wise athletes podcast

Today, we are joined by Mindee Stevenson, who is the current masters world champion in the team pursuit.  Mindee has been winning races on the velodrome for many years.  After winning the Masters World Championship in the Team Pursuit in 2019, Mindee discovered she had bladder cancer.  Listen in as Mindee walks us through her racing as an elite cyclist, and her later return to racing as a masters athlete to become world champion.  Mindee also describes her battle with cancer, and how her coach and team are so important to her fight.

Back when I was a mountaineer and rock climber, and looking for funny but true sayings to help guide me in moments of need…moments of high risk…moments of trying to explain to other people why the hell was I doing these crazy death defying acts of adventure. I came up with a list of rules and laws…principles that I found helpful.  Some of these are I think helpful just in general, and once in a while I’ll share one here on the Wise Athletes podcast. Here’s the second one, which I should have mentioned first as it is central to the Wise Athletes idea: Don’t confuse measurements of what is commonly or conveniently called ‘success’ such as race wins, racing category upgrades, miles run or ridden, Strava Achievements, feet skied, PRs, 14ers climbed, etc. with your true goals, which should be something like: happiness, health, full & long life.  The former are just metrics, which are useful for easy tracking of progress, and perhaps for motivation.  But don’t forget what you really want from your athletic endeavors.  It is easy to mistakingly substitute one for the other when you aren’t paying attention.  I call this the Error of the False Proxy:  

Today, I am joined by Sarah Brittain is the founder and CEO of Colorado Concussion Clinic, a clinic that provides evidence based care to people with head injuries.  Sarah Brittain has a Master of Science degree in Communication Science and Disorders from MGH Institute of Health Professions in Charlestown, Massachusetts and a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis. She is an active member of the Brain Injury Alliance of Colorado’s (BIAC) board.  Joining in the discussion with Sarah is Brian Heber, a cycling friend who was hit on his bike by a vehicle 7 years ago resulting in a traumatic brain injury from which he is still recovering. Brian agreed to share his story and lessons learned. According to the CDC, a concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury—or TBI—caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. This sudden movement can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, creating chemical changes in the brain and sometimes stretching and damaging brain cells. Listen in as Sarah explains the causes and consequences of brain injury, which can be particularly bad for children and older adults.  She shares her knowledge about what to look for immediately and in the days afterward, and what to do to heal as fast and as well as possible.  After listening to Sarah, you’ll be armed with the critical information we all need for quickly assessing and helping friends make good decisions in the immediate aftermath of a crash.  Are they okay to get back on the bike?  Should they go to the ER?   Should you call 911?   All of this information and more is on today’s episode. Colorado Concussion Clinic: healmyconcussion.com info@healmyconcussion.comphone: (303) 932-2030 UCI Concussion Protocol: https://www.uci.org/docs/default-source/medical/2020-uci-cycling-specific-sport-related-concussion-protocol.pdf Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute: https://www.bhsi.org/buying.htm Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings: https://helmet.beam.vt.edu/bicycle-helmet-ratings.html Mayo Clinic on Concussion: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/concussion/symptoms-causes/syc-20355594

