I feel that I have learned SO much from the Ask a Cycling Coach podcast in combination with using plan builder and adaptive training over the last 3-4 months, and I am curious what other cyclists have learned that have made a big difference in their approach to training or cycling in general.
These all seem so obvious now that I’ve made the changes, but it certainly was not obvious before.
Here are my recent ‘Ah Ha’ moments from the podcast + TrainerRoad software:
- The purpose of training is NOT to destroy yourself. Minimum effective dose.
I previously used Sufferfest videos and then app (going back to 2013 in combination with TrainerRoad) and I thought that if I wasn’t smashing myself I wasn’t getting faster. I could never sustain training because I would get burned out.
- Fuel the work. If you’re pedaling, take in calories.
I previously almost never took in calories when doing inside workouts, even for big VO2 work. Understanding how to better fuel work has been a years long journey, but the podcast has definitely helped.
I learned that I never need to test anymore. Trust the big data model and boom, no more testing or capacitive efforts to really see what i am capable of
I think my biggest ones have come from a combination of hearing ideas on the podcast but then diving into actions and learning from others on this forum.
Fuel your workouts, fuel your workouts, fuel your workouts. And then fuel your workouts.
Recipes to make my own drink mix that doesn’t upset my stomach
Take in more sodium and you’ll drink less water/have to stop less
Cyclists need more protein than you think
As we age, it gets harder to do lots of intensity but easier to do volume, so add more recovery rides and weeks rather than trying to push through low volume/high intensity plans.
