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The months of October through December are usually considered “off-season” for competitive road cyclists. This generally means there is minimal, or no, racing on the calendar to disrupt preparations for the upcoming season. But for Leo Bugtai, this “off-season” included the three-race CBR Resume Builder Series, as he was striving to move up from Category 2 to 1, in order to race at the highest level of the sport of road cycling. The CBR Resume Builder Series was hotly contested, as riders from all over California were looking to use these winter races to earn their upgrades and propel them into 2018 at a higher-level of competition. With that said, and having won the overall title as well as earning his Category 1 upgrade, Leo is poised to live his dream of racing at the professional-level in 2018. Following his Resume Builder Series success we caught of up with Leo for a four-question interview in this weeks BWC Athlete Profile. Enjoy!  The overall win was determined by the final sprint in the last race of the series. Each rider on the podium, and more, were scraping for every position possible to earn the coveted JL Velo winners jersey! Photo Credit: California Bicycle Racing/Jeff Prinz Athlete Bio: Primary Sport/Discipline: Road Cycling Average Hours of Training Per Week: 18-22hrs Upcoming Goals: The 2018 Road Racing Season Interview: Question #1: Congratulations on winning the CBR Resume Builder Series, Leo! You raced aggressive throughout the series, and had some great results, what are a few of your highlights from the races? Leo Bugtai: CBR's are becoming the most competitive races here in SoCal. At any given race you will have many talented riders, in every category, bringing their “A-Game”. Some of my highlights stem from not limiting myself to just 1-tactic, always going for the break-away, to learning how to best position myself properly for a sprint-finish. This growth, being able to both attack and sprint, has been my most memorable highlight from the CBR Resume Builder Series. After each race, I reflected upon how I could better execute my race strategy in a break-away situation as well as how I could better myself as a sprinter, should it be a "bunch finish". Although I did not win any of the races, I had consistent results, which earned me the series title. Coaches Perspective/Coach Brian: I am so proud of Leo for winning the CBR Resume Builder Series. This is a great accomplishment that could not have happened without great fitness and a tenacity to finish strong in every situation. Leo brought his best to every race in the series and was rewarded with the overall win in the end. Leading into, and following, each event Leo and I would talk tactics as well as race strategy to go over possible race scenarios and outcomes. This attention to detail paid-off as Leo transitioned from racing one-dimensionally (always for the break-away) to being a threat in a sprint-finish. He can now score a result from any race scenario!  Leo took to his local group rides to practice sprinting in order to be the most versatile rider possible at the races. Photo Credit: Alfred Aldaco Question #2: In addition to winning the overall series, you received your Category 1 upgrade, allowing you to race at the highest level of the sport in 2018. Tell us, how does that change next years' race calendar? LB: Though the upgrade was not an unexpected result, I certainly did not prepare for it to come so soon! That said, receiving my Category 1 upgrade will change my racing calendar in quite a few ways. Depending on various factors I am preparing to compete is some big races this year: The San Dimas Stage Race, The Redlands Bicycle Classic, and the USA Cycling Road National Championships. Though many of these are locally hosted events, they will provide me an opportunity to experience racing with professionals. Having the opportunity to compete with these riders is something I have envisioned for so long, and I am excited to go for it! Coach Brian: Racing the CBR Resume Builder Series presented a unique challenge for Leo as his goal was to earn great results and get his upgrade, while preparing to a race as a Category 1 cyclist in professional-level races throughout the season. This dichotomy meant that Leo had to race each of the races in the series with a deep-level of fatigue. This is because his long-term goals require that we keep building his fitness toward multi-day stage-races rather than simply focusing on single-day events like road races and criteriums. Developing this level of depth was an important transition for Leo and his results show that he is ready for the next level of racing. I am very excited to see him race the biggest events in our region and get a taste of national caliber racing!  