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Welcome to The Movement Memo, a bi-weekly newsletter where I share actionable tips to help you live your best day ever, every day.
Today's Programming
Movement: Recovery after the Leadville 100 MTB
Quote: Hillary on climbing mountains
Lesson: 6 lessons from Leadville 2024
Optimization: How I recover after long endurance sessions
Today's Movement
Recovery after The Leadville 100 MTB:
•3-mile walk
Leadville 100 Mile MTB PR
Today's Quote
“It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.”
Ambitious people like to set big goals.
We like to have something to work towards.
But it’s not the actual result that is so fulfilling.
It’s the process we go through, the lessons we learn, and the habits we build that become the reward.
Today's Lesson Learned
Leadville 2024 Race Report: Conquering the Mountains
If you’re an endurance athlete, the Leadville 100 isn’t just a race—it’s a proving ground.
Like all challenging endurance events, the Leadville 100 MTB serves as a masterclass in preparation, strategy, and mental grit. Whether you’re a seasoned racer or gearing up for your first long-distance event, the training and the day of competition will provide a treasure trove of insights into who you are and what you are truly capable of.
Today I share the principles I learned through training and racing in the the Leadville 100 mountain bike.
Mastering the Course
On the mountain bike, understanding the terrain is the ultimate cheat code. It allows you to gain an edge over all of your competition. Preparation isn’t just about logging hours on the bike—it’s about knowing where to push and where to back off. On my longest training ride leading up to the race I only hit three hours, but I piled on countless two to three-hour rides at elevation and on the course itself. This allowed me to dial in my lines on the descents and understand how my power and heart rate would react to the 24 Category 4 climbs throughout the race. (If you’re not a biker category 4 = really, really hard!)
Familiarity with the course isn’t just helpful; it’s a game-changer:
Actionable Lessons to Remember:
• Familiarize Yourself: Ride the course multiple times to internalize where to conserve energy and where to push.
• Simulate Conditions: Train at elevation and in weather similar to race day.
• Track Your Output: Use power meters to monitor improvements and fine-tune your performance.
Building Your Aerobic Base:
The lead-up to long endurance races is all about how much zone 2 volume you can accumulate. Over the past 90 days, I’ve watched my power output climb back towards my triathlon peak, thanks to a mix of intense efforts and steady rides. But race day is all about fueling. Long endurance events are more of an eating competition than anything else. And my nutrition is my secret weapon. The day before, I carb-loaded with rice, burgers, blueberries, honey, and even a few Sour Patch Kids to max out glycogen levels.
Actionable Lessons to Remember:
• Consistent Training: Blend long easy rides with high-intensity efforts to build both endurance and power.
• Carb-Loading: Ensure your glycogen stores are full with a balanced diet of carbs and proteins.
• Monitor Progress: Keep an eye on power metrics to gauge improvement and adjust training.
Race Day Is An Eating Competition
Race day is where preparation meets execution. I packed five Morton bars, two HNY Plus bars with caffeine, and water bottles filled with Ketone IQ shots and Momentous fuel. I carried LMNT packets in my kit to add to bottles at aid stations when I stopped to refill. Throughout the 100 miles, I consumed eight bottles of water mixed with carbs and electrolytes. But heading into Powerline at mile 80, I could feel the fatigue in my legs and I knew I was falling behind on my fueling. So I had to adapt my strategy. Over the last 20 miles, I consumed four small cups of Coca-Cola, which gave my blood sugar an immediate spike and allowed me to keep pushing through until the finish line.
Actionable Lessons to Remember:
• Plan Your Fuel: Have a detailed nutrition and hydration strategy.
• Stay Hydrated: Regularly refill water bottles and consume electrolytes.
• Adapt: Be flexible and adjust based on how you feel during the race.
The Importance of Pacing: Early and Late Race Strategy
Everyone who competes in endurance events learns the importance of pacing, the hard way. On race day you’ve trained hard for months and then tapered to allow your body to fully recover. Your body feels better than it has in weeks and you're excited to finally toe the starting line. This leads inexperienced competitors to throw out their race strategy, go out too hot, and blow up. (My good friend Bobby, who helps me with this newsletter, experienced this this past weekend. And ended up losing our friendly bet and having to complete 100 burpees.) Maturity beat youth this past weekend. I made the same mistake in my first Ironman. It’s a hard hard-earned lesson, but one you never forget.
Starting in the green corral was a blessing—no bottlenecks, just a clear path ahead. I rode with faster cyclists and set a strong early pace. But here’s the kicker: pushing too hard early cost me later. By mile 80, fatigue set in, and my power output plummeted. It didn’t fall off to the point where I bonked, but I definitely raced the front 50 miles faster than the back ½.
Actionable Lessons to Remember:
• Start Smart: Begin at a sustainable pace to conserve energy for the later stages.
• Monitor Heart Rate: Keep an eye on your heart rate to avoid overexertion early on.
• Save Energy: Remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Hold back to have more in the tank later.
