Sunday, March 29th, 2020
I spent big chunks of 2010 and 2011 in western USA; I was 31 and in my prime as athlete but more importantly I was in my prime as coach. Cycling took over my life after HS. College was a blast but instead of using …read more >
Saturday, December 10th, 2016
My father’s grandfather lived in the Bronx; he was a master carpenter who spent years helping build the Guggenheim Museum. Pop, as my dad called him, was a quiet man and read the bible frequently, although not a big churchgoer like the rest of the …read more >
Sunday, April 24th, 2016
I have been busy. I think a lot about living in NYC region and how busy people are around here – I am one of them. With 15 hours/week to commit during peak training loads, I would like to race a few endurance MTB races …read more >
Saturday, December 5th, 2015
A question I am commonly asked: “How do you motivate athletes?” You must have an ability to say what you want, to make clear what you want to achieve, and it will happen. I guarantee it. The goal is to become the best athlete you can be. …read more >
Tuesday, August 4th, 2015
Dealing with personal issues in autumn of 2010, I began to drink alcohol for the first time in my life, and I began to drink very, very, very heavily every night at home – if you think of a downward spiral, my addiction was this. …read more >
Thursday, May 21st, 2015
Two realities I am dealing with right now: I am not racing anymore, and boxing is my favorite sport. I am fanatical about boxing. I love watching boxing, used to write for boxing magazines. I love prying apart boxing facts with my boxing nerd buddies. …read more >
Friday, April 17th, 2015
You know you’re just not going to hop on a bike and become a champion. But by maximizing a training system to can generate consistent peak performances, you will speed up the process. And then you train — the basics. You become an all-around stronger …read more >
Wednesday, April 15th, 2015
Many athletes never have their mind inside the workout – or, better yet, athletes never have their minds inside the effort. When you do a hard interval, you just don’t get down and begin to pedal hard. Yes, you can do that. There are many …read more >
Friday, March 27th, 2015
The origins of the Elite Endurance training system began when a successful road racer was asked by two endurance athletes to coach them – and both became champions, giving birth to Elite Endurance Training Systems, whose relentless pursuit of success has bred a staff of …read more >
Sunday, March 15th, 2015
Realize that you come to a coach not for a magic pill but for genuine wisdom in this particular niche of the world. Life is short, you don’t want to settle for average or good – when you pay for something, you expect it to …read more >
Monday, January 12th, 2015
Here is 3x Nationals medalist Stacey Barbossa’s 2015 Cyclocross Nationals race recap! “I visualized the race hundreds of times in my mind, but never once did I consider that I would be back near the middle of the pack before we even hit the first …read more >
Wednesday, December 24th, 2014
Hey Gang, Last week’s training went very well, settling into a nice routine here… Many Elite Endurance athletes are in some off-season “training” now, transitioning from cyclo-cross back to either road or MTB… I cannot stress enough how important it is to have some “down” …read more >
Tuesday, December 9th, 2014
Hey Gang, Much going on over here. With athletes racing, I am really excited to see so many Elite Endurance athletes step up in ‘cross… We saw some huge improvements in training, and then we were able to see the difference in racing, too… Not …read more >
Monday, November 10th, 2014
Hey Gang, I am retiring from racing, my last race was in 2014 (4th at the Darkness 909 Halloween Night MtB race, boom!). In this calendar year, I was undefeated on the TT bike, I won 7 consecutive Cat-1 MTB races — yeah, I’m goin’ …read more >
Friday, October 31st, 2014
Cyclocross is interesting — all disciplines are a challenge, but I find that cyclocross most forces you out of your comfort zone, riding these weirdo bikes on gnarly terrain, testing your physical limits (and the bike’s) all race, not natural, not easy, never easy… But …read more >
Wednesday, April 30th, 2014
Hey Gang, 2014 has started out well for me… Am working on more MTB racing for this year, still want to do some TTs, am trying to nicely melt the two together to maximize both ends… Am certainly more MTB-oriented with training, was a bit …read more >
Thursday, April 17th, 2014
Hey Gang, So, here we are, April — for me, it’s Go Time. I typically find good form in April and May, I love the excitement of the new racing season upon us, I really thrive in the colder weather, and some of my favorite …read more >
Monday, March 10th, 2014
Hey Gang, Race season is here. But not for me, not yet. Will probably race final week of March, either at Sandy Hook TT or in New York at MTB venue… This week, I’d like to share two things I’ve been working on: A Tribute …read more >
Wednesday, February 26th, 2014
Hey Gang, I hope everyone’s winter training has been going well… In Elite Endurance world, for most athletes, it’s Foundation Time, which means laying the bricks for the year’s success… It is by far our most important time of year. We’re not necessarily doing things …read more >
Friday, January 17th, 2014
Hey Gang! Hope everyone has been able to enjoy the New Year and maintain a steady training schedule… This time of year, however, and especially THIS time of year specifically right now, everyone seems to be getting sick… Elite Endurance athletes have been e-mailing me, …read more >
Monday, December 16th, 2013
Hey Gang, Hope everyone’s season went well and that everyone’s training is on track… I am excited: yesterday, an athlete I coach, Sean Pasieka, locked up 2nd overall in the MAC Cyclocross Series in the 2/3/4 cup, a HUGE result. Over 150 palookas have garnered …read more >
Sunday, September 22nd, 2013
Hey Gang, So, my prep for ‘cross really went well this summer… I pretty much shut my season down at Bearscat 50 in early June, then did a bunch of solid foundation work leading into mid-July, then started racing MTB but still, on the training …read more >
Thursday, August 22nd, 2013
Hey Gang, The training has been going well… Unlike previous years, this year I have set aside training (and focus) to prepare for cyclo-cross… In typical seasons, we train and peak 2-3 times during the traditional road/MTB season, say Apr June Aug, or something similar… …read more >
