Category: Successful Athletes

Welcome to Athlete Success Stories, a series highlighting the incredible journeys of athletes from all walks of life who have achieved success with TrainerRoad. Each volume showcases inspiring athletes who share their experiences—from their initial challenges through training, to how TrainerRoad helped them reach their cycling goals and surpass expectations. Why Athletes choose TrainerRoad Over […]

Welcome to Athlete Success Stories, a series highlighting the incredible journeys of athletes from all walks of life who have achieved success with TrainerRoad. Each volume showcases inspiring athletes who share their experiences—from their initial challenges through training, to how TrainerRoad helped them reach their cycling goals and surpass expectations. How Cyclists Around the World […]

Welcome to Athlete Success Stories Vol. 2, a series highlighting the incredible journeys of athletes from all walks of life who have achieved success with TrainerRoad. Each volume showcases inspiring athletes who share their experiences—from their initial challenges through training, to how TrainerRoad helped them reach their cycling goals and surpass expectations. Achieve More with […]

Welcome to Athlete Success Stories, a series highlighting the incredible journeys of athletes from all walks of life who have achieved success with TrainerRoad. Each volume showcases inspiring athletes who share their experiences—from their initial challenges through training, to how TrainerRoad helped them reach their cycling goals and surpass expectations. How Athletes Around the World […]

If you’ve been putting in the hours, sticking to your cycling routine, and still not seeing your FTP budge, you’re not alone. Hitting a plateau in your Functional Threshold Power can be incredibly frustrating. The good news is that with TrainerRoad you can overcome plateaus with custom training plans designed to adapt and evolve as […]

Discover how real cyclists used AI-driven training to gain up to 90W FTP, win races, and recover from setbacks. Learn how structured training can take your cycling
fitness to the next level!

Francesco Magisano, blind since the age of 16, is a triathlete, cyclist, and the New York City metro region director for Achilles International, a global organization dedicated to transforming the lives of people with disabilities through athletic programs and social connection. Tune in to learn how Francesco used TrainerRoad to add 120w to his FTP and place second in the 2021 USA National Para-cycling Road and Time Trial Championships.

Jarret Oldham can regularly be seen at the front of the fastest crits and road races in the United States. How does he use TrainerRoad to succeed in elite-level racing?

John Peter is an endurance athlete with a long history of high-volume training and racing that masked many signs of bipolar disorder. But throughout the journey, this father, teacher, and high school coach discovered ways to balance life, training, and mental health.

For full-distance triathletes, crossing the finish line at the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii, is the ultimate accomplishment. Getting to the event can be just as challenging as racing it, though. In this episode of the Successful Athletes Podcast, Ray Brunker shares what he did to earn a Kona qualification and his recommendations for other athletes who want to do the same.

Logan McPherson, a soon-to-be father from Dallas, Texas, wanted to get in on the fast-paced action of crit racing. With the help of Jeff Linder of NorCal Cycling and TrainerRoad, Logan went from sitting on the couch to racing in one of the hardest criteriums in America—Tulsa Tough, and he has some tips to help any beginner racer.

Taylor Lideen’s victory at this year’s Unbound XL gravel race was an awe-inspiring achievement of physical endurance. But the sheer absurdity of riding alone for almost 23 hours, over 350 miles of rugged gravel, hides an even more challenging battle Taylor has faced with depression and anxiety.

When Dylan Schlageter joined his middle school mountain bike team, he didn’t anticipate just how far he’d progress as an XC cyclist. Now with several years of training and racing under his belt, Dylan shares his improvements and what he would recommend to other junior athletes who want to take their training to the next level.

Melissa Paurowski, a busy wife, mom, and teacher, searched for a new challenge after her goal event was canceled. She decided to enter a grueling, ultra-distance triathlon, with a 4.8-mile swim, 224-mile bike, and 52.4-mile run. Hoping to finish within the time limit, Melissa crushed her goal with time to spare.

Alex Sandilands had a rapid rise to 4.8w/kg after transitioning from years of running, but that quickly fell apart after an MRI from an overuse injury exposed disturbing effects of starvation. Fortunately, Alex became aware of his disordered eating and got his health back on track to reach new heights in terms of both power and health.

After winning the Individual Time Trial National Championships in 2014 Thrude Natholmen set her eyes on the next big goal. But when this goal didn’t come together it became a struggle to hold onto motivation and stay on the right track. Learn how Thrude found a new perspective and pushed through her setbacks in this episode of the Successful Athlete’s Podcast.

Competition runs in Georgina von Marburg’s blood. From the tennis court, to criteriums, to elite Enduro races, this versatile Australian athlete feeds on a challenge. She’s also faced setbacks along the way, but her love of cycling and commitment to consistency help her succeed and get faster.

