Mike's Bike Blog

The BikeNoob, has started a thread requesting input for the best bike blogs and sites. I've been gravitating to searching out blogs and sites that are dealing with training with power meters, nutrition and overall workouts in general. Here's some of the ones I'm following and find useful:

Chris Carmichael Training System - I'm a big Chris Carmichael fan, I've purchased and downloaded his iPod workouts, read his books. His blog and site have good entries on training, motivation and nutrition.

Joe Friel - Great info on endurance training. He also has the Training Bible site, I've just started going through it, but it looks like it has good content as well.

Training For Cyclists - Jesper has great content on training with Power and training plan ideas.

Cycling Performance Tips - This site has great content on every aspects of cycling.

Cycling Nutrition - Good product reviews and nutrition articles for cyclists.

Hammer Nutrition's Endurance email group. This is a fairly high traffic list, but is a good resource on fueling and nutrition for cyclists.

Hammer Nutrition's Training Tips. Articles on training, pre-race meals and recovery.

BikeReg.com - Texas Event Calendar

The Texas Bicycle Racing Association - List of mainly races, but does list a few event rides as well.

USA Cycling - Resource to find primarily races and clubs.

Active.com - Active.com's cycling page has training tips and articles.

If you have any good training sites not listed here let me know.

On my longer rides I'll wear my hydration pack. I'm not ashamed to use it, I know some roadies are against such devices, the same roadies that shave their legs I suspect. When a ride goes longer than 2 hours 2 water bottles aren't enough. Now that the temperature is consistantly in the 100's the water in the bottles is probably too hot to quench your thirst. Thus I fill my pack up with water and ice and it stays cool on my longest rides.

The only problem I have is the first swig is usually hot. This happens because the water that is in the tube hasn't had the cooling benefitst that the liner of the pack offers, it has been oxposed to the heat. It ususally takes a couple pulls from the tap to get to the cooler water. You can spit the warm water out. What I typically do is after I take my last drink while I still have the mouthpiece in my mouth I'll blow the water back into the pack. Then the next time I take a drink the water is nice and cool.