This week we are excited to welcome USA Triathlon CEO, Rocky Harris! We are talking Endurance Exchange, the state of the sport, USAT 2021 initiatives and the lead up to the 2021 Olympics.
Show Sponsor: VENGA
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In Today's Show
Interview Sponsor: UCAN
Take your performance to the next level with UCAN Energy and Bars made with SuperStarch® UCAN uses SuperStarch instead of simple sugars to fuel serious athletes. UCAN keeps blood sugar steady compared to the energy spikes and crashes of sugar-based products. Steady energy equals sustained performance!
You put in the training, so don't let nutrition limit your performance. Use UCAN in your training and racing to fuel the healthy way, finish stronger and recover more quickly! Use the code 303UCAN for 20% off at
ucan.co/discount/303UCAN/ or ucan.co
Use the code 303UCAN for 20% off at
ucan.co/discount/303UCAN/ or ucan.co,
Interview with Rocky Harris
After opening remarks from Mike Reilly, Rocky Harris gave the keynote address at this year's Endurance Exchange five weeks ago. In that address he spoke to the changes in the endurance industry and the drivers that shaped decline in participation in triathlon over the past decade. Those with isolationist views, worked in different directions, they helped fragment the sport and outsiders saw this as a weakness.
Rocky also spoke about growing the sport and the need for the sport to represent the general population in terms of diversity, inclusion and the opportunity to attract athletes like former gym converts. Rocky spoke about the need to embrace technology and e-gaming and what he thinks about other race formats like Otillo,
Let's get into the interview with Rocky Harris.
Endurance Exchange Presentations/Courses
At this year's Endurance Exchanges there were dozens of presentations to choose from. We spoke about the ones that we attended in real time during the Exchanges. Since then, I've been going back to watch the presentations that I missed, but was still curious to attend. This past week I watched the replays of:
Our News is sponsored by Buddy Insurance.
Buddy Insurance is the kind of peace of mind you need as an active outdoor enthusiast. Buddy’s mission is simple, to help people fearlessly enjoy an active and outdoor lifestyle. You can now get on-demand accident insurance to make sure you get cash for bills fast and fill any gaps between your current coverage. Go to buddyinsurance.com and create an account. There's no commitment or charge to create one. Once you have an account created, it's a snap to open your phone and in a couple clicks have coverage for the day. Check it out!
Endurance News:
Update: Collegiate Club Nationals Postponed and Draft-Legal World Qualifier Rescheduled
February 19: USA Triathlon has been in regular contact with local authorities in the City of Tempe, including the Department of Health, and is closely monitoring recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding mass gatherings and events. In addition, we have been tracking developments at the collegiate level over the last several months, including continued online learning and student-athlete travel restrictions at many colleges and universities. Having taken these circumstances into consideration, and after consulting with members of the USA Triathlon Collegiate Club Committee, we have made the difficult decision to postpone the 2021 Collegiate Club National Championships.
USA Triathlon is working diligently to find an alternate date in the fall of 2021 to host Collegiate Club Nationals in a safe and fair way for all athletes, including those with graduation dates in 2020 or 2021 who would otherwise miss the opportunity to represent their school as a senior. We will communicate any updates to the Collegiate Club Committee and all collegiate club team leaders as appropriate.
A 3D-printed custom cycling shoe, the LoreOne, will launch in April
Olympian and longtime bike fitter Colby Pearce has partnered with a new company Lore for a 3D-printed custom road cycling shoe. The LoreOne, a hardshell, carbon cycling shoe, will launch in April.
Lore will 3D print the shoes using scans of a rider’s feet. The resulting carbon monocoque design will be more efficient than other shoes, while still allowing a rider’s feet to move “freely and powerfully” inside the hardshell structure, Lore claims.
How much does it cost? How much does it weigh? And how comfortable could a hardshell carbon shoe actually be? For now, Lore is big on claims and short on details, but those are promised for its April launch.
The Lore team includes people who have worked in design and engineering at brands like Apple, Tesla, Puma, DPS, Nike and Black Diamond.
“We are excited to share Lore to the world,” Lore CEO Stephan Drake said in a release. “We have an amazing team that is pushing the bleeding edge of technology and design. The LoreOne is not only the most exciting cycling shoe ever made, but is revolutionary across all footwear categories. The level of customization, performance, materials, environmental sustainability, and manufacturing technology represent a bold leap into the future.”
