Articles
Margaret is a monthly columnist to the Utica Observer Dispatch GO! section.

The Yin/Yang Factor Workshop for Endurance Athletes

Everyone is different, a fact that comes up day after day in my life as a cycling coach.  Each of my athletes has his or her own motivators, talents, physical attributes and physical problems. 

I am always looking for ways to help my athletes optimize training, and I’ve always been a firm believer in the fact that nutrition is one of the factors that the athlete has a huge amount of control over. 

But I’ve read so many studies which show that eating one way is good, and then studies showing that the opposite method rules.  As an example, assorted energy drinks, with different kinds of sugars, and some with proteins, all had dedicated users.  I also knew that they all had their detractors as well.  And this was just energy drink!  The more I read, the more confused I got.

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Tired of Riding Indoors? Practice Your On-Bike Nutrition
Are you a cyclist intent on greeting the spring of 2005 in great shape?  Are you now riding in the comparative gloom of the indoors, impatient with the thought of going nowhere fast for the next couple of months?  Now that winter has fully descended to our part of the world bicycle training outside is out of the question for all but the heartiest enthusiast.  I tell my clients that indoor training offers controls that they can easily take advantage of.   Not only can they follow their training regimens exactly as prescribed, but they can also use the time to fine-tune their on-bike nutrition.

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Racing Season 2004 – My Own Special Village
“It Takes a Village” is a term that has come into use the past couple of years, and during this bicycle racing season I have often thought how lucky I am to have an entire village of great professionals to look after me while I am training and racing.  The highlights of my 2004 season are many, including medals in my three events at both Master Road Nationals and Empire State Games.  Winning the silver medal at the UCI Master Mountain Bike World Championships was icing on the cake.

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How my back injury was the best thing that could have happened to my cycling career
As a competitive cyclist I have accumulated my own list of physical problems, some stemming from overuse of certain muscle groups and others resulting from the inevitable tumbles from the bicycle.  However, this year I am enjoying the best season of my cycling career, at an age – 50 -- when many people think of retiring from bicycle racing for good.  This metamorphosis has not gone unnoticed by the cycling community, and I am often asked, “What gives?”  My answer:  Acupuncture. 

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The Invaluable Support of Family for Athletes
In my past columns I have featured many of the people who have helped me achieve my stellar season.  This array of professionals, ranging from my sports medicine physician to my acupuncturist, has helped me through thick and thin.  But years before I sought the expertise of these fine folks I was blessed to have the best kind of support there is – that of my family.

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Margaret in the News
Safety first step in bicycle riding