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After months of training Gene and Mary Langan were confident they could finish the 30-mile leg of this year’s Sea Gull Century. As it turned out, the route was nine miles longer than they’d thought, but the training they’d done made them strong enough to finish.
The Langan’s daughter and son-in-law, who are Sea Gull Century regulars had been talking-up the tour for some time but the Langans weren’t really interested at first. It’s not as if they weren’t fit − the couple has been working out for nearly two years. But the couple needed new bikes and had never undertaken a long bike tour. With a little extra convincing they made the appropriate purchases and altered their workout schedule with a greater aim than staying healthy. They needed to improve their fitness.
Although training for the Sea Gull Century required incrementally longer bike rides, the couple’s gym time didn’t change much, only what they did once they were there did. The Langans work out at Energy Gym and favor the Strive Circuit, a targeted weight system that improves strength and range of motion with reduced workout time.
“When they got the Strive Circuit machines, we really got into that,” Mary said. “We’d do that three days a week, consistently.”
The practical result for the Langans was they could increase their benefit without a significant increase in gym time.
By the time October rolled around the couple was proud of their improvement and optimistic about their chances of finishing well.
“A week before we just happened to mentioned to Tony and Gina [Hall, Energy Gym’s owners] that we were going to enter this bike race,” Gene said. “Tony said, ‘Call me and I’ll tell you what to eat before and during the race.’”
Tony introduced the 65-year-old couple to carb loading − a tactic for turning your body into an energy-producing machine without failure or fatigue.
Around Sea Gull Century mile 29 the two things that paid off the most for the Langans were the strength training and the energy boost from the carb loading.
Tony also instructed the couple in long-distance tactics, reminding them to stay hydrated and keep their electrolytes in balance.
“I think that helped tremendously,” Mary said.
It took the couple three hours to complete the tour but only minutes to decide to reengineer their regimen. They’re already in the process of training for next year’s Sea Gull Century 60 mile loop.
Training will require more gym time and more road work, but those are things the Langans already loved doing.
For more information on Energy Gym's training programs across athletics, 302-436-9001 or email info@energygym247.com.
After months of training Gene and Mary Langan were confident they could finish the 30-mile leg of this year’s Sea Gull Century. As it turned out, the route was nine miles longer than they’d thought, but the training they’d done made them strong enough to finish.
The Langan’s daughter and son-in-law, who are Sea Gull Century regulars had been talking-up the tour for some time but the Langans weren’t really interested at first. It’s not as if they weren’t fit − the couple has been working out for nearly two years. But the couple needed new bikes and had never undertaken a long bike tour. With a little extra convincing they made the appropriate purchases and altered their workout schedule with a greater aim than staying healthy. They needed to improve their fitness.
Although training for the Sea Gull Century required incrementally longer bike rides, the couple’s gym time didn’t change much, only what they did once they were there did. The Langans work out at Energy Gym and favor the Strive Circuit, a targeted weight system that improves strength and range of motion with reduced workout time.
“When they got the Strive Circuit machines, we really got into that,” Mary said. “We’d do that three days a week, consistently.”
The practical result for the Langans was they could increase their benefit without a significant increase in gym time.
By the time October rolled around the couple was proud of their improvement and optimistic about their chances of finishing well.
“A week before we just happened to mentioned to Tony and Gina [Hall, Energy Gym’s owners] that we were going to enter this bike race,” Gene said. “Tony said, ‘Call me and I’ll tell you what to eat before and during the race.’”
Tony introduced the 65-year-old couple to carb loading − a tactic for turning your body into an energy-producing machine without failure or fatigue.
Around Sea Gull Century mile 29 the two things that paid off the most for the Langans were the strength training and the energy boost from the carb loading.
Tony also instructed the couple in long-distance tactics, reminding them to stay hydrated and keep their electrolytes in balance.
“I think that helped tremendously,” Mary said.
It took the couple three hours to complete the tour but only minutes to decide to reengineer their regimen. They’re already in the process of training for next year’s Sea Gull Century 60 mile loop.
Training will require more gym time and more road work, but those are things the Langans already loved doing.
For more information on Energy Gym's training programs across athletics, 302-436-9001 or email info@energygym247.com.