Cycling is a family affair in the Bugtai house. Leo is supported by his parents, sister, and long-time girlfriend Rebecca. Photo Credit: Leo Bugtai Question #3: What is one of your long-term cycling goals? And what is next on your cycling ‘to do’ list? LB: This may sound like a cliché answer, but honestly, I want to be the best cyclist I can be! I want to use all the opportunities in front of me and take full-advantage of the tools available to become the best cyclist possible. When I look back at this time in my life, I want to know that I gave it everything and I want to live my life knowing I did all that I possibly could to better myself. Next on my “to-do” list is to apply everything I have learned in my 2017 race campaign to the races on my 2018 calendar. Reflecting on past notes, workouts, and having the privilege of being a member of the SoCalCycling.com Race Team has taught me how to, both ride for myself, and also ride as an efficient/effective teammate. Long story short, the next thing on my “to-do" list is to go to these bigger races and "show what I got!” Coach Brian: I have said it before, but to be a great cyclist, one must love the process of being a cyclist, not just the idea of it. Leo’s goal, “to be the best cyclist I can be”, may seem vague on the surface, but knowing Leo I can attest that his passion for process is driving him to levels he doesn't yet see as possible. This is very important because I don’t want him, or any of my Athletes for that matter, to limit themselves. Together we will work relentlessly to ensure he continually improves and can achieve his absolute best! I am very excited to be a part of his journey and watch his progress!  In addition to racing the CBR Resume Builder Series, Leo volunteered at each race to help set-up the race course in the early morning hours. Photo Credit: Leo Bugtai Question #4: Describe your favorite workout in your training program, also, please share a ‘knowledge-bomb’ you have learned while training with Big Wheel Coaching. LB: As puzzling as this may sound, recovery rides are the best part of my training. Recovery rides have always been the most difficult for me because I always felt the need to keep getting stronger and thus dismissed the recovery process. In this sport, recovery is crucial and easily overlooked, so taking a recovery ride is, in a sense, almost as serious as an interval workout because no-one truly understands how much recovery is enough. Working with Big Wheel Coaching has been an eye-opening experience for me. Brian and Joy have been nothing but helpful and encouraged me to grow tremendously as an athlete. That is not to say that I haven’t had other crucial coaches or people in my life who helped me grow, but Big Wheel Coaching has showed me that you need to train your ass off because: “Your work ethic will eventually match your talent!” Coach Brian: This is excellent advice and I love that quote! Leo eludes to something very important for Athletes, really everyone, it’s a concept I’ve heard called a Performance Team. That is, there are many people that contribute to our success in life, Spouses or Significant Others, Parents, Coaches, Managers, Teammates, and Friends can all be a part of our Performance Team. Each person in our lives can inspire us to be better, offer us valuable experience, knowledge, and support, or simply provide an example of how to live our lives successfully. I encourage all Athletes to develop their own version of the Performance Team concept so that they have the support they need when adversity strikes on, or off, the bike.  A love of long bike rides has taken Leo to some great places and with his Category 1 upgrade, he is poised to keep that practice going strong. Photo Credit: Leo Bugtai
Summary: We hope that you have enjoyed reading about Leo Bugtai’s CBR Resume Builder Series success and it inspires you to set a few "big-time" goals for yourself in 2018! With the New Year just around the corner, this is the time to dream big and write-down what accomplishments will motivate you to strive for your best. At Big Wheel Coaching, we are proud to be a part of our Athletes’ “Performance Team” and support them in all their cycling endeavors! And as the dawn of 2018 nears, we want to wish everyone in the BWC family a happy and prosperous New Year! #TrainYourPotential Until Next Time, Be Safe, Train Hard, & Have Fun! -Brian & Joy McCulloch Big Wheel Coaching Christmas is only a few days away and before we know it, we will be ringing in the New Year! So before we get to our December edition of Business News, we would like to wish everyone in our Big Wheel Coaching family Happy Holidays and a Merry Christmas! Now, onto our monthly edition of BWC Business News: December has been busy, absolutely full of projects! Coach Brian helped coordinate a multi-day Training Camp for the CareFast Cycling Team out of Las Vegas, we enjoyed a great day hosting nine Category 4 riders for the CBR Elite Race Experience, and spent an evening talking training strategies with the customers of Don’s Bikes in Redlands. What’s more, we will close out 2017 in Santa Clarita for our annual pilgrimage to the 4-Days To Fitness training rides!  