The Strategic Edge of Winter Cycling

1.Building a Robust Power Foundation:

Mountain biking and cyclo-cross, with their high-power efforts over varied and challenging terrains, are unparalleled in developing muscular strength, cardiovascular endurance and explosive power. The rigorous physical demands of navigating through the mud and obstacles require repeated bursts of power, highly fluctuating pedaling forces and stamina that benefits road racing and triathlon performance. In fact, two of today’s most powerful riders in the peloton, Mathieu Van der Poel and Wout van Aert, both came from a cyclo-cross background.

2. Enhanced Bike Handling and Pedaling Skills:

The technical skills required for off-road cycling, from sharp turns to balance on uneven surfaces, refine your bike handling abilities. Further, the slippery surfaces require precise timing and the application of pedaling forces to keep your tires hooked. Hilly courses encourage an even circular power distribution and pedaling efficiency. This skill transfer makes you a more confident and efficient cyclist on any terrain, ensuring that when race season arrives, you're not just stronger, but also more skilled.

3. Mental Toughness and Focus:

The unpredictable conditions and rigorous demands of winter cycling disciplines foster a heightened sense of mental resilience. Learning to push through cold, discomfort, and technical challenges mirrors the perseverance and strategic thinking required in the boardroom, enhancing your capacity for focus and endurance in all aspects of life.

4. Bone Density for Older Athletes:

A health benefit to spending some time on rougher terrain is increased bone density. Cyclists are notorious for being very fit but having low bone density. The added impact sustained while riding off-road has a stimulatory effect on bone density, which can overcome the andropause and menopause symptoms.

Navigating the Challenges

While the benefits are compelling, winter cycling disciplines come with their set of challenges for executive athletes. The technical nature of mountain biking and cyclocross do pose some steep learning curves for novices and this could lead to more risks on slippery terrains. Gradually increase the difficulty levels as you get more comfortable and let yourself be guided by an experienced rider on known courses.

Embrace the Winter Challenge

Mountain biking and cyclo-cross offer more than just off-season training; they are a conduit for transformative growth, both physically and mentally. As you navigate the winter trails, you're not just preparing for the next race season; you're building the strength, stamina, and strategy that fuel success in every aspect of your life.

So, to my fellow executive athletes, embrace the chill of winter as your ally. Let the rugged terrains of mountain biking and the demanding courses of cyclo-cross sculpt you into a formidable competitor, ready to take on the racing season and the boardroom with renewed vigor and vision. The off-season is your season to rise.

Don’t forget. It is the small daily steps that turn into positive habits, patterns, and beliefs ingrained in body and mind. Enjoy the journey!

In the world of high-stakes decisions, relentless schedules, and the constant pursuit of excellence, executive athletes find solace and challenge in the endurance realms of triathlons and marathons. Yet, the call of the untamed path, the allure of trail running, beckons with unique rewards and adventures. This blog is dedicated to you, the executive triathlete and marathoner, to inspire a shift from the pavement to the path less traveled - the trail.

Why Trails?

• Physical and Mental Fortitude: Trail running propels you into varied terrains and elevations, sculpting a robust physique and enhancing your agility and balance. This physical engagement is mirrored in your mental prowess, honing a resilience and focus that transcends into your executive life.
• Stress Alleviation: The natural ambiance is a balm for the stressed executive mind, offering a tranquil refuge from the relentless pressure and noise. Engaging with the outdoors triggers a positive psychological response, reducing anxiety and elevating mood.
• Joint Preservation: The softer, more forgiving surfaces of trails are gentler on your joints, allowing for longer, injury-minimized running careers. This aspect is particularly beneficial for executive athletes, ensuring longevity in both your professional and athletic endeavors.
• Engagement and Variety: Trails offer a dynamic running experience, with every turn presenting a new challenge or vista. This variety keeps the mind engaged, making each run an adventure rather than a chore.
• Increased Stability and Balance: The uneven surfaces encountered in trail running require more from your stabilizing muscles, improving your balance and core strength over time.

