TRAINING / COACHING PAGE (written by Bob Hill)

Training !!  Why do we train, what is training and how is it different from just riding your bike?  

The main difference is that 'Training' has the purpose of improving performance in some way.  There are many different aspect of performance which can be improved and lots of ways of doing it.  This section of our website shows some of these methods.  

Most cyclist develop their own training programs from what they read in magazines and books or advice from others.  Some ask (or pay) for advice from a cycling coach.  The information in this section has been written by Bob Hill based on his knowledge of the subject.  It is mostly geared towards Time Trialling, although it can be of benefit in all cycling disciplines where a concentrated extra effort is required.  Efforts such as long sustained climbs, breakaways or just the effort of trying to hold on to a bunch when the going gets hard, can reap benefits from the “Round Pedalling” and “Breathing” routines, as described in the following sections.

All advice on training can be viewed as a 'matter of opinion'.  There is no single correct method which will work for all individuals. Training is a progression and we will all be at different stages.  Others are welcome to comment or send Bob content to add to the site.

Training is mostly focussed on the purely 'Physical' aspects of performance, but to gain maximum benefit it is necessary to develop Mental Performance, and there is a 'crossover' effect between both.  There are several 'inputs' which will result in the desired 'output'.  These will be different for each individual but basic principles can be followed by everyone, and modified to find the optimum.  

Cycling performance can be continuously improved over a number of years using a variety of methods.  Training is very much a matter of trying different things to see what works for you.

What follows is a summary of training for Physical Performance and Mental Performance and then detailed sections on the elements you can 'train' to improve performance.  Several separate web pages are linked to provide further details on some of the elements.

TRAINING FOR PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE

This includes training methods to improve the level of Effort (speed and endurance) you can sustain, and techniques to enhance your Skills in riding various disciplines (Time Trials, Road and Mountain Bike Racing, etc).

All 'Effort' training is based on the 'Overload Principle', where you are progressively overloading the body an incremental manner.  The body can cope with the gradually increasing demand and responds with an improved capacity to operate at a higher physical effort.  The increases must be gradual and care must be taken not to overload the body or it can go into reverse.  

There are many methods of Effort training, which can be specific to the type of racing.  All of these methods involve establishing the current Baseline performance, normally done on a turbo trainer, then developing the incremental training program.  This will normally make use of a Heart Rate Monitor and may use a Power measurement device.  

Some typical 'Effort' training programs are in the attached pages.

Other Physical Techniques and training for Skills include the following.  

These are detailed further down this page.

  • Position on the bike
  • Round Pedalling Technique
  • Cadence / Gearing
  • Visualisation of the effort
  • Level of Effort 

 

TRAINING FOR MENTAL PERFORMANCE

This includes methods for setting goals and planning your training, and for optimising your effort by improving your concentration during training and competition. The following aspects of training are detailed further down this page.

  • Goal Setting
  • Planning (your annual training cycle and to achieve your goals)
  • Optimising your Effort
  • Key Personal Routines ( Relaxation, Breathing, Visualisation )
  • Positive Attitude (Dealing with Pain, Dealing with the Weather)

RACE DAY

On the day of the event you can make specific preparations to optimise your performance.  The section at the bottom of this page provides the detail.

  • Pre-race Routines
  • Race Day Routines

TRAINING FOR PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE

POSITION ON THE BIKE (For Time Trialling)

UP, DOWN, FORWARD, BACK

Firstly the saddle should be in a forward position as this gives greater mechanical leverage. Make it as far forward as your bike (or the regulations) will permit. One guideline is that the back of the kneecap should be vertical to the pedal centreline when the crank is in the forward horizontal position.  The reach to the bars can then be adjusted by changing the length of the stem.  A fairly stretched position is preferable as this helps to open out the chest and improve breathing and makes the back flatter. This may mean a longer stem for most people. 

The height of the saddle should be adjusted to give a fairly extended leg with a slight bend at the knee when the pedal is at its lowest.  Some people may prefer a lower saddle position.

AERODYNAMICS  

The best position for a time trial is a compromise between aerodynamics and comfort. Aerodynamics are improved by a reduced frontal area.  Ideally you should be down on the TRI BARS with your back in a near horizontal position and your elbows as close as possible.  This is a very awkward position to hold for any length of time and some people find it totally impossible.  It is very important that you are comfortable so you can relax and can breath deeply.

