There’s a lot to be said for indoor training sessions. They tend to make you very fit. Each workout is precisely engineered and tailored to your specific demands. Whether you want to increase neuromuscular power, raise your anaerobic threshold, or simply become more efficient over longer distances, the turbo-trainer has got you covered. However, after a winter, spring and the best part of summer grafting in the pain cave (AKA my garden shed), I was beginning to become a little bored with the view.
Indeed, having added 50 watts to my FTP as a result of a rigorous indoor training plan — a project I wrote about in CW April 18 — it was time to venture beyond the realms of my back garden and pedal in pastures new. The call of the great outdoors was becoming ever more resonant. I needed a new challenge, to physically exert myself in the fresh air and acquire new strength and fitness while I trained for my chosen event. And I had to set my sights on something…
Time trialing was a known entity, with my last outing against the clock concluding prematurely — splayed out, bloodied and battered in the middle of a country lane in Surrey. As much as Ilike country lanes in Surrey, I had no desire to exchange bodily fluids with them again, and with autumn fast approaching, maybe it was time to steer off the tarmac track and into the wooded unknown.
Cyclo-cross and off-road endurance disciplines, however, demand the employment of a different set of biomechanics. The transition from shed-based threshold sessions to the explosive energy and strength required to compete in these events would be far from seamless. I spoke with three experts to find out the type of training I’d need to do to make me more of a complete cyclist.
The way of the cross
This story is from the October 17, 2019 edition of CYCLING WEEKLY.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the October 17, 2019 edition of CYCLING WEEKLY.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Giant TCR Composite Gold
If this bike looks opulent, over the top and über-bling now, imagine the reaction of the bike-buying public 22 years ago when it was unveiled as a special limited edition made with real gold plate and costing the unthinkable sum of $10,000.
WATT WORKS FOR ME Kasia Niewiadoma
The Tour of Flanders runner-up talks lost bikes, altitude training and strength workouts
BREWING A BOOST
Coffee and cycling may be inextricably linked, but does the black stuff really improve our performance on the bike? Lexie Williamson investigates
Soto Helix Coffee Maker - £21.95
I really love the minimalism of this coffee brewer. It's a pour over stripped to its bare essentials: a conical spring that can hold a paper filter, and then compresses nearly flat when not in use.
Stanley Classic Perfect-Brew Pour Over
The Stanley Perfect-Brew Pour Over is the second simplest coffee maker on test, beaten only by the incredibly minimalist Soto Helix.
GSI Mini Espresso Set 1 Cup - £51.50
Starting off with the coffee makers that require a heat source, we have the GSI Outdoors Mini Espresso Set 1 Cup.
How do I up my coffee game?
How does the average Joe make the perfect mug of Joe? We sent Joe Baker to find out
THE HUB
All the news you might have missed from the last seven days
GOING FULL BEANS
Most cyclists enjoy a decent coffee, but some take it a step further. CW meets five self-declared obsessives who have pushed their twin passions, bikes and beans, to the nth degree
A love affair
Coffee connoisseur Adam Becket delves into the storied yet mysterious relationship between cycling and the original energy drink