Pete's last episode 😢 – Does Anaerobic Training Hurt FTP, Glycolysis, Meal Timing and More – Ask a Cycling Coach 326

We are going to miss Pete, but grateful for his example of love and support to his family. :heart:

Anaerobic training is important for many athletes, but does its high-sugar burning nature lower your FTP? We’ll dig into the science of anaerobic training, lactate threshold, glycolysis, meal timing and much more in Episode 326 of the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast!


Youtube Live Video:


Topics Covered in This Episode

  • TrainerRoad launched a Free Trial!
  • How much is too much anaerobic training?
  • What anaerobic training does to your body
  • Does anaerobic training hurt FTP?
  • How does your body break down, store, and use sugar?
  • How to time your meals for ideal performance
  • Easy recipes for athletes
  • Should you hire a nutritionist?
  • Pairing nutrition with load and deload phases

Resources mentioned in this episode

TrainerRoad Podcast Network

Submit your Question to the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast

Subscribe to the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast

Subscribe to the Successful Athletes Podcast

Submit your story to the Successful Athletes Podcast

Subscribe to the Science of Getting Faster Podcast

Submit a topic to the Science of Getting Faster Podcast

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i got to level 7 anaerobic with the CX specialty plan this week, please don’t tell me I’ve ruined everything lol

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How do you balance maintaining FTP and anaerobic capacity DURING a cyclocross season?

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All my cyclocross homies are here wowoowowow :relaxed:

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are you doing any new england UCI races? I’d recommend really rad because it’s one of my faves

Trying to make it out to the Northampton and Falmouth MA UCI races, but before then I’ll be at Charm City! Fingers crossed I get to make it out to more stuff!

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I’ll def be in Falmouth, so I’ll say hi if you do go! Would love to do northampton but I have an unofficial rule that I don’t drive more than 2hrs one way for races (mainly to not get grief from the family lol)

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You sure do follow the lives of the presenters and staff of TrainerRoad if you listen to the podcast for long enough, so many personal situations have changed over the last few years for better and worse. Pete looked like he was almost choking up today.

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We’ll miss you Pete :heart:

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Wishing you and your family nothing but the best Pete. We will miss you

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Haven’t listened to the episode yet….where is Pete heading off to?

Will definitely miss his contributions. Best wishes!!

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I’ll be at Charm City. Look for the ABRT tent. Hope we’ll get to see you there.

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Sorry to hear of your situation Pete and wishing you all the very best.

I for one want to put a request in already for a cameo appearance straight after Cape Epic.

Really, really enjoyed your contribution to the race analysis etc content. Even though I don’t have any desire to race Criterium, or even road races, I really found educational and entertainment value from those videos.

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Dangit I was eagerly anticipating Cooking with Pete.

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Here’s hoping you do get a spot on the team for the L39ION event, Pete.

Your input has, over the past few years, really inspired me. I also relate to your sense of humour. I’m going to miss you.

I hope that whatever your father is facing, can be beaten. Best wishes to you and your family.

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Really going to miss Pete. Love his warmth, humility, knowledge and invaluable insights on all manner of subjects. Thanks for everything Pete and good luck for the future.

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Question for the gravel / gravel-aware riders in the US from an American living abroad:

@Jonathan commented in this episode his view that “gravel is just road riding on sub-par roads” (1:06:19 of the video). I spend a lot of time on my gravel bike on trails. I have not (yet) done a US gravel event and only done a couple here in Europe (I live in eastern Switzerland), but Jonathan’s comment makes me wonder about the severity of the terrain of the events he’s referring to. Would others characterize the events that way?

I’m coming from a view that a fun (and proper) gravel route is one that is best with wider tires with lumpy, technical elements, steep climbs that require extra traction and careful body position, yet fast flats or downhills or smooth climbs, and moments that cause a rider to think “A front shock would be good right about now” & “I’m glad I have 47s for traction.” Maybe this fits with what Jonathan labeled as a “Grinduro” course?

Thoughts on this?

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I think Jon is going to get a lot of gravel hate email. :slight_smile:

The thing with gravel is that it is vastly different depending on where you are in the country. Some places like Colorado have very “smooth” gravel roads. They spray the roads with something that makes them almost like pavement so it is closer to road racing.

I rode a lot in NM where the dirt gets ground into a fine powder. The fastest bikes were actually ones like a Salsa Cutthroat - a drop bar mountain bike with 70+mm tires. Trying riding through 3 inches of silt on a road bike.

I also rode in Spokane for a couple of years. Those trails were rooty and rocky or simply unpaved roads. Again, totally different.

It could be that if you live in Reno/Tahoe like the TR guys, that mountain biking is just way more fun than gravel riding which skews Jon’s perspective. If you live in Kansas maybe mountain biking isn’t very interesting but you have access to a lot of gravel roads which is conducive to long endurance rides.

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RIP to Jonathan’s mentions. :rofl:

As noted, a lot depends on where you live and where you ride. Some areas in the country that is accurate. Others, it couldn’t be farther from reality.

Which is part of the appeal of gravel, IMO…there is always a new adventure to try.

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