Our presentation at 4-Days To Fitness will offer numerous event-day strategies to help Athletes of all levels make the most of their day at the races. Photo Credit: Big Wheel Coaching BWC At 4-Days To Fitness: A Presentation At CBS Cycling Each year, since it’s humble beginnings, we have attended the 4-Days To Fitness training rides. It’s an event that must be experienced to be fully-appreciated, but let’s just say there is no better 4-day training camp, especially for the price, as it’s FREE! The people, camaraderie, and riding are something special. In the previous two editions of the event we have partnered with 4-Days To Fitness and our friends at CBS Cycling to craft a coaching presentation aimed at helping participants get the most from their 4-day block of training. And we are proud to announce that we will be back for a third year presenting at CBS Cycling in Newhall with 4-Days To Fitness! Everyone is welcome to join us Friday night, December 29th, following Day #1 of 4-Days To Fitness as we will be presenting specific ways to maximize your event-day performance and fitness. Whether your 2018 goals include an epic event, your first Gran Fondo, a monument Gravel Ride, or a multitude of race-days on the road or trail, we will share unique ways to help you perform to your potential! For complete event details, check out the 4-Days To Fitness event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/120514458643111/  The opening slide to our presentation at Don's Bikes ends with a great quote that offers sage wisdom every Athlete can use to perform to their potential. Photo Credit: Big Wheel Coaching
Talking Training With Don’s Bikes Of Redlands Cycling heritage is rich in the town of Redlands and Don’s Bikes is a great part of that history! With an owner that has raced at the highest level and a staff that is wildly passionate about bikes, it was a great privilege to be invited to develop a presentation for Don’s customers, and local cyclists, that included personalized training tips to help them ride faster, stronger, and longer. Besides the presentation, we were excited to have the support of KHS Bicycles who gave out FREE water bottles to attendees along with a discount coupon to save them money on all their cycling-related holiday shopping! Summary: As 2017 comes to a close and our focus turns to the excitement and opportunity that comes with New Year’s Resolutions, we would like to share our thanks for everyone who makes-up our BWC Family. Athletes new and old, everyone that has joined us at our many projects throughout the year, newsletter readers, supporters, and anyone we missed, please know that you are appreciated beyond what can be conveyed in this newsletter. We wish each of you Happy Holidays and a prosperous New Year! #TrainYourPotential Until Next Time, Be Safe, Train Hard, And Have Fun! Brian & Joy McCulloch Big Wheel Coaching Southern California is known across the country to have the most competitive and dynamic criterium racing scene with robust pelotons and fast racing amongst a tightly knit peloton of riders. And of all the SoCal Crits, California Bicycle Racing events, or “CBR’s” as they are known to local bike-racers, have the reputation for being the most well attended. So it is no surprise that we were very excited to coordinate a unique coaching experience for a team of Category 4 riders at the final race of the CBR Resume Builder Criterium Series.  JL Velo "styled-out" our Cat 4 team with great looking jerseys so they could look like the bike race team they raced as! Photo Credit: Joy McCulloch The idea behind the CBR Elite Race Experience By Big Wheel Coaching was simple: Give a small group of Cat 4 racers a “pro for a day” experience that would blend one-on-one coaching with team strategy and race tactics aimed at helping them make the most of their day in the saddle. With the help and generous support of BWC Partners, JL Velo, GQ-6, Topical Edge, and Xpedo Pedals, not to mention Elevate/KHS Pro Cycling and KHS Bicycles, the CBR Elite Race Experience By Big Wheel Coaching was set to be a great success! However, even with this great support, it was the enthusiasm and effort that each rider brought to the days racing that made this experience incredible. Following a great day at the races, we caught up with each of our CBR Elite Race Experience riders to learn what it was like to be “pro for a day” and race in a team atmosphere in a three-question interview. We hope you enjoy what the team thought of the CBR Elite Race Experience By Big Wheel Coaching!  