Pearce, a multi-time national champion and record holder, has long obsessed over fit, whether for record-setting hour record rides or for his bike-fitting clients.
“The technology, materials, design and manufacturing is light years ahead of everything else on the market,” Pearce said. “The way the athlete works with the shoe is groundbreaking, and the foothold is unparalleled. The Lore project is three massive steps forward from any other shoe on the market. Prepare to have your head explode while your feet feel true power transfer for the first time ever. The LoreOne shoe will change the way you interact with your bike, forever.”
Lore’s website is Lore.cc.
What's New in the 303:
USA Cycling has joined the family of Colorado League sponsors for 2021-2023. Together, these organizations are dedicated to advancing opportunities for young mountain bike riders in Colorado, southern Wyoming, and northern New Mexico to ensure a promising future for the sport. Through developing youth cycling opportunities and cultivating leadership, teamwork, and community, and creating a lifelong passion for cycling, we work towards a common goal of getting more kids on bikes and keep them riding through life.
Megan Hottman’s First Time In Tucson Riding and Exploring
While I’ve spent a lot of time in Arizona in my life, I’ve never made it to Tucson. When I began mapping out my vanlist dreamlist of places I wanted to do, Tucson was on the list. For very specific reasons: I wanted to ride the “loop,” this amazing network of protected bike lanes all over town, totaling close to 130 miles (basically, a bike advocate’s dream come true, short of visiting Copenhagen!); and, I’ve wanted to ride Mt Lemmon, a nice long sustained climb that I’ve heard about for years.
So I set up my work week to allow for a midweek visit. Because vanlife and living a life by design, on purpose, to me means maximizing the days and times during the week as opposed to only seeking fun and adventure on weekends — you know, when the rest of humanity is out doing the same. Friends, weekday exploration is where it’s at. So- looking ahead, I crushed work and adulting and then punched out for a Midweek adventure..
Video of the Week:
We NEED to talk about this IRONMAN “Update”
Closing:
Thanks again for listening in this week. Please be sure to follow us @303endurance and of course go to iTunes and give us a rating and a comment. We'd really appreciate it!
Stay tuned, train informed, and enjoy the endurance journey!
This week we have Professional Obstacle Racer, Veejay Jones. He's the North American OCR Champion at the 3k, he's the Youngest Spartan Race Winner in the History of the Sport, Youngest National Championship Series Spartan Race Winner, and called "The Prodigy" from Million Dollar Mile on CBS.
Show Sponsor: VENGA
This week's sponsor is Venga CBD and we are grateful for the support and partnership. Our guest Veejay Jones is a Venga CBD pro athlete.
Venga CBD is designed specifically to help athletes perform their best and Ultra Gels are made from, made from high-quality, PCR, nano-infused broad-spectrum CBD combined with curcumin, may help athletes protect against free radical damage at the cellular level and aid with post-workout inflammation!⠀All their products are THC free, with the highest bioavailability of any CBD because it’s water-soluble CBD.
Just go to https://vengaendurance.com/303podcast to order yours today. First-time order is 30% off with code (303PODCAST). We've also added 50% off your first month's subscription with code (303SUBSCRIPTION).
In Today's Show
Interview Sponsor: UCAN
Take your performance to the next level with UCAN Energy and Bars made with SuperStarch® UCAN uses SuperStarch instead of simple sugars to fuel serious athletes. UCAN keeps blood sugar steady compared to the energy spikes and crashes of sugar-based products. Steady energy equals sustained performance!
You put in the training, so don't let nutrition limit your performance. Use UCAN in your training and racing to fuel the healthy way, finish stronger and recover more quickly! Use the code 303UCAN for 20% off at
ucan.co/discount/303UCAN/ or ucan.co
Use the code 303UCAN for 20% off at
ucan.co/discount/303UCAN/ or ucan.co,
Interview with Veejay Jones
OCR athletes have to train for the endurance, body strength and skills to navigate obstacles. This week's guest Veejay Jones has been dominating the world of Spartan Racing. Veejay has racked up some impressive stats in the past year. That's right Veejay had 8 races, 6 wins, 1 2nd and 1 6th place:
1st Place Pro Men - 2020 MX National Series - Spartan Sprint Acapulco - 03/07/20
1st Place Pro Men - 2020 MX National Series - Spartan Sprint Acapulco - 03/07/20
2nd Place Men's Elite - 2020 U.S. National Series - JAX Spartan Sprint - 02/23/20
1st Place Men's Elite - San Jose Spartan Sprint - 02/15/20
1st Place Men’s Elite - SoCal Spartan Sprint - 1/26/20
1st Place Men’s Elite - SoCal Spartan Super - 1/25/20
Veejay also holds the honor of being the Youngest Spartan Race Winner in history! Veejay is also a VENGA CBD pro athlete. Let's get into our interview with Veejay Jones!
