December 6, 2025 • 31 mins
In this episode, host Tom Butler shares insights from his recent experience wearing a Continuous Glucose Monitor and how it helps him make decisions about eating and activity.
Then, Tom takes an innovative approach to improving his cyclocross racing by consulting with Sarah—an AI coach he crafted specifically for his training needs. Sarah delivers surprisingly detailed and personalized recommendations covering everything from off-season preparation to in-season training protocols. Whether you're curious about the potential of AI coaching or looking for cyclocross training advice from a different source, this episode offers a glimpse into how technology is transforming the way cyclists over sixty can approach their goals.
Tune in to discover just how sophisticated AI-powered coaching has become—and whether it might have a place in your own training toolkit.
Link
Gerald Shulman, M.D., Ph.D.: A masterclass on insulin resistance: youtu.be/OzZUnl3b49U?si=6IUoFhaZhG4rD_MS
Here is your invitation to join a great launch party for the summer cycling season. Join the Cycling Over Sixty Tour de Cure PNW team. Whether you are local or come out to experience cycling in the great Northwest, I would love to have you help make this a ride with a purpose. And to send a message that the joy of cycling is here for everyone, regardless of age. Go to tour.diabetes.org/teams/CO60
I know it is early but we are looking to get the Cycling Over Sixty Tour de Cure team together as soon as possible. You can find all the info at tour.diabetes.org/teams/CO60
Thank you Konvergent Wealth for sponsoring CO60 Jerseys for the Tour de Cure!
Become a member of the Cycling Over Sixty Strava Club! www.strava.com/clubs/CyclingOverSixty
Cycling Over Sixty is also on Zwift. Look for our Zwift club!
Please send comments, questions and especially content suggestions to me at info@cyclingoversixty.com
Follow and comment on Cycling Over Sixty on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cyclingoversixty/
Show music is "Come On Out" by Dan Lebowitz. Find him here : lebomusic.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Tom Butler (00:04):
This is the Cycling 160 Podcast, season 4, episode
6, interview with AI Coach Zara.
And I'm your host, Tom Butler.
As you know, if you've been aregular listener of the podcast,
(00:26):
I've got problems with managingmy blood glucose levels.
Part of the problem is that mypancreas doesn't produce a
normal level of insulin.
So I'm careful to get activityand careful to eat in a way that
doesn't cause a blood glucosespike.
This is one of the reasons I'mso passionate that Cycling Over
60 is now working with theAmerican Diabetes Association,
(00:47):
Pacific Northwest, to bring ateam to the tour de cure.
I wear a continuous glucosemonitor and from time to time I
get some interesting results.
If you have normal bloodglucose levels, then you
probably wouldn't see the kindof spikes that I see.
I have a few observations thatI think are valuable for anyone.
One thing that everyone shouldrealize is that we're seeing
(01:08):
evidence that insulin resistanceis more common than most people
think.
Gerald Schulman is an MD and aresearcher at Yale University.
He has been working on thecutting edge of determining
exactly what is happening withinsulin resistance at a cellular
level.
You can find a reallyinteresting conversation with
him on the Drive podcast withPeter Atia.
(01:30):
The episode is number 140 andthe title includes Gerald
Schumann.
You can find it on Peter Atia'sYouTube channel.
Look for a link to it in theshow notes.
It is a technical conversation.
The reason I'm talking aboutSchumann is because he makes a
very important comment.
He has observed from hisresearch that it's likely that
(01:51):
50% of the population is insulinresistant.
So you are as likely as not tohave insulin resistance.
You can be insulin resistantand not know it.
Insulin resistance is notsomething that is tested.
In most cases, insulinresistance is inferred to be
present based on seeing whathappens with insulin levels and
(02:13):
glucose levels in the blood.
My opinion is that most peopledon't get the information needed
to determine their level ofinsulin resistance.
I'd like you to consider thateven if you are thin and not
seeing high blood glucoselevels, you are still as likely
to have insulin resistance asnot.
And I would suggest that if yousee some indications that you
(02:36):
have metabolic problems, thenyou are more likely than not to
have insulin resistance.
For example, if your A1C isgoing up over time, I would say
that you are more likely thannot to have insulin resistance.
If you have been gaining weightover the years, even as little
as a pound a year, you are morelikely than not to have insulin
(02:57):
resistance.
If you have gained 20 pounds ormore and you know it is mostly
fat, I see you are more likelythan not to be insulin
resistant.
I think it only makes sensethat because insulin resistance
is so prevalent and the impactis so significant that everyone
starts looking at what is goingon with blood glucose and blood
insulin levels on at least anannual basis.
(03:18):
I had no idea how bad mypancreas was functioning until I
had tests specifically lookingat these things.
Here are a couple of examplesof problems that I see simply
because I monitor my glucose allthe time.
And otherwise I wouldn't knowthese things were there.
As a reminder, these are myissues, and you shouldn't assume
anything about your healthbased on my examples.
(03:40):
Talk to your doctor.
Just the other day I took anA1C test.
I went to a nearby pharmacy andpicked up a home A1C test.
The one I got is called A1CNow.
My test came out as 6.2%.
Now that's okay for me.
For anyone that doesn't know,A1C is sort of a snapshot about
(04:00):
what your blood glucose doesover a three-month period.
Between 5.7 and 6.4 isconsidered prediabetic.
So it is possible to get a 6.2A1C and not be considered
diabetic.
But what I can see from mycontinuous glucose monitor is
that I have had several veryhigh blood glucose spikes over
(04:20):
the last three months.
The A1C test doesn't show thosespikes.
It's also true that occasionalhigh spikes might not show up in
a fasting glucose test either.
Despite what is lacking fromthe test, you should get your
A1C measured frequently.
It is usually part of an annualblood panel.
If you get a 5.7 to a 6.0% A1Cresult, don't settle for it
(04:44):
being on the high range ofnormal.
Get further testing and watchit more closely.
The higher the A1C, the moreimportant it is to look at other
factors.
I think you should look moreclosely at what is happening
with your insulin levels.
For example, if your A1C isbeing held at 5.7 with very high
insulin, that is a problem.
So consider asking yourphysician if you can get a
(05:06):
glucose tolerance test with aninsulin response.
Some general practitioners mayfeel like that is overkill.
You might need to respectfullyask if it is possible that your
A1C is being held lower becauseof high insulin levels.
One of the times that myglucose spiked very high was
just recently.
It was actually the highestreading I've seen so far.
(05:27):
But here's the interesting partof it.
It wasn't from eating somethinghigh in sugar, it was from rice
noodles.
Because I'm not processingglucose very well, I end up
finding triggers of high bloodglucose that otherwise I
wouldn't see.
I normally get zucchini noodlesat my favorite pho place.
But the last time there, Iforgot to order the zucchini
noodles and they brought menormal rice noodles instead.
(05:49):
Against my better judgment, Iwent ahead and ate them.
Because the rice noodles wereso easily broken down to glucose
and a lot of it, I experienceda massive spike.
In response to the spike, I goton the exercise bike and was
able to bring it down to areasonable level by using up the
glucose in my blood.
But without the CGM, I wouldn'thave thought I would get a
(06:10):
bigger spike from rice noodlesthan from a donut.
