NOEL
We [velo] are not about winning, we are about being the best you can be on your bike.
That was the line that made me watch a few more of Simon's vids & make the decision to get in touch.
I started working with Simon in May / June 22 finally realising that riding aimlessly around Yorkshire, beautiful as it is, wasn't making me any closer to the cyclist I wanted to be.
90kg approx & 200w FTP and pretty much stopped riding with my mates as they were all sooo bloody strong.
After a few false starts [covid & shoulder injury] we really clicked into gear fully in August - fully clear of Covid & injury I weighed 89.5kg & FTP of 215w.
I set a target while lying in bed with Covid of committing to one of my bucket list rides - "Etape du Tour 23".
With a target weight and FTP agreed we set out a plan for hitting France in July 23 with an ultimate goal to be in the best possible shape to actually enjoy the day, whatever the ASO put in front of me.
Coming to the end of 22 now and I am quite literally a different cyclist already.
I've lost 13kg of the 19kg I set out to lose and increased my FTP to around 250w so far, the numbers are great but they are only part of the story.
I'm back riding with my friends again and massively enjoying it, I don't get dropped every time the road goes uphill. They can't believe the difference between how I look & how I ride. The joy of group riding is back.
I had a serious spinal injury in Feb 2018 which changed my life. Since then I spent my life generally dictated by what my body couldn't do anymore rather than what it could. With the work I have done guided by Simon that's changed & it has been an emotional experience remembering what it feels like to feel like a proper cyclist again.
Looking at hills thinking how hard I can hit them & how long I can maintain hard efforts [and enjoy it].
I'm looking forward to an epic 2023 with some major targets already set in place. None of this would be possible without Simon's support.
From the help with nutrition advice to the tips to help you climb on the turbo on a cold Friday night when the sofa is warm and comfy, Simon has set me firmly on the path to being the best cyclist I can be on my own bike.
NOEL