World Champion Cyclist Kate Courtney In Workout Gear Runs For Charity

World champion mountain bike cyclist Kate Courtney used her platform to raise awareness for the annual Wings For Life World Run charity in May. Courtney, 28, shared a video of herself running outside in shorts and a sling-sleeve shirt, her dog accompanying her on the run. “Thanks to the fabulous folks at @redbull 100% of your registration fee goes directly to support cutting edge spinal cord research. Register now and join me (and @ourfullmonte) in running for those who can’t ❤️ So who’s with us? 🙋🏻‍♀️,” she captioned the post. Here’s what Courtney’s training schedule looks like, plus her best tips for cycling beginners.

1. Typical Training Schedule

Courtney rides every day and spends two to three hours in the gym. “My rides often involve a series of intervals and are done on the mountain or road bike while my double days usually involve slightly shorter rides,” she told Outside Magazine. “I ride anywhere from 15-25 hours a week and spend roughly 3-6 hours in the gym. Outside of this, I spend training time doing yoga, stretching and focusing on recovery. You can only train as hard as you can recover!”

2. Always On the Move

Courtney stays active even on her rest days. “I do yoga, I do mobility work, I work with a PT and do a lot of recovery activities outside of training like foam rolling, ice baths and saunas,” she told USA Cycling. “And number one – very good sleep! It’s a challenge for me managing how much I do on rest days, because I have to do something during and I think my dog has been my secret weapon! I’ll take him for a walk, I’ll take him to the beach; I’ve done something, but it’s quite relaxing.”

3. Dealing With Nerves

Shutterstock

Courtney still gets nervous before a race. “I think everyone does and I think nerves are a sign you really care about something,” she told USA Cycling. “For me, I think preparation is the antidote to those challenging situations, because at the end of the day you can only control what you can control. If you manage those things, hopefully the outcome takes care of itself and if it doesn’t, hopefully you’ll have more opportunities in the future.”

4. Advice For Beginners

Courtney’s advice for beginners is to practice, and work on functional core. “For those just starting out, my biggest advice is to just spend more time on the bike and to identify specific skills you’d like to the work on during your time out on the trail,” she told Outside Magazine. “While you can get increasingly specific with intervals, time in the gym, etc. – the most valuable thing you can do as a beginner or intermediate rider looking to improve is to put in more hours on the bike… A lot of the work that I do in the gym and for recovery are for injury prevention and to help me stay strong and healthy while pushing my body over a long period of time.”

5. Sports Psychologist

Courtney is a strong proponent for mental health support. “I work with a sports psychologist and I have for the past five years,” she told USA Cycling. “I personally think that the mental game is a huge part of success, but it’s also a huge part of just being a healthy, happy person in the long run. I think that dealing with situations and emotions requires certain skills and perspectives that need to be developed and for me that’s done through sports psychology, plus reading, journalling and all of those kinds of things where I give myself space and time.”