John Wakefield, one of the world's top cycling coaches now working with World Tour team Bora, joins us to break down how to build endurance for ultra-distance events like Badlands and Unbound. Whether you're juggling a full-time job or chasing a podium, we dig into periodization, strength training, recovery metrics, and the psychological edge that separates finishers from DNFs.
Key Takeaways
- Sustainable power in a comfortable position beats aggressive aerodynamics you can't hold—focus on what power output you can maintain for the full duration rather than chasing marginal aerodynamic gains
- Introduce strength and neuromuscular work immediately when an athlete arrives; as fatigue sets in during ultra events, riders revert to torque-based power, so building this capacity pays dividends across your whole training block
- Use a submaximal fatigue test every 7-10 days (3 minutes at a specific power range) to track whether your training stimulus is correct, not just follow session data—it catches burnout and stagnation early
- Professional athletes share one trait: obsessive attention to detail in everything they do, from bike maintenance to nutrition timing—how you do anything is how you do everything
- For amateurs, the line between professional dedication and unhealthy obsession is razor-thin; sometimes backing off and reintroducing fun actually improves performance more than adding more training
Expert Quotes
"How you do anything is how you do everything—a football manager fined me for dirty boots at 14, and my dad explained that attention to detail in small things flows into everything else you do"
"The minute fatigue kicks in and you can't turn a higher cadence or higher power, you need to revert to torque to keep going—that's why we build strength immediately, both off and on the bike"
"I would never tell someone don't do it, but I would give them reasoning why it may not be the best idea—ultimately it's always up to them to decide what they do"