EBR Friday Focus

by ENDURANCE BIKE AND RUN

"Practical insights for sustainable progress"

Hello ,,

Group Ride Intelligence | Navigating Social Training for Maximum Benefit

You've seen the promises everywhere: AI coaching that adapts daily, algorithms that optimize every session, platforms that adjust training based on various different metrics. Yet based on my experience, a simple routine that addresses the basics, consistently applied, is more effective and much less stressful, albeit not fulfilling the dream of a 'magic solution' or 'instant pro' level fitness'.

3 Insights About Systematic Training

I.

The mental energy spent analyzing daily HRV scores, sleep metrics, and readiness algorithms is energy that could be directed toward the actual training. In fact, many professional athletes report not reviewing wellbeing metrics until after their training to avoid disruption. These numbers are useful but more for analysis and optimisation of systems than for day to day decisions.

II.

Consistency trumps optimization most of the time. A "suboptimal" session completed with appropriate regular frequency delivers better adaptations than the "perfect" session that gets skipped because of overthinking or confused execution. Your body adapts in small increments so you just need something to stimulate a small change, consistently compounding that small gain into a big gain.

III.

The best system is the one you'll follow when life gets complicated. To paraphrase James Clear's Atomic Habits, create routines you can do on your worst days, don't try to do what you can only do on the best days.

2 Questions For You

I.

What would your training look like if you removed all the optimization layers and focused purely on consistency within a framework that fits your life patterns?

II.

How much mental energy are you currently spending on training decisions that could be redirected toward execution and recovery?

1 Real-World Example

Yesterday I spent time with a client preparing for the Transcontinental Endurance Cycling Race, and it reminded me why systematic optimization matters more than dramatic changes.

The Transcontinental Race starts at the end of July - a 2-week self-supported cycling race across Europe.

My client, Michael, is in good shape fitness-wise, so the bigger gains will come from route planning and equipment strategy.

Like most of the people I work with, he has a good understanding of the drivers to good performance. He has put in a lot of work in thinking through the issues. We went through his kit list item by item. He's already running a lightweight setup, but just saving a few grams here and there resulted in over 1kg saved overall.

There are probably bigger gains in route choice. In some areas there are several route options and short adjustments can lead to saving a 100m climb here and there. It is a lot of work but over the 4000km transcontinental distance, those cumulative savings translate to significant time and energy.

We discussed avoiding compromised comfort for weight savings. For example, if slightly heavier aero bars mean using them more and fewer breaks, the aerodynamic and time loss savings overpower the weight issues.

Most of the time, looking for the '90%', where the big gains are, is the best strategy but at times, the marginal gains can pay dividends.... it keeps life interesting!

Get in touch if you want to talk through your goals... no charge for a quick chat!

Sometimes the most sophisticated solution is choosing deliberate simplicity. If you're ready to explore how systematic training could work within your complex life, let's have a conversation about what that might look like.

Just click this link or the button below to arrange a time that is convenient for you.

Book a consultation to explore how we can help you develop sustainable training patterns that work for your life.

Keep moving forward,

John and Clare

The EBR Newsletter delivers evidence-based endurance insights every Friday. If you know someone who might benefit from our systematic approach to endurance challenges, please forward this email to anyone who might find it useful or interesting.