There are many ways to coach athletes. I have been racing and riding bikes for over 30 years. In that time I’ve worked with a lot of different coaches with very different styles. I have found the general attributes and approach that works well for me. I do, however, see my philosophy and style to also be evolving. In live we can either learn and grow, or stagnate and become irrelevant.
The key tenants of my approach:
- Democratic – I adopt a democratic approach to coaching. I am not here as a coach to simply tell you what rides you should do while you mindlessly follow the program without any kind of questioning or participation. I much prefer a collaborative approach where we work together.
- Data-driven – You are thinking about getting a coach because you want to improve. How do you know if you have improved? You have to measure it! Cyclists are extremely fortunate to be able to easily record a wealth of data for every single ride. This trove of information is invaluable in tracking progress and fitness. I want to help you learn to use these data to unlock the information they contain.
- Individualised – It’s “your program”. Every rider is different, and every rider has their own objectives and motivations. I don’t believe in a one size fits all approach to training.
- Trust – I’m here to help you. I want you to be honest with me about how your training is going and how you are feeling. If you don’t get around to a ride, I won’t judge or condescend to you. We all live busy lives and often times things don’t go according to plan. I’m here to help you roll with these on the fly changes.
- Fun – Bike riding should be enjoyable for you. It’s important to include rides that are enjoyable and fulfilling into a training schedule. Not everything you do is going to be fun, and there will eventually be setbacks if you stay in the sport long enough. But, we want to remember that we ride bikes because we enjoy the activity, and if we lose that perspective we have lost a great thing.
- Growth – Ultimately, we are looking for growth. This growth includes our partnership as well as your performance and experiences on the bike.