Last Updated on 19 August 2026:
Cycling World Record Training
James Lowsley-Williams — better known as Hank from GCN — was 29 when we started working together and already had a serious racing background. He had raced at Continental level for eight years, ridden the Tour of Britain four times and taken on plenty of other races, challenges and 24-hour rides. The issue wasn’t a lack of riding; it was that a demanding full-time role at GCN meant a lot of time on the bike without enough structure or useful intensity. His next target was very specific: the Land’s End to John O’Groats tandem and relay world records alongside Mark Beaumont. That meant cycling world record training had to turn a huge amount of general riding into something much more purposeful, with the right balance of intensity, recovery and specificity for the record attempt.
A big part of the coaching was simply restoring structure and motivation. Hank already had years of experience and a very high level of ability, so the value wasn’t in teaching him how to ride a bike. It was about making sure the training he was doing actually moved him toward the goal and adapting that training around the unpredictable demands of filming and work.
The result was a successful Land’s End to John O’Groats world-record ride with Mark Beaumont. For Hank, cycling world record training meant taking an already highly capable rider and giving his training the direction and specificity needed to turn fitness into a record-breaking performance.
Preparing for a cycling record attempt, ultra-endurance event, another challenge where simply riding more isn’t enough, or you just want to be coached by Hank’s coach? I can help you build a structured, personalised training plan around the demands of the goal and the realities of your life.
