Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast - Presented by TrainerRoad

How to Build Cycling Workouts (Most People Get This Wrong) | Ask a Cycling Coach 578

23 snips
Mar 19, 2026
Guest
Hannah Otto
Hannah Otto, professional mountain bike racer with Scott Bikes and coach, shares her experience in endurance training and race prep. They cover training zones and why numbers are guides, how workouts target specific energy systems, and structuring endurance, tempo, sweet spot, threshold, VO2, and sprint work. Practical tips on recovery, progression, and applying workouts to real race demands.
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ADVICE

Prioritize Endurance As The Foundation

  • Use endurance (55–75% FTP) as the foundational volume year-round.
  • Jonathan says endurance forms the aerobic bedrock supporting higher-intensity engines and should dominate training time.
ADVICE

Fuel Endurance Rides Generously

  • Fuel endurance rides; don't 'diet on the bike.'
  • Jonathan calculates a 2.5‑hour endurance ride burned ~1,856 kcal and recommends taking in carbohydrates (e.g., 60–90g/hr) to avoid big deficits.
INSIGHT

Tempo Builds Durability And Race Specificity

  • Tempo fills the gap between endurance and threshold and builds durability for race demands.
  • Hannah and Jonathan recommend tempo for time‑crunched athletes and race specificity like long gravel or Unbound events.
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