Imagine sitting down with someone and having a coaching discussion at your dining room table. That’s basically what my “coaching discussion” archives are. These archives are a repository for all the coaching discussion I’ve penned in the past few years.
Browse through the archives of my coaching discussion and learn how to be a stronger cyclist. Don’t forget you can contact me with questions or check out the Tailwind Coaching Newsletter for more great coaching discussion.
One of the biggest questions that I've faced in the past few weeks has been in relation to structured training plans. I've heard the following enough times to realize that it's a huge concern for many cyclists:
What about group rides? Where do those fit into my training plans?
Well, the short answer is that if you know the group dynamic and what fundamentals your plan is focusing on, you can often integrate group rides successfully. For a more detailed description, listen to the podcast below.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (10.9MB)
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[dc]F[/dc]all has hit, il Lombardia is in the books, Paris Tours has come and gone, and cyclocross is in full swing. For those riders who have been training since the dark hours of January, the season has wound down and rides consist of trips to the coffee shop amid the crunch of fallen leaves. If not for a double espresso run, it's time to put feet up on the coffee table, read the gossip (USADA decision anyone?) and recover while starting to plan for next year.
Regarding planning for next season, one of the biggest fallacies that I've run across lately is explained by the post below:
I've been thinking about racing this coming year, but I live in (northern state that gets a lot of snow). I'm worried that I can't get enough miles in during the winter to keep me fit and get me ready for next year. Should I go out during the winter and try to build up my miles in the cold and snow?
At a time of year when the leaves are flying, centuries are calling and fondos are in full swing, many cyclists struggle with holding their hard earned summer fitness in the waning daylight of the fall. In the past couple weeks, I've seen (and received) a number of questions about maintaining form and fitness “for just a few more weeks.” I'm going to let you in on a couple of secrets for your end of season woes.
For those of you who are ending your season soon and haven't thought about the next one, all I can say is:
WHY NOT!?!?!
You should be reviewing the successes and failures of your current season and thinking about your goals and aspirations for next season. If you're contemplating hiring a coach to help you reach those goals, now is the time in the season to start thinking about it. I've been hard at work refining my training plans and building new workouts for my athletes. Of course, one-on-one coaching is extremely focused and for that reason I limit the number of athletes I'm able to coach one-on-one. Check out my coaching services if you're thinking of recruiting a little help to ensure you meet your goals. Hoping to race Battenkill? Want to PR at Gran Fondo NY? Have a crit series on the calendar? I've got the tools to make you leaner, stronger and faster, if you've got the drive and commitment.
As some of you may have seen from my Strava uploads, I've been busy testing a number of different High Intensity Trainer (HIT) workouts recently. These workouts are specifically designed for indoor trainer use (and with the shortening days and the holidays not far off, that's where you'll find most of us very soon) and are designed to build fitness and fundamental skills in very short times. I've made the first few of the available on my Training Plans page, and keep your eyes open for more and more of them. As a bonus (or an incentive, depending upon who you are) I'll be including ALL of my HIT workouts in my one-on-one coaching programs at NO extra charge! That means you'll have access to these killer workouts as part of your customized training plans, giving you even MORE improvement in your speed, strength, skill and endurance.
Keep your eyes on this space for future coaching announcements and new workouts.