For Derek Teel, being fast means being strong. Derek is a former pro downhill racer and owner of Dialed Health, a strength training service for cyclists. Derek’s advice on getting stronger can make every athlete faster.

The flexible yet progressive structure of the low-volume training plan works with a variety of schedules and experience levels—making it the go to volume for many goal driven athletes. To help you get the most out of your low-volume plan here are five tips from TrainerRoad athletes who have used a low-volume training plan to get faster.

After more than 30 years racing bikes, professional strength coach Art O’Connor continues to push himself with new challenges. Learn how he used smart training to conquer a 21- hour race in extreme cold conditions.

Casper Green raised his FTP 70 watts with TrainerRoad to train for local group rides in Houston, Texas, all while being a busy father and working a demanding job in home automation. By making small changes along the way and staying consistent with a low-volume training plan Curtis lost 35 pounds and reached 4.0 W/kg.

Stephen Morina’s job entails many long days of physical labor, but he’s used smart training strategies to raise his FTP and stay motivated. His approach can serve as an example for any athlete with demanding schedule.

Consistency over time is the surest way to becoming a faster cyclist, but staying consistent doesn’t always come easily. In this week’s Successful Athletes Podcast, Michael Brophy shares the real strategies that have helped him train consistently, nail his process goals, and reach 5w/kg amid a busy schedule.

It’s tough enough to succeed at one sport. But Jessica Kuepfer takes things further, achieving podiums in multiple disciplines of cycling and running. Best of all, she continues to have fun along the way, thanks to a healthy perspective and thoughtful prioritization.

Octavio Flores Quintero had his dream ride in mind when he signed up for TrainerRoad. He used TrainerRoad to raise his FTP by 70 watts and prepare for Vallartazo—an adventurous ride from the high mountains of Western Mexico to the coastal paradise of Puerto Vallarta.

When Egert Purre decided to race the 2020 Estonian Time Trial National Championship he didn’t think he had a shot at winning. At best he hoped to earn third in his age group, and ideally he’d finish in the top five. His performance on race day told a different story though. Egert left everything he had out on the course and ended up finishing with the fastest time in his age group.

Cameron Seamons raised his FTP by 80 watts with TrainerRoad training for the Triple Bypass Century and ultra-distance running events, all while being a busy medical school student. He has tips for how he manages a 50-hour workweek and uses low-volume training for long-distance endurance events.

If you want to race cyclocross or are looking to take it more seriously, Successful Athlete, Laura Alagna, is here to share her tips for getting started with cyclocross and getting a cat two upgrade.

Triathlete Jamie Berry’s promising race results told one story, but stagnating progress and constant fatigue told another. Jamie’s journey to better health is a lesson in proper recovery and fueling.

Improvement comes in all shapes and forms. But behind every improvement, there’s always hard work, consistency, and dedication. In this round of Success is for Everyone, three TrainerRoad athletes share the training plans and strategies that helped them reach their goals and raise their FTP’s along the way.

Doug Moore raised his FTP by 41 watts with TrainerRoad while training for a multi-day ride across Utah. He did this using a low-volume training plan while managing a challenging schedule. As a busy father of five with a demanding career and a farm to care for, Doug made low-volume work for an ultra-endurance event.

When faced with an uncertain road to recovery, Sloane Tilley took it slow and approached each obstacle one step at a time. Her hard work and diligence paid off, and she got faster, stronger, and healthier along the way. Here’s how Sloane recovered from a horrific accident and what you can take from her inspiring story.

Across all distances of triathlon and now in road racing, Joe Byrne has consistently pushed out of his comfort zone in search of bigger challenges. Along the way, he’s proven how smart training and racing strategies can conquer any obstacle.

Lydia Gould, a 64-year-old cyclist with a history of impressive accomplishments, thought she was “too old to improve” before she signed up for TrainerRoad. But over three months, she raised her FTP by thirty watts, turned VO2 Max work from a weakness into a strength, and added more race victories.

Sika Henry is an elite level triathlete with outstanding accomplishments in the sport of triathlon and has an important role in the triathlon community. In this week’s Successful Athlete’s Podcast, Sika shares some of her insights into training and racing, her personal progression into triathlon, an inspiring comeback story, and much more.

TrainerRoad is all about helping athletes work towards goals, and for Justin Brayton those goals don’t even involve a bicycle. The fitness and training strategies he gets from TrainerRoad help Justin succeed as a professional Supercross racer, and lessons he’s learned might help you win your next bike race, too.

Elite cyclists aren’t the only athletes that have great tips for getting faster. Here are five training tips from ordinary, successful athletes who used TrainerRoad to increase their FTP by a total of 333 watts.

