JAMES OLIVER
How Njinga helped James qualify for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships
ACHIEVEMENT HIGHLIGHTS
NJINGA 10KM 2017 CHAMP
18 minutes 27 seconds
POWER-TO-WEIGHT
Over 4.4 w/kg
UCI Worlds
Qualified for back to back UCI Gran Fondo World Championships.
ride london
Completed Ride London in 4 hours 8 minutes.
In the first three years of me riding with Njinga (2015 - 2018), the team have helped me through a number of sportives.
They've shown me how to not only increase my power on the bike but also how to increase my power-to-weight by being smart about nutrition.
The wattbike training sessions have also been instrumental to me finishing the Prudential Ride London 100 miles with a time of 4 hours 8 minutes and increasing my power-to-weight to over 4 w/kg. I've also done a few group indoor training programmes and can't recommend them enough! Not only is there good group camaraderie but...
The programmes provide visible training effects to make you a fitter and ultimately a quicker cyclist.
Njinga have also helped me qualify for the Gran Fondo Championships for the past two years (2015 and 2017). At the time of writing, I'm looking to do the same for this year's 2018 Championships.
Togo & the team have a wealth of knowledge readily available & are always happy to answer my questions.
I feel part of the Njinga family and look forward to what the future holds.
Njinga training sessions help me fit in training between my social life & work
They've helped me to build volume during the week and ensure that I add variety to my training.
Some of the classes are focused more on the sweet spot so I can hold a comfortable power for a sustained period while others were more focused on sprints which are key to doing well in an event like the Prudential. (The event's pace is so high from the start that you'll be sprinting out of every corner to keep up with the bunch.)
How the wattbike training classes and Njinga Collective have helped me qualify for the Gran Fondo Championships
Njinga has been key to helping me qualify for the Gran Fondo Championships. I've been able to use the wattbike training classes to keep fit during the week and then ride with the Njinga Collective – Njinga's not-for-profit outdoor riding group – to build volume.
The Collective has given me confidence to ride within a tight group for a sustained period.
On top of being a great way to train, the Collective is a great social experience so you get the best of both worlds!
It's important to get in long rides, so the touring rides have definitely helped me build mental strength for endurance.
Ensuring you get both volume & variety is key to performing well at cycling
Training with Njinga has given me both. Although I would love to be able to ride outside every day, this is rarely a feasible option. Often, it's the weather and light that makes it a dangerous activity, but also intensity is key. My only option would be to ride after work and this is when traffic is at its highest. Training with Njinga ensures that I'm able to train in a safe environment and don't have to worry about the weather or fading light.
Not only has Njinga helped me on the bike, but I've met a lot of like-minded people and gained a lot of knowledge about what to do off the bike to improve my cycling ability.
James is a Njinga Ride Captain for the Njinga Collective.
James climbing out the saddle in his Njinga Collective Ride Captain kit.
Official RideLondon Sportive Photo taken by Sportograf
James completing the Ride London 100 sportive in a time of 4 hours and 8 minutes.
James out on a Njinga Collective social ride.
James ride captaining on a Njinga Collective ride.
James ready to complete the Etape du Tour - A full mountain stage of the Tour de France.
I would highly recommend Njinga as a place to improve your cycling, as somewhere to free the mind, or both!
Njinga Collective Ride Captain: giving back while connecting with other cyclists and getting a good workout
At the time of writing, I'm now moving into my third year as an Njinga Ride Captain. The reason that I keep coming back is the family feel of the Collective. You're able to get a good workout with some strong cyclists but also have a good chat with like-minded people.
The Collective can be used for various reasons, whether you're looking to improve your cycling skills or looking for group rides exploring the south of England.
Togo has instilled a high-level of safety consciousness into the Ride Captains and it's always upheld to ensure confidence in every rider. The Collective is always coming up with new ideas and rides. It's something I would highly recommend and I look forward to the new season!
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– Togo Keynes, Head Performance Coach at Njinga Cycling Academy