Wednesday, July 31st, 2013
Hey Gang, Had a real solid week on the bike last week, finishing with the Stewart MTB race on Sunday… I had noted, though, as really a die-hard roadie in my heart, it was strange having NOT used any road bikes at all… I mean, …read more >
Thursday, July 25th, 2013
Cycling, what a sport. If you’re immersed in the sport, no matter the discipline, I feel it’s one of the best ways to live your life, virtually a superior lifestyle. I mean, so many positives associated with the bicycle, dunno even where to begin… Just …read more >
Thursday, January 31st, 2013
Hey Gang, Happy 2013 to everyone! On the bike, 2012 was a good year for me — I won a few TTs, took home the NJ TT Cup overall, and helped Heart House win a few key races. I was a little tired in winter …read more >
Wednesday, December 12th, 2012
Hey Gang, Cyclo-cross was a terrific experience for me this year… It really was a last-minute idea — like the MTB, I coach many CX racers and thought it would be great to get out there and race with them and support them… Weeks ago …read more >
Thursday, August 2nd, 2012
Hey gang… Been busy on the coaching front, really looking for superior ways to prep the Elite Endurance contingent for the arduous CX campaign that is looming — a storm is brewing 🙂 Last year, huge success, had many state champions, I think 3 alone …read more >
Friday, May 25th, 2012
Hey Gang, 2012 has been a stellar year thus far… Elite Endurance athletes are killin’ it, and I’m proud to say I’m coaching athletes on both coasts, in North Dakota, in Michigan, in Arizona, in Colorado, in Texas, in Oregon, in Afghanistan, in Germany, in …read more >
Tuesday, February 21st, 2012
Hey guys, while in CO, I was conducting interviews with numerous top local talent… In OCT, I interviewed Peter Webber, 2-time National Champion in cyclo-cross… and two months later he ended up placing 2nd at Nationals and WINNING THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP!!! The interview here includes …read more >
Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012
So, feels good to be back. I was out in Boulder, CO for a long, long minute… Got to train with some of the best cyclists in the country, did 4 UCI ‘cross races. I will say that Colorado is called the Most-Fit State for …read more >
Tuesday, October 18th, 2011
Hey Gang, Just read this in Bicycling Magazine: “Ride with the best. To be the best at the sport, you need to go where the best are. If you’re a mountain biker, spend a couple of weeks at Whistler and you will be changed forever. …read more >
Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011
Hey Gang, So, yar… been a whirlwind year… I balanced the winter nicely, getting into snowboarding and getting HOOKED, splitting my time between the slopes and the bike… but I was still getting in all the work on the bike, almost maximizing my time even …read more >
Monday, June 6th, 2011
Hey Gang, Before I delve into this quickly, I want to say that although I didn’t win the Overall at the State TT yesterday, which was my season’s goal (!!!honesty!!!), I DID have 3 Elite Endurance athletes WIN STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS!!!! 🙂 And it’s a wonderful, …read more >
Saturday, May 28th, 2011
Hey Gang, Things have been going well over here, very well… I had wanted to break the record at Somerset Circuit, and after a very heavy week, I was VERY happy to summon super legs that day, having probably my best TT EVER. Damn. Still …read more >
Sunday, May 8th, 2011
Hey Gang, So Somerset Circuit TT was this weekend… It’s my favorite TT of the year. It wasn’t a goal this year, I’ve been saying that all along, knew it’d be in the middle of a heavy week, but I knew I’d be fast here …read more >
Monday, May 2nd, 2011
Hey Gang, So training has been going well over here… I wrote about the Readington TT in my previous diary entry: the shorter TTs are not my cup of tea, but for some reason I usually have good rides at Readington. Hmmm… I’ve taken 2nd …read more >
Friday, April 15th, 2011
Hey Guys, That time of the year. Time to go into that cocoon. Time to cut the friend-time a little short. Time to start counting those calories. Time to entirely cut the BEER. Time to go to bed earlier. Time… to start digging a little …read more >
Saturday, April 2nd, 2011
Hey Gang, So where are we? SNOWBOARDING, I have to tell you — where you been all my life? I was out there 2-3x per week, it was almost an addiction… BAD Ken, lol… Snowboarding is certainly going to be a winter mainstay for me …read more >
Friday, February 25th, 2011
Hey Gang, Julie Jones, an Elite Endurance athlete who was a first-year racer/rider in 2010 and took 2nd in the Eddy TT Cup, recently had a neat write-up in the paper: http://www.northjersey.com/sports/115931899_Banner_year_for_Montclair_Cyclists.html Reading these stories gives me more motivation to continue to improve as a …read more >
Thursday, January 27th, 2011
Hey Gang, So, two weeks ago, the head started to begin to feel better… I can now ride at moderate Tempo paces and do light gym work without any nausea — dizziness is okay, but nausea is VERY hard to deal with… I still feel …read more >
Sunday, November 14th, 2010
Well, I’ve finally gotten out there for cyclo-cross… Like with the MTB athletes I coach, I said I’d get out there this year and race with my CX riders… And GOOD times thus far — love the vibe, these races get HUGE crowds, the racers …read more >
Friday, October 15th, 2010
Hey Gang, Been having LOTSA fun over here… This is my favorite time of year, the road season winding to a close, the pressure off, no more truly intense training, the temps cooling a bit, the form is still there — time to go out …read more >
Sunday, September 19th, 2010
Well, seems like eons ago, the Blueberry TT… I signed up for the TT mid-week, and then the night before I noticed Freifelder hadn’t signed up… Hmmmm… I knew I needed to beat him at the Kingwood TT in order to still stay in contention, …read more >
Tuesday, August 10th, 2010
Hey Gang, Since the State TT, I’ve been a little lost. Ummm, not lost, but coming back in 2010, I really just put together a program for States, and that’s all I thought about, June 6th 2010. There was no June 7th. Of course, there …read more >
Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010