Every athlete faces obstacles on the way to reaching success. For first-time triathlete John Tarrant, a history of injury and a demanding family life combined with the restrictions of lockdown to make his season a challenge. But with thoughtful planning, a positive attitude towards goal-setting, and the flexibility of TrainerRoad, John came out on top.

Will Stinger went from dead last in a road race to fifth place in the longest one-day USAC race. Along the way, he raised his FTP 64 watts and suffered a terrible crash that he came back from even stronger. He did all this while balancing a demanding career as an OBGYN and married life with four children. Whether you want to race LoToJa or conquer a big ride, Will’s got some tips for you.

Progress isn’t always linear— and that’s not a bad thing. TrainerRoad successful athlete Jack Turnbull shares his journey through the ups and downs of his progression and how he’s adjusted his training to sustain a 4.8 power to weight ratio.

Do you ever feel like other cyclists improve more quickly and dramatically than you? Here are four real-world examples of TrainerRoad athletes and their improvements.

Structured training is a helpful tool for every cycling discipline. Rob Belsom used TrainerRoad’s low-volume plan to prepare for a rugged 100-mile bikepacking event. Juggling work and family commitments, Rob has some tips for anyone seeking adventure through bikepacking.

Jon Kaslow started cycling on a whim, but this busy rider used TrainerRoad’s low-volume plans to dramatically improve his FTP. His strategies are a great example for any time-crunched athlete.

There comes a point in a cyclist’s progression where unstructured distance isn’t enough to stimulate improvement. Jozsef Evans used structure and performance based goals to continue his progression and get faster. In a matter of a few months, the structure paid off and helped Joe increase his watts per kilogram from 3.1 to 4.2. Here’s how Jozsef did it.

Becoming a skilled technical rider doesn’t just happen — it takes hard work and dedication. Professional MTB racer Sparky Moir Sears shares how she developed her technical riding skills and continues to grow those skills on a weekly basis to be a faster and more capable XC racer.

Elite athletes aren’t the only cyclists that benefit from structured training. For Brad Kundracik, balancing life commitments and training meant that he needed an efficient way to grow his fitness. Using TrainerRoad, Brad added 100w to his FTP, lost 35 pounds, and almost doubled his watts/kg. This ordinary cyclist saw some impressive results, and he has some advice for anyone trying to make the most of their time.

Balancing a demanding training load with a busy schedule is a challenge for any athlete. Entrepreneur, mother, and professional mountain bike racer, Sonya Looney, shares how she fits training into her busy schedule without compromising the time and responsibilities that are important to her. Share your success story and tell us how TrainerRoad helped you […]

Cycling forms a part of our self-identity. For Carly Williams, her identity and purpose changed in ways she could never have expected, but the structure of training helped push her forward through trying times.

Longtime friends and stage racing teammates, Alex Mallet and Brandon Watson, did their first major stage race at one of the most challenging stage races in the world —the Cape Epic in Cape Town, South Africa. From their achievements to their mistakes, here’s how Alex and Brandon tackled their first big stage race, and what they recommend to any athlete interested in mountain bike stage racing.

David Curtis went from total beginner to sub-9 finisher at the Leadville Trail 100. As a new cyclist, David experienced a steep learning curve with plenty of challenges along the way. But changes in lifestyle, diet, and structured interval training with TrainerRoad, he added 100w to his FTP and doubled his w/kg.

No one’s body is the same, and every athlete faces physical challenges. For triathlete Zach Josie, dwarfism is just an obstacle to overcome.

After successfully Everesting in January of 2018, TrainerRoad athlete JJ Zhou decided to take on a new Everesting challenge —Everesting on Mount Everest. On this week’s successful athletes podcast, JJ goes over his preparation for his Mt. Everest ride and what he did to adjust his pacing, training, and planning for a high altitude goal.

Motivation in training is a personal thing. For Cam Summerson, the motivation was saving his young son’s life.

Kona. The name alone inspires both fear and awe in endurance athletes around the world. Norman Banick headed to Kona for the 2019 Ironman World Championship with lofty goals—finish under nine hours and place in the top 100. After being battered by Hawaiian sun and wind, Norman finished 102nd overall with an incredible time of 9:11:09.

Come every August, hundreds of athletes gather in the small town of Leadville, Colorado to test their abilities and challenge their endurance at the Leadville Trail 100 MTB. For many athletes, the objective is to conquer the course and get across the finish line, an incredible accomplishment in and of itself. But for a subset of athletes there’s an added challenge – to finish the race in less than nine hours.

On the slopes of Empire Pass, Utah, Stans Pivot’s and Monster Hydro’s Keegan Swenson set the world record for Everesting with a time of 7:40:05. Repeating the same 1.8-mile segment to amass 29,029 feet of elevation gain was no easy feat, and Keegan has some pro tips to share that can help you in your next endurance event.