Spill The Watts

We’ve only gone and bagged ourselves another National Champ! Riding for Team Spectra Racing, Xan Crees just won the Elite Women’s Cyclocross British Championships, and is here to talk to us today about her life and how she got to this position, but also talk us through the race of her life too. In this podcast, we will get to know about: - Xan’s upbringing - What life has been like getting to where she is now - How she balances part time employment with traveling and bike racing - And of course, how the race was won This was such a great conversation, Xan is such a wonderful unique character and it was really nice to hear her insights into all things cross racing. If you want to follow Xan's journey, her IG: https://www.instagram.com/xancrees/ If you'd like to buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/spillthewatts?l=en

*Warning graphic stories* Nick Cooper was a very good cyclist, racing at the top level on the road in the UK and across the continent. This all changed when he was struck by a car (whom the driver was high) sending him flying up in the air and landing on the road with many potentially life changing injuries. (see CCTV footage in link below). In this podcast, we will talk at length about the incident itself, the recovery process involved, to what extent this played its part on his mental health and the friends and family involved, and where he is at with things currently. This podcast did get very deep, emotional, and graphic at times, so please be warned. CCTV footage / story: https://road.cc/content/news/drug-driver-avoids-jail-horrific-cyclist-crash-310681 Nick's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_nickcooper_/ Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/spillthewatts?l=en

Tim is the team manager / DS of Shibden Apex RT which is the top ranked women’s junior team in the WORLD. This team has been developing future stars for many years now, with the likes of Cat Ferguson and Imogen Wolff (Previous guests of the pod) both honing in their skills and talents to go on to further pro teams. The work that goes into being a team manager is hugely underrated, and in this podcast we hope to spread some light onto what is involved. We also talk about: How important sponsors are for teams What each of the girls does on a race weekend? How the parents are such key roles for the riders. And what pro teams are actually looking for?

Vicky Walshaw is a nutrition consultant supporting ambitious and active individuals. She has a First Class Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Sciences, a Diploma in Personalised Nutrition Practice, and she is a Former Clinical Nurse. In this very detailed nutrition podcast, we will be talking in depth about a lot of commonly asked questions in the Cycling performance circle with regards to weight management, macro nutrient intake, eating around training and racing, and how to balance weight loss with performance goals. This podcast is based around a case study of one of my clients, who asked me some weight loss related questions recently. I am confident the information in this pod will be applicable to many people, at all levels of cycling performance. You can get in touch with Vicky at: https://www.instagram.com/vickywalshawnutrition/ If you like this podcast, please buy me a coffee at: https://buymeacoffee.com/spillthewatts?l=en

Today’s guest is Dr Tom Mwambingu, who is a consultant cardiologist with expertise in sports cardiology, general cardiology, exercise prescription and cardiac imaging.Covid-19 has been around us for many years now. We’ve seen many strains of the virus, and it’s affected many people in lots of different ways. Outside of normal population, we have seen countless athletic population also suffering with short and long term effects from contracting the disease too. These include many pro and amateur cyclists who have had issues post Covid, meaning they have to have months, sometimes years off exercise. From experience, since the virus is now less “in the media” athletes are taking far too relaxed approach to it, and are often training even when they have a firm knowledge they are ill with it, and not considering the long-lasting affects. The reason for this podcast is that I want to voice the risks associated with this and make it more common knowledge of why we still need to take this disease seriously. Training and racing with Covid-19 can not only have short term return to exercise limitations, but it can have long lasting effects to your heart and overall health. In this episode, expect to learn: - What COVID-19 is and how it affects us as athletes?- What is pericarditis and myocarditis?- What are the symptoms of these?- Why we should be concerned as athletes?- What is an appropriate return to exercise protocol? Share far and wide!