About 13 minutes into the interview there's a short minute or two where there's a difference in the audio from Veejay's microphone. We get it corrected pretty quick and the remaining
Post Interview:
The OCR Performance Project
Virus International and an OCR line of clothing
Running Mechanics
Clothes that don’t limit movement
Tough Tread - Noramco
Black Forest Performance Training
Our News is sponsored by Buddy Insurance.
Buddy Insurance is the kind of peace of mind you need as an active outdoor enthusiast. Buddy’s mission is simple, to help people fearlessly enjoy an active and outdoor lifestyle. You can now get on-demand accident insurance to make sure you get cash for bills fast and fill any gaps between your current coverage. Go to buddyinsurance.com and create an account. There's no commitment or charge to create one. Once you have an account created, it's a snap to open your phone and in a couple clicks have coverage for the day. Check it out!
Endurance News:
Making swimming pools safer by reducing chlorine disinfection byproducts
Swimming in indoor or outdoor pools is a healthy form of exercise and recreation for many people. However, studies have linked compounds that arise from chlorine disinfection of the pools to respiratory problems, including asthma, in avid swimmers. Now, researchers reporting in ACS' Environmental Science & Technology have found that using a complementary form of disinfection, known as copper-silver ionization (CSI), can decrease disinfection byproducts and cell toxicity of chlorinated swimming pool water.
Disinfecting swimming pool water is necessary to inactivate harmful pathogens. Although an effective disinfectant, chlorine can react with organic matter and compounds introduced by swimmers, such as those in sweat, urine, sunscreens and cosmetics, to produce disinfection byproducts (DBPs). Epidemiological studies have linked DBPs to health problems, including respiratory issues, bladder cancer, and pregnancy and birth complications. One way to reduce the amount of added chlorine is through the use of complementary disinfection strategies, such as CSI, which involves generating antimicrobial copper and silver ions by electrolysis. Susan Richardson and colleagues wondered whether using CSI along with reduced chlorine levels could disinfect pool water while also reducing DBP formation and toxicity.
To find out, the researchers collected water samples from two pools treated with CSI and chlorine -- one outdoor and one indoor. They detected 71 DBPs, some of which were quantified for the first time in pools. In experiments with mammalian cells in the lab, the team found that the indoor pool samples were more toxic to cells than the outdoor samples, likely because outdoor DBPs can volatilize in the open air or degrade with sunlight over time. In indoor pool water, the lowest levels of DBP formation and toxicity were observed when the lowest amount of chlorine was used in combination with CSI. To control for factors such as number of swimmers, temperature and pH, the researchers also conducted experiments in simulated pools with a solution added that mimics human body fluids, and they observed similar results. These data suggest that using CSI with lower amounts of chlorine could be a way to make swimming safer, the researchers say.
What's New in the 303:
Skill Building Adventure Camps This Spring and Summer for Youth Mountain Bikers.
Are your kids wanting to improve their mountain bike skills? Maybe they want to join their high school cycling team or simply participate in some fun rides with their friends and get top notch coaching along the way?Whatever the case, the Singletrack Mountain Bike Adventures (SMBA) has a slew of programs to help you and your kids. Lets face it, especially right now, kids are looking for some adventure more than ever and as fast as programs fill up, now is the time to check out these opportunities!
With a variety of programs for youth of all ages, SMBA offers a spring session, two summer sessions, each with options for more or fewer days per week. New for 2021: a high school league prep program with 6 hours of mountain bike foundational skills training https://smba.lertprograms.com/high-school-mountain-bike-competition-skills/ and a full season Epic Team option focusing on big rides and adventures through both the spring and summer sessions. Registration opens January 18th.
