Best Pavcast Podcasts (2025)

1
How to correctly utilise caffeine for cycling performance 27:05

Play Pause

3y ago27:05

27:05

Us cyclists, we love a good coffee. Whether that is pre-morning intervals or at the cafe stop with the club, we seemingly can’t get enough. Yet, caffeine can play a role in cycling performance, and not always a positive one. In this special episode featuring good friend and client, Guy Stapleford, we talk through the best ways to utilise caffeine t…

1
How phenotypes play a role in your cycling training 12:32

3y ago12:32

12:32

If you are a regular reader of my blog, or have followed me online, you will have heard me state the importance of personalising your cycling training. In the main, the way to personalise your training will be to look at your individual phenotypes and construct training accordingly. Phenotypes play a massive role in how I work as a coach. While the…

1
Why cyclists shouldn’t donate blood… 11:53

3y ago11:53

11:53

A study by the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation found that in 2017, the worldwide need for blood was 304,711,244 units, but the supply was only 272,270,243. A different study from the World Health Organization said that 3 in 4 people worldwide are physically active and around 1 in 5 consider themself an athlete…

1
Why your ego is your best friend in cycling performance 12:55

3y ago12:55

12:55

We all have an ego. Often we talk about people having an ego like we don’t have one ourselves, but we all do. It’s very easy to see that some of the highest performing athletes in the world have huge egos; they have leveraged that in order to push themselves further than most.Unfortunately, many people struggle to successfully manage the balance be…

1
How being lazy will make you a faster cyclist 16:25

3y ago16:25

16:25

Almost everywhere you look and everyone you talk to will have the same rhetoric about inactivity. You’ll have come across someone doing a step-per-day challenge, another person who now uses a standing desk, and those who always take the stairs instead of the lift/elevator. Good for them.However, what if you are already fairly active or perhaps you …

1
Why raising money for charity can be disastrous for cycling performance 15:12

3y ago15:12

15:12

I’ve had the honour and privilege to coach, work with, and call friends many amazing people who have raised incredible amounts of money for charity. People like Mark Beaumont, Ben Smith and Dean Stott have raised millions towards very worthy causes. I’m also proud to have raised and donated tens of thousands for mental health charities. For those w…

1
How decision fatigue is ruining your cycling performance 9:45

3y ago9:45

9:45

Given my many years as a coach, I can tell you that cyclists who have jobs in executive positions, who remain at a desk most of the day, but still make a lot of decisions, struggle to commit to training as much as athletes who might be more active in their day-to-day lives, such as labourers/contractors, who tend to be more physical, but have the l…

1
How a dog will improve your cycling performance 10:36

3y ago10:36

10:36

First, let's all agree right now that, no matter how much you want your cycling to improve, you should not go out and adopt a dog based on this blog post alone… There used to be a television commercial that stated “a dog is for life, not just for Christmas”, which is applicable here too.Some of you may have already jumped to the most obvious reason…

1
Winning the war of scales 7:51

3y ago7:51

7:51

You’ve been lied to… countless amounts of misinformation, fake news, gaslighting, and deceit. People and corporations have manipulated you into believing they have your best interest at heart, but only compound your suffering and misery with every opportunity as they steal your hard earned cash. Worse still, you’ve lied to yourself. Every morning y…

1
Why runners get injured and how to prevent it 25:48

3y ago25:48

25:48

If you think about it, you never hear a long-distance runner (5k and above) or a triathlete complain of a muscle tear. They are not injuries that runners or triathletes seem to get. However, they all have suffered tendon, ligament, or joint injuries at some point in their lives. Why is that? The reason is that we basically overload these passive st…

1
How having wind makes you a stronger cyclist 7:22

3y ago7:22

7:22

Wind. It can be painful, it slows you down, and it is often accompanied by something wet… ultimately, however, once you push past it, you will become a stronger cyclist.Of course, I’m talking about the infamous, invisible force which destroys our cycling speed and makes us want to cry. What did you think I meant…?Discussed in this podcast episode. …

1
Meditation and cycling performance 6:59

3y ago6:59

6:59

Silence… an opportunity to sit with your thoughts, reflect on your training, and check in with how your body and mind are feeling. During this time you can start to understand and appreciate all the thoughts and feelings going on in your mind and throughout your body. It is during this time that you can make huge improvements in mental toughness. D…

1
Why you should get bent… and stretch… 7:21

3y ago7:21

7:21

Stretching is another area that we, as humans, love to get polarised about. You either do it or do not. If you are familiar with the term, it’s marmite. If not, you either love it or you hate it. As a cyclist, can you benefit from a stretching routine? Funnily enough, the answer isn’t a clear yes or no. It depends on many factors including the time…

1
The factors that make us cyclists… 7:35

3y ago7:35

7:35

If you’ve been following my content for several years now, you will know I’ve done this before… yep, that’s right, I’ve got to the point where I literally have to rehash my old content to keep you entertained… honestly, shame on you for listeningYou will, however, be happy to know that I have updated my list and some of the reasoning behind them. A…

1
How your gut is crucial for your cycling performance 9:32

3+ y ago9:32

9:32

For me, one of the most fascinating fields of general health is the role our gut plays in keeping us healthy. This probably stems from the challenges I have faced with various conditions and intolerances that have made nutrition somewhat more important to me than the average person.In relation to other areas of our body, we really know very little …

1
Does endurance training make us stupid? 7:22

3+ y ago7:22

7:22

This is a phenomena we all experience, yet we don’t really talk about; it’s almost become taboo to discuss. I’ve searched the internet and can find no signs of scientific studies conducted into why this happens to us. With that in mind, I’m claiming this and naming it Performance Induced Stupidity Syndrome - maybe we can abbreviate it…Of course, I’…

1
How to cope with the taper tantrums 7:20

3+ y ago7:20

7:20

How to cope with the taper tantrums by PavcastBy Pavcast

1
The easiest ways to see instant cycling performance improvements... 8:17

3+ y ago8:17

8:17

Instant gratification is hardwired into us. While it is important to practise patience and grace as we train, it can be really nice when we change something small and see an instant cycling performance improvement. With that in mind, I have compiled a short list of the most common areas in which I see an almost instant improvement with my clients.D…

1
How to burn fat and lose weight by cycling 9:35

3+ y ago9:35

9:35

If you’re watching this, it is probably because you need to - or think you need to - lose some weight. When you first start structured training, some initial weight loss might be easy to obtain, but the lighter you become, and the more desire you place on losing more weight, the harder that weight loss becomes.Discussed in this podcast episode. The…

1
How to prioritise your cycling events 7:38

3+ y ago7:38

7:38

If you are training for a Gran Fondo or Sportive, you likely fit into one of these two goal setting categories. The first is the cyclist who is training for one big event. This might be an event abroad, something like the Maratona dles Dolomites or L’Etape du Tour. The second is the cyclist who wants to do them all - every cycling event on the cale…

1
Are you recovered? 9:14

3+ y ago9:14

9:14

Arguably the most important factor of structured training is recovery. We might spend thousands on fancy high-tech recovery gear, donate countless hours aiding our body to bounce back post-training, and completely shift our mindset on our day-to-day lives, but how do we really know we are recovered?Discussed in this podcast episode. Why recovery is…

1
How To Safely Ride The Streets Solo 6:47

3+ y ago6:47

6:47

With road traffic volume increasing faster than expansion of roads, it’s no wonder why we never seem to get any time between an unfortunate story of someone being hit by another road user. Although the chances of being hit by a vehicle is still quite low - three times for me in my cycling career (once on a BikesEtc Mag shoot!) - the chances of you …

1
How To Improve Your Cycling Power 8:46

3+ y ago8:46

8:46

Of course, this podcast episode is going to focus on improving your cycling power, so if you’re not using a power meter, you can still try to follow along by working to heart rate or perceived effort. If you are using one, ensuring you know how to use your power meter will maximise your opportunity for improvements. Covered in this episode:- Improv…

1
How Stress Destroys Cycling Performance 8:19

3+ y ago8:19

8:19

It sneaks up on you slowly, sometimes it’s hard to notice it’s even there, and every now and again it might burst out of you in an uncharacteristic manner. Stress isn’t just the silent killer of human beings, it’s the silent killer of your cycling performance.Covered in this episode:- Stress and cycling performance- Acute stress- Chronic stress- Tr…

1
The time poor cyclists guide to nutrition 9:42

3+ y ago9:42

9:42

Around 90% of the cyclists I work with are what I would describe as “time poor”. If you consider your time like you do your finances, disposable time would be what you have left after you’ve done everything you have to do, which might include; sleeping, eating, working, family time, and possibly training.We all have to eat, but when faced with a ch…

1
How to gauge cycling performance improvements 7:58

3+ y ago7:58

7:58

Putting the effort in during training is great, but how do you really know you’re improving? Sure, you can do some simple testing, but what does that really mean to you and is it really relevant to your cycling goals? Covered in this episode:- Functional Threshold Power (FTP)- Brief understanding of FTP- Is FTP actually reliable?- Testing based on …

1
Cycling training and mental health challenges 9:25

3+ y ago9:25

9:25

Having spent my entire life learning to live with the swings and roundabouts of Bipolar Affective Disorder - I prefer this name due to the acronym - and having spent a lifetime coaching people, ten years of that specific to cycling, I feel I can contribute significantly to those who are trying to balance cycling training and mental health challenge…

1
How plants can unlock cycling gains 12:39

3+ y ago12:39

12:39

Firstly, no, I’m not vegan and I have no objections to those who eat meat. Having said that, plant power is real, and it could be the secret to unlocking serious cycling performance gains.Covered in this episode:- What is micronutrition? - The role micronutrition plays in athletic performance - Why 5-a-day isn’t enough- Why our fruit and vegetables…

1
Your cross-training guide 8:23

4y ago8:23

8:23

“Ride a bike. Ride a bike. Ride a bike” – Fausto Coppi, [on how to improve your cycling]While I’m not one to disagree with a legend as big as Fausto Coppi, we have come a long way in our understanding of sports science, since he graced the tarmac of Le Tour. That’s not to say that if you have limited training time you should do anything other than …

1
How To Personalise Your Hydration 10:20

4y ago10:20

10:20

In the pursuit of personalisation of cycling training and nutrition, an often overlooked component of the latter is the need for us to take a deeper look at how we each hydrate. It’s a fallacy to believe that we all have the same hydration needs. When looking to become a complete cyclist, hydration is an area where cyclists can often find a big win…

1
Beginners guide to using a power meter 7:20

4y ago7:20

7:20

It’s more common than not to see cyclists using power meters to measure, monitor, analyse, plan, and predict their training. The price of good power meters is now more affordable than ever, and it makes total sense to add one to your bike setup, if you’re not already using them. Having said that, how can you ensure you’ve got the basics sorted and …

1
How to improve your base fitness 9:43

4y ago9:43

9:43

Whether you are looking to level up on Zwift, ride your first century, or just want to ride a bit faster on the bike, you’ll want to build a good cycling base fitness. Amongst other factors, a solid base fitness will help you recover faster, allow you to push harder in more intense training, and help you extend the duration of which you can consist…

1
Farewell episode!! 2:14

4y ago2:14

2:14

In the shortest Bespoked episode ever recorded, Coach Pav comes on to briefly thank you all for following and to invite you to follow his new podcast "Pavcast". For more information, visit www.coachpav.com Search for "Pavcast" for Coach Pav's all new podcast!

1
How sleep improves cycling performance 6:28

4y ago6:28

6:28

While some people seem to be able to function on very little sleep, the truth is that if you want to be a strong cyclist, you will need to prioritize your sleep. Personally, sleep is the undisputed king of recovery, without enough quality sleep, you will soon find yourself struggling to perform on the bike.Covered in this episode:- Why cyclists nee…

1
Cycling winter training guide 6:09

4y ago6:09

6:09

As the nights grow longer and the weather ever colder, you’d be forgiven for thinking long and hard about how you will get through your winter's training and make the most of this excellent opportunity for cycling performance improvements before your goals for the following year. Covered in this episode:- How to safely ride outdoors during winter- …

1
How to correctly warm-up for cycling training 5:44

4y ago5:44

5:44

Not to start a blog post with an obvious attempt at scaremongering, but failing to adequately warm-up your body before training isn't just damaging your performance, but is also putting yourself at risk of injury. Not only are you risking damaging your body, but inadequately warming-up isn’t establishing the right mindset to really nail the trainin…

1
How to create an annual training plan 7:12

4y ago7:12

7:12

“He who fails to plan, is planning to fail” – Winston Churchill.While the stakes are not as high as World War Two, I'm certain you are willing to go to war to reach your cycling goals!Covered in this episode:- What is an Annual Training Plan? - Top 10 reasons you need an Annual Training Plan- How to setup your Annual Training Plan…

1
How to be a complete cyclist 8:08

4y ago8:08

8:08

I reference my ambitions to turn my clients into “complete” cyclists regularly; through my blog and directly with those I chose to work with. It’s also a big part of my book, “The Guide to Truly Effective Cycling”, and I always try to ensure my athletes are prepared for every eventuality in a more holistic way than what typical coaching does.Covere…

1
How to Successfully Self-Coach 6:41

4y ago6:41

6:41

Everyone comes into cycling with a limited knowledge of what to do. Some cyclists download free generic training plans online, maybe they will take on a plan on Zwift, or maybe they follow the advice of a riding buddy - usually named “Dave” - who knows everything, but really knows nothing...Covered in this blog:- Personalisation of training- Sourci…

1
How Your Mentality Affects Your Cycling Performance 13:34

4y ago13:34

13:34

Traditionally, coaching has focused mainly on cyclists training, and sometimes on their nutrition and tactics too, in order to see improvements. For many years now, I’ve been an advocate for looking at cyclists holistically and turning them into a complete cyclist. In order to do that, a lot of emphasis has to be placed around how we approach our t…

1
Optimising Recovery for Cycling Performance 10:41

4y ago10:41

10:41

Your cycling performance improvements don’t happen on the bike - they happen off the bike and during the time when your body is recovering. With this in mind, giving your body a helping hand might be the difference between being able to complete the next training session 100%, versus just 90%. You might not think that 90% will be noticeable and it …

1
How to Fuel a Gran Fondo or Sportive 11:33

4y ago11:33

11:33

Most often the quickest win for my new clients is the way we look at nutrition. I’m an advocate for eating healthy as often as possible. Mostly this consists of a diet high in fruits and vegetables, grains, healthy fats, and lean or plant based proteins. Eating little processed foods, refined sugar, trans fats, and often just drinking water or some…

1
Accurately Gauging Commitment for Cycling Training 7:01

4y ago7:01

7:01

Accurately gauging an athlete's commitment is something I’ve been passionate about since I started cycling coaching. It’s often a huge contradiction to the normal “you need to commit 100% to everything you do” kind of advice you might hear, but there’s a reason why you just can’t commit 100%...Covered in this episode:- Commitment relates to your am…

1
How Eating Healthy Affects Cycling Performance 10:17

4y ago10:17

10:17

While chasing perfection is a fool's goal, eating as close to perfect as possible will certainly improve your cycling performance. There are many challenges that we face in getting this right, this article will aim to help you through them.Covered in this episode:- The basics of nutrition - Macronutrients- Fat- Protein- Carbohydrate- Micro-nutrient…

1
Perfecting the Work, Life, and Training Balance 8:46

4y ago8:46

8:46

Unless you’re a professional cyclist, have aspirations of making it there, or an athlete who needs to divert every fibre of their being to completing their goals, you’d be forgiven for not making your cycling training your number one priority. If you’ve read my thoughts around accurately gauging commitment, you’ll know that I place a lot of emphasi…

1
Do You Need a Cycling Coach? 6:16

4y ago6:16

6:16

Can you benefit from working with a coach? Yes. Do you necessarily need one? Well, this will depend on what your goals are.Covered in this episode:- Why work with a coach?- Knowledge and experience - Accountability- Motivation- Therapy- Do you really need a cycling coach?- Top factors to look for when hiring a cycling coach…

1
The Basics of Cycling Training 13:24

4y ago13:24

13:24

None of us enter into this incredible sport with a thorough understanding of the basics of cycling training. Often we are fed confusing tidbits of information, ‘bro-science’, or even irrelevant anecdotal information. Yet, having a general understanding of why we train is fundamental to seeing improvements. Much like being told to focus on the muscl…

1
The Importance of Goal Setting for Cycling Training 10:27

4y ago10:27

10:27

Why bother getting on the bike? What reason do you have for training? What is your ‘why’? These three powerful questions should be the driving force behind your goal setting. If you’re not asking yourself these questions when goal setting, you’re probably not focused enough on what you want to achieve. Thankfully, a big part of being a coach is hel…

1
Coping with a Bad Race 35:38

5y ago35:38

35:38

Coach Pav is joined by Mental Fitness Coach, Alan Heary. They discuss how to cope with a bad race or when training just isn't going your way. They detail how to cope with the pressure without losing the arousal of competing, how to turn negative thought patterns into positive and how to really ensure you head into your races in the perfect headspac…

1
Fighting Adversity 43:46

5y ago43:46

43:46

Coach Pav is joined by two-time cancer survivor James Golding. They discuss James' amazing story, what his life was like before his diagnosis, as he beat cancer (twice) and his life after, including his ambitions to become the first British winner of the Race Across America. Listen in to find motivation and inspiration to smash your goals, reasons …