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Showing posts from March 14, 2021

How to find the right "expert"

  Getting and giving advice over the internet is risky. It's also incredibly easy.  The problem with receiving advice from a stranger is that this person is not responsible for what happens next. For example, what if the nutrition advice you receive negatively affects your health? What if the training advice you receive causes an injury?  There are a lot of self-proclaimed, unqualified "experts" out there. And even if a person sounds reputable, advice targeted to the masses doesn't mean that advice is right for you.  You can't receive safe, realistic, practical advice from an expert without giving that expert a detailed assessment of your health, fitness and your past history. More so, just because one expert experienced success in weight loss, diet, health, athletics or career, this doesn't mean that what worked for him/her will work for you. Also, tips dished out by "experts" can be heavily skewed to fit an agenda, such as selling a service or pro...

Overcome your fear of trying something new

  Photo: @Supercycling In life, we are often given the opportunity to try something new or to do something for the first time.  It's easy to stay in your comfort zone. Or you can face the fear and step out of it.  Trying something new typically means that there is a chance for failure.  It's hard, risky and scary to take the leap and to try something new. You may look silly or embarrass yourself. You may have to ask questions. You will feel unsure of yourself. You may feel vulnerable.  Two months ago I rode a gravel bike for the first time. Last weekend I participated in my first gravel race. Oddly enough, I have found myself looking forward to each riding opportunity as I get to learn new skills. And this came as a surprise to me because my history of bike riding has been filled with a lot of fear any time I was forced to step (or ride) outside of my comfort zone.  After participating in endurance triathlon for over 14 years, it's has been a really long ti...

Gravel Battle of Sumter Forest - Race Recap

  After two opportunities pre-riding the Battle of Sumter Forest race course, I felt comfortable with course itself as it was a good mix of gravel and road. You do a few miles of gravel and then a few miles of road - rinse and repeat for 72 miles. Although there are a few technical areas (and a river crossing, a few steep hills and a tight rocky turn), I felt like my current gravel-biking abilities were suitable for this event. Taking things waaayy back to my very first gravel ride....it was not too long ago - January 19th, 2021. I can count with my fingers of all of the times I've rode on off-road since then (total newbie here - only about ten times). It wasn't until a few weeks ago that Karel decided it was time to retire my makeshift Ventum NS1 gravel bike (and return it back to my road bike - which is what it was designed to be) and purchase a real gravel bike frame. After sourcing all of the parts from all over the US, I took my 'real' gravel bike (Cervelo Aspero -...