Today, Glen and I are joined by Charlie Merrill, PT in Boulder, Colorado. Charlie is a Physical Therapist who has been serving the Boulder community and athletes for over 20 years.  Over the past few years, Charlie has added pain science and more psychologically informed modalities to his manual therapy and biomechanical toolkits. He emphasizes the body and mind in identifying physical AND psychological/social factors that result in physical symptoms, like pain.  Charlie says the source of most athlete’s pain is often not what you’d expect and you can now work with him remotely at Lin Health, a new pain management platform.   Charlie’s website is Mperformance.com Charlie’s new pain management platform: https://www.lin.health/ Charlie’s Youtube channel has nearly 200 videos with free content: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCinoyk46RyzA1v6PqbUl8_wCharlie’s and Dr Howard Schubiner’s upcoming professional training for clinicians: https://adlpages.lpages.co/beyond-pain-education-registration/ I learned from Charlie that there is a disconnect between pain and structural damage in the body.  What regular people think is true is that pain indicates something wrong, something damaged…that pain is a signal to slow down, be careful, let the damage heal.  But that is not always true.  Pain comes from the brain. Listen in as Charlie explains the science and practice of solving pain issues for athletes. Some topics we touch on: What is pain and where does it come from? Is pain the same as damage to the body?What is pain that seems to come out of nowhere?What is chronic pain? Is it caused by damage to the body?Are overuse injuries real? Is Wear and Tear for athletes a thing?How to tell and how to deal with pain that is not related to damage in the body? Advice for the older athlete who wants to remain strong and active for a long time? (Hint: add fun, pursue novelty, connect with your psychology) The twin peaks model I referenced from the book “Explain Pain”Which can be downloaded here.  It’s excellent for anyone to read: https://www.noigroup.com/product/explain-pain-second-edn-epub/ Other Resources: Wise Athletes Recovery Deep Dive Wise Athletes Recovery https://www.stitchttps://www.stitcher.com/show/cycling-in-alignment/episode/4-charlie-merrill-the-psycho-social-considerations-of-pain-70104112her.com/show/cycling-in-alignment/episode/4-charlie-merrill-the-psycho-social-considerations-of-pain-70104112 https://petermcgrahttps://petermcgraw.org/pain-injury-and-moving-with-joy/w.org/pain-injury-and-moving-with-joy/ A few documentaries but none really apply specifically to athletes. Howard Schubiner’s This Might Hurt Trailer: Link HereJohn Sarno’s All the Rage Trailer: Link HereAllen Gordon’s Pain Brain Trailer: https://painbrainfilm.com/Howard Schubiner’s book “Unlearn Your Pain”: https://www.amazon.com/Unlearn-Your-Pain-Howard-Schubiner/dp/0984336702

Today, Glen and I are joined by Jeff Winkler of Winkler Cycling in Boulder, Colorado.  Jeff is a Category 1 USAC coach who has over 30 years of experience in bicycle racing.  He started racing as a junior athlete and rose up through the ranks to become a professional cyclist racing in the U.S. and Europe.  As a coach, he has worked with racers in road, track, cyclocross and mountain bike disciplines, working with novice to professional athletes.  I met Jeff racing on Zwift, the largest of the social, riding virtual platforms.  In this episode, we will discuss Zwift and the benefits of virtual training and racing.  Listen in to hear us discuss how Zwift and other virtual platforms can aid you in your efforts to be stronger / faster / better in your sport, while adding advantages not found in the “real” world.  Jeff Winklerwww.winklercycling.comFB: winklerjeffIG: jeffwinkTwitter: jeffwink Glen WinkelBRAC: www.coloradocycling.org/Website: www.glenwinkel.com/ —— Here is a summary of the Zwift on a Budget video below: 1) Software:  Download the Zwift app to your laptop or desktop.  It can also run on your iPad, or phone.2) Trainer:Zwift works best with smart trainers, but it can work well with traditional trainers too.   You will need sensors for Zwift to understand how fast and hard you are riding.3) Sensors:  Be sure to have a rear wheel speed sensor that is Bluetooth or ANT+.  It is best if you also have a cadence sensor that does the same.   A power meter and/or a heart rate monitor that has Bluetooth / ANT+ are great extras / alternatives, but not necessary for a basic setup.4) Zwift Companion App:Download this one to your phone.  YES, Zwift uses TWO Apps to work!  It helps you to find races and rides, and has many other functions you can use while you are riding.

