How This 100kg Cyclist Became The Ultimate Hill Climber

Podcast

July 20, 2020

How do you set a race goal that suits your level, ability and experience? Gerard and Jordan Donnelly explain on the Get Fast Podcast, Ep 34.

Get Fast Podcast, Ep 34, with Gerard and Jordan Donnelly

He chose a race that didn't suit him, then changed everything to suit the race. That's one of two ways to set a good goal, and the other is to pick an event that suits your strengths. Either way, set your time goal once you have calibrated numbers to base it on.

How did a 100kg cyclist become a climber?

He was a big rider Gerard coached, focused on time trialling, who wanted to race up one of the steepest climbs in Australia. The race has 100 km of hard, undulating road, then a 6 km climb with sections at 22%. Gerard told him it wasn't the event for him, and couldn't talk him out of it.

So he changed his program and his mindset. At first he couldn't hold the tempo on the Dandenongs climbs. He kept at it, got down to his mid 80s in kilos, and became "a weapon on the climbs".

On race day he finished top 10 in his category, passing lightweight climbers on the way up. He later won B grade in the Victorian Road Series.

Gerard's takeaway: "people with the right mindset can achieve anything".

How do you know if an event suits you?

Ask whether it will highlight your capabilities or your weaknesses. A hilly gran fondo suits light riders who climb a lot, and other riders will be compromised. Ironman courses differ too, so don't choose one just because your mates are doing it.

Should you avoid events that don't suit you?

Not always. Go in knowing it isn't your strength, and be prepared to change your training for it. Gerard usually steers athletes towards events that suit them, because "human beings resist change more than anything". The hard road can pay off, though. Training for that climb made this rider a better cyclist.

How do you work out what time you can do?

Start with calibration. Calibrating your swim, bike and run shows where you are now and where your strengths lie. Keep recalibrating as you train, and your targets will move. By the week before race day, you should have a firm idea of what you can do.

What does ambition and ability mean?

Gerard says "don't get your ambition and your ability confused". What you want and what you're capable of are two different things.

Here's his example. Your furthest run was at 6:00 per kilometre, and you've put yourself down for a 3:30 Ironman marathon. That's unrealistic in week one. He also asks if you did your longest ride alone or sat in a group, because that gives people a false sense of their capabilities.

How much can you improve?

It depends where you start. Absolute beginners can take hours off their time. If you're well trained and using your data, the range is smaller.

Sometimes a plan is enough. Gerard took on a triathlete two weeks before a race. Calibrated numbers and a race plan produced a big improvement, with no real training behind it.

Are you willing to change?

Gerard asks this at the start. Some athletes say "I'll do whatever it takes". Others mostly want to keep riding with their buddies. He says they don't need a coach, because they aren't going to change.

Can you aim at the limit of your ability?

Yes, with the right attitude. A runner with a 3:25 marathon wanted to break three hours. Gerard told him he'd need to run under 40 minutes for 10 km.

The first year brought 3:00:12. His watch sometimes showed under three hours because he had run further than 42.2 km, and he wanted the official time. He got it on his fourth go, at Melbourne, after three years.

Why set smaller goals along the way?

B and C races let you practise executing your plan at your numbers. Gerard wants you calm and confident on the start line, because race day is "nothing more than a training day" with more help.