No Matter What, There Will Be Tough Moments
Columbine is the hardest section of the course, which begins at mile 42 and consists of a 9-mile 3500 climb, peaking at over 12,000 ft. This section tested me, but I managed my energy, walking the bike on steep sections to save my back. And I was able to crest the summit feeling strong and begin descending downhill with a clear line. (Something that I have never had in the past). By Powerline, fatigue was my shadow. My motivation was dropping and I began to mentally check off the miles to the finish before I found a group of fellow riders who became my lifeline. Finding (or making new friends) in the later stages of long races is a saving grace mentally. The shared suffering spurs you on to the finish.
Actionable Lessons to Remember:
• Stay Positive: Use mental strategies to keep spirits high during tough sections.
• Find Motivation: Ride with others or set small goals to keep pushing forward.
• Know Your Limits: It’s okay to walk or slow down if it conserves energy for later.
Post-Race Recovery: Rebuilding and Reflecting
Crossing the finish line at 8:27, I shaved 20 minutes off last year’s effort. I was thrilled with this effort, but I fell off by about 20 minutes from early splits due to fatigue and poor pacing. As soon as you cross the finish line, the only thing that matters is recovery. And recovery is all about protein; I used a fantastic new product called Momentous Elite Recovery. I also force myself to immediately reflect on the race, to write down what went well, what went poorly, and the lessons I want to remember for next time. Pacing early was my key takeaway.
Actionable Lessons to Remember:
• Recover Smart: Focus on protein and carbs immediately after to aid muscle recovery.
• Reflect: Analyze performance to identify areas for improvement.
• Plan Ahead: Use race insights to adjust training and strategy for future events.
My Race Day Set-Up: S-Works Epic World Cup 2023 (total weight 20 lb. 7 oz)
Frame: S-Works FACT 12m Carbon, WCID suspension design, Progressive XC Race Geometry, Rider-First Engineered™, threaded BB, 12x148mm UDH compatible rear spacing, internal cable routing, 75mm of travel
Suspension: Rear Shock: RockShox-Specialized SIDLuxe WCID Ultimate, Ride Dynamics Developed, Independent negative spring, Rebound Adjust, 215x40mm
Fork: RockShox SID SL ULTIMATE BRAIN, Top-Adjust Brain damper, Debon Air, 15x110mm, 44mm offset, 110mm Travel
Brakes:
• Front Brake: SRAM Level Ultimate, 2-piston caliper, hydraulic disc, stealth, 180/160mm rotor
• Rear Brake: SRAM Level Ultimate, 2-piston caliper, hydraulic disc, stealth, 160mm rotor
Drivetrain:
• Rear Derailleur
• SRAM XX SL Eagle Transmission
Shift Levers: SRAM POD AXS controller
Cassette: SRAM CS-1299 Cassette, 12-speed, 10-52t
Chain: SRAM XX SL Eagle
Crankset: Quarq XX SL power meter crankset, Carbon, 168 Q-Factor, DUB, 170/175mm, 34T
Chainrings: 34t
Bottom Bracket: SRAM DUB, BSA 73mm, Threaded
Tires:
• Front Tire: 25 PSI, S-Works Fast Trak, S-Works Casing, T5/T7 Compound, 29x2.35
• Rear Tire: 28 PSI, Vittoria, Mezcal, 29x2.35
My Race Day Playlist: I listened to these 12 songs on repeat!
Lessons Learned and Moving Forward:
The Leadville 100-mile mountain bike is one of the most renowned (and challenging) mountain bike races in the world. Anyone who shows up to the starting line has been training for months and is a serious athlete. My biggest piece of advice for any level of endurance athlete is to reframe each race as a learning experience—use these insights to improve and achieve your personal best. Keep pushing, stay positive, and never stop learning.
Keep climbing those mountains.
Today's Optimization
As we age, our bodies change, and they stop recovering as quickly. That’s where Cheribundi Tart Cherry Juice comes into play. Packed with natural antioxidants and anthocyanins, this juice is a powerhouse for reducing inflammation, speeding recovery, supporting immunity, and improving sleep.
Cheribundi Tart Cherry Juice isn’t just another supplement; it’s a superfood with scientifically backed benefits. The high antioxidant content in tart cherries helps reduce inflammation and pain naturally, making it as effective as traditional anti-inflammatories like aspirin. For endurance athletes, recovery is as crucial as training. Incorporating tart cherry juice into your routine can significantly reduce muscle soreness and inflammation caused by intense workouts, allowing you to recover faster and train harder. The juice’s natural melatonin also helps improve sleep quality, ensuring you get the rest you need to rebuild and perform.
Adding Cheribundi to your daily routine is simple: drink it straight after workouts to boost recovery, mix it into your post-workout protein shake, or combine it with water for a hydrating post-exercise drink. To maximize the benefits, consume 8-16 ounces of tart cherry juice daily, depending on your training intensity. Cheribundi’s 100% pure tart cherry juice ensures you get the highest concentration of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds without added sugars or artificial ingredients. Try Cheribundi today and feel the difference.
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Publisher: Eric Hinman
Editor-in-chief: Bobby Ryan