Even the early morning cold couldn't hide the excitement of our team of riders. They were fired-up to make their mark at the final CBR Resume Builder Criterium. Photo Credit: Joy McCulloch Question #1: What was it that got you excited about signing up for the CBR Elite Race Experience? What did you hope to learn from the one-on-one coaching? Ryan Resella: I had done a coaching package with Big Wheel Coaching back in 2016 and know Brian and Joy. I've always learned a lot from them, so when I saw this opportunity specifically tailored to Cat 4 racers I knew it would be another good opportunity for me to learn. I have been a Cat 4 for two seasons now and I still have trouble getting results in crits. The thing I was hoping for most from the one-on-one coaching was having a coach watch me race and be able to provide immediate feedback. Which I got not only after the race, but during the race! Brian was incredibly helpful talking to me during the race about strategy, position, and mental toughness. John Tawekjian: What got me excited was knowing that I was going to be mentored by a pro-cyclist! What I hoped to learn from the one-on-one coaching was learning how to race smarter, conserve power during the race, and how to stay calm under pressure. Ryan Voth: I signed up because I wanted guidance from an experienced rider, in the moment. I liked the idea of one-on-one coaching. Brandon Poser: I was looking through Facebook one-day and noticed the flyer about the Elite Race Experience that was posted from CBR. I was already planning on being there for the race, so that got my gears turning. A few days later I received a message from Brian asking if I had any interest, which of course I did. After a quick chat with him, I signed up later that night. Having known Brian for a little while, I know that he has a vast amount of racing experience as a professional bike racer with Elevate/KHS Pro Cycling as well as being a full-time coach with Big Wheel Coaching. Together with his wife Joy, they have a wealth of knowledge on the ‘ins’ and ‘outs ‘of racing. There wasn’t any one thing that I was looking for, rather I wanted to take it all in. I was a sponge for the day. Louie Peick: What drew me to the CBR Elite Race Experience was getting more comfortable racing within the peloton and learning more about race tactics. That and being able to work with my Coach (Joy), one-on-one.  JL Velo jerseys and the Elevate/KHS Pro Cycling Team van helped give our riders the "pro for a day" experience. Photo Credit: Joy McCulloch Anson Araujo: I was stoked to take part in the CBR Elite Race Experience because I knew Brian and Joy would be able to address the things I struggle with most, while also helping the group of us work together to achieve a common goal. George Turner: I was excited that the program was offered to Cat 4 racers and actually geared towards people that have been racing. I wanted to learn how to be a better rider, especially the mental-skills side of racing. We can all corner, etc., yet knowing the Who, What, When, Where and Why's about racing is more important and even more vital. Knowing is half the battle, the other half is just doing it. Edgar Torres: I was stoked to be coached by an actual pro! Someone that was tried and tested in the trenches of racing, and who was associated with Team Elevate/KHS, (I know David Santos, and he speaks highly of them). So when I saw the email it hit close to home. The manner in which Coach Brian replied to my email about being interested in the program was clear and honest. It communicated to me that this was a level of education that only a mature cyclist could provide. His demeanor put me at ease, and made me feel like he's been in my shoes before and knows what it's like to juggle time with training, and that helped me jump at the opportunity to sign up. I thought if he knows how to communicate well, then I'd be able to understand him better and apply his advice.  With three races on tap, it was a busy day for our team of Cat 4 riders! The boys raced their hearts out! Photo Credit: Joy McCulloch Question #2: What was your personal highlight from the day? Ryan Resella: Getting to CBR and rolling up to the team tent. We had a full tent with chairs and everything we needed! It definitely felt like pro status! Usually, I just get ready at my car and then warm-up and warm-down by myself. But today I had a whole team to work with! I didn't have to stress about all those small details that come with bike racing, which was great. John Tawekjian: My personal highlight from the day was being able to adapt quickly to riders that were foreign to me. Riding around unfamiliar riders can make me uncomfortable, so it was a big victory to be able to ride in the peloton confidently! Ryan Voth: Figuring out that I can take time off the pedals and maintain some power when I need to move up. I was not expecting to place in any of the races, but was surprised to finish on the podium in the first race! (Note: Ryan scored a