In the past, before my problemswith my pancreas, it is very
likely my insulin levels wouldhave spiked in response to the
glucose spike from the noodles.
The insulin would have forcedthe excess sugar into cells to
be stored as fat.
And over about 30 years, thatadded up.
So to wrap this up, mynon-doctor opinion is that if
(06:33):
your A1C is above 5.6, look tosee what else is going on.
I believe research is showingthat more often than not, that
means that you are insulinresistant.
If so, you could very well beseeing an A1C that is held down
by your body pumping out anunsafe level of insulin.
And this is very likely if youare slowly gaining weight.
(06:53):
It might mean that you need totake a difficult step and avoid
all added sugar in your diet,and even consider moving away
from foods like rice noodlesthat are easily converted to
glucose.
And for sure, it means spendingtime on the bike, as it has
been shown to be a veryeffective device for combating
insulin resistance.
(07:14):
Back on August 17, 2023, I didan episode called Interview with
the Internet, where I wanted tosee what AI would say about
cyclists.
The episode is one of the leastdownloaded episodes I've done.
(07:37):
Being the expert podcastproducer that I am, I decided I
should do it again.
By the way, Kelly questionedthat logic.
But I continue to be fascinatedby what is happening with AI,
and I couldn't resist tryingsomething.
I really enjoyed doing my firstcyclocross race, and I'd like
to do more racing next year.
(07:57):
But I wanted to do moretraining for cyclecross.
So I decided to reach out to AIas a cyclecross coach.
I ended up with AI providingfor me Coach Sarah Mitchell, who
is an expert in training oldercyclists to do cycle cross.
Of course, Coach Sarah Mitchelldoesn't really exist.
(08:18):
AI was following my instructionabout what kind of coach I was
looking for.
I got a lot of advice fromCoach Sarah, and I thought I
would share our dialogue witheveryone.
The exchange I had with CoachSarah was in text.
To make it better for thepodcast, I used Murph Text to
speak for Coach Sarah.
Now for some reason she has adifficult time saying watts, so
(08:40):
you have to overlook that.
For sure, don't look at this asexpert advice.
I'll be running all of this bya human before I accept any of
it.
This is just an interestinglook at AI coaching for
cyclists.
Here is my conversation with AICoach Sarah.
I'm joined today by a differentkind of guest.
(09:01):
I've invited AI Persona CoachSarah to the podcast.
Thank you for joining me, CoachSarah.
AI Coach Sarah (09:06):
Thanks for having me, Tom.
Always excited to talk aboutcyclocross training.
Tom Butler (09:11):
Well, at 62 years old, I did a cyclocross race
this fall for the first time,and I would like to do more.
I've got some data and a lot ofquestions about how to improve
my performance.
Before we dive into my specificsituation, can you give a quick
overview of what makescyclocross training unique,
(09:33):
especially for older athleteslike me?
AI Coach Sarah (09:35):
Absolutely.
Cyclocross is this beautifulchaos of road cycling, trail
running, and obstacle coursesall mixed together.
What makes it particularlychallenging for masters athletes
is the constant demand forpower surges.
You're accelerating out ofcorners, hopping barriers,
running up hills with your bike.
Unlike a road race where youmight settle into a rhythm,
(09:56):
cyclocross never lets yousettle.
And for athletes over 60, wehave to be really thoughtful
about recovery and trainingintensity.
Tom Butler (10:04):
Here's part of what's going on with me.
I have a functional thresholdpower of 195 watts, but during
the race I did, I only averagedabout 76 watts.
That seems like a massive gapto me.
Can you talk about what's goingon there?
AI Coach Sarah (12:38):
That's actually not uncommon in cyclocross,
especially for newer racers.
I'd estimate that gap is about60% technical inefficiency and
40% cardiovascular limitations.
Tom Butler (12:49):
Break that down a little more.
What do you mean by technicalinefficiency?
AI Coach Sarah (12:54):
Think about it this way.
Every time you break before acorner and lose momentum, you're
bleeding watts.
Every dismount that isn'tsmooth, every remount where you
struggle to clip in, everybarrier you approach at the
wrong speed, all of these stealyour power.
Poor cornering technique alonecan easily account for 30 to 50
watts of lost efficiency.
(13:15):
You're essentially breakingaway power and then having to
generate it again from nothing.
Tom Butler (13:20):
Okay, that makes sense to me.
And how about thecardiovascular piece?
AI Coach Sarah (13:24):
You have said that you can't sustain efforts
above 160 beats per minute.
In cyclocross, you ideally wantto be able to surge to 165,
maybe 170 for short efforts.
That constraint means you can'tproduce the repeated
high-intensity efforts thatcyclocross demands.
But here's the thing (13:41):
we can work around that limitation and
still see massive improvements.
Tom Butler (13:46):
If you have to put some numbers to it, how much of
that 119-watt gap could beclosed with technical
improvements versus fitnessimprovements?
AI Coach Sarah (13:57):
I'd say 50 to 60 watts from technical skills,
another 15 to 25 watts fromraising your functional
threshold power, and the restcomes from better pacing
strategy and race experience.
The exciting part is thattechnical skills offer the
fastest return on investment.
Tom Butler (14:13):
If I would dedicate 10 hours per week to training,
how would you suggeststructuring that time?
AI Coach Sarah (14:20):
For the off-season, I'd split it this
way (14:22):
40% on endurance and base building, that's about four
hours.
Then 20% each on high-intensitywork, skills practice, and
strength training.
So two hours for each of thosebuckets.
Tom Butler (14:34):
That seems like an awful lot of skills practice.
I am on the bike a lot, eventhough it's mostly on the road.
AI Coach Sarah (14:44):
And that's exactly the point.
Most cyclists underinvest inskills because they don't see
the immediate payoff on yourpower meter.
But in cyclocross, skills areliterally what's.
A smooth dismount remountsequence instead of a clumsy one
might save you three to fiveseconds and 20 watts of effort.
Multiply that by 10 or 15 timesin a race, and suddenly you
(15:06):
understand why skills matter somuch.
Tom Butler (15:09):
You said that's for the off-season.
How does that training splitchange as you get closer to race
season?
AI Coach Sarah (15:16):
During race season, I think you should shift
to 30% endurance, 25%intensity, 25% skills, and 20%
strength.
You need more race-specificintensity and skills refinement
when you're competing.
The endurance percentage dropsbecause the races themselves
provide some of that stimulus.
Tom Butler (15:34):
At 62 years old, how does age factor into how to
structure a training week?
AI Coach Sarah (15:41):
Recovery becomes paramount.
At 60, you need 48 to 72 hoursbetween truly hard sessions
compared to 24 to 48 hours foryounger athletes.
So instead of trying to cram infive or six quality sessions,
we're doing three to four reallygood ones with proper recovery
between them.
Tom Butler (16:00):
How about giving us an example of what a training
week might look like?
AI Coach Sarah (16:04):
Sure.
Tuesday would be intensitywork, maybe some VO2 max
intervals on the trainer.
Thursday is threshold or tempowork.
Saturday combines skillspractice with a moderate ride.
This is fun stuff.
Practicing barriers anddismounts.
Then Sunday is either anendurance ride or rest.
