We’ll be traveling to Ironman Lake Placid to support our customers participating in the event.  We wish each of you the very best and we’ll see you on the course.

We will return to our normal business hours on Tuesday.  Thank you.

I would like to apologize for the mistake of handing out everyone’s email address by accident by doing a CC instead of a BCC. I also wanted to let you know that we  fixed the issue of making sure each Perfect Fitness app consumer is aware of how many exercises are given from the exercise library. We offer 20 exercises with the app and each additional exercise is $0.99. The reason for this is to allow the consumer to perfect the exercises vs. giving them a huge amount of exercises and leaving the consumer overwhelmed. This app is to be used as if it were your own personal trainer or coach. From a coaches perspective try perfecting 3 to 4 exercise per a week and gradually add exercises to your workout. Remember by performing an exercise correctly you gain the results you desire rather than going through the motions and causing muscle imbalances or even injury.  Sorry again for the misunderstanding. Please read more about the app and its features below:

Perfect Fitness

Kinetic Loop Training System LLC

Perfect Fitness is a comprehensive app that includes an extensive exercise video library (which provides step- by-step instructions), hydration calculator, and a nutrition calculator, so you can train like the pros with all the information in the palm of your hands. Our cutting-edge program is specifically designed to help the beginner to the professional athlete achieve optimal performance. Whether you want to lose weight or learn new exercises, we have the solution for you.

Are you tired of doing the same old exercise routine?  Or are you a beginner who doesn’t know where to start?  Our app makes it easy for you to learn new exercises, which are shown in a step-wise progression. Each of the exercises is broken into the following categories: stretching, balance, core, plyometric, general (upper and lower body), and even sports specific exercises.

Exercise Library:

Perfect Fitness provides a complete video and instruction exercise library for over 300 exercises. The exercises are broken into categories. (20 Exercises are included with initial purchase. Each additional exercise is $0.99 each) For example stretching has static, dynamic, and active isolated stretching. Balance, core, and plyometrics are broken into levels 1 – 3, with level 3 being requiring the highest level of neuromuscular efficiency and eccentric strength development.

General exercises are divided into upper body and functional exercises. Sports specific exercises for running, cycling, swimming, agility, and speed workouts are also included. If you want to run like the pros, try the running drills. The cycling and swimming exercises are practical exercises that a cyclist and swimmer can do in the gym or at home to develop endurance, speed, and power.

Nutrition Calculator:

Nutrition is an important part of any athletic training program.  For endurance athletes, nutrition can mean the difference between “just finishing” and achieving a personal best.  But how do you know how much carbohydrate, protein, and fat your body needs everyday?  An elite male triathlete will have very different nutritional needs than a female recreational runner. Now it’s easy to find out with the Perfect Fitness App (PFA).

Using standardized formulas that many sports dietitians use, the PFA can tell you how much carbohydrate, protein, and fat you need each day to perform at your very best. If you want to lose weight, the calculator will assist you in achieving your goal.

Hydration Calculator:

The PFA will also tell you how much fluid to consume to stay well-hydrated. All you need to know is your weight (in pounds*) pre and post activity. Punch in those numbers and the PFA will do the rest!

Features:

•             Over 300 exercise videos with step-by-step instructions

•             20 Exercises are included with initial purchase. Each additional exercise is $0.99.

•             Hydration calculator with step-by-step instructions on how to properly stay hydrated

•             Nutrition calculator with step-by-step instructions on how to properly fuel your body

•             Pre-exercise meal requirement

•             Protein requirements based on your type of sport

•             Protein requirements for vegan athletes

•             Post-exercise meal requirements for recovery

•             Weight loss option in the nutrition calculator

•             During exercise nutrition requirements.

•             Ability to add your exercise to your favorites to create your very own workout

•             Ability to share your exercises with your friends through Twitter, Facebook, etc

Perfect Fitness was designed by Coach Michael Lovegren, M.S. Biomechanics, to bridge the gap between you, and registered dietitians, coaches, personal trainers, health and fitness professionals, so that your fitness goals could be rapidly achieved.

My Best,

Michael Lovegren_____________________________

Michael Lovegren, M.S. CES USACC

M.S. Biomechanics

Biomechanist and Coach

USA Cycling Coach

Office 562-653-6140

Phone: 970-443-8752

Trade in is available towards the following LOOK Pedals:

Kéo 2 Max Carbon.  Regularly $249.99.   Trade-In:  $189.99.
Kéo 2 Max.  Regularly $179.99.   Trade-In:   $134.99.

