your eyes
open, you need more sleep. If at night it takes
you 5-15 minutes to fall asleep once you are in a
dark, comfortable place, you are sleeping about
the right amount. If it takes
20 minutes or more for you to fall asleep
even when you don't have stress, you are probably
trying to sleep more than your body needs.
Getting enough sleep is like eating right. Without
it you'll not be strong, even if you are doing
everything else right. If you are under-sleeping,
fixing that can give dramatic improvements in your
performance.
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Quote of the Month
"I have always struggled to achieve
excellence. One thing that cycling has taught me
is that if you can acheive something without a
struggle it's not going to be satisfying."
~Greg Lemond,
Three time Tour de France winner
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Resource of the Month: More Olympic Bike
Racing video online, free and on demand
 Thought
the Olympic bike racing coverage was lacking as
usual? NBC makes up for it online with a full fix
of coverage of many of the cycling events and even
some mix videos of such happenings as crashes,
interviews and other highlights. Don't be fooled
by the few listings on the main cycling page. Find
the "See more cycling video" link at the bottom of
the Cycling Video offerings and watch to your
heart's content.
The websites found in the "Resource of the Month"
are in no way associated with Wenzel Coaching and
we are not responsible for any information they
contain.
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Client Successes
Ray Anderson takes 1st at the OBRA Hillclimb
Championship, Men 55-59
Colby Wait Molyneux takes 1st place at the
Vancouver Courthouse Criterium and at the OBRA
TT Championships, Junior Men 13-14
Linda Bennett takes 1st at the Coeur D Alene
Duathlon, Women 50-54
Ray Anderson takes 1st place and beats his PR by
2.5 minutes at the Mt. Shasta Hill Climb,
Master's Men 51-65
Coach
Jenni Gaertner and her team take 1st at the
Coeur D Alene Triathlon, Women's Relay 99 and
Under
Mike Gaertner and his team take 1st place at the
Coeur D Alene Triathlon, Men's Relay 100-139
David Thornton and his team take 1st at
the Presque Isle Duathlon and at the Willow
Creek Tri Relay
Darrin Braun comes back from injury and takes
1st place in two races in the
Wisconsin Off Road Race Series, Men Comp
Mac Carey takes 1st place at the
Esparto TT, Master's Men 35+ 4/5
Paul Brend takes 1st in age group and overall at
the XTC Campbell River Off-Road Duathlon
Bill Lehman takes 1st place at the Vics/Rio
Grande Criterium, Cat 4 Men
Kari Studley takes 2nd place at the Indie Series
MTB White Water Revival, Open Women
Tim Butler takes 3rd overall the American
Mountain Bike Classic, Elite Master Men and 3rd
overall in the PIR Short Track MTB Series,
Single Speed
Gene Harding takes 2nd overall in the FCA
Endurance Crit Series, Men B
Carl Arriola takes 3rd overall in the FCA
Endurance Crit Series, Men B
Coach
Jeanie Bihlmaier takes 5th place in the 3k
Pursuit at the FSA Grand Prix, Elite Women
Tiffany Fish completes the Triple By-Pass, 120
miles/10,000 feet of climbing at 10,000 feet
elevation
Patrick Brock upgrades to Cat 4 after racing
very well in the International Cycling Classic
Superweek race series
Wendy Stredwick sets PR for bike split at Coeur
D Alene Triathlon
Shana Sturla is the 2008 Minnesota State Woman
Rider of the Year
Carl Arriola takes 3rd overall in the FCA
Endurance Crit Series, Men B
Tim Butler takes 3rd overall in the PIR Short
Track MTB Series, Single Speed
Rich Lytle takes 3rd place at the National 24
Hour MTB Championships, "Solo Freak" Category
Anne Linton takes 3rd place in the PIR July
Series, Cat 1/2/3 Women
Mark Rajotte takes 4th at the OBRA TT
Championships, Cat 3 Men
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Wenzel Coaching
thanks you for your business!
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Get Running! But not too quickly....
by Head Coach
Kendra Wenzel
It's soon time for many who have been cycling all
summer to lace up the running shoes. While cycling
gives you tremendous aerobic fitness, its demands on
the joints and muscles of the legs, feet and hips are
not similar enough to running to transfer over
immediately. What does that mean for you when you
haven't run since late winter?
Save your muscles and save your joints by building up
your running gradually. It doesn't matter if you ran
all the way through college or did a triathlon just
last year. If you haven't run in several months,
starting gradually will allow you to begin running
without pain.
EVEN THOUGH BOTH YOU AND YOUR COACH KNOW YOU ARE
CAPABLE OF
RUNNING 15 - 20 MINUTES "COMFORTABLY" YOUR FIRST TIME
OUT THE DOOR, ABSOLUTELY DO NOT DO IT!" Seriously.
Don't do it.
Pain means muscle damage, and even minor muscle damage
can slow you down and can take several weeks to repair
- even if the corresponding pain has dissipated.
Favoring that soreness on the bike may lead to injury
by altering the way you pedal.
A few tips to ensure
you can run all winter long:
Running stride and shoe fit are as important as bike
fit. Have your running shoes checked out. Just like in
a bike shop, a knowledgeable running store should be
able to take a look at your current pair of shoes and
tell you about your stride and what kind of shoe will
work best for you. They should even let you jog out
the door with new shoes for a test run.
Start slowly, walking up to 10 minutes before jogging
about 4 - 5 minutes your first time out, finishing up
with more walking. Add about 5 minutes each time you
run until you reach your goal running duration. Avoid
running two days in a row. Stay on softer surfaces and
flatter ground until you are consistently running
20-30 minutes or more.
Vary your running terrain often. Run on sidewalks,
trails, gravel and stairs so that you are proficient
on all sorts of surfaces. For 'cross runners, detour
around trees and practice running descents as well as
run-ups.
If you experience back or hip pain when running, check
with a local sports medicine clinic. It's good to rule
out any serious problems, and it's likely that a
combination of isolation exercises and chiropractic
care can make your running a much more pleasant
experience.
For more information on making your running transition
a success, contact your coach. |
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Bay Area Women's Clinic
Save the date of October 25th and 26th for
Wenzel Coaching Women's Clinic in Danville,
CA. Topics include training, riding skills, team
and individual tactics, nutrition and racing skills.
It's a lot of fun packed into one weekend.
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Enjoy the Wenzel
Coaching Newsletter?
Tell a friend!
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More Client Successes
Mike Gaertner takes 3rd in the 24 Hours of Adrenalin
World Solo Mountain Bike Championships, Men 35-39
Rich Sherwood takes 6th in the 24 Hours of Adrenalin
World Solo Mountain Bike Championships, Single Speed
Gene Harding takes 2nd overall in the FCA Endurance
Crit Series, Men B
Meredith Obendorfer takes 2nd place at the Howell
Mountain MTB, Sport Women 30-39
Anne Linton takes 2nd place in the High Desert
Criterium and 3rd overall in the High Desert Omnium,
Cat 4 Women
Zach Bowden takes 3rd place at the OUCH Uphill TT
and the OBRA TT Championships, Junior Men 15-16
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