Maybe some strength training ifyou're feeling good.
(16:24):
Monday and Friday are rest orvery easy recovery spins.
Tom Butler (16:29):
Let's talk about my heart rate limitation.
I can currently sustain 155 to158 pretty easy, but I start
struggling above 160 beats perminute.
Is it possible to raise thatsustainable threshold?
AI Coach Sarah (16:43):
This is a gradual process built on
progressive overload.
We'd start with two sets ofeight-minute intervals right at
your current sustainable range.
A target range would be 55 to158 BPM.
Every two weeks, we extend theduration by two minutes.
So week three, you're doing twotimes ten minutes.
Week five, two times twelveminutes.
Tom Butler (17:06):
And I'm just staying at the same heart rate, right?
AI Coach Sarah (17:09):
Exactly.
We're teaching the body tosustain that effort for longer
before we try to push theintensity higher.
Once you can hold 155 to 158for, say 20 minute blocks, then
we add some tempo rides at aslightly lower intensity,
targeting 150 to 155 beats perminute for 30 to 45 minutes.
(17:30):
This builds the aerobic basethat supports the harder work.
Tom Butler (17:33):
When do I actually start pushing that heart rate
number up?
AI Coach Sarah (17:37):
After about 12 weeks of extending duration, we
introduce threshold intervals at160 to 162 BPM, but we go back
to shorter durations, maybethree times five minutes.
Then we gradually extend those.
The key principle is make onething harder, make something
else easier.
Don't try to do longer A andharder at the same time.
Tom Butler (18:01):
Well, what kind of improvement can I realistically
expect?
AI Coach Sarah (18:07):
Over a full year of consistent training, raising
your sustainable threshold bythree to five beats per minute
is very realistic.
That might not sound like much,but it's significant.
Going from being comfortable at158 to being comfortable at 163
is transformative for raceperformance.
Tom Butler (18:25):
Can we talk about training those repeated surges
that Cyclocross demands?
It seems to me like that's areal challenge when someone
can't get their heart rate upvery high.
AI Coach Sarah (18:36):
This is where we get creative with what is
called controlled surgeworkouts.
Instead of trying to hit 175 or180 like a younger athlete
might, we do 30-second effortsthat bring them up to 165 BPM,
followed by 90 seconds ofrecovery at 140 to 145.
Tom Butler (18:54):
If I'm hearing you right, then you're training the
surge pattern without exceedingyour cardiovascular limits.
AI Coach Sarah (19:02):
Precisely.
We start with maybe sixrepetitions and build up to 12
over several weeks.
The other key is using rollingstarts rather than static
starts.
This better mimics cyclocrosswhere you're rarely going from
zero to full gas.
You're usually accelerating outof a corner where you still
have some momentum.
Tom Butler (19:21):
How important is climbing in this training?
Because cyclocross coursesoften have some punchy climbs.
AI Coach Sarah (19:30):
Technical skills first, then power.
There's no point grinding outtons of hill repeats if you're
approaching hills with terribletechnique.
Tom Butler (19:38):
Can you talk a bit more about that?
AI Coach Sarah (19:40):
Line choice is huge.
Taking the most efficient pathup the hill.
Weight distribution, gettingyour weight forward to maintain
traction, but not so far thatyou lose power.
Gear selection timing, shiftingbefore you bog down, and tire
pressure adjustments for bettergrip.
Getting these fundamentalsright can reduce the power
requirement for a hill by 20 to30 percent.
Tom Butler (20:02):
I do think I have a lot to work on as far as
technique is concerned.
But once I get that dialed in,then I work on power.
AI Coach Sarah (20:12):
Right.
Then we add specific hillrepeat workouts where you're
practicing those techniquesunder load and building the
strength to power up them moreefficiently.
Tom Butler (20:21):
There are some specific cyclocross skills, like
barriers and dismounts andremounts, things like that.
What's the training look likefor these?
AI Coach Sarah (20:30):
Year-round, 20 minutes weekly just covering the
basics.
During the build phase leadinginto race season, 45 minutes
weekly adding barriers andrun-ups.
Then during race season, 60 to90 minutes weekly practicing the
full repertoire.
Tom Butler (20:45):
You mentioned run-ups there.
Let's talk about that, becausethat is one of the things that
is a bit intimidating to me.
There are parts of the coursewhere you grab your bike and
just run up a hill.
AI Coach Sarah (20:58):
Run-ups are absolutely critical, especially
in muddy conditions, which arecommon in fall racing.
When the course gets slick,trying to ride can actually be
slower than running.
But here's the thing (21:08):
most cyclists are terrible at running
with your bikes at first.
Tom Butler (21:13):
Can you explain why this would be so difficult?
AI Coach Sarah (21:17):
First, there's the technique of carrying the
bike.
You want it balanced on yourshoulder, right hand through the
triangle of the frame, bikeresting on your shoulder, left
arm free for balance.
Most people try to carry it toolow or grip it wrong and waste
tons of energy.
Second, running uphill with 17pounds on your shoulder when
you're already fatigued isbrutally hard if you haven't
(21:38):
trained for it.
Tom Butler (21:39):
How would I specifically train for run-ups?
AI Coach Sarah (21:43):
This is where that strength training really
pays off.
Those single leg step ups andBulgarian split squats we talked
about?
They're literally building theexact muscles you need for
run-ups.
But you also need to practicethe actual skill.
Find a hill, practiceshouldering the bike smoothly.
That transition from riding torunning needs to be seamless.
(22:03):
Then do repeats running up withthe bike.
Tom Butler (22:06):
Alright.
And how often should I practicethis?
AI Coach Sarah (22:09):
During the build phase and race season, at least
once a week.
Start with four to six repeatsof 20 to 30 second run ups.
Build up to 8 to 10 repeats.
The key is practicing whenyou're a bit fatigued because in
a race, you're never hittingthat run-up fresh.
Tom Butler (22:25):
Are there any special considerations because
of my age?
AI Coach Sarah (22:28):
The impact is harder on older joints, so I'm
careful about volume, but thetechnique becomes even more
important.
An efficient shoulder carrysaves so much energy.
Also, running form matters.
A lot of masters athletes havelost some running fitness, so we
might add some short runningsessions without the bike just
to rebuild that base.
(22:49):
Even 10 to 15 minutes of easyrunning twice a week can make a
huge difference.
Tom Butler (22:54):
I don't know if this is easy to answer, but I'm
wondering how do I know whenit's better to try to ride up a
hill or when it's better tocarry my bike up a hill?
AI Coach Sarah (23:05):
Great question.
If you're slipping and losingmomentum, or if you see people
running past you, it's time toget off.
But this is also coursereconnaissance.
Before the race, you walk thecourse and identify sections
where running will likely befaster.
Some athletes try to be heroesand ride everything, but you're
often losing 5, 10, 15 secondsstruggling through mud when they
(23:27):
could have run it clean.
Tom Butler (23:28):
I have to say that seems like a lot of skills
practice.
AI Coach Sarah (23:32):
It is, but remember, this is where the
biggest gains are hiding.
And the beautiful thing aboutskills practice is it's not as
physically taxing as intervals.
You can practice dismounts andremounts when you're a bit tired
and still make progress.
