Dirtyheart MTB

The 2019 Wines 2 Whales is almost upon us. If you are taking part this year, you have entered the final 3/ 4 weeks of training before the race begins on the 25 October 2019. These final weeks of a 8,12 or more weekly program you have been following are critical for the perfect round up towards your event. The final 1-2 weeks before your event are considered a taper phase. This essentially means a reduction in volume, but not necessarily intensity. The interval sessions will s

The gender data gap has made headlines in recent months. Best explained via examples, it’s the phenomenon that means women are 17 per cent more likely to die, 47 per cent more likely to be seriously injured and 71 per cent more likely to be injured in a car crash, due to the use of male test dummies. It’s the lack of equal research which means women are 50 per cent more likely to be misdiagnosed after a heart attack, because trials and research have focused only on men – whos

For pro racers, off season is here and that means time off, time for vacation or time for activities that they can’t really do during race season. But even regular cyclists can get huge benefit from taking an off season break. Rest and recovery allow for a mental refocus, a physical recovery and a spiritual re boost. Five pillars of the off season: CYCLING REST: Your recovery period should last from two to four weeks. By the end of this period you should feel mentally and phy

Google, cycling mags, cycling sites, professionals’ programs, coaches, etc, there are 1000’s of info and advice on training programs; “how to get fast in 5 weeks”, Climb like Froome, descend like Greg, etc, etc, but is it really the best advice for the masses of non-professional riders? To get fast in 5 weeks, you need a few other training sessions to get you to those sessions and to climb like Froome if you haven’t followed his program for the last 10 years, is a tall order.

It's a fact of life: At some point, half the population starts experiencing hot flashes, lousy sleep, and muscle loss. But women cyclists don't have to let that wreck rides. "Hey, Selene!" It's my friend Clare from New York. She's a longtime cyclist, avid bike commuter, recreational racer, and not one bit shy about speaking her mind. She's in town for some races and has a bone to pick with me. "You write about all this cycling stuff every week, but you've never written abou

Improving amount + quality of sleep can lead to serious performance gains. Elite and professional athletes know that habits off the court (or track/rink/field/etc…) are just as important as the actual sport training. This is because secondary lifestyle habits such as stretching, diet, stress, and sleep can heavily influence performance outcomes. These well trained, highly competitive athletes are known to sleep 10-12 hours per day. Some teams even utilize sleep centers for th

I really love the concept of mindfulness, and as my regular readers know, I really love cycling, so to me, mindfulness and cycling go together beautifully. Mindfulness is about focusing on the present moment, instead of dwelling on the past, or fixating on future events. It’s about being present, even if it’s not something that brings you pleasure. And as much as I love the concept of mindfulness, I’m not always good at it. So here’s why mindfulness and cycling go hand-in

With the nightfall comes a whole new adventure to be had on two wheels – night riding. For most people who are limited by their working hours, once the autumn comes the opportunity to ride in the week takes a swift nose-dive off a cliff. So, unless you’re happy to only riding your bike just on weekends, or spending your evening on a turbo trainer at home, then you should really give night riding a go. While it sounds a little scary and maybe even intimidating, all you really

After a tough day of cycling, or a hard session at the gym, there’s nothing like coming home to a hot shower and a warm meal in the belly. When you train, you’re body breaks down stored sugars and protein to use as fuel for your muscles. After a workout, you need to eat within a 90-minute window to replenish your fuel reserves in order to aid with muscle recovery. The best foods for a post-workout meal will contain a balance of protein and carbohydrates with some fibre and ve

Mountain Biking is a fantastic way to move outside of your comfort zone. The demands of the sport can push you towards things you never dreamt were possible. The ways in which we deal with moving outside of our safe space can mean the difference between a good ride and a great one. Most of the time we like to confine ourselves in cocoons of safety. We make life a routine and don’t strive to be better people. Going for the simplest option is natural. Besides, you are safe and

