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Structured plans were designed in January. Training begins with exploring ways to maximise the time riders spend on their bike with specific periods of training. We look at Physiology aspects, to help a rider create strategies to pace major climbs. We explore Psychological elements, to help riders develop a tough mental attitude and to enable a rider to focus on goals irrespective of what’s going on around you.

Endurance isn’t usually the limiting factor for athletes signing up for these challenges. You’ve probably challenged yourself before and given enough time, food, and water, you could pedal your way to the finish line. But now there’s a timing chip, hill segments, and an overall placing on the line, so you’re going to need some speed to go along with that endurance.

Climbing power is key to riding in a fast group during a Gran Fondo. If you can’t climb you’ll be left behind, and once the fast guys are gone, they’re gone. You’ll be stuck in a slower group leading to the next climb, which makes it difficult to catch up, and you’ll continue to lose time from there.

If you are thinking about this type of a challenge why not drop me a line and get in touch.

HH is a quite a different proposition to an indoor modern velodrome such as the 2012 Olympic velodrome at Lee Valley which is climate controlled, has wooden boards , has shorter circuits by 250M and has a 42 degree banking so a good deal steeper than HH. However, Herne Hill is accessible because of its location and cost to train there is relatively cheap.

Looking to ‘recycle’ I opted to build myself a track bike using an old TT frame. Both have horizontal drop outs allowing you to get the right tension on the chain, a road bike uses a derailure to provide chain tension. Track bikes are stripped back basic machines: a saddle, a frame, a fixed gear on a basic wheel set and a single speed chainset. There are no brakes and retardation comes from your legs and also using the banking of the track. 

Track cycling has long history starting around 1870. To this day it remains an exciting and dynamic sport with Olympic and World Championship races. There are many types of track races. Formats include a single rider racing the clock, two riders sprinting head to head for less than one minute, to mass start races with 10 or more riders racing for over 20 minutes. Sprinters are seen as a select breed of highly muscled and explosively fast riders while endurance racers have to have the right mix of power, strength, and stamina.

In recent years, riders like Bradley Wiggins, Mark Cavendish, Taylor Phinney, Rohan Dennis, and more have traded the velodrome for the open road. These riders have all commented that their track background has been a tremendous asset in their road racing. This begs the question of how could racing for one to four minutes on the track help to benefit road cycling where riders compete for four to six hours in a typical professional race. This is where structured training plans can aid a cyclist wanting to use track type workouts to develop their cycling skills, contact me to help you build this into your training.

Most of us don’t realize how poorly we pedal, but we all need work. Yes, pedaling is easy, like running right..? Well, yes and no. Doing it is easy, doing it well is difficult. Rollers force you to pedal complete circles constantly. It’s the perfect tool to perfect pedaling but it takes time and effort.

Well-made rollers are smooth and allow for very low resistance, allow- ing you to get your speed and cadence rolling. In much the same way that motor pacing gives you the feel of speed, the rollers give you ultra-high end turnover and speed. It is a paradox that pedaling is much easier on rollers but, you are getting more work done.

It activates the muscles you need to ride hard. Remember the whole time you are riding you are:
– Balancing
– Using the core
– Pedaling efficiently, quickly and smoothly
– Using the muscle in the correct firing sequence

This year the weather was more like May than mid- February and with a light wind and a very dry day by the time I was 20 miles in I was regretting the Gabba and full length tights! The route searches out some sketchy roads where you need to keep your wits about you and throws in some brutal climbs with the Kidd’s Hill or ‘The Wall’ being the moist iconic. A dead straight road with an average gradient of 12% for nearly 800metres hitting 20% at the steepest point. It reminds me of the first 2 hairpins on Alp d Huez; although on the Marmotte you tackle this with 100 miles in the legs! Ouch!

Once past Groombridge you cross the weald and with a slight tailwind I really enjoyed this with the second timing stop and Hubbards Hill under my belt I was looking forward to the finish. But it’s 5 miles before the end the ‘game makers’ change the landscape and throw in Hogtrough Hill aptly named  as my snout was nearly on the floor with the vicious gradient. After that it’s a sufferfest back to Hell HQ and well earned refreshments. This event is run by Catford CC and in my opinion one of the best organised sportives you can do!