hard-earned 2nd place in the first race of the day.) I also had my first experience figuring out how to work with teammates in a field of other teams. It was a whole other level I haven’t experienced during group rides or unsanctioned crits. I had a blast! Brandon Poser: My personal highlight from the day was racing in, and completing, 3 races on the day. Having had knee surgery at the end of August this year, I wanted to test my knee and my fitness. Last year I had attempted to race multiple events in the same day on several occasions and it didn’t go that well. I can say that I feel that my knee and fitness level is already better now than earlier in the season when I thought I was more fit! I’m really looking forward to next year! Louie Peick: With Coach Brian’s help I became much more conformable within the peloton. This has been my biggest challenge in races so I am very happy to have developed the skills and confidence to draft tightly in the group and use less energy!  Our team of Cat 4 riders competed against large fields of riders. In one race there was over ninety entrants! Photo Credit: Joy McCulloch Anson Araujo: My personal highlight was the amazing feeling of camaraderie and being able to work for the team to provide support in our common goal! It was awesome to ride with a group of guys! George Turner: I have not raced in over a year. With the knowledge and information gained I was able to not only race, I finished TWO races in one day! I was actually going into the day hoping I could last 5-laps, not do 2 races, much less finish them both because of the information I learned! Edgar Torres: My personal highlight was finishing 3 races strong! The race highlight for the day was navigating through the peloton to gain position with confidence. Brian said to stay top 20 then move up to top 5 within 4 laps to go. And that was the goal for each race. Each of the 3 races had their own highlights as well: Race #1 Cat 4/5: Maneuvering and staying clear of the madness while conserving energy. Race #2 Cat 4: I tried my hand at leading-out my teammates with half a lap to go. Race #3 Cat 3/4: Conserved energy, held on, and finished. All in all I took many mental notes and stored them for upcoming races.  Post-race debrief sessions were a staple in the days routine, allowing for the team to hone in on what went well, as well as discus what could be improved. Photo Credit: Anson Araujo Question #3: What is one thing you learned, that you would like to share with other Category 4 racers? Ryan Resella: I think the thing to remember with Cat 4 is that everyone has varying levels of ability and fitness. There's people who have just stepped-up from Cat 5. On the other hand, there are people who are definitely Cat 3-level riders that might become a Category 2 or 1 someday, so they are just “passing through”, so to speak. And there are plenty of folks in between! So every Cat 4 race is different, I've been in events that have an easy pace until the last five-laps, as well as some that are strung-out the entire time. I tend to like Cat 3/4 races more than the straight Cat 4 races because racing and riding with people who are faster and better is how one grows and gets better as a bike racer. John Tawekjian: One thing I learned that I would share with other Cat 4 racers would be to stay calm and avoid negative outbursts during the race. Yelling at each other is rarely productive and is a major distraction from the racing. As Coach Brian said, the race is up the road, so don’t get distracted arguing with the guy next to you! Ryan Voth: Don’t be afraid to drive to events out of your area! Being from Redlands, we don’t have all that many race events in our locale, so I was really excited to spend the day with a whole bunch of like-minded people outside my regular circle of riders. Brandon Poser: There were a ton of things I learned on Sunday! I think one thing that I could share with other Cat 4 racers would be that everything is smoother at the front of the peloton. The amount of surges is far less and it’s way less sketchy too! If I could also give some advice, it would be to avoid braking so much entering the corners. On the CBR course we raced on, you don’t need to even touch your brakes since the corners are so wide. Just my opinion, of course. Louie Peick: I learned how much easier it is to draft tightly, rather than working so hard to keep-up while being outside the peloton. Staying within the pack makes racing a lot easier! I was super-happy with this class, learned a lot, and really appreciated having Coach Brian on the course while we were racing. He was able to give a lot of pointers during the race which helped me so much!  