So, I’ve been prepping to finish the season with a semblance of form… The week of the NJBA Kingwood TT, I finally decided to go to the doctor. For a month or so, I’ve had occasional bouts of nausea, weakness, just slight dizziness. I’d wake …read more >
Thursday, July 22nd, 2010
Hey Gang, So things have been busy over here… Sean Pasieka of Propeller Racing is turning out to be a pretty good time trialist! Marc Cooper of the Road Dawgs just climbed 5 TDF climbs in 4 days, finishing on the Madeleine. Kirt Mills of …read more >
Thursday, July 8th, 2010
So, final weekend of June… I had done my TT intervals on WED (my suprathreshold power is NOT existant right now!!!), then had a great PowerCrank workout, lotsa time at Tempo and SubThreshold intensities over rolling terrain… Saturday, I was signed up for the Central …read more >
Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010
So here’s the Upper Freehold TT… This is the first TT where I didn’t really prepare for… I spent the week after States really chilling out, taking a well-deserved break… I had a dilemma. I was 1st in the NJ TT Cup, and Freifelder and …read more >
Thursday, June 17th, 2010
So here we are, post-States… I took a nice week off, rode lightly a few times, pretty much violated every law in the Paleo Diet… I was stopping at Dairy Queen, stopping at 7-Eleven for Slurpees… I was craving some sweets after 3 weeks of …read more >
Monday, June 7th, 2010
The State TT: there it was… When you wake up at 5:00 and the digital thermometer says 72 degrees, you know it’s gonna be baking day out there… The morning started off oddly… I was driving, in the zone, just thinking about the upcoming effort, …read more >
Friday, June 4th, 2010
Well, that hurt 🙂 Killington Stage Race was quite an experience… I went up with a few of the Foundation boys and stayed at a condo on the finishing climb. We drove up on FRI morning and spent the afternoon settling in, unpacking… We went …read more >
Tuesday, May 25th, 2010
Hey Gang, Training going well over here… Last week I had some great riding… I recovered well from the Kingwood 36k on SUN, rode the PowerCranks at recovery pace on Monday… On TUE, I blitzed two long LTs and posted my best data of the …read more >
Tuesday, May 18th, 2010
Hey Gang, Last week went well training-wise… I’m turning it up a bit, as I want to be 100% ready for Killington and State TT… The week of Somerset, I had long threshold work on the TT bike, then a grueling PowerCrank workout. I was …read more >
Sunday, May 9th, 2010
I was amped for this race. By far my favorite event, road or TT or MTB, of the year. Freifelder was amped for Sandy Hook, he wanted to win that one, and I wanted Somerset… I’ve done well here, took 2nd to Gisler in 2007, …read more >
Friday, May 7th, 2010
Well, keeping my fingers crossed that Somerset Circuit TT will see some dry weather!!! If it rains, you can count me out of a top-5!!!! A few weeks ago, winning Cape May was bitter-sweet: I was able to dig out a good performance on the …read more >
Wednesday, April 28th, 2010
First hard ride of the week went well, but near the end of the workout I was feeling massively fatigued, overly so, and I was forced to shut it down and consequently sit the rest of the week out, throat sore and nose/chest all congested… …read more >
Monday, April 19th, 2010
So I lost the Readington overall by 1 second to Dave Freifelder of Westwood Velo – Trade Manage Capital. People came up to me after the race and said, “Kenny, that must really burn,” etc etc, and I will be honest — it actually doesn’t. …read more >
Thursday, April 15th, 2010
Well, here it is… Last week went very well. Had a sweet session on the TT bike, then a hard day on the PowerCranks… On SAT, I lead a successful Elite Endurance group ride, 55+ miles, lotsa Tempo, nothing severe… As planned, the ride was …read more >
Tuesday, April 13th, 2010
So SUN was nice… One thing I have to say these last three weeks is I’ve been sleeping really well, and it’s showing. It’s showing in training, and it’s showing when I race. I’ve been trying to get 8 solid hours of sleep, something I …read more >
Saturday, April 3rd, 2010
Sandy Hook… I mentioned on here and to many people in person, I don’t have the high-end form, but I was frickin’ AMPED to race, and a pumped up rider can be a scary one, perhaps even more dangerous than a stronger rider with less …read more >
Friday, April 2nd, 2010
So Sandy Hook is here… The Bad: I missed pretty much the first three weeks of March with nasty bout of the flu. Was WRECKED. Took a recovery week before a CRCA race on 3/6, raced well, then kablamo sick… Tried to start being productive …read more >
Monday, March 22nd, 2010
So March has been a clusterbomb… I was “under the weather” a few weeks ago, and training logically (either easily or not at all!)… I was feeling better, had that CRCA race… I knew in my heart I shouldn’t have raced, but the sponsor really …read more >
Thursday, March 11th, 2010
Well, the first race in almost two years is in my legs… Was sick on WED, didn’t ride THURS or FRI, and I went to bed at 10:30 FRI night in lieu of SAT’s crazy early Central Park start… I really didn’t think I was …read more >
Monday, March 1st, 2010
Love that Schwarzenegger quote from Pumping Iron. Well here we go, time to start turning the intensity dial up slightly… To me, when the intensity is increased, we then see just how well you trained for the 3-4 months prior… In my opinion, Foundation work …read more >
Wednesday, February 17th, 2010
Continuing to plow forward… Am really starting to fill up the race calendar over here… Training-wise, things are going well, the power is slowly creeping upwards — SLOWLY, lol… I’ve been doing tons and tons of prep (higher-end aerobic work, gym work, overgeared intervals) to …read more >
Friday, February 12th, 2010
Hey Gang, Things have been going well… One of the top teams in the CRCA, Blue Ribbon-Translations, asked me to race the CRCA events with them… Team is stacked with talent in EE alum Mark Alden (who won a stack of epic road races last …read more >
Thursday, January 21st, 2010
Well, time to start gettin’ down to business… No matter what the goals are, what the training objectives are, when the A races fall on the calendar, around mid-JAN the light goes off in my head, and cycling again becomes the focus. Don’t get me …read more >
Thursday, December 31st, 2009