Letter from Editor, Bill Plock, Why I Wanted to Join BRAC
Some people may wonder why I wanted to join the BRAC board, now known as Coloradocycling.org. After all I am not known as a bike racer or a race promoter or race director. Those have been the typical titles of most board members. I am more known, athletically at least, as a triathlete—hopefully professionally more known as the owner/publisher of 303Endurance—which owns 303Cycling.com and 303Triathlon.com and the 303Endurance Podcast.
So I am not your typical board member. But that’s precisely why I wanted to join the team. The current board has a lot of talent—on and off the bike. They care about cycling first and foremost. They care about racing too. They, like me want to do everything possible to foster the best cycling culture in the country.
I met BRAC President Andy Johnson about a year ago and we shared a beer on my porch and brainstormed ideas on how we could create an environment of more inclusion and getting more people to explore racing or doing group bike events and rides. We talked about ways BRAC could provide more value to cycling. I then interviewed Executive Director Shawn Ferrel and learned more about him and it was clear these guys love bikes and the lifestyle that goes with them, just like I do.
Video of the Week:
Technique Tuesday - Ep. 1 - Monkey Bars
Upcoming Interviews:
Rocky Harris - Rocky Harris, CEO of USA Triathlon is joining us to talk about the Endurance Exchange, the State of the Sport and the latest on USAT strategy.
Closing:
Thanks again for listening in this week. Please be sure to follow us @303endurance and of course go to iTunes and give us a rating and a comment. We'd really appreciate it!
Stay tuned, train informed, and enjoy the endurance journey!
Barry Siff has been a leader in the multisport industry. He's a lifelong athlete having been an adventure racer, finishing at least a dozen Ironman races, and an ultrarunner who just finished 2nd at the Badwater 267 VR during the month of January.
Show Sponsor: VENGA
This week's sponsor is Venga CBD. Venga CBD is designed specifically to help athletes perform their best.
The Super Powers of CBD and Curcumin. Curcumin is the main compound found in the turmeric root, which is often hailed for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It also helps to support to the production of Nitric Oxide, one of the most important molecules for blood vessel health. We strategically chose to add this amazing compound to our Ultra Gels.
Why do we love curcumin and how does it help athletes?⠀Studies of athletes taking curcumin show that it may reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, decrease pain, improve psychological and physiological responses during training, and improve gastrointestinal function.
The good news: our Ultra Gel, made from high-quality, PCR, nano-infused broad-spectrum CBD combined with curcumin, may help athletes protect against free radical damage at the cellular level and aid with post-workout inflammation!⠀
Just go to https://vengaendurance.com/303podcast to order yours today. First-time order is 30% off with code (303PODCAST). We've also added 50% off your first month's subscription with code (303SUBSCRIPTION).
In Today's Show
Interview Sponsor: UCAN
Take your performance to the next level with UCAN Energy and Bars made with SuperStarch® UCAN uses SuperStarch instead of simple sugars to fuel serious athletes. UCAN keeps blood sugar steady compared to the energy spikes and crashes of sugar-based products. Steady energy equals sustained performance!
You put in the training, so don't let nutrition limit your performance. Use UCAN in your training and racing to fuel the healthy way, finish stronger and recover more quickly! Use the code 303UCAN for 20% off at
ucan.co/discount/303UCAN/ or ucan.co
Use the code 303UCAN for 20% off at
ucan.co/discount/303UCAN/ or ucan.co,
Interview with Barry Siff
Barry Siff has served the multisport industry as a Level 2 USAT Certified Race Director building 5430 Sports into eight events with over 7,000 athletes (Boulder Peak Triathlon, most notably). He is a Level 1 USAT Certified Coach, was President at USAT for 5 years and currently serving as a Board member. He serves on the Age-Group Commission and the newly formed Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Commission of World Triathlon (ITU). He consult and speak in the world of endurance events and leadership, as well as write for many publications and popular websites.
If you follow Barry on Twitter, you know he has a general love of sport. Not just multi-sport - all sports! He's a fan, he's an athlete, he's a leader of the industry, let's get into our interview and hear what the next step in his endurance journey is going to be.
Our News is sponsored by Buddy Insurance.
Buddy Insurance is the kind of peace of mind you need as an active outdoor enthusiast. Buddy’s mission is simple, to help people fearlessly enjoy an active and outdoor lifestyle. You can now get on-demand accident insurance to make sure you get cash for bills fast and fill any gaps between your current coverage. Go to buddyinsurance.com and create an account. There's no commitment or charge to create one. Once you have an account created, it's a snap to open your phone and in a couple clicks have coverage for the day. Check it out!
