Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition

  True to its name, the last GVL WBL was a cold one. Like really really cold. The location changed to Donaldson (~7-mile loop) due to possible ice/snow on the planned route. The start time was also moved back to 11am to give time for it to warm up. However, when we started the ride, it was ~32 degrees F and the wind chill was in the 20s (and the wind was gusty!).  It was one for the record books for me - I  have never biked in such cold conditions before!  I was really proud of myself for doing the group ride and collecting a few more points before the podium ceremony at the Think Tank Brewery. The ride was "only" 35 miles (1:46). We did one warm-up loop and then it was time for the action - each loop had a designated group that was "sprinting". The women went on loop 3 and 5. The last loop also included the QOM/KOM. It was a spicy ride and the strong wind and cold made it even tougher. And just when I thought I was done and ready to defrost in the car, a group of ~...

Karel recently got into gravel riding and his immediate response was "why didn't I find this earlier?"  This past year has really taught us to embrace the current moment and to take advantage of every moment. With such an incredible triathlon playground in and around where we live, we have kept our love for nature alive by finding different ways to use (and improve) our cycling fitness. Most recently it was the GVL WBL 8-week group ride series and now I've ventured into gravel riding.  My first and second gravel ride was in Dupont State Forest. The first ride include snow, ice, mud and everything else - Karel didn't take it easy on me. Let's just say I learned a lot over 28 miles and 2.5 hours. My second ride was mostly gravel with a mix of roots, leaves and dirt. My third ride was on Friday (a few days ago), when Karel took me on a gravel ride adventure just outside our front door. We made our way to part of the Furman Cross Country course and then on the o...

Thanks to the Greenville Winter Bike League, I had reason to get on my road bike at 10am every Saturday for the past eight weeks. I also had the accountability to layer-up and venture out in the cold weather for 3+ hours week after week. I only missed one ride due to the weather (we had a rain/snow the night prior and the roads were a little icy so I went out on my own solo ride). What started out as an opportunity to socialize with other people turned into so much more than I had imagined. I met new people, stretched my comfort zone, challenged myself in the designated QOM and sprint zones, improved my cycling skills, discovered new bike friendly routes, won some money (woot woot) and braved the cold winter conditions - all on two wheels. Here's the schedule (and routes) for all eight of the GVL WBL  group rides. Here are the route links to the last two rides:  GVL WBL #7 GVL WBL #8 The last ride was a tough one. It was a smaller group of around 30 cyclists and we covered 63 ...