The Old New Mexican

After four decades of riding and racing for fun, fitness, and the occasional podium at a local or regional event, I thought I knew a thing or two about training. My strategy was simple: ride hard, ride often, and enjoy the trails. That worked fine—until I started lining up at USA Cycling national series races. Suddenly, it became clear that my usual formula wasn’t cutting it. Riders my age were flying, and I was being left in their dust.

Enter Coach Mike

In September 2023, I got myself a coach. Not just any coach—my 15-year-old son, Mike. Armed with experience from being professionally coached, a copy of The Mountain Biker’s Training Bible, and a teenage abundance of confidence, Mike offered to take me on as his first client. I was skeptical. He was serious. And, more importantly, he was reading up on exercise physiology and doing the kind of deep-dive research that would have made Joe Friel proud.

He started feeding me structured weekly training plans through TrainingPeaks. They looked simple enough—Zone 2 base rides, VO2 Max intervals, occasional strength sessions—but implementing them was another story.

Structured Training: It’s a Thing

For those not yet indoctrinated, structured training refers to a deliberate, science-based approach to improving performance. It relies on concepts like heart rate zones, training stress scores (TSS), periodization, and power-based metrics like FTP (Functional Threshold Power). Unlike the “just ride” approach, structured training emphasizes specific adaptations: aerobic capacity from Zone 2 endurance rides, improved lactate clearance from sweet spot work, and increased VO2 Max through interval sessions.

I had never trained this way. Apparently, neither had my mitochondria. They’d been asleep since the Bush administration.

Slowing Down Is Hard to Do

Mike told me to ride slow—really slow—for Zone 2 endurance rides. I thought he was joking. I was used to going out and smashing trails at what turned out to be a perpetual Zone 3. It was fun, and it felt good. Unfortunately, it was also physiologically pointless. It turns out Zone 3 is the “no-man’s land” of training: not hard enough to build high-end power, not easy enough to stimulate endurance adaptations.

So, I began crawling through three-hour endurance sessions, getting passed by joggers, small children, and possibly a squirrel on a tricycle. It tested my patience and my ego. But to my surprise, these long, slow rides triggered a different kind of soreness—one that crept in around hour three. And over time, I noticed my body adapting. Long rides and races felt easier. Recovery improved. And I began performing better late in races.

VO2 Max: The Pain Cave

Then came the VO2 Max intervals—short, violent bursts that make you question your life choices. I hadn’t done intervals in decades. The first few VO2 Max sessions left me sprawled on the ground wondering if this was how it all ends. I didn’t die, but I distinctly remember swearing I’d never do that again. But the intervals worked. My power improved, and I started noticing real performance gains. I was no longer getting dropped on climbs and during the violent starts of races.

The FTP Saga

FTP testing deserves its own horror film. Preferably one with a warning label and a couch to cry on afterward. It’s a 20-minute, all-out effort meant to establish your training zones. My first few FTP tests were on the trainer, and let’s just say, it didn’t go well. The number I got was so low I thought the device was broken. It wasn’t. It was just an honest reflection of my fitness.

Eventually, I added power meters to all my bikes. That helped immensely. I could now dial in efforts precisely, track progress, and train more effectively. FTP improved. Morale improved. Coach Mike even said I was getting “less bad” as a client.

From Client to Athlete (Sort Of)

At first, Mike accused me of being a terrible client. I wasn’t ignoring his plans—I was just struggling to follow them precisely and occasionally veered off for a “fun ride” that only loosely resembled the workout. But as I improved at structured training, I started enjoying the sessions more.

Mike now has several other clients, presumably ones who embrace Zone 2 and attack VO2 Max intervals without whining. But I get to say I was his first. More importantly, I started racing better. I was no longer just surviving races; I was competing for podium spots. Turns out, structured training works.

Final Thoughts

Structured training taught me that riding smarter beats riding harder. It also taught me humility, discipline, and that a teenager can be a very effective coach. Especially when he’s quoting Joe Friel at breakfast.

So, if you’re still going full send every ride, consider dialing it back even if your ego screams otherwise. Ride slow to get fast. Suffer through those intervals. And if your FTP test feels like a near-death experience, congratulations—you’re doing it right.