Before the first race of the day, the team took a "sight lap" to survey the best lines and discuss optimal race tactics for the course. Photo Credit: Joy McCulloch Anson Araujo: If I could share one-thing with other Cat 4 riders that I took from the day, it would be to always stay on “high-alert” in the peloton because the race can change in an instant. If you’re not ready to react then there can be severe consequences. Another one I would share is to show up early to make the most of your day! Being late and getting stressed-out over your gear and registration does not get you anywhere! George Turner: The race is in front of you, so there is no reason to ever look back. Not only is this a race lesson, its a life lesson! The past is the past, and leave it there... No looking back because you can't change yesterday or what's behind you, yet you can change what you do going forward so you are able to avoid the obstacles ahead. Edgar Torres: #1 is Efficiency. That's the name of the game. Joy said that you could be less fit than the other riders, and still podium, but only if you're efficient with your power! You're efficient when not braking into turns, but carrying your momentum through them and accelerating out of them. You're also efficient by warming-up and cooling-down between races. Thank you again Joy, & Brian for looking out for the beginners!  The team received great product from GQ-6 and Topical Edge to help make their day at the races as successful as possible. Photo Credit: Joy McCulloch
Summary: We hope you have enjoyed reading about the CBR Elite Race Experience By Big Wheel Coaching as much as we loved organizing and putting the event together. At Big Wheel Coaching we believe that proficiency and “how” we ride our bicycles is as important, if not more so, than how powerfully we ride. Cycling is a sport that requires experience, boldness, cunning, perseverance, and aggression tempered with patience, not to mention great fitness! It’s why we use the hashtag #TrainYourPotential, because training the human-element of sport is just as important to an Athletes’ success as developing the best fitness possible, regardless of your goal event or ability level! #TrainYourPotential Until Next Time, Be Safe, Train Hard, And Have Fun! Brian & Joy McCulloch Big Wheel Coaching The Tour of Margaret River in West Australia is a one-of-a-kind bike race that requires participants to develop a strong and cohesive team. With two team time-trials amongst the four-stages, not to mention that a teams' stage result is determined by the sum of the first three team members to cross the finish-line in the two road stages, this is an event that is all about team-work. For Iain Clarke and his mates, who came from all over the world, it was a race that required them to develop team cohesion as quickly as possible. Having earned a stellar individual performance on the third-stage, that finished with a nasty climb, Iain put in an second incredible effort, that day, to help power his team to glory in the Stage 4 Team Time-Trial. Following four tough stages, in just three-days or racing, plus a stage win to call his own, we caught up with Iain to talk about the Tour of Margaret River, his success, and training in a 4-Question Athlete Profile interview, enjoy!  The final climb of the Stage 3 road race was a brute, touching steeps of more than 20%. Photo Credit: Daniela Tommasi Photography. Athlete Bio: Primary Sport/Discipline: Road Cycling Average Hours of Training Per Week: 8-10/hrs Upcoming Goals: The 2018 Season Interview: Question #1: Congratulations on a great ride at the Tour of Margaret River, Iain! You had a season-best individual result on Stage 3 and lead the team to a win in the Stage 4 Team Time-Trial. How did the races go? Iain Clarke: I was really pleased with the last 2 stages at ToMR - the 3rd stage was an undulating 75km route with about 850M of climbing. The final 800M of the stage held an average of 12%! I was in the lead bunch of approximately 25-riders as we approached the final climb and didn't know how I would fare against my competitors. It was hard going up this climb, especially as some parts were over 20%, but I managed to bite down on the handlebars and finish well inside the top 10, earning valuable points for my team. On Stage 4, which was the second TTT, our team would be timed on the 4th rider across the line. Luckily, we had 4 riders (out of our team of 6) who were feeling pretty strong so we managed to clock a time over a minute faster than the team below us! As the other stages, this too was rolling hills, so it included plenty of ups and downs - lots of communication kept us together as we all pushed hard to take out the stage. We were very excited! Coaches Perspective/Coach Brian: The final two-stages of the Tour of Margaret River were held on the same day, thus it was a double-day. Iain and I had discussed this and emulated it in training before the race, so I was not surprised when he told me performed so well on stages 3 & 4. However, I must say I was so excited for him, and his team, upon hearing the