Try to get as low as you can within your own comfort range and still feel that you can pedal well.  If the saddle and tri bars are forward then that will help to get low.  Your forearms should be horizontal and near parallel, and have them as close together as you can.  The idea is to reduce the frontal area to a minimum but to still pedal effectively.  

POSTURE  

TRI BARS have several benefits.  They help you to stay low and they hold your upper body in a fairly rigid position, as it is fixed at the saddle and at the elbows.  This firm posture is necessary to give your legs a platform to work against.  The legs should be the only part of your body that move.  Your head, shoulders, torso and hips must be motionless.  Only your legs should be working and pivoting from the hips.

Any bodily movement apart from your legs will absorb some of your energy and you will not have this solid platform for your legs to work against.  

This posture is essential to get the best out of your body and must be practised in training and concentrated on during the race.

You must maintain this aerodynamic position for almost the entire race.  In a ’10’ or a ‘25’ you can get out of the saddle at the start and the turn, but stay down on the TRI BARS for the rest of the race.  During a ‘50’ or ‘100’ it may be desirable to get up out of the saddle occasionally, to relieve the legs and back if you are hurting.  Obviously it is very hard to maintain a totally fixed position for these longer distances.

HILLS

When you come to a long slow hill don’t get out of the saddle but change down through the gears, stay on the Tri Bars and concentrate on your effort and technique (see next paragraph).  You may find it better to slip back along the Tri Bars a bit when climbing, but stay down on them throughout the climb.

ROUND PEDALLING TECHNIQUE

In a Time Trial two important techniques are the ROUND PEDALLING TECHNIQUE and the applied CADENCE .  

ROUND PEDALLING is the name given to the full effort being applied to the pedal for the whole revolution; pushing or dragging the pedal round, the full circle.  I think of it as Pulling the pedal round the whole way.  Anyone who has learned this technique effectively will understand.  It does not just happen; it must be repeatedly practised using a specific routine to get the feel for it and be able to apply it in a race situation.

When I learned the SECRET of Round Pedalling, it created a very substantial improvement to my race performance.    Refer to the attached webpage for details of this technique.

CADENCE-GEARING

The speed at which you turn the pedals is often termed as CADENCE; i.e. the number of revolutions per minute.  In a Time Trial this may be somewhere between 75 and 90 revs.  It really depends on the individual and how you feel on the day, for the distance you are racing.  When you are experienced you will be able to go by feel and will know what is right.  The following will give you some guidance:-

In a ‘10’ or a ‘25’ you can normally turn a bigger gear at slower revs due to this being a shorter race.  I usually aim for about 75 to 80 revs after I get warmed up into the ride.  It is best to start off at about 85 to 90 revs for the first 10 mins and then try to work yourself into a rhythm, pulling a bigger gear around at lower revs. 

For a ‘50’ or longer it is not so easy to turn the big gear as this takes a lot of effort and energy.  It is better to pull round at somewhere between 80 and 90 revs.  Again start off at about 85 to 90 revs until you see exactly what kind of day you are having.  If you are going well you could drop down to around the 80 revs and keep pulling round the bigger gear.

The danger with the bigger gears is that they can “drag you down” if you are not on top of them.  If you fall into this trap for too long a duration you will have difficulty in getting out of it.  You will labour in the big gear and will not be able to really get going again in a lower gear.  If you are unsure of what cadence is best, then always err on the side of using a lower gear on higher revs.  

You must not struggle at low revs in a big gear. You should always feel that you are on top of the gear.  If you are really labouring then change to a lower gear.

Practise the big gears in training to get the hang of them and take note in a time trial of the revs that the people who are passing you are turning.  My experience is that the faster riders are using bigger gears.  The general rule to follow is that you should pull round the highest gear that you can, without really struggling.  But remember that it takes practise; it does not just “happen” on the day of the race.

You cannot just expect to turn it on without repeated practice in training. 

VISUALISATION - THE 'PEDALLING MAN'

A concept which may help you to visualise the way in which the above two techniques can be used is to consider yourself as a Pedalling Man or Pedalling Machine. Think of yourself and the bike as a ROBOT, churning out the revs.  Your upper body is rock solid, fixed onto the bike and your legs are an integral part of the drive mechanism of the bike, connected at the pedals.  They are an extension of the cranks and are moving around in a straight line, like the pistons of a locomotive.

Get yourself into a rhythm and consider yourself part of this Pedalling Machine.  Try to get this feeling of being part of the total bike/man combination.  You are, however, more than a Robot as you are in control of the machine and are sensitive to its needs.