Fit Werx in Vermont 802-496-7570

Fit Werx in Mass 978-532-7348

Contact a Fit Werx location for details and remember that if you have been fit with us before, we have all your information on file to help size the bike properly.

Fit Werx in VT 802-496-7570

Fit Werx in MA 978-532-7348

After a couple years as a midpack racer, I’ve decided to buy a set of race wheels. I’m not sure where to start? Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

Dave , VA

Dear Dave,

Finding a well matched race wheel, like finding a well matched frame, should be based in how well a wheel addresses your individual needs and use. By gaining a general understanding of the most important variables in race wheel performance and how they relate to your individual situation, you can make an informed decision. So, what variables matter most?

Aerodynamics and Versatility - A wheel’s aerodynamics are determined primarily by its shape and frontal surface area and secondarily by the texture and pattern of the wheel’s surface. HED3 wheels are good examples of a design focused on maximizing aerodynamics through shape, while many Zipp models have dimpled surfaces (like a golf ball) and combine shape with texture and pattern to enhance aerodynamics.

Aero wheel rim depths range from about 35mm to 90mm. In general, the deeper the rim the more aerodynamic a wheel might be, but also the less versatile and more demanding it will be in side winds. The good news is that unless your speeds are consistently above 25 mph, the aerodynamic advantages of an 80-90mm deep rim or disk wheel over a 50-60mm rim depth are negligible. If side winds are a concern, don’t feel like you are giving up a lot of the aero advantage by choosing a race wheel with a little shallower rim depth and less cross section.

Lighter weight riders who are concerned about side winds and versatility should consider 35 to 45mm rim depth wheels, like the Zipp 303. If side winds are less of a concern, wheels with 45mm to 60mm rim depths, like the HED Stinger v5.0, Zipp 404 or Mavic Cosmic Carbone SL, are versatile performers. Pairing a moderate section wheel in the front, where the wind has the largest influence on handling, with a deeper section rear wheel can also effectively maximize aerodynamics, while minimizing the handling effects of side winds.

Weight and Durability - Wheels are rotating mass and this makes their weight more important than the static weight found in frames. This being said, weight influences acceleration most and its effects are most noticeable on courses that have a lot of change in speed (hills, for example). The benefits of losing weight are proportionate and a 115 lbs rider who loses 200 grams of wheel weight will have a larger relative gain in performance than a 200 lbs rider who loses the same amount.

Keep in mind that ultra light cycling products are usually designed to maximize performance first and foremost. Like a Thoroughbred horse, an 1100 gram race wheel set is designed to help you go as fast as possible in race/event situations and are not designed for everyday pothole dodging. Less polished riding styles and heavier rider weight can compound the demands on wheels, so think about your weight, riding style and use when determining how light a race wheel makes sense for you. I don’t recommend riding race wheels during everyday training. If you are going to ride race wheels daily, Mavic’s Cosmic Carbone SL is one of the few with rims and hubs that are reinforced enough for everyday use under most riders.

Stiffness and Compliance – The construction and design of a wheel determines its ride characteristics. In general, the deeper the rim and/or the more spoke material (number or size) it has, the stiffer and more torsionally responsive the wheel will be. Disks and wheels like the HED3 tend to be some of the stiffest options for this reason. Stiffness is good to a point, but too much can compromise comfort and compliance. Your wheels directly impact how your frame rides, so be sure to find a wheel that matches up well with the rest of your equipment. If your bike is less compliant and comfortable than you want, consider pairing it with a more forgiving wheel to help balance it out. If your bike is not as responsive and stiff as you want, consider a more rigid race wheel as it will enhance the overall stiffness of your bike. Companies like Zipp even make reinforced models for bigger riders or those looking to maximize stiffness.

Clincher versus Tubular – Discussing the merits of clincher versus tubular tires is a column unto itself. There are too many methods of wheel construction to generalize as to which type makes the most sense for you. With some brands, like Zipp, there are manufacturing differences between the full carbon tubular rim design and their aluminum clincher rim counterparts. In general, the tubular versions of these wheels are the best riding, lightest and most puncture resistant. However, with other brands, like Mavic, there is no difference in construction or materials between the tubular and clincher versions. In this case, your decision can be based more on tire characteristics than wheel construction. Asking a knowledgeable technician about potential limitations or problems they have seen on specific models can give you insight into what construction type in a given wheel model will work best for you.

