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HOW TO MAKE CYCLING FEEL EASIER? | RIDER SUPPORT

with Rider Support

35:18·23 January 2025

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TOPICS

CYCLING NUTRITION

Ralph's asking the million-dollar question: how do you make cycling feel easier? Anthony and Sarah break down the core pillars—proper training structure, smart fueling, aerodynamics, and bike handling—that separate a slog from a smooth ride. Whether you're new to the bike or chasing specific goals, these principles apply regardless of your level.

Key Takeaways

80% of your training should be super easy (easier than you think), 20% really hard—the polarized model dominates the consensus among top coaches and pros
Fuel on the bike even during training rides; aim for 60–120g of carbs depending on intensity, especially if you're trying to lose weight
A clean bike fit, kit that actually fits, and avoiding baggy rain jackets can save 50–60 watts in aerodynamic drag
After hard evening sessions, cool down properly (10–15 mins easy), avoid caffeine 6+ hours before bed, and try magnesium or chamomile to activate your parasympathetic nervous system
Gravel-specific pain comes from grip tension and weak upper body stability—use wider tires, lower pressure, loose grip on bars, and core work to absorb vibration
Masters athletes need to prioritize protein (1–1.5g per kg bodyweight), anti-inflammatory foods, sleep tracking, and strength training more than younger riders

Expert Quotes

"80% of your training needs to be super easy so easier than those guys are currently writing and 20% of it needs to be really hard way harder than they're currently writing—Anthony"

"It doesn't matter how big your engine is like if you have a 5 liter engine versus a one liter engine it doesn't matter if you're not putting fuel into a car the car doesn't run—Anthony on nutrition"

"Traditions and rule based systems they exist in cycling for a reason they exist for your safety and everyone's safety in the group—Anthony on group ride etiquette"

KEY QUOTES

“there seems to be a consensus that 80% of your training needs to be super easy so easier than those guys are currently writing and 20% of it needs to be really hard way harder than they're currently writing polarized training model seems to be very little debate around that”
Anthony Walsh — Roadman Cycling podcast host

“safe range to start operating in is 60 grams of carbohydrates is a minimum up to 120 grams of carbohydrates depending on the intensity of your session but really prioritizing that even and maybe especially if you're trying to lose weight”
Anthony Walsh — Roadman Cycling podcast host

“it's not the doing too much that actually sets you back it's the doing too much breaks the back of your consistency and then the lack of consistency sets you back”
Anthony Walsh — Roadman Cycling podcast host

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EPISODE TRANSCRIPT4 SECTIONS

