Training camps have long been a part of the sport of cycling. At the high performance level and also for the recreational ‘weekend warrior’. But why spend money and time to go to a usually obscure location to ride your bike for a number of days? Wouldn’t spending time in the comforts of your own […]
Understanding Training Peaks Part 1 – Free vs Premium Account
Understanding Training Peaks, a new Series from our European editor and cycling coach Ben Thomas. Part 1 discusses the various websites available to store and analyse your rides, and the differences between a free and premium Training Peaks account. If you track your rides chances are you’ll be uploading to an online system, there’s so […]
Gran Canaria – Training Haven
Back in February Ben Thomas Coaching hosted coaching clients and guests in the training haven of Gran Canaria. These weeks were a key part of preparation for the 2018 season. Here’s my view on this ‘Training Haven’. Whilst I’ve worked for guiding companies in the past this was my first attempt at hosting a training […]
Mountain bike tips for road riders
It’s inevitable – in time many road riders find the pursuit of pavement pounding on narrow tyres a little… plain. The enlightened cyclist chooses to ride both on road and off, and if you’ve seen the way and want to expand into the world of dirt, we’re here to help. Mountain biking has a slightly […]
How to train for a marathon mountain bike race
Responding to popular demand, we’re publishing a new series on how to train, prepare, and race your first marathon. Not your first marathon? Read on anyway and pick up some tips we’ve put together from years of experience. First up, here’s our best advice on how to prepare for your first marathon MTB race, including […]
Power analysis from Trans Schwarzwald MTB stage race
Related Event: Trans Schwarzwald
In between my XCO racing for this year, I decided to give stage racing another go after my first attempt in 2012. Back then, I did the Trans Germany MTB stage race and failed miserably, grovelling through the majority of stages and vowing to never return unless I was fully prepared. It really was quite […]
Upskilling – skills courses for mountain biking
Apart from a few tears of joy, mountain bike racing only made me cry once this year. After our Australian XCM National Champs in Tasmania in April. I’d worked incredibly hard on my fitness for Nationals and thought the course, with a very long climb to be covered twice, would suit me perfectly. On race […]
Power analysis in marathon racing
For this past weekend, I decided to book in a double header with an XCO race on Saturday and the Saarschleifen Half Marathon on Sunday. The XCO was my main focus but with the Vaude Trans Schwarzwald stage race fast approaching, I wanted to see how my body would react to hard racing days back […]
DIY Indoor Training
You know what’s involved, sweating, swearing, a swirling stomach tempting to eject breakfast with each passing second. The indoor trainer is a choice for some but a necessity for others at times when the outside can be even more hostile! So it’s raining outside, you only have time for an hour ride before you need […]
Training in Winter: Bikes or skis?
Living in Australia we are thankfully not constrained by the weather in winter. Extremely uncomfortable, maybe, but usually the worst is some driving rain or a freezing headwind. But for those living in less forgiving climates, wintertime can make riding outside near impossible. With heavy snow covering the ground, the only way to get some […]