Especially on a race wheel, do not shy away from tubular wheels just because they are different from what you are used to. Tubulars are less complicated than many people think, have some benefits over clinchers, and are the highest performance option.

Support and Price - The company(s) behind the product is often the most overlooked consideration in a wheel purchase. While race wheels offer great benefits to many riders, they are more technical than standard training wheels and have a greater likelihood of requiring factory service. Some manufacturers are more customer service oriented than others. Specialty shops work with manufacturers daily, and finding out what brand(s) the most selective retailers recommend and why is one way to find out which companies are best in this regard.

Like any product, new wheels bought through unauthorized retailers (often via on-line auctions) are not covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. Buying from a knowledgeable authorized retailer who takes the time to help you make the best decision and who supports you after the sale if you have a problem, can pay off long after your purchase.

Good luck with the search and your season.

Ian

Originally published April 2005/Copyright © 2005

Tri-Hard Endurance Sports Coaching

This article was published in the September 2004 issue of Trail Runner.

As coaches of triathletes and other endurance athletes worldwide, we are flooded with questions on nutrition. The funny thing is, behind all the five-syllable biochemical names of nutrients, the keys to good nutrition are really very simple. Our goal in this article is to help you learn these simple fundamentals.

Each time you watch the evening news or read your local newspaper, you are informed of some new nutrition “discovery”. In reality, what we need to know about nutrition, to optimize our health, we already know. The “new discoveries” are mostly interesting bits of science, but knowledge of these bits is not needed to optimize your health. In reality, the keys to good nutrition lie in our evolutionary history and in nature.

Don’t fall into the trap of following the latest trends in nutrition attempting to gain a boost in performance. The truth is that the principles of solid nutrition have not changed in thousands of years. It is these principles that should guide you and not the conflicting 30-second soundbites you hear on the evening news.

Ok, to get right too it, lets look at what foods to eat, why to eat these foods, answers to common questions, and practical suggestions for how to gradually implement changes to your daily nutrition routine that will improve your health and performance.

What Foods to Eat

A few very straightforward guidelines will help you determine what are the best foods to eat:

• Any foods that would naturally occur in nature and that can be eaten by humans with minimal processing are good food for you to eat. These foods that naturally occur fall into one of two categories: plants and animals. Think of it this way: If you were not a modern-day human with a car and a grocery store that provided hundreds of processed-food choices, what would you eat? You would eat plants and you would eat animals. More specifically, you would eat fruits vegetables, nuts, and seeds and the lean meat from animals like fish, red meat (beef, venison, buffalo, etc.), poultry, and eggs. Nature does not make mistakes. If you eat what is found in nature, you can rest assured of two things. First, you will be consuming everything that you need and second, you will not be consuming anything that you do not need.

• The less it goes through before it goes through you, the better the food choice. This means that just choosing naturally occurring foods is not enough. It means that you should also eat foods in as close to their whole state as possible. When a whole, natural food undergoes processing of any kind, its chemical structure is changed, thereby altering its nutritional value. Consider an apple. You could go to an apple tree, pick an apple and eat it. In this case, you consume the apple in its most whole state thus ensuring that you receive all the nutritional benefits of the apple. Then consider apple pie purchased at your local grocery store. This is what happened to the apples. First, their skin was removed. Then, they were chopped up and mixed together with many other ingredients for the pie including sugars and hydrogentated oils. Lastly, the mixture of apples and other ingredients were exposed to 350 degrees of heat for an hour. This processing alters the normal chemical structures of the apples in the pie thus dramatically reducing their nutritive power.

Why Eat These Foods

As stated, whole, unprocessed food contains all the nutrients your body needs and does not contain any substances that could harm your body. But let’s take a closer look at the properties of whole, unprocessed food:

• Micronutrients: Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals. These vitamins and minerals are essential enzymes and co-enzymes in the metabolic processes that occur within the body. Whole, unprocessed foods are the most nutrient-dense foods. That means that for each unit of energy you consume, you get the greatest amount of nutrients in the form of vitamins and minerals. Processed foods and refined grain products, on the other hand, are nutrient-sparse. They provide ample energy, but low amounts of vitamins and minerals. Consider the following example. Since the advent of agriculture, humans have used refined grains as an increasingly large component of their diet, replacing fruits and vegetables in the process. In 1997, an analysis of 4,500 research studies was performed (1) to examine the effects of certain foods as preventative cancer agents for 18 types of cancer. Vegetables were found to have a convincing preventative effect on 5 cancers, a probable preventative effect for 4 cancers, and a possible preventative effect for 7 cancers. For fruits, the analysis revealed 4 convincing, 4 probable, and 4 possible. Yet for grains, there were zero convincing or probable effects found and one possible effect (for cancer of the esophagus) (1). So although grains do contain micronutrients, fruits and vegetables appear to contain greater quantities of the specific nutrients that we are designed to eat and therefore exert a much greater effect on preventing disease and maximizing health. You give yourself the best chance of attaining adequate amounts of all required micronutrients by eating a variety of fruits and vegetables.

• Fiber: People who eat fiber rich diets have lower blood cholesterol levels, a reduced risk of several cancers especially cancer of the colon (2), and they better regulate blood sugar levels (3). Whole, unprocessed plant foods like apples, pears, carrots, peas, almonds, and leafy greens are the best sources of fiber. Truly whole grains like wheat berries, quinoa, barley, millet, and other unrefined grains can also provide fiber. It is believed, however, that fiber from pre-agricultural foods is a better source of fiber because of their decreased association with phytic acid. Phytic acid, found primarily in grains, interferes with mineral (i.e. iron, zinc) absorption in the body (4).

• Essential fatty acids: Fat is not just OK to eat. Fat is not just good for you. Fat is essential! That is why dieticians term the acids derived from fats “essential fatty acids”. The richest source of essential fatty acids are naturally occurring plant foods like cashews, sunflower seeds, avocados, and olives as well as animal foods like the lean meat from wild-caught or naturally raised animals (especially cold-water fish). Not only does eating whole, unprocessed foods provide ample quantities of essential fatty acids, but it also promotes the critical balance of two essential fats in the body, the Omega-3 fatty acids and the Omega-6 fatty acids. The Omega­3 to Omega-6 ratio should be in the range of 1:1 to 1:4 for optimal health. The standard American diet of processed foods and refined grains often balloons this ratio to as high as 1:25 in many individuals. This is because our diets are typically too high in Omega-6 fatty acids which come primarily from vegetable oils and too low in Omega-3 fatty acids which come from fish, meat (5), and many nuts and seeds. A skewed Omega-3 to Omega-6 ratio leads to the development of a myriad of health problems including cardiovascular disease (6,7,8,9). To promote the healthy balance of fatty acids in the body, make sure to eat modest amounts of lean meat from wild-caught or naturally raised animals as well as plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds (10).

• Quality protein: Protein is a major component in the structure of each cell in your body. Nature supplies the most complete protein in the shape of all forms of animal flesh. If the animals and fish are well-raised (no growth hormone, no antibiotics, ample room to roam, natural diet, and low stress) or better yet, caught in the wild, their meat is high in quality protein, low in saturated fat, and also provides essential fatty acids in the optimal balance. Including all forms of lean meat ensures that you consume quality protein

• Low-glycemic-index foods and meals: The glycemic index is a measure of a carbohydrate-rich food’s ability to raise blood sugar levels. High­glycemic carbohydrates raise blood sugar rapidly and tend to leave people hungry again just a short time later. High-glycemic carbohydrates include refined foods like fruit juice, sweets, and refined flour products like bagels and pasta. Regular consumption of high-glycemic carbohydrates tends to produce blood sugar fluctuations, energy fluctuations, and mood swings. Carbohydrates that are lower in glycemic index release their energy more slowly and produce a greater feeling of satiety. These are whole foods like vegetables and fruits. To promote the utilization of fat as fue (a critical concept to triathletes and all endurance athletes), your daily diet must favor low glycemic carbohydrates and meals. The great thing is that nature takes the guesswork out of the glycemic index. There are very few high-glycemic foods in nature, and when eaten in combination and in a large variety, natural foods provide a very low-glycemic diet.

Common questions

At this point, there may very well be several questions on your mind. Here are some common ones that we hear and their answer:

• Shouldn’t grains make up the majority of my diet?

