Semi-pro Cycling Podcasts

This is the final episode of 4 in the nutrition and performance series where I explore the best takeaways from the past 3 episodes. Including getting your health right, nutrition timing and head over belly eating.

In many ways be lighter on the bike is the ultimate upgrade you make to improve your performance. Looking at it as part of your training is only practical if you have something to aim for and a way to get there. This episode shows you how.

In the second episode of 4 that is exploring the best ways to optimise nutrition for performance, I interview Sports Nutritionist Alan McCubbin from Next Level Nutrition about the his take on science studies of nutrition and performance.

In the first episode of 4 that is exploring the best ways to optimise nutrition for performance, I interview health coach Joelle Collard from B32 Athletics about her integrative approach to nutrition and performance, with a focus on getting the basics, like a properly working gut, right first before pushing towards performance.

Massage is an important part of a PRO cyclists routine, but where does it fit into a Semi-Pro's schedule? This episode covers types, benefits and timing of massage for cyclists.

Stepping up a grade can be tough even if you are ready for the challenge. This episode covers the transition with ways to help you survive, and thrive in the change.

Taking control of your blood can help you optimise your performance by using biomarkers to guide your nutritional and supplement needs. This episode has all the information to get you started, including a way to hack the process for cheaper or if it's unavailable in your area.

Habits are so ingrained into your cycling on and off the bike-it's important to create and modify habits that will lead to you being a better cyclist. Habit loops and keystone habits are two elements that will get you working better when your on automatic.

It’s a critical time for athletes. There are physical and mental elements to get it right like maintaining fitness, while gradually reducing fatigue. But also getting your mind right and making the call to stop chasing fitness, are extremely determining factors covered in this episode.

I explore race plans to show you how to win races with race smarts based on your strengths, competitors, terrain, weather, and split-decisions.

This episode deals with basic problems and errors rather than bike fit per se. A proper bike fit is going to go a long way in helping these elements, but a bike fit you are limited by your structure, and to some extent your event. But basically it’s your limitations that stop you from getting into certain positions on the bike. And so, depending on the extent of your limitations, a bike fit is just a band-aid. Making structural maintenance and improvement a high priority in your training will pay off no-end.

Feel is important on a bike, not only for skills but knowing how your body feels in different zones of intensity. Understanding how it reacts in each zone can help you more than the data from your computer, especially when you are riding outside your normal limits. Using Borg's RPE CP-10 Scale, I break down what you might experience at each level, and offer some ways to anchor the feelings to your numbers.

Where do you place your cleats, and why do you do it that way? Cleat position is usually done without much thought as to why. It’s well worth a revisit because you may be losing power. I got Steve Hogg on the show to discuss his ideas behind cleat position. Steve is a world leader in fitting riders to their bikes, and his advice on cleat position is spot on.

Training on the road and trainer allows for consistent efforts but it doesn’t help with specificity, especially how your body works under heavy load on your race bike. I got former XCO World Champion and now coach and CX racer Alison Dunlap on the show to discuss her ideas on how and when to use your mountain bike in training.

Everyone has their own style when they clean their bike. I am sharing mine this week, so you can clean your bike like a Semi-Pro, I'm also on the hunt for new ideas on ways to get the job done. Also, I talk about my favourite lube, and break down the great disc brake debate. What are your thoughts on road disc brakes?

Securing cycling sponsorship is tough! That's why I've created a 6 step process to help you identify potential sponsors, solve specific problems, create a proposal and seal the deal. This sponsor focussed approach will give help to create relationships that you can build on year after year.

Using cycling as a lifestyle creates longevity for staying competitive and healthy. This show takes lessons from Tony Steward of joetoprocycling.com, who's life has been transformed by cycling and racing. We cover useful tips like balancing family life with cycling, the cycling mindset and dealing with beginners in the bunch.

Cycling teams are not as integrated into racing for semi-pro riding, opposed to the PRO peloton, but with the increase in racing cyclists over the past 5 years, more riders are turning to teams for a PRO racing experience. Henoch and I talk cycling team logistics, dynamics, sponsorships, benefits and more. We also talk about how to get on a team, and how not to be a dick.

What happens when you stop riding for 5 days? The detraining timeline is important to understand, as is knowing how to maintain fitness when you can't train like usual. I cover both these topics in this episode.

How are you training your neuromuscular response to your chosen event? Motorpacing is hard, dangerous and probably illegal where you live, but it might be just what you need to kickstart your speed.