The Self-Trained Cyclist

In the past I've had a few opportunities to get a coach to help with my training plans and workout schedule. Each time I've taken time to consider the pro's and con's. Each time the pro has been the great fitness I should get by paying to have a knowledgeable coach. Each time I come to the same conclusion, this is my hobby and I'll feel much better accomplishing it as a self-coached cyclist. It's my activity, I want the sense of accomplishment I'll get by doing it myself.

Now I'm not above learning from others, I have some good books. Joe Friel's Cyclist Training Bible and Allen and Coggan Training and Racing with a Power Meter. Both of these are excellent sources of information and I continuously use them as references. Best of all, they make it sound easy!

I should provide you with some background on my athletic endeavorers so you know where I'm coming from. Way back I did some high school sports, nothing spectacular. Then I spent a few years in the Military. Once I got out, I pretty much retired from running, I took a few years to focus on College and got fat. Then I picked up cycling, more specifically mountain biking and have gotten into it a little more each year, road riding, centuries, tours, some racing then cyclocross. I've really only started working to get into race shape and improve my results just the last 3 years. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I not a former elite [or even good for that mater] athlete looking to re-find my form. I'm more of a nerd trying to get fast.

So why am I putting this together. I've been pretty frustrated with my fitness lately. Last year I didn't feel things went that well so I tried to make some changes. Sadly, as near as I can tell, things haven't improved much this year. I've lost some weight but the power numbers are about the same, which is really an improvement because my power to weight ratio has improved but it hasn't been enough.

I recently wrote about my FTP estimation test, since then I've been doing workouts to improve that number. Longer sustained efforts near that level to get my body to adapt. According to that last test I had an FTP around 304 (the test spiked a little at the end so with some analysis lets call it an FTP of 300W) lately I haven't been able to hold anything near that number. If I held 300W for an hour, I'd ride right into the grave. Of coarse I have a pretty good training block in the legs now and they're pretty tired. I'm going to re-test next week so I guess we'll see were I am then.

I'll be posting more on my training in the coming days and weeks leading up to cyclocross season. The summer solstice was this week, the days are getting shorter, CX season is coming! I really feel like I should be able to upgrade this year, as last year I was starting in the front row all season due to my BCR points. But, we'll see.