Hey gang, Hope all is well out there… Weather has been brutal… Not much has changed over here… The knee is feeling close to 100%;, so that’s good!!! During some Tempo rides outdoors, the knee would feel tight in the beginning, a dull ache, but …read more >
Friday, December 18th, 2009
Winberry WON the NJ State Championship pro race over at Philipsburg… Full race report coming soon! Nice to see her pull it together… I think we peaked too soon, and now I have more info on her to ensure we can get her peak EXACTLY …read more >
Friday, December 4th, 2009
Well, so far so good with Miss Winberry of Team Campmor. Two years ago she came to me with the simple ambition of becoming a pro athlete, and this year we’ve done that, racing both pro MTB and now cyclo-cross… We started full cross prep …read more >
Friday, November 20th, 2009
Well, I listen to Weather.com. It is usually VERY accurate… I stalk that website, have the Hour-By-Hour page on my Favorites… So yesterday I had a 2+h hilly Tempo ride planned. The sky was VERY gray at noon, but Weather.com said 10% chance of rain …read more >
Monday, November 9th, 2009
So, I’ve started on with the Paleo Diet, have been researching it for over a month… I was startled when I learned that two of the most successful athletes I coach both rigorously follow this diet… I’ve slowly been whittling out the cereals, pastas, beans, …read more >
Thursday, October 29th, 2009
Some athletes may not want to add a new bike to their already enormous collection, so converting an old road bike into a cyclo-cross rig is an option… Issues to consider are using strong enough wheels (Mavic Ksyriums) and making sure you have enough clearance …read more >
Friday, October 23rd, 2009
Hey Guys and Gals, This is a nice time of the year, my favorite — always a Halloween fan, lol. Love the brisker weather, the swirling leaves, just love getting out for non-structured rides, freeing the mind and getting hungry again for the training that’s …read more >
Sunday, October 18th, 2009
I was on the fence about the BTCNJ TT… I coach a few athletes in the club, know the event director… BTCNJ, the Bicycle Tour Club of North Jersey, runs a club time trial on Long Meadow Road in April and in October… So, with …read more >
Sunday, October 4th, 2009
Well, been very busy on many different fronts… First things first: the bike. I’ve been time trialing on an old road frame, setback post all turned around, etc. I have a fast position (I THINK!) but after all, it IS a road bike. Even with …read more >
Friday, September 11th, 2009
Hey Guys and Gals, Elite Endurance athletes have been doing very well during the second half of summer… I’m VERY happy to report that I’ve been involved with several State Championships this year! Jan Curran, who data-wise has REALLY come around since we started training …read more >
Friday, August 14th, 2009
HUGE weekend for Elite Endurance athletes… Been very busy all week, making sure everyone’s on track, staying on top of everyone’s schedule… Nicholas Salerno is competing in the Darkhorse 40, his first full peak of the year… Laura Winberry is up in Windham, NY, racing …read more >
Friday, July 31st, 2009
Well, it’s certainly nice to be back. Not the most eloquent or original of phrases, but it is what it is. Oh to be a bike rider again… 🙂 This is a ME diary entry 🙂 but before I dive too deep, I wanted to …read more >
Thursday, July 9th, 2009
Just some brief lines before I’m off to bed… Seems as though Astana has already squeezed the competition out from the race. It’s already down to pretty much two guys (or Kloden or Leipheimer, lol). Lance has his armada of coaches and finger prickers, analyzing …read more >
Wednesday, July 1st, 2009
People have their opinions, much like weightlifting: it works or it doesn’t… PowerCranks, in my opinion, other than a power meter, are probably the single-best thing a serious rider can go out and buy… Riders have gotten them, either loved them or hated them, but …read more >
Wednesday, June 17th, 2009
Let’s keep the TTT simple. You have to analyze the group honestly. Who is the strongest? Smartest? Who has the most experience? Then you appoint a leader. One brain. One brain out there, everyone else just pedal hard. The most important thing is that you …read more >
Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009
I have been working with Ben Lesnak, an unattached Cat-5, since late-winter. When we started, he had an FT of around 285w. His goal was to do well in TTs and judging by his past power files, I saw potential. His power curve was flatter, …read more >
Monday, June 1st, 2009
Congrats to all who competed on Sunday down in Chatsworth… Two things: one, I’m getting a little stir crazy! Can walk somewhat now, but not much else. At least I’ll be the freshest rider come September!!! Two, I was keenly reminded of my heavy time …read more >
Friday, May 15th, 2009
Hey Guys, I’m getting better (I’d hope!). The right leg healing well, still all scabby but no longer bleeding. The risk of infection has greatly diminished… In the ER, the surgeon guy really spooked me when he said with deep lacerations like this, they’ve seen …read more >
Wednesday, May 6th, 2009
Well, I’m getting better. That Sunday crash was pretty much the first time I’ve seriously been down while riding on the road. I went down hard at the 2002 Tour of Somerville, my carbon cranks snapping as I sprinted out of a turn (oop, RIGHT …read more >
Friday, April 24th, 2009
I’ve posted this article before and wanted to post it again because (1) I’ve had a slew of fitting questions recently and (2) I’ve been doing a bunch of bike fits, something I enjoy doing very much, so I figured I’d post some info on …read more >
Wednesday, April 8th, 2009
Saturday saw sweet success on the Elite Endurance front, and I was overjoyed. Dave Carr won the Cat-4 Sandy Hook TT, Bladdy Coronel of Westwood Velo had a personal best power-wise, Mike Burke of Pro Pedals is already at his best power of 2008, Benjamin …read more >
Wednesday, March 25th, 2009
Well, it’s nice to be riding again. Man, what a layoff can do to you! I am so amped up to be back on the bike, training with sharp regularity. I am enjoying every ride, something I can’t say for the last two years… My …read more >
Wednesday, March 18th, 2009
Just finished watching Allen Lim’s training presentation at the CRCA meeting… Lotsa good stuff in there, and hearing he’s not so hyper-obsessive about power numbers and is very much open to rider’s input sets my mind at ease, as at times I very much feel …read more >
Wednesday, March 11th, 2009