Bike Fitting has always seemed like a high art.  There is definitely something to it, and a few bike fitters seem to have it but most don’t for some reason. It must be hard to know how to put an asymmetrical body built for walking and running upon a perfectly symmetrical bicycle which requires perfect circles of power deployed in a bent-over, aerodynamic position without compromising the ability to breathe.  And that would be the easy scenario with a perfect body that has no dysfunctional neuromuscular patterns, no muscle imbalances, no adaptations to an old, bad bike fit, unresolved injuries,  or compensated weaknesses.  Well, it’s the rare cyclist or triathlete who feels a perfect connection to the bike.  If you are like me, you’ve been tinkering with your setup for years, and reluctantly sought out experts once in a while only to continue tinkering.  Surely there is a better way.  Recently, I’ve been hearing about the existence of bike fitters who are experts in the human body first, and then experts in fitting a bike to a body.  When I discovered that a friend of mine, Brian Heber, was getting a bike fit from a doctor of physical therapy, I just had to tag along.  Listen in as Brian and I talk to the physical therapist bike fitter, Natalie Collins, PT, DPT, COMT, Cert. FDN, BikePT, owner of PedalFit in Denver, Colorado.  Natalie and Brian talk about their experience working together to resolve Brian’s pain and increase his power via a combination of targeted exercises for Brian and a few small but important changes to his position on his bike.  Brian was even able to keep his aggressive handlebar position! I think you’ll be amazed at how much improvement is possible by making a few, perfect changes. Natalie Collins, PT, DPT, COMT, Cert. FDN, BikePT https://www.pedalfitpt.com/ (720) 460-1106 NATALIE@PEDALFITPT.COM

Back when I was a mountaineer and rock climber, and looking for funny but true sayings to help guide me in moments of need…moments of high risk…moments of trying to explain to other people why the hell was I doing these crazy death defying acts of adventure, I came up with a list of rules and laws…principles that I found helpful.  Some of these are I think helpful just in general, and once in a while I’ll share one here on the Wise Athletes podcast. The first one is this: Rule of Adventure: being ‘too smart’ to take a chance is no excuse for missing out on ‘life’; it is only impossible until it isn’t.  “Opportunities multiply as they are seized” — Sun Tzu JoesNotes: Rules, Laws, etc.

A-Fib in Endurance Athletes…part 2 Hello and welcome.  You are listening to the Wise Athletes podcast, where we invite you to join our journey to understand how older athletes can achieve high performance AND longevity in athletics…… I am Joe Lavelle with Dr Glen Winkel, and this is episode 11 of our podcast. If you are like me, you know a disconcerting and growing number of older endurance athletes who have A-Fib, which stands for atrial fibrillation.  Perhaps you already have it, like our own Dr. Glen Winkel.  In any case, if you have been paying attention, you have legitimite questions about the possibility of too much exercise or too much high intensity exercise injuring your health.  After all, the last thing any of us want is to cause our own heart health problems through our efforts to remain strong and active.  Today we will hear from Dr Glen Winkel in part 2 of a two-part podcast about his personal journey with A-Fib.  When Glen discovered he had A-Fib in 2004, he went deep into the science to uncover solutions that have worked for him to retain his ability to be an endurance athlete well into his 6th decade, and he’s not done yet.  Listen in as Glen describes his experience starting with confusion and disbelief.  At first he ignored the strange feeling he had in his body, and the impact it had on his athletic performance.  Glen expected, and later merely hoped the symptoms would go away.   But as the symptoms became worse, Glen eventually accepted that he needed help.  Glen describes his symptoms and the medical treatments he eventually received:  some were helpful and others were not.  Glen describes the techniques he developed for himself and the supplements he found to manage and reduce the symptoms of A-Fib.  The potential for A-Fib to cause strokes is a scary outcome for anyone but especially for the endurance athlete who works so hard to stay healthy, and for whom being strong and active is such an important part of life.  We present this information so all wise athletes can watch for symptoms and make good decisions in balancing risk and reward.  In part 1 we covered (https://www.wiseathletes.com/podcast/dr-glen-winkels-personal-journey-with-a-fib/): What is atrial fibrillation?  Why ignoring AFib is a bad strategy.What may have caused and worsen Glen’s AFib as an endurance athletes?Some potential triggers for Glen’s A-Fib episodes In part 2 we cover: Supplements that have helped Glen reduce the occurrence and severity of A-Fib episodesMore potential triggers of Glen’s A-Fib episodesGlen’s symptoms of A-Fib:  in exercise and during restWhat Glen would have done differently if he could get a do-overGlen’s medical treatments:  some that helped, some that didn’t This information is not offered as medical advice as we are not medical practitioners. Health, Redefined. by Thorne When you log in please use link https://www.thorne.com/u/moxiemoms and create an account. You will receive 20% off all products except bundles (buy items separately to receive the discount) and tests (small margins on incredible tests so they are unable to offer discounts). 

