Edmund R. Burke - Serious Cycling - 2nd Edition

Edmund R. Burke, PhD

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Part I Hard-Core Training

Part II The Nutritional Edge

Part III Planning

Part IV Racing

I have had the privilege of working with Ed Burke for almost 20 years. Throughout my career, both as an athlete and now as a coach, I have never known anyone so selflessly dedicated to the successful application of science to the sport of cycling. As a coach who works with developing athletes-some of the most successful in many sports-I am grateful to Ed for being such a positive force. Now Ed's expertise and insights are available to everyone in Serious Cycling. Not only is this book a top-rated synthesis on road cycling in general, it is also an invaluable tool for helping cyclists at all levels achieve their dreams of athletic success.

This book is for cyclists at any stage in their careers who wish to know more about the scientific basis of training principles and their application to cycling. Most people have a greater understanding of how their cars work than how their bodies work, although this is less likely to be true for athletes, who, in the process of pushing their bodies to the limit, acquire a lot of information about themselves. Many cyclists have little in the way of scientific education and need to work hard if they are to assimilate all the nutritional, physiological, psychological, and biomechanical information, training principles, and tactics now available in this book. The reward for this effort, however, is considerable, with the real possibility of using the information to improve performance. But even if this were not so, knowledge of what is going on under the hood can add greatly to the pleasure of cycling even for those of us who will win no medals.

Serious Cycling is highly educational. At the same time, Ed successfully presents and discusses complicated scientific events in a fluent and practical style that can be enjoyed and understood by cyclists with no formal background in the sciences. The only prerequisite is a curiosity about the function of the human body and the application of science to training. And this curiosity should have a high priority.

Every cyclist I know is trying to improve performance. If you are one of them, or if you are a cyclist who can't seem to improve, I hope you'll read this book and learn the most efficient way to reach your goals. I think most coaches would agree with me that you cannot progress in this sport unless you know how to train. To improve your training, let Serious Cycling help you develop a better understanding of the science and its application to training and competition.

While there is no best way to train, the information in this book will give you insights into your own training, as well as expert suggestions that may help you realize your full talents.

As the author of Serious Cycling, I could not be more pleased with the popularity of the first edition of this book. I have heard not only from elite cyclists and coaches, but also from many serious cycling enthusiasts, about the information provided in the first edition on sound training guidelines, programs, sport physiology, nutrition, equipment technology, and injury prevention.

Muchnew information on training programs, nutritional supplementation, and training technology has evolved since the first edition, warranting the publication of this second edition. Also, many cyclists have asked for input on winning strategies and tactics used, by the top cyclists, that can be used to improve race performance.

I have responded to these concerns and others, updating and revamping much of this second edition. I have revised the content to include new scientific research and the experiences and knowledge of elite-level coaches and cyclists whom I am in contact with on a continuing basis. I hope that their ideas about training, racing, and sport science give you a better understanding of endurance cycling and improved performance.

Serious Cycling bridges the gap between scientific observation and cycling performance. The great body of knowledge about the science of cycling lies unused by most cyclists. Trial and error may go a long way, but who knows the potential of a cyclist armed with the knowledge of a thousand dedicated scientists? Knowledge is strong medicine.

Although many books have been written on cycling, few report cuttingedge data in the depth and manner that will improve performance. Improving performance is not a primary goal for many scientists, but it may be one of the most important contributions they can make. My primary goal for this book is to interpret complex information on physiology, biomechanics, nutrition, injury, and training, and to make it understandable to all cyclists.