Well, Laura Winberry of Team Campmor is in Ecuador, training! Laura has some huge aspirations this year… She’s coming off a BIG 2008: 3rd at Easterns for XC, 3rd at Nationals, State XC Champion, State Cyclo-Cross Champion, overall winner of H2H Series, winner of a …read more >
Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009
One of the athletes with whom I work, Evan Cooper, really takes to the diet advice I have given and has followed it to a T. He is currently in college and was a strong Cat-3 last year, consistently finishing top-15. This winter, he’s worked …read more >
Wednesday, February 25th, 2009
Hey Guys, Back from Ohio… I’m a huge supporter of the company and it’s nice seeing them revising things and keeping the PowerCrank site interesting… There is a lot of great information on that site… Some guys pretty much detest PowerCranks, and I suppose they’re …read more >
Tuesday, February 10th, 2009
First up, I want to say things have been going well. I haven’t been able to ride as much as I’d like, coaching taking up a huge chunk of my day as I’m really trying to prepare myself and the athletes for a HUGE 2009, …read more >
Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009
Most riders do not stretch. We’re not running around, changing direction, jarring our joints, jumping. Why stretch? Well, there are many reasons! As Lance used to say, a longer muscle is a stronger muscle. Help increase blood flow by stretching briefly before your ride and …read more >
Tuesday, January 27th, 2009
In my opinion, if you’re a 9-5er or 12-8er and want to race at a top level, commuting to work via bicycle is the best way to train. Now, this doesn’t apply to all. If you’re dedicated enough to go to bed at 9:00 at …read more >
Tuesday, January 20th, 2009
I read a great article over the summer on Michael Phelps (actually, one of my athletes e-mailed it to me). As with anything regarding sport, especially dominant Alpha males, I cut it out, save it, file it in my filing cabinet. No matter what the …read more >
Monday, January 12th, 2009
For the time trialists out there (they seem to be multiplying every year!), here are some tips towards tackling the Race of Truth… A few days ago, a rider posted questions about road bike TT bike, when to ride which, where to start… You need …read more >
Saturday, January 3rd, 2009
Many of the athletes with whom I work have been asking me about diet, how to lose weight, etc… Most riders, if not all, gain weight during the winter, and it’s only natural… Like everything in this sport, you need to carefully dose your diet. …read more >
Thursday, December 25th, 2008
During college, during the Christmas break, I bombed into Manhattan early Christmas morning on my bike, caught all the green lights, and just ripped through the city. Ghost town. Nothing, no one out and about. A bit surreal. I felt great and just zipped along, …read more >
Saturday, December 6th, 2008
A friend of mine recently informed me of next year’s Connecticut Stage Race. Looks like May. Please note that there will be NO BikeReg registration so you need to check the link below. Course maps (google maps) have already been posted. More info will likely …read more >
Friday, November 28th, 2008
Cyclo-cross races are arguably the hardest events in this sport. Okay, so you don’t have the 5-hours of punishment of a hilly road race, but then again you get ZERO rest. You take the steady-state aspect of time-trialing and mix in the accelerations of criterium …read more >
Wednesday, November 26th, 2008
On Thanksgiving morning, I’ll be joining the local MTB crew up at Lake Wawayanda. It’s a fun 3+h of hammering around those technical trails (is it me, or is Wawayanda pretty damn hard?!). I’ll be out on my 1998 Schwinn Homegrown duallie. Full XTR! I …read more >
Friday, November 14th, 2008
Well, I’m back from Youngstown… Man, I have some stories for you about that place. I just cannot make this stuff up… Let me just say that going to places like that makes you appreciate what you have out here… We take a lot — …read more >
Tuesday, November 4th, 2008
Hey Guys, Things have been going well… Been spending a ton of time in front of the laptop lately, laying out ATPs and making sure everyone is getting on track for 2009… As mentioned, this time of the year can be very tricky. Regarding the …read more >
Monday, October 27th, 2008
Hey Everyone, Hope everyone is well… Just want to write that I’m getting a puppy pitbull tomorrow morning… I’ve been getting the apartment — and head — prepped for the new arrival… I cannot wait. I went to the Ramapo Animal Refuge and saw this …read more >
Monday, October 20th, 2008
This is the article I wrote for Fight Hype, the magazine I write for part-time… For those of you who don’t know (or even care!), I am writing a book on middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik. On Saturday, he fought the legendary Bernard Hopkins in a …read more >
Thursday, October 9th, 2008
I have riders ask me this question quite often. The winter training period, in my opinion, is THE most crucial block of the year, and unfortunately also the one that most riders screw up… Back in the day, base miles were considered to be easy, …read more >
Thursday, September 25th, 2008
Some guys may not want to add a new bike to their already enormous collection, so converting an old road bike into a cyclo-cross rig is an option… Issues to consider are using strong enough wheels (Mavic Ksyriums) and making sure you have enough clearance …read more >
Thursday, September 18th, 2008
Cyclo-cross in America is becoming a bigger and bigger outlet for roadies and even mountain bikers. In Europe, it’s always been a mainstay, and I think it’s because cyclo-cross is an ideal winter activity for endurance athletes… This fall and early-winter, as riders prepare, race, …read more >
Tuesday, September 9th, 2008
Autumn is a time most riders can make mistakes with their training. In my opinion, winter is the most critical training period of the year, and if you don’t train properly through the autumn, then you will not be able to get the job done …read more >
Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008
I was on my TT bike the other day, just going out for a fun tempo ride on my TT loop… I have this terrific loop set up in my town: straight bomb down a wide county road, right at a light (that’s always green), …read more >
Wednesday, August 27th, 2008
