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Training and Nutrition for Endurance Cycling
(Especially for Furnace Creek 508 and other Death Valley Cycling Events)
All Articles by Chris Kostman, unless otherwise noted
Here are more Opportunities to Ride / Race in Death Valley with AdventureCORPS
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CORPScamp™ Death Valley is our annual cycling lifestyle training camp hosted in Furnace Creek and featuring up to 300 miles of epic, one-of-a-kind cycling in and around “Mother Nature’s Greatest Sports Arena,” Death Valley National Park. It is held immediately prior to our Spring Death Valley Century, Ultra Century, and Double Century, giving CORPScamp participants the opportunity to ride that as well. We've been producing events here since 1990 and never tire of sharing one of the world's most dramatic, inspiring, and unusual landscapes. From desert flowers to snow-capped mountains, we'll see it all by bicycle. Come join the folks at AdventureCORPS and fellow athlete-adventurers from around the globe for five fabulous days of cycling and camaraderie in beautiful, one-of-a-kind Death Valley! Includes daily afternoon CORPSyoga classes, two group dinners, a hike, and more. All the info.
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Death Valley Century, Ultra Century, and Double Century™ - Spring Edition is held annually in February or March, providing incredible, one-of-a-kind, 105-, 150-, and 196-mile cycling routes past Badwater and over the passes to Shoshone and back in Mother Nature's greatest sports arena, Death Valley National Park! The field limit is 300 riders total and it always sells out. With full rider support, roving SAG vehicles, and impossible-to-get-lost routes with very little traffic, there's no better place to ride a century or double century cycling event! All the info.
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Death Valley Century, Ultra Century, and Double Century™ - Fall edition is held annually in October, providing incredible, one-of-a-kind, 108-, 144- and 197-mile cycling routes to Scotty’s Castle, Ubehebe Crater, and Hell’s Gate in Mother Nature's greatest sports arena, Death Valley National Park! The field limit is 300 riders total and it always sells out. With full rider support, roving SAG vehicles, and impossible-to-get-lost routes with very little traffic, there's no better place to ride a century or double century cycling event! All the info.
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508 Training in eastern San Diego County: an awesome camp and epic century
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Mount Laguna Bicycle Classic™ is the newest AdventureCORPS cycling event (held since 2009), featuring 101 miles with over 10,000 feet of climbing and three different ascents of San Diego County's Mount Laguna! We'll climb San Diego's highest point via Sunrise Hwy from the north, via the fabled and car-free Kitchen Creek from the south-east, and via the little-known and truly epic Pine Creek drainage from the west. There are just three stop signs and NO traffic lights on this incredible route which starts and finishes in Pine Valley, CA! Held annually in mid-April. All the Info.
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CORPScamp Julian™ is our new, annual cycling retreat based in the mountains east of San Diego, a famed wine, apples, and tourism region with world-class cycling routes in every direction. This five-day cycling camp with a group dinner, wine tasting, yoga classes, a hike, and more is held immediately prior to the Mount Laguna Bicycle Classic, giving riders the option of not five, but six, days of remarkable cycling. All the info.
