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Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast - Presented by TrainerRoad

Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast - Presented by TrainerRoad

By: TrainerRoad
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 The only podcast dedicated to making you a faster cyclist. TrainerRoad's Ask a Cycling Coach podcast gives you the chance to get answers to your cycling and triathlon training questions with USAC/USAT certified coaches, pro athletes, and other special guests.TrainerRoad
Episodes
  • WHAT DATA IS MOST IMPORTANT FOR CYCLISTS | Pro Cyclist Hannah Otto | Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast 564

    WHAT DATA IS MOST IMPORTANT FOR CYCLISTS | Pro Cyclist Hannah Otto | Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast 564
    Dec 18 2025
    🚀Try TrainerRoad risk-free! 👉 ⁠www.TrainerRoad.com⁠🤝Join the TrainerRoad Zwift Club 🚴 https://trainerroad.cc/TRzwiftclub // SHARE AND RATE THE PODCAST!iTunes: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/apple2⁠ Spotify: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/spotify2⁠Google Podcasts: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/google⁠// TOPICS COVERED(00:00:01) Welcome!(00:00:29) Which wearable data points matter, and how do you use them?(00:07:03) Hannah’s take on data and wearables(00:10:23) Sleep tracking reality check(00:14:30) HRV/readiness scores(00:19:00) Steps/calories/strain(00:23:19) Continuous glucose monitors(00:25:41) Hydration + sodium(00:31:13) Recap: what’s useful vs. noise(00:33:12) The best “data” you can collect(00:35:58) Indoor training priorities(00:41:59) Fueling indoors(00:45:11) Workout execution hierarchy(00:49:55) Power vs heart rate(00:55:48) Balancing Zwift racing with structured training(00:58:35) How racing can stall fitness(01:05:59) 2026 Lifetime Grand Prix rosterIn this episode, Hannah and Coach Jonathan dig into the messy middle of wearables and training metrics, what is genuinely useful, what is mostly noise, and how to keep data from hijacking your confidence before you even start a workout. They unpack why metrics like HRV, readiness scores, sleep stages, and body battery style numbers can be wildly inconsistent across devices, and why those numbers work best as retrospective context that confirms what you already feel rather than daily go or no go decision makers. From there, the conversation turns practical, focusing on what actually drives performance, executing the plan, fueling well (especially indoors), and recovering consistently, then using data only if it supports adherence instead of adding friction. They also highlight underrated but far more actionable tools like post ride notes and long term patterns, with a clear warning not to let a watch seal the fate of your day before you have given the workout an honest shot.// RESOURCES MENTIONED- Hannah’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehannahotto - Sign up for TrainerRoad! ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/GetFaster⁠- Follow TrainerRoad on Instagram 📸 https://www.instagram.com/TrainerRoad - Join the TrainerRoad Zwift Club 🚴 ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/trzwiftclub⁠ // TRY TRAINERROAD RISK FREE FOR 30 DAYS!https://trainerroad.cc/GetFaster⁠ TrainerRoad is the #1 cycling training app. No other cycling app is more effective. Over 17,000 positive reviews, a 4.9 star App Store rating.// HELPFUL LINKS- Have a question for the podcast? Ask here: https://www.TrainerRoad.com/podcast - TrainerRoad on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/trainerroad/⁠- TrainerRoad Forum: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3uHvLnE⁠- TrainerRoad on Strava: ⁠https://www.strava.com/clubs/trainerroad⁠- TrainerRoad on Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/TrainerRd⁠- TrainerRoad on X: ⁠https://www.x.com/TrainerRoad⁠ - Learn more about TrainerRoad: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3LBb5Ur⁠⁠ - Listen to the Successful Athletes Podcast: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3JmKrN5⁠- Listen to the Science of Getting Faster Podcast: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3LpuIhP⁠- Training Blog: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3gCdNdN
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    1 hr and 24 mins
  • WHY YOUR WORKOUTS FEEL TOO HARD (Not What You Think...) | Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast 563

