A cross-country athlete's numbness showed up in only two fingers — never the whole hand. That specificity became a lesson in how your hands actually work on the bike, and why the right fix is almost never guesswork once you know what your body's telling you.
Read MoreThere's a voice that shows up when the ride gets hard, narrating the fade before it happens. Turns out that voice isn't just noise. A two-week study on cyclists found the right kind of self-talk added 18% to how long they could hold a hard effort. This week's newsletter is about training that inner narrator like any other skill.
Read MoreThe Tour's third week always tells the truth — riders fade not in one blowup, but in fractions of a watt per kilo, stage after stage. This week's newsletter names the trait that decides who holds their numbers: durability. It's the thread connecting the last two issues on cramping and grit, and it turns out it's trainable.
Read MoreSecond place Saturday. Shelled out the back Sunday, with nothing left to race for. This week's newsletter looks at why one athlete finished anyway — and what Josh Waitzkin says separates elite performers from everyone else.
Read MoreAs the Tour de France rolls into a record-breaking heat dome, you can bet cramping is about to be all over the coverage. Here's what actually causes it and the surprising science behind the pickle-juice fix.
Read MoreMany cyclists blend the line between training rides and recovery rides – that "medium hard" or "grey zone" pace that feels like training….but isn't.
Read MoreRiders spend hundreds on gadgets and supplements chasing more watts. This week's newsletter is about the free, chronically underused recovery tool already sitting in your bedroom — and what the research says happens when you skip it.
Read MoreAt a late-season criterium in 2012, a competitor showed up with two Breathe Right strips super-glued together on his nose. He didn't win. But the idea wasn't entirely wrong — nasal breathing is one of the most underrated tools in endurance sport. Here's the science, and the one habit worth building.
Read MoreTwo former racers. Eight minutes on a chairlift. A conversation about depression, identity, and the thing that keeps bringing us back to the bike.
Read MoreOne of my athletes has a goal that demands serious preparation — and the self-awareness to know this isn't the year to pursue it. This week's newsletter is about what it really means to cooperate with reality, and why matching your goals to your season is one of the most underrated skills in endurance sport.
Read MoreThe data will always demand your attention. But those sprints, hill repeats, and FTP tests are just waypoints — dots on a much larger map. This week's newsletter is a reminder to zoom out, look at the road behind you, and appreciate the journey the bike has taken you on so far.
Read MoreChris Blevins has two Olympic appearances, a World Championship medal, and six World Cup podiums. He also meditates before every race. This week's newsletter explores the quieter side of performance — the one that doesn't show up in your TrainingPeaks data.
Read MoreMost racers do a post-mortem on a bad race — and skip the autopsy on a good one. Sports psychologist Justin Su'a draws a sharp line between losing and being beaten, and makes the case for applying the same honest review to your wins. Success leaves clues, but only if you look for them.
Read MoreIn a noisy world of workout data, Strava posts and pushing your limits, are you listening for the right thing?
Read MoreA literary concept from high school English — and what it reveals about what a coach is really there to do.
Read MoreDr. Jessie Duppler — cyclist, Doctor of Physical Therapy, and founder of Chain Reaction Physical Therapy — put together this mobility guide for cyclists and shared it with the Bell Lap community. Free to download for one week. A few minutes a day is all it takes.
Read MoreAncient practice. Modern neuroscience. Learn about mantras, why they work, and how to find yours.
Read MoreThe fittest athletes in the room don't always post the best workouts. Here's what separates the ones who do — and why it matters way beyond sport.
Read MoreComparison built you. It pushes you faster and farther, spurs you to set goals, and can help dial-in your training. It's a fundamental part of sport and fitness— but left unchecked, it might be costing you more than you think
Read MoreInjury and illness will find every athlete eventually — it's not a question of if, but when. When it happens, the goalposts move. But the process that gets you back to the bike is the same one that made you fit in the first place.
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