Bicycling doesn’t need to be a seasonal activity. If the weather outside is lousy or the days are short, you can still keep your fitness level up by working out on an indoor bike trainer. A bike trainer allows a person to train indoors on their own bike. You simply connect your rear wheel to the trainer so that you can pedal against a given resistance supplied by the trainer meaning you can change gear and brake as if outside while remaining stationary in the comfort of your

Ali Mclean identified the need for a product in South Africa that could be used in any emergency and help not only cyclists but all sportspeople to be safer when out training. Ali shares her beginnings and how she got involved in ICE ID SA. What is ICE ID? Being a cyclist comes with many challenges and safety issues. Firstly, we have to share the road with other road users. This can pose many dangers. As mountain bikers we have some added dangers. Trails are not smooth tarre

What is the FitrWomen App? Several high-profile female athletes have identified their menstrual cycle as a key contributing factor to underperforming at a major sporting event. FitrWoman is the world’s first app to address this by providing personalized day-to-day training and nutritional suggestions tailored to your hormone levels. Based on the latest scientific research and Orreco’s years of experience working with elite female athletes, FitrWoman is built specifically wit

Most cyclists question the need for strength training as they prefer to rather spend the time on their bike. Nevertheless, people are realising that training the body in a variety of ways, results not only in getting stronger but also in preventing injuries. Cyclists understand the need for improving “power” on the bike yet strength training doesn't form part of their exercise programme. When one understands the definition of "power" and "strength" it becomes a bit clearer.

1. Train Frequently, All Year-Round The human body thrives on physical activity. Little and often always outweighs heavy training sessions interspersed by lots of days off. Our physiological systems adapt to the stress placed upon them consistently not sporadically. New or improved movement patterns are ingrained by doing them frequently not sporadically. 2. Train, Don’t Strain Many favourable adaptations to our aerobic systems can be derived from training at low intensitie

Anne-Marije Rook I recently joined a group of highly skilled mountain bikers on a trip to Sedona –a mountain biking paradise in the Arizona dessert. From pro Enduro racers to mountain bike instructors, these women were a great bunch to shred with and learn from. As the only rider in the bunch who hasn’t (yet) fully switched to the “dirtside”, I learn something new every time I go out for a mountain bike ride. 1. Come as you are With a laid-back, nature-loving and come-as-you-

As endurance athletes we tend to be very aware of what we put into our bodies. To keep up with the taxing rides, workouts and competitions, the body demands very specific fuel. Hang around a group of elite athletes long enough and you’ll see all sorts of dietary habits. However, nutrition from food alone often isn’t enough and so many use vitamin and mineral supplements to keep performance and recovery at their peak. But which supplements should you take? A stroll into any gi

Mountain biking can take you places you would never ordinarily have been, but it also has the tendency to put you in situations you would rather avoid. From medical emergencies through to mechanical failure, there are some things you only learn the hard way. But lucky for you, we can give you some handy hints on a variety of topics, all from first-hand experience (not Google. Google does not rail berms, so we're not friends ☹). 1. MEDICAL EMERGENCIES Learning some basic first

Forget Countdown, crosswords and quizzes; all we need to do is ride. Improved spatial memory, thinking skills, attention and decision making. Sex, dark chocolate, Omega-3’s and exercise are all ways to grow brain cells (or neurogenesis as the men in the white coats call it). There’s only so much omega-3 and dark chocolate we can have though, so it’s good to hear that mountain biking has got us covered. While our muscles obviously get a workout every time we ride, our brains a

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I was a fortunate beginner mountain biker. I had a great teacher: he was patient and willing to explain everything to me. Everything. But maybe you don’t have someone right beside you to tell you some of these things… so I’ll be there for you. Here are 10 not-so-obvious tips that you, as a beginner biker, need to know: 1. You do not wear underwear under your lycra shorts. I thought I was the only person who had ever done this. It