Endurance News:
UCI to ban forearms time-trial position on road bikes
First the super tuck, and now the popular breakaway position get the ax from the UCI, starting April 1.
In a memorandum issued on February 8, the UCI indicated it will ban riders from racing with their forearms on their handlebars, in a time-trial like position, when on a road bike.
Last week, the UCI indicated it would begin to enforce the rule prohibiting riders from the ‘super tuck’ descending position, where a rider sits on the top tube and curls into a tight position on a downhill. The news was greeted with mixed feelings, and VeloNews debated the merits of the rule and the UCI’s renewed interest in enforcing it.
Both rules will start being enforced — and this is apparently not a joke — on April 1.
Diversity in US cycling: How inclusion is being 'built from the ground up'
During Black History Month, we check in with the national federation about its new grant programme.
In 2020, the Black Lives Matter movement and the mass protests across the country highlighted the vast racial inequalities in the United States. It also forced the country's cycling federation to look closer at the lack of diversity in the sport and make plans to make cycling more inclusive.
"We are committed to finding ways to make cycling look more like the population of the United States but we're a long way from that," CEO Rob De Martini said at the time.
What's New in the 303:
Jen Barbour of Team Evergreen and Triple Bypass Shares What She Loves About it and What's New
If you have ever met Jen Barbour, the Executive Director of Team Evergreen, who puts on the annual Triple Bypass, you have felt her passion for cycling and equal compassion for people. In an organization who exists to raise money for local charities while riding bikes, she is the perfect fit.
That passion punches a big energy punch too, and like the way she rides a bike, her efforts are relentless and enduring. She has been swamped this year with the recent acquisitions of the Bailey Hundo, and Beti Bike Bash. Then add in the new Floyd Hill Sessions Series (Mtb weekly timed enduro series) and Co2ut Gravel Ride along with all the COVID challenges and working on the Triple Bypass and Bob Cook Mt. Evans Hill Climb, Jen is, well, buried. We managed to sneak a few minutes of her time and ask a few questions about the Triple Bypass and Team Evergreen.
Vulnerable Wheat Ridge/CU Grad Deb Conley Overcoming Major Adversity On Way to the Hall of Fame
Deb Conley started running for the first time the summer before attending the University of Colorado at Boulder. She ran just to run with a new boyfriend. Like three miles. A couple of months later she walked on to CU’s cross country team and has been running ever since.
And just recently, she was inducted into the Colorado Running Hall of Fame. Wow. She never played sports growing up, never ran, never did anything but work and go to school.
In this video interview, Deb expresses a surprised happiness after being selected for the Colorado Running Hall of Fame. But she also shares something vulnerable; how running in college was the first time she ever experienced feeling truly happy. What's not really discussed, is the rocky and almost impossible path she took to get here.
Video of the Week:
Technique Tuesday - Ep. 2 - Rope Climb
Upcoming Interviews:
Professional Obstacle Racer, Veejay Jones. He's the North American OCR Champion at the 3k, he's the Youngest Spartan Race Winner in the History of the Sport, Youngest National Championship Series Spartan Race Winner, and called "The Prodigy" from Million Dollar Mile on CBS.
Roderick Sewell - CAF Ambassador, Roderick Sewell never dreamed of participating in sports as he and his mother lived hand to mouth. Today, he is a swimmer representing Team USA. Roderick had both legs amputated before his second birthday due to severe deformities that prevented him from walking. » Roderick Sewell (challengedathletes.org)
Rocky Harris - Rocky Harris, CEO of USA Triathlon is joining us to talk about the Endurance Exchange, the State of the Sport and the latest on USAT strategy.
Closing:
Thanks again for listening in this week. Please be sure to follow us @303endurance and of course go to iTunes and give us a rating and a comment. We'd really appreciate it!
Happy New Year! Stay tuned, train informed, and enjoy the endurance journey!
Chaz Davis has since traveled across the country to compete, holding three American records and, most recently, was named the 2018 United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) Men’s Marathon Champion.
Show Sponsor: VENGA
This week's sponsor is Venga CBD. Venga CBD is designed specifically to help athletes perform their best.
Venga CBD Recovery Balm is beeswax-based and available in 500mg and 1000mg jars. The addition of lavender and eucalyptus essential oil makes you want to slather it all over! Just remember, a little goes a long way. Just go to https://vengaendurance.com/303podcast to order yours today.
