FasCat Cycling Training Tips Podcast

Coach Frank describes a 3 month Unbound training plan that you can follow FREE for 30 days → https://fascatcoaching.com/app
Develop your Diesel Watt power by knowing how to train it in March, April, and May to arrive in Emporia fresh, fit, and ready to send it.
Whether you're lining up for the 200, 100, or XL, this video covers the training concepts that have helped thousands of FasCat athletes finish strong,from sweet spot base building to full gravel simulation rides to the art of a proper taper.
You'll learn:
the Gravel Power Workout (the single best workout for gravel racers)
how to build your long ride from 2.5 hours to 5+,
why Flint Hills repeats matter, and
what race-winning power data from Ian Boswell, Pete Stetina, and Cam Jones tells us about pacing Unbound.
📱 The CoachCat app gives you a custom Unbound training plan, AI coaching to adjust on the fly, and nutrition guidance — all free for 30 days.
🚴 Let us know what distance are you riding at Unbound 2026? 
#UnboundGravel #UnboundGravel2026 #GravelTraining #FasCatCoaching #CoachCat #SweetSpotTraining #DieselWatts #GravelSimulationRide #FlintHills #EmporiaKansas #GravelPowerWorkout #HowToTrainForUnbound #GravelRacing #CyclingTraining

Are you making this gravel pacing mistake? It could be costing you 30 minutes or more — and you won't even feel it happening until it's too late. 
 In this video, Coach Frank breaks down the #1 pacing mistake I see in gravel race power files, why it happens, and exactly how to fix it. I'll show you the one tactical decision you need to make in the first hour of your next gravel race that could save you 30 minutes — without being any more fit than you already are.
What you'll learn:
- Why gravel racing is really a time trial (and why that changes everything)
- How to use Intensity Factor (IF) as your real-time pacing gauge - The art of "self-dropping" — and why the tortoise always beats the hare
- A 4-step process for finding the right group without blowing up
- First-hour IF targets for every race duration from 2 to 8+ hours
Want course-specific pacing instructions in watts for YOUR next gravel race? CoachCat's AI can give you section-by-section wattage targets so you always know what's too hard and what's just right.
🚀 Start your free trial: https://fascatcoaching.com/app

Learn how not to be the Group Ride Hero and Train the Right Way, Free for 30 days → https://fascatcoaching.com/app
One of the most common mistakes cyclists make is piling on high-intensity intervals before they've finished building their aerobic base. It feels great in February. You're flying on the group ride. You're winning town line sprints.
But by May, when racing and big events actually matter, you're flat, stale, and wondering what happened.
In this video, Coach Frank Overton from FasCat Coaching shows you how to bridge the gap between base season and race season the right way.
You don't need to live in Zone 2 forever. But you also shouldn't be smashing yourself with full-gas workouts every week.
The answer?
A smart, controlled progression that introduces just enough Zone 4, 5, and 6 intensity to wake up speed while still building durability and aerobic strength.
 Inside, Frank walks through four proven winter workouts from the CoachCat training system:
🐆 The Cheetah Pounce – Sweet Spot control with explosive attacks. Practice commitment and fast-twitch recruitment without blowing up recovery.
🎯 Sprint → Stalk & Catch – Learn how to handle the surges that drop riders in real races and group rides.
📊 The Three 8's – A powerful combination of testing and training that reveals your true ability and builds fatigue resistance.
💳 The AmEx Ride – FasCat's signature terrain-driven session. No timers, no ERG, just smart execution and a mission: don't come home without your prescribed OTS.
These workouts help you:
✔ build the engine
✔ touch high power
✔ improve repeatability
✔ arrive in spring ready for true interval work
 Instead of peaking early, you'll keep stacking fitness when it counts.
If you're following a structured plan, this is the step many athletes miss.
Try These Workouts Yourself They're available inside the CoachCat AI app, where you can follow your training plan, track OTS and LEVEL, and get guidance based on your real data.
👉 Start your free 30-day trial https://fascatcoaching.com/app
Have questions about winter training or how to balance intensity with base work?
Drop them in the comments. And tell us:
Which workout looks the hardest?
Which one would you skip if you could? 😈

Getting sick or injured during a training block doesn't have to ruin your season.
Try Coaching (AI or 1:1) Free for the 1st 30 days → https://fascatcoaching.com/ 
In this video, Coach Frank breaks down how to use your coaching in the event of sickness or injury without making things worse and without losing weeks of fitness to a preventable layoff.
You'll learn a simple 6-step process used with real coached athletes to:
✅ decide when to rest vs train
✅ adjust intensity and volume
✅ avoid overdoing it
✅ revise your training plan
✅ rebuild day by day
Most athletes don't lose fitness from missing a few workouts — they lose it by pushing through pain or sickness and turning small issues into multi-week layoffs. This video shows you how to avoid that mistake.
We'll also show you how CoachCat, our AI Coach, handles illness, injury, and "something feels off" situations by revising the training plan automatically when life happens.
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Try CoachCat Free for 30 Days: https://fascatcoaching.com/app
Work with a 1:1 Coach Free for 30 Days (limited offer)
https://fascatcoaching.com/pages/hire-a-coach
What is CoachCat? CoachCat is an AI Coach that builds custom training plans, analyzes your power files, revises workouts automatically, and helps you train smarter all year round.

Learn how to eat right for your cycling. Most cyclists try to lose weight by eating less and riding more and that doesn't work.
Get the Go Fast Grocery List mentioned in this video for FREE → https://fascatcoaching.com/app 
In this video, Coach Frank breaks down the #1 nutrition mistake most cyclists make and explains why watts per kilo don't improve on the bike… they start in the kitchen. This video introduces our long-standing FasCat concept called Winning in the Kitchen: a simple, sustainable approach to performance nutrition and weight loss that works for real cyclists with real lives. You'll learn: 
why you can't out-ride bad nutrition
the 80/20 rule of weight loss for cyclists
the Go Fast vs Go Slow food framework
why grocery shopping matters more than recipes
how to avoid "Losing in the Breakroom"
what Winning in the Kitchen actually looks like day-to-day
and one of our favorite cyclist meals: Salmon Watts
This is not calorie counting. It's not a fad diet. And it won't sabotage your training. It's how cyclists fuel smarter, lose weight sustainably, and improve watts per kilo.
🛒 Want help putting this into practice? When you start a free trial of the CoachCat app, you'll get: our Go FasCat Grocery List, Performance-focused meal plans and nutrition guidance built around the Winning in the Kitchen framework including "How Much you Should Eat" before that big ride tomorrow. 
👉 Start your free trial here: https://fascatcoaching.com/app