Welcoem to posts!!
in the future - u will be able to do some more stuff here,,,!! like pat catgirl- i mean um yeah... for now u can only see others's posts :c
I have Neill Stanbury coming in for another round of sit down bike fit videos/topics tomorrow. Are there any bike fit topics we haven't covered yet that you'd like Neill to discuss? Please let us know below. Cheers, Cam
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Have you ever used an armband Heart Rate Monitor around your bicep for cycling? Indoor and/or outdoor (instead of a chest strap)
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Win an RCA Cycling Kit.
How?
The RCA is making some major changes in 2024, migrating to more of a smorgasbord model of cycling training + coaching plans for people to access in real-time via a new and improved website.
However, before we embark on this overhaul I'd love to make sure we're actually servicing the wants/needs/desires of our community!
Thus, I have put together a simple five question market research document which you can access below.
Anyone who responds will go into the draw to win an RCA cycling kit. Bibs and jersey.
We'll draw the winner on our Facebook page the week leading into Christmas 2023. And no, you don't have to be on Facebook to be part of the competition. It's just the place where we'll show the draw happening, keeping everyones emails and last names discrete, of course.
Document can be accessed here: shorturl.at/eGNY1
Cheers,
Cam
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A big congratulations goes to RCA member Alan Nelson for taking out the Masters Worlds Individual Time Trial Championship (last week) for the third year running! Alan managed almost 47 km/ph for 20km over the undulating course, well done Alan!
Over to Alan;
âThis result had a huge training build up which also included some altitude preparation. I commenced my altitude camp in Livingo (1850meters above sea level) on July 3rd. This is a well renown spot for professional cyclists to base themselves and all kinds of different athletes. I even met up with a Remco!
Unfortunately my enthusiasm of training resulted in a high speed slide on the TT bike where I also did my collarbone, not ideal preparation. I was able to make a quick recovery and my training did not sacrifice too much.
I spent the next 4 weeks at 1850 meters, with training rides going up to 2300 meters. From here I moved to a new location to spend an extra 2 weeks sleeping at 2150 meters before it was time to come down.
There was lots of learnings from this training block, as training at a high altitude my power was about 20% lower, and my heart rate refused to get to my usual levels. The fatigue management was also something I was monitoring very closely as the increased stress to your body from the altitude makes a big difference to how much you can train.
Once I returned to sea level it took a few good sleeps to fully bounce back, but the form was definitely there!
Unfortunately I my disc rear wheel got damaged and after the repair it was stuck in Italian customs for too long⌠Iâm still in the process to get it back but Iâm assuming this would have cost me around 30 seconds.
My TT power was a little lower than ânormalâ due to the course and pacing strategies which was to be expected. Distributing your efforts throughout the whole course to achieve the fastest time is quite a challenge in itself!â
Here are some of Alan Stats from his ITT:
1. Official time 25.38 (faster than last year)
2. Distance: 20km
3. Average speed: 46.79 kp/h
4. Average power: 308
5. Normalised power: 319
6. Average HR: 163 (176 max)
7. Body weight: 74kgâs
#cycling #roadcycling #Coaching
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Jakroo Australia & the RCA have come together to create a Masters World Championship kit for RCA member and current Masters World TT Champion Alan Nelson. A three time World Masters champion, in fact!
Alan used the RCA's Strength & Conditioning services at the start of 2023 to help prime him for the season.
From Alan - "Whilst I havenât used the program all year round itâs a great program to follow at certain times of year leading up to key races. Iâm a task oriented person, so following a structured program ensures I get it done and I find it motivating. Thereâs no doubt my lower back pain issues disappeared as I built strength off the bike but not at the expense of my cycling program."
Alan has been able to slowly ramp back into the training after a recent & unfortainte incident (including a broken bone), but with some consistency back in the legs and a six week stint at altitude, another World Masters Cycling Federation World Championship title is looking possible (again) next week. Wishing you all the best Alan!
#cycling #roadcycling #training #worldchampion
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Meet RCA Member Hamish. Hamish recently came along to join in on one of the best weeks of cycling with the RCA, the Tour Down Under. Over to Hamish;
âI just wanted to pass on a huge vote of thanks to the RCA team for my time at the Tour Down Under. Having the opportunity to ride with you guys and enjoy the atmosphere of the TDU has been incredible. I can think of no better way to enjoy my first ever social group ride (I know, hard to believe, right?) than with the RCA team on the Corkscrew. While I know you and the others took it easy on me â and Iâm greatly appreciative that you did - I feel like I achieved something really significant for myself today, and not just getting to the top of that climb. To think that it was only 14 months ago that I had never even ridden a road bike just blows me away. This evening, I sat down with a glass of wine and watched todayâs Stage race on my iPad, and it really struck me just how powerful the RCA training program is. With the expertise and guidance you all provide in the coaching program and more broadly, it really is the case that if you trust the process and do the work, amazing things are possible. I canât wait to get into the next 12-week training block with RCA coach Zack, and see what I can achieve next.