results! That fact that he both had a great individual result and helped drive the team to a big stage win in the TTT is awesome. It was an incredible effort! Question #2: The Tour of Margaret River was a three-day, four-stage event, with two team time-trials in it. What was the hardest stage for you and the team and why? IC: The hardest stage for me was Stage 2, which was relatively short at just over 50km, but it had 2 big climbs the first being just 3km into the race. The second climb, which was a brute, was toward the end of the race at just over 40km in. The weather was also pretty fierce with my Garmin hitting 40 degrees centigrade at one point (nearly 104*F for those of us stateside). Coach Brian: Living and training in Singapore, Iain definitely gets plenty of time riding in the heat and humidity, but that never seems to make it any easier! We knew it would be hot on at least one of the stages, so Iain and I talked a lot about hydration and nutrition requirements in order to minimize the chances he would get depleted. His Stage 3 & 4 success would not have been possible if he had not looked after himself well, and recovered properly, following a sweltering second stage. What I am most proud of is that Iain didn’t let a tough day in the saddle discourage him. As the saying goes, it is darkest before dawn, and Iain bounced back to have a season-best performance on the Stage 3 road race. Well done, buddy!  Crossing the finish line in the front-group on Stage 3 was a big success for Iain Clarke. He turned himself inside out to make it happen! Photo Credit: Iain Clarke. Question #3: What is one of your long-term cycling goals? And what is next on your cycling ‘to do’ list? IC: I'm a relative newcomer to cycling, having only been riding for just over 2.5 years, so my main goals are around self-improvement. My goal is to improve and get stronger so that I can compete at the “sharp-end” of the races I enter. I would also like to try and qualify for the UCI Grand Fondo World Championships. Coach Brian: Following his performance at the Tour of Margaret River, there are so many positives to talk about, but I still had to ask, what could be better? Iain is a driven Athlete, doing three or more of his workouts per week on the indoor-trainer. He does this while balancing a busy work schedule that includes significant world travel, so we are always looking for ways to help him improve with the limited time he has. With that said, and his goal to compete at the “sharp-end” of the races on his calendar, I've got some ideas of ways we can help him take his race-day performance "up a notch" next year, and throughout 2018! Question #4: Describe your favorite workout in your training program, also, please share a ‘knowledge-bomb’ you have learned while training with Big Wheel Coaching. IC: I tend to try and ride 5-times a week, with 3 of those rides taking place on my Wahoo KICKR - so my favorite training rides tend to be relatively high intensity, short duration interval sessions. Although I also like “settling-in” to longer Tempo intervals. The higher intensity workouts take a lot of effort and my recovery time following each workout tends to be a little longer… which brings me to the 2nd part of the question around 'knowledge bombs'. For me the biggest learning I've had has been around nutrition and recovery. In terms of nutrition I have had to learn to bring enough fuel for the harder training rides and then make sure I dedicate enough time to recovery. It feels counter intuitive but taking time off the bike is so important. Coach Brian: That is a great “knowledge-bomb”, Iain! Most Athletes will do all the hard work you ask of them, but so often the recovery gets neglected. This is extra important following high-intensity work, but is extra important as we age. Younger riders tend to recover from high-intensity efforts quickly, but the more mature-Athlete can take twice as long, or longer, to recover from a similar dose of training.  Iain's team was so fast on the Stage 4 TTT that they over-took, and passed, the team in front of them. It was a display of great team-work. Photo Credit: Beardy McBeard Photography.
Summary: We hope you have enjoyed reading about Iain Clarke’s success at the Tour of Margaret River and it has inspired you to add a “bucket-list” type event to your 2018 calendar. With the Christmas holiday upon us, and 2018 right around the corner, it is already time to start thinking about goals and events for next season! At Big Wheel Coaching, we love this time of year as it affords us the opportunity to talk, not just about what lies ahead, but what is possible for our each of our Athletes. It is our passion to help you take your cycling to the next-level! #TrainYourPotential Until Next Time, Be Safe, Train Hard, & Have Fun! -Brian & Joy McCulloch Big Wheel Coaching |
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