Tom Butler (23:46):
I'm currently 200 pounds.
Let's talk about the weightpiece, because I'm sure that can
be a big factor.
AI Coach Sarah (23:55):
Absolutely.
It's an important part of theperformance equation.
At 200 pounds, that's about 91kilograms.
You're putting out 195 watts,which gives you 2.14 watts per
kilogram.
That's actually a solidbaseline for a 60-year-old Cat 4
racer.
Tom Butler (24:12):
Okay, let's say that I wanted to work hard, lose
some weight, with the goal ofimproving my performance.
What would you say is arealistic target?
AI Coach Sarah (24:22):
I'd aim for a functional threshold power of
210 to 220 watts by next seasonwhile gradually getting down to
maybe 185, 190 pounds.
That would put you at 2.4 to2.5 watts per kilogram, which is
genuinely competitive in yourcategory.
Tom Butler (24:40):
How should I approach the weight loss?
AI Coach Sarah (24:42):
Slow and steady.
Half a pound to one pound perweek maximum.
During the build phases whentraining is harder, I'd aim for
the slower end, half a pound perweek.
During base phase, whenintensity is lower, you can push
toward a pound per week if youfeel good.
But here's the crucial part: maintain weight during race (24:57):
undefined
season.
Tom Butler (25:02):
Talk more about that.
AI Coach Sarah (25:03):
You can't race hard and lose weight safely.
Your body needs fuel to performand recover.
Race season is aboutperforming, not dieting.
Do your weight work in theoff-season.
Tom Butler (25:15):
Do you have some thoughts on nutrition to support
the weight loss?
AI Coach Sarah (25:19):
Protein becomes really important
per pound of body weight.
That preserves muscle masswhile losing weight, which means
you maintain your power output.
There's nothing worse thanlosing 10 pounds, but also
losing 15 was because you didn'teat enough protein.
Tom Butler (25:39):
Let's talk about strength training.
What exercises are mostimportant for someone who's
older that wants to docyclocross?
AI Coach Sarah (25:47):
Single leg step-ups are gold for developing
running power.
Bulgarian split squats buildthe strength you need for
explosive dismounts andremounts.
Core work, planks, and birddogs because cyclocross beats up
your core with all the bikehandling.
Kettlebell swings for explosivehip power.
And I like box jumps or jumpsquats at low volume to maintain
(26:08):
those fast twitch fibers.
Tom Butler (26:10):
Why the focus on fast twitch fibers?
AI Coach Sarah (26:13):
As we age, we naturally lose fast twitch
muscle fibers faster than slowtwitch.
But cyclocross needs thoseexplosive moments, jumping over
barriers, sprinting out ofcorners.
A little bit of plyometric workcan slow that decline
significantly.
Tom Butler (26:28):
Walk me through how you would prioritize a year of
training for fall cyclocrossseason.
AI Coach Sarah (26:34):
January through April is base phase.
We're developing aerobiccapacity and really focusing on
strength training.
May through July is the buildphase.
This is where we introducethreshold work and start
incorporating more skillspractice.
August and September arepre-competition.
Lots of race simulation workand skills refinement.
October and November are racephase.
(26:57):
December is transition andrecovery.
Tom Butler (27:00):
Okay, so let's say that I do a good job prepping in
the offseason.
How many races do you think Ishould do during the season?
AI Coach Sarah (27:10):
I'd recommend racing monthly.
So maybe four to six racestotal for the season.
This provides enough raceexperience to keep developing
without beating yourself up.
I also like to add one or twoearly season practice races
where the athlete goes in atlower intensity just to refine
skills under race conditions.
Tom Butler (27:28):
I do have this heart rate limitation, so I'm
wondering if there's a way tothink about pacing during the
race based on that.
AI Coach Sarah (27:36):
This is where strategy becomes crucial.
I coach what I call reversesplit effort.
The first third of the raceholds 155 BPM.
Middle third, 160.
Final third, if you're feelinggood, you can touch 162 to 165.
Tom Butler (27:54):
That's very different from going out and
giving it your all right out ofthe gate.
AI Coach Sarah (27:59):
Exactly, and that's why it works.
Most people go out too hard,blow up, and suffer through the
last third of the race.
By pacing conservatively early,you're actually going faster
because you maintain goodtechnique.
When you're tired, yourdismounts get sloppy, your
cornering gets sketchy.
You're bleeding what?
Stay controlled early, maintainyour skills, and you can
(28:22):
actually push harder late whenit counts.
Tom Butler (28:24):
Seems like maybe that pacing is something I
should practice.
AI Coach Sarah (28:29):
We do 30-minute cyclocross simulation workouts
and training where they practicethis exact pacing strategy.
They learn what 155 feels like,what 160 feels like.
They use perceived exertionalongside heart rate.
By race day, it's secondnature.
Tom Butler (28:45):
How about beyond functional threshold power?
What other metrics should I betracking?
AI Coach Sarah (28:50):
Five-minute power is huge for cyclocross.
That's much more race-specificthan 20-minute or hour power.
Heart rate recovery.
How fast does your heart ratedrop in the first minute after
an effort?
Technical skill times, like howlong it takes to complete a
barrier section.
Lap time consistency inpractice.
If your lap times are all overthe place, that tells me either
(29:12):
pacing or technical consistencyneeds work.
And power variability index.
As technique improves, thisshould decrease.
Tom Butler (29:20):
As I'm evaluating how the season is shaping up
early on, what benchmarks shouldI be using?
AI Coach Sarah (29:26):
Being able to complete 30 minutes at 160 BPM
without fading.
Five-minute power reaching 85%of your functional threshold.
So about 165 watts in thiscase.
Dismount and remount completedin under four seconds.
And lap times in practice thatare within 5% variance that
shows consistent pacing andtechnique.
Tom Butler (29:48):
How about indoor versus outdoor training?
How would you recommendsplitting that up throughout the
year?
AI Coach Sarah (29:54):
January through March, I do about 70% trainer,
30% outdoor.
It's just more practical inmany climates.
Plus, the trainer is perfectfor precise interval work.
Spring, April through June,flip it to 40% trainer, 60%
outdoor.
Summer and fall, 20% trainer,80% outdoor.
(30:14):
Use the trainer for structuredintervals and precise power
work.
Use outdoor rides for skills,endurance, and race simulation.
Each has its place.
Tom Butler (30:24):
Now that we've talked about this, what's your
key message for anyone in asimilar situation to mine?
AI Coach Sarah (30:33):
Your path to racing in the top half of the
field is 50% technicalimprovement, 30% threshold
development, and 20% weightloss.
Focus on consistent, qualitysessions with adequate recovery.
Don't get caught up in whatyounger athletes are doing or
try to train through fatigue.
The combination of improvedefficiency and modest fitness
gains will absolutely transformyour race performance.
Tom Butler (30:56):
Coach Sarah, this has been incredibly helpful.
Thank you so much for your timeand expertise.
AI Coach Sarah (31:02):
My pleasure, Tom.
I'm excited to see how yourseason goes with these
strategies in place.
Tom Butler (31:24):
I think if I had done that, it seems like it
would have been hard to knowthis was an AI-generated
discussion.
