Perspectives from a professional athlete

We have almost wrapped up our study of Health & Wellness but we have a few more interviews to wrap-up. Stay tuned for more!

Today we are speaking with Mike Phillips, who joined the highly competitive ranks of Professional Mountain Biking this past year. When Mike is not training and racing he can be found working (full-time that is!) just as hard as an industrial designer at Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp. Thanks for speaking with us today Mike!



Mike please tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you first get involved in mountain biking?
I grew up in Upstate NY where there are plenty of trails and long country roads to discover. My interest in BMX as a kid developed into a taste for cruising twisty, technical trails on 26” wheels. I started riding with more experienced riders by which I improved via the “trial by fire” method. I came from a naturally competitive family, my father races road bikes and has completed multiple Ironman Triathlons in the past. I developed my racing skills as a teen when I started racing as a Junior Expert in the NORBA class. I started following training plans clipped from the cycling magazines and enjoyed the improvement that comes with hard work and dedication. I stopped racing in college, but started right back up after graduation and haven’t stopped since!

Tell us a little more about what a typical training week would entail for you.
In the winter I am in the gym for strength training three times a week. I do some sort of interval training on the two days between, and two long rides back to back on the weekends which are usually between 2-5 hours depending on the workload for the week. As I get closer to the race season the total time comes down in relation to intensity going up. No more weights, and more recovery built into the week after race weekends. Winter training is like money in the bank you spend all summer!

Tell us about the bikes you ride. (Make, material, weight, etc.)
My mountain bike this season will be the Specialized S-Works Epic, carbon fiber main frame and aluminum rear, in the range of 22-23 pounds. I am leaving this mostly stock, as last year I spent way to much time and money obsessing over weight. On the road I have a Quattro Assi aluminum frame my dad handed down to me. I have replaced parts here and there as needed. I have my Saris PowerTap power meter on this bike, which has really improved my racing over the past few years. For Cyclo-Cross I ride a ‘06 Specialized S-Works Tri-cross frameset I built up with old Shimano Ultegra parts and a free wheelset from the nice guys at Sun/Ringle. This bike will also function as my outdoor long ride bike this winter due to it’s ability to ride thru pretty much anything!

What type of equipment to you find to be especially useful; what type of tools do you use to monitor your training?
The only tool that matters is a power meter, and I use a PowerTap because it’s cheap and reliable! I use CyclingPeaks software to study the data since it offers more options than the OEM software that comes stock. The best part about training with power is that you can zero in on specific zones and really work on them. Power never changes relative to your body, while heart rate can go up or down at a given power output depending on how fatigued you are. In my case, it prevents me from going too hard when doing my intervals. With power you can start at or a little above what you know you can hold, resulting in a steady, flat power curve. This not only builds more power but doesn’t exhaust you so you can finish the session strong. Seeing the power graph at the end is motivating, I always think about what power I want to hit for a given workout, that graph can be a pretty big motivator to push a bit harder.

Is there any type of equipment that you wish existed?
Not really, it’s tough enough just keeping up with everything that’s out now! Seriously, after designing all day I like to turn my brain off and just ride. Most of the time I just wish that existing things were made better! Like travel cases, they are really crappy. I guess if I spent $500 I would have a really nice case. If I were to improve something it would have to do with training because it’s your body holding you back most of the time.

Tell us a little more about your diet & nutrition plan on/off the bike.
Cycling is a cruel joke, you ride lots but you can’t gain weight. Beer is my downfall, and my love for desserts. I am not as serious about my nutrition in the off-season, but during racing I count calories for a general idea of what I need. I found in the past not eating enough just means you’ll cave and eat too much later. The quality of the workout is better if you eat adequately. Sounds simple but it can be tough. Mainly I eat tons of fruit and veggies, lots of protein, a multivitamin, and a daily antioxidant cocktail. I try to eat on the bike so I recover faster, as well as directly after. Training is all about recovery so you can continue improving, which won’t happen without the proper fuel.

You recently made the leap into professional cycling; what type of sacrifices did you/do you make to be able to ride at that level? How do you manage working full-time with a full load of training?
It wasn’t planned! I was super motivated last winter after having a good season, so I got a new coach and planned to do some national races. I really upped my winter workload, but also built in more rest and recovery. Training a little harder and a lot smarter. Luckily my job is pretty flexible so that helps, but getting up every day at 5am and going to the gym takes a lot out of you! Especially the interval days, seeing 185 bpm at 6:30 am somehow just doesn’t seem right. It all worked out though and I did get the upgrade. It will be hard to top last season, but we’ll see what happens.

What advice would you give other people interested in improving their health & fitness?
I would say just start out simple because if you overdo it you’ll just give up. It also helps doing something that appeals to you instead of just “working out.” I’ve always been active, whether it was skateboarding, cycling, or snowboarding, and fitness just came along with it. Cycling just happens to be the thing that fits into my life at the moment, I suppose one day I will get sick of all the training and just ride for fun, which is fine with me.

Where do you look for inspiration? Are there organizations, people, books or websites that you find especially inspiring?
I read a lot of cycling blogs, as it’s from actual racers and not some writer who just watches it. I prefer firsthand accounts, however intelligible or insulting. I do like to read VeloNews or whatever cycling magazine or website is around. I would also say that the local WORS series has been inspiring, the level of competition is amazing. I most likely would not even have picked racing back up without that series. Having a coach helps too. Mainly though I am internally motivated, I just like doing it and usually that’s all I need! If I don’t like something, I don’t do it, pretty simple right?

Mike's blog:
http://carpetmachine.blogspot.com

Mike’s sponsors:
http://alterracoffee.com
www.specialized.com

Relevant links (your key to bike lingo):
www.saris.com
www.usacycling.org
bike.shimano.com
www.wors.org