Training Advice for Worlds

Hi there, I am 15 and a Female. I come from the U.K and would like some info on training for the junior worlds.

I have been racing for just over a year and really enjoy racing and training. I have the rest of this year and next year as well to prepare (I think) I would like to get onto the G.B squad and go to the junior worlds, when i am a junior. My best discipline at the mo is T.T as I won the B.S.C.A National T.T in May and my age catagory in the G.H.S in sept last year.

I also like road racing/circuit racing although i have little experience. I raced in the Manchester International Youth Tour with the U18 girls and finnished 16th. This was my first road event. I am going to be racing in Holland as I am going to compete in the Tour of Achtveld(i think thats how u spell it)
and also the Manchester International Youth Tour.

I am also going to try the National Track Championships this year. I first went on the track about a month ago and recently won the B.S.C.A Sprint and came 2nd in the puruit loosing by 19 hundredths of a second.

I really need to do well at Holland Manchester and at the Track Champs this year. I think I need to be getting top 10 results in Womens National Road Race Series and Championships or complete a 2000m pursuit in under 2m43 i think and 500m in 39 seconds.

I have alot of work to do but I am willing to work hard and train often. Has anyone any suggestions about what kind of training I need to do for the different disciplines or any tactical advide for on the road

Thanks Biker Girl

 

I think that you should contact the World Class Start in your region. Even if you don't pass the tests that they have, they may be able to provide you with advice, links to training sessions and links to a coach. Check out www.go-ride.org.uk

Given that you have such big goals I think that you should get some personalised coaching to help you get where you are going.

 

I am already in the Talent Team. I have been in it since Jan this year thanks for your advice

 

Well done on getting in the Talent Team. Keep chatting to your coaches about your goals and they will help you get where your going. As you are a girl you have lots of time to make it (more than the men), just look at Pendleton didn't she go off to university and then start racing again... and look what she is doing now!

 

Plenty of time?

I want to add that just looking to the numbers the % number of Young females that belongs to the pro top is bigger than the % with males.
There are 2(at least IMO) explanations for this Female cyling is still a growing sport which makes the potential of a great talent discovered now bigger as to lets say 10 years ago(who make todays pro peleton).

But mor importantly Growth sprint with females comes earlier as to by men, also the growth process stops earlier which has to effect that a female body is mature at a younger age which will make her faster(age wise) competitive.

Note that in Female cycling careers up to the high 30's are rare(not to speak of our french counterexample). Females tend to build a family and this ends or shortens there cycling career quite often.

So stating that as a female you have plenty of time is quite premature IMO. I would rather state that if you have the potential to be top that you can be there several years earlier vs a male talented rider.

When you are in the talent team just ask questions. The people guiding you should have the good knowledge. But ask questions, when you know why you are doing something and understand it it will ameliorate the way you do it and improve your progress. And just again ask your coach and maybe read some books, the more you understand about how your body works the better as this is a large step to succes.

Good luck!

 

Good points maarten (what's IMO?).

In the UK it seems that the women on the squad are older than the men on the squad and that women are able to join the squad at an older age that the men. I think (but I am not sure) that theage at which you can be in the world class potential squad is a number of years older for girls than boys.

I think that the main reason for this is that there is more competition for places on the male squad and as a result the entry criteria (which include age) are stricter for men.

In the UK we have had successful riders at all ages - which strengthens your (maarten's) point. These include Nicole Cooke success at senior level in late teen's, Pendleton with success during early 20's and McGreggor with success in the 30's. I do realise that McGreggor was a good athlete before turning to the bike 'later' in life.

I think that with the talent team, there will be more tallented young girls and this might cause a decrease in the average age of cyclists geting on the GB squad... a consequence similar to the first point you made maarten.

 

My point of vieuw was more worldwide(better even european) aimed when discussing age of course this is no exact science Its possible to get to the top on a higher age due to some reasons.

IMO In My Opinion, just to state that its no scientific work just my opnion based upon what I notice in the pro peleton you can of course make a statistic of uci top 100 or worlds top 25 over the last x years if you want(maybe I ll do this later but kinda short on time now).

 

Thanks alot for your advice. What kind of training should I be doing. At the minute I race either a 10m TT or a 6 m circuit race. We take part in a track league on weds and track training on a friday. I lack quality training but sometimes racing is better than training