A-Fib in Endurance Athletes…part 1 Hello and welcome.  You are listening to the Wise Athletes podcast, where we invite you to join our journey to understand how older athletes can achieve high performance AND longevity in athletics…… I am Joe Lavelle with Dr Glen Winkel, and this is episode 10 of our podcast. If you are like me, you know a disconcerting and growing number of older endurance athletes who have A-Fib, which stands for atrial fibrillation.  Perhaps you already have it, like our own Dr. Glen Winkel.  In any case, if you have been paying attention, you have legitimite questions about the possibility of too much exercise or too much high intensity exercise injuring your health.  After all, the last thing any of us want is to cause our own heart health problems through our efforts to remain strong and active.  Today we will hear from Dr Glen Winkel in part 1 of a two-part podcast about his personal journey with A-Fib.  When Glen discovered he had A-Fib in 2004, he went deep into the science to uncover solutions that have worked for him to retain his ability to be an endurance athlete well into his 6th decade, and he’s not done yet.  Listen in as Glen describes his experience starting with confusion and disbelief.  At first he ignored the strange feeling he had in his body, and the impact it had on his athletic performance.  Glen expected, and later merely hoped the symptoms would go away.   But as the symptoms became worse, Glen eventually accepted that he needed help.  Glen describes his symptoms and the medical treatments he eventually received:  some were helpful and others were not.  Glen describes the techniques he developed for himself and the supplements he found to manage and reduce the symptoms of A-Fib.  The potential for A-Fib to cause strokes is a scary outcome for anyone but especially for the endurance athlete who works so hard to stay healthy, and for whom being strong and active is such an important part of life.  We present this information so all wise athletes can watch for symptoms and make good decisions in balancing risk and reward.  In part 1 we cover: What is atrial fibrillation?  Why ignoring AFib is a bad strategy.What may have caused and worsen Glen’s AFib as an endurance athletes?Some potential triggers for Glen’s A-Fib episodes In part 2 we cover: Supplements that have helped Glen reduce the occurrence and severity of A-Fib episodesMore potential triggers of Glen’s A-Fib episodesGlen’s symptoms of A-Fib:  in exercise and during restWhat Glen would have done differently if he could get a do-overGlen’s medical treatments:  some that helped, some that didn’t This information is not offered as medical advice as we are not medical practitioners. Health, Redefined. by Thorne When you log in please use link https://www.thorne.com/u/moxiemoms and create an account. You will receive 20% off all products except bundles (buy items separately to receive the discount) and tests (small margins on incredible tests so they are unable to offer discounts). 

Today we will hear from our own Dr Glen Winkel about an innovative pedaling technique he developed from his experience with speed skating.  Glen says the key is glute recruitment,  and the ability to use glutes in addition to quads and other leg muscles to apply power to the pedals for as much of the pedal stroke as possible.  Glen says he was seeking a way to use more of his muscle mass to save his quads for his finishing sprint, and he learned about using his glutes in speed skating.  He thought he would try to find a way to make it work on a bike to increase power while reducing the stress on any single muscle group.  On our podcast today, hear Glen tell his story and describe his technique for becoming more efficient and powerful in pedaling a bike.  Health, Redefined. by Thorne When you log in please use link https://www.thorne.com/u/moxiemoms and create an account. You will receive 20% off all products except bundles (buy items separately to receive the discount) and tests (small margins on incredible tests so they are unable to offer discounts).