How and why you should conduct an end-of-season review
What is it? An end of season review is a document that records your thoughts and feelings about how successful this season’s training and competition was. It is a very simple concept, but a powerful one. By writing down the things that did and didn’t go well, we can start to build an objective view…
Read MoreThe importance of base training and how to get it right
What is it Base Training? Base training is a commonly used term for a block of training designed to build Aerobic Endurance, the bedrock of any endurance training plan. It is typically the first stage in a Periodised Training Plan, followed by a Pre-competition (or Build) Phase and finally, a Competition (or Race) Phase. A…
Read MoreThe menstrual cycle: an athlete’s guide
Introduction Whilst women are biologically identical to men in many ways, there are some fundamental differences. As a male coach I know that to coach women effectively I need to be aware of those differences. This blog is a summary of my research into the menstrual cycle along with some practical recommendations for athletes. Unfortunately…
Read MoreTop 10 ways to improve your time trialling for FREE
Time trialling can be an expensive sport if you want all the latest, greatest equipment. So before you reach for your credit card here are a few tips which could make a huge difference to your race results without splashing the cash. 1. Clean Your Bike Significant losses occur from a dirty drivetrain. Therefore you…
Read MorePre-race planning for cyclo-cross success
Want to sit on the start line of a cyclo-cross race feeling relaxed and in control? Want to banish all those niggling doubts like: will I get a good start? Can I really make it up that steep banking? Will I survive the first lap? The secret to success in cyclo-cross is planning. Read-on to…
Read MoreWhat is RPE?
RPE stands for Rating of Perceived Exertion. It is a scale used to record the intensity of a workout based on how hard it felt. There are many different scales, usually ranging from 1 to 10, 10 being a maximal effort. In this post I’ll discuss the origins of RPE, compare it to the high-tech…
Read MoreWhat is overtraining and how to avoid it?
Overtraining Syndrome is a state of excessive, prolonged fatigue with a resulting loss of performance which has no other medical explanation. Although the exact causes are unknown, it is bought-on by excessive training and/or inadequate rest and recovery and affects mainly endurance athletes. In this article we will discuss the definition of overtraining, its effects…
Read MoreWhat is feel good factor and how it makes your training more effective
Evaluating training is a key component of effective training, however none of this data can answer one simple question: How did you feel? Coaches and self-coached athletes are constantly going through a cycle of Prescribe > Execute > Evaluate. As cyclists we are lucky in that we have a plethora of data available to us…
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