 
Mitigating the Risks
Trail running is a rewarding activity that combines fitness with the beauty of nature, but like all outdoor activities, it requires respect for the environment and an awareness of the inherent risks.

• Increased Injury Risk: Due to uneven terrain and obstacles requires heightened vigilance. Start with easier trails and gradually progress to more challenging ones as your skills and confidence improve use appropriate gear, especially trail running shoes that offer better grip and stability.

• Navigational Risk: With many trails in remote areas the risk of getting lost or injured without support can best be cancelled out by running in group or with an experienced guide. If you run alone, make sure to tell somebody where you are going and when you are supposed to be back. Let somebody track you via your sports watch or Airtag and bring a phone or GPS in case you get lost.
• Environmental Factors: Weather and wildlife are specific to a region and a season. Read up on what to expect before your leave. Ask locals  what to expect and for pointers on how to deal with it.

Embracing the Trail

For the executive athlete accustomed to the predictability of road running, the trail offers a refreshing departure. It's an opportunity not to just run, but to explore, not to just exercise, but to experience. In the pursuit of corporate and physical endurance, trail running stands out as a path to holistic well-being, challenging you to conquer not just the market, but the mountain.
As you lace up your trail shoes and set forth on this new adventure, remember that the trail is more than a path - it's a journey towards a more resilient, balanced, and fulfilled you. See you on the trails, where every step is a discovery.

Don’t forget. It is the small daily steps that turn into positive habits, patterns, and beliefs ingrained in body and mind. Enjoy the journey!

BONUS TIP COACH GLENN
When you go out by yourself to explore new trails, make sure to do so gradually. Add loops as you get comfortable with the terrain to expand your library of trails, and/or explore new additions with fellow runners before going alone. Make sure you bring 50% more hydration and nutrition as a spare, in case you get lost or injured in the run and need to wait for help.

As an endurance coach, I work with male and female executive athletes, and both have their own challenges. In this blog, we will dig deeper in support of female athletes with perimenopause or menopause challenges. First, as a male, I do not claim to know, so I have merely edited the inputs from the women around me, and added research to substantiate the findings. Secondly, it is important to always work closely with a healthcare professional, including a sports medicine doctor and a sports nutritionist, to develop a personalized plan that addresses your specific needs and goals.​

Perimenopause and menopause, occurring typically between 45 and 55, come with a specific set of challenges. These hormonal changes can have various impacts on the body, including changes in muscle mass, bone density, metabolism, and overall performance, even more so for executives and athletes. Here are some typical impacts of perimenopause and menopause on endurance athletes and ways to counteract these impacts through nutrition and sport activities:

Mood Swings and Sleep Disturbances:

Hormonal fluctuations during perimenopause and menopause can lead to mood swings, hot flashes, irritability, headaches or migraines, and sleep disturbances (night sweats), affecting recovery and training consistency.

Countermeasure: Prioritize sleep and stress management techniques. Maintaining a regular sleep schedule and practicing relaxation methods can improve sleep quality and mood. Your dietary choices and limitation of alcohol consumption are an integral part of your sports program and can significantly affect the intensity and timing of your menopause symptoms.

Hormonal Changes:

Estrogen levels decrease during perimenopause and menopause, which can lead to changes in body composition and muscle mass.

Countermeasure: Strength training exercises can help maintain muscle mass and bone density. Adequate protein intake is also crucial for muscle maintenance and repair. There is no indication that higher levels of physical activity would trigger menopause earlier.

Metabolic Changes:

The metabolic rate may slow down, making it easier to gain weight and harder to maintain a lean body composition.

Countermeasure: Focus on a balanced diet with the right number of calories for your activity level. Adjusting caloric intake to match your energy expenditure can help prevent weight gain. Every women can benefit from an increase in activity level focusing on strength, at least 2 days a week according to the WHO, combined with 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity. To support this, you need protein intake to build or keep muscle mass. If you are exercising more we recommend focusing carbohydrate intake from whole foods. Endurance athletes should add more resistance training in their planning during and post-menopause to avoid muscle loss and osteoporosis.