Peter is a Strength & Conditioning coach, qualified with a Bachelors degree in Sport & Exercise Science and Masters in Strength & Conditioning. Peter has lead the S&C support for all Olympic endurance squads across track, road and mountain bike, playing a vital role in many medal successes. Peter has been the strength and conditioning coach for many pro cyclists in the past and present including Josh Tarling, Josie Knight, and Fred Wright, and had recently set up his own Cycling strength company Pro cycling strength. In this podcast, we will talk through 8 key factors to consider for your strength and conditioning, which will give you the best strength of gains to optimise Cycling Performance. Take notes, and enjoy! -------- You can get in touch with Peter here: Email: ⁠peter@procyclingstrength.com⁠ Website: ⁠https://www.procyclingstrength.com/⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/pjhgascoigne_coach/⁠

2 days ago, I completed the 26.2 miles of the Yorkshire Marathon. I set out with a very clear goal in my head of getting a sub-3hour time, and was very public about this. The race did not go to plan, I failed miserably at what I set out to do, and was without a doubt, the hardest race I have ever had to endure for many reasons. I feel much better than I expected to feel since finishing the race mentally, and I have learnt a lot from the whole experience. Come along with me, and let me talk you through it.

Cat Ferguson is arguably the most talked about female cyclist in the world right now – and for good reason. Only a few weeks ago, Cat did the double, winning both the Worlds TT and the Worlds Road race as a Junior. Not only that, but only a few days ago she just won the Binche Chimay Binche as her second pro win for Movistar and first since becoming junior world champion. Cat has been on this podcast before, back in July last year which was a few weeks before her 2023 Worlds performance. In this podcast, we will learn about her journey in the last 12 months, the disappointment which came in Glasgow, we talk about her signing with Movistar, and what her Worlds results really meant to her this year. In this podcast, we will talk about all things bike racing, nutrition, what life is like for her, what she has changed and how she keeps getting faster.

The 3 Peaks Cyclo-Cross is staged in the Yorkshire Dales every year at the end of September. It is the toughest and biggest Cyclo-Cross event in the UK!. Rob Jebb has won this prestigious race more than anyone else, a whopping 13 times in his lifetime! In this podcast we will talk about Rob’s early years in sport, what life is like racing now, some tips and tricks of how to ride the three peaks, what equipment considerations there are, and how you should manipulate your training going into the event. If you’re racing the three peaks this year, or want to give it a go, this is not one to miss!

Racing Cross Country for Cannondale Factory Racing, Charlie was the 2019 Junior World Champion, and, more recently, the 2023 World Champion (U23) at his home worlds in Scotland. On top of that, he is a multiple British national Champion, and has bagged a 2nd at a round of the World Cup this year at Les Gets, and had a phenomenal few rides only a few weeks ago in the 2024 Olympics XC, and the World champs in Andorra. In this podcast, we will get to know about: - Charlie’s upbringing - What life has been like getting to where he is now - What he does when he’s not racing - His relationship with other riders at the top - What Charlie’s favorite places to ride are - And of course, all the FEELS from the worlds

An update on what's been going on the past few months, insights into my life - from racing, to dealing with fraudsters, and then what the rest of the year has to offer.

Svenja was the WINNER of the Unbound XL 2024 - which is arguably the biggest endurance gravel race in the world - and at 350miles, over savage hilly terrain and in severe Kansas heat, it’s no easy day out. Outside of this, she has many other great results both on the road and the off-road - all whilst studying a masters in Biology and Sport. In this podcast, we will talk about her upbringing, her early years in the sport, what made her transition from the road to gravel, her unbound XL experience, her relationship with social media and her view on comparing herself to others and what life is like doing what she does now. Svenja's IG: https://www.instagram.com/svenja__betz/ My IG: https://www.instagram.com/spill_the_watts/ Buy me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/spillthewatts

Rob is a 25 year old British rider, who rides for Tekkers CC, and is the current leader of the National Circuit series. Rob has also Won the Tour de la Mirabelle and Paris Troyes in 2022, which are both UCI 1.2 races In that same year, he also won the National Road series, with 1st place at Lancaster and Colne. He has been on teams such as Canyon DHB, WiV SunGod, and Team Wiggins in the past. In this podcast, we will get to know more about what makes Rob such a great bike rider, what life is like for Rob when he is not on his bike, what life was like racing full time for teams such as Wiggins and Canyon, and what Rob’s pre-race protocol is. We will talk about his upbringing, his early years in the sport, and what makes him dominate the crit series this year so far. What an absolutely down to earth, top bloke!

