 | | Hunter Allen |
A Word From Hunter
Spring is here! Hooray! Finally, after a long winter, riding outside on a daily basis will be the norm once again.
I just returned from our first ever camp in Mallorca (pictures here!), and I can say wholeheartedly that Mallorca is cycling paradise. The island contains everything a cyclist wants: small roads, respectful drivers, incredible climbing and fast descending, picturesque vistas, and of course a coffee store or restaurant at the top of nearly every mountain climb! We had a solid group of campers and got in some great training stress. My TSS for the week was 1,100, which was a big increase from my normal 500-600 a week. Thank goodness for all the great Skratch Labs drink mix we consumed to prevent cramping! We rode on the flats for easy days and then had some big days in the mountains, including our long day over three major mountain passes (I scored 345 TSS for the day). The rides were what I call "power foundation" rides with a bit of the "kitchen sink" thrown in. We did a bit of everything from short little poppers to long threshold climbs, with plenty of endurance. Stopping every day halfway through the ride and eating lunch at a local caf� makes all the difference in the world when absorbing such a large increase in training stress...and there's nothing like a mid-ride coffee!
When you get a chance this spring, be sure to get in some of those longer rides. Be excited to go for 4-6 hours and push yourself a bit, because this kind of aerobic work is what you need to solidify your winter threshold improvements and at the same time push that FTP up another level. Focus on pushing yourself in the last 30-45 minutes so that you're in upper tempo zone (85-95% of FTP) so it fatigues you to a higher level at the end, which should in turn help you adapt and get stronger for the next weekend. I love doing "kitchen sink" workouts in middle to late spring, because they just work.
Many of you will begin racing soon, maybe even this weekend. If those races are shorter and you have the time, I recommend that you go ride for a couple hours after every race, doing some additional intervals to create more training stress. Before your race, think through a race strategy for you and your team so that you can prepare for different scenarios when the race starts. If you're doing a long road race that might stretch your endurance, then sit in for at least the first half of the race. If you miss the break, well, you missed the break, but generally most road races are won in the last third of the race anyhow, so it's always a good bet to save energy in the first road races of the season. On the other hand, if you're flying right now and ready to win, be attentive in the first third of the race, as there could be some other very strong racers who want to ride hard from the start and see if they can make it to the finish in a small group.
Strategies and tactics are so much fun, and employing them to success is even more fun! Read my article below about this topic; I know it will help you with your races this spring.
Make it a great day!
Hunter
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Winter is finally over, and spring is once again gaining the upper hand. Podiums await! Hunter shares some strategies and tactics to win different types of competitions. 
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This is a great time of year for triathletes. We're getting close to the racing season, and it's finally starting to feel like all our off-season training is getting us somewhere! Coach Nick offers tips to optimize the balance between bike and run training.
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Nutrition Notes
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Good food doesn't have to be complicated. Looking for dinner ideas? Try this delicious salmon blending the pleasing flavors of ginger and lime. Hello, taste buds!
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Hunter Reviews Speedplay
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 After struggling with knee discomfort, I was given the opportunity to ride Speedplay Zero pedals. I've been riding them for a year now, and I'm hooked. Here's why:
1. The adjustability is amazing. I need a higher degree of personalization to my cleat, since my right toe points outward a couple degrees and my left foot is nearly perfectly pointing straight, and the Speedplay Zero gave me that ability.
2. I can choose between a micro-adjustable float or a fixed position. The Zero cleat gives me the ability to customize each leg with micro change, which went a long way in solving my issues.
3. Dual-sized entry. I NEVER have to think about it. Don't get me wrong; I wasn't wasting a lot of energy thinking about clipping into my old pedals, but it did take a second of focus to make sure it was going in correctly. Now it just works.
4. Platform and stack height. Just like all the materials state, the platform really is bigger, and I have never ridden any other system with such a solid platform-connected-to-the-foot feeling. Once you're clipped in, you totally feel connected and solid; no flex, no tilt, just solid platform. That being said, I also have to add that I was pleased with the lower stack height and ended up lowering my saddle a touch.
5. I loved the low clearance and low weight, a great combination. I can corner a little harder, pedal through a little more, and weigh a little less.
I love the system and am really glad to have switched to the Speedplay Zeros. The adjustment ability, ride quality, power transfer, and low stack height have improved my cycling and produced results for me.
Click to read Hunter's full review.
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What our Athletes Say About Us
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Todd has done an excellent job. He is highly responsive (something that my prior coach was not). He has an excellent understanding of how to balance intensity, volume and rest in order to produce optimal results. I have really liked the progression of the workouts and the variation. While I'm definitely training hard, I feel that I'm training much smarter than in the past. Todd understands my goals quite well and is attentive to the big picture.
