414w FTP and 5.5w/Kg with Jarret Oldham — Successful Athletes Podcast 50

TL;DR

Elite road racer Jared Oldham shares his experience with training, nutrition, and racing, emphasizing the importance of consistency, intuition, and being adaptable.

Transcript

Welcome to the successful athletes podcast presented by trainer road, where we interview successful athletes to make you a faster cyclist. And this week we're joined by Jared Oldham out of Louisville, Kentucky here in the U S Hey, Jared. What's up? Hey, Jonathan. Good man. Uh, excited to do this with you. Uh, so we, we got in touch on Instagram, I ... Read More

Key Insights

• 🍉 Consistency and long-term commitment are crucial for improvements in cycling performance.
• ⚾ Understanding your body's signals and being flexible with training based on how you feel are important for sustainable progress.
• 🔊 Nutrition plays a significant role in supporting high training volumes and power outputs.
• 👰‍♀️ Balancing structured intervals with intuitive efforts and group rides helps develop race-specific skills.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did Jared transition from being a tennis player and triathlete to becoming a road racer?

Jared started cycling as a hobby, and his interest grew through triathlons. As he discovered the thrill and dynamic nature of road racing, he decided to focus more on cycling and began training with power.

Q: How does Jared approach nutrition, considering his high FTP and training volume?

Jared focuses on eating healthy, whole foods and listening to his body's hunger cues. He aims to fuel properly and consume enough carbohydrates to sustain his training. He acknowledges the challenges of eating enough to support his high calorie burn during workouts.

Q: How does Jared balance his high FTP with his strengths and weaknesses as a road racer?

Jared focuses on muscular endurance workouts to improve his ability to sustain high power outputs, especially towards the end of races. He also integrates group rides into his training to simulate race efforts and improve race intuition.

Q: How does Jared approach time trial training and incorporate the TT bike into his training?

Jared spends one day a week training on his TT bike, gradually increasing the time spent in the aero position as he approaches his target races. He focuses on improving his ability to sustain power in aero while also developing a comfort level with the position.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Jared Oldham is an elite road racer who competes in the highest level domestic road races in the United States.

• He focuses on races on the Pro Road Tour calendar, including criteriums and road races.

• Jared started cycling after playing tennis and participating in triathlons, and he found his passion in road racing.

• He has seen significant improvements in his FTP over the years, reaching a current level of 414 Watts.