In my opinion, Shimano Dura-Ace is the gold standard. I thought their 9-speed groupset was the best out there, shifted far nicer than the Campy Record 10-speed although Campy is more durable… Then Shimano in 2003 came out with the outboard bearing bottom bracket, a …read more >
Thursday, August 14th, 2008
Evan Cooper of CRCA-Bicycling recently competed in the 17-18 Nationals out in Orange County, CA… I am very happy to report, although Evan didn’t get the top results he had hoped for, he actually peaked for the events and rode to his potential… In Day …read more >
Monday, August 4th, 2008
Well, Nationals have come for the Master’s and Mountain Bike folk… I didn’t have many athletes go, but for those who did, they more than enough came up with the results… Dana Fallon of Liberty Cycle took 10th in the Master’s 50+ TT down in …read more >
Tuesday, July 29th, 2008
I have to admit: I am very finicky about finding the optimal cadence. And by optimal cadence I don’t mean just cruising around, where am I most efficient? A good rider should try to zero in where he/she is best suited for sub-threshold, LT, Vo2 …read more >
Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008
A few of the athletes with whom I work e-mailed me when this new race hit BikeReg… The Tour de Catskills in early September. The race, from what I gather, is basically two big hilly days. Day 1 is the harder day as the hills …read more >
Thursday, July 17th, 2008
If you haven’t seen Pumping Iron, you should watch it immediately. It’s a great glimpse into the mind of one of the most powerful alpha-males of his time, 7-time Mr. Olympian Arnold Schwarzenegger. He was, at the time of the documentary, at the height of …read more >
Monday, July 14th, 2008
Well, after hitting the court for a few days, seeing the good old groundstrokes come back, I learned from a friend that one of my former teaching peers is now the head pro of one of north Jersey’s most prestigious tennis clubs. It turns out …read more >
Tuesday, July 8th, 2008
“These little town blues, are melting away. I’m gonna make a brand new start of it – in old New York. And if I can make it there, I’m gonna make it anywhere.” I have never quite experienced anything like 56,000 booming fans swarming the …read more >
Wednesday, July 2nd, 2008
Well, the athletes with whom I work are getting very strong and have earned some stellar results this year… First, I want to congratulate John Raheb, who recently WON the State Championship Road Race in the Cat 3s. This was a great, great day… We’ve …read more >
Saturday, June 28th, 2008
Well, I took 9th. Not a great result, but not too shabby either. I was super-strong, I mean stupid strong, the legs feeling weightless… I was ready to go. The conditions were very hot, something I absolutely abhor, stifling, and this is my only complaint: …read more >
Wednesday, June 25th, 2008
Well, I survived. Sunday was a very fast race, two climbs bookending the 2-mile loop. I felt terrible in the beginning of the race as the pace was very high. I had about 7 numbers written down on my stem, then saw #51 from MetLife …read more >
Saturday, June 21st, 2008
Well, the Giro di Jersey TT went well. I’ll be honest: even though there were several pro teams and other amateur squads bringing a full roster of guys, I was hoping to win, or at least get on the podium. I was prepping for this …read more >
Sunday, June 15th, 2008
At the State TT, I had a disastrous unraveling. I was especially nauseous, just absolute sick I think I’m going to puke on the next guy I see. Well, a few days afterwards, I realized I crushed my two little friends and this was probably …read more >
Friday, June 6th, 2008
There is a new PowerCrank study: In the 2008 New Jersey State Time Trial Championships, 3 of the top 5 overall were PowerCrankers. The study uncovered that if you want to win the State TT, DO NOT RIDE POWERCRANKS. The winner, not a PowerCranker, is …read more >
Wednesday, June 4th, 2008
Well, I’ve been fighting this sinus headache for awhile… Got it after the Tour de Parc and, well, it just wouldn’t go away… In fact, the only time I feel better is on the bike!!! But in the morning, the head is all crunched up …read more >
Sunday, June 1st, 2008
Well, that hurt. I hate the State TT. So long. So uneventful. So flat. So boring. Blick. Pavement pavement pavement pavement pavement pavement. Dead squirrel. Pavement pavement pavement pavement pavement. Turnaround. Pavement pavement pavement… But I wanted to do well here. In previous years, I …read more >
Thursday, May 29th, 2008
Way back when, I started my cycling life as a huge masher, just mashing up everything. Small ring? NONSENSE!!! I remember buying my first road bike and going out and just pushing these huge gears everywhere, every day… I thought small gears meant slow speeds …read more >
Monday, May 26th, 2008
I recently did an interview with world middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik, just a beast in the ring. I am also gearing up to do a book with him in the fall, so I’m stoked. I can empathize with this fighter, as he’s a skinny, tall, …read more >
Thursday, May 22nd, 2008
Well, I knew it was coming. I had an outstanding block of training for that last 40 or so days, virtually no problems, no getting sick, no bad days, no falling apart… and I was waiting for that One. Bad. Day. After the super-hard PNC …read more >
Tuesday, May 20th, 2008
Sunday’s Tour de Parc out on Long Island was more fun than anticipated. A very fast course, two long straightaways with one wide uphill on one end and a tight turn at the other, pretty much a sharp jacknife… At the criterium, Northeastern Hardware had …read more >
Thursday, May 15th, 2008
The Hills of Somerset is one of my favorite races, pretty much the closest thing to a stage of the Tour! I mean, it’s an 85-mile Tour of Somerset County, ripping from one town to the next, just full kablamo for 3+ hours. The race …read more >
Sunday, May 11th, 2008
This week of training went very well, culminating with a victory Saturday at the Somerset TT. Last week, I had heavy days and I rode well at High Point. My time wasn’t screaming fast, 6th, but I felt good and was very happy considering I’m …read more >
Tuesday, May 6th, 2008
Well, driving up to the High Point Uphill TT, I was startled by the density of the clouds that seemed to be split in half by the top of the hill climb! Driving into the park, I had my foot on the brake as visibility …read more >
