Because I’m ordinary, just like most people who race bikes.

In my experience, most athletes take advice or coaching from:

1. Really fast people.
2. Really nerdy people

So what’s wrong with that?  Let’s start with Really Fast People.

Really Fast People

Here’s a little secret about Really Fast People – most of them have no idea why they’re fast.  Remember that kid in school in gym class that was about half a lap in front of everyone else when your gym teacher made you run the mile?  Yeah, I hate those people also.

Guess what – they weren’t half a lap ahead because they were training for it or had a superior pain threshold – they’re ahead because talent is real.  Welcome to life.

While their talent is neat, it doesn’t mean they have any more idea why they’re fast than a bird knows why it can fly.  They just do it.

So why would you take advice from somebody that has no idea why they’re fast?

Moving on – Really Nerdy People.

Really Nerdy People

Really Nerdy People have read all the books, attended all the webinars, bought all the fancy gear, and may have even earned a fancy degree or two learning how people move and breathe.

They’re indispensable. They build the body of knowledge that underpins all applied exercise theory.

But…they’re Nerds. They can tell you that your real limiter in gravel racing isn’t your raw cardiovascular power but your metabolic fitness because the competitive edge in events over eight hours depends on fat oxidation.

Meanwhile, you’ve fallen asleep halfway through that last sentence and are wondering what workout you should do tomorrow and if it’s OK if you have a beer.

Training and racing don’t happen in a lab, it happens in real life, and 99% of people don’t have time to moon over graphs and exercise theory, they want to know how to get as fast as possible while balancing training in racing with other aspects of their life, like, you know, family, a job, and having fun.

Bottom Line

Here’s what most people actually need:

• You need guidance from someone who can read the studies but  isn’t going to overwhelm you with training jargon and theory – you’ll get straightforward workouts instead.
• You need someone to give you a program that will work best for your life in practice, not in theory.
• You need the help of someone with two kids, two jobs, a dog, a mortgage, and a training load to mind, not the theoretical advice from someone who read a textbook in college with no real-life responsibilities who has all day to train. In other words, you need someone real. 

If that’s what you’re looking for, you need a Matti in your corner.