Making cycling feel easier

Welcome to this week's rer support this week we're going to talk about the different physical demands for gravel racing we have a complaint we're going to be talking about it who's complaining what is it about we are all these grievances but first and I actually love this question we're going to talk about how to make cycling feel easier that's where we're going to get started Sarah Anthony okay let's crack in this is the million dooll question I love this question hi Anthony I love cycling but some days it just feels like a slog how do I make cycling feel easier and that's from Ralph I love this question cuz I don't know what level Ralph is asked which kind of makes it more interesting man a few words who would have known that question had headline the podcast it's quite a layered question because no matter who's listening to this podcast if they just got their bike or if they're getting ready for the classic season they're still looking to find out the answer to this question I think it's a combo of the correct training is going to make it feel easier efficiency within the group fueling aerodynamics and nailing the mechanical technical aspects of cycling so this is an answer that I could probably do a six-hour solo podcast on without you getting award in edgeways and I still wouldn't do it justice but I'm going to try and give a really kind of quick fire tip in each of those main categories I think that's the best way to address it so training is going to make your life a lot easier and the easiest you I hate the word hack or gain but so the thing that I see most people getting wrong is most people training at just a single intensity you were doing for ages where if you're doing a bike ride you just head out the door and you just kind of ride and you only end up ever riding in one zone unknowns to yourself you're kind of top of zone two to zone three probably zone three riding that kind of hard yeah and you get that adaptation from that zone so instead from conversations like St with Steven sailor Joe Freel John Wakefield there seems to be a consensus that 80% of your training needs to be super easy so easier than those guys are currently writing and 20% of it needs to be really hard way harder than they're currently writing polarized training model seems to be very little debate around that I think that's a good place to get started we've loads of content talking exactly about that go back and listen to Dan laang interview the Steven sailor interview they're all great places to get started nutrition is is probably the second one cuz no matter how big your engine is you could be coming over from running like we've had lad in the club who's coming over from running like with high 80s V2 Max shout out to Daniel but it doesn't matter how big your engine is like if you have a 5 lit Engine versus a one lit engine it doesn't matter if you're not putting fuel into a car the car doesn't run the body works very similar to that this is something that's changed profoundly in my time cycling when I got started I didn't eat at all training cuz I thought then I'll eat your a race and it made me faster that was the biggest eye openening thing that I learned over the last few years was eating on the bike and feling for that training session and you're just going to go for miles even the pros got are so wrong like Christian vandel when he was on the show talking about he' literally stumbl in the door dizzy after six hour spins because he'd be so Gage in the ples so but even when you were when you were fulltime when you're in France you'd be hiding the French baguettes from your coach if you popped into the apartment like it was a totally warped way of looking eating with cheating yeah and if some you took a gel on a training R you would have been absolutely laughed out of it now you're seeing people pop in Morton gels and you know beta Fuel and all this type stuff I think uh safe range to start operating in is 60 grams of carbohydrates is a minimum up to 120 grams of carbohydrates depending on the intensity of your session but really prioritizing that even and maybe especially if you're trying to lose weight like the interview with Dr Sharon Madigan last week was a massive eye opener to the dangers of under fueling on the road if you're trying to lose weight and that's a hard one to get your head around because it's very counterintuitive you're like I want to lose weight I need to run a calorie deficit but by running that calorie deficit you're undermining your chances of losing weight that interview was amazing we've had some incredible Sports nutritionists on Yuri Carlson and Sharon Madigan she's involved with h Sports Ireland that was just knowledge mom knowledge vom knowledge vomb and she she actually had some stuff that I bet you in there that I bet you not a lot of people would expect her to say and I'll let you all go and check that out so you can you can find out what Sharon's advice was what else do you think for Ral uh I think arrow and I'll use that lightly he doesn't need to go out and buying the latest Arrow kit but Arrow clothing like not having a super baggy rain jacket like we know datawise it's 50 60 watts on one of those super baggy rain jackets are super poor fitting kit or having a really bad body position on the bike that you're just sitting up really high and catching a lot of wind so a good bike fit and some kit that actually fits you properly and then I would say mechanically like without getting too nerdy on you know wax and chains and different tires and pressures like the basic stuff just making sure your bike is in super good working order clean bike is a fast bike and avoid cross chaining as much as you can what about the motivation point because I think if you get if you're motivated to ride your bike then I think that you're going to yeah you can make a load of mistakes you can be training in the wrong Zone you can you know there there are other things that can go wrong but if you keep your motivation High then I feel that you've will stay with it and we always talk about that consistency piece don't we so it's not like go night training I Ral doing 15 hours one week and the following week doing two hours per week so that to me over the past four or five months since I've been training consistently has been a GameChanger but then if you reverse engineer that and go why are people not consistent and this is a conversation we had the day because you're always pushing me to give you harder sessions harder sessions but if you look at the data on why people most commonly start to become inconsistent it's preceded by a period where they've done too much intensity so doing too much leads to the poor consistency so it's not the doing too much that actually sets you back it's the doing too much breaks the back of your consistency and then the lack of consistency sets you back yeah and sorry just going back to my original point about motivation because that's really key to keeping you on the bike and keeping you getting out even in the you know the the bad weather or getting on the turbo when you don't kind of feel like it and that for me is having a why having a big scary goal or something that you are training to to towards and the other thing that I would say to Ralph is to try and change it up because if you're doing the same rots if you're maybe even doing the same type of writing I mean I absolutely love the road riding I absolutely love gravel riding I'm now enjoy really enjoying mountain biking so if you have the opportunity to do that you know please like a veil of all that and the other thing that I'm getting better at is going out and training with people and that's very motivating and that's going to keep you on the bike it's going to keep you motivated to go out on the bike and therefore you're going to get better okay okay next question hi Anthony I need your help with something that's driving me nuts after those intense evening training sessions where I'm pushing hard I just can't seem to wind down and get to sleep the other night I was lying in bed at 1:00 a.m.