It'll be interesting to see ifthis advice gets endorsed by a
human cyclocross coach.
I do happen to know one, soI'll look forward to running it
by him.
One of the things that I wasreally drawn to was the
recommendation to do Bulgariansingle leg squats.
(31:46):
I'd never heard of Bulgariansingle leg squats before, but
after doing an internet search,I recognized what the exercise
is.
I'm really interested in doingthem now.
I think it's going to befantastic for a number of
reasons.
I kind of bristle at the notionof doing step-ups.
This is something I fear alittle because my hips feel a
(32:07):
little bit weak in some ways.
But that might mean that Ireally need it.
For both these exercises, I'mgoing to use a professional
trainer to get me started on theright track.
No matter how you're using yourbike, it could be for long road
rides, or commuting, or takingkids to school, or even for
cycle cross, or maybe one of themany other ways to enjoy life
(32:30):
on two wheels.
No matter what, I hope you'reenjoying your cycling and have
friends to enjoy it with.
This is the Cycling 160 Podcast, season 4, episode
6, interview with AI Coach Zara.
And I'm your host, Tom Butler.
As you know, if you've been aregular listener of the podcast,
(00:26):
I've got problems with managingmy blood glucose levels.
Part of the problem is that mypancreas doesn't produce a
normal level of insulin.
So I'm careful to get activityand careful to eat in a way that
doesn't cause a blood glucosespike.
This is one of the reasons I'mso passionate that Cycling Over
60 is now working with theAmerican Diabetes Association,
(00:47):
Pacific Northwest, to bring ateam to the tour de cure.
I wear a continuous glucosemonitor and from time to time I
get some interesting results.
If you have normal bloodglucose levels, then you
probably wouldn't see the kindof spikes that I see.
I have a few observations thatI think are valuable for anyone.
One thing that everyone shouldrealize is that we're seeing
(01:08):
evidence that insulin resistanceis more common than most people
think.
Gerald Schulman is an MD and aresearcher at Yale University.
He has been working on thecutting edge of determining
exactly what is happening withinsulin resistance at a cellular
level.
You can find a reallyinteresting conversation with
him on the Drive podcast withPeter Atia.
(01:30):
The episode is number 140 andthe title includes Gerald
Schumann.
You can find it on Peter Atia'sYouTube channel.
Look for a link to it in theshow notes.
It is a technical conversation.
The reason I'm talking aboutSchumann is because he makes a
very important comment.
He has observed from hisresearch that it's likely that
(01:51):
50% of the population is insulinresistant.
So you are as likely as not tohave insulin resistance.
You can be insulin resistantand not know it.
Insulin resistance is notsomething that is tested.
In most cases, insulinresistance is inferred to be
present based on seeing whathappens with insulin levels and
(02:13):
glucose levels in the blood.
My opinion is that most peopledon't get the information needed
to determine their level ofinsulin resistance.
I'd like you to consider thateven if you are thin and not
seeing high blood glucoselevels, you are still as likely
to have insulin resistance asnot.
And I would suggest that if yousee some indications that you
(02:36):
have metabolic problems, thenyou are more likely than not to
have insulin resistance.
For example, if your A1C isgoing up over time, I would say
that you are more likely thannot to have insulin resistance.
If you have been gaining weightover the years, even as little
as a pound a year, you are morelikely than not to have insulin
(02:57):
resistance.
If you have gained 20 pounds ormore and you know it is mostly
fat, I see you are more likelythan not to be insulin
resistant.
I think it only makes sensethat because insulin resistance
is so prevalent and the impactis so significant that everyone
starts looking at what is goingon with blood glucose and blood
insulin levels on at least anannual basis.
(03:18):
I had no idea how bad mypancreas was functioning until I
had tests specifically lookingat these things.
Here are a couple of examplesof problems that I see simply
because I monitor my glucose allthe time.
And otherwise I wouldn't knowthese things were there.
As a reminder, these are myissues, and you shouldn't assume
anything about your healthbased on my examples.
(03:40):
Talk to your doctor.
Just the other day I took anA1C test.
I went to a nearby pharmacy andpicked up a home A1C test.
The one I got is called A1CNow.
My test came out as 6.2%.
Now that's okay for me.
For anyone that doesn't know,A1C is sort of a snapshot about
(04:00):
what your blood glucose doesover a three-month period.
Between 5.7 and 6.4 isconsidered prediabetic.
So it is possible to get a 6.2A1C and not be considered
diabetic.
But what I can see from mycontinuous glucose monitor is
that I have had several veryhigh blood glucose spikes over
(04:20):
the last three months.
The A1C test doesn't show thosespikes.
It's also true that occasionalhigh spikes might not show up in
a fasting glucose test either.
Despite what is lacking fromthe test, you should get your
A1C measured frequently.
It is usually part of an annualblood panel.
If you get a 5.7 to a 6.0% A1Cresult, don't settle for it
(04:44):
being on the high range ofnormal.
Get further testing and watchit more closely.
The higher the A1C, the moreimportant it is to look at other
factors.
I think you should look moreclosely at what is happening
with your insulin levels.
For example, if your A1C isbeing held at 5.7 with very high
insulin, that is a problem.
So consider asking yourphysician if you can get a
(05:06):
glucose tolerance test with aninsulin response.
Some general practitioners mayfeel like that is overkill.
You might need to respectfullyask if it is possible that your
A1C is being held lower becauseof high insulin levels.
One of the times that myglucose spiked very high was
just recently.
It was actually the highestreading I've seen so far.
(05:27):
But here's the interesting partof it.
It wasn't from eating somethinghigh in sugar, it was from rice
noodles.
Because I'm not processingglucose very well, I end up
finding triggers of high bloodglucose that otherwise I
wouldn't see.
I normally get zucchini noodlesat my favorite pho place.
But the last time there, Iforgot to order the zucchini
noodles and they brought menormal rice noodles instead.
(05:49):
Against my better judgment, Iwent ahead and ate them.
Because the rice noodles wereso easily broken down to glucose
and a lot of it, I experienceda massive spike.
In response to the spike, I goton the exercise bike and was
able to bring it down to areasonable level by using up the
glucose in my blood.
But without the CGM, I wouldn'thave thought I would get a
(06:10):
bigger spike from rice noodlesthan from a donut.
In the past, before my problemswith my pancreas, it is very
likely my insulin levels wouldhave spiked in response to the
glucose spike from the noodles.
The insulin would have forcedthe excess sugar into cells to
be stored as fat.
And over about 30 years, thatadded up.
So to wrap this up, mynon-doctor opinion is that if
(06:33):
your A1C is above 5.6, look tosee what else is going on.
I believe research is showingthat more often than not, that
means that you are insulinresistant.
If so, you could very well beseeing an A1C that is held down
by your body pumping out anunsafe level of insulin.
And this is very likely if youare slowly gaining weight.
(06:53):
It might mean that you need totake a difficult step and avoid
all added sugar in your diet,and even consider moving away
from foods like rice noodlesthat are easily converted to
glucose.
And for sure, it means spendingtime on the bike, as it has
been shown to be a veryeffective device for combating
insulin resistance.
(07:14):
Back on August 17, 2023, I didan episode called Interview with
the Internet, where I wanted tosee what AI would say about
cyclists.
