Dede Barry’s Olympic dreams were realized when she was just eight years old. “When I saw Eric and Beth Heiden speed skate at the 1980 World Championships in Milwaukee, my hometown,” she explains, “I knew I wanted to compete in the Olympics.” Intrigued by the sport, Dede took up speed skating and qualified for the Junior National Team when she was just 13. “I started road biking to reap the cross-training benefits,” says Dede. “But when I got to college, I had to choose between cycling and speed skating.” The rest is history. Talent and dedication have played a major role in Dade’s accomplishments, which include a silver medal in the individual time trial at the 2004 Olympics in Athens; first place in Stage 5 of the Giro Toscana in Italy in 2003; second place overall in the Grand Prix de Montreal in 2002; and Stage 8 winner in Le Beaux Provence in the 1997 Tour de France Femenin. With such an impressive record, how could Dede not have a wealth of information to share with those of us just getting into road cycling as well as those with Tour de France aspirations?
TIPS FOR JUST STARTING OUT
Get a bike that fits. It’s no secret that women are built differently than men; and if your bike doesn’t fit you properly, you’ll feel it-in your back, legs, arms, neck, and shoulders. The good news is that many manufacturers now make smaller, women-specific frames. “After you buy your bike, be sure to have your riding position set up by a professional,” advises Dede. You can usually find one at a specialty bike shop or sports medicine clinic that specializes in athletes. (For more information on how to buy a bike that fits turn to page 38.) Take the road less traveled. If possible, choose roads that have less traffic and few stoplights. Riding with traffic can be unnerving, especially when you’re just starting out, so be sure to ease yourself into it even if your ride is a short one.
Start slowly. Don’t start a training program until after you’ve completed an endurance base-building phase of four to eight weeks. “Ride at a low intensity level and get your body used to pedaling circles,” advises Dede. “This will help you avoid common overuse injuries and help you build a solid aerobic foundation.” Hydrate. Drink at least one bottle of water per hour while riding-two bottles per hour if it’s hot. Don’t for- get to drink after you ride to replenish what you’ve lost.
Ride with a buddy. It’s always more fun and motivating to ride with someone else, so ask at the local bike shop if there are any group rides in your area.
GETTING TO THE NEXT LEVEL
Train consistently. Train and ride on a regular schedule. Don’t ride for two weeks straight then do nothing for 10 days. Monitor yourself. Try using a heart-rate monitor and/or a power meter to monitor your training. Heart-rate monitors allow you to track and record your progress, both in improving your aerobic endurance and in making sure you’re training at the right intensity. “Most professional cyclists now train with power meters that measure power (in watts), work (kilojoules), heart rate, distance, speed, and time intervals,” says Dede.
“Power meters are the most accurate measure of the work you’re doing on your bike and are a valuable training tool.” You can download the information to a computer for post-ride analysis-such as how long you were in your optimal training zone and your effort on a particular ride-and for planning your training program.
Test your time. Test yourself once a month on a 30-minute climb. If you see improvement every month, your training program is working. If you don’t, you may need to reevaluate your program and make some changes.
Rest up. Be sure to recover properly after hard training and racing. Rest helps your body build itself back up prevents overtraining, and allows you to make fitness gains.
Ride the course. “If you’re looking to peak for a particular race, try to train intensely on a course that is similar to the one you’ll be racing,” suggests Dede. This will help you get your body and mind used to the terrain and know what to expect.
