When I was a teenager, growing up in Leeds, music was a big part of my life. As the 70’s ended and the 80’s begun I discovered simultaneously the joys of Tommy’s cycling café in Otley and the charms of heavy metal music. In the same way that the most incredibly distracting and, usually, appalling song pops into your head when you are training hard I find that certain songs stay with me over the years…..bear with me here.
The coach’s role is to motivate, encourage and plan the best possible programme for his or her riders. As I’ve said before, I can plan a fabulous progression of sessions and bring clients to their peak performance. However, they still have to pedal hard and I am not involved in that “business end” of things! So, going back to the music and 1980: I used to go and see a lot of heavy metal bands and one of them was a local band called Factory. They had a song (a pretty bad one, sorry guys) called “You are the music, we’re just the band” and this still plays in my head on my Wattbike or in a TT. Why am I mentioning it now (other than to get the attention of anyone who was around in Leeds at this time and is searching frantically for references to the band on search engines)? Well, that’s me (the band) and that’s you (the music); you being the rider I’m coaching……I can only plan, you bring it together!
In no other sense is this better illustrated than when you look at someone who works ungodly hours, lots at night or early morning starts, and is still training for a major event and sticking to the programme! Enter Chris Hursey, his story is here:
“As a school boy and into my teens I was always a keen cyclist, travelling around the district for something to do on my 10 speed racer
which was stuck in 10th gear! Good for hill training!!
When I grew up ( some say I haven’t) cycling went by the wayside as I got a job and moved around the country.
In February 2010 I was persuaded by a friend, who is a Cat 3, rider to clean off the cycling clips and start to find the pedals again. I hadn’t been completely idle as I was a regular visitor to the gym where I did CV work but was mainly lifting weights. My weight at the time was around 189 lbs.
During the following 18 months I ditched the weights and concentrated on CV work on the gym bike. I started riding out on a road bike, which was given to me, and during this time I completed a 70 and 100 mile sportive, but suffered with back problems. This was due to the bike being too big for me so it was time to invest in a new bike. How I love a 0% credit card!
During this period I was thinking of what I could do to in my 50th year and decided that I would tackle the Etape du Tour. I told lots of people who were full of encouragement so the deal was done. The only problem was I was not very good at going up hills and it was too late to back out. It was at this time that I decided I needed help and through my membership of Deal Tri I came into contact with Tim.
I booked a FT test with Tim which I did in November 2011. This gave Tim all the data he needed to work with a 48 year old and I was very pleased when he didn’t fall over laughing, a true professional! We spoke at length about my home and work life which gave Tim the insight he needed to prepare for my personalised training program. This we agreed at the time would start in January after all the Christmas feeding and after I had laser eye surgery.
I work as a train driver for Eurotunnel and do shifts with a 6 on 4 off pattern for 15 weeks then a 4 on 2 off pattern for 5 weeks. The shifts start anywhere form 4am right through to 6pm so fitting training in can sometimes be very difficult.
I email Tim every week with the my training stats for the week done, and then give him my shift times for the following week so he can prepare my training program around these. There are times when it is very difficult to fit the training in. This could be because I’m late back from work or I have to give it up to spend time with my very understanding wife and 5 year old daughter, or because I am totally exhausted!
I turned 50 on April 15th and hopefully I am almost ready for my challenge. I have come out of the winter training feeling strong and lean. My weight has dropped considerably, despite trying to eat enough calories and I now weigh around 162 lbs. and have a new wardrobe!
The training program always has a turbo equivalent so during our great winter there was no excuse for not getting on the bike. When I first met Tim I explained to him that I was a bit like a dog. I am able to run after a ball but I can’t throw it!! That’s how I have treated this training. I don’t have to think about it I’ve just got to pedal. Sounds easy but the training has been relentless.
For anyone who is thinking of taking up training to achieve a goal, do it. My event is just 10 weeks away and I’m under no illusion that my training schedule is going to be ramped up, but I feel confident that thanks to Tim’s guidance and my hard work I will reach the top of the mountain in Annecy. In the words of Bradley Wiggins, Train Hard Race Easy.”
I have a number of clients who work shifts. If this is you then keep this maxim in mind: a little every day is better than nothing at all. Even if you only manage 20 minutes on the turbo it will keep you ticking over. When the time comes for more effort or time, remember that rest is as important as training so don’t attempt the training session if you are physically exhausted.
Chris and my other shift working clients always bring REM Day Sleeper into my head when I write their plans. Now…anyone visit the badge shop in the Merrion Centre, Leeds in 1980?
theblackcatscyclingwhiskers 