Training in Nashville

I work in a bike shop and we get questions all the time about where people should go to train, so I thought I would create a post with just that. Here is your guide to training in Nashville.

Centennial Sportsplex

Swim

Pool Swimming. Do you like a cold pool or a warm pool?
If the answer is cold, my recommendation is the Centennial Sportsplex on West End. This is also a good option if you are staying downtown. It is a Olympic size pool, set up short course most of the year, except during the summer. They have anywhere between two and seven lap lanes available and the pool is open 6 a.m. until 7 p.m. If you prefer a structured workout, I work for Nashville Aquatic Club as a masters coach and highly recommend you look into joining us for a workout.
If the answer is warm, the local YMCA’s are a great option, if they have enough lanes. They have between three and six lap lanes, depending on the Y. I recommend Maryland Farms in Brentwood at 6:30 p.m., because it is normally quiet then, and it is open until 9:45 p.m. if you are a night owl.
An option in the middle would be also in Brentwood, the Indoor Sports Complex, which is an Olympic size pool with four to eight lap lanes available and is not too warm or too cold.

Open Water. I recommend going with the Nashville Aquatic Club group out to Percy Priest Lake. You can go to the public areas on your own, but some have heavy boat traffic, which is why I recommend a group in a cove.

Natchez Trace Bridge

Bike

If you are downtown, your closest option will be Shelby Bottoms Greenway, from there you can get on roads and follow the Music City Bikeway, which goes all the way to Belle Meade or follow the Music City Bikeway the other way on Shelby Bottoms to the Stones River Greenway, ending at the Percy Priest Dam.

If you are on the west side of town, I recommend either finding the greenways in Percy Warner and Edwin Warner Parks or coming out to where I like to ride on routes near the Natchez Trace. I can provide Strava links to routes or map some, but my favorite is to ride out the Natachez Trace from Highway 100, headed south. You get off at the Lieper’s Fork exit and stop by either Red Bird Coffee or Puckett’s Grocery for a minute and then take back roads back through Franklin. There are a few options for the route back, and I can provide the exact route if someone is interested. It has a lot of rolling hills, but only one significant climb up the trace entrance.

Belle Meade Boulevard

Run

If you want to get out of the city, any of the greenways I recommend for biking are also good for running. Aside from that, I also recommend Belle Meade Boulevard as a good option for running. It connects to an entrance to Percy Warner Park, and is about five miles total if you go out and back. It is a rolling route, and very shaded in the early morning hours, but it will get extremely hot in the afternoons.

There is also a path in Brentwood starting by the Brentwood Library on Concord Road that is very flat if you prefer a flat route, and another path I like in Franklin. This one starts at the soccer fields at the Franklin Recreation Center and goes along the river, through a neighborhood and into downtown Franklin where you can continue onto a new extension I have not run or on to the sidewalks in Franklin.

Those are all of my best suggestions for where to train. I have lived in Nashville since 1996 and once in a while am still finding new places to go run or ride, so I will definitely try to share those with pictures as I stumble upon them.

The Best Part of Thanksgiving is Breakfast Pie (Boulevard Bolt 2018)

I am not a huge Thanksgiving fan, other than my love of pie, but one event I never miss out on since starting running in 2011 is the Boulevard Bolt. The Boulevard Bolt is a 5 mile run held in Belle Meade in Nashville, TN every Thanksgiving supporting charities to help the homeless population here. I have years with great times (2015 being the fastest) and years where I am just happy to be out there running (this year).

This year, I have not been running enough, or really at all. I think my longest run has probably been about four miles, and I have accepted that, so I ran a little (one three mile run and one 15 minute treadmill run) to get ready and not hurt myself this past month. I know leaving the race I will not run over four miles for two weeks to make sure I build up slowly as I move into trying to start some consistent training again. I am beginning to find myself in a good place with a three days on, one day off plan to get started again.

Another thing about the Bolt, you won’t find chip times for majority of the runners. Only people who are actually competitive or want to deprive someone who is competitive of their chance at an age group place get those bibs. There’s a limited number for money reasons, so most of us are literally just there to support the charities, enjoy a run, and maybe have a little extra room for an extra slice of pie at the end of the day.