It is only when you can achieve this feel, of being part of the machine and in control of it, that you will be able to know just when you can comfortably turn the big gears.  

Visualise your whole body as an arrow moving in a straight line.  Your upper body is fixed and your legs are wheeling it round.  You are totally in control of the machine.  Not struggling, but in control.

LEVEL OF EFFORT

The level of effort to maintain in a time trial is a constant effort at a level somewhere below your anaerobic threshold, depending on the duration of the race.  

This assumes that you are aware of what your Threshold Heart Rate is likely to be on the day of the race.  You can get some indication of this from a Kingcycle type test or from your own experience after quite a number of races.  Basically it is the absolute maximum that you can sustain for at least a 20 minute period.  My experience is that you cannot go over your threshold for that length of time.  If you can, then you have just established a new threshold.  

Target Heart Rates are:-  

  •             In a ‘10’ or ‘25’ it will be close to your threshold

  •             In a ‘50’ at 10 to 15 beats below

  •             In a ‘100’ at 20 to 25 beats below.  

Try to get up to your target pulse within the first 10 mins of the race, but don’t force it too hard.  It may be that you won’t just get there that day.  On other days you will get it up fairly quickly so try to keep it there and think about pushing it that bit harder, once you have settled back into your rhythm, after the “turn”.  

This is likely to be one of these days when you are going at your very best, so make the most of it.

For the last third of the race at least keep the effort up, don’t let it falter and try if possible to slightly increase it.  For the last 2 or 3 miles give it everything you’ve got, don’t leave it until the last half mile.  You should finish with your last breath, totally gutted, right through the line.  

In your first ’50 or ‘100’ it is best to keep your target pace and not push any harder.  In these longer events it is hard enough to manage to keep to your target pulse without trying to increase it.  After several such races you will have a better idea of what effort you can expect to perform at and may then raise your Heart Rate by a few beats throughout the ride.  

It does very much depend on what experience you have and exactly how you feel on the day, but you should establish a heart rate target to aim for.

TRAINING FOR MENTAL PERFORMANCE

GOAL SETTING/PLANNING

Setting goals and then planning how you will achieve these is the first objective in developing a positive attitude.  If you don’t know where you want to go, or how you plan to get there, then you will never arrive.  

The methods which I have used on setting goals and on planning how to achieve them are outlined in the attached webpage.  If you really wish to achieve success in any sporting activity you must plan and set goals, so you are well advised to consider the attached.  

When you finish the race you immediately start to evaluate your result against what you expected to get.  It may not have been as good as you were hoping for and the temptation is to unfairly criticise yourself for not achieving a personal best time.  

Always put your performance into perspective.  Evaluate whether you completed what you wanted to, relative to your fitness level and the course and weather conditions.  Learn from your experience, be constructive in your analysis and try to take something positive out of it.  Seek to identify an area that you can work at improving.

OPTIMISING YOUR EFFORT

Time trialling is, in part, a mental exercise.  Although racing at full stretch is physically very hard, it also requires great mental concentration to keep yourself going at your OPTIMUM effort.  Too little effort and you are not going as fast as you could, but too much effort and you will soon be forced to slow down.  Yet, how often have you found your mind wandering while you were racing?

The reason the mind wanders when the going gets hard is that it is trying to escape.  It tries to reduce the pain you are suffering by distracting you into thinking about something else.  To maintain your effort you must attempt to fully concentrate throughout the race; not an easy matter, but not impossible.  

How do you concentrate?  What do you concentrate on?  When you concentrate it can create tension, but you must be able to produce a relaxed effort. 

Is it possible to relax and concentrate at the same time?  The answer to all of this is YES, but with some difficulty and a lot of practice.

The KEY to attaining this skill is to build in a number of different routines.  Some of these are used prior to the race to assist relaxation and build confidence.  They are also intended to minimise some of the possible sources of distraction which may disturb your concentration during the event.  Another set of routines will enhance your abilities to concentrate during the race and possess a heightened sense of body awareness of exactly what you are doing throughout the ride.  

Many such routines have been written and some of them are quite elaborate.  The ones which I use are fairly simple.  Possibly you may find that others work better for you, but the main thing is that you do have some routines that assist you in the race and the period prior to it.  Without these it is too easy to get distracted and lose the place, so diminishing your performance.

