Five Training Tips for February

In partnership with our training partners, the Schleck X-Perience in association with coaches Frank Schleck and Brian Nugent here are the first few tips.

Sign up for the ŠKODA Ring of Clare Cycle by February 14th to win 3 months coaching from the team at the Schleck X-Perience.

Register for the SKODA Ring of Clare Cycle by Feb 14th and you are entered into a draw for Three Months Coaching by the Schleck-Xperience that will include the best of guidance by coaches Frank Schleck and Brian Nugent. If this is your first sportive or if you are an experienced cyclist looking to get more from your training, this prize is for everyone. Everyone registered for the event by the 14th Feb is entered into the draw.

You can visit www.schleck-x-perience.com for more details on what you will receive in terms of training plans, guidance and a structure to prepare for your summer of cycling.

As part of their coaching partnership with the SKODA Celtic Series events, the first ten cyclists who sign up for the Schleck X-Perience training programmes will receive their second month free so don’t miss out on getting the best possible structure for your training. The Schleck X-Perience coaches Frank and Brian will be providing monthly advice on how best to prepare for your sportives this summer.

GETTING A TRAINING FOCUS

Festivities are over for another year and it’s time to kick start your training routine to get you ready for the summer of cycling that awaits you! The summer? That’s right, it’ll be here quickly and if you make small, gradual steps now you can have that summer that you’ve planned for.

For the thousands of you that have already signed up for SKODA Tour De Conamara or the SKODA Ring of Clare Cycle you’ve taken that first big step to set you off and running for the summer of cycling. We at Schleck X-perience are as excited as you and that’s why we’ve partnered up with the brilliant team that has made this event a reality and we’re here to guide you to the next step and in fact every step of the way to ensure that you make it to your summer goal, in the best condition you can be in!

How will we do that?

Each month, starting today, we will give you expert hints and tips to keep you on track. When the going gets tough we’ll be there to keep you on track (around your busy work schedule!) and let you know that you’re in good company with the thousands of other cyclists on this journey with you!

To maximise your enjoyment of the event and get the most out of the experience, we will help you start your preparations early and build a level of fitness that will enhance their experience on the event on the day. We will focus on the types of session you can do each month that are important to build up your fitness month by month for the goals ahead.
For those of you that would like daily advice you can sign up to our individualised training plans (see link, first 10 people to sign up will pay 1month but get 2nd for free
We will help prepare you both mentally and physically for what’s ahead and our goal is to provide that extra motivation to carry out one or two extra sessions to allow for a better event day experience. We will build your individual training tailored for you. You will complete field tests, have your performances analysed and receive feedback.
You can rest assured that you will be trained to reach your best fitness towards your goal considering your busy schedule. A strength and conditioning programme will also be provided.

This Month – Getting Started!
This month is about getting out there and getting moving again. With all the newfound motivation, it’s all too easy to get outside, attempt the long rides similar to your event distance and after a few sessions, with the winter weather and the dark evenings, quickly losing that motivation. We want to help you keep that motivation, so it peaks in Summer just as your target event approaches.

5 Tips for February:
1. Ease your way back into the new year
2. Start to build that base so that you can START the longer, harder session when the spring arrives
3. With work commitments, the weekend is a goal time to build that endurance. Keep your rides short to begin with starting with 1-1.5hrs and gradually adding 15-20mins to your Sunday ride until you reach around 2-2.5hrs that feels comfortable.
4. Organise to train with your friends or others that have signed up for the event. This will help you stick to your planned rides as we all know motivation is easier when we share the workload. In the coming months you’ll need to do some rides alone to up your workload but for now it’s a good time to enjoy the social aspect, also it’s important to build your group riding skills for when the event comes around!
5. Mid-week, we suggest adding on one ride mid-week after a few weeks of weekend riding. You can do this on an indoor trainer in the evening and after a warm-up start by adding a 6-8mins effort around 10% per cent more effort than your weekend training effort. You can increase the number of efforts over the month. Limit this session to around 1hr.