Don’t Become the “Group Ride Hero” #cyclingcoach

If you're doing full gas intervals now, you risk becoming the group ride hero. And what's that? It's your mate who's riding too hard too soon, who neglects building a base and is flying in February, but by May when the real racing starts, he's cooked, burnt out, kaput. So the question becomes, how do you build the engine and add intensity without sabotaging your

@FasCatCoaching Learn how not to be the Group Ride Hero and Train the Right Way, Free for 30 days → /app

One of the most common mistakes cyclists make is piling on high-intensity intervals before they’ve finished building their aerobic base. It feels great in February. You’re flying on the group ride. You’re winning town line sprints.

But by May, when racing and big events actually matter, you’re flat, stale, and wondering what happened.

In this video, Coach Frank Overton from FasCat Coaching shows you how to bridge the gap between base season and race season the right way.

You don’t need to live in Zone 2 forever. But you also shouldn’t be smashing yourself with full-gas workouts every week.

The answer?

A smart, controlled progression that introduces just enough Zone 4, 5, and 6 intensity to wake up speed while still building durability and aerobic strength.

Inside, Frank walks through four proven winter workouts from the CoachCat training system:

🐆 The Cheetah Pounce – Sweet Spot control with explosive attacks. Practice commitment and fast-twitch recruitment without blowing up recovery.

🎯 Sprint → Stalk & Catch – Learn how to handle the surges that drop riders in real races and group rides.

📊 The Three 8’s – A powerful combination of testing and training that reveals your true ability and builds fatigue resistance.

💳 The AmEx Ride – FasCat’s signature terrain-driven session. No timers, no ERG, just smart execution and a mission: don’t come home without your prescribed OTS.

These workouts help you: ✔ build the engine ✔ touch high power ✔ improve repeatability ✔ arrive in spring ready for true interval work

Instead of peaking early, you’ll keep stacking fitness when it counts.

If you’re following a structured plan, this is the step many athletes miss.

Try These Workouts Yourself

They’re available inside the CoachCat AI app, where you can follow your training plan, track OTS and LEVEL, and get guidance based on your real data.

👉 Start your free 30-day trial /app

Have questions about winter training or how to balance intensity with base work?

Drop them in the comments.

And tell us:

Which workout looks the hardest? Which one would you skip if you could? 😈