As for my run, it was about what I expected and I wanted. I started in the middle with other runners, so there would be no zig-zagging through walkers like I have dealt with other years. I sprinted for a minute to get out to where the crowd thinned out, and then pulled back to a comfortable pace.

The remainder of the rolling course I know so well, I tried to keep my pace steady, which my husband makes fun of me for. I consistently run at the same pace I ran my marathon at during Ironman Louisville in 2016, and I do that because it is zone 2 when I am in shape, and if it isn’t zone 2, then I need to get it back there.

I got passed by a Santa, an elf, a turkey (plastic turkey costume), a Native American, some pilgrims, construction workers, and a guy in a cut off business suit. The only disappointing part was that the guy who normally shows up in a suit covered in Perky Jerky (a brand of Turky Jerky) was absent this year, and normally I feel good as long as I do not let him beat me.

this is breakfast pie

Overall, I had a good run and a good day. I have leftover pumpkin pie that will become breakfast pie this week, and I am looking forward to being in maybe slightly better running shape by this time next year, depending on how my accounting classes are treating me.

Singlespeed Cyclocross Build (Part Two)

​I ran into some problems with the second half of this build.

Problem 1​

TRP brakes.  I’m used to Shimano, where the hose is not attached at the shifter to make for easy installation on an internally routed frame.  I ended up having to cut and bleed both anyway, but it made the routing more complicated than it needed to be, aside from the rear chainstay where Trek has made it as simple as possible where the frame forms a tube for the hose to run through.

Problem 2​

I had to warranty my rear brake after ​installing it and trying to bleed it when we found out the bolt was over tightened, meaning I could not loosen it to bleed the brake.  TRP was very good about it though and promptly shipped a new caliper, and I am able to cannibalize the first one for spare parts.  Then I had to cut the hose again, but it was not as much of a problem this time and the bleed got done.

Problem 3​

Not necessarily a real problem, but I hate wrapping bar tape.​

Overall, this build finished up well, although I do not like bleeding TRP brakes.  The brake levers actually have holes in them, so they look pretty cool in photos, and the bike is fun to ride with perfect gearing.  Learning the dropout system and setting up a singlespeed is a little new to me, but with the help of more experienced mechanics I got it all done.​

Disc v. Rim Brakes

My short answer to this question is that I do not plan to purchase another rim brake bike. I love my bikes, especially my Madone, but disc brakes would make the ride so much better.  The problem I have with the brakes on my Madone is that there’s not enough stopping power.  I have the same problem when I run carbon wheels on my triathlon bikes.

Reasons I Love Disc Brakes

1. More stopping power

2. Ability to modulate braking

3. Less maintenance

4. The 2-piece rotors look cool​

5. Easier wheel swaps​

Reasons I Waited​

1. I hadn’t ever ridden them​

2. Most bikes until this year were rim brake​

3. People made them seem significantly heavier​

4. There is a price difference​

5. I wasn’t in the market for a new bike​

More Explanation​

My first disc brake experiences were limited to test rides, so I didn’t know too much about the difference in feel until working on bikes with disc brakes and eventually riding a Trek Emonda Disc for a week.  I knew by that point the advantages of being able to modulate the braking power and the pads moving in as they wore down from working on them, but I didn’t realize the difference in stopping power until I rode them.​

Going forward, I also like not having to swap brake pads if I swap wheels.  If I plan to ride my tri bike outside this winter I will ride my carbon wheels, specifically because I don’t want to swap brake pads to ride my trainer wheels outside.  My Domane though I can swap wheels with my husband’s Domane if I don’t want to take the carbon rims through the dirt and salt.​

Overall, I see no true disadvantages to riding disc brakes on my road bikes and in the future my tri bike.  I love my Madone, but a Madone SLR 7 Disc is on my wish list too.​

Singlespeed Cyclocross Build (Part 1)

Funny thing, I bought the pedals for this bike before I even bought the frame.  I knew I would be building the bike within a year, and I knew which pedals I wanted that just got released by Trek, so I bought the pedals first.

The frame is a 2019 Trek Crockett in what they call Miami Green, and it is beautiful.  I had my eye on it from the moment I saw it after choosing not to buy the limited edition gold frame they did the previous year. 