We have been taught this for many years. As a result, you can still walk into any endurance athlete’s kitchen and you will still find far to many relying on refined grains such as pasta, bagels, and cereal grains to support their training. But common sense and a little science should help show you that there is a better way. Anthropological research shows us that humans have only been eating grains of any kind since the advent of agriculture, which was about 10,000 years ago. This may sound like a long period of time, but considered in the total course of mankind, these years can be represented by eight minutes of a 24-hour day. This means that man has simply not had enough time to genetically adapt and evolve to a grain-based diet. There is no single nutrient that can only be found in grains. All of the nutrients found in grains can be found in more robust quantities in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and the lean meat from animals. Plus they can be eaten without processing, thus preserving their inherent vital nutrients. Truly whole grains (bulgur, quinoa, barley, etc.) that have not been refined can be a good part of your diet, but do not have to be the majority of your diet. Refined grain products (breads, crackers, muffins, pastries) have no place in the diet of a health-conscious/performance-minded athlete.

• Won’t I have less energy if I am eating more fat and less carbohydrates?

For some reason, we have been led to believe that carbohydrates are the only source of energy in the body. This is simply not true. Fat is actually a must better energy source for fueling endurance activity if your body is capable of using it. Through proper workouts, we are actually teaching our bodies to utilize fat as fuel. A diet that contains healthy fats has been shown to aid in this process (11). If fat is absent and carbohydrate is the only prevalent source of fuel, your body tends to utilize this easy to access substrate in place of fat. This substrate-utilization shift can lead to decreased fuel economy. Conversely, providing ample fat in your diet, together with an effective training plan will promote the use of fat as a fuel substrate. Creating an efficient fat metabolism is one cornerstone for any successful endurance performance. People sometimes feel that carbohydrates have to be a superior energy source to fats since the net ATP (most simple form of energy) yield from a gram of carbohydrate is higher than that of a gram of fat. However, this outlook fails to look at the big picture, which clearly shows us that carbohydrates do not last for very long.

• What about sports bars, gels, and drinks? They seem to defy the logic of eating whole foods?

This is very true. “Sports foods” are not whole foods. In fact they are often extremely refined. That being said, they are the ideal food choice when used correctly. What is correctly? That is when they are used for the purpose in which they are intended. These foods, broadly stated, are intended for use during very vigorous, very long workouts. Their composition is designed to take advantage of the unique hormonal states that our bodies encounter during prolonged, vigorous exercise. A full discussion of the use of sport-nutrition products is beyond the scope of this article. The key is to not fall into the trap of using these foods as replacements for real foods in your daily diet.

Practical suggestions

Here are some practical tips for successfully implementing improvements to your daily nutrition routine:

• Make slow, gradual changes. When working to make improvements in your daily diet, it is best to make gradual changes and not try to do it all at once. Say, for example, that you have decided to add more fruits to your diet and you have set a goal of eating five fruits a day. You currently eat one or two. Rather than simply trying to eat five every day from here on out, start by seeing if you can consistently eat three fruits a day. Then gradually work towards your goal of five a day.

• Think positive, not negative Think about putting all kinds of great food into your body, and do not think about avoiding all kinds of bad food. Instead of thinking, “I can’t eat this and that,” try to think, “I get to eat this and that.” For example, if you are trying to eat less sugary sweets, instead of harping on missing that chocolate cake, think about the great banana/strawberry/mango smoothie you are going to make.

So when it comes time to eat, just think whole, real unrefined food and you cannot go wrong!

References

(1) Worldwide Cancer Research Fund & American Institue for Cancer Research, 1997.

(2) Colgan M. Your Personal Vitamin Profile. New York: Morrow, 1982.

(3) Spiller, GA, Kay RP, editors. Medical Aspects of Dietary Fiber. New York: Plenium, 1980.

(4) Eaton SB, Eaton SB III, Komner MJ. An evolutionary perspective enhances understanding of human nutritional requirements. Journal of Nutrition. 1996;126:1732-40.

(5) Ollis TE, Meyer BJ, Howe PR. Australian food sources and intakes of omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Annals of Nutrient Metabolism. 1999;43(6):346-55.

(6) Adams PB, Lawson S, Sanigorski A, Sinclair AJ. Arachadonic acid to eicosapentaenoic acid ratio in blood correlates positively with clinical symptoms of depression. Lipids. 31:S157-61, 1996.

(7) Hibbeln JR, Salem N. Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids and depression: when cholesterol does not satisfy. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 62:1-9, 1995.

(8) Eaton SB, Eaton SB, Konmer MJ. Paleolithic nutrition revisited: A twelve yer retrospective on its nature and implications. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1997;51:207-16.

(9) Simopoulos AP. Essential fatty acids in health and chronic disease. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1999;70(3 Supplement):560S-569S.

