Original episode & show notes | Raw transcript
The conversation between coach Kolie Moore and athlete James McKay provides a rich case study in the long-term development of an elite cyclist. Their discussion, framed around McKay’s victory at the Lincoln Grand Prix, deconstructs the years of trial, error, and learning that led to that moment. This analysis moves beyond simplistic “training tips” to explore the foundational principles of performance, revealing that the path to success is rarely linear. It is a journey of finding a delicate and often unexpected balance between training stress, recovery, body composition, and mental well-being. This document will explore the key scientific and practical concepts that emerge from their experience.
A central theme is the dynamic relationship between training volume (how much you ride) and intensity (how hard you ride). McKay’s journey demonstrates that more is not always better, and the optimal combination is highly individual.
The Allure and Danger of High Volume: Initially, McKay was enthusiastic about a high-volume training approach, pushing his weekly hours to 30 or more. However, when this was combined with multiple high-intensity interval sessions, his performance collapsed. His FTP (Functional Threshold Power) numbers during efforts dropped significantly, a classic sign of non-functional overreaching or impending overtraining. His body simply couldn’t recover from the combined stress.
Minimum Effective Dose: The solution was not to abandon volume but to be more strategic with intensity. They discovered that at such high volumes, McKay only needed two targeted interval sessions per week to progress. The rest of the time was dedicated to building his aerobic engine through lower-intensity riding. This illustrates the principle of the “minimum effective dose”—applying the smallest stimulus necessary to elicit a desired adaptation, thereby leaving maximum capacity for recovery.
The Foundational Role of “Easy” Riding: McKay notes that much of his riding is done at a low intensity, sometimes as low as 50% of his FTP. This “easy” volume is not junk mileage; it is the primary driver of key aerobic adaptations:
Mitochondrial Biogenesis: Increased density and efficiency of mitochondria, the cellular powerhouses.
Capillary Density: More blood vessels to deliver oxygen to working muscles.
Fat Oxidation: Improved ability to use fat as a fuel source, sparing precious glycogen stores. As we will see later, this type of training was instrumental in developing McKay’s exceptionally high first lactate threshold (LT1).
The podcast provides a powerful refutation of the simplistic “lighter is always better” mantra that pervades cycling. McKay’s experience highlights the critical role of energy availability and maintaining a healthy, functional body composition.
Rethinking “Race Weight”: Why Heavier Can Be Faster: In his early years, McKay’s attempts to reach a very low body weight (sub-70 kg) were disastrous for his performance. His peak power (PMax) plummeted, and he lacked the ability to recover. In a pivotal moment, he gained weight (up to 76 kg), and both his absolute power and his power-to-weight ratio (W/kg) increased. This demonstrates a crucial concept: a body deprived of energy cannot build or even maintain muscle mass and has no surplus resources to repair the damage from training. Adequate body fat is not just dead weight; it’s a vital part of the endocrine system and an energy reserve essential for recovery.
Spotlight on Speakman’s Dual Intervention Point Model: The coach, Kolie Moore, references this model to explain the body’s response to weight loss. The model posits that the body defends a certain range of body fat.
The Lower Intervention Point: This is a critical threshold of leanness. If body fat drops below this point, the body initiates a powerful defense, perceiving a starvation threat. It ramps up hunger signals and dramatically reduces energy expenditure to fight further weight loss and encourage regain. Moore identifies McKay’s lower intervention point at around 5.5-6 kg of body fat. When he dipped below this, his physiology fought back, and performance suffered.
The Upper Intervention Point: Conversely, there is an upper limit where the body resists further weight gain. For an athlete, intentionally pushing below the lower intervention point is a recipe for low energy availability, hormonal disruption (e.g., low testosterone), poor recovery, and declining performance.
Decoding the Data: Beyond the Kilojoule-Calorie Myth: The podcast correctly debunks the common practice of using a power meter’s kilojoule (kJ) output as a direct 1:1 measure of calories burned. The actual energy cost of exercise is significantly higher due to metabolic inefficiency. Furthermore, Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is more than just Basal Metabolic Rate + Exercise. It also includes:
Thermic Effect of Food (TEF): The energy required to digest and absorb food. For an athlete consuming 5,000-10,000 calories a day, TEF can amount to hundreds of extra calories of expenditure.
Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT): Energy from all other daily movements. Relying on simplistic calculations often leads to under-fueling, which is the root cause of the issues described above.
Perhaps the most compelling part of the narrative is the role of psychology. McKay’s biggest breakthrough came not from a physical change, but a mental one.
The Crushing Weight of Expectation: After a very successful season, McKay felt immense pressure to constantly “level up” and surpass his previous results. This external and internal pressure became counterproductive. He began overthinking, trying too hard, and ignoring signs of fatigue, which ultimately led to illness, burnout, and a disappointing season.
The “Fuck It” Epiphany: The turning point was a conscious decision to step back from the pressure. By taking a break from formal coaching and “riding on vibes,” he reconnected with the enjoyment of the sport. This mental shift, from outcome-focused pressure to process-focused enjoyment, freed up immense mental energy. He was no longer fighting himself, which allowed his physical form to manifest. This is a real-world example of the Yerkes-Dodson Law, where performance peaks at an optimal level of arousal but plummets if arousal (or stress) becomes too high.
The Power of Social Connection: McKay repeatedly emphasizes that he performs his best training when riding with friends. The social environment transforms a grueling 8-hour ride from a chore into a “treat.” This highlights the importance of aligning training with an individual’s personality. For a social athlete, isolation can be a significant psychological stressor, whereas group riding can be a powerful motivator and a key to long-term adherence.
While a strong aerobic base and a healthy mindset are foundational, elite performance also requires highly specific preparation. The podcast details two particularly potent, and punishing, training methods.
Race Simulations: These sessions were designed to be harder than the race itself. For the Lincoln GP, with its 13 laps of a steep climb, McKay would perform up to 13 maximal 90-second efforts with tempo riding in between.
Benefit: The extreme specificity created such a profound adaptation that, come race day, the demands of the event felt comparatively easy.
Cost: These sessions inflicted massive physiological stress, requiring more than a week for full recovery. They are a “big weapon” to be used surgically and sparingly, well in advance of a target event.
Conquering Cramps: A Two-Pronged Attack: McKay had a history of cramping in hot, hard races. Their approach targeted the neuromuscular system, not just hydration.
Heat Adaptation: Regular training in the heat (or overdressed indoors) to stimulate physiological adaptations like increased plasma volume and a more efficient sweating response. This improves thermoregulation and reduces cardiovascular strain in hot conditions.
Cramp Induction Rides: This is a novel and extreme intervention. The protocol involved overdressing and performing a series of hard efforts followed by repeated all-out sprints until muscular cramps were induced. The hypothesis is that this extreme peripheral fatigue forces a neuromuscular adaptation, effectively “resetting” the cramp threshold and making the system more resilient in a race. Like race sims, these rides cause immense muscular damage and must be timed carefully, often weeks before an event.
The final lesson is about the coach-athlete relationship and the intelligent use of data.
When to Trust the Feeling, Not the Numbers: The narrative is filled with examples where subjective feeling trumped objective data. McKay’s comeback from COVID, his performance on a new power meter, and his final peak in form all occurred when his perceived feeling was a better indicator of his condition than the raw numbers. An astute coach learns to weigh both, understanding that metrics are tools, not truths.
The Cumulative Effect of Experience: Fitness is not the only thing that grows over time. McKay’s race craft, his ability to save energy in the peloton, and his understanding of race dynamics improved each year. This accumulated experience is an invaluable, non-physiological advantage that can be the difference between a podium and a win among riders of similar fitness.
The journey of James McKay is a powerful illustration that elite performance is a holistic endeavor. It is not simply about having the biggest VO2 max or the lowest body fat. It is about finding a sustainable, individual balance between physical stress and recovery, a process fueled by adequate energy. It is about managing the immense psychological pressures of competition and cultivating intrinsic motivation. And finally, it is about the wisdom to know when to push and the courage to know when to step back and simply enjoy the ride. The “unexpected balance” is the realization that sometimes, the path to trying harder involves letting go.