At the Nullarbor Roadhouse, Western Australia, about a third of the way across the continent, my Cross Australia ride 2022, probably my most ambitious sporting event ever, 33 days of riding, 45 days total including rest days.
About Pat Whelan and Rat Racer Coaching
The Who and Why
Time for me, Pat, to start to share in all the wonderful experiences and knowledge I’ve acquired racing at velodromes around the USA and the World. Plus, I’ve been lucky to have some great coaches encourage and train me to get some personally rewarding results and experiences. I’ll share some of that knowledge as well. Currently I host Zoom trainer rides at no charge for all levels of cycling enthusiasts. Connect with me to get a free invitation to any or all the upcoming fall, winter and early spring rides. About an hour per event, ride at your own pace and intensity within a suggested structure for each ride. Check out the tab above for details. New to cycling or to having a coach to help you improve on your cycling? Connect with me and we can cooperatively build a variety of training options that will help you succeed in that next cycling challenge.My Philosophy
Fit for Fun, Fit for Sport, Fit for Life needs to be added to web under Rat Racer.
My Vision
To build a coach athlete relationship that allows both the athlete and the coach to grow, prosper and exceed expectations. To strive for and achieve goals never thought possible.
My Method
I use time tested traditional methods of training that are based on science and results-based methods. Data like TSS , FTP monitoring as well as personal communication with athletes sharing how they feel during a progressive training period over at least a year long training period to build and improve performance keyed on specific goal events. I use Training Peaks as my tracking mechanism, so athletes need to have at least Basic Training Peaks account, which is free. I would prefer all my athletes have a Premium account, which currently costs about $130 per year. (premium includes unlimited use of the TP’s Virtual ride platform)
Goals
My goals are based on your goals. I would like you to become the best version of you, athletically, you can be. There is no one goal that fits all. What does fit is to improve and be the best you can be at a moment in time. Success can be measured in various ways, a podium spot, a best time for a timed event, finishing an event you have dreamed about, a best, never thought I could do that success. A coach and athlete collaboration is a very special relationship where feelings, desires and weaknesses can be openly talked about to build a plan of success. Most athletes discover that success in the process becomes the best overall goal.
A 1st Step to being a coached Athlete is this Athlete Assessment
Initial Athlete Background and interests Survey
- Short history/description of/by athlete. Tell me about yourself to start a successful athlete/coach relationship
- Approximate age?
- Where do you live? (Part of the country to understand weather obstacles to training)
- Cycling for how long? Do you consider yourself a “lifetime” athlete?
- What kind of cycling, all that apply.
- Casual/Commuter
- Group
- Gravel
- CX, some in the past
- Multi day events, some?
- Racing, what style? Criterium, Stage, one day events, average length (Time or distance)
- Track, past
- Other
- What are your other sports involvements if any, past and current?
- Why are you looking into a coach relationship? This may be a good chance for you to answer the question for yourself.
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- Improve your placing in the races/events that you already participate in. (Assumes you have a racer background)
- Prepare for specific events?
- Improve your noncompetitive performance?
- Life fitness
- Other?
- How many hours do you have available to commit to training on a weekly basis
- How many days per week do you plan to have available for training?
- On bike=?
- Strength=?
- Other=?
- What days are best for training?
- Does your family support your time and dedication to your sport development? Are there family commitments that will affect your available training time?
- Are you willing to attempt all the training that may be assigned to you as an athlete? (Mutually agreed upon training)
- Are you willing to devote more than a season/partial year to a coach relationship?
- Yes/No/UNK
- Are there any limitations/injuries that will affect your performances?
- What kind of equipment do you own to ride/train/race on?
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- Bikes you have: road, gravel, commuter, CX, track, tandem, other?
- Power meter
- HR monitor
- Speed/cadence tracking
- TT
- Other?
- Strength Training Related
- Do you currently strength train?
- If, no, do you plan to do strength training?
- Do you have access to strength training equipment?
- Do you have a membership to a location you can do strength training?
- Level of proficiency with strength training
- Limited
- Very Experienced
- Are you connected on any data tracking site and willing to share that info with a coach?
- Strava
- Training Peaks
- Garmin?
- Other?
- Are you a member of any team or have other riders to train with?
- Other information you want to share that you think is valuable?
- Other
- What you need to do to help make this relationship a success
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- Monitor your TP account regularly/daily for new workouts and communications
- Determine where training is in your life/daily priorities.
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- For every training day:
- Upload data
- Pick the appropriate “How did you feel” emoji
- Adjust the RPE scale for the work out
- Optional, add notes related to this day/work out
- Add/update events to the calendar, goal events, race events, try to add a note about what level those events are, A, B, C?
- For every training day:
Key to Success
Pick a coach that you feel comfortable with, can easily communicate with and can trust to do the right thing for you. Ask if they have knowledge in your desired style of sport. Ask questions of them and get some background on them. Be aware that a coach may make you work harder than you are used to, especially if you have never had a coach. Generally, you should try to pick the best option and then work with that coach for a while to try and adapt to the training plan and methods before choosing to move to a different coach. If the current coach arrangement doesn’t work, talk to the coach about what isn’t working to get their feedback before making a change to a different coach.
About Fergusons Coaching, my coach. I’ve had a coach in my life for as long as I can remember, well maybe not that long but certainly over 20 years and I love it.
Training Peaks and now with Training Peaks Virtual ride platform
TrainingPeaks provides the complete web, mobile and desktop solution for enabling smart and effective endurance training. Our products include TrainingPeaks.com Athlete and Coach Edition, WKO+ desktop software for cutting-edge scientific analysis and planning, and the TrainingPeaks mobile apps for iOS and Android. TrainingPeaks solutions are used by Tour de France teams, IRONMAN® World Champions, Olympians, and age group athletes and coaches around the world to track, analyze and plan their training.
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