Calming down after late intervals

Staring at the ceiling replaying my inter fills in my head like some kind of over caffeinated hamster on a wheel do you have any post ride routines or tips to help calm the system and get a better night's sleep after late sessions this is a good one because we know that people come home from work eat dinner probably play with the kids whatever other commitments they have and then they're getting on the turbo trainer then they're going out training so typically they're training late this is like the meme where it's like a husband and wife lying in bed and she's like oh he's probably thinking about other women and then it CS to him and he's as a hamster wheel and he's on a turbo trainer replaying intervals from Ruby in his head over over again it's like every time I look over your shoulder and you're on your phone I'm like what that Fell's up to no good now what's he looking at online but it's just bikes basically symmetric chain earings this enters my big business idea which I'm going to throw out to the universe and maybe someone will go and make it for me because I just organized enough to do it I want a recovery drink with CBD infused into a late a late night recovery drink which maybe is a little bit of melatonin in there some CBD in there NY NY sleepy sleepy recovery snooze snoozy snooze yeah sleepy sleepy snoozy snooze that would be nice I think this is probably something that a lot of people come up against because you're switching from the parasympathetic nervous system or sorry the sympathetic nervous system when you're doing these high intensity training sessions and you want to be there and then you're trying to get your parasympathetic nervous system kind of firing so it Cals you down and makes you ready for sleep okay so stuff I would do I would cool down properly I wouldn't just smash a 20 minutes full gas TT effort on a Thursday night and then jump off straight away as tempting as it is to skip the cool down cuz you know indoor training especially cool down period it's not the most enjoyable so getting that cool down properly 10 to 15 minutes at a very easy pace and bringing your music with that you know you were giving me stick coming home from the gym I was still listening to thunder struck from ACDC in the car after the session and it's like there's very much an appropriate tone for starting to wind down important in the evening will you stick on a bit of a Dell or something a little bit more chilled The Vibes are very different here and then I think you can foam roll or stretch even for 5 10 minutes after the session to help release tension in your muscles reduce that physical stress on your body and that's going to promote relaxation as well avoid stimulants he mentioned he's over caffeinated like you shouldn't need caffeine before like the halflife of caffeine is I think it's four hours I think it's even more than that like but yeah it's in your system for sure in significant doses when you're trying to go to sleep if you're taking it for an evening session so I would absolutely avoid any caffeine for 6 hours before bed H I would try a magnesium supplement before bed as well uh that's very good something like a chamomile tea or a valerian root which can also help muscles and mind relax you could also try like he said he's going over in his head like diary at the end of the day like I used to do the General's tent someone taught me in the podcast I think it was Navy seum masses talk me this idea of the General's tent Where It's Like a Bird hovering above the town and he's reporting on what he's seeing for today so you're just a little bit of a debrief on what went right what went wrong what you could do better for the day and get it down on paper and it's like downloading your thoughts so you're kind of free it from them that's a brilli good idea and then it's the stuff we talk about all the time I think sleep environments matters a lot and sleep routines matter a lot like getting off devices you know you're probably finishing the session with your caffeine then going back inside pulling out your phone uploading it to straa scrolling through comment sharing it on Facebook Instagram whatever like putting rules in place where you're not going on Tech and get exposed to blue lights and maybe instead replacing that with like some breathing exercises or something like that there's so many amazing apps now that will lead you to get off the screen Sarah oh you're just listening to and it'll lead you through kind of a meditation that will help activate your parasympathetic nervous system what you say is really interesting about the caffeine taking caffeine before an evening session I I can't really drink coffee after 2 p.m.

