(Reproduced From Ian's web site)

Hello.

First of all, I am not a qualified trainer, nutritionalist or Physio, so anything I am saying here, although I have been taught by a professional, has probably got a bit of what's good for me in it, So! ........by all means use it, because it's of sound grounding, but please remember that ALL training should be arranged for YOU.

Training - a word used far too often when somebody says they are going to do any physical activity. Most of the time, people are just doing what a human was made for; walking, running ect. Cycling, although not performed by apes! Can also be viewed the same. As a pastime, or serious hobby or if you are lucky like me, a professional rider.

A question you should think about is;.........Am I actually training today? Or am I just exercising for pleasure?

What's the difference I hear you cry? Well, If you are going out to train then you should have a specific goal for that session, and at the end you should be able to say yes or no, as to whether you achieved it. Whereas if you are just doing it for pleasure, then there should be no pressure to do anything other than enjoy it. This can and does make a big difference on mental and physical effort levels.

Thus for training:........The first questions you need to ask yourself BEFORE you leave the house is:

What exactly am I training for?How am I going to train for it?

Two simple questions that will make a vital difference to your excercise.When you have answers, choose a suitable route, and go ride!

Ride hard, ride easy. Ride fast, ride slow. Do a hilly ride, do a flat ride. Chase tractors, but be careful! Ride in the wind, ride in the rain, ride in the sun...................but most of all, do what you feel is good for that day.

Simple ways to get better are:

To be able to ride fast you must train hard and fast.To climb hills better, it helps to ride lots of hills.There are no short cuts. Work hard and you will improve.

Final words of wisdom!

Heart rate monitors and SRM cranks are all well and good, but you still need to press on the pedals!!

GO OUT AND RIDE! Wilko