Gold's Gym

Gold's Gym is offering a special discount to friends of the American Diabetes Association. In addition to only paying a one-time $29 enrollment fee (that's up to a $140 discount!), Gold's Gym will also donate $30 of your enrollment directly to the Association.

Gold's Gym Personal Cycling Coach

This customized training plan was developed by Greg Rhodes, a certified USA Cycling coach and two-time Ironman triathlete.

Workout Schedule

Warm up your muscles for five to 10 minutes before exercise with a brisk walk, a jog, an easy ride or light stretching. See below for detailed explanations of each phase of this schedule.

As always, consult your physician before beginning a new exercise regimen.

Week	Sunday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Friday	Saturday
	Easy Ride	Intervals/ Strength	Cross-Training	Hill Intervals	Long Ride
1	30 mins	20 mins	20 mins	15 mins	0 miles
2	30 mins	25 mins	20 mins	15 mins	0 miles
3	35 mins	25 mins	25 mins	20 mins	0 miles
4	40 mins	30 mins	25 mins	20 mins	0 miles
5	30 mins	35 mins	20 mins	25 mins	0 miles
6	45 mins	20 mins	25 mins	30 mins	0 miles
7	45 mins	25 mins	30 mins	35 mins	0 miles
8	45 mins	30 mins	30 mins	20 mins	0 miles
9	45 mins	30 mins	25 mins	25 mins	0 miles
10	60 mins	35 mins	30 mins	30 mins	0 miles
11	45 mins	30 mins	30 mins	30 mins	0 miles
12	60 mins	40 mins	35 mins	35 mins	0 miles
13	45 mins	45 mins	25 mins	35 mins	0 miles
14	60 mins	25 mins	35 mins	40 mins	0 miles
15	60 mins	30 mins	40 mins	45 mins	0 miles
16	60 mins	30 mins	45 mins	40 mins	0 miles
17	45 mins	35 mins	30 mins	30 mins	0 miles
18	45 mins	40 mins	30 mins	35 mins	0 miles
19	45 mins	25 mins	30 mins	20 mins	0 miles
20	45 mins	20 mins	20 mins	15 mins	0 miles

Week	Sunday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Friday	Saturday
	Easy Ride	Intervals/ Strength	Cross-Training	Hill Intervals	Long Ride
1	60 mins	30 mins	30 mins	20 mins	0 miles
2	60 mins	35 mins	30 mins	25 mins	0 miles
3	60 mins	40 mins	45 mins	25 mins	0 miles
4	75 mins	25 mins	45 mins	30 mins	0 miles
5	60 mins	30 mins	30 mins	30 mins	0 miles
6	75 mins	35 mins	45 mins	35 mins	0 miles
7	75 mins	40 mins	45 mins	35 mins	0 miles
8	75 mins	30 mins	60 mins	30 mins	0 miles
9	60 mins	35 mins	30 mins	35 mins	0 miles
10	75 mins	40 mins	45 mins	35 mins	0 miles
11	90 mins	45 mins	60 mins	40 mins	0 miles
12	75 mins	25 mins	60 mins	30 mins	0 miles
13	60 mins	30 mins	45 mins	35 mins	0 miles
14	75 mins	35 mins	60 mins	35 mins	0 miles
15	90 mins	40 mins	60 mins	40 mins	0 miles
16	75 mins	45 mins	60 mins	40 mins	0 miles
17	60 mins	20 mins	45 mins	45 mins	0 miles
18	90 mins	25 mins	45 mins	30 mins	0 miles
19	90 mins	30 mins	45 mins	25 mins	0 miles
20	90 mins	20 mins	30 mins	20 mins	0 miles

Easy Ride:

aids muscle recovery and gets you used to being on your bike. Cycle at a relaxed pace; you should feel like you are holding yourself back and could go faster.

Rest:

a day with no exercise to let your muscles catch up from the hard work you've done. If you're sore, try light stretching, a massage or an ibuprofen to help alleviate the pain.

Long Ride:

increases in distance each week of training to build endurance and get your body ready for lots of time in the saddle. Cycle at a steady pace that you can maintain; you should feel like you are exercising.

Interval Training:

a ride in which you alternate between fast and slow pedaling. You can do this outside on your bike or in the gym on a stationary bike. Go fast for short periods of time (up to five minutes), followed by longer recovery periods.

Interval Hill Training:

a ride that incorporates various inclines. You can do this outside on your bike or in the gym on a stationary bike. Tackle steep inclines for short periods (up to one minute, 30 seconds), followed by low-incline recovery periods.

Cross-Training:

cardiovascular exercise you do off the bike. Any activity that gets your heart pumping will work, so take this opportunity to try something new, such as an aerobic kickboxing class, swimming or running.

Strength Training:

free weights, weight machines or body-weight exercises that will increase your overall power output. Focus on working the leg and core muscles with full body movements such as squats, leg extensions, leg curls, lunges or these essential exercises for cyclists. Do two to three sets of 12 to 15 reps for up to 10 exercises.

NUTRITION

As always, consult a physician or registered dietician before beginning a new diet or if you have specific nutritional concerns.

You'll need a high-carbohydrate diet, one that's made up of about 75% carbs, 15% protein and the remaining 10% fats, Rhodes says. For any endurance activity lasting more than 90 minutes, you'll need to replenish calories at a rate of about 100 to 200 calories per hour, based on what your system can handle. He recommends reaching for carbohydrate sports drinks or energy gels for a burst of calorie-dense nutrition.

Night before the Tour de Cure Ride

The nutritional benefits of big pasta dinners the night before don't actually hold up to science very well. Instead opt for a hearty protein-based meal, such as grilled chicken breast or fish and a small portion of pasta.

Day of the Tour de Cure Ride

Eat two to three hours before the ride begins. "Get that food in you, get it processed through your system, and out of your gut," Rhodes says. "That's your main fuel source all the way through the ride." Try a bowl of oatmeal or muesli, or a bagel with cream cheese. An hour before the race, reach for something smaller such as a meal-replacement bar.

Hydration

The American Diabetes Association recommends drinking at least 16 ounces of water or a sports drink an hour before the ride, and at least 28 ounces of fluid per hour during the ride. That's because when you don't properly hydrate, neuromuscular functioning drops and you're not going to get as much power and energy out of your legs, Rhodes says. The amount of water you'll need to stay hydrated depends on several factors, including the temperature and humidity, your fitness level and how much your body sweats naturally.

After the Ride

You're going to be tired and sore, but it's important to keep moving for a half hour to 45 minutes after you've crossed the finish line. You can do this just by walking around or with a light ride. Rehydrate and refuel with sports drinks or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, which packs a good combo of fats and carbohydrates. Now's your chance to get a good rubdown — schedule an appointment with a massage therapist for immediately after the ride and a day or two later, Rhodes recommends.