The episode is one of the leastdownloaded episodes I've done.
(07:37):
Being the expert podcastproducer that I am, I decided I
should do it again.
By the way, Kelly questionedthat logic.
But I continue to be fascinatedby what is happening with AI,
and I couldn't resist tryingsomething.
I really enjoyed doing my firstcyclocross race, and I'd like
to do more racing next year.
(07:57):
But I wanted to do moretraining for cyclecross.
So I decided to reach out to AIas a cyclecross coach.
I ended up with AI providingfor me Coach Sarah Mitchell, who
is an expert in training oldercyclists to do cycle cross.
Of course, Coach Sarah Mitchelldoesn't really exist.
(08:18):
AI was following my instructionabout what kind of coach I was
looking for.
I got a lot of advice fromCoach Sarah, and I thought I
would share our dialogue witheveryone.
The exchange I had with CoachSarah was in text.
To make it better for thepodcast, I used Murph Text to
speak for Coach Sarah.
Now for some reason she has adifficult time saying watts, so
(08:40):
you have to overlook that.
For sure, don't look at this asexpert advice.
I'll be running all of this bya human before I accept any of
it.
This is just an interestinglook at AI coaching for
cyclists.
Here is my conversation with AICoach Sarah.
I'm joined today by a differentkind of guest.
(09:01):
I've invited AI Persona CoachSarah to the podcast.
Thank you for joining me, CoachSarah.
AI Coach Sarah (09:06):
Thanks for having me, Tom.
Always excited to talk aboutcyclocross training.
Tom Butler (09:11):
Well, at 62 years old, I did a cyclocross race
this fall for the first time,and I would like to do more.
I've got some data and a lot ofquestions about how to improve
my performance.
Before we dive into my specificsituation, can you give a quick
overview of what makescyclocross training unique,
(09:33):
especially for older athleteslike me?
AI Coach Sarah (09:35):
Absolutely.
Cyclocross is this beautifulchaos of road cycling, trail
running, and obstacle coursesall mixed together.
What makes it particularlychallenging for masters athletes
is the constant demand forpower surges.
You're accelerating out ofcorners, hopping barriers,
running up hills with your bike.
Unlike a road race where youmight settle into a rhythm,
(09:56):
cyclocross never lets yousettle.
And for athletes over 60, wehave to be really thoughtful
about recovery and trainingintensity.
Tom Butler (10:04):
Here's part of what's going on with me.
I have a functional thresholdpower of 195 watts, but during
the race I did, I only averagedabout 76 watts.
That seems like a massive gapto me.
Can you talk about what's goingon there?
AI Coach Sarah (12:38):
That's actually not uncommon in cyclocross,
especially for newer racers.
I'd estimate that gap is about60% technical inefficiency and
40% cardiovascular limitations.
Tom Butler (12:49):
Break that down a little more.
What do you mean by technicalinefficiency?
AI Coach Sarah (12:54):
Think about it this way.
Every time you break before acorner and lose momentum, you're
bleeding watts.
Every dismount that isn'tsmooth, every remount where you
struggle to clip in, everybarrier you approach at the
wrong speed, all of these stealyour power.
Poor cornering technique alonecan easily account for 30 to 50
watts of lost efficiency.
(13:15):
You're essentially breakingaway power and then having to
generate it again from nothing.
Tom Butler (13:20):
Okay, that makes sense to me.
And how about thecardiovascular piece?
AI Coach Sarah (13:24):
You have said that you can't sustain efforts
above 160 beats per minute.
In cyclocross, you ideally wantto be able to surge to 165,
maybe 170 for short efforts.
That constraint means you can'tproduce the repeated
high-intensity efforts thatcyclocross demands.
But here's the thing (13:41):
we can work around that limitation and
still see massive improvements.
Tom Butler (13:46):
If you have to put some numbers to it, how much of
that 119-watt gap could beclosed with technical
improvements versus fitnessimprovements?
AI Coach Sarah (13:57):
I'd say 50 to 60 watts from technical skills,
another 15 to 25 watts fromraising your functional
threshold power, and the restcomes from better pacing
strategy and race experience.
The exciting part is thattechnical skills offer the
fastest return on investment.
Tom Butler (14:13):
If I would dedicate 10 hours per week to training,
how would you suggeststructuring that time?
AI Coach Sarah (14:20):
For the off-season, I'd split it this
way (14:22):
40% on endurance and base building, that's about four
hours.
Then 20% each on high-intensitywork, skills practice, and
strength training.
So two hours for each of thosebuckets.
Tom Butler (14:34):
That seems like an awful lot of skills practice.
I am on the bike a lot, eventhough it's mostly on the road.
AI Coach Sarah (14:44):
And that's exactly the point.
Most cyclists underinvest inskills because they don't see
the immediate payoff on yourpower meter.
But in cyclocross, skills areliterally what's.
A smooth dismount remountsequence instead of a clumsy one
might save you three to fiveseconds and 20 watts of effort.
Multiply that by 10 or 15 timesin a race, and suddenly you
(15:06):
understand why skills matter somuch.
Tom Butler (15:09):
You said that's for the off-season.
How does that training splitchange as you get closer to race
season?
AI Coach Sarah (15:16):
During race season, I think you should shift
to 30% endurance, 25%intensity, 25% skills, and 20%
strength.
You need more race-specificintensity and skills refinement
when you're competing.
The endurance percentage dropsbecause the races themselves
provide some of that stimulus.
Tom Butler (15:34):
At 62 years old, how does age factor into how to
structure a training week?
AI Coach Sarah (15:41):
Recovery becomes paramount.
At 60, you need 48 to 72 hoursbetween truly hard sessions
compared to 24 to 48 hours foryounger athletes.
So instead of trying to cram infive or six quality sessions,
we're doing three to four reallygood ones with proper recovery
between them.
Tom Butler (16:00):
How about giving us an example of what a training
week might look like?
AI Coach Sarah (16:04):
Sure.
Tuesday would be intensitywork, maybe some VO2 max
intervals on the trainer.
Thursday is threshold or tempowork.
Saturday combines skillspractice with a moderate ride.
This is fun stuff.
Practicing barriers anddismounts.
Then Sunday is either anendurance ride or rest.
Maybe some strength training ifyou're feeling good.
(16:24):
Monday and Friday are rest orvery easy recovery spins.
Tom Butler (16:29):
Let's talk about my heart rate limitation.
I can currently sustain 155 to158 pretty easy, but I start
struggling above 160 beats perminute.
Is it possible to raise thatsustainable threshold?
AI Coach Sarah (16:43):
This is a gradual process built on
progressive overload.
We'd start with two sets ofeight-minute intervals right at
your current sustainable range.
A target range would be 55 to158 BPM.
Every two weeks, we extend theduration by two minutes.
So week three, you're doing twotimes ten minutes.
Week five, two times twelveminutes.
Tom Butler (17:06):
And I'm just staying at the same heart rate, right?
AI Coach Sarah (17:09):
Exactly.
We're teaching the body tosustain that effort for longer
before we try to push theintensity higher.