First-time order is 30% off with code (303PODCAST). We've also added 50% off your first month's subscription with code (303SUBSCRIPTION).
In Today's Show
Interview Sponsor: UCAN
Take your performance to the next level with UCAN Energy and Bars made with SuperStarch® UCAN uses SuperStarch instead of simple sugars to fuel serious athletes. UCAN keeps blood sugar steady compared to the energy spikes and crashes of sugar-based products. Steady energy equals sustained performance!
You put in the training, so don't let nutrition limit your performance. Use UCAN in your training and racing to fuel the healthy way, finish stronger and recover more quickly! Use the code 303UCAN for 20% off at
ucan.co/discount/303UCAN/ or ucan.co
Use the code 303UCAN for 20% off at
ucan.co/discount/303UCAN/ or ucan.co,
Interview with Chaz Davis
Charles “Chaz” Davis is a visually impaired runner from Grafton, Massachusetts. His debut as a marathon competitor occurred December 3, 2016 at the California International Marathon (CIM). With a finish time of 2:31:48, Davis set a new American record for the T12/B2 visual impairment category. Chaz's CIM finish time was 29 seconds faster than the 2:32:17 finish of Paralympian Gold Medalist El Amin Chentouf at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio.
The 2016 Rio games marked another first for Davis. As a member of Team USA's track and field contingency, he finished 8th in the 5000m and 10th in the 1500m. CIM prides itself as a starting block for would be marathon runners. The CIM website notes being a qualifier event for the oldest continuously running Boston Marathon and US Olympic Trials Marathon. In yet another personal best, Davis ran the 122nd Boston Marathon on Monday April 16, 2018. Although he broke no records, Boston.com lists Chaz 5th among its 15 notable 2018 Boston Marathon finishers. His official end time was 2:56:22.
Davis began his career as a teen racing for Grafton High School in MA. Determined to excel, he entered the University of Hartford and accepted a position on its cross country team. Shortly after completing his inaugural running season, Davis was diagnosed with Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON). This rare disease destroys the optic nerve in the eye typically resulting in sudden vision loss which was the case for Chaz. Despite his legally blind classification, Chaz continues to make lemonade with his lemons.
Davis currently works at the Massachusetts Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired, a division of MAB Community services in the Greater Boston area. As the coordinator of Team With A Vision's para-athletics division and adaptive programs, Davis is responsible for leading the team of athletes. Having a master's degree in social work Davis will also work in the adjustment to vision loss counseling department.
Our News is sponsored by Buddy Insurance.
Buddy Insurance is the kind of peace of mind you need as an active outdoor enthusiast. Buddy’s mission is simple, to help people fearlessly enjoy an active and outdoor lifestyle. You can now get on-demand accident insurance to make sure you get cash for bills fast and fill any gaps between your current coverage. Go to buddyinsurance.com and create an account. There's no commitment or charge to create one. Once you have an account created, it's a snap to open your phone and in a couple clicks have coverage for the day. Check it out!
Endurance News:
What We Learned from Tracking Cycling Deaths for a Year
In December, the driver of a box truck plowed into a group of cyclists riding along U.S. Highway 95 south of Las Vegas. Five people died in the crash, and it was later discovered that the driver had methamphetamine in his system. At Outside, we were horrified by the tragedy, which was covered in local and national news, but we also knew it was part of a troubling trend: record numbers of cyclists (and thousands of pedestrians) on our nation’s roads are being killed by drivers often without any media attention beyond a brief local news story. In 2018, 857 cyclists died in crashes with drivers, the deadliest year for people on bikes since 1990. In 2019, while the total number of deaths dipped slightly, to 846, cities like New York recorded their highest number of cyclist fatalities ever.
Last January, in response to those disturbing numbers, we launched the #2020CyclingDeaths project, which aimed to track every person on a bike killed by a driver in the U.S. over the course of the year. In the end, we recorded 697 cyclist deaths. Since we were only able to count deaths reported by local media, the actual total is likely significantly higher. The five victims of the Nevada crash were numbers 662 through 666 in our database.
