Training Diary: 17th Sept 2018: Circuit Riding with EvoVelo-Karbona Racing
Now that my Triathlon season has finished September is an opportunity to review my season and make plans for the winter and next season. I use the time to figure out what went well and what I could do better for next season.
Things that came out of my review are
- What can I do to make sure I work hard in training sessions
- How can I keep training fun through the winter so that I stay motivated
- As I work for myself (often on my own) it helps my head to make sure I do some training with people regularly each week.
To tick a few of those boxes I took myself off to EvoVelo’s regular Wednesday night training ride along with Coach Stuart Liggins (who is on a mission to be faster). The ride was led by David Kinnair a YouCanCoaching Athlete and founder member of EvoVelo. So this was a fantastic coach-athlete role reversal. I thoroughly enjoyed riding my bike and thinking of no one else except my own suffering!
What is it?
A group training ride around a 1 mile route on a business park. It starts at 7pm, so there’s very little traffic, the road surface is good, it’s well-lit with street lights and only left turns. On this night there were about 15 riders of a range of ability. After a gentle warm up we rode through and off round the circuit for 60minutes with the pace gradually increasing.
10 Benefits of a session like this
- It’s great fun to ride fast and hard with other people
- Riding in a group improves your bike handling skills because everything happens a bit faster so it sharpens up your skills.
- Being with other people gives you an opportunity to review your bike handling skills as you see a range of cyclists and work out what you do well, and what you could do better. Stuart noticed that his cornering skills needed work compared to other people in the group, something which he hadn’t been aware of before.
- I always work harder in a group than on my own – I don’t want to be dropped so this makes me work even harder and I always learn there’s more in me than I thought.
- It helps my focus and concentration as I have to keep my attention on the group and holding the wheel in front.
- There was a wide range of ability in the group, but the team work and communication meant that we could keep the group together for quite a while before splitting into different abilities
- Being on a 1mile circuit means you never get lost and you can have a rest and wait for the group to come round again.
- If you’re thinking about road racing this is a great way to train and practice and is all transferable to being a faster Triathlete.
- It’s good to train with people who are better than you as it gives you something to aim for, and makes you work harder.
- It’s rewarding to work together as a team to keep the group together. This adds a different dimension to training which can often be a solitary pursuit.
It was a pleasure to experience a club with some great team spirit and a welcoming atmosphere and I’ll be back for more suffering through the winter!
Do you know what your goals are for the winter and how you’re working towards them? If not, why not get in touch for a review of your training and a SWOT analysis to help you plan for winter.