What it's like to have a cycling coach

Yesterday I had a one on one ride with my coach, so I thought this was the perfect opportunity to share my personal experience with having a cycling coach! It's one of the most frequently asked questions I get, so I hope this helps cover a lot of the answers. For those of you who don't know, in January of this year I decided to find a structured way of cycling to help myself stick to it more consistently. (You can read more about my back and forth, here). I started off by doing two things; I got a Garmin 510 and I hired my coach and professional cyclist, Mike Stone. In the beginning he starts you out by having you answer a list of questions and talking to you about your short/long term goals. Once he has an idea of what you're working towards, he gets you set up with a Training Peaks account, and has you complete a power or heart rate test to establish your data. He covers a variety of workouts including core strength, cycling and running depending on what you're training for. Every Monday I can expect to get a text/call asking how I'm feeling, and later on that day my workouts for the week will be listed in Training Peaks. Throughout the week I can write in how I was feeling during that workout and Mike checks in with me periodically throughout the week. He knows how busy I am, and on the rare occasion that I add in or take out a race last minute, he's great about changing up my plan if needed.

Having a coach as a beginner was great because it has helped me have continued guidance, taught me a lot about what I'm doing, and has improved my fitness and bike handling skills immensely. (You guys, I'm 2 points away from catting up in cyclocross, ahh)! But seriously, I was finishing last or close to last every race last year and this year I've been on the podium several times - I'm so proud of how far I've come! Although he coaches more elite level athletes, I never feel like I'm just some newbie on the side, hah! Mike is awesome about listening to me complain and cheering me up when I've had a bad week or race. Sheesh, I sound like a high maintenance client, yikes - sorry about that Mike. :) Anyways, now I'm rambling - what I'm trying to say is having a coach is rad and I wouldn't be telling you guys that or paying for one for an entire year if I didn't think so.

If you are interested in chatting with Mike about coaching or want to know more about him, I'll list some of his details below.
(Mike, I'm about to brag on you!)
He races for Professional UCI continental Lupus Racing Team, he's been on the USA national team, competed in Worlds, Alberta, Tour of China, Vuelta Mexico, etc. 
He's based out of Georgia, but he also coaches remotely if needed. His clients range from beginners to elites with all goal levels and skill sets, and he offers a few packages to choose from.
Mike Stone: mikestone608@gmail.com // (770) 380-1082

I hope that helps! If you have any questions for me, you can leave them in the comments and I'll be sure to answer! 

xx
Mae

Don't forget about your core

It's too often that cyclists directly focus on their legs and disregard the rest of their body. "If you have a strong core it will increase your power to your pedals, increase your endurance, allow you to be more comfortable on the bike (specifically reducing lower back pain), take corners more efficiently and have a more efficient pedal stroke." says Lee Agur, from I Love Bicycling. Obviously I'm no professional, but I'm here to remind you to make sure you add in some core work for better results on the bike. I won't even pretend to coach you, because I wouldn't know where to begin, but I do know there are countless articles (like this one) out there with plenty of ideas and plenty of YouTube videos to help you out! I also recommend a stability ball, as those are some of my favorite workouts to do! 

xx
Mae

Workout Wardrobe Organization

Hi everyone! I'm starting to question whether or not my cycling wardrobe is larger than my regular wardrobe. With the majority of my kits in the wash, what better time to show you my attempt at organization while it's tidy! The clothing rack and compartment holder are both from Ikea, and I believe the plastic bin is from Target. This set up has helped A LOT since my closet and dresser are bursting at the doors. How is it that I have so many clothes, yet I seem to wear the same five things time and time again? Anyways, I'm off topic. I hope this helps anyone else who is struggling with workout wardrobe chaos!

xx
Mae

Tips For Staying On Track

Working out is a big part of my life. After nearly two years of back and forth with working out consecutively and then falling off the wagon, I discovered that I'm the kind of person who needs structure. Previously, I tried following a plan in a book for cycling, I joined 30 days of yoga, and even shared an excel sheet with a friend for accountability. Although all of those things were fun, I'd eventually stray away and find myself doing nothing and feeling bad about it. In January of this year I asked for a Garmin for my birthday and hired a coach. I was approaching another season of road that I wanted to compete in, since the year prior my training was pretty much non-existent, and I chickened out. Rewind to now, and I'm approaching a year of working out fairly consistently and although I'm supposed to train 6 days a week, I still have bad days (or even a few weeks) where I don't feel like doing it. I know that I love it and regret it when I don't work out, so here are some tips that help me stay motivated:

- Don't let your day affect your workout. I'm extremely guilty of this and if my day was upsetting, I tend to go home and do nothing. I've found that I should at least do yoga if I'm going to skip my planned workout. 

