KRISTIAN HOUSE

TheformerRaphaandONEProCyclingstar,nowMetier ambassador,takesusonjourneyfromridertoruler

GO PRO

Looking to set up your own club? Contact existing teams or cycling coaches for advice on everything from team structure and training rides. My first junior team, Violet Crown Cycling in Texas, did exactly that, getting a pro coach involved to give us direction.

OPEN DEMOCRACY

If you’re with a club – especially on the committee – make team meetings honest, open forums for talking about goals, values, aims and concerns. Regular meetings and open discussions help to generate ideas and tactics you can apply when riding for your club.

DON’T BE DISTRACTED

As a young rider I wasn’t exposed to social media. I lived in a bit of a bubble, training and racing and not really aware of what was happening beyond. Now social media can lead to envy among riders. Don’t get bogged down in the pressures these things can create; use it as a tool to communicate but don’t let it ruin your ride.

REVIEW YOUR RIDES

Becoming a better rider stems from how you deal with the situations that go against you. Review what happened post-ride, asking yourself and others, ‘What caused that mistake?’ or ‘How could I have rode that stretch better?’ Discover how to react to setbacks – that way you’ll always improve.

DITCH THE DATA

Data has its place and, as a coach, it’s great to stimulate and monitor progress. But having the right numbers doesn’t mean you’re going to perform to your best if your head’s not in the right place. Focus, desire, mental readiness – they’re not quantifiable but they’re crucial. Use data to track how and where to build upon, but there’s not much place for it in your head during a ride.

HAVE A NICKNAME

Teams and clubs need camaraderie to bond, forge mental spirit and, as the biggest motivation, to commit to rides on cold, wet mornings. Bonding takes all forms including having nicknames. In Australia I was called ‘Churchy’ (a Christian house = a church) and then ‘the Dude’ after the Big Lebowski character. I was pretty laid back. Thanks to Metier Cycling www.metiercycling.com