Coach Todd's response:
Jerry is a master with time management and getting the rest he needs to assimilate the hard training into progress. I'm looking forward to seeing his hard work pay off!
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Thinking about investing in a power meter this year? Is 2014 your season to really dig into analyzing your data? Attending our spring training camps is a great way to literally take power for a test ride; PowerTap will be at both camps with demo wheels available for our campers' use. You can also check out their products in our store.
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We now offer Skratch drink mixes in our store! If you haven't had a chance to try these tasty ride drinks, come see us at camp! We'll have plenty of mix available for all our riders. Taste the difference! All real, all natural, all good.
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We are excited to be riding Pinarello this year! Hunter, Scott, and Tim will be leading the charge on their new Dogma 65.1s, showing us all how it's done.
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Bedford, Virginia, April 13-18, 2014
This special edition of our most popular training camp was designed for coaches, competitive riders, and serious power trainers. Come spend a week with Dr. Andrew Coggan and Hunter Allen to ride and learn about the science of power.
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Bedford, Virginia, April 21-26, 2014
The Blue Ridge Mountains are the perfect spot for a spring cycling camp; you get both challenging climbs and quiet country roads. The goal of this camp is to improve your ride skills, techniques, race tactics, and race strategy. Start the season right!
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Mallorca Foundation Camp
What an amazing week! We had the privilege of riding with some wonderful people to some incredible places. If you haven't spent time riding in Mallorca, it is a must for your bucket list. Thanks to all who attended the camp! Click for more pictures. 
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FREE Webinars from PowerTap
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Sponsored by PowerTap, these two free webinars will give you a boost no matter what level of training you're on. Space is limited, so register today!
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So you've taken the plunge and invested in a power meter. Congratulations! The next step is to understand the basic principles and practices of power training, and you're invited to join us for an interactive web presentation on five key steps of power training that form a simple but effective system as you start training with power.
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If you're ready for the next level of power training, join us for this sequel webinar to learn the advanced techniques of power training that will help you maximize your results! Hunter Allen will present four important aspects of training with power and will discuss top areas of data analysis.
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We've got the best job on the planet: helping athletes accomplish great feats and achieve inspiring goals. We've picked three athletes to feature this month, and you can always read more on our athlete accomplishments blog.
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Hernan aced his first race of the
season with an incredible sprint,
averaging 574 watts over his
final 25 seconds, with a peak of 848 watts in his jump. Great win, Hernando! PCG Coach Hunter Allen
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Despite being feverishly ill with a malady caught from his daughter, Lefteris took on the Pakita climb and came away with third place overall. Way to hang in there, Lefteris! PCG Coach Bill McLaughlin
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Richard competed in the Goa, India triathlon for third place overall and then followed it up two weeks later with first place at the Prune Triathlon. Congrats! PCG Coach Lisa Tonello
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Coach Tip: What do I wear on my ride today?
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Our coaches possess a wealth of knowledge and experience, which is of course why they coach for us. Each month we feature notes or tips from one of them, and this month we learn from Karen Mackin, PCG elite coach. This March has certainly been colder than normal, and I've been outside in much colder weather than I would like to be riding in. One of my biggest problems with cycling in the cold (and possibly wet from snow still on ground and melting into the streets) is WHAT TO WEAR!!!! I've found it very helpful to include some information in my log, such as:
1. The weather. What was the temperature at the beginning and end of my ride? Was it was sunny? Cloudy? Wet?
2. What I wore. I get super specific, down to which of my hundred pairs of cycling gloves I happened to pick that day.
3. How hard the ride was. Luckily we have Intensity Factor to know how hard the ride was -- maybe a super hard ride that generated much more heat than an easy recovery ride. This definitely is part of the equation!
4. How it all worked out. Was I too hot? Too sweaty? Too cold? What did I end up taking off?
After you log a few rides in a variety of weather conditions, you can nail down exactly what to wear without taking valuable training time stuck in the "what to wear" conundrum.
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Check out the hottest items in our store! Questions? Email Brandi or call us at 540-587-9025.
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NEW to our store!
Skratch Labs creates its products with real, all-natural ingredients to optimize performance and health for both sport and life. Check out the exercise hydration mix, daily electrolyte mix, storage items, and more!
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We're finally seeing the first signs of spring, which means it's time to head outdoors and ride! And that means it's time for some new duds. Check out our great bundled deals in our sharp new look for 2014!
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Looking for an edge on your competition this season? Try BeetElite! Pure ingredients with the benefits of beets served in a convenient package for easy travel. A must-have for the competitive athlete.
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Make it a powerful day!
Hunter Allen
Founder/CEO
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