The decision to go singlespeed was a little more difficult. I like my gears, but hydraulic shifters, Sram or Shimano, are not easy to come by used and are not cheap. I also ride a single speed hybrid on the greenway, which is fun, so I thought maybe this could be a new challenge for me to attempt. It meant I only needed brakes. No shifters, derailleurs, or other major drivetrain parts other than the crankset.

A simple google search of single speed hydraulic brakes led me to purchase the TRP Hylex brakes and levers, and as you can see in the pictures, no calipers on the bike yet. I also forgot my handlebar at home. The calipers do require you to purchase adaptors and screws in order to install them, which I overlooked. They also already have the hoses attached on both ends, and my frame is internally routed, so I will be detaching and cutting at least the rear if not both. For rotors, I prefer two piece rotors and to stick with one brand, so I bought TRP two piece centerlock rotors, which did not come with lockrings, which led me to buy Shimano lockrings for them.

The wheels were a difficult decision. I could have gotten a reasonably good price on a set of wheels from Shimano, like I put on my husbands bike, but I like a slightly wider internal width to my rims, especially since these will have cross tires some day. I needed centerlock hubs as well, which is something not found in all brands. I ended up going with Bontrager Paradigms, because I run the Paradigm Comp most of the year on my Madone and have enjoyed them as a good aluminum set, and they met all of my standards.

The easiest part of this bike was picking out the crankset and stem. I knew I wanted to run a Sram one-by cross crankset, and I knew which bottom bracket it had to fit from looking at the Crockett 7. I ride a 170 mm crankset on all of my bikes (I will swap any bike that comes with a 165), so the crank length was determined. I wanted Apex, because it was the cheapest, and I got a 42 tooth chainring, because that was what came with it. The stem was all about fit. On a men’s geometry 52 cm bike I run a 80mm 7 degree stem with one 5mm spacer above it and the stem turned down.

During my downtime I have installed all of the parts I can on to the bike, and I am waiting for a chain, brake adaptors, tires, a rear cog, a spacer kit, and then I should be good to ride. Part two will cover a little more of the tech side of setting up the single speed on this bike as well as how I picked the size of the cog and the final fit adjustments.

Cycling Accessory Essentials

Depending on where you ride and what type of bike you have, you will have certain accessories you need. 

Things Everyone Needs

Helmet - You only have one brain, so you should protect it.  All helmets sold in the Us should meet certain standards of safety, but I always recommend one with MIPS in it, which protects your brain in a rotational impact by absorbing extra energy.

Lights - You need to be seen.  At a minimum you need a tail light that has multiple flashing and steady modes.  I recommend rechargeable lights, because they can be brighter than battery powered.

Road ID - Even if you ride with other people all the time, they don’t know your allergies, emergency contact, or any other relevant conditions in case of an emergency.

Flat Kit - You don’t want to be that friend who always needs a tube or a tool.  A well prepared rider will always have a flat kit with a tube, tire levers, CO2, and a multi tool.

Floor Pump - I have had to change flats and then sell someone a pump, because they didn’t know to air up their tires every time they rode.  Proper tire pressure is extremely important to your ride and not getting flats.

Things Roadies Need

Shorts or Bibs - I will admit I didn’t give in to this for a while, and I wish I had earlier.  Proper riding shorts makes a huge impact in your ride quality, especially on a road bike.

Jerseys with pockets - I say pockets, because they’re extremely convenient.  I always put my phone in a plastic bag and put it in my jersey pocket in case of an emergency.

Bottle Cages - I put this under road, because on a mountain bike people often use a hydration pack.  You need to be drinking a lot so you do not end of dehydrated when riding.

Short Finger Gloves - Not for everyone, but a lot of people like short finger padded gloves to relieve extra pressure.

Things Commuters Need

Fenders - If you are commuting you may run into rough weather more than others.  Fenders can help to keep excess water off you and your clothes.

Rack - A rack can be useful for adding a bag or panniers to carry work and keep it off your back.

Bags - As mentioned above, bags carry things so you don’t have to.  They also have waterproof bags to protect electronics and chargers.

Soap - Anything you need to be clean and smell good to your coworkers.

Things MTB Riders Need

Hydration Pack - As mentioned with roadies, hydration packs can be useful for mountain bike riders, where some full suspension bikes don’t even have bottle cage mounts.  This is so you have adequate hydration and control.

