Greetings!
It's April, and it's time to go with all you've got in your races. Get into your game this month with tips from sports psychologist Michelle Cleere on overcoming race anxiety. Also remember that with hard racing also comes a need for solid recovery until the body is ready for the next round of hard work. Call your coach if you have questions about deciphering when your body is or isn't ready for your next intense workout.
Speaking of hard work; if you know of anyone who's pregnant or thinking of getting pregnant, be sure to have them check out coach Valerie Spees' article on training while pregnant. As a fit mom of two and a master of exercise physiology, she's well-acquainted with the subject.
As always, we welcome your feedback. Please write to newsletter@wenzelcoaching.com or call 503-233-4346 with your comments, race stories and ideas.
~Kendra Wenzel, Scott Saifer, Rene Wenzel and the Staff of Wenzel Coaching
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New Coach: Earl Zimmermann
 Wenzel Coaching would like to welcome Earl Zimmermann to the coaching staff. Earl has over 12 years of experience in road racing, triathlon and running. Earl's work in the corporate world designing training programs for new employees inspired him to use his skills to coach athletes. As someone who overcame asthma at an early age, Earl is understanding of the physical challenges some athletes face. He is also a husband and a father of two children and can assist athletes that are juggling the demands of a career, family, training and racing.
Learn more about Earl...
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Training While Pregnant
 by Coach Valerie Spees
Well, I went and did it again; I had another baby. And while she's
the cutest thing in the world, the extra fifteen pounds she left me
with aren't so cute. You might be tempted to think, "So much for her
2006 training" along with my sleep, my clean house, and sometimes my
sanity. But that's not the case anymore. The American College of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists actually recommends that women with
uncomplicated pregnancies get at least 30 minutes or more of moderate
exercise a day on most, if not all, days of the week. My training log
will attest to the fact that I hardly cut back at all until my belly
was too unwieldy to maneuver.
Unless you're experiencing serious
complications, sitting around won't do much for you or the baby. On
the other hand, exercise can help ease or even prevent discomfort
associated with pregnancy, boost your energy level, and improve your
overall health.
Read more...
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Quote of the Month
"In sport, mental imagery is used primarily to help you get the best out of
yourself in training and competition. The developing athletes who make the
fastest progress and those who ultimately become their best make extensive use
of mental imagery. They use it daily as a means of directing what will happen in
training, and as a way of pre-experiencing their best competition performances."
~Terry Orlick, American Peak Performance Expert, Trainer
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Client Successes Shana Sturla wins the Sea Otter Classic Circuit Race, Women 30+
Shelly Waclo wins the Sea Otter Classic Cross Country, Beginner Women 30-34
Jenni Gaertner wins the Frozen Flatlands Omnium in the Cat 1/2/3 Women
Jim Long completes the Cape Epic 8 day, 876 kilometer MTB stage race in South Africa
Andrew Tilin takes 4th place in the Sea Otter Road Race Elite Men Cat 5 40+ and upgrades to Cat 4
Scott Baker sets his personal best at the Fiesta Island TT in the Masters Men 40-49, wins the CycloVets Omnium TT and takes 5th place overall in the Masters Men 45+
Kim Walsh takes 5th place at the Menlo Park Crit Women Cat 4 35+ and takes 6th place at the Sea Otter XC MTB Beginner Women
Gene Harding wins the Pedro's 7th Day criterium and takes 2nd at the Birds of Prey RR in the Cat 4/5 Men
Coach Jeanie Bihlmaier wins the Ice Breaker Criterium in the Cat 1/2/3 Women
David Fultz upgraded to Cat 3 based on his top ten finishes
James Davis takes 3rd in the Elite Cat 5 at the Spring Fling Criterium Series and Prologue TT
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Power-Training Tip of the Month Use your power meter to refine your cadence and pedaling
style. The cadence and pedaling style that gives you highest average power for
the same perceived exertion, or the lowest perceived exertion for the same
power is the best. To do these tests accurately, the length of the effort has
to correspond to the length of effort of the same intensity that will be
required in races. A cadence that may make tremendous power for a few seconds
or minutes with low perceived effort can become much more taxing in a longer
effort. |
Interested in trying some hardcore mountain bike racing? Visit ride424.com and see what 24-hour mountain bike racing is all about. Wenzel Coaching's own Karl Etzel is an in house expert on ultra-endurance mountain bike racing and has dedicated this site specifically to this sport. You'll find tips on gear, training, coaching and nutrition as well as product reviews. There's also information on upcoming races and blogs by 24 hour racers.
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Wenzel Coaching thanks you for your business!
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Overcoming Race Anxiety
by Sports Psychologist Michelle Cleere, MA
Anxiety is something all athletes deal with at some level. What's important to know about anxiety is where it comes from, its effects and what to do about it.
Defining anxiety
Anxiety is a negative emotional state characterized by apprehension, worry and nervousness. Anxiety appears cognitively through worry and apprehension and it appears somatically through physiological changes in your body including increased heart rate and increased respiration.
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