Well I’ve done it.
I’ve gone and signed up with a Trainer.

Up coming events have made me think “do this now or forever wonder how well you could have done with some help”

I’m both looking forward to the training and a bit shite scared in case it’s too bloomin hard..

And I’ve got 13 weeks to the Big Event.

🙄
😆

My son has had a coach since September and it is a revelation! I was surprised how little he was doing before and how focused each session is.

A good coach will encourage lots of two way dialogue and this should prevent fatigue.

What will the trainer do and how much does it cost ?

My son’s coach is £95 per month, they do a cheaper package but it does not include as much interaction (which I think is important for a youth rider).

He gets a plan set for the week (loaded into training peaks). The plan will change depending on how he is feeling/performing.

He also advised on bike fit and arranged a session with a strength & conditioning coach.

He has to set out the goals for the season so that he can peak in the correct places.

Nutritional advice is also given.

You can get much cheaper coaches who just give a fixed plan for x number of weeks but the important thing is the feedback and readjustment.

It is probably better to race on an older bike and use a coach than have an expensive fancy bike and no coach.

I agree with eskay. I’ve been using Potential Energy (Melissa is my coach) and spend about £100 a month. The workouts are so much more focused and I can talk to Melissa about why I’m doing each session and what I should get out of it.
Getting an email every morning with the training for the day also helps motivation!

I think there are some coaches that just send stuff and follow up by email / phone call with mixed results IIRC.

What’s the Big Event?

Been doing the trainer thing for about a year now. Been a good experience so far. Been a lot more consistent with my training as a result. Though do become a little obsessed with The Plan. Good to have someone who’s job it to answer my stupid questions and put up with my whinging 🙂

Learnt a lot from the experience so far, but TBH the main benefit I think has been consistency through having to deliver training data.

Mine came recommended otherwise I’d just do it all myself, like in the past.
Starts with an assessment, then a plan to get to my goal and assessment every three weeks until the taper then every week until the event.
Cost? Well it ain’t cheap £90+vat for the assessment, £100pmth thereafter. I’ll use him until April then probably stop, I might use him again later in the year for my Lombardia event, but I’ll see.

I get a structured plan to my needs. Already said I’m not doing any riding during the week, but do have use of a gym which will be used for core and strength excersises (don’t pay for the use of the gym), riding only at weekends (both days).
Diet, I get a plan. I know what to eat and when so this will be used lightly. I am concerned about eating whilst riding which I’ve already highlighted with him as a concern. I get 100mins into a ride, eat a small amount of a bar and for some reason my power drops right off, almost like a bonk but in reverse as I’m actually eating something. I drink enough so that’s not a concern. I’m looking for him to help identify what that problem is. If I don’t eat I’m fine for a good hard hack of 140k’s so it’s strange when I eat 90k in or so that this odd situation happens.

To me he’s worth the cost, I’ve got a particular goal I want to achieve and I know I need help realising that goal.

Should be good this. Keen to see how things have changed since my old semi pro days, and also how my own plans compare..

I’ll let you know how I get on.

The event is the Gravel Reviver 200k off-road hack around Keilder Forest.

I went up there at xmas to reccie the type of terrain and decided there and then that it’s going to be a hard ride, over tough terrain, and I want to finish in the top 20%. Lofty ambitions I know, but I can ride that distance and have been doing CX sportives for sometime now on mixed terrain, peddling hard isn’t a problem.
Also, whilst I’m on, mental fitness.. I’m hoping he can provide some insight as to how to approach the event and cope whilst blowing out of my Arsenal …..
And of course recovery, luckily I’ve booked a spa hotel over the time I’m there, but it’s not just about lolling around drinking beer..