Tuesday, April 29th, 2008
Well, I took overall victory at the 36k Kingwood TT. It’s been awhile, but it feels good to get a win under my belt for 2008. For the past couple of years, I’ve come close several times in the time trials, a loss by 2 …read more >
Friday, April 25th, 2008
While training hard or racing, a rider will burn through his glycogen stores within 60 minutes, plus lose plenty of fluids. So pack the bars and bottles when you head out. As you sweat through a hard workout or race, you must constantly replace the …read more >
Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008
Well, I took a recovery week last week, moving into a bigger apartment, setting up the gargantuan entrance living room as a Training Center for Elite Endurance, doing bike fits and fitness tests there and such — and to also make a full-on bike room …read more >
Wednesday, April 16th, 2008
CONQUERING BATTENKILL-ROUBAIX By Kenneth Lundgren Battenkill-Roubaix is a notoriously difficult road race that is distinct not because of its notorious steep climbs, but because many of these notorious steep climbs are off road… During the race, you will be riding on roads you would never …read more >
Monday, April 7th, 2008
Sandy Hook: Success and Non-Success. From a performance standpoint, I felt great. At this point in my training, I’d give myself an A. Rode very, very hard, by far hardest effort of the year, full rev of my big V6!!! First time all year with …read more >
Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008
The Race of Truth? Well, nowadays it seems to be more about the Race of Money! Discs, integrated seatposts, wind tunnel testing, power meters… If you don’t have the goods, it’s borderline impossible to compete against the very best… Time trialing, however, is still by …read more >
Monday, March 31st, 2008
Cape May was a painful success. I was going down there to snare a top-3, and that is what I did. Damn, 4 seconds off second place!!! With my current condition, I knew it would be a tall order getting a top time, but I …read more >
Friday, March 28th, 2008
Well, the first TT is swiftly upon us. A little early in the year, a little far away geographically, a little windy and cold, a LITTLE EARLY IN THE MORNING!!! But eh, no real complaints. We’re all a little nutty in the brain. This will …read more >
Sunday, March 23rd, 2008
Sunday morning I slept in, had a hearty breakfast, answered some e-mails, caught up on some reading, and out I went for 2.5h, 175w. Surprisingly, I felt really good — the legs weren’t as annihilated as initially feared. Post-race in the Coxsackie lot, I had …read more >
Saturday, March 22nd, 2008
Slow Twitch? How ’bout NO TWITCH!!! Lol. I’ll get to that… First event of the year. The plan was to sit in a bit, then really open it up and try to power a breakaway, just running myself into the ground. A result was not …read more >
Sunday, March 9th, 2008
Elite Endurance standout Zach Koop of Team Campmor WON the Sunday Central Park in the Cat-5s, a huge field. Zach stayed near the front all race and as the peloton slowed around a bend on the final lap, he gassed it full metal, got the …read more >
Wednesday, March 5th, 2008
I gathered a bunch of the guys together Sunday for the Nyack Ride and we really rode hard, pushing healthy watts all ride. Goal was to give everyone a fast, free ride back to Nyack, control the front — no one gets away. The EE …read more >
Sunday, February 24th, 2008
I’m on the last leg of Antibiotics. Usually, taking this (*censored*)(*censored*)(*censored*)(*censored*) leaves me feeling toxically empty, but this time around, it brought me to life. I was so out of it, just downright flatlined with an abhorrent sinus infection, that when the drugs kicked in, …read more >
Saturday, February 16th, 2008
In 2007, I was racing for a new team, Northeastern Hardware. Awesome team, gracious sponsor, admirably strong riders. I was introduced to a plethora of fast, motivated athletes during the team rides, and three guys immediately come to mind. Raffy Urzedowski, one of the state’s …read more >
Thursday, February 7th, 2008
EXCLUSIVE POWERCRANKING? By Kenneth Lundgren PowerCranks, if used properly, are a terrific training tool and arguably one of the best things you can do to truly improve performance? I?ve been speaking with a number of riders about them, and they are under the impression that …read more >
Thursday, January 24th, 2008
THE NICK BRUNO CHRONICLES By Kenneth Lundgren At the beginning of 2007, 18-year-old Nick Bruno was an unknown Cat-4. He had some success on the mountain-bike circuit, winning a few races in his age group, but he knew his love was the road. He didn?t …read more >
Sunday, January 13th, 2008
POWERCRANKING By Kenneth Lundgren I remember racing Bear Mountain Fall 2005. A breakaway of four went up the road. On the final lap, one of the riders, Ryan Morris of Cornell University, had flatted, and we picked him up road-side. Two more guys were scooped …read more >
Thursday, January 11th, 2007
Let me recap: in Spring 2002, I was a Cat-5, then a 4, and by May a pretty strong 3, addicted to racing my bike and riding hard. That year, however, I took 3 whole years off. Zero riding. Nunca. ……(SYS OP SPAM ENGINE 2A0-9721)…. …read more >
Friday, January 5th, 2007
Weather was borderline gorgeous yesterday. It’s January!!!! !!!!!!! (hope it ain’t 130 degrees come Fitchburg…) Went out at 1 pm, overdressed and fearing riding in the cold darkness. Felt good. Did an immensely heavy week this week, lotsa tempo, lotsa big-gear stuff. For those who …read more >
Sunday, December 31st, 2006
Did fairly challenging Tempo workout on trainer Saturday morn. Everything steady, long shots, churning a high cadence. In the drops, tempoing away on the trainer, home for me is 100-103 rpms. Just right… I felt really good, dripping sweat all over the place! I’m a …read more >
Thursday, December 28th, 2006
Legs still mega-sore from the weight session. Ouch. Usually I bounce back quick, but on holidays, for some reason, when I work out, I push it to the edge. But it’s a good soreness, I suppose. Trekked forward today. Legs were heavy from the get-go …read more >
Wednesday, December 27th, 2006
Well, for the last week or so, I’ve eaten like a bum. Oh well. But it’s okay. If you don’t make micro-cheats every now and then, you’re setting yourself up for a huge macro-disaster! So, it’s good to reach for the sweets every now and …read more >
