If you suffer from an aching back after hours on the bike you may be lacking core strength. “When you hunch over in the saddle for a long time, your back becomes overly conditioned, and if you don’t have equally strong abdominal muscles to counter

outside the gym – how much and how often? As I said, it’s complicated.Strength is defined as power over time, a core component of racing at all distances. It is needed not only to hammer a 40K bike, but also to power through choppy water and prevent

for this? Should I include more cross-training or strength classes to improve my core strength and recovery, or should I just focus on the running? Matthew TimmsA. This sounds like an interesting challenge. I think you need to check the profiles

or racing advice you’ve ever been given?If in doubt, leave the session out. It’s ok to have days off. Resting is not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength, and a few days’ rest is better than training the body to keep breaking down for the rest of your