How to Pace a Gravel Race: Finding Your Sustainable Speed and Finishing Strong
Gravel racing has a reputation for explosive starts, chaotic early miles, and long stretches of lonely riding. But if your race lasts four hours or more, success rarely comes from the rider who attacks hardest in the first hour. It usually comes from the rider who manages effort the best. Pacing is one of the […]
Building Mental Toughness: Training Your Mind for 6+ Hour Gravel Races
All of us have been there: The moments when we question every life choice that led you to this really long gravel bike race. Maybe the weather turned brutal. Maybe you flatted. Maybe you didn’t fuel properly. Or maybe—and this is the hardest to admit—just the sheer tedium of riding for six, seven, or eight […]
Why 130-150 Mile Training Rides Matter for 200-Mile Races: The Science of Ultra-Distance Preparation
by Coach Paul Warloski When you’re staring down a 200-mile gravel race like Unbound, your longest training ride isn’t just mileage; it’s scientific preparation for the biggest physical and mental challenge of your season. While I couldn’t find specific research on long gravel events, here’s what the latest research on ultra-endurance performance reveals about why […]
Stronger Breathing, Better Racing: The Benefits of IMT and Breath-Hold Training
As a lifelong asthmatic, I’ve always had to work on my breathing—mostly with medications that helped sometimes, but not always. Asthma has unquestionably limited my ability to reach my peak performance on the bike. Lately, I’ve been exploring new approaches that are gaining traction: breath restriction tools like the Powerbreathe and breath-hold training techniques. Both […]
Eat, Sleep, Race: Peak Performance Strategies for Tour of America’s Dairyland
Several Simple Endurance Coaching athletes have signed up for the whole Colby or Cheddar series at Tour of America’s Dairyland in Wisconsin, as well as the Grit series in Chicago. We’ve been talking a lot about how to manage five days or more of daily racing. The three most important elements for a successful race […]
Mental Toughness for Endurance Athletes: 5 Research-Backed Strategies to Build Resilience and Peak Performance
by Coach Anthony James Mental toughness is what allows endurance athletes to keep going when everything hurts and quitting seems easier. Whether it’s pushing through the last miles of a race, battling headwinds, or confronting the voice of self-doubt, mental toughness helps you go farther than you thought possible. And like endurance itself, it’s a […]
Boost Your Cycling Performance with Affirmations: Strengthen Your Mindset for Confidence and Mental Toughness
This is the final installment in our three-part series on mental skills for cycling, inspired by Running Within by Jerry Lynch and Warren Scott. We’ve already explored relaxation and visualization-now it’s time to focus on affirmations, a powerful mental tool that shapes our mindset and performance on the bike. And while these articles are geared […]
The Power of Visualization: Building Success Before the Ride
Sometimes races and tough events are accomplished before the race starts.
Visualization is a powerful tool that successful athletes use to enhance their performance before competition even begins
Boost Your Cycling Performance: Mental Toughness, Relaxation, and the Power of Breath for a Stronger Mind-Body Connection
In endurance sports, mental skills are just as crucial as physical training.
Whether you’re grinding through a long climb, pushing past fatigue in a time trial, or staying composed in a chaotic criterium, your ability to manage your thoughts and emotions directly impacts your performance.
How to Build Resilience in Endurance Sports: Turning Setbacks into Mental Toughness and Growth
How to Build Resilience in Endurance Sports: Turning Setbacks into Mental Toughness and Growth Setbacks are an inevitable…