    WHY YOUR WORKOUTS FEEL TOO HARD (Not What You Think...) | Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast 563
    Dec 11 2025
    🚀Try TrainerRoad risk-free! 👉 ⁠www.TrainerRoad.com⁠// SHARE AND RATE THE PODCAST!iTunes: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/apple2⁠ Spotify: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/spotify2⁠Google Podcasts: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/google⁠// TOPICS COVERED(0:00:00) Alex Drops a Big Announcement (0:08:19) Why Threshold Feels Brutal (Even When Fitness Is Up) (0:10:21) The Indoor Setup Fix Most People Miss (Match) (0:11:30) The Hidden Reason You’re Stuck: No Real Cycles (0:18:18) Stop Guessing: Rate Workouts the Right Way (0:24:37) The #1 Endurance Mistake: “Easy” Rides Too Hard (0:36:11) Race Pacing Autopsy: Where It Was Won (and Lost) (0:41:27) Rapid-Fire Answers You’ll Actually Use(0:49:27) Plans for your event (gravel, Zwift racing, touring, more) (0:51:22) “My longest workout is 1:30… is that enough for a long race?” (0:56:23) How many intensity days per week should you do? (0:56:53) “Which plan should I pick?” (custom plan vs presets) (0:57:17) “I don’t want to follow a plan” (how to train without feeling boxed in) (0:58:49) When to add strength training (without wrecking key workouts) (0:59:33) Cross-training: “I also do another sport” (how the plan accounts for it) (1:01:58) Vacation, sickness, missed days: “Will it adjust when life happens?” (1:06:55) Quick edits: swap to a shorter or longer workout on the fly (1:03:58) “I already know my FTP… do I need AI FTP Detection?” (1:05:42) Training outside: how to execute workouts outdoors (1:03:36) “Is this only for serious racers?” (training for fun still works) (1:07:31) “Is it going to be boring?” (how people actually do it) (1:09:08) “What makes TrainerRoad different?” (1:15:14) “Can I talk to someone if I have questions?” (coaches + help)In this episode, Alex Wild and Coach Jonathan break down why your workouts can feel way too hard even when your fitness is improving, and the culprit usually isn’t motivation or toughness, it’s how the week is structured. They unpack an athlete calendar to show how intensity can quietly creep in on “easy” days, why that makes threshold feel brutal, and how better training cycles, real recovery space, and honest post-workout ratings get progress moving again. The final portion turns into a rapid-fire TrainerRoad FAQ, covering every question you could have prior to signing up.// RESOURCES MENTIONED- Alex’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexwildmtb - Sign up for TrainerRoad! ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/GetFaster⁠- Follow TrainerRoad on Instagram 📸 https://www.instagram.com/TrainerRoad - Join the TrainerRoad Zwift Club 🚴 ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/trzwiftclub⁠ // TRY TRAINERROAD RISK FREE FOR 30 DAYS!https://trainerroad.cc/GetFaster⁠ TrainerRoad is the #1 cycling training app. No other cycling app is more effective. Over 17,000 positive reviews, a 4.9 star App Store rating.// HELPFUL LINKS- Have a question for the podcast? Ask here: https://www.TrainerRoad.com/podcast - TrainerRoad on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/trainerroad/⁠- TrainerRoad Forum: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3uHvLnE⁠- TrainerRoad on Strava: ⁠https://www.strava.com/clubs/trainerroad⁠- TrainerRoad on Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/TrainerRd⁠- TrainerRoad on X: ⁠https://www.x.com/TrainerRoad⁠ - Learn more about TrainerRoad: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3LBb5Ur⁠⁠ - Listen to the Successful Athletes Podcast: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3JmKrN5⁠- Listen to the Science of Getting Faster Podcast: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3LpuIhP⁠- Training Blog: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3gCdNdN
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    1 hr and 17 mins
  • HOW CYCLISTS LOSE FITNESS (WITHOUT KNOWING IT) | Hannah Otto | Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast 562

    HOW CYCLISTS LOSE FITNESS (WITHOUT KNOWING IT) | Hannah Otto | Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast 562
    Dec 4 2025
    🚀Try TrainerRoad risk-free! 👉 ⁠www.TrainerRoad.com⁠🤝Join the TrainerRoad Zwift Club 🚴 https://trainerroad.cc/TRzwiftclub // SHARE AND RATE THE PODCAST!iTunes: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/apple2⁠ Spotify: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/spotify2⁠Google Podcasts: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/google⁠// TOPICS COVERED(0:00:01) Intro(0:01:29) Offseason reset and avoiding burnout(0:04:02) The “year-long offseason” trap: trying to maintain fitness(0:07:39) Athlete calendar review: big training, no real breaks(0:10:00) Why recovery weeks fail (weekend overreaches)(0:14:30) Reframing rest: creating space for adaptation(0:32:25) Perimenopause training: strength, fueling, flexibility, more recovery(0:48:03) Easy endurance should feel easy (stop “suffering to suffer”)(0:51:57) Fueling focus: carbs and planning hard days (less room for error)(1:04:59) Gift guide begins (budget friendly picks and practical favorites)(1:18:10) Experience gifts, trips, and adventure ideasIn this episode, Coach Jonathan sits down with pro cyclist Hannah Otto to break down a common training trap: not respecting rest and recovery. They talk through the mindset side of recovery, why many athletes never fully bounce back when they keep stacking “productive” weeks without real space, and how weekend overreaches can quietly derail an entire training block. The conversation also covers choosing bucket list events that keep training fun and sustainable, plus practical considerations for perimenopause training including strength work, fueling, flexibility, and the need for more recovery.// RESOURCES MENTIONED- Hannah’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehannahotto - Sign up for TrainerRoad! ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/GetFaster⁠- Follow TrainerRoad on Instagram 📸 https://www.instagram.com/TrainerRoad - Join the TrainerRoad Zwift Club 🚴 ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/trzwiftclub⁠ // TRY TRAINERROAD RISK FREE FOR 30 DAYS!https://trainerroad.cc/GetFaster⁠ TrainerRoad is the #1 cycling training app. No other cycling app is more effective. Over 17,000 positive reviews, a 4.9 star App Store rating.// HELPFUL LINKS- Have a question for the podcast? Ask here: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3HTFXNi⁠- Watch our latest Cycling Science Explained video now! ⁠https://youtu.be/z2HXE1-il_Q⁠ - TrainerRoad on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/trainerroad/⁠- TrainerRoad Forum: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3uHvLnE⁠- TrainerRoad on Strava: ⁠https://www.strava.com/clubs/trainerroad⁠- TrainerRoad on Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/TrainerRd⁠- TrainerRoad on X: ⁠https://www.x.com/TrainerRoad⁠ - Learn more about TrainerRoad: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3LBb5Ur⁠⁠ - Listen to the Successful Athletes Podcast: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3JmKrN5⁠- Listen to the Science of Getting Faster Podcast: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3LpuIhP⁠- Training Blog: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3gCdNdN
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    1 hr and 22 mins
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