Racers - with or without a coach

[NJBikeGal]

+1 on joining a team!

I rode a bike for several years on my own, thinking that I was "training." Turns out, I was just riding a bike on my own for several years!

I joined a team and realized that I could get a lot more out of a group dynamic, including skills, techniques, and ADVICE! It's amazing what you can learn from a group of riders that you would never think of on your own.

I also hired a coach my first year. I have been an athlete all my life. If you told me, "get in the pool and train." I would say, no problem - I know exactly what to do because I've been doing it since I was 6! But, when I was told, "get on the bike and train." I had NO IDEA what that meant. I'm sure I could have figured it out (as SheFly suggested) through books and internet sources, but I was fortunate that my new team came with a GREAT team manager and coach who was VERY affordable. It was a no-brainer to go with him rather than try to teach myself. Still, I'm not sure I would have upgraded in my first year if not for the team and my coach!

[RoadRaven]

Hey there Sulis... I want to add my voice to these encouraging words
Do give racing another go.

I don't have a coach, but I do live with cyclists (my partner is a time trial gold medalist, my 19yr old was at the top of the club, almost beating his father. He has stopped cycling for now, but still avidly follows and talks cycling. My 17 1/2 yr old is now racing in the same grade as his father (in the last ITT he was only 2 seconds behind him). My nearly 15 yr old is rapidly rising through the club grades also - his average speed in the club race today was 38kph.

So although none of us have a coach, we do live, talk and breathe cycling, so in a sense we are each others coaches.

Also, as Eden and NJ say, being part of a team is fantastic in terms of support and fine-tuning skills. In a sense, I suppose again this house is its own team. We operate like one in terms of going to events, supporting each other and such. Although we ride in three different ability grades, or 4 different age-grades and cannot race together... we do train together and support each other at events in whatever way is necessary...

And I think thats what you need to find - some kind of support network that not only hones your skills and mind, but also cries and laughs with you, keeps you accountable and also helps you realise that you cannot win/have a personal best every day.

Do race again, and find like-minded people - whether its a coach or some other person/people

Do race again - its so much fun (LOL... and not at all addicative!)

[smilingcat]

wow old thread brought back up how did I miss it?

Yes please give it another try.

And yes join a club and you can get "free" pointers and training from the club. If you want to win, train with the boys every once in a while.

I used to do the free for all to the top of the hill. I never got to the top first but it does wonder to your training.

And unlike most, I spent great deal of time on the trainer because there are way too many stop signs and lights. My HR would drop to normal while waiting for the light to turn green. not what you want when you are training. It doesn't matter if you bonk on the trainer, you are home

smilingcat