Last Updated on 7 August 2026:
James Lowsley-Williams, better known to many cyclists as Hank from GCN, came into coaching with a huge amount of cycling experience already behind him.
He had raced at Continental level for eight years, ridden the Tour of Britain four times, completed countless races and challenges, and taken on 24-hour rides. This was not a case of teaching someone how to train from scratch.
The challenge was very different.
Despite spending a lot of time on the bike through his demanding role at GCN, the riding was not always structured around a specific training goal. The aim of coaching was to bring more purpose, progression and accountability to the work he was already doing.
Who is James Lowsley-Williams (Hank from GCN)?
If you didn’t already know, James Lowsley-Williams, Hank from GCN, has an extensive background in competitive cycling.
Before working with me, Hank had:
- Raced at Continental level for eight years
- Competed in the Tour of Britain four times
- Completed numerous races and cycling challenges
- Taken on 24-hour non-stop rides
That level of experience meant he already had a strong understanding of cycling and performance.
What he needed was not simply more riding. He needed training that complemented a busy professional cycling life and prepared him for a very specific endurance challenge.
The coaching challenge
Hank’s job at GCN meant that riding bikes was already a major part of his working life.
On paper, that sounds ideal for training.
In reality, there is an important difference between spending a lot of time riding and completing structured training designed around a specific goal.
The challenge was to take the riding Hank was already doing and add enough structure that the right physiological demands were being targeted at the right time.
That meant thinking about:
- Training intensity
- Recovery
- Session purpose
- Progression
- Accountability
- The demands of the target event
For an experienced cyclist, coaching is often less about adding more and more training and more about making better use of what is already available.
The goal: LEJOG world records
Hank was preparing to take on Land’s End to John O’Groats alongside ultra-endurance cyclist, and another of my clients, Mark Beaumont.
Their targets included both tandem and relay world-record attempts.
An effort like LEJOG requires more than simply having a high level of fitness. Training has to prepare the rider to sustain performance for an exceptionally long period while managing fatigue, pacing, recovery and the practical demands surrounding the attempt.
For Hank, all of that also had to fit around the demands of his work with GCN.
What cycling coaching added
Working with an athlete as experienced as Hank is a good example of how coaching can provide value beyond simply writing workouts.
The role was to provide greater structure and direction to his training while keeping it realistic around everything else he had going on.
The important pieces included:
- Giving individual sessions a clear purpose
- Balancing intensity with recovery
- Creating progression towards the target
- Providing accountability
- Looking objectively at the bigger training picture
- Keeping motivation high
When Hank was asked about the best part of working with me, his answer was wonderfully simple:
“Motivation!!”
That might sound like a small thing, but consistency and motivation become increasingly important when the goal is demanding and the athlete already has a very busy schedule.
Breaking the LEJOG relay world record
The end result was pretty special.
Hank and Mark Beaumont successfully broke the Land’s End to John O’Groats relay world record.
What I like about this particular coaching story is that Hank was already an exceptionally capable cyclist.
The goal was not to transform a beginner into an experienced athlete. It was to take someone who was already performing at a very high level, understand the specific demands of the challenge and make the training more purposeful.
That same principle applies whether the target is a world record, a Gran Fondo, a first century or simply becoming a stronger cyclist.
More training is not always the answer.
Better-structured training often is.
Hear from James Lowsley-Williams (Hank from GCN) and Mark Beaumont
Could more structure improve your cycling?
You do not need the experience of James Lowsley-Williams, Hank from GCN, or a world-record attempt on your calendar to benefit from structured cycling coaching.
Many cyclists already ride consistently but still struggle with questions such as:
- Am I doing enough?
- Am I training too hard?
- Which sessions actually matter?
- How should training change as my event approaches?
- How do I fit structured training around work and family?
- Why am I riding a lot without getting much faster?
That is where personalised coaching can make a difference.
If you would like help turning the time you already have available into structured training built around your goals, book a free consultation.