Monday, December 25th, 2006
Limited time today. Did weights after dinner. Would’ve been nice to get that immense turkey intake straight into the muscles, but time just did not allow. I have an old hip injury. I did intense physical therapy all last winter. It helped. a little. As …read more >
Sunday, December 24th, 2006
Drove to Tenafly. Couldn’t believe the weather. This global warming is gonna kill us. Yup. I’m convinced. Met the Nyack Ride in Sparkill. I sat in, a little rusty actually with the group riding thing! Before the two reservoirs, headwinds were splitting gaps open all …read more >
Thursday, December 21st, 2006
Rode to Franklin Avenue, met the Gisler about 10 miles from home. We turned back, bombed down to the base of Skyline and avoided it altogether! We rode around the base, up and around Wanaque. Turned onto Westbrook and ascented for awhile. We’re weird. He’s …read more >
Wednesday, December 20th, 2006
Coach had me doing some overgeared stuff today, then a bunch of Uphill Sprints. Felt good. Had recovery week last week, so today the legs were fresh. Did 6 repeats up a steep, steady climb, around 58 rpm average. Time for Kenny High Cadence to …read more >
Wednesday, December 20th, 2006
Today I wanted to do steady stuff on the TT bike, just cruising. I specifically designed a flat route — FLAT!!! — that had minimal stops. I thought I was a genius… Heh, 30m into the ride, I’m flying up to these railroad tracks, and …read more >
Thursday, December 14th, 2006
…………………… Did a long one today. Finally got that creak on the Ghisallo. It was the front derailleur! My bike is a noodle, and the seat tube has significant flex. Mark from work cleaned the front derailleur, and today the bike was purring, the weather …read more >
Monday, December 11th, 2006
While training hard or racing, a rider will burn through his glycogen stores within 60 minutes, plus lose plenty of fluids. So pack the bars and bottles when you head out. As you sweat through a hard workout or race, you must constantly replace the …read more >
Sunday, December 10th, 2006
Woke up at 6:30. Took a look at the thermometer. 18 degrees. Yeah right. Nope. Crawled back into bed. At 9:00, a yawn and I was out of bed, almost instantly dressed — like a fireman jumping out of his bunk, straight into his boots! …read more >
Sunday, December 10th, 2006
Did a steady, mid-morning ride with 8 or so friends down in Morristown. That section of Morris County makes for excellent riding — wide roads, wooded areas, rolling terrain, quiet, almost no cars. Rode past Liberty Corner and enjoyed the 55-degree sunshine. Got the time …read more >
Friday, December 8th, 2006
Did a light spin this morning on the trainer, Sigur Ros humming in the background. I too enjoy trainer workouts. The time doesn’t kill me. You can put me on an assembly line and I can put the same bolt through the same piece of …read more >
Thursday, December 7th, 2006
I met Mark Albert early in the morning to speak about the team. The meeting went well. I drove home immediately afterwards and inhaled multiple bowls of cereal (the cereal, not the bowls). The weather was in the low-50s. I put on arm and leg …read more >
Wednesday, December 6th, 2006
The other night was so cold riding home, I think I’ll have trouble forgetting it! So I didn’t commute today and instead rode late-morning, saving myself from the black cold misery coming home. But, as I rode, the day blossomed into bearably warm weather. I …read more >
Tuesday, December 5th, 2006
Monday was a little cold! Rode to work, noodling. Coming home, the night air was frigid, but after ten minutes, I was okay. Good easy day. 38 miles, 132 watts. Today, I did some big-gear stuff, then cranked out some short Uphill Sprints. I have …read more >
Sunday, December 3rd, 2006
Cold this morning. Rode to the Park Ridge Ride. Sat in. At end, got the knives out briefly, driving it with Raheb and The Kid. Very short. Rode up to 9W with Raheb, steady eddy. Came back, parted ways with John in Westwood, and rode …read more >
Sunday, December 3rd, 2006
Today I drove to my friend Gavi Epstein’s house. He’s only 20, a Cat-II, and racing full-on for Sakonnet next year, doing a full schedule packed with NRC races. A good gig, a strong rider. I was excited to do a long ride with him… …read more >
Friday, December 1st, 2006
Today was stupid beautiful out, 65+ degrees. Eerie. As the sun went down, it got even warmer out!!! I packed bars and bottles and off I went on my Ghisallo, riding towards Ringwood. It was very overcast and a little drizzly, but I was enjoying …read more >
Thursday, November 30th, 2006
Today was overcast but not cold, mid 50s. I took the TT bike out at 10:30, keeping it steady on a hilly route towards Glen Rock. Stayed seated, kept the cadence high, 100+. It’s amazing how much faster that bike is… Once I got to …read more >
Tuesday, November 28th, 2006
I rode to work today. I have an awesome commute. Depending how I go, it’s 19 or 22 miles one way. Either way, it’s considerably hilly, up and down until I’m practically home. On my easy days, I usually take the hills out of the …read more >
Monday, November 27th, 2006
I able to pack in some miles this weekend. Saturday morning, I woke up early, rode to Park Ridge, did the Park Ridge Ride, then rode to Piermont, then came home. A good steady ride. I was able to stay in the middle of the …read more >
Thursday, November 23rd, 2006
Today I slept in late. I was at my girlfriend’s until very late last night. She’s home from UVM. Gotta get all the time I can get while she’s home!!! With the day’s ****ty conditions, I swapped days in the schedule and did weights. I …read more >
Wednesday, November 22nd, 2006
Fearing the rainy forecast tonight, I decided (again!) to not commute. On the TT bike, I rode local for two hours in the morning, steady tempo. I did a quiet 25-mile hilly loop, staying seated. I kept the cadence over 100 on the flats, in …read more >
Monday, November 20th, 2006
This week is going to be a long one. I origially wanted to do a mountain bike ride on Sunday, maybe to Allaire or something, but I think I’m going to do an endurance ride instead. I need to stick to the plan, stan. I …read more >
Sunday, November 19th, 2006
This week was a shorter week, having piled on the miles the last three weeks, doing pretty much all aerobic work. I rode to and from work (19 miles one way) Monday and Tuesday, recovery rides. I did 3 hours of tempo on the TT …read more >