Caffeine, melatonin and sleep fixes

In the afternoon because it affects my sleep and I know that about myself but he should probably if he is taking caffeine before a a session he should really start to look at his breakfast lunch and dinner and snacks that day if he has to take a caffeine gel before his session he's probably feeling wrong in the lead up to that session the other thing that I will say as well you kind of touched on it a few moments ago is that melatonin can be used as a really really effective way to help you get back into your sleep cycle so they don't really recommend that you know you use it consistently yeah exactly but it's a very very safe way to really get yourself into that sleep State especially if you've been at kind of this high stress level before that and there's very R very few risks associated with it as long as you you know stay within the guidelines and dosages I know that in Ireland it's a prescription drug but in many countries around the world you just get it over the counter in your Camas so potentially something to think about if you're finding it really hard to but that's more to reset his sleep cycle isn't it rather than yeah but if he's doing too if he's finding it hard twice a week to drift off you could take it quite safely twice a week you know to to lull yourself into a sleep because that feels like more of a crutch than like addressing the underlining problem yeah I agree no I think your points are you should definitely try all of those before H you know getting on the melatone and yeah okay best Lu with that okay next question she says he won't see you for my house that was like well I'm a really good sleeper it's because i' I've got that clean conscience so not an issue I face okay hi Anthony and Sarah while I like a lot of your content and feel it's helpful I think that some of it is off point one example is a few weeks ago when a listener wrote in to ask if wearing a hydration pack on a road ride is acceptable q sniggers and eye rolls from you and Sarah can we please stop all this elitist [ __ ] and just let everyone do and wear what they want again I really am a supporter of the podcast but I feel that this kind of judgment is unnecessary said CEST negro Q we chopping it out into a real up on Instagram doubling down h no I think the gloves need to come off for this one cuz uh your man's wrong whoever who wrote in do we have a name no actually okay so you're wrong like traditions and Rule based systems they exist in cycl for a reason they exist for your safety and everyone's safety in the group and they exist for people's enjoyment so feel free to you know wear a kilt and a hydration pack and whatever ever else you want if you're out training on your own break those rules but when you're in a group have respect for traditions because it's respecting other people in the group around you C's like a mini Darwinism where we've passed on useful Traditions from generation to generation and we've carefully iterated to remove the not so useful Traditions so what you're seeing now it's the product of generations of people passing down what works to the Next Generation to the Next Generation to the next gener generation now some of the reasons why you might not want to wear a hydration pack we laughed it off because I didn't think it needed full explanation but it obviously does need full explanation there's a reason you don't see hydration packs in a group ride if you go to the the hubs of cycling you go to France you go to Belgium where etiquette is very tightly respected firstly the first we opened up the podcast today about how do I make cycling easier on myself it's you're not going to have the strongest guy in the group who was wearing a hydration pack because he's respected Traditions to a point where he's achieved that level of Wizardry or Mastery so it's typically going to be someone a little bit newer so they're already not putting a burden on the group because the group should only be as fast as its weakest link but you're handicapping yourself because they're so aerodynamically poor like you're putting bulk on your back to increase wind resistance and actively slow you down it's that's disrespecting the rest of the group you're not doing everything you can in your power to make yourself as fast as you can to be a proper part of this group but there's also loads other reasons like we know the research from chatting with the guys from core about heat buildup and how heat even a small increase in body temperature affects performance so heat dissipation off the back of day packs is really poor as well typically results in your body temperature being you know at least half a degree higher balance and handling isn't super if you're having a full hydration pack and you're not used to wearing it especially your Center gravity changes it makes the bike feel a little bit less stable especially when you're in tight formations or if I don't know it's a technical part of the road where you're navigating like a particularly tight descent and you're all packed in together which we don't have so much in Oreland but you have that in other countries where you could you know ride a 20 minute climb as a group and then you go into a 10 km twisty descent with switchbacks where everybody staying perfectly in formation they're touching shoulders if they have to go around corners having something to destabilize is your center of gravity there is just not a good idea at all also there's a little bit of an inconvenience to the group like messages are passed quite subtly from person to person there's occasions where you need to look around to see if someone's gapped it's kind of like obscuring your vision it's harder to see around it and Etha and space are important in a group as well like in a group ride Space and communication are key and a hydration pack protrude and it can take up just a little bit extra room in tight formations making harder for you to stay in the draft of someone's