(10) Broadhurst CL. Balanced intakes of natural triglycerides for optimum nutrition: an evolutionary and phytochemical perspective. Medical Hypotheses. 1997;49(3):247-61.

(11) Pendergast DR, Horvath PJ, Leddy JJ, Venkatraman JT. The role of dietary fat on performance, metabolism, and health. American Journal of Sports Medicine. 1996;24(6 Supplement):S53-8.

To learn more about Jason Gootman, Will Kirousis, and Tri-Hard Endurance Sports Coaching: www.tri-hard.com.

“Cycling is inherently a dangerous activity”. Heard that phrase before? It is on the waiver you sign when you race your bicycle. Although a crash is not always inevitable it is probably likely so I have put together some guidelines on what to do if you crash.

A crash always comes unexpectedly but you will know the moment that you are going to go down. Item 6 below will explain in more detail my recommendations to fine tune your ‘crash instinct’ but let’s assume you have no choice and do go down. You find yourself on the road and you are slightly disoriented and probably a little embarrassed. Unless you are in a life-threatening situation remain just where you are. Your immediate reaction is to jump up – do NOT get up or even unclip from your bike. Feel for any sharp pain, dizziness etc. You will immediately be experiencing the early signs of shock so it takes some concentration to overcome the adrenaline rush. Take a few deep breaths until you are certain you have your heart rate under control and can think clearly. Often spectators will rush up to you and want to pick you up. Let them know if you are OK. Feel for any injury yourself. If you feel that you do not have any possible serious injury try to sit-up (do not stand - yet). Re-assess your situation again. Before you get up make certain you are functioning calmly. Now you can decide if you are going to stand and move off the road. Now you can use the assistance of other riders or spectators. Move to a cool spot to assess yourself, and your bikes’, damage. Do not be the “macho” athlete, just accept any assistance offered. Once you are sitting in cool spot ask someone to hand you your water bottle and try to drink as much as possible as shock is dehydrating your system.

If you are in a race I do not recommend that you finish the event unless it is absolutely necessary. Continue only if you are contending for a podium finish or if you have to finish a stage. If you are in a training ride then get yourself home as quickly and painlessly as possible – even if you think your injuries are only slight – as there is more than a physical reaction to a crash. Accept temporary 1st aid and then treat yourself at home unless you suspect a serious problem then get yourself to the emergency room as quickly as possible. Note: NEVER turn down a ride in an ambulance if you have to go to a hospital as emergency rooms will make you wait if you walk in but they are obliged to treat ambulance entries IMMEDIATELY (this will save you 2-3 hours, or more, in the waiting room).

Due to advances (mainly in burn victim research) we have learnt that if you keep the road rash ‘wet’ it will heal quicker and cleaner. To this end thoroughly clean (even if takes a scrub) any road rash wounds. Scrub out all dirt. This will hurt but it is critical for healing. Once the wound is 100% clean of dirt you should cover all broken skin areas with triple antibiotic ointment on a non-stick pad. You can then wrap the area up with a bandage (self stick bandages are a huge leap in bandage technology - check them out). Keep your wounds ‘wet’ until the skin is fully healed i.e. change the bandage once a day, wash if necessary and then re-apply the ointment treated non-stick pad and bandage up again.
Once the new skin has grown over (still pink and tender) start applying Vitamin E cream in place of antibiotic ointment. If the healing wound is going to be exposed to the sun use heavy sunscreen until the scar area is unnoticeable.
As an overview and part and parcel of your training you will need to assess why the crash happened? Here are some common causes of crashes that you should work on;

