it ALL StArtS At 40 it ALL StArtS At 40 - Spokes Magazine

at 40 continued from p.7
nibalized itself...eating itself up. I was trying to
get by on Gatorade.” He is now a firm believer in
using Hammer Nutrition products. He meticulously
plans for his races. He rations and proportions
his fueling and is guided by his past experiences
and spreadsheets.
At his next 24 hour race, he covered 408 miles, exceeding
his goal of 375. His distance set a new age group
record, blowing away the existing record of 358 miles.
“Now the bug was in me. I knew I could race and
perform with the best out there,” he told SPOKES.
As his training clicked up a notch, Olsen sought out
rides with riders stronger and faster than him. He
also set up a gym including a CycleOps and treadmill
in his basement so that his training would not be
impeded by weather. He watches Tour de France videos
for hours as he tries to maintain his endurance
in the winter.
Although his current training is still limited to after
work rides, and early morning Saturday rides that he
tries to complete by noon, he is more calculating and
specific in his training regimen.
This past June, at the 24 Hours of Michigan again,
he had a huge breakthrough, covering 438.1 miles.
Oddly enough, Olsen isn’t totally satisfied. “My nutrition
still wasn’t dialed in. I quit with 20 minutes to
go. I should have been able to cover more miles.”
At another event, less than a month later, he hit
424.5 miles in an event that, unlike the Michigan
race, does not permit drafting.
Now, with the knowledge he needs for the correct
training, correct nutrition and correct amount of
rest and recuperation, Olsen thinks about the three
or four events he intends to compete in 2011 and
perhaps someday competing in the Race Across
America…and he contemplates other possibilities.
Maybe rough starts and a few years under the belt really
are the way to develop an ultra-endurance cyclist.
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8 Winter 2010/11