WHY VO2 MAX FEELS IMPOSSIBLE (And How to Improve It Fast) | Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast 537
Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast - Presented by TrainerRoad
TrainerRoad
4.9 • 4.5K Ratings
🗓️ 26 June 2025
⏱️ 59 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
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// TOPICS COVERED
(00:00) Welcome!
(00:45) Why VO2 Max is SO hard
(02:07) Mental Strategies for VO2 Max Intervals
(10:18) How AI Can Improve VO2 Max Training
(13:40) Psychological Approaches to Training
(23:29) Pacing and Nutrition for Tahoe Trail 100
(31:43) Pacing Tips for Long Races
(37:01) Mountain Bike vs. Gravel Tires Debate
(44:33) Why Don’t More Pros Use Classified Hubs?
(47:54) Heat Training Techniques and Tips
Join Coach Jonathan Lee and Team CycleSport’s Alex Wild as they delve into various training strategies focusing on dreaded VO2 Max intervals, including mental limiters, effective pacing tips for the Tahoe Trail 100, and heat training methods. Learn about the benefits of using Classified hubs, the appropriate bike setups for different terrains, and the importance of precise equipment choices for your races. Don't miss out on these practical tips and anecdotes designed to make you a faster and more efficient cyclist.
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Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the Asco Cycling Coach Podcast presented by trainer Rotum, coach Jonathan Lee. |
| 0:03.3 | We have with us. It's pretty exciting. Carbs fuel, cycle sports, specialize Alex, Alex, we haven't |
| 0:09.8 | had you on since Cape Epic. We're stoked to have you on. Some athletes submitted some questions |
| 0:14.0 | that I thought in fact one person specifically asked for you, but they've submitted some great |
| 0:19.0 | questions that we're going to go through. We're going to talk about VO2 Max and mental limiters and athletes bumped into them and what you can do to get better at VO2 Max intervals. |
| 0:27.7 | They're one of the hardest and most productive forms of training and man, if they hold you back, you miss out on a ton. |
| 0:32.7 | So we're going to go through that. |
| 0:33.9 | We're going to talk about some specific race tips that somebody has asked for from you. |
| 0:38.4 | We're also going to talk about classified hubs, tires, heat training. It'll be a good one. |
| 0:44.7 | Let's get into it first with Owen's question. Owen says, hey, train a road team, I'm hoping you can |
| 0:49.2 | help me out with VO2 max intervals. When I first started cycling seven years ago, I loved short, |
| 0:54.5 | hard, |
| 0:59.8 | punchy efforts. I snagged short KOMs regularly, and as long as I could hang in there, I was lethal in sprints. Fast for, I think you, lethal in sprints is scary with how sketchy sprinting can be |
| 1:05.9 | in crits. He means that he could really get a sprint corner. He can chop corners with the best of them. |
| 1:11.5 | Yeah, chopped wheels like crazy. Put people in the gunners. He means that he could really get a sprint. He can chop corners with the dust of him. Yeah. |
| 1:12.3 | Chopped wheels like crazy. |
| 1:14.0 | Put people in the gutter all the time. |
| 1:15.6 | No. |
| 1:16.6 | Okay. |
| 1:17.1 | Fast forward to now, and I've spent the last four years working with the coach to get better |
| 1:20.8 | at gravel races. |
| 1:22.3 | And short VOT2 max efforts are my nemesis. |
... |
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