Burning Matches Cycling Podcast Ep-022

Ride Faster 40+: Metrics & Recovery

You can watch the full video version on YouTube.

For cyclists 40+ - and actually all ages - I am learning SO much as I work back from serious health issues this year.

I believe that not only am I going to return to my previous performance levels, but the things I am learning from working through this will make me a better rider who enjoys this sport even more than I ever have.

I hope what I’m learning will help you too.

In this episode I focus on some of the metrics I’m using. PLEASE share your comments as I am no expert on this and welcome any feedback/tips from my fellow cyclists so we can all continue to support ourselves with better systems.

Most of all, I’m learning to take better care of myself, slow down and appreciate the incredible experience that is riding our bikes.

02:00 Listen to Your Body

02:35 Build Your Goals Around Taking Care of Yourself

02:54 Tools for Training

03:42 Strava Fitness

06:44 Power Skills

08:12 Miles

08:43 Google Health/Fitbit

08:50 Fitbit Resilience

09:43 Sleep - The Easiest Lever

10:05 Garmin

10:28 Garmin Body Battery

10:57 HRV - Heart Rate Variability

11:33 VO2 Max

12:20 FTP/Watts

12:31 My Riding Goals

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Burning Matches Cycling Podcast Ep-21 Dr. Sandra Fleming

Cycling Back from the Bottom

You can be even stronger and faster than you were before.

That’s what Dr. Sandra Fleming told me not long after I was wondering if I was ever going to ride at a competitive level again. And I will add that she has been the driver of making it happen.

I was already working through the challenges of my divorce from mid 2024 when some extreme new stresses hit me all at once from late 2024 and culminating in the Spring of 2026.

I thought I was finally through the biggest challenges of my life, but then my health crashed. Finally able to get out of survival mode, my body just shut down and I lost all energy.

I could barely get out of bed, much less ride. In June 2026 I started on a program to protect my health, get the rest I needed, start restoring my system, and began new protocols that included monitoring my biofeedback and following a strict program of rest and recovery.

After June, July and August in recovery mode, my body is finally starting to come back, especially the past couple weeks starting around mid-September.

I’m finally feeling like I’m actually RIDING and it feels so great. Making it even better is to have hope for my cycling future thanks to Dr. Sandra.

This episode continues telling that story, adding the perspective of Dr. Sandra. This is the second in that series and you can see the first episode here:

Cycling Thru Ups & Downs

https://youtu.be/gPAAaufsIAk?si=8VDjDf4TGzuD9wSU

Dr. Sandra and I will now be meeting regularly to give updates on my progress, both from my perspective and hers as the doctor guiding my program.

I hope this episode helps other cyclists navigate challenges and find hope when they are going through a rough patch either on or off the bike or both.

Oh, special note: I’m not doing 200-mile races, but I appreciate Dr. Sandra’s impression of my capabilities : )

Title and end credit song:

The North of California by The Guide to Fast Living

https://open.spotify.com/track/7Ml8DDrduQFbQpeMyympyr

00:17 Improvements for All Ages

01:15 How a Life Challenge Can Improve Your Cycling

02:01 Meet Dr. Sandra Fleming

03:22 Kurt’s Health Challenges

04:21 Dr. Sandra’s Perspective

04:30 Point 1: HRV + VO2 Mismatch

06:11 Point 2: The Sum of All Stresses

08:22 Point 3: Underfueling + Energy Availability

09:29 Point 4: Inflammation/Chronic Stress

10:37 Homocysteine

11:16 Point 5: Nervous System Overload

12:40 Turning Down the Volume

13:04 Recover Capacity is Trainable

13:35 The Junior Bike Racer Mentality

15:12 We Have a Plan

16:01 What Happened to My Body?

17:30 The Hardest Part is to Slow Down

18:00 Kurt’s Therapeutic Riding Program

18:54 The Gray Zone

19:41 The Hierarchy of Leverages (5)

19:50 1. Training Load Reduction

20:24 2. Fueling

21:29 3. Sleep: The Highest Yield

21:56 4. Targeted Micronutrients

22:28 5. Nervous System Regulation

24:02 You Can Be Stronger & Faster

25:24 Pace by Data

27:30 Paying Attention to Your Body

28:00 Saying No is Hard but Doable

28:53 Discipline + Balance

30:16 The Right Data

31:34 Every Piece of the Puzzle Matters

32:20 A Better Approach

Links

Dr. Sandra Fleming

http://drsandrafleming.com

Primal Trust

https://www.primaltrust.org/

Red Peloton Bike Racing Team in Northern California

https://redpeloton.com

Presented by Alien Feedings

https://alienfeedings.com/

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Burning Matches Cycling Podcast Ep-20

Cycling Thru Ups & Downs

This is my first episode back after a few months.

My health took some rough turns as I navigated some extremely challenging times.

I had to put my cycling on hold and am now on a therapeutic program to get my health and ultimately my cycling back on track.

It is within these “setbacks” we can often find great steps forward.

I have been learning many great things in this time off the bike that I am confident will make me better than ever on the bike.

I’m working with an amazing doctor, Dr. Sandra Fleming, who is helping guide my health with a focus on my cycling performance.

In addition to more episodes interviewing the many great people in the cycling world, I will be providing regular updates on my cycling progress with Dr. Sandra’s medical perspective.

Links

Dr. Sandra Fleming

https://DrSandraFleming.com

Group ride footage courtesy of Chris Dieter from Cycling Sonoma:

https://www.youtube.com/@cyclingsonoma6543

Episode is our group ride in one of my favorites, Chilena Valley, on March 14, 2026.

https://youtu.be/L_-mZYEXl3s?si=HTV7IwAAlEkafvqs

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