Cat 2 Upgrade and +48w FTP with Laura Alagna - Successful Athletes Podcast 30

TL;DR

Laura Alagna shares her experience of upgrading from cat 3 to cat 2 in cyclocross and discusses her training, skill development, and overcoming challenges.

Transcript

Welcome to the successful athletes podcast, where we interview successful athletes to make you a faster cyclist today, we're joined by Lauren, uh, or forgive me, Laura Alagna from Chicago. How are you doing Laura? I'm good. How are you Jonathan? Great. Great. Thanks for coming on here. You're actually. Um, so you were referred in this case to this ... Read More

Key Insights

• 🤩 Consistent training with TrainerRoad and improving skills were key factors in Laura's success in cyclocross.
• 😨 Overcoming fear and anxiety about riding on the road with traffic takes practice, confidence-building, and finding supportive communities.
• 🖐️ Nutrition and fueling play a crucial role in maintaining energy and performance, especially for endurance athletes like cyclocross riders.
• 🥺 Understanding individual strengths and weaknesses and working on specific limiters can lead to improvement and success in cyclocross racing.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did Laura overcome her fear of riding on the road with traffic?

Laura initially rode on side streets until she became more comfortable with riding on the road with traffic. She gradually improved her confidence and skills through practice, group rides, and learning from fellow cyclists.

Q: What were Laura's strategies for improving her cyclocross skills?

Laura focused on practicing dismounting and remounting quickly, which helped her save time on race day. She also worked on cornering, navigating barriers, and riding through challenging terrain like sand and mud.

Q: How did Laura adjust her training when she missed a workout?

Laura used the TrainerRoad calendar to adjust her workouts when she missed one. She also tried to make up for missed workouts by choosing longer versions of the workouts or adding more time to her subsequent workouts.

Q: How did Laura manage her internal frustrations when she couldn't complete a workout as planned?

Laura reminded herself to be kind to herself, just as she would be to a friend in the same situation. She realized that missing one workout or adjusting her training plan wouldn't completely sabotage her progress and that rest days were sometimes necessary for optimal performance.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Laura Alagna started cycling seriously about six years ago when her boyfriend convinced her to get a road bike, and she eventually got into cyclocross.

• She initially spectated cyclocross races and then started racing in cat 4 before gradually moving up to cat 3 and finally cat 2.

• Laura credits her success in cyclocross to consistently training with TrainerRoad, focusing on skill development, and riding with stronger riders to push her boundaries.