VO2 Testing Without Limits Dec 2014

There’s nothing better than waking up at 5:30 in the morning for a VO2 max test that you have been looking forward to for the past few weeks! Seriously! Call me crazy but I love challenging myself every chance I get. I recently had an opportunity to work with Tom Clifford of Without Limits and Jeff Smith from Synergy One labs for a VO2 max test on my TT bike.

Upon arriving at the Without Limits Cycle Lab (from here out to be called the “Pain Cave”) I jumped on the compu trainer and we got down to business. With Tom to my left increasing my resistance by 30 watts every minute, and Jeff to my right monitoring my VO2 numbers, we followed my progress throughout the test on a flat screen in front of me as I sat on the trainer. It was exhausting, I was ready to fall off my bike, and the Pain Cave lived up to its name! But after 45 minutes, the test produced a tremendous amount of data ranging from average and maximum wattage, average and maximum watts per kilogram, average and maximum cadence, target workout zones, calories per hours specific to AeT and AT, and of course VO2 numbers! These benchmarks are all vital indicators of progression.

The entire experience was more fun than I had expected which just makes me look forward to more testing and coaching in the near future! I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI1nHLiI56Y

TOPS Athletics and Synergy One Labs

Exciting news!! Let me start by just saying the most difficult thing for any athlete dipping their foot in the pool of professional athletics is acquiring sponsorship and support. That process alone can take years to develop with mixed results and sometime countless contacts to get your foot in the door. So when the phone rings and it’s a premier athletic business offering you an opportunity that is valuable beyond words, it is difficult to contain the excitement! I’m thrilled and pleased to announce that TOPS Athletics and Synergy One Labs will be providing me a premier sponsorship for 2015. I am humbled to be working with this amazing group of people! Their sponsorship means a great deal to me and my future development in the sport. The guidance and expertise they offer will provide incredible training and development opportunities for me ranging from strength conditioning, nutrition, injury prevention, recovery and physical benchmarking.

I recently worked with Jeff Smith at his facility testing my VO2max for running. It was a lot of fun and a fantastic experience to have such a great guy to walk my through it. The second test that he did with me was a Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) which is the measurement of how much food, or energy, is required to maintain basic body functions. This has already proven valuable as there were indications that I wasn’t up taking enough daily calories to maintain my current fitness level.  I also had some time with TOP's athletic trainer Bailey Borsuk who walked me through a series of range of motion tests. Bailey identified a possibly weaker glute or hip flexor. She will develop a corrective physical conditioning plan to address this issue. Sort of feels like they are building me block by block… how cool is that? The amount this team cares is amazing and their positive attitudes are contagious! I love working with them and look forward to the future with them!