- If you do skip a day, just don't turn it into a habit. It happens, but remember tomorrow is a new day to get back on track. Don't give up just because of a missed day or missed week! 

- Find someone to help keep you accountable. Having a coach helps me because it didn't work when I had a friend or boyfriend as my accountability person, but this doesn't mean a friend won't work for you! Also, posting to my Instagram helps me! 

- Keep trying. If one method doesn't work for you, try something else. My best friend LOVES things like 21 Day Fix - so find what works for you! 

- Remember how far you've come and remember how much of a boss you are! Every little bit of effort is worth it, don't forget to be proud of what you've done! 

- Set a goal. Personally, I need something to work towards with some kind of accomplishment factor involved - which is partly why I race. If you aren't into competing against other people, maybe try tracking your own PR's and attempt to meet or exceed the accomplishments from the month prior. 

- Make it fun. I find myself going to as many group rides as I can during the summer because I have much more fun riding with other people. I also love photographing my rides and adding a social factor into it with apps like Strava. 

Do you have any tips for staying on track? Let me know, I'd love to hear them!

One Pot Pasta

One Pot Pasta (serves 4):

I'm not much of a cook, so I go for simple and quick. This is a big go-to option for me since it's really low maintenance, fast and I can put in whatever I have in the fridge. It's extremely customizable so add as little or as many vegetables as you'd like.

Ingredients for the pasta pot:
12 oz pasta

3 cups sliced mushrooms

4 cups broccoli

8oz grape tomatoes

1/4 cup cilantro

6 cloves chopped garlic

1/2 teaspoon chili flakes

2 teaspoon olive oil

2-3 thin slices of lime (lime is strong to cook with, so if you aren't keen on it, use even less)

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups water (or you can use broth)

Ingredients for each persons individual bowl:
1/2 cup of spinach
Hot Sauce to taste (I use about a 1/2-1 tablespoon of Franks Red Hot Sauce)
Parmesan cheese (to taste)

Directions:
Combine all of the ingredients for the "pasta pot." Turn the heat on high, bring to a boil, stir frequently, and let it cook until noodles are al dente (it took mine about 9 minutes). 

This is where I serve each individual bowl in my house since we all like our pasta seasoned differently, and Zach is a vegan so he skips the cheese. For mine, I stir in a handful of spinach while the pasta is still hot, Franks Red Hot Sauce and Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Athlete Bath Bombs

The other day I was thinking about what to buy for one of my best friends who already has everything when I remembered that she handmade me a present a few years ago and I wanted to do the same for her. (Hi Liz, now you know what part of your Christmas present is). Anyways, I was pretty excited about it, so I decided to share it with you incase you were in need of a good handmade Christmas gift as well. Now you can make these for anyone who loves a good bath, but I've catered these two recipes specifically for athlete recovery. Be ready because your house is about to smell amazzzzing. 

Epsom Salt and Coconut Oil Bath Bombs : (makes 3)
Benefit: Coconut oil is moisturizing for the skin, while Epsom Salt relieves pain and muscle cramps, eliminates toxins from the body, soothes sprains and bruises, etc. Although you can use whatever essential oil you'd like, I chose Patchouli. A more earthy scent, this essential oil is known for being an antidepressant and sedative, helps speed up the recovery of wounds and prevents them from developing infections, and lastly is an aphrodisiac. 

1 1/4 cup Baking Soda
2/3 cup Corn Starch
2/3 cup Citric Acid (It took me forever to find this. I found it in the canning section of Walmart)
2/3 cup Epsom Salt
2+ teaspoons water
2 teaspoon essential oil (I used patchouli)
2 1/2 teaspoons melted coconut oil
4+ drops of food coloring

Items You Will Need:
Mold (I bought mine on Amazon, here)
Mixing Bowls
Whisk
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Tray
Metal Utensil

Start by combining the four dry ingredients and whisking until the clumps are gone. In a separate bowl, combine and mix the water, essential oil, and coconut oil (don't forget to melt your coconut oil). Optional: you can go ahead and add the food coloring now for one color bath bombs, or later if you want multi colored bath bombs - like I did below. 

