Back in 2024 I attempted Dalby’s Inferno and managed 8 out of the 10 laps. The laps are now 5.5km around the beautiful Dalby forest and feature a mix of running conditions including some quite steep trail. Training for Dalby is tough in Selby as we have no hills and this was definitely what I struggled with the first time around. At the end I resolved that I would try again […]
This week I’ve been re-reading Daniel Friebe’s biography of Jan Ullrich, The Best There Never Was. Ullrich was an interesting character. East German, and a somewhat reluctant standard bearer for cycling in unified Germany, he was a powerful rider, with masses of potential, who ultimately spent most of his career riding in Lance Armstrong’s long shadow. Ullrich won the 1997 Tour de France aged 23 but never went on to win it again.
In Friebe’s book, the bit that really stands out for me is the description of Ullrich’s off-season.
Ullrich took the concept of an off-season to extremes. He would kick back and completely relax off the bike in winter, swinging from his race-ready Tour weight of 73kg to ten or more kilos heavier over winter. This included — according to cycling legend — a penchant for microwaving jars of Nutella and drinking the contents like hot chocolate through a straw.
Ullrich’s off-season has got me thinking about my own approach to taking time away from running as we move into summer here in the UK. I think I may be Jan Ullrich, but in reverse.
We have a number of junior athletes who are physiologically sprinters (powerful, fast-twitch dominant, and can muscle through a 150/200m) but who wish to run the 800. The goal for these athletes is to sharpen sprint speed (faster turnover, cleaner sprint mechanics) while building aerobic capacity for the 800 so they have a second gear. This involves teaching them to run relaxed with pace rather than fighting against it.