Last week we had the pleasure of spending three packed days with our athlete Diane. Coming from Chicago, Diane was thrilled to ride outside. We made sure to give her plenty of time outside on two wheels with three long rides (3 hours, 2.5 hours and 3.5 hours). We have been coaching Diane for over a year and we've seen her develop into a very competitive age-group triathlete (50-54 age group). As a very experienced long-distance triathlete - having completed ten Ironman distance triathlons - we know Diane is a hard-working triathlete. She's motivated and determined. Therefore, we don't need her to train any harder or longer. Instead, she's at the point in her triathlon journey where we just need her to train and race smarter. While we were able to have a big breakthrough in her swimming over her 3-day training camp, we spent the majority of her camp on terrain management and riding skills.
Here are a few pictures from Diane's 3-day private camp.
Here are a few pictures from Diane's 3-day private camp.
Many triathletes have great cycling fitness from indoor riding but when it comes to riding outside, many triathletes fail to transfer that fitness to real world conditions. Even if a triathlete does ride outside, the environment is typically controllable and familiar. It isn't until the athlete arrives to a new or unfamiliar race course and lack of proper bike handling skills often increase anxiety, stress or lack of confidence.
Knowing how to manage any type of terrain is critical when it comes to showcasing your physical abilities. More so, the better you manage the terrain on your bike, the better you'll run off the bike.
Knowing how to manage any type of terrain is critical when it comes to showcasing your physical abilities. More so, the better you manage the terrain on your bike, the better you'll run off the bike.
In a world of gadget obsession and virtual indoor riding, it's becoming much more common that triathletes are lacking (or losing) the skills to confidently, safely and efficiently ride outside. Realizing that many triathletes don't have access to safe roads, being confined to the indoors can come at a cost when it comes to knowing how to properly ride your bike outside.
When Karel was young, he road his bike every day. He had
no power meter or GPS watch or HR monitor. He learned how to ride his bike on
different terrains and in different weather conditions. He gained valuable bike handling skills at a very young age and today, those skills are second nature. When he's on his bike, he is one with his bike.
Most triathletes didn't grow up riding and racing bikes - particularly in the US. In turn, the bike becomes an expensive piece of equipment that is not well-utilized when taken outside. You need to know how to interact with your bicycle, change your gears, navigate the terrain and be very
comfortable on two wheels in order to get the most out of this pricey-ticket item.
Lucky for us, we live in an area that has very challenging (yet beautiful) terrain. Greenville has every type of terrain (except flat) to practice bike handling skills. We like to call our terrain "punchy."
For example, here are the elevation files from our three rides with Diane.
Lucky for us, we live in an area that has very challenging (yet beautiful) terrain. Greenville has every type of terrain (except flat) to practice bike handling skills. We like to call our terrain "punchy."
For example, here are the elevation files from our three rides with Diane.
Cycling outside can be scary depending on where you live. But to improve your cycling skills, you need to ride outside. Seeing that every triathlon is outside, gaining the most basic skills of learning how to get out of the saddle, descending, shifting your weight when corning, changing your gears and drinking/fueling while riding can boost your confidence, improve your safety and improve your joy for cycling. Most of all, your hard work from training will noticeably pay off on race day.
Happy riding!