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508-Specific Insights from Race Veterans
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From Rookie Florida Cyclist to Furnace Creek 508 Solo Finisher: A Path to Success by Chris Kostman |
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Nutrition Support for Furnace Creek 508 Competitors by Matt Desert Locust Ruscigno |
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"A Bird's-Eye View of the 508: Runner-Up, Champ, Crew, and Why/How-To Perspectives" a compilation
of reports by Janet Osprey Christansen (PDF, 23 pages with lots of photos and excellent insights!) |
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"Guide to the Furnace Creek 508 for Women Less-Than-Brazenly Self-Confident" — A women's guide to successful preparation and completion of the 508 by Janet Osprey Christiansen, 2nd place solo woman in 2003 and the solo woman champion in 2004. |
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"Preparing for and Racing in the Furnace Creek 508" Paul Skilbeck tells of his Furnace Creek 508 win in the two-person team category after only two months on a CompuTrainer. His team (Red Kangaroos) won the two-person category outright and set a new course record in the 40+ age group. |
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"The Red Kangaroo and the CompuTrainer" by Paul Skilbeck |
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"Emily O'Brien" — This story by Janet Osprey Christiansen tells the tale of 2005 Furnace Creek 508 fixed-gear rider (and RAAM qualifier) Emily Archaeopteryx O'Brien |
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"The Scoop on How To Do It" by Steve Beaver Born, 1994 solo champ and 1999 runner-up |
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Furnace Creek, the story..., by Timothy S. Kinkajou Kinkeade, 1997 finisher, and crew member Pat King with many photos
NOTE: If you read only one story about the 508 and how to do it, read this one! |
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The Insider's Guide to the 508 by Mike Whale Wilson, two time solo and one time team finisher |
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Hints on Supporting a Cyclist by John Hawk Marino, race founder |
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Equipment List by Beth Dingo Dawson, two time solo finisher |
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SET-UP OF VEHICLE LIGHTS AND INTERIOR: Bill Osborn of Team Onager fame has a really great website with a few diagrams and descriptions for creating amber lights, setting up sound systems, and general vehicle information.Everybody should check that out now! (But don't be intimidated if your support vehicle is not that fancy!) |
Nutrition and Hydration for Endurance Sports
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"The Pre-Race Meal" by Steve Beaver Born |
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"The Importance of Protein for Endurance Athletes" by Steve Beaver Born |
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"Hydration: What You Need To Know" by Steve Beaver Born |
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"The Hammer Nutrition Fuels: What They Are and How to Use Them" by Steve Beaver Born |
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"Electrolyte Replenishment" by Steve Beaver Born |
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"The 10 Biggest Mistakes Endurance Athletes Make and How You Can Avoid Them" by Steve Beaver Born |
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"Proper Caloric Intake During Endurance Events" by Steve Beaver Born |
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"Superior Recovery" by Steve Beaver Born |
The AdventureCORPS Way of Life
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The Classic Cyclist, Part One |
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The Classic Cyclist, Part Two |
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Any Bike, Anywhere: The Rough Rider's Way of Life |
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The Seven Pillars of Athletic Performance: Efficiency in Action (2009 version) |
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The Way of the Outdoor Athlete (2009 version) |
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Pain and Suffering: A Blueprint for Mastery (2008 version) |
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Ten Steps on the Endurance Path |
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The Endurance Path Revisited: Dumb Things Cyclists and other Ultra Athletes Think and Do |
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In Search of Epic |
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Planet Ultra: It's Just an Attitude |
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Fuel for the Finish Line: Eight Lessons to Get You There |
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A Plea for Eating with a Purpose |
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A Day in the Life of an Adventure Athlete |
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A Fitness Warrior's Guide to Daily Life: 70 Things to Do or Know on the Path to Excellence |
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Super Human Potential: domain of the illuminati or of the common folk? |
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Pondering Peaceful Warriorship: A Conversation with Dan Millman |
Training for Cycling
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Training Specificity: Who Needs It? |
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Century Training for Mere Mortals |
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Train for a Century in 100 Hours |
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Bike Set-Up for Century Riding |
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Endurance Cycling: Five Mistakes to Avoid |
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Living La Vida Ultra: Five More Steps on the Endurance Path |
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Training for a Double Century (1988) |
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Getting Started in Ultra-Marathon Cycling |
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Coach's Corner: Mixing It Up in the Off-Season |
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Coach's Corner: Cold and Wet Weather Riding |
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Coach's Corner: Building Speed and Endurance |
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Coach's Corner: Improve Time Trialing Technique and Speed |
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Coach's Corner: Develop Hill Climbing Ability |
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Coach's Corner: Bike to Run Transition Efficiency |
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Coach's Corner: Riding in the Heat |
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Coach's Corner: Improve Pedaling Technique and Efficiency |
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Riding into the Wind, by Nick Gnu Gerlich |
Cycling as Lifestyle
All-Terrain Cycling (some people call it "mountain biking")
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Mountain Bikes: Who Needs Them? (Yes! "THAT" article!) |
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A Rebuttal to Close-Minded Mountain Bikers |
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Mountain Bikes: We Need 'Em! |
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Any Bike, Anywhere |
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Wholistic Cycling: An Off-Road Primer |
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SCOOP: Darwin Speaks Out on Bicycle Evolution |
Indoor Cycling Training Articles
Many More AdventureCORPS Training and Lifestyle Articles
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