        KEY PERSONAL ROUTINES

To perform well in any event you need to be extremely well motivated, but excessive motivation may tend to create anxiety, which can adversely effect your preparations and race performance.  This anxiety can upset you prior to the race, disturb your sleep pattern and allow many negative thoughts to infiltrate your mind.  Whilst you must posses a high motivation level, you do not wish it to turn into excessive anxiety and ruin the race for you.

My personal experience is that for the majority of riders, motivation is not a problem.  Motivation comes from within and cannot really be taught or learned. Normally, the control of anxiety is of more concern for most of us, so this is the area of focus.

It is essential that you are not tensed up, as then your muscles will not function smoothly or powerfully.  You will also expend energy in nervous tension and any negative thoughts will disturb your concentration. An optimum balance of relaxation and focus would greatly assist in the production of the desired relaxed effort.  

How do you achieve this?

Relaxation Techniques

Several techniques are available to improve your ability to relax, at ay given time.  If practised correctly and repeatedly they may convert you into a more relaxed person.  Personally, I have attempted these techniques and found them not to work for me, but that is probably because I have not worked hard enough at gaining these skills.

 

They are often very time consuming and could be cited as boring and tedious, but really it a matter of having a positive attitude towards the exercises and having a real go at them.  Many top riders use these techniques and I do believe they can be of great benefit, if you succeed in mastering them.

 

However, I do have my own very simple relaxation technique, which basically consists of regular controlled breathing, where you count each “out” breath.  I know that it works for me and I feel that it is very suitable for time trialling, where a regular, controlled, relaxed effort is necessary.  This is detailed below;

 

Breathing Routine

This routine should be practised during cycle training, initially when pedalling on the “turbo” and then on the road, when you have the hang of it.  The method can also be used off the bike, during the morning of the race and the day prior, if you are very uptight.

 

It involves breathing steadily: and counting each 'out' breath, up to a count of 10; and then starting again at 1 up to 10, etc.  To assist concentration on the round pedalling technique, I add in the word 'round' with each alternate out breath, counting as follows:-

 

One-round, two-round, three-round, four-round, five-round, six-round, etc up to ten,

 

I then start again at one-round, two-round, three-round, four-round, etc.

 

With the first out breath you say “one” (into yourself), on the second breath you say “round”, on the third breath say “two”, on the fourth breath say “round” etc. up to ten and then start over again at one.

 

You will find that you actually need to concentrate to do this and that your breathing settles down into a steady regular pattern.  The breathing becomes deeper.  It also puts the “round” thought constantly into your mind.

 

You will probably lose concentration sometimes and although you are still counting, you have gone passed the number 10 to 11, 12, 13, 14, etc.  If you then become aware that you have done this, don’t immediately stop and start over again at one.  Just continue counting up to a count of 20 and then start again at one.

 

This makes you think again about the counting (and the breathing).  The routine should only be semi-automatic, needing a certain level of concentration, so that it keeps you aware of what you are doing.  You will find that your mind still wanders and the best you can achieve is to make the counting routine semi- automatic.  You will not be able to fully concentrate on the counting all of the time, so the routine will not become totally automatic.

When to use this Routine

The above routine can be used “off the bike”, prior to the race.  Simply sit down somewhere quiet, close your eyes and start the Breathing Routine, counting as indicated.  Visualise yourself on the bike, starting the race and getting into a smooth relaxed effort.  Make the emphasis on “relaxed”; do not get tense in any way.  This is intended to relax you, not to get you “psyched up”.  Continue just for a few minutes, to put you at ease.

Practise this routine on the day before the ride, if you are feeling particularly uptight, or in the morning prior to the event and immediately before starting your warm up, whilst you are sitting in your car.

Visualisation

This can be used quite simply, as indicated above, or it can be taken a stage further into a more elaborate routine and used prior to and during the ride.  

The visualisation routines mentioned in the section on THE PEDALLING MAN is what I consider to be sufficient for my needs and that of most riders.  If you can accomplish this proficiently you will be doing well.

Awareness

During the race is when you really put it all together and do your best ever time trial. 

 

You must maintain an Awareness throughout the race.  

This awareness is one of the TOTALLY ESSENTIAL CRITERIA for riding a good time trial.  You must be aware of yourself and what your body and mind are doing all of the time, or at least 95% of the time.  My routine, or similar, will pull you back into this awareness if your mind wanders.  

Again the important thing is that you do have a routine.  Practise it often in training and definitely use it in the race.  After the first 20 seconds to get you away from the start, get down on the Tri Bars and start counting breaths.   

Like all the best things, it is simple but it works!