wheel or harder for you to hold position and that's just touching on some of the reasons that spring to my mind off the top of my head I'm probably missing loads of other reasons as to why hydration packs haven't become the norm yeah I mean they look they don't look good that'll be my you're just missing a skill like take your taking your bottle out of a cage in a tight group at speed is a skill you need to progress in the sport of cycling whether you want to go and do gravel races you want to do fondos or you know gravitate towards Bunch racing you need need this skill so you're meant to be honing your SK still sharpen at the sword I think uh that's quite an extensive yeah monologue about why hydration backs don't work Anthony I kind of want to get back to that this guy thinks that we're a bit judgy sometimes in so far as the way that we answer questions I mean I think that we try keep it lighthearted we do also try and you know share some of the well I'm still learning but share some of the beautiful Traditions that everyone learning I'm still learning everyone's still learning and also like people what I always say and I know when we started the podcast first Anthony was always a little bit reluctant you know if if someone was like oh should I wear white leg warmers and I'd be like hell no Anthony like well I don't know I mean if if you like them I guess wear them and I'm like well people are actually writing in to ask is this acceptable does this look cool these people actually want to know or want our opinion categories so there stuff there like okay if the question is does it look cool but you can come dressed in pink fluorescent all white you think that's kill that doesn't matter because it's not like I don't think it should be exclusion based on fashion I think it should be inclusive but for me I draw a distinction is if you're putting the safety or enjoyment of someone else in the group at risk you need to draw a harder line on it than like a you know sorial recommendation yeah but you're kind of missing my point is in the fact that somebody who comes to cycling as a newbie like me and I have a question I always say you know it's like running it I used to do a lot of running if somebody came out for a run with me and they were a newbie and they're running on the spot at a traffic light i' like no dude don't do that it just doesn't look cool like that's just a tiny little Quirk of running and looking cool and people who write into us in the podcast want to know these little things and I think that we're better off to honest yeah but stick with the Run analogy so it doesn't look cool bit of a dick have to point it out but I think you should point out if they're going out running in a pair of Adidas sambas where you're like I know they're going to do an injury if they keep running than that I think you have a duty to point that out where you're being a bit of an nurse I think pointing out that they don't look cool but if this person said to you as they do in the podcast because they're writing in they're asking our opinion so this person comes out on a run at me and they're like Sarah how can I look cooler when I'm at in a run and I'd be like okay well number one stop jogging on the spot out a traffic light the people riding in or have given us permission to give their give our opinion on it so that's kind of where I stand but thank you very much for the question and your ongoing support okay next question transform your indoor cycling with ruvy the platform that brings Real World Roots and augmented reality to your training whether you're preparing for a big event or you're just looking to explore Ruby lets you experience legendary rids like Alp thez and Paso the stelvio from the comfort of your home home Ruby's unique augmented reality technology uses real life video and GPS data to create the most realistic cycling experience available you'll feel every climb descent and Horn with precise terrain replication giving you an authentic outdoor ride indoors plus with ar elements like avatars and Banners the ride really feels totally immersive and interactive with over, 1500 routes and 25,000 k the world's most iconic cycling destinations Ruby is perfect for cyclists of all levels whether you want to enjoy scenic routes participate in group rids or push your limits with Advanced Training plans ruy has you covered Ruby also offers flexible pricing allowing you to pause your subscription or choose duo or group plans to share the experience from exploring new places to Serious training Ruby has something for every cyclist ready to ride the world visit ruby.com and start your journey today Anthony should we make mudguards a rule in our group ride I think stitch up after last question somebody wrote this in about me on Saturday it was very mudy very very the roads are very bad I don't have a mud guard and everyone behind me was getting destroyed now I was getting destroyed sitting on your wheel and everybody who didn't have a mudu guard as well and yeah I got a bit of stick for it in the in the WhatsApp group uh people were sending me for mood guards things like that people fall on different sides of defense this one this is I would say it's not like the white leg warmers it's it's this is more uh nuanced yeah look some clubs justifiably so have mood guard rules where you have to use a m guard and I've never been a fan of those rules because but I can see the argument for them as well it's miserable if you're on a group rout and people don't have M guards and you're getting M constantly funnel in your face but I'm not a fan of them and I lean towards not having them because of you're forcing and you're imposing a additional cost on somebody you know we've students in the club we've people they just you know they'll break one small piece of equipment and they're out of the club roide for months and they're not able to attend because they can't cover the cost of equipment everyone's coming from slightly different demographic