Winter training

For a professional or amateur cyclist, the winter is a time to place down the starting blocks and build for a new season.

First there is the off-season. Generally in autumn time. A time to kick back, lock the bike in the shed and have a well-earned rest. However, for most, this is easier said than done. Whatever happened in the season, whether it be success or disappointment, the motivation and focus to drive on and prepare for the next season is burning inside you. Those 2-4 weeks you spend off the bike, you spend it enjoying your rest, but deep down you spend it wishing you could just battle on.

What I have learnt is to keep a cool head and tell yourself ‘rest is best’. Your body needs the rest. In order to go on and train for the next season, your body needs to recover. But it’s not just your body that needs the rest. By the time it comes towards the end of the racing season, in September-October time, you can be mentally fatigued. After a year of constantly training, racing, travelling etc, it does take its toll.

Once of season is over, its finally time to get the winter bike out, put on the thermal leggings and overshoes and hit the road. The first thing is to build that base, to lay the foundations for the training to come later on towards the racing season.

In my eyes, winter can be a lonely time sometimes if you train on your own. Just plodding away, not having that social environment that surrounds you at races, it can be quite draining. This is why its great to get out on a local club ride or ‘club run’. Hook up with whoever is local, company is key really. It makes the long miles easier, just chatting away takes your mind off the hours and miles ticking away. Normally, I try to hook up with double stage winner and KOM of Junior Tour of Wales this year, James Knox.

I have been back on the bike after my off season for about 3 and a half weeks now. Been out on the odd local club ride for the company and slowly but surely building up the hours. In the next week or so I will be receiving coaching from Ken Matheson. Ken coaches a few of the other guys on the team and has coached many world class pro’s. I’m really looking forward to this as I have never had a coach or worked with power or heart rate before. It’s another brand new experience for me. I’m really looking forward to seeing myself improve with Kens coaching and obviously John’s management. It’s a very exciting time!

On November 20^th I will be flying out to Australia for 3 months to finish my winters training in the warm weather. I will joining new team mates Mike Cuming, Luke Grevell-Mellor and Will Stephenson for a month and 7 days before the rest of the team and staff arrive on 26^th December. I can’t wait to get out there, get some good training in and bond with my new team mates.

It will be my first time in Australia and first time out of Europe! I’m really looking forward to experiencing the culture and short life style we will have out there. To be away on a warm weather pre-season training camp is another new one for me, first of many I hope! I think I will notice the difference training out there. I will be able to have the recovery which I don’t really have at home due to working etc. Being out there, I hope, will bring me on a level.

The main reason Rapha Condor JLT will be based out in Oz this winter and new year is to prepare for the season ahead. However, on 1^st January I will be pulling on that popular Black skin suit for my debut for the team in the Bay crits support race. It will be a first of many things. First time I’ve raced outside of Europe, first race for the team, first race of 2014 and first race as a full time cyclist on a professional team.

It’s really quite surreal at the moment to be part of Rapha Condor JLT. Surrounded by world class professional bike riders and staff. Getting all the spoils, bikes, clothing etc. that comes with it. Its all everything I’ve dreamed of. It’s still quite raw, being the youngest of the team for 2014. But obviously when it all kicks off, I will get used to it. I can’t wait to learn from all the team and staff, especially manager, John Herety. However, underneath all of the glamour and dazzle of it all, I am very motivated and driven to get on and do my job.

I will be next writing of my new experiences in Australia and how myself and the team are getting on.

Thank you for reading.