With no foreseeable racing at a high level, it can be hard to find the motivation for training. I myself find training harder, but the usual OCD attitude towards training is slipping. Occasionally I have been taking the easy way out of intervals, or finding excuses not to complete a program, and let’s be honest, […]
What are the benefits of solo training?
As a coach I am often asked by athletes whether they are better off to go and do structured efforts on a solo ride or to join a local fast group ride instead? It is a good question which has a multifaceted answer and one in which I enjoy exploring with different athletes. As with […]
The Pros and Cons of Training on a Home Trainer for MTB Racing
With winter in full swing in the Southern Hemisphere and the bitter months not far awaiting those in the North, the use of the home trainer for cycling activity normally does or starts to consume more of our cycling time. This can be daunting for some whilst others relish the opportunity to get their 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 […]
Belgian Mountainbike Challenge – Lessons Learnt In Battle
Related Event: Belgian Mountainbike Challenge
As a cycling coach I find myself recommending events to clients, one of my coaching riders, Matt, joined me at Belgian Mountainbike Challenge, the event was part of the programme we put together to prepare him for Transalps. So here are his thoughts on the BEMC event and what it’s been like preparing for this […]
Lomas Wefing: striving for progress not perfection
“What’s happened?” Dad asked as he caught sight of me trudging through the bushes into the tech zone. “They’ve pulled me out on the 80% rule.” I groaned. I’d done two laps. That was my first taste of UCI Junior HC XCO racing in Europe. Short, but not very sweet. We’d set out on the […]
How to coach yourself – Part 2
In the first part of this series I talked about using online training tools to coach yourself. This time I’m going to discuss training yourself from scratch. This year I’ve thrown myself in the deep end, but not without a lot of preparation. Here’s what I found most useful. Know the Basics Before you start […]
What’s wrong with failure?
Failure is still taboo, but if we dared talk about it a little more, maybe we’d fear it a little less. I recently posted a few comments on Facebook about a race that didn’t go so well and was really grateful for the supportive and encouraging comments from my friends, but I also felt guilty. I hadn’t quite […]
Skills Coaching For Mountain Biking
Mountain bikers, or at least most male ones, are inveterate fettlers. Always tweaking a bit of bike set-up, getting excited about a new piece of kit, or boring everyone stupid about tyre or shock pressures. And even those that don’t do this probably spend considerable amounts of money on servicing for their bikes. And those […]