backgrounds to impose an additional equipment cost I don't love that idea now I know people are going to say oh it's 20 quid extra it's 50 Quid extra but you're also dealing with a variety of skilled mechanics like you wouldn't be able to install a set of mood guards and then aesthetically mood guards look quite bad and we very different riding conditions like today it's absolutely Bone Ride there's no need for mood guards at all so then you're asking someone to kind of take mood guards on put mood guards off and then potentially have to go to the bike shop to do that so that's why I've kind of ered against imposing a mudguard rule on the group's bin but haven't said that when we do get a wet day on our group spin it's absolutely horrific I just try ride on the front as much as possible yeah I was there for a spin with you and Jer day before yesterday and I have been sitting on the wheel of course all day and we pulled up to a traffic light and jar took one look at me and he was like I was talking about something he was like Sarah I can't take you serious call Mine He's like I just canot take you seriously neither me or J had a mood guard on yeah and it was a really bad day we were perfectly Dr were yeah I don't know may it should be a real the jury is out I know I did post about it on um my ex account a couple of weeks ago and so many people do have these rules for their for their clubs so mood guard's one of those where we talked about cycling's this iterative process to passes down rules potentially one generation from now mudguards is a hard and fast rule in every group right it's in that gray area now where some clubs do impose it some clubs don't yeah okay next question Anthony I started gravel riding at the end of last last year and was feeling it in every inch of my body my joints and my hands were constantly so sore because of all of the very tough terrain how can I improve my positioning or my body to absorb shocks and vibrations during rides especially on rough terrain are there any specific training exercises or techniques that can help me I think just a few bits before you get into that tires are your suspension on a gravel bike wider tires typically better if you can get 50 mil tires in go 50 mil tires small aerodynamic penalty but if this is what you're suffering with they're going to help a lot after that tire pressure matters going over to the roban website and we have a toolkit in the top menu and it's totally free and there's a tire pressure calculator in there which I would encourage everybody to check out and make sure you're using the right tire pressure because that's going to help soak up impact and it's going to give you improved traction if you're really really suffering with it some of the gravel bikes have started adding suspension I know specialized of added suspens into some of theirs some of them do weird suspension handlebars not a huge fan of it I don't think it's that necessary because you can do other stuff like use a handle bar has a little bit of flare on it that'll help absorb a little bit of impact as well gloves and good bar tape are going to help I rode Rift two years ago with no Ms on and my hands were absolutely poor and blood at the end of it from just the constant vibrations of the day but body position does help as well like having a loose grip on the bars like when you grab the bars tightly you're just creating that kind of you know constant like fire which are two sticks together it's that friction together it's getting transferred straight from the bars the road right into your hands and that does kind of wear wear on you a little bit so the loose grip helps also having like Flex in your elbows and knees to absorb the impact so it's not coming straight through a lock joint and transferring up just generally upper body being quite relaxed I think helps but like gravel is more tury and it's more upper body than road because you're constantly lifting your front wheel over obstacles this like you can't just ride into the lip of something you go over the bars so you're constantly making these little little up up up and that might seem like a huge movement or a massively taxing movement but think how many times you could do that in a 10 roid like it's massive so you do need to put a little bit more focus on core stabilization stuff like planks and if you Google you know core shining for cyclists thr into YouTube You're Going to get loads of recommendations on stuff there but that's where I would get started yeah I think after doing all of that as well it's literally just time on the bike as well because I know that if I take a few weeks or months off the bike I go back onto the bike I get pains in not the most random places but it's pains where you're you're you know the the touch points for me it's that that right right in between my thumb and my forefinger get kills me the crooks kills me and there's not really that much that I can do about it except try and relax my grip on the bike and then also my body will just eventually after a few weeks get used to it again so as I said take all of Anthony's advice and then just keep going suck it up as well first it okay next question we are so excited to announce that we are partnering with whoop whoop are changing the game when it comes to wearable technology and health monitoring whoop is a wearable health and fitness coach that provides you with feedback and actionable insights into your sleep your recovery your training your stress and your overall health Sarah and I have been using [ __ ] for years and we love the insights it provides into our body's inner workings it really gives us a look under the hood and you're going to see Matthew Vander paaul Richard caras another Elite level cyclist wearing whoop but it isn't just for those Superstars all the D is personalized to your unique physiology and fitness levels if you're interested in taking 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Masters recovery with data