POSITIVE ATTITUDE

It is important to develop a very positive attitude to your cycling in general and race day in particular.  This attitude is very difficult to maintain over a period of time, as we will all go through “highs and lows”, resulting from successes and failures.   

The following techniques should assist, in developing this positive attitude, towards achievement of your expectations.

Goal Setting/Planning

Setting goals and then planning how you will achieve these is the first objective in developing a positive attitude.  If you don’t know where you want to go, or how you plan to get there, then you will never arrive.  

The methods which I have used on setting goals and on planning how to achieve them are outlined in the attached.  

Dealing With Pain

We are all aware that when we try our very hardest in a cycle race we will experience pain and suffering.  You must accept that this extreme suffering is a necessary part of doing your best and be ready to endure it during the race.  Realise that it will not go away until you have finished the event, so you must be committed to the pain.  

If you don’t achieve this pain in the race you are not achieving your best result.  It is very difficult for your mind to keep accepting this prior to every event, which is one reason why you should not over-race, and should plan the races that you wish to peak for.  

Adopt the attitude that pain is absolutely necessary to do well.  That it will be experienced throughout the race.  Confirm to yourself that you will not try to ignore it, but you will fully concentrate on the positive aspects of what you are in control of during the race.  

By this, I mean the round pedalling, breathing routine, level of effort, position on the bike and the visualisation thoughts.

Dealing With the Weather

The same principles apply to dealing with the weather and course conditions.  They are the same for everyone in the event and you cannot control them.  Some people get it into their head that they cannot perform well in the wind.  

Generally speaking it is true to day that the slower riders find it more difficult to perform relatively well in windy conditions.  But many riders allow themselves to get psyched out by adverse weather and end up with a slower time than they are capable of. They are beaten before they start and talk themselves into this.  

If you can maintain a good, low, aerodynamic position throughout the ride and adopt a positive attitude then you will achieve a better result than the others that you compare yourself to.  You will beat other riders of similar ability because they don’t possess this positive attitude.  Don’t let the weather defeat you.  

It is the same with a hilly or rolling course.  Just get your head down and concentrate on what you are doing.  Deal with what you are in control of, not the weather or the hills.  Make every effort to exercise control over what you are doing.

RACE DAY

PRE-RACE ROUTINES

These are intended to reduce anxiety, keeping you as relaxed as possible prior to the race and will assist in minimising some of the random distractions, which may run through your mind during the ride.  Performing these routines, before every event, is a positive action, which can help to make you more focused and boost confidence.  

Race Checklist

 

If you get to the race and then find out that you’ve forgotten something (shoes, helmet), it could ruin your race entirely.  At the very least it may be a source of distraction throughout the race, with your mind going back to it over and over again.

 

One way to avoid this problem is to make yourself a checklist of everything that you want to take to the race with you.  Keep it in the bag that you always pack for the race and use the checklist every time.

 

Get your bag packed early the day before the race.  Make a habit of doing it about 6pm or earlier and use the checklist, which should include everything to go into your bag and into your car (spare wheels, pump, helmet etc).  In fact, everything you will need to take with you.

 

Equipment Check

 

Check your bike out the day before the race.  Ensure that the wheels are sound and secure, that the gears and brakes are operating perfectly and that nothing is loose or rattling.  Pay particular attention to the saddle and the pedals and the handlebar arrangement.  We have all experienced things working loose during a ride and probably put it down to bad luck, but this can be avoided by simply checking things over for faults.

 

Make sure that the bike is set up correctly for the particular race distance in which you are competing that day.  Remember, for a short distance you can concentrate on aerodynamics, but for the longer distances comfort is paramount, so you may wish to raise your Tri Bars.

These very simple routines will assist in reducing stress during the evening before the race.  You know that you have everything you need packed so it is one less thing to be concerned about.  It is part of good preparation that is so easy to do and so simple, but is omitted by many people.

RACE DAY ROUTINES

When we get to the few days before the race you can do nothing more to improve your physical ability, apart from ensuring that you have adequate rest.  Give yourself two “easy days” before the race and rely on what training and preparation you have completed in the weeks and months prior.  

Use the routines mentioned concerning checking the bike and your travel bag, and do what you can to develop a relaxed condition, possibly using the techniques previously indicated.  