I also think that what the RCA has done this week in providing members with an opportunity to connect directly with the RCA team in the amazing atmosphere of the TDU has been fantastic â I feel sorry for all those members that were unable to participate and enjoy that experience. Wouldnât it have been great to have had 50 riders in their RCA kit all powering up the Corkscrew climb this morning? I know it will have taken a serious commitment of resources, but please consider doing this again!â
Lastly, special thanks for also getting the others to come along on the ride today. There is power in numbers and it was great to have the opportunity to chat with the others as well about their varied background and experience in cycling, especially Georgie and Alisha, having just completed the Womenâs TDU in the serious heat of battle. Great stuff!"
#cycling #bike #Performance #Roadcycling
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A few of our RCA Members took part in the inaugural Dirty Warrny down in Victoria, Australia. This off-road gravel event started in Geelong and finished in Warrnambool 246kms later! With over 3000m of elevation gain over the course and 84% being unpaved, this was definitely shaping up to be an epic day out! We congratulate our athletes for getting through this event, hereâs what they had to say about the race;
âWhat a massive day out at the Dirty Warrny. Epic weather, amazing route and the gravel was in primo condition. We had a ball, thanks to Ryan, Zach and Cam for the support and training. It all paid off, Tanya Gee even picked up a 2nd place for her age group! If you want a gravel Challenge this one has to be right up with the big ones. My T score today was 528!â - Trex Jimmy
âI want to make a shout out to Ryan Thomas for all his coaching and support to help get me home in the Dirty Warrny. I knew I was in for a tough day but all the training I had accomplished leading up into this event 100% got me through, and I bloody loved it!â - Marcus Estlin
#Cycling #Roadcycling #Coaching #Performance #gains #training #gravel
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RCA Strength and Conditioning coach Aaron Turner has been hard at work creating a hugely in depth blog post. This blog includes everything you need to know about weight training for cyclists. Aaron covers, in depth, various topics to help you get the most out of yourself by incorporating strength and condition workouts into your weekly training routine. This is well worth a read if you have ever been curious about the benefits this provides.
RCA Strength and Conditioning coach Aaron Turner has been hard at work creating a hugely in depth blog post. This blog includes everything you need to know about weight training for cyclists. Aaron covers, in depth, various topics to help you get the most out of yourself by incorporating strength and condition workouts into your weekly training routine. This is well worth a read if you have ever been curious about the benefits this provides.
Here is the link to check it out: roadcyclingacademy.com/weight-training-for-cyclistâŚ
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RCA Member âŞ@MitchBoyer⏠recently completed Phil Gaimons Cookie Grand Fondo. This epic ride stood out to us, so we asked Mitch to share his experience. Over to Mitch;
âPhil Gaimon is well known for Strava Komâs and cookies so it was my mission to embrace the cookies at every aid station along the route. I had 7 cookies in total during the ride and another one when I got home using the cookie mix the organisers gave out. You can never have too many cookies!
More about the ride. I started cycling during the pandemic, so my default has always been solo rides. This experience was my first with any group! It was slightly intimidating since the peloton was quite large, but once I got the hang of it, everything went really well and I was even pulling turns towards the end of the ride.
Riding in a group helped me push harder, especially on the climbs with the added motivation. At the start of each climb I would find someone slightly stronger than me and strike up a conversation. My goal then was to ride beside them to the top of the climb! This was a great way to push myself while also meeting some great people along the way.
Iâm a pretty hardcore introvert, so I still love my long solo rides but I will definitely be incorporating some more group rides in the future. This event was a great way to break the seal for me.
Luckily head coach of the RCA Ryan, had been coaching me for several months so my fitness was in great shape to tackle an event like this one. I donât think I would have been able to do the Fondo while also shooting content without all of the training we had accomplished over the summer.â
Sounds like an epic day out! Thanks to Mitch Boyer for sharing his experience. We also recommend heading over to Mitch Boyerâs YouTube account to check out some of his epic rides!
#Cycling #Roadcycling #Coaching #Performance #gains #training #cookies
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Itâs been great to have ex pro cyclist @tommynankervis join the RCAâs Uplevel Road Cycling Course in May this year. What was even better was the fact Tommy got some big results. Over to TommyâŚ
âA good friend of mine was interested in an RCA training program so I called Cam earlier this year, who I've known for a while, to get some info for him. After the chat with Cam I found myself quite interested in some guidance myself. I raced for years overseas but was interested to learn and experience some new training philosophies and follow some "new" expertise.
Cam suggested RCA Head Coach @Ryan coach me, and I made great progress. My benchmark 5min climb / VO2 Max power improved by a whopping 20% or 75-80 watts in 12 weeks, and my all round level definitely improved. I found myself able to finish training rides strongly on all occasions, and the plan was so manageable I didn't miss one session. In fact, aside from some new sessions, I'd say for the most part the sessions were shorter and more manageable than what I was expecting, but the results were there. I also got to do all my weekly group rides I like doing so it was a win-win!â
#Cycling #Roadcycling #coaching #training #Performance
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The Road Cycling Academy provides road cycling training tips and bike fitting insights for cyclists eager to get faster, stronger and more comfortable on their bikes.