Woop.com roadman I'm going to pop that in the description below and you're going to get a free month's access to whoop membership on me I promise you won't regret it hello Anthony as a cyclist in my latest 50s I've noticed that my recovery time has increased are there any specific recovery techniques or training adjustments that can help Master's athletes like me bounce back more efficiently I'd be using I'd be using data to start out I'd be using your whoop and leaning on that and you know I know obviously they're a podcast sponsor not you know Shilling them but the new ear of ability to Peak under the H is invaluable where you can see your heart rate variability your rest and heart rate plot that against times where you're feeling recovered I think that's very valuable and that's your starting point ensuring you dig into those Trends and you're looking at times where you did have the highest heart rate variability what was your rest day schedule like in the week preceding that was was the times where you're riding six days a week or times where you're riding four days a week we often miss that like you think back to how training Peaks calculates someone at a peak It's a combination of being fatigued and being fresh and it's that intersection fatigue and freshness equals form so it's not just about piling training on training on training on it's training plus recovery equals the adaptation and we're looking for that adaptation to give a performance so using data to figure that out just now seems like a no-brainer two three seasons ago it was hard to get reliable data now it's not so you can figure out what your Optimum training balance is if it's three days a week or if it's seven days a week you can figure that out and then using that data to guide stuff like sleep like are you sleeping enough again checking into the data to see if you're sleeping enough what good sleep look like when you have your perfect night sleep now sitting down with your diing on okay that was a perfect night sleep what did I do last night what time did I get off screens so when did I have my last meal when did I have my last coffee and by using that combination of you know a little bit of introspection with the diary and the data you can start to construct your sleep routine because you can't do that you can't just go online and go you know what's Joe Rogan sleep routine it's it's going to be very different for you is for someone else uh migan spoke on the podcast about the protein intake been super important over 40 which category I'm hesitantly falling into now I'm saying nothing so I'm missing nothing getting at least you know one to two grams of protein per kilogram of body weight two is probably the high end for cycling 1 to 1.5 will probably do most people Sharon gives a better breakdown of it anti-inflammatory foods are more important as you age as well stuff like with known anti-inflammatory benefits like leafy greens berries uh fatty fish like salmon mackerel nuts all these help reduce muscle soreness and speed up recovery hydration again super important it seems like like not sexy but hydration and electrolytes all this stuff just gets more important as you age you can get away with so much when you're 20 but when you're 40 when you're 50 when you're 60 not so much add in supplements what's the right supplement for you well it's based on your blood works the data for stuff like creatine vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids is pretty good across the board magnesium as well for muscle relaxation but if you're getting specific I'd encourage you to get a blood work and then identify where the weaknesses are and then supplement around that I think stretching Mobility stuff and strength train are also massively important and then you can dive into the gadgets I'm always hesitant to recommend the gadgets but there is stuff like you know what what did we use a few years ago was it power dot oh yeah that was the electro temps machine essentially yeah yeah I really like that that was good you can use the the compression boots that we occasionally throw on in the house as well or massage going or just go for a massage you went for a massage last week you came like dead I was like this little seven stone thae lady is the strongest person on the planet she could she could literally turn your bones into dust if you wanted to if there's an apocalypse I want this lady on my side I like ice bats and sa that's probably my favorite way but Sona is a stressor so be careful with how often you use the SAA without factoring it into your weekly stress some people I think assign in the wrong column they're like oh yeah that's recovery but it's actually stress so ice is recovery heat is stress now you can use the two of them in t them to kind of relax but just be careful how you assign value to them yeah I think you make a really good point you can get away with mer Mur when you're 20 and into your 30s and then as you like we went back to the gym for the first time in a long time so bad and I think my ability to bounce back and retain strength retain Mobility all of that kind of stuff it it seems to just be to be dissipating so much quicker than it used to I kind of always took for granted that if I went into the gym I would have a minimum standard which is still pretty high but I went in the other day and I was like I left pretty annoyed didn't I myself for letting it slip so much so look your back into you know the heaviest weight in the gym the front door I leave you with that classic Rob man thank you for tuning in we'll have another episode coming to your host later in the week until then there's a video up here which I know you're going to love and please subscribe to the channel down here