Food And Drink

Think about what you eat and drink prior to the race.  Your last meal should be a fairly light snack about 3 hours prior to the event as you cannot perform well with a heavy stomach of food to digest.  Tea and toast or cereals are ideal.  If it is a very early start in a local race you should probably ride “empty”, unless you want to get up really early to have a breakfast.  It is easier to just have a drink of juice or some carbohydrate drink.  If it is a '100' you must have something to eat.

The energy that your body uses for the race mainly comes from what you have eaten at least 5 or 6 hours previously or the evening before.  For a ‘10’ or a ‘25’ you don’t really need any more energy than that which is already in your body.  For the longer distances you should have a carbohydrate drink to help to top up the energy levels that you are depleting.  For a ‘50’ one bottle is enough but for a ‘100’ take at least one bottle every hour with the recommended concentration of energy fuel (or a concentration that you are comfortable with).  Always make sure you have tried out the energy drink prior to the event at race pace to make sure you are comfortable with it.  

Attitude  

Your correct mental attitude and application of effort is totally essential on Race Day.  Your mind is now in control of what you do.  Hopefully you have the training and preparation correct and are committed to doing your very best.  Adopt the approach that it will be your best and that you can do no more.  This is as good as it gets, for today!!!  

If others are still faster than you, then so be it.  You know that you will do the very best that you can on that day.  You can do no more than your best.  Try to be relaxed with this knowledge and your commitment to it.  

If it is at all possible, approach the race with NO EXCUSES.  Accept that you possess no genuine reason of any kind for failure.  Confirm to yourself that you have no injuries or recent illnesses which may affect your performance.  If you do have, then you really shouldn’t be there or you need to consider it as a 'training' race.  

The Warm Up  

Get to the event at least one hour before your start time, obtain your number and pin it on to your top, then get your bike ready.  Now try to have a short relaxation period to settle you down and focus your mind on the event.  If it works for you, then include some visualisation of starting the event and settling into a rhythm.  

You can now start the physical warm up, either out on the road or on a turbo.  Start out slowly for the first few minutes then gradually wind it up into a good steady hard pace.  The length of the warm up should be at least 15 minutes and you must make sure that you have got your heart rate up close to that which is your target in the event.  This makes it easier to get up there sooner after starting the race.  This helps to lessen the shock to your body in transforming from a state of rest, to a very high level of effort in a short space of time.  

For the shorter length of events, your racing heart rate will be higher and you need to try to get up to this effort as quickly as possible, so that you do not lose any time.  It is therefore very important that you reach at least within 10 beats of your target, for a minimum of 3 minutes during the warm up.  

During this warm up, concentrate on the round pedalling technique and perform the breathing routine.  This prepares you specifically for what you will need to do during the ride.  

My preference is to warm up on the turbo.  It is easier to concentrate on technique and heart rate if you do not have the distractions of traffic, u-turns and how far you are away from the start line.  On the turbo you are likely to build up some sweat and may wish to change your top before going to the line.  

Always make sure that your shoes are very secure and that you have your helmet and number on before proceeding to the line.  Take a good few swallows of carbohydrate drink during the warm-up and before going to the start.  Try to arrive at the start with just 2 or 3 minutes to spare so that you have not cooled down too much.   

During the Race

To achieve your best performance in a Time Trial you must control two areas;  

1                     TECHNIQUE

2                     EFFORT  

To Control both of these Physical Outputs takes a tremendous Mental Effort.  

This is when all the practice in training must be brought into effect.  You have practiced many different aspects of cycle performance during your training, some of which should come to you almost automatically.  

Now, more than ever, you must concentrate on what you can control and ignore what you cannot control.  

In the previous sections I have detailed the various areas which you can work on to enhance the effectiveness of your efforts in the race.  The following list summarises these;  

  • POSITION                     Stay down on the Tri Bars

  • ROUND PEDALLING      Concentrate on ‘Pulling Round’ all of the time

  • BREATHING                  Do the ‘Breathing Routine’

  • LEVEL OF EFFORT       Get to your target heart rate and stay there

  • VISUALISE                   Think of your Pedalling Machine cutting through the air

  • PAIN                             Anticipate the pain and welcome it as absolutely necessary  

This may sound like too much to concentrate on and far too complicated but once you have mastered each area you will not find it to difficult.  

Your position is fixed and takes care of itself.  The other aspects all involve concentration.  If you just concentrate fully on the breathing routine then the others will come naturally.  Counting breaths keeps you aware of what you are doing and avoids your mind from drifting.  When you are aware you keep your focus.

Linked Web Pages;

'Effort' Training Programs

Round Pedalling Technique

Goal Setting / Planning