1. Number one cause of crashes on the road is when your front wheel has crossed the rear wheel of the rider you are following. It is simply a case of you being too close when the leading rider changes line or brakes. Crossing wheels however is not a good reason to go down as it is easily recoverable. When the wheels touched you panicked and made the situation worse, and simply ‘fell’ off your bike! Set aside at least one training day every year to practice touching wheels and bumping.
2. Next leading cause of crashes is “lack of concentration”. There is always a crash on the most boring sections and times of riding or racing. The reason that these types of crashes happen is that the PACK simply lost concentration. Immediately any pack slows, sits up, starts drinking or speeds up, surges, stands especially at the base of climbs when there is a rush of slower riders trying to get to the front when the front riders are slowing for the hill, etc. are all signs for you to immediately increase concentration of your surroundings (pack and environment). More importantly you should plan to counteract low blood glucose levels (caused by low liver glycogen) by taking in energy gels every 45 minutes. That will help you to maintain your concentration at all times.
3. Next up is cornering. I work very hard at teach the skill of cornering during training. Please help me to help you (avoid crashing) by working on technique (not speed) during training. Practice all three basic cornering techniques. The safest is to steer your bike (bike upright and body bent into the corner) and the most dangerous is leaning (body and bike leaning ala Velodrome). The fastest (and most casual) is to counter-steer (body upright and bike leaning). Practice when and how to pedal into, through and out of corners during training. EVERY corner you negotiate, whether in a huge pack or solo, is an opportunity to hone your skill – do not waste it by not concentrating fully on your technique. Choose which technique you are going to use and then concentrate and learn. It helps tremendously if you can include a few mountain bike and/or track training (smooth spinning) sessions each year to sharpen bike handing skills.
4. There are many riders in your pack who are naturally talented and/or have too much Power (strength + speed) Vs. Skill (or brains). “I am the strongest rider in the pack and not afraid of anyone or anything” riders are a danger to themselves and to you. Learn to recognize these wheels and then steer clear of them even if it means giving up a win, as the sprint is most often EXACTLY where skill will fail this rider and you will be trapped in their immediate future!
5. Then of course there is the problem (most often witnessed in juniors and rookies) of not respecting the pack. I have an article on pack etiquette that you should check out. Riding regularly in a large pack under controlled environment will help to gain the experience needed to make the ride safer. Until you understand the personality of each pack you ride in do not try to change the character of the ride, as most experienced packs will not tolerate lack of respect. Disrespect most often leads to on-bike ‘discussions’ and/or crashes.
6. Finally there is the issue of panic. Of course, someone else is always to blame in a crash but you need to understand that crashes are most often avoidable. A problem in the pack is not a reason for you to panic and go down. When you are heading for a typical pre-crash scenario (screech, shouting, panic, mayhem, I cannot avoid this and it looks like I am going to crash – yep, I am going to crash, CRASH), your 1st instinct must be to look for an avenue to escape personally. This may mean falling on top of or riding over other riders! It may mean hitting the dirt or soft fall. It could mean some cross country. Whatever the choice - survival is your primary objective. If you can keep your cool and not panic you are already ahead of the game. Staying cool and calm – even over 30MPH is definitely possible. Look for an avenue of escape. Most often it means accelerating not braking. Here are some guidelines;

1. Do not look at any crash site at any time.
2. There will be a feeling of panic in the pack.
3. Immediately switch on your ‘anti-panic receptors’ and concentrate 100% on personal survival.
4. If you have time go to your drops (if it was a fast or dangerous situation you should have been in the drops already), wrists straight, elbows out, body stiff and full hands on the brakes but do not pull on them (yet)
5. Do not look around, to the side or behind you – keep concentration looking ahead using your peripheral vision to look for the gap to accelerate to (it will be there)
6. Get out of trouble. It is a game of personal survival. It does not matter where you are heading (on-road, off-road, over bikes) just hold YOUR bike upright, firm and under control.
7. Once you are heading out of the crash vicinity do not look back
8. Do not stop until you are fully out of trouble
9. Note: I recommend accelerating, or least just slowing down and then looking for an avenue of escape, rather than grabbing a handful of brakes because a sudden stop caused by a crash is a very common cause of serious back injury as the concertina effect (same as taking off from a stop) is exaggerated when you stop suddenly i.e. riders at the back of the group are still going 30mph and you have stopped. A blow from the behind caused by a speeding bike is often the cause of long term back damage! Be aware of this and if you have to stop then you must make every urgent attempt to get out of the way of the cyclists racing into the scene of the crash. If you are on the ground you must “cover up”. If you are not then get out of the way.

Finally: If you want to mitigate the possibility of injury then learn to land well. I recommend that you take a (even one-session) course in Judo or Gymnastics at the local dojo. This makes a huge difference in the result of a crash and is time very well invested (plus it is fun). Rolling well or simply not putting your wrists out is a technique that you can learn in these programs.  I have focused this paper on the road but mountain bikers will find plenty of useful information here as well. Mountain bikers however must include a few cycles of training each year that incorporate technical bike handling skills.

I would like to personally thank Dave Jordaan for providing this article and believe it is a great resource to all cyclist whether road, mountain, or even BMX.

Article provided by Kinetic Loop Training Systems (www.kineticloop.org)