Geraint Thomas in his rather readable tome "The World of Cycling According to G" talks, amongst other things, about his time in the British Track squad in the 2000s. His narrative unfolds around how, once the team had decided on its goals (essentially World domination), the team committed to meet the goal. The coaching and supporting staff did likewise and then it was a case of trusting the process.
I have long been a fan of trying to focus on the controllable variables that accompany time-trial racing. In Thomas's book (I am not going to call him 'G'), he restates some good coaching mantra that reinforce this philosophy, e.g. there will be external influences that can knock you off-track. Anticipate external factors but don't get all angsty about things you cannot control.
As amateurs and part-timers who have commitments off the bike that professionals do not have, everyone in TSE has to strike a balance between what time and effort we can commit to the sport. And the commitment piece is critical. You only get out what you put in and all that, in time-trialling it is very much a correlation between input and result. Outside of the track pursuit discipline there are probably as few external variables affecting performance as you are likely to get. So over the winter months it has been great to watch and participate in a team that is committed, is believing more and more in the processes of training 'right' and training 'smart'.
It has been interesting to see how riders have dealt with bugs, colds, time demands with work and family commitments over Christmas and the New Year. For some there have been outbursts of frustration when they've had a cold or virus, and this kind of frustration shows how committed the team are right now. Fortunately a combination of cathartic and communal social-media outpourings: "It's the end of the world, I missed a few days on Zwift" or "How can I possibly survive the season, I missed a week in December" have been dealt with through a mix of mutual support and also plain-speaking.
Trust the process, you are committed to you goals. Form is not irrevocably lost in a week or two. Indeed, quite the opposite is true. You will #SmashItUp, to borrow a Bottrilism, if you simply commit and follow through on the plan over the course of the year.
Over the course of winter most of the team's riders have put in anywhere between 50-80 training sessions, and it shows. Functional threshold power tests are strong and ubiquitous. Everyone is talking in watts and FTP now. The support structure is blooming and the direction of travel is probably as good as any amateur squad in the country.
And it's still only January...
Bikie - a miscelleny of cycling related observations
Tuesday, 26 January 2016
Sunday, 3 January 2016
Inside the Engine #1
Just for a change of emphasis and to maybe breathe some life back in to this blog, I thought I would post some insights in to the workings of Team Sales Engine time trial squad.
It's Boxing Day 2015. A note comes in on the team forum from Roy Robinson who rode the local Hitchin Nomads CC 'Boxing Day 10' time trial, and in doing so closes off the year's racing for our team.
The Boxing Day event is more of a social activity than anything too serious, but there is a number on your back and as such, it's a race. Given the team have been racing all over the country since March, when the season kicks off in earnest, this curtain call is quite a poignant moment. And not because of the performances, which incidentally have generally been fantastic during the course of the year, but because of what happened next.
Roy has been racing for donkey's years (and I hope he won't mind me stating that) and he has amassed so much experience and knowledge but following this final ride, he asked where his position on the bike could be improved for next year. Within minutes there were a range of really great suggestions, many of which were coming from relative newcomers to the sport, some of which came from old hands and experienced (and rapid) teammates. I've seen other clubs' forums and see people give no advice or worse, duff advice so that the rider in question can be kept 'in their place'. Not a bit of it in the Engine.
What struck me earlier in the year was Steve Franklin helping to put my own feet back on the ground with what appeared to be a throwaway comment regarding coaching. I was debating the merits of getting a coach, but being a coach couldn't see much benefit. Steve's comment, "I'm a guitar teacher, and I have three teachers." made the metaphorical light bulb go on for me. It was just the little nudge that helped restore good-Karma to the ycling universe at the time.
A few of the guys have been struggling a bit for form over Christmas, given the multitude of bugs and viruses that seem to whack British-Man during holiday season. Again, the support and advice dished out and received has been overwhelmingly supportive. Most of the squad have already put in 8-12 weeks of monster training already ahead of 2016's season, a few days here and there on the sofa isn't going to matter a jot once the sun eventually comes out again.
So, if there's a point to today's little missive it is probably two-fold: firstly, everyday is a school day on (and off) the bike and secondly, if you are receptive and a member of a squad as good as ours the improvements will be plentiful and significant. You mark my words.
It's Boxing Day 2015. A note comes in on the team forum from Roy Robinson who rode the local Hitchin Nomads CC 'Boxing Day 10' time trial, and in doing so closes off the year's racing for our team.
The Boxing Day event is more of a social activity than anything too serious, but there is a number on your back and as such, it's a race. Given the team have been racing all over the country since March, when the season kicks off in earnest, this curtain call is quite a poignant moment. And not because of the performances, which incidentally have generally been fantastic during the course of the year, but because of what happened next.
Roy has been racing for donkey's years (and I hope he won't mind me stating that) and he has amassed so much experience and knowledge but following this final ride, he asked where his position on the bike could be improved for next year. Within minutes there were a range of really great suggestions, many of which were coming from relative newcomers to the sport, some of which came from old hands and experienced (and rapid) teammates. I've seen other clubs' forums and see people give no advice or worse, duff advice so that the rider in question can be kept 'in their place'. Not a bit of it in the Engine.
What struck me earlier in the year was Steve Franklin helping to put my own feet back on the ground with what appeared to be a throwaway comment regarding coaching. I was debating the merits of getting a coach, but being a coach couldn't see much benefit. Steve's comment, "I'm a guitar teacher, and I have three teachers." made the metaphorical light bulb go on for me. It was just the little nudge that helped restore good-Karma to the ycling universe at the time.
A few of the guys have been struggling a bit for form over Christmas, given the multitude of bugs and viruses that seem to whack British-Man during holiday season. Again, the support and advice dished out and received has been overwhelmingly supportive. Most of the squad have already put in 8-12 weeks of monster training already ahead of 2016's season, a few days here and there on the sofa isn't going to matter a jot once the sun eventually comes out again.
So, if there's a point to today's little missive it is probably two-fold: firstly, everyday is a school day on (and off) the bike and secondly, if you are receptive and a member of a squad as good as ours the improvements will be plentiful and significant. You mark my words.
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