Now you're going to SLOWLY whisk in the wet ingredients with the dry ones. If the mixture starts to fizz, go slower. Once it's all combined, it should be the consistency of wet sand. If it's too dry, you can add a bit more water. I separated my final mixture into a few different bowls so I could add different colors to each. 

Now you need to OVER fill both sides of your bath bomb mold. I found that packing in the mixture tightly and adding a bit more at the end before I put them together worked best for me. Do this over your bowl because you're going to lose some of the extra as your fitting the two sides of the mold together. Lightly tap the filled bath bomb mold with a metal spoon (or whatever you have around). Begin by removing one side of the mold carefully, and then the other. Put on a tray and let it dry 1-2 days, That's it! I had no problems with the mixture not sticking to each other or breaking apart, but they are very delicate so be gentle. 

The next is the Oatmeal Bath Bomb. Quick tip: Although this one is pretty and full of benefits, the oatmeal in the mixture made it harder for both sides of the mold to stick together. It's totally worth it and I've put more tips in the recipe section to help you out. I recommend only using one color or not using the food coloring at all. Incase you don't have the mixture damn enough, this allows you to retry without mixing up your pretty colors. 

Oatmeal Bath Bomb (makes 2)
Benefits: Oatmeal makes for a very relaxing bath. It's great to cleanse your skin and lock in moisture. Lavender is known to be anti-inflammatory, reduces anxiety, improves sleep and helps heal wounds. Witch Hazel disinfects wounds, helps balance skin, treats sunburn, etc. 

2/3 cup Baking Soda
1/3 cup Corn Starch
1/2 cup quick oats
1/3 cup Citric Acid
1 teaspoon Witch Hazel
1-2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon essential oil (I used lavender for this one)

You'll want to follow the same method as before. Whisk the dry ingredients together in one bowl and the wet in another. Slowly combine them together and try not to let the mixture fizz. Once it's the consistency of wet sand, pack and overfill both sides of your mold. If it doesn't stick together, try whisking in a little more water and attempt again. I found that making the mixture a little more damp than my first recipe helped the two sides of the mold to stick together.

Lightly tap the filled bath bomb mold with a metal spoon (or whatever you have around). Begin by removing one side of the mold carefully, and then the other. Put on a tray and let it dry 1-2 days before using!

Daytime Look (with no foundation!)

Some of you may have seen on snapchat or have heard me mention that I've been going through a skin care treatment for several months now. Although my acne has become significantly better, we are still working on it. During the week, I'm usually makeup free, but on the weekends I'll put it on when I'm out and about. That being said I've switched up my makeup, ditched the foundation and obtained a mineral powder. Although I'm still in the market for a new contour powder, my makeup routine has become a lot less of a pore clogging mega coverage mess, and I've introduced more products that help my skin breathe (at least a lot more than before). If you use mineral makeup or anything that's better for the skin, let me know! I'm always down to try new products (specifically contour, highlight and blush items).

Here is what I'm currently using for a quick daytime look:

Revision Intellishade with Beauty Blender
Lorac PoreFection Concealer
Glo Minerals Pressed Base
Mac Blunt Powder Blush to contour (looking to upgrade this product)
BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfecter Pressed in Opal
So Susan Universal Blush
Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade with Brush #12
Pur Minerals Eye Polish in Cashmere
Maybelline Ultra-Liner (always looking to try new waterproof eyeliner so let me know!)
Benefit They're Real! Mascara
Pur Lip Lure in Fiery

Remember to Trust the Process

At one point in my life, before I was cycling competitively, I would go to yoga a few times a week - in fact, there was a point where I was going everyday. For whatever reason, I haven't been in months. I've barely been stretching and I've done at home yoga fewer times than I'd like to admit. I'm so tight, I've lost a lot of flexibility, and I can see how it has negatively affected my cycling. 

So this week I took some time to myself and I got on the mat. I've remembered what I've been missing and now I have documentation of where I'm currently at. Maybe I can't stretch as far, hold poses or bend like I used to, but today is a new day to turn that around.

If you too have been neglecting a positive habit, remember that it's never too late to bring it back. Be good to your body, it's the only one you have. 

Oh, and don't be afraid to fail (or in my case - fall), figuring it out is the best part of the journey. Remember to trust the process. <3

Have a good weekend!

xoxo,
Mae