Once you can hold 155 to 158for, say 20 minute blocks, then
we add some tempo rides at aslightly lower intensity,
targeting 150 to 155 beats perminute for 30 to 45 minutes.
(17:30):
This builds the aerobic basethat supports the harder work.
Tom Butler (17:33):
When do I actually start pushing that heart rate
number up?
AI Coach Sarah (17:37):
After about 12 weeks of extending duration, we
introduce threshold intervals at160 to 162 BPM, but we go back
to shorter durations, maybethree times five minutes.
Then we gradually extend those.
The key principle is make onething harder, make something
else easier.
Don't try to do longer A andharder at the same time.
Tom Butler (18:01):
Well, what kind of improvement can I realistically
expect?
AI Coach Sarah (18:07):
Over a full year of consistent training, raising
your sustainable threshold bythree to five beats per minute
is very realistic.
That might not sound like much,but it's significant.
Going from being comfortable at158 to being comfortable at 163
is transformative for raceperformance.
Tom Butler (18:25):
Can we talk about training those repeated surges
that Cyclocross demands?
It seems to me like that's areal challenge when someone
can't get their heart rate upvery high.
AI Coach Sarah (18:36):
This is where we get creative with what is
called controlled surgeworkouts.
Instead of trying to hit 175 or180 like a younger athlete
might, we do 30-second effortsthat bring them up to 165 BPM,
followed by 90 seconds ofrecovery at 140 to 145.
Tom Butler (18:54):
If I'm hearing you right, then you're training the
surge pattern without exceedingyour cardiovascular limits.
AI Coach Sarah (19:02):
Precisely.
We start with maybe sixrepetitions and build up to 12
over several weeks.
The other key is using rollingstarts rather than static
starts.
This better mimics cyclocrosswhere you're rarely going from
zero to full gas.
You're usually accelerating outof a corner where you still
have some momentum.
Tom Butler (19:21):
How important is climbing in this training?
Because cyclocross coursesoften have some punchy climbs.
AI Coach Sarah (19:30):
Technical skills first, then power.
There's no point grinding outtons of hill repeats if you're
approaching hills with terribletechnique.
Tom Butler (19:38):
Can you talk a bit more about that?
AI Coach Sarah (19:40):
Line choice is huge.
Taking the most efficient pathup the hill.
Weight distribution, gettingyour weight forward to maintain
traction, but not so far thatyou lose power.
Gear selection timing, shiftingbefore you bog down, and tire
pressure adjustments for bettergrip.
Getting these fundamentalsright can reduce the power
requirement for a hill by 20 to30 percent.
Tom Butler (20:02):
I do think I have a lot to work on as far as
technique is concerned.
But once I get that dialed in,then I work on power.
AI Coach Sarah (20:12):
Right.
Then we add specific hillrepeat workouts where you're
practicing those techniquesunder load and building the
strength to power up them moreefficiently.
Tom Butler (20:21):
There are some specific cyclocross skills, like
barriers and dismounts andremounts, things like that.
What's the training look likefor these?
AI Coach Sarah (20:30):
Year-round, 20 minutes weekly just covering the
basics.
During the build phase leadinginto race season, 45 minutes
weekly adding barriers andrun-ups.
Then during race season, 60 to90 minutes weekly practicing the
full repertoire.
Tom Butler (20:45):
You mentioned run-ups there.
Let's talk about that, becausethat is one of the things that
is a bit intimidating to me.
There are parts of the coursewhere you grab your bike and
just run up a hill.
AI Coach Sarah (20:58):
Run-ups are absolutely critical, especially
in muddy conditions, which arecommon in fall racing.
When the course gets slick,trying to ride can actually be
slower than running.
But here's the thing (21:08):
most cyclists are terrible at running
with your bikes at first.
Tom Butler (21:13):
Can you explain why this would be so difficult?
AI Coach Sarah (21:17):
First, there's the technique of carrying the
bike.
You want it balanced on yourshoulder, right hand through the
triangle of the frame, bikeresting on your shoulder, left
arm free for balance.
Most people try to carry it toolow or grip it wrong and waste
tons of energy.
Second, running uphill with 17pounds on your shoulder when
you're already fatigued isbrutally hard if you haven't
(21:38):
trained for it.
Tom Butler (21:39):
How would I specifically train for run-ups?
AI Coach Sarah (21:43):
This is where that strength training really
pays off.
Those single leg step ups andBulgarian split squats we talked
about?
They're literally building theexact muscles you need for
run-ups.
But you also need to practicethe actual skill.
Find a hill, practiceshouldering the bike smoothly.
That transition from riding torunning needs to be seamless.
(22:03):
Then do repeats running up withthe bike.
Tom Butler (22:06):
Alright.
And how often should I practicethis?
AI Coach Sarah (22:09):
During the build phase and race season, at least
once a week.
Start with four to six repeatsof 20 to 30 second run ups.
Build up to 8 to 10 repeats.
The key is practicing whenyou're a bit fatigued because in
a race, you're never hittingthat run-up fresh.
Tom Butler (22:25):
Are there any special considerations because
of my age?
AI Coach Sarah (22:28):
The impact is harder on older joints, so I'm
careful about volume, but thetechnique becomes even more
important.
An efficient shoulder carrysaves so much energy.
Also, running form matters.
A lot of masters athletes havelost some running fitness, so we
might add some short runningsessions without the bike just
to rebuild that base.
(22:49):
Even 10 to 15 minutes of easyrunning twice a week can make a
huge difference.
Tom Butler (22:54):
I don't know if this is easy to answer, but I'm
wondering how do I know whenit's better to try to ride up a
hill or when it's better tocarry my bike up a hill?
AI Coach Sarah (23:05):
Great question.
If you're slipping and losingmomentum, or if you see people
running past you, it's time toget off.
But this is also coursereconnaissance.
Before the race, you walk thecourse and identify sections
where running will likely befaster.
Some athletes try to be heroesand ride everything, but you're
often losing 5, 10, 15 secondsstruggling through mud when they
(23:27):
could have run it clean.
Tom Butler (23:28):
I have to say that seems like a lot of skills
practice.
AI Coach Sarah (23:32):
It is, but remember, this is where the
biggest gains are hiding.
And the beautiful thing aboutskills practice is it's not as
physically taxing as intervals.
You can practice dismounts andremounts when you're a bit tired
and still make progress.
Tom Butler (23:46):
I'm currently 200 pounds.
Let's talk about the weightpiece, because I'm sure that can
be a big factor.
AI Coach Sarah (23:55):
Absolutely.
It's an important part of theperformance equation.
At 200 pounds, that's about 91kilograms.
You're putting out 195 watts,which gives you 2.14 watts per
kilogram.
That's actually a solidbaseline for a 60-year-old Cat 4
racer.
Tom Butler (24:12):
Okay, let's say that I wanted to work hard, lose
some weight, with the goal ofimproving my performance.
What would you say is arealistic target?
AI Coach Sarah (24:22):
I'd aim for a functional threshold power of
210 to 220 watts by next seasonwhile gradually getting down to
maybe 185, 190 pounds.
That would put you at 2.4 to2.5 watts per kilogram, which is
genuinely competitive in yourcategory.
Tom Butler (24:40):
How should I approach the weight loss?
AI Coach Sarah (24:42):
Slow and steady.
