WARREN

Warren set himself the goal of riding the 2023 Giro route 2 days before the pros.

He’s an accomplished cyclist and Ironman finisher and although has taken charge of his own training before he realised he needed more experience, direction and accountability with training to make sure he finished the 21-day over 3500 Km route strong and fit.

When we first spoke, Warren said his main worries about the race were his diet and dealing with the toll of long days in the saddle.

What he’s learnt along the way.

Nutrition

What you eat and drink while cycling a bike fuels your ride, supports your recovery, and supports your capacity to ride well every day. He wasn't eating enough of the appropriate foods at the beginning. Although he wasn't too far off, he now understands what's needed and consistently feels more energised when riding after making a few modifications and learning more from the nutrition educational posts and extra advice in the member's Facebook group.

As Warren said Simon showed me that the actual amount I require (and can eat) is far higher than anticipated. I am confident that I can consume the calories I need each day because I am aware of the foods I need to eat. 

Pacing.

Cycling long every day requires a mindset that’s different from cycling a sportive or a century ride. It requires you to ride within yourself, suppress the temptation to smash it and be efficient on all terrains. This is a key skill that I worked with Warren to develop, stick to his numbers and ignore others that could be pushing too hard on climbs. My best advice. You do you.

Warren continues, "Simon worked on my figures and kept me on track with Watts and HR; my aim was maintaining my heart rate at 130 bpm for as long as feasible.

Warren may have started at VPCC for the purpose of accountability and focused training, but cycling coaching has given him the knowledge and assurance to ride every day, feeling prepared to face each stage go the Giro confident in his ability to cycle it skillfully. That isn't something you can learn from a dry plan or by tackling it alone.

"The previous 10 months of working with Simon have given me the assurance that I can finish my challenge. I made the decision to go all in and stick to the plan because I trusted his judgement. Good choice. I am now positive that I will be in the best condition when I line up to race"

Warren