FasCat Cycling Training Tips Podcast

Everyone wants to improve, and there is more than one way to do so. At FasCat, we have two primary (and time-tested) methods. One-on-one coaching is the gold standard. And our training plans have worked well for thousands of athletes for many years. Plus, now that we have integrated those plans into our Optimize app, you can use your data to track your progress, training stress, recovery, and more… and coach yourself in a fun, flexible, and data-informed manner! The six primary methods of coaching are: Hire a coach Follow a training plan Self-coach Leverage your data Follow a training plan, and self coach by leveraging your data Just ride - sometimes hard, and sometimes easy  Here, we’ll go through the pros and cons of each of these, and then really dig into number 5, how you can coach yourself using our training plan inside the Optimize app that makes your data actionable and gives you access to our coaches! Start your free, 14-day trial of Optimize  

Training only by zones is a sure-fire way to kill the joy of cycling and your very will to ride. Training by zones is extremely effective, and at FasCat we recommend it for about half your rides.  But for the other half of your rides, zone-based training is dead.  We dig into all the details on this podcast with Ben Delaney and Coach Ricky Arnopol, who knows a thing or two about the right way and the wrong way to train for both maximum physiological adaptations and also for what is mentally sustainable in the long term.  

What and how much should you eat before, during and after training rides and races? It’s a simple question, with a lot of devils in the details. On this podcast we dig into those details with FasCat Coach Sierra Sims, who has ridden and raced all the things on all the bikes - mtb, road, gravel, bikepacking - and like all of us she loves to eat, too. We talk about what your body needs for different durations and intensities, and also practical considerations for what you can actually wolf down during a crit or a long gravel race or a technical mountain bike event. Some rules of thumb for events: < 2 hours: 45 g of carbohydrates per hour (~ 180 calories/hour) 2-5 hours: 30-60g carbohydrates per hour (120 - 240 calories/ hour) 5+ hours: 60-90g carbohydrates per hour (240-360 calories/hour) for long, high intensity efforts, try to eat something every 30 minutes  

FasCat is officially 20 years old this month, and on this two-part podcast, we’re taking a long look back at the pivotal moments that formed the FasCat community.   From pioneering work on training with power to discovering that Subway’s microwaves can screw up your indoor training classes, there are all sorts of good stories in the annals of FasCat history. So many stories, in fact, that we are making this a special two-episode series.   The first podcast took you from 2003 to 2013, and this podcast brings you from 2014 to the present day.   Many things have changed in 20 years, but the one constant has been FasCat's dedication to innovating science-based ways to make you faster. Thank you for joining us on this ride.

FasCat is officially 20 years old this month, and on this two-part podcast, we’re taking a long look back at the pivotal moments that formed the FasCat community. From pioneering work on training with power to discovering that Subway’s microwaves can screw up your indoor training classes, there are all sorts of good stories in the annals of FasCat history. So many stories, in fact, that we are making this a special two-episode series. This podcast will take you from 2003 to 2013, and next week we’ll talk 2014 to 2023. Many things have changed in 20 years, but the one constant has been FasCat's dedication to innovating science-based ways to make you faster. Thank you for joining us on this ride.  

Like many elements of cycling, climbing is at once so simple and so complex. How can you improve your climbing - especially if you live in a flat area? How should you pace climbs of different lengths? When should you stand, and when should you sit? What is the ideal cadence, and the ideal position on the bike? How should you use your core and arms? For equipment, where is the ideal balance between aerodynamics and light weight? For group tactics, where is the balance of the benefit of the draft behind a stronger rider and the danger of blowing up by going too hard? And, of course, how should one best improve that all-important watts per kilo equation? So many questions. Luckily for you listeners, we have an expert here in Coach Jake Rytlewski to guide you through this maze.  Use the code 25podcast to save 25% on an Optimize subscription now, and you'll get access to professional coaches like Jake for guidance in your training.    

Coach Suzie Snyder is a five-time Xterra national champion who is still racing at the international level in addition to coaching FasCat athletes of all levels. In this podcast, the veteran racer and professional coach shares five things she wish she knew when she began her professional off-road triathlon career. Listen in as she talks about the parasympethic nervous system, how contraceptives can affect training and recovery, and more. Use the code 25podcast to save 25% on an Optimize subscription now, and you'll get access to professional coaches like Suzie for guidance in your training.

Gravel continues to blow up in popularity, and FasCat is all in on helping you prepare for your next big event, whether that’s 40 miles locally or 200 miles in Emporia, Kansas.  On this podcast, Ben Delaney and Elliott Baring give you the lowdown on getting your bike dialed ahead of time, travel tips, course recon tips, hydration and nutrition strategies, pacing and drafting techniques, and more. Ben is just back from Belgian Waffle Ride California, and Coach and national champion Elliott Baring is racing gravel, road & MTB this year. Together, they've got you covered on gravel! Past podcasts for reference:  https://fascatcoaching.com/blogs/training-tips/gravel-skills https://fascatcoaching.com/blogs/training-tips/how-to-travel-to-races-like-a-pro https://fascatcoaching.com/blogs/training-tips/what-to-eat-on-the-bike-during-training-and-racing  

What are the most important workouts? It's a question we get a lot at FasCat, and people ask it for two reasons. One - sometimes athletes following a training plan feel like work or family should take priority over a workout, and they want to know which workouts they should absolutely do and which they could skip. And two - all athletes want to perform at their best, and many wonder if there is some magic workout out there that will deliver them to peak performance. This podcast address that 'most important workouts' question from both angles, as Coach Isaiah Newkirk and co-host Ben Delaney bursty some bubbles and offer some real-world solutions. If you're not already using Optimize, our training solution app, then by all means use code 25podcast to save 25% off your first three months today.

How do you get fast? That is the underlying question behind so much of what we do at FasCat. In today's episode, we talk about how you peak for top performance by applying an overload and then a taper. Many FasCats have noticed the Two Week Taper to Peak plan we have in Optimize, our training subscription solution that includes 100+ training plans and thousands of workouts. Unlike the rest of our training plans, this one is different! One, yes, the duration: it's just two weeks. But two, and perhaps most critically, this plan only works after you have applied an overload. What's an overload? What's a taper? And how much power can you gain when you peak? Well, give this podcast a listen. If you haven't already, head over to the App Store or Google Play and download Optimize to start your training subscription today. You can save 25% off your first three months with the code 25podcast.