Half a pound to one pound perweek maximum.
During the build phases whentraining is harder, I'd aim for
the slower end, half a pound perweek.
During base phase, whenintensity is lower, you can push
toward a pound per week if youfeel good.
But here's the crucial part: maintain weight during race (24:57):
undefined
season.
Tom Butler (25:02):
Talk more about that.
AI Coach Sarah (25:03):
You can't race hard and lose weight safely.
Your body needs fuel to performand recover.
Race season is aboutperforming, not dieting.
Do your weight work in theoff-season.
Tom Butler (25:15):
Do you have some thoughts on nutrition to support
the weight loss?
AI Coach Sarah (25:19):
Protein becomes really important
per pound of body weight.
That preserves muscle masswhile losing weight, which means
you maintain your power output.
There's nothing worse thanlosing 10 pounds, but also
losing 15 was because you didn'teat enough protein.
Tom Butler (25:39):
Let's talk about strength training.
What exercises are mostimportant for someone who's
older that wants to docyclocross?
AI Coach Sarah (25:47):
Single leg step-ups are gold for developing
running power.
Bulgarian split squats buildthe strength you need for
explosive dismounts andremounts.
Core work, planks, and birddogs because cyclocross beats up
your core with all the bikehandling.
Kettlebell swings for explosivehip power.
And I like box jumps or jumpsquats at low volume to maintain
(26:08):
those fast twitch fibers.
Tom Butler (26:10):
Why the focus on fast twitch fibers?
AI Coach Sarah (26:13):
As we age, we naturally lose fast twitch
muscle fibers faster than slowtwitch.
But cyclocross needs thoseexplosive moments, jumping over
barriers, sprinting out ofcorners.
A little bit of plyometric workcan slow that decline
significantly.
Tom Butler (26:28):
Walk me through how you would prioritize a year of
training for fall cyclocrossseason.
AI Coach Sarah (26:34):
January through April is base phase.
We're developing aerobiccapacity and really focusing on
strength training.
May through July is the buildphase.
This is where we introducethreshold work and start
incorporating more skillspractice.
August and September arepre-competition.
Lots of race simulation workand skills refinement.
October and November are racephase.
(26:57):
December is transition andrecovery.
Tom Butler (27:00):
Okay, so let's say that I do a good job prepping in
the offseason.
How many races do you think Ishould do during the season?
AI Coach Sarah (27:10):
I'd recommend racing monthly.
So maybe four to six racestotal for the season.
This provides enough raceexperience to keep developing
without beating yourself up.
I also like to add one or twoearly season practice races
where the athlete goes in atlower intensity just to refine
skills under race conditions.
Tom Butler (27:28):
I do have this heart rate limitation, so I'm
wondering if there's a way tothink about pacing during the
race based on that.
AI Coach Sarah (27:36):
This is where strategy becomes crucial.
I coach what I call reversesplit effort.
The first third of the raceholds 155 BPM.
Middle third, 160.
Final third, if you're feelinggood, you can touch 162 to 165.
Tom Butler (27:54):
That's very different from going out and
giving it your all right out ofthe gate.
AI Coach Sarah (27:59):
Exactly, and that's why it works.
Most people go out too hard,blow up, and suffer through the
last third of the race.
By pacing conservatively early,you're actually going faster
because you maintain goodtechnique.
When you're tired, yourdismounts get sloppy, your
cornering gets sketchy.
You're bleeding what?
Stay controlled early, maintainyour skills, and you can
(28:22):
actually push harder late whenit counts.
Tom Butler (28:24):
Seems like maybe that pacing is something I
should practice.
AI Coach Sarah (28:29):
We do 30-minute cyclocross simulation workouts
and training where they practicethis exact pacing strategy.
They learn what 155 feels like,what 160 feels like.
They use perceived exertionalongside heart rate.
By race day, it's secondnature.
Tom Butler (28:45):
How about beyond functional threshold power?
What other metrics should I betracking?
AI Coach Sarah (28:50):
Five-minute power is huge for cyclocross.
That's much more race-specificthan 20-minute or hour power.
Heart rate recovery.
How fast does your heart ratedrop in the first minute after
an effort?
Technical skill times, like howlong it takes to complete a
barrier section.
Lap time consistency inpractice.
If your lap times are all overthe place, that tells me either
(29:12):
pacing or technical consistencyneeds work.
And power variability index.
As technique improves, thisshould decrease.
Tom Butler (29:20):
As I'm evaluating how the season is shaping up
early on, what benchmarks shouldI be using?
AI Coach Sarah (29:26):
Being able to complete 30 minutes at 160 BPM
without fading.
Five-minute power reaching 85%of your functional threshold.
So about 165 watts in thiscase.
Dismount and remount completedin under four seconds.
And lap times in practice thatare within 5% variance that
shows consistent pacing andtechnique.
Tom Butler (29:48):
How about indoor versus outdoor training?
How would you recommendsplitting that up throughout the
year?
AI Coach Sarah (29:54):
January through March, I do about 70% trainer,
30% outdoor.
It's just more practical inmany climates.
Plus, the trainer is perfectfor precise interval work.
Spring, April through June,flip it to 40% trainer, 60%
outdoor.
Summer and fall, 20% trainer,80% outdoor.
(30:14):
Use the trainer for structuredintervals and precise power
work.
Use outdoor rides for skills,endurance, and race simulation.
Each has its place.
Tom Butler (30:24):
Now that we've talked about this, what's your
key message for anyone in asimilar situation to mine?
AI Coach Sarah (30:33):
Your path to racing in the top half of the
field is 50% technicalimprovement, 30% threshold
development, and 20% weightloss.
Focus on consistent, qualitysessions with adequate recovery.
Don't get caught up in whatyounger athletes are doing or
try to train through fatigue.
The combination of improvedefficiency and modest fitness
gains will absolutely transformyour race performance.
Tom Butler (30:56):
Coach Sarah, this has been incredibly helpful.
Thank you so much for your timeand expertise.
AI Coach Sarah (31:02):
My pleasure, Tom.
I'm excited to see how yourseason goes with these
strategies in place.
Tom Butler (31:24):
I think if I had done that, it seems like it
would have been hard to knowthis was an AI-generated
discussion.
It'll be interesting to see ifthis advice gets endorsed by a
human cyclocross coach.
I do happen to know one, soI'll look forward to running it
by him.
One of the things that I wasreally drawn to was the
recommendation to do Bulgariansingle leg squats.
(31:46):
I'd never heard of Bulgariansingle leg squats before, but
after doing an internet search,I recognized what the exercise
is.
I'm really interested in doingthem now.
I think it's going to befantastic for a number of
reasons.
I kind of bristle at the notionof doing step-ups.
This is something I fear alittle because my hips feel a
(32:07):
little bit weak in some ways.
But that might mean that Ireally need it.
For both these exercises, I'mgoing to use a professional
trainer to get me started on theright track.
No matter how you're using yourbike, it could be for long road
rides, or commuting, or takingkids to school, or even for
cycle cross, or maybe one of themany other ways to enjoy life
(32:30):
on two wheels.
No matter what, I hope you'reenjoying your cycling and have
friends to enjoy it with.
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