Sandstead Performance and Nutrition

07/15/2026

I think a lot about this man, and what we are witnessing in this year's edition of the Tour de France. His name is thrown around daily as the great cyclists of all time. The Michael Jordan. The Tiger Woods. The Usain Bolt.

But his name is Tadej Pogačar.

Cycling is such a fascinating and beautiful sport that combines so many skillsets and physiological variables.

When we look at cyclists who can win the big races, it's not muscles for the win, but their ability to burn massive amounts of energy. This little fellow has the magical mitochondria that can burn roughly 63% more energy per minute than me for an all-out, one-hour effort.

His genetics were targeted early in life, and he has spent most of the last decade on a energy mission. Developing not only that bioenergetic skillset, but the road skills that can take him to that top step.

I hope you're all watching the TdF! Streaming live on Peacock here in America.

07/13/2026

Dennis Desmarais delivered an epic performance at Calvins Challenge 2026, winning overall and shattering the previous course record with 437 miles in the 24-hour event — beating Curt Altarac's 2025 mark of 430 miles!

We'll breakdown:

✅ The Event
✅ Pacing Highlights
✅ Training Deep Dive
✅ Fueling & Nutrition Strategy

Whether you're training for a 24hr TT, RAAM, Sebring, or any ultra, this breakdown is packed with actionable insights from a record-setting performance.

Dennis Desmarais delivered an epic performance at Calvins Challenge...

07/08/2026

59-year-old Kevin Liberacki takes a commanding victory at the 2026 Race Across the East, winning the overall and his age-group by roughly 10 hours, with ultra cycling legend Giovanni Prosperi taking second overall.

In this video, we break down the action from the 630-mile RAAM qualifier/event from Blanchester, Ohio to Atlantic City. Liberacki's dominant performance, Giovanni's strong chase, key moments, training and what this means for ultra cycling in 2026.

59-year-old Kevin Liberacki takes a commanding victory at the 2026 ...

12/10/2025

https://youtu.be/hcUAyiTRraE
Let's talk all things race pace! I study a lot of event data. From WRs to PRs to podiums from both ULTRA athletes I coach and those athletes who publish their data publicly, and you all are nailing so many things: fueling, sleep, aero, hydration and so much more.

But the one glaring aspect of ULTRA cycling that desperately needs to be addressed is RACE PACE.

When studying WR's and individual event data, almost universally everyone goes too hard. ULTRA athletes that I work with are daily schooled in identifying, building and nailing their race pace--to give them their best possible miles on a given day with the least amount of suffering.

So! I made a long video (50 minutes) breaking down all things race pace. On the American ULTRA scene, we've had probably our best year to date, and our 2026 could be even better. If we just crack that last nut. Pacing.

Are you ready to conquer ultra cycling races and nails those PRs? In this in-depth guide, we break down everything you need to know about race pace in ultra-...

11/10/2025

https://scheduler.zoom.us/coachlee/availability
On my walk to a slice of pizza, I couldn't help but think of what I do as a coach in relation to pizza.

I work with athletes in many ways, especially event prep, but there are three fundamental ways I work with athletes through the foundation period.

1) The metabolic system
2) The cardiovascular/respiratory system
3) The muscular system

Of the three, the metabolic system is the dough, the cardiovascular system is the sauce and the muscles are the toppings.

Want a leg up? Focus on the metabolic, and the other two are much better served.

Want to know what this means? Let's jump on a zoom to discuss how I can increase your metabolic health with nutritional coaching and your metabolism with structured training.

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10/19/2025

The ULTRA event season is winding down, and Psycho just finished up today. I work with an athlete who took the overall Psycho 24hr at 461 miles. He hit his PR, but it added to his top steps at this year's Calvin's Challenge and Natchez.

Here, I break down his first ever ULTRA season. What his training looked like, and where he's going.

Psycho 24hr event – where sheer grit turned into glory! This ultra cyclist pushed limits, conquering 24 grueling hours of non-stop pedaling to claim the top ...

10/16/2025

https://youtu.be/XAwFI5f6DRg
Let's talk all things the ULTRA race No Country for Old Men! I had an athlete have a very distinctive strategy for the event, which he crushed and took 1st overall.

When thinking about ULTRA cycling events--it's crucial to know your goals. Is this a race or is a time trial? Is this a "B" event? Is this an "A" event? ...

09/25/2025

The feel-good 100-mile-ultra-running event documentary you didn't know that you needed to watch!

For 19 years, the Leadville 100 Mile course record had been considered one of the most legendary (and possibly unbreakable) records in ultrarunning. In 2024,...

09/02/2025

www.sandstead.com
It's time to start thinking about your offseason and 2026. It will come much faster than you think.

For all athletes I work with, bloodwork comes first, and then, we plan your nutrition and your performance calendar.

Coaching is not just putting in workouts, it's building your time off the bike--as well as your time on the bike.

➡️ I'm a full-time licensed coach and certified nutritionist! Let's talk! Talkin's free, and as hard as I work to get new clients, I work even harder to keep them.