In late December, we partnered with the nonprofit BikeMaps.org, founded by Trisalyn Nelson, a professor in geographic information science at the University of California at Santa Barbara. BikeMaps.org has been collecting crowdsourced information about cyclist crashes, near misses, traffic hazards (like potholes and road construction), and bike thefts in the U.S. and Canada since 2014. Its team helped us analyze the data we collected and synthesize the information. While the overall number of cyclists deaths in 2020 appears to be lower than the past couple of years, likely because of the spring lockdowns in response to the pandemic, there is no sign that our streets are getting safer. Here’s what we found.
Zwift bans two more virtual racers for ‘data manipulation’
The online training and racing platform has handed out more sanctions to riders it believes edited their power files
Zwift has banned two more riders from virtual racing for alleged data manipulation.
The online training and racing platform has released details of two more sanctions it has handed to riders accused of manipulating their power data after competing in online races. Both riders, Antonina Reznikov and Selma Trommer, have been banned from competing in official Zwift e-sports events for six months, after the Zwift Performance Verification Board found anomalies in the numbers. Reznikov, from Israel, has been sanctioned after competing in the Zwift Racing League (Season 2) Women’s Race 1 event, where she finished in fourth place. Announcing its decision, the Zwift performance board said following the race Zwift’s automated systems found that dual-recorded data from the rider’s power meter may have been edited, leading to further investigation.
What's New in the 303:
3-day Guided Gravel Adventures in Northern CO?–Includes a Demo Gravel Bike–Try Gravel!
Northern Colorado contains some of the purest, rock and roll, mixed terrain experiences you can get in the world, that’s why we call it Gravel Graceland. Professional athletes Whitney and Zack Allison want to show you their favorite go-to routes and hidden gems in Gravel Graceland. The specific goal of this adventure is to be inclusive and an exposure focused-adventure to this region’s mixed terrain riding. Each days route will contain at least 80% dirt to pavement. The routes are challenging, fun, and exploratory, and will range between 39 and 48 miles each day with varying elevation.
Three stellar options in Fort Collins, CO: MAY 14-16TH, SEPTEMBER 3-5TH, AND OCTOBER 15-17, 2021.
Riders are treated to specifically designed routes to get a taste of what’s offered East, North, and West of Fort Collins. Take it all in from a pace you are happy with. We have that support there for you so you can soak it all in and enjoy the journey to have a great experience adventure cycling. Soon enough, you’ll be pouring over maps asking “does this connect?”
If you’re saying to yourself “this is a bit out of my comfort zone, I have some questions, but overall its something I’m interested in” — Just ask! We’re here to share with you a new, fun experience and hope you love it as much as we do. IF you don’t have a gravel bike you trust, WE HAVE IBIS DEMO BIKES FOR YOU TO RIDE! There’s nothing left to do but give us your trust and let us take you to Gravel Graceland.
Limited to 30 riders. Learn more and sign up: https://www.bikesportsco.com/gravel-graceland
Tips for Creating a Resistance Band Workout for Cyclists
As a cyclist, are you looking to get better results when you ride? Maybe you’re aiming to get a competitive edge, increase your uphill power, or improve your performance on sprints.
Whatever your goals are, resistance training with bands will be the key to unlocking next-level performance.
Why Resistance Band Training is Good for Cyclists
To become a more efficient cyclist, even the most-beginner level riders need to incorporate some form of strength training into their weekly training routines. Factoring in just one to three workouts a week can produce significant results that will directly feed your performance on the bike.
Unless you’re a professional cyclist, the chances are you don’t have much time in your daily life to devote to extensive cross-training routines. Embarking on a progressive weight training program at the gym is all well and good for those who can devote their lives to cycling, but time is of the essence when it comes to balancing your job, family, and hobbies.
This is why you need to start doing regular resistance band training. No matter where you are or how little time you have, resistance bands can give you an effective workout without the hassle of having to travel to the gym or set up awkward equipment.
For a dynamic sport like cycling, resistance bands have the edge over conventional weights and dumbbells.
When performing a banded exercise, the entire range of motion is carried out under tension, meaning that you activate and strengthen muscles on both the movement’s eccentric and concentric phases.
Eccentric training can lead to more robust and resilient muscles, enhanced joint control and proprioception, and even reduce the post-workout fatigue you may experience.
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Roderick Sewell - CAF Ambassador, Roderick Sewell never dreamed of participating in sports as he and his mother lived hand to mouth. Today, he is a swimmer representing Team USA. Roderick had both legs amputated before his second birthday due to severe deformities that prevented him from walking. » Roderick Sewell (challengedathletes.org)
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