Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast - Presented by TrainerRoad podcast

December 11, 2025 WHY YOUR WORKOUTS FEEL TOO HARD (Not What You Think...) | Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast 563

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// TOPICS COVERED

(0:00:00) Alex Drops a Big Announcement

(0:08:19) Why Threshold Feels Brutal (Even When Fitness Is Up)

(0:10:21) The Indoor Setup Fix Most People Miss (Match)

(0:11:30) The Hidden Reason You’re Stuck: No Real Cycles

(0:18:18) Stop Guessing: Rate Workouts the Right Way

(0:24:37) The #1 Endurance Mistake: “Easy” Rides Too Hard

(0:36:11) Race Pacing Autopsy: Where It Was Won (and Lost)

(0:41:27) Rapid-Fire Answers You’ll Actually Use

(0:49:27) Plans for your event (gravel, Zwift racing, touring, more)

(0:51:22) “My longest workout is 1:30… is that enough for a long race?”

(0:56:23) How many intensity days per week should you do?

(0:56:53) “Which plan should I pick?” (custom plan vs presets)

(0:57:17) “I don’t want to follow a plan” (how to train without feeling boxed in)

(0:58:49) When to add strength training (without wrecking key workouts)

(0:59:33) Cross-training: “I also do another sport” (how the plan accounts for it)

(1:01:58) Vacation, sickness, missed days: “Will it adjust when life happens?”

(1:06:55) Quick edits: swap to a shorter or longer workout on the fly

(1:03:58) “I already know my FTP… do I need AI FTP Detection?”

(1:05:42) Training outside: how to execute workouts outdoors

(1:03:36) “Is this only for serious racers?” (training for fun still works)

(1:07:31) “Is it going to be boring?” (how people actually do it)

(1:09:08) “What makes TrainerRoad different?”

(1:15:14) “Can I talk to someone if I have questions?” (coaches + help)

In this episode, Alex Wild and Coach Jonathan break down why your workouts can feel way too hard even when your fitness is improving, and the culprit usually isn’t motivation or toughness, it’s how the week is structured. They unpack an athlete calendar to show how intensity can quietly creep in on “easy” days, why that makes threshold feel brutal, and how better training cycles, real recovery space, and honest post-workout ratings get progress moving again. The final portion turns into a rapid-fire TrainerRoad FAQ, covering every question you could have prior to signing up.

// RESOURCES MENTIONED

- Alex’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexwildmtb

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- Join the TrainerRoad Zwift Club 🚴 ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/trzwiftclub⁠

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