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why does cycling still feel hard even after months of training?+

The most common cause is too much riding at high intensity. Anthony and Sarah recommend an 80/20 split, meaning roughly 80% of your riding should be genuinely easy and only 20% hard. Most cyclists invert this ratio without realising it, which accumulates fatigue faster than the body can absorb and adapt.

How many carbs per hour should I eat on a long bike ride?+

Anthony and Sarah prescribe 60 to 120 grams of carbohydrates per hour depending on ride intensity and duration. Under-fuelling is one of the most common reasons cycling feels harder than it should, and they specifically note that restricting carbs to lose weight on the bike is counterproductive, as it undermines training quality and overall calorie management.

Does aerodynamics actually make a difference for everyday cyclists?+

Yes. Anthony and Sarah identify aerodynamics as one of five key levers for making cycling feel easier, not just a concern for racers. Small positional adjustments and clothing choices can meaningfully reduce the effort required to hold a given speed, particularly above 30 km/h where wind resistance becomes the dominant force.

How do I stay consistent with cycling training without burning out?+

Anthony and Sarah argue that inconsistency is almost always caused by riding too hard too often rather than a lack of motivation. Keeping the majority of sessions at a genuinely easy pace preserves the ability to keep showing up week after week, whereas excessive intensity erodes motivation and invites illness or injury that breaks training blocks entirely.

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Key Takeaways

80% of your training should be super easy (easier than you think), 20% really hard—the polarized model dominates the consensus among top coaches and pros

Fuel on the bike even during training rides; aim for 60–120g of carbs depending on intensity, especially if you're trying to lose weight

A clean bike fit, kit that actually fits, and avoiding baggy rain jackets can save 50–60 watts in aerodynamic drag

After hard evening sessions, cool down properly (10–15 mins easy), avoid caffeine 6+ hours before bed, and try magnesium or chamomile to activate your parasympathetic nervous system

Gravel-specific pain comes from grip tension and weak upper body stability—use wider tires, lower pressure, loose grip on bars, and core work to absorb vibration

Masters athletes need to prioritize protein (1–1.5g per kg bodyweight), anti-inflammatory foods, sleep tracking, and strength training more than younger riders

Expert Quotes

"80% of your training needs to be super easy so easier than those guys are currently writing and 20% of it needs to be really hard way harder than they're currently writing—Anthony"

"It doesn't matter how big your engine is like if you have a 5 liter engine versus a one liter engine it doesn't matter if you're not putting fuel into a car the car doesn't run—Anthony on nutrition"

"Traditions and rule based systems they exist in cycling for a reason they exist for your safety and everyone's safety in the group—Anthony on group ride etiquette"

KEY QUOTES

“there seems to be a consensus that 80% of your training needs to be super easy so easier than those guys are currently writing and 20% of it needs to be really hard way harder than they're currently writing polarized training model seems to be very little debate around that”
Anthony Walsh — Roadman Cycling podcast host

“safe range to start operating in is 60 grams of carbohydrates is a minimum up to 120 grams of carbohydrates depending on the intensity of your session but really prioritizing that even and maybe especially if you're trying to lose weight”
Anthony Walsh — Roadman Cycling podcast host

“it's not the doing too much that actually sets you back it's the doing too much breaks the back of your consistency and then the lack of consistency sets you back”
Anthony Walsh — Roadman Cycling podcast host

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why does cycling still feel hard even after months of training?+

How many carbs per hour should I eat on a long bike ride?+

Does aerodynamics actually make a difference for everyday cyclists?+

How do I stay consistent with cycling training without burning out?+

HOW TO MAKE CYCLING FEEL EASIER? | RIDER SUPPORT

Key Takeaways

Expert Quotes

KEY QUOTES

Making cycling feel easier

Calming down after late intervals

Caffeine, melatonin and sleep fixes

Masters recovery with data

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

NEVER MISS AN EPISODE

READ THE GUIDE

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HOW TO MAKE CYCLING FEEL EASIER? | RIDER SUPPORT

Key Takeaways

Expert Quotes

KEY QUOTES

Making cycling feel easier

Calming down after late intervals

Caffeine, melatonin and sleep fixes

Masters recovery with data

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

NEVER MISS AN EPISODE

READ THE GUIDE

RELATED EPISODES

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