So much to learn - By Brett Lindstrom

In 2019 I turned 61, and as an old dog, I learnt some new tricks.  

I had my most successful year with podiums at the National Road Champs, Victorian Road and TT champs, Amy’s Gran Fondo, National Gran Fondo Champs and shocked myself by winning Masters C of the 3 stage Tour of South West, Victorian Road Series (VRS) round, against guys half my age. 

I’ve done a lot of riding and racing over the years.  In my younger years I raced Motocross, but trained on my “push bike”.  Then I raced bikes all through my 30’s, got too busy with life in my 40’s, and then got back into bikes at the age of 49.   By 2017 I thought I knew a lot.  

My wife joined the Hurt Box in early 2017, she’d ridden a lot too, but hadn’t raced much.  So for six months I got to see what good coaching looked like.  Last time I had a coach was in the mid 1990’2, before we had power meters and Training Peaks, and my “program” was to ride a long way..….a lot.

I was coming up on 60yo, and smashing myself four or five times a week with my CTX mates. I started to question if I should be treating my body that way, but I still wanted to train hard and race competitively.  At the same time I was watching Deb improve heaps with a structured program not always smashing herself.  

So I joined the Hurt Box in late 2017.  I began to realise I had a lot to learn.  My “training” wasn’t training, it was just riding hard all the time with no plan and no sensible goals.  Usually smashing myself to stay with guys 20 years younger than me.  I knew how to train hard before a big race, and then take it easy in the leadup, but that was as scientific as it got.  

I expected to learn a lot from Steggles about training, but what surprised me was how much I learnt about how to ride properly.  How to ride in a bunch, how to always be aware of the wind and what other riders are doing, and how to be smooth.  I didn’t realise I had a “core” and what it meant to my riding.

I won the Tour of South West over a cold wet windy Warrnambool weekend because of three things:

1.     How to ride out of the wind.  Properly.  

2.     Riding smart - using my power meter, watching the other guys, heeding Coaches advice, saving my energy.

3.     The purposeful training I’d done, which gave me self-belief.

At the National Road Champs I got into the winning 3 man break because I was ready for and watching for the right attack.  No one else was ready.  And then it was about the three of us riding smooth and smart to the finish.  I trained well for that race, and executed it well on the day.  I’m proud of how I rode that race.   

I’ve learnt a lot from Steggles.  How to train properly, how to race properly, how to prepare properly, how to believe in yourself, and how to be safe.  

Another thing I love about the Hurt Box is that I get to ride with lots of great people, from young ones racing the NRS, guys at the front of Masters A grade, an amazing group of older women, and some middle age guys and girls getting serious about their riding.  The improvement in people is inspiring to watch.  That inspiration and camaraderie helps get me out of bed at 5am in the Melbourne Winter and jump on my bike.

It also gets Deb out of bed.  In 2019 she won the National Road “Champion of Champions” jersey, the National Criterium championships, the National Gran Fondo Championships and the VRS Open Women’s C grade series (there is no Masters in Women’s VRS).  She has a lot of medals!!  

Old dogs can learn new tricks.