Bone Health:

Reduced estrogen levels can lead to a decrease in bone density, increasing the risk of osteoporosis and joint stiffness.

Countermeasure: Ensure you have an adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D, both through diet and, if necessary, supplements. Weight-bearing exercises, such as running and resistance training, can help maintain bone density.

Recovery Time:

Hormonal changes can affect recovery time, potentially leading to longer recovery periods between intense workouts.

Countermeasure: Pay attention to recovery strategies, including nutrition, hydration, stretching, and foam rolling. Incorporate active recovery days into your training plan. Don’t forget that it is during recovery that you are building muscle, not during exercise.

Nutrient Needs:

Nutrient requirements, such as calcium, iron, and vitamin B12, may change during perimenopause and menopause.

Countermeasure: Work with a sports nutritionist to tailor your diet to your specific needs. Ensure you get enough iron-rich foods to prevent anemia and maintain energy levels. Vitamin D and Omega-3’s are generally great additions to your diet.

Hydration:

Hormonal changes can affect fluid balance and thermoregulation during exercise, increasing the risk of dehydration.

Countermeasure: Stay well-hydrated before, during, and after workouts. Pay attention to fluid balance, especially in hot and humid conditions.

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

As with the Testosterone Replacement Therapy with men, HRT shows substantial evidence that it helps relieve menopausal symptoms and has a positive effect on muscle mass and bone density by normalizing estrogen. Alternatively, you can look at natural alternatives in the form of phytoestrogens, like found in soy. If you are racing, make sure to check if your supplements are not on the banned substances list.

Conclusion:

Menopause is a phase of life we cannot get around, but some will be less affected by it than others. Although we need to accept it and move on, we can try to reduce the impact and consequences by focusing on a regular sleeping pattern, balanced diet focused on protein, reduced alcohol intake, 2x3 per week strength training, 150 minutes of aerobic effort, sufficient recovery, supplemented by Vitamin D, Calcium and Omega-3. If needed, consult a doctor to consider HRT to optimize performance and overall health during this transitional phase.
 
Don’t forget. It is the small daily steps that turn into positive habits, patterns, and beliefs ingrained in body and mind. Enjoy the journey!
 
Coach Glenn Bonus Tip: I am not a woman, but have seen the impact of menopause first hand through my spouse. It is not an easy journey, and certainly hard to enjoy, but know that everything is cyclical. So it is important to realize that this phase will also come to an end. Enjoy the small wins and especially take control of all the variables you can to minimize the impact. You are the master of your future.

Interesting Tridot Podcast EP220: From Peri to Post

Key Symptoms

For business professionals and triathletes between 40-60, the key symptoms of andropause can significantly affect both their professional performance and athletic capabilities:

• Decreased Energy Levels: A reduction in stamina, which can hinder long business days or intense training sessions.
• Mood Changes: Including irritability and depression, potentially impacting professional relationships and personal motivation.
• Sleep Disturbances: Such as insomnia or increased fatigue, affecting recovery and daily functioning.
• Decreased Libido: A reduction in sexual desire can affect personal relationships.
• Physical Changes: Reduced muscle mass (sarcopenia), and bone density (osteoporosis), directly impacting athletic performance and physical resilience. The reduce metabolism, together with increased leptin and insulin resistance tends to increased body fat.
• Cognitive Decline: Difficulty in concentrating and memory lapses can hinder decision-making and productivity.

Causes

​The primary cause of andropause is the natural decline of testosterone levels as men age. However, certain factors can exacerbate this decline, especially for business professionals and triathletes:

• Stress: High levels of stress, common in competitive business environments and intense physical training, can further reduce testosterone levels.
• Poor Lifestyle Choices: Including inadequate nutrition, lack of sleep, and excessive alcohol consumption.
• Overtraining: Particularly relevant for triathletes, can lead to hormonal imbalances and exacerbate symptoms.

5 Actionable Strategies for your age

For men experiencing andropause, especially those in demanding careers and sporting activities, several strategies can help manage symptoms according to age: