FasCat Cycling Training Tips Podcast

Many racers dream of winning a national title and wearing the jersey, but few achieve it. On this podcast, we talk with not one but three FasCat athletes about how they achieved their goals of winning at the U.S. national championships. FasCat coach Zach Gregg won the amateur U.S. time trial title (after placing fourth in the pro TT), and two athletes he coaches also scored jerseys as Patrick Welch won the U23 TT and Liam Flanagan won the U23 criterium. On this podcast, the three racers talk about the demands of juggling racing, school, and work, and about the dynamics of the coach-athlete relationship. Tune in for some insights about their methodology for success. Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off. Get daily training tips from us weekly over on Instagram: @fascatcoaching.

What sort of watts per kilo does it take to compete in the biggest race in the world? Today we are talking about power-to-weight ratios, the cumulative effects of fatigue, and how training compares to racing. And what better context for these topics than the biggest race in the world, the Tour de France Femmes. Today we are delighted to be talking with Nina Buijsman of Human Powered Health. Nina raced the Tour de France Femmes and seemed to get stronger each day, or at least placed better every day, finishing 21st on the brutally steep Super Planche stage 8 to finish 25th overall. On this podcast we talk about the cumulative effects of fatigue, and how training compares to racing, and what Nina’s experience was in terms of her power data, her sleep data, and how she felt throughout the Tour de France Femmes.

Dig out that cowbell and get your skinsuit ready — cyclocross is coming! Whether you're a beginner or a veteran, FasCat is here to help you fine tune your skills so you can get the most out of this season. Coach Andrew Giniat is an UCI Elite ’cross racer who has honed his chops racing World Cups in Europe, and on this podcast he breaks down the four key skills you need to have. Andrew and host Ben Delaney break down the mechanics of starts, cornering, dismounting & remounting, and dealing with obstacles.  Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off. After digging into the basics of these four skills, Andrew and Ben take another, deeper pass with pro tips for racers for whom this year isn't their first rodeo. No matter if you're planning on your first race or your 91st, these four skills are vital, and can always be refined. Are you ready? Get actionable training tips on Instagram: @fascatcoaching

Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off. Power meters, heart-rate monitors and other technology are excellent tools for training and racing. But your body is also an excellent tool for measurement.  On this podcast, Coach Suzie Snyder talks with Ben Delaney about Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) — its history in science and its everyday applications for athletes from beginners to world-class pros. For instance, Coach Suzie just won her fifth Xterra National Championship relying heavily on RPE. Suzie and Ben talk about what you can do with RPE in Avon, Colorado, on site of the Xterra National Championship. Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off. Get daily training tips from us weekly over on Instagram: @fascatcoaching.

Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off. Having a solid, science-based plan is one thing — but following it is another. Having someone — or something — hold you accountable can help you stay on track in multiple ways. On this podcast, FasCat founder Frank Overton and new FasCat content director Ben Delaney talk about how everyone benefits from being held accountable — including the top pros. Ben just joined the FasCat team after 20 years in cycling media. You may have read his stories, listened to his podcasts, or seen his videos on VeloNews, BikeRadar, Cyclingnews, CyclingTips, or other outlets. Frank and Ben talk about how vital accountability is in training, from the perspectives of what they have seen over two decades working with professional athletes and enthusiast racers. Tune in to hear five tips for using accountability to improve as an athlete. Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off. Get daily training tips from us weekly over on Instagram: @fascatcoaching.

Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off. It is HOT outside. We are feeling it and we know you are, too. So, how do we navigate through riding in this heat to continue to progress? More importantly, how do you navigate racing in events that are going to be hotter than what you currently train in? Don't worry, you're about to get all the answers you need! In this episode of the FasCat podcast, we dive into the specifics on how to deal with this heat. It's a coaches round table edition, which means you get advice from not just Coach Frank, but from the entire team. The coaches touch on the science of training in the heat, how exactly the heat affects your performance and power output, practical coaching guidelines, and ways you can become better heat adapted.  Coach Frank is joined by FasCat Coaches, Zach Gregg, Jake Rytlewski, our new multisport Coach Suzie Snyder, as well as new Coach Andrew Giniat and our nutrition coach Dr. Lauren Costantini.  Just a reminder: Our CX Coaching Deal is live but expires July 15th. Get 6 months of cyclocross specific coaching from now all the way through December for the price of 5 months. We even waive the $99 start up fee for a grand total of over $200 in savings. Coach Andrew is leading the charge as a professional cyclocross athlete and he’s wide open to share his knowledge with you through 1x1 custom coaching to help you have a great cyclocross season. Head over to fascatcoaching.com to sign up now. What we discuss: The science of training/racing in heat How heat affects performance and power output Practical coaching cuidelines What you can do to become better heat adapted How to race in heat that is hotter than you've been training Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off. Get daily training tips from us weekly over on Instagram: @fascatcoaching.

Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off. Are you stuck on a plateau?! Are you struggling with physical gains where you can't seem to increase your power output? Or, are you struggling with performance gains where you can't seem to place higher on the leader board? Whichever plateau you're stuck on, this podcast episode is for you.  Coach Frank is joined by Coach Andrew to discuss the low hanging fruit you can implement in your training right away. Coach Andrew Giniat is our newest FasCat coach. Andrew comes to us from Asheville, NC and is a criterium, cyclocross and road coach. He races for the CS Velo at the professional level on the road and the Pony Shop for cyclocross. Plus, we have a Cyclocross Coaching Deal going on right now that gives you six months of cx coaching with Coach Andrew for the price of five months. Don’t delay because space is limited and this deal expires July 15th. Click here to sign up now:  fascatcoaching.com/collections/cyclocross/products/cyclocross-coaching-deal What Coach Frank and Andrew discuss: 00:00 - Intro/announcements 9:30 - Two types of plateaus 22:00 - When your body needs rest  25:00 - Evaluating your CTL 27:00 - Are you training too much? 28:00 - Changing your stimulus 42:00 - Increasing volume 49:00 - Sleeping more 52:00 - Nutrition 55:00 - Wearables Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off. Get daily training tips from us weekly over on Instagram: @fascatcoaching.

Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off. Welcome to our very long overdue episode format: "Ask a FasCat". In this episode, FasCat Mike Dee reads off our athlete submitted questions and FasCat Founder, Coach Frank gives us rapid fire answers. If you're ready to nerd out on the data science of training and how to structure your training based on different scenarios, this episode is for you. At the end of this episode, we give away an Oura Ring to the best asked question, so stay tuned to find out if YOUR answer won! A few questions Coach Frank answers: Should you be moving your power around during sweet spot training?  Is an indoor trainer better for training? Which wearable is most accurate? Good calorie-dense foods that aren’t gels and bars that are GI friendly? How do you psychologically get through a climb when you don’t know how much more you have to go?  How to increase fitness between races during the season?  How to prepare for an event that’s at altitude but live at sea level? How to race while also training for an Iron Man?  Does standard FTP test give you better data than a 20 min FTP test?  Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off. Get daily training tips from us weekly over on Instagram: @fascatcoaching.

Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off. Are you making one of thse five in-season training mistakes?! You could be putting in max effort this season, but if you are making one of these mistakes, it doesn't matter how much effort you are putting in, you're going to fail to see the results you want. Don't worry, Coach Frank explains these mistakes in detail and helps you understand how and why to avoid these mistakes. What we discuss: - Group ride 3 or more times a week - Racing every weekend - Under-recovering after a weekend of racing and travel - Not going back to base at some point after a midseason break (even for just a few weeks) - Not training specifically for your event with intervals that meet the power demands of your goal events - Trying to lose weight in the middle of the race season Get daily training tips from us weekly over on Instagram: @fascatcoaching. Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off.

Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off. In the spirit of Unbound Gravel just wrapping up, we thought it would be timely to have a discussion about how to proceed forwards after an epic event. In this episode of the FasCat podcast, Coach Frank, Allie, Isaiah, Jake, and Zack do a deep dive into their own standard protocols for their riders for navigating recovery after an epic event. How many weeks should you take to recover, what should your nutrition look like, when should your next event be, and what should your first workouts look like are just a few of the questions they get answered for us!  What they discuss: 3:30 - How do you define an epic event? 7:00 - When can you resume to training after an epic event?  11:00 - What data do you look at after an epic event? 20:00 - What you need to focus on after the epic event 24:30 - Best recovery plan to follow 33:00 - How to get back into your training 40:00 - Factoring in age into recovery  55:00 - Picking your events wisely Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off.