I'm fairly new to cycle coaching...
...but I've coached for a lifetime.
Highlighting my lack of experience when I'm supposed to sell myself goes against all the rules, traditions and norms.
So does being honest enough to state the quotes on this website are not all about cycling, but me, my attitude and approach.
You can see the full versions on LinkedIn and Facebook.
Normal? Probably not.
Standard for SiSi? Absolutely.
9 hours into the Everesting and we're all at different stages of questioning life choices. I couldn't give everyone a hug, but I could leave them a smile.
My lifetime of coaching
Nearly three decades in engineering recruitment taught me a lot, the most surprising thing being the misplaced focus on process.
Fair enough, there are lots of processes to focus on such as writing a CV, deciding what you want from the move and weighing up whether moving is the best thing to do, but they’re not that deserving of your attention.
People are.
If you don’t know the person, their thoughts, priorities and aspirations, how can you best represent and advise them?
I'm not an engineer, but it doesn’t matter because I instinctively ask questions that put words to feelings, method to mindset, and priorities to goals.
More importantly, it enables me to guide someone along the journey and all its processes by drawing upon what is already familiar to them.
To explain what I mean; you don’t think about writing a shopping list when you’re on a budget. You naturally see what you want, what you need, and then prioritise according to finance. It’s not so different to deciding what you want from a new role.
In the same way, it's second nature to adapt your stance, stride and breathing to the terrain while on a country walk; is that so different to what you'd do on your bike?
My Cycling CV
I've already said how I started cycling again through frustration rather than desire, and I won't lie and tell you that it's always been amazing. Sometimes it's just not fun. Not in the moment, not immediately afterwards, or with the rose tinted glasses of hindsight.
Other rides are tough at the time, but satisfying. Then there are those special moments that just make your heart sing.
Below is a mix of all three that make up my cycling CV. BTW, the night of that selfie definitely made my heart sing despite the weather - it felt pretty epic being out!
