CCNS athlete Erkko Etula has had a ripper of a season! He lined up at 16 races and finished on the podium in an incredible 12 of those races. The NYC native won the CRCA Masters Cup and finished 2nd overall in the Men’s A field (Cat 1,2,3).
Erkko balances his training and racing with a demanding career and of course, a busy family life. As anyone with relatives overseas will testify, it can be hard to juggle training with taking care of visiting the family each season.
We asked Erkko a few questions to get insight into his success.
CCNS: How has your fitness improved in the last year or so?
EE: It’s been quite a journey. We started exactly 12 months ago. I was Cat 3 then, having restarted racing in 2022 after a 22-year break. I didn’t have a coach, so my training had been pretty unstructured – and while I had surprised myself a few times with solid results, I didn’t know how hard I could push myself in races, so that affected my confidence. What systematic training with CCNS gave me was not only the fitness to go hard but also the knowledge of how hard I could go. And that paid dividends in the spring of 2023 as I quickly rose to Cat 2 and then Cat 1.
CCNS: Can you describe a specific workout or ride that you found particularly challenging (or effective)?
EE: My riding style is pretty punchy, so I really like workouts with short and hard intervals, anything up to 2 minutes or so. Conversely, producing consistently high power for long periods has always been challenging for me. So, perhaps the most demanding workout of the season was a 4-hour ride on the Sunday after Saturday’s Trooper Brinkerhoff race. If I recall correctly, it started with 2.5h of low tempo, followed by 1.5h at high tempo / low threshold. Also, my wife was traveling for work that week, so our social calendar was empty, and I had asked Coach Hunter to add some extra spice to the workouts. At the end of that ride, I was totally done. I think the only thing that helped me get through it was the gorgeous roads near Livingston Manor, NY.
CCNS: Have there been any surprises along the way? Was there anything unexpected about working with a coach for an entire season?
EE: It has been a total surprise what I have been able to do as a 40-year-old CEO, with very little spare time in my hands, racing against 20-year-olds. But I think that’s exactly the point – knowing precisely what to do every morning makes it easier to fit workouts in an already busy schedule. I can leave all of the planning to Coach Hunter because I know he’ll put the right thing for me on the calendar. Sometimes I even do work calls during indoor endurance rides. It’s a bit harder during interval workouts!
CCNS: Seeing as how you are a great sprinter, are there any tips you can offer someone who is looking to improve their own sprinting ability?
EE: I love sprinting because I enjoy the process that leads up to it – the team strategy, the steady acceleration in speed, and the feeling when you get off the saddle and your body starts to become one with the bike. I was fortunate to spend some time with Mark Cavendish last fall, and I actually asked him that same question. He told me that if the team puts him in the right place, he knows what he can do because of all the work that he’s put in. I think that summarizes it pretty well.
CCNS: Congratulations on an awesome season. What are you looking forward to next season?
EE: Honestly, I just want to have fun on the bike and continue using cycling as a source of energy for the rest of my life. I do my best thinking after a good workout, so if cycling can give me that, it has done its job. I am just so grateful to have a healthy and balanced life, and cycling is an integral part of that equilibrium.
We wholeheartedly agree, Erkko. Thanks for fielding our questions. We can’t wait for next season!