Emma is the newly crowned National Crit Champion. Emma, who rides for the Green Edge Cycling’s Women's Continental team has recently won the stripes at Darlington, with an impressive show of tactics, timing, and also one hell of a final sprint power.  She is now a full time cyclist, and races all across the continent. In this podcast, we will talk about her upbringing, her early years in the sport, how BMX racing shaped the rider she is today, what life is like being full time, how her training has changed over the years and of course, how the National Title was Won.

Marinus was the 2021 Welsh National Road Race Champion, and is now racing in France. Just like myself, Marinus holds a BSc in Sports and Exercise Science and has a cycling coaching business. What if I were to say that you are very likely riding too fast in your training rides, and that in order to improve your performance you likely need to ride slower? In this conversation, we will be discussing the benefits of long slow endurance riding, and why you are likely doing the majority of your riding at too high of an intensity. Marinus holds very strong views on the importance of sub-LT1 aerobic endurance riding within a cycling training plan. He has also been known to have a unique take on the benefits of “oversized endurance rides” and fits these into his own and his athletes training plans regularly. In this podcast, expect to learn; What are the benefits of long steady endurance rides? Why these should be a staple of any training plan. How do you find your appropriate volume? How much is too much? What kind of intensity should these be ridden at, and how do you find that intensity? Why you should sing a song while riding? How should you fuel these rides?

Kate Macleod is an Online Nutrition and Strength Coach as well as an Elite level Cyclist.Athlete burnout if far too common, and what is most shocking is that it occurs through the whole spectrum of performance from very low amateur level all the way through to professional.Nowadays, especially in cycling, you can’t rock up to a national level road or gravel race and manage a top 10 of less than 8 hours of training per week.Add to that spot on race nutrition, a top end bike and in some races a support crew. Non-professional sport is becoming more “professional” in the sense that people are trying to train like the pros, forgetting that they have a full-time job, a family, social life and other responsibilities outside of their training that require energy and brain power.As a result people are trying to do everything at 100% and at some point it gets too much and something has to give.In this podcast, expect to learn:- What is athlete burnout?- How is it caused, and how can it be prevented?- What are the typical signs of burnout?- What training and nutrition considerations are there?This was a very eye opening podcast, which I think a lot of listeners can relate to for one reason or another.

Just me, walking my dog, chatting about life stuff, giving some updates and answering a few questions.

Chris Peden (@Combinedathleticperformance) is a strength and conditioning coach to both amateur and professional cyclists. In a previous podcast, we talked about the benefits of strength training and how we can integrate strength training into your general training plan. In this podcast, we talk specifically about how you should manage strength training when in-season. In this podcast, expect to learn; What are the key manipulations to the session when performing in-season vs off-season? What you should do to limit excessive fatigue and soreness? What key exercises should you include, and also avoid? How jump and plyo training should be performed? And much more... You can lean more about what Chris does by visiting; Links: https://linktr.ee/CPeden IG: https://www.instagram.com/combinedathleticperformance/

The harsh truth of what impact the cyclists diet has on your dental health. We all know that in order to fuel high end cycling performance, we need to be consuming a very high amount of carbohydrates - typically sugary carbohydrates. We have heard for years that sugar isn’t good for out teeth, but if you are anything like me, you pass this off as something that just comes with your sport? Have you ever considered what impact these foods are having on out dental health? Dr Alison Crellin is a recently retired dentist, who was a dentist for nearly 40 years. In this podcast, expect to learn about the real impact these sugary foods and drinks are having on out oral health. What the negative impact of poor oral health can have on the performance of an athlete? How we can try and prevent some of these issues from arising And how we can limit the damage of these foods and drinks on our dental health?

Alice is a British professional road racer, who currently rides for UCI Womens World Tour team Canyon-SRAM.   In just two seasons, she has won the elite women's national title at the 2022 British Championships, represented Team GB at the 2022 UCI Road World Championships in Australia, signed a three-year contract to compete on the Women's WorldTour with Canyon-SRAM and has competed in some of the biggest bikes races, from Paris-Roubaix to the Tour de France Femmes. In this podcast, we will talk about her upbringing, her early years in the sport, what life is like inside the pro Peleton, how her training has changed over the years and how she felt wearing the stripes for a year.