CYCLING SPECIFIC COACHING 

COACH - MICHAEL O'ROURKE - USAC Certified Level 2

Currently ranked 4th Nationally and 2nd - State of California

1st NCNCA Best All-round Rider (BAR) 2011 Masters 45+ 1/2/3

2011 Auburn Criterium Masters 45+ ChampionDowntown Auburn Criterium - May 2011

My Philosophy

What is appropriate physiological training? If it were simply volume, those who put in the most hours/miles would be the best. If it were pure intensity, those who pushed themselves the hardest would prevail. If it was someone's favorite workout, everyone who copies that “magic workout” or training pace would rise to the top. As it turns out, each individual has their own way of adapting and any successful training plan must recognize this. A smart coach will recognize this as well.

Coaching is a profession requiring both art and science. The building blocks for an optimal performance are many, must be constructed in a proper sequence and must recognize that each individual has unique triggers and responses. Some of these building blocks are correct technique, positive mental attitude, proper diet and precise physiological training.

Ask yourself, do you know if all those miles/hours of training are paying off?

I can help you maximize your training so that you are spending the right amount of time at the right intensities, in the right sequence, to get the most efficiency out of your time and effort. I can write entire customized training programs, consult with you about the one you have, or anything in between. I can find out how hard your body is working to deliver different speeds or power outputs, and judge the different training levels you ought to be working at accordingly. In other words, I base my analysis and plan on you, not the average, not what works for most people, but you in particular.

Whether you are a mountain biker, road racer, or just want to improve your cycling, great coaching can help. Every athlete has unique needs, circumstances and ambitions. Great coaching goes far beyond simply dispensing training plans and monitoring results. A great coach- the complete coach - is a compilation of many things; teacher, motivator, advisor, organizer, risk manager, representative, role model, and resource. The complete coach takes on the athlete’s challenges as his own, and always stands for your success. It is my quest to be that coach.

Education and Certifications

• USA Cycling certified coach (level 2)
• NCNCA Mentor Coordinator
• AFAA Certified personal trainer

Specialties

• Training with limited time (especially for masters athletes)
• Training with power meters
• Criterium and Road Racing
• Cross Country mountain biking

Experience

• Safeway/PureRed Creaative/Bicycles Plus Masters Racing Team
• Cat 1 x/c racer
• Cat 2 road racer
• X/C runner (9 years experience)
• Strength and conditioning coach, (5 years experience)
• Owner, trainer - ProActive Personal Training & Fitness Education
• Participant of USAC Mentor Program
• Western Regional Coach, Ride to Empower team

Testimonials

Chris Westphal, Lincoln, CA 

Services/Rates 

Complete Coaching Includes:  

• Initial fitness assessment and body comp analysis

• Training zone analysis

• Fully customized daily training schedule in monthly format  w/training zones

• Weekly power/H.R./training file analysis

• Continuous goal setting and review

• Email 1x/day, (minimum), response time within 24 hours
• Phone contact 1x/wk, (minimum), 30min ea. by appt.

• Limited riding with coach when/where available

• 50% off all clinics and specialty classes

• Guidance with equipment, skills, nutrition, supplements, tactics, & mental skills

Fee schedule:

• $150/month -12 month commitment*

• $170/month - 6 month commitment*

• $190/month - 3 month commitment

• $210/month - month to month

*Initial set-up fee of $65. Set up fee waived for commitment of 6 months or more.

Repeated fitness assessment as needed for $85 per assessment

Basic Training Plan includes:

• Initial 1 hour consultation

• Fully customized weekly training schedule in monthly format

• Monthly goal setting and review 

• Email 3x/wk, (minimum) response time within 24 hours
• Phone contact: 2x/mo, 30min ea., (minimum) by appt.

• Limited riding with coach when/where available

• 50% off all clinics and specialty classes

• Guidance with equipment, skills, nutrition, supplements, tactics, & mental skills

Fee schedule:

• $120/month -12 month commitment

• $140/month - 6 month commitment

• $160/month - 3 month commitment

• $180/month - month to month

*Initial set-up fee of $65. Set up fee waived for commitment of 12 months.

 Repeated fitness assessment as needed for $85 per assessment

Pre-Built Training Plan: $300 includes:

• Initial 1 hour consultation

• Semi-customized training schedule

• Limited email/phone contact (limited to 2x/wk)

• 1 time creation of three month training schedule

• Guidance with equipment, skills, nutrition, supplements, tactics, mental skills

• Repeated fitness assessment as needed for $85 per assessment

 Group/Team Discount (4 or more members)

• 10% off any training package

Lactate Balance Point Testing:

     For many years, Lactate (a.k.a. "lactic acid") was considered the "enemy" of hard-working athletes, and was blamed for everything from fatigue during competition to soreness afterwards.  It was believed that easy exercise was "aerobic," while intense exercise was "anaerobic," and that those processes were mutually exclusive.  We now know that aerobic and anaerobic processes are BOTH going on during most activities, with your body adjusting the two processes based on the energy demands. 

     Lactate is produced by the anaerobic energy processes in the working muscles during exercise, with more being produced if aerobic (i.e. oxygen-dependent) processes are insufficient to regenerate enough ATP (the immediate energy source for muscle work).  It is neither the major factor in fatigue, nor the cause of delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS). 

     If the production of lactate exceeds its subsequent use by the muscles, then excess builds up in the blood. Measuring lactate build-up (in the blood) is very important in determining your aerobic AND anaerobic fitness. Only by measuring lactate levels, can we see how your body balances the two processes and determine your endurance (and sprint)

potential. 

Most sports scientists attempt to determine a "lactate threshold," that level of effort which causes your muscles to suddenly and rapidly increase the amount of lactate production.  Unfortunately, this approach is neither individualized nor especially useful: because they look for an arbitrary concentration of lactate [usually 4 mmol or higher], they miss the point, literally! In the LBP test, we determine each athlete's personal Lactate Balance Point (LBP), which is the precise level of effort at which your working muscles can no longer process all of the lactate being produced, gradually leading to overload. 

With LBP, along with heart rate and wattage or pace data, we can determine your optimum training zones - for any type of endurance or sports training.  This is a radical new approach, which provides precise scientific information with significant practical benefits for athletes who want to improve their performance.

*Lactate Scout is the only Blood Lactate Analyzer rated by FDA-CLIA as a WAIVED test system.

* Lactate Scout is the only hand held lactate meter clinically validated for medical use.

* Lactate Scout is the meter used by every major National Team and Training Center in USA and Canada.

BLa Testing Fees:

• Single Test $150
• 2 Test Package - $250 ($125/assessment)
• 3 Test Package - $315 ($105/assessment)
• 4 Test Package - $340 ($85/assessment)

*All tests when purchased as a package must be completed within one year.  The full package price must be paid at the time of the initial purchase.

DECIDE COMMIT SUCCEED

Michael can be reached at 530.888.0727 or by email;

morourke@proactivepersonaltraining.com