There’s a big difference in mindless repetition and deliberate practice

You have probably heard of the 10,000-hour rule, what does it take to become an expert or master performer in any given field? 10,000 hours of practice, there’s lots about it online, but recently that 10,000-hour rule has been challenged, it’s not really about the number of hours you put into something; it’s about deliberate practice. If you want to become great at anything, it matters much more HOW you practice than how much you practice and, in this case, I’m talking about cyclocross.

 With the cross season just around the corner, I wanted to share with you some of my experiences around racing a cross race. Cyclocross is a dynamic sport which requires a lot of different skill sets, which is what makes it so much fun, there's a reason you're seeing amazing cross riders turn their hand to different disciplines and being successful at them all. So, over the next few weeks, I’ll share posts with you on what I learned in my career, what helped me, and how to break a race down so you can go away and make the best use of your time both in, and out of a race. I’ll talk about game-changing moments, things I wished I have known sooner and tips and experiences to help you keep progressing;

 There’s a big difference in mindless repetition and deliberate practice, and this is something I really believe is true. Nothing worth having comes easy, and progress takes time.

 Topics I’ll be covering over the next few weeks are below :). Enjoy! 

- A cyclocross start – The hole shot

- First lap - Fight or flight

- Momentum is key – Keep moving forwards

- Mud glorious mud - Tyre pressure and commiting to the rut!  

- Running - fast feet – High cadence is more than just pedalling fast

- Speed - Train it, don’t lose it

- Off camber – Keep pedalling

- Sand – Sit back, keep pedalling, drive forwards.