SUP204

Part 1: Racing Against Time Like most people, I try to avoid packing on too many pounds during the winter months. In an ideal world, I’d stay active, embrace the crisp air, and get outside whenever the weather allows. But if I’m being honest, during Covid, I turned into a full-blown couch sloth, bingeing Netflix and living in a cozy cocoon of snacks and sweatpants. When the world finally reopened, I didn’t bounce back as quickly as I’d hoped. I felt sluggish, heavier than ever, and honestly, a little defeated by my declining fitness and growing waistline. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. The Covid lockdowns didn’t just disrupt our routines—they upended our diets, sleep schedules, activity levels, and overall health. It’s no wonder so many of us emerged from the pandemic carrying a few extra pounds and a lot less energy.  But let me pause for a moment. I should probably clarify: this isn’t a blog post about SUPs, training, racing, or even Covid. Honestly, I’m not entirely sure ...

  I've been racing bikes for a long time, and a lot has changed over the years. Back in the day, old-school cyclists took pride in how little they could eat when racing. It sounds absurd now, but this was the norm. Imagine starting your day with steak or burgers for breakfast and only eating on the bike when hunger struck. Recovery food? Rice cakes. Sports drink? Flat Coke. It's a miracle we ever finished races, let alone conquered 100-mile mountain bike hammer fests. Fast forward to today, and everything has changed. We have protocols and benchmarks, and we know exactly what we need every hour. The carbohydrate revolution is here, pushing up race speeds and slashing recovery times. Training is all about building consistent habits you can rely on even when enthusiasm wanes, and nutrition is now a crucial part of that plan. This novel approach is transforming the cycling world and making every ride colour by numbers. I've spent most of this summer trying to up my game by t...