Knee/Elbow Pads - Protection.  Not necessary for everyone, but useful the more aggressive you ride.

Shorts - Just like the road bike, shorts can be important on the mountain bike.  Some people prefer baggy shorts for extra protection with a liner short for cushion and to prevent chafing.

Jerseys - On a mountain bike, your jersey and whether it has pockets or possibly longer sleeves is your choice.  Longer sleeves and a looser fit can be protection and comfort with the movement of mountain biking. 

Long Finger Gloves - Again the theme of protection, because long finger gloves can protect in falls and from passing branches and other items.

Buying Your First Bike

I bought my first bike without seeing it.  It was a 2013 Trek Lexa C that was my favorite color, purple, with Claris components.  I knew nothing about bikes, and I was so excited to have a real road bike and not a Walmart bike.  Where I was in my life, this bike was perfect and the most exciting thing in my life.  Now, if you are paying this price, you do want to put some time and effort into thinking about the decision more than I did.

Step 1

Know the categories of bikes.  There are multiple categories including road, mountain, hybrid.  In road bikes, I also include cyclocross, gravel, triathlon, and touring bikes.  Mountain bikes can further be separated into cross country, enduro, and downhill.  Hybrid bikes can be separated into fitness, comfort, and dual sport.  There are other categories, but these are the most easily defined.

Determine what your goals are to know what category you fall into.  I wanted to do triathlons, and nothing else, but I wasn’t good enough with handling to go with a triathlon bike.  Your goals could be riding mountain bike trails and going out west to ride, which would need a full suspension mountain bike.  You could want a bike to commute to work or the grocery store with a rack and panniers, which could be a road or a hybrid bike.  Once you know wha you want to do, you can narrow down what category you fit in.

Step 2

Know what causes the variation in price of bikes.  When looking at two bikes in the same category the things that set them apart are material, components, and suspension. 

Frames come in a multitude of materials at a multitude of price points.  Majority of bikes sold in bike shops are aluminum or carbon fiber, but you will also find steel and titanium bikes as well.  Typically, carbon fiber is one of your lightest and can be your most expensive bike.  You can still find very lightweight aluminum bikes as well, and they tend to be more budget friendly.  Your frame material may be dictated by your budget.

Drivetrains are one of the most complicated parts of the bike to explain, so I am going to make it as simple as possible.  More rear speeds is smoother shifting on all bikes, while whether you choose to use a front derailleur can be dictated by the type of bike you choose. 

Most categories of road bikes have two front gears and anywhere between 8 and 11 in the rear.  Cyclocross bikes and mountain bikes are where the single front chainring has become popular as we can run larger gear ranges in the back and it saves weight. 

The other major part of drivetrain to consider on a first bike is the brakes.  The most common options are rim brakes and disc brakes.  Mountain, cyclocross, and gravel bikes are almost all coming with disc brakes currently.  Disc brakes don’t wear down rims and they have more braking power than rim brakes.  Road bikes and hybrid bikes still come with both options, so it comes down to if you will find value in the extra stopping power and ability to brake in more conditions.  Disc brakes also come in hydraulic and cable operated models.  The stopping power is the same, but as the pads wear down, the hydraulic brakes will move the pads in so you don’t lose and stopping power.  They may need to be bled in a few years, but they do not require the same cable adjustments of a mechanical (cable) disc brake. 

When combined with frame material, drivetrain will help to narrow down the options.  You may also find a carbon bike with 11 speed components is out of your price range, but an aluminum with it is within your range. 

Step 3

Find your size and test ride.   I highly recommend talking to a professional in a bike shop for size.  I am 5’5” and I ride a 52 cm Trek Domane, where my boss is 5’5 1/2” and rides a 50 cm, so size charts can only help so much.  I also ride a 50 cm in a Trek Madone and a 49 in another brand, so the size on the bike only dictates an estimate.

I also recommend test riding any comparable bike to what you are intending to buy.  A shop may not have the exact model, but they may have the same size in another model or another model with the same components.  This will give you a feel for the position and a feel for the components, although it may not be the exact bike. 

Step 4

Buy a bike and go ride.  I also recommend certain accessories, which will be found in my next post. 

This bike buying process should help you whether you are buying a hybrid to ride with thbike kids or a super aero triathlon bike to race at Kona.