Your 2026 Performance Playbook: 10 Questions, Clear Answers

Welcome to 2026.

Right now, your inbox is probably drowning in "predictions for the new year"—vague forecasts about trends that may or may not materialise.

I'm going to do something different.

Instead of speculation, I'm answering the ten questions that ambitious leaders who ride are actually asking. No fluff. No hedging. Just the clearest answers I can give, backed by research.

Think of this as your reference document for the year ahead—something you can return to in March when you're planning your training block, or in September when you're designing your team's Q4 rhythm.

Let's get into it.

The old model of fixed training plans is dead. If you're still trying to follow a rigid 16-week block while managing board meetings, travel, and family commitments, you're setting yourself up for failure and frustration.

The answer is AI-adaptive coaching. Platforms like TrainerRoad and AI Endurance now adjust your training in real-time based on sleep quality, travel schedules, and recovery metrics. Miss a Tuesday session because of an emergency client call? The algorithm redistributes the training stress across the week without panic.

Research from Harvard Business School confirms that leaders who build "change fitness"—the ability to adapt fluidly to disruption—outperform those who cling to rigid systems. Your training should model this.

The shift: Stop fighting your schedule. Let your training adapt to it.

Question 2: Can a 20-minute ride actually improve my decision-making?

Yes—and the science is now unambiguous.

A recent meta-analysis published in Frontiers in Psychology found that a single bout of high-intensity cycling produces immediate improvements in inhibitory control—the cognitive function that helps you resist impulsive decisions and stay focused under pressure. The effect peaks within 30-60 minutes post-ride.

For the leader, this means a short, intense morning session before a high-stakes meeting isn't a luxury. It's preparation.

The protocol: 20 minutes including 4-6 intervals at 90% effort. Shower. Walk into your first meeting with a sharper mind than anyone else in the room.

Question 3: Should I be using a continuous glucose monitor?

If you've ever "bonked" on a long ride—or experienced the 3pm energy crash that derails your afternoon focus—a CGM removes the guesswork.

Devices integrated by Supersapiens now show you exactly how your blood sugar responds to training intensity and carbohydrate intake. A stable glucose trend during an endurance ride means you're efficiently burning fat. A sharp dip is an early warning to fuel before your performance—cognitive or physical—collapses.

For time-pressed leaders, the real value is understanding how nutrition affects your afternoon brain. That post-lunch slump might be avoidable.

The insight: You can't manage what you don't measure. Your energy is no exception.

Question 4: What equipment changes actually matter this year?

The industry loves to sell you "revolutionary" upgrades. Most of it is noise. Here's what genuinely improves your riding experience:

13-speed wireless drivetrains (Shimano's 2025 Dura-Ace update) provide closer gear steps for flat roads and bailout gears for Alpine climbs. If you ride varied terrain, this matters.

TPU inner tubes solve the maintenance headache of tubeless systems. Nearly identical rolling resistance, no messy sealant, and they pack easily for travel.

Shorter cranks (165mm) reduce knee strain and improve hip mobility—particularly valuable if you're also sitting at a desk for hours.

The principle: Optimise for sustainability, not marginal speed gains. Equipment that keeps you riding consistently beats equipment that's fast but fragile.

Question 5: Is "micro-dosing" training better than long weekend rides?

For the time-constrained leader, micro-dosing is the most effective methodology available.

Rather than cramming a six-hour ride into Saturday (and being exhausted for Sunday family time), micro-dosing distributes training into frequent, short, high-quality sessions throughout the week. Research in field sports shows this maintains physiological adaptations while significantly reducing accumulated fatigue.

The Fascat "micro-dosing VO2" protocol is particularly effective: short 30-second to 2-minute efforts at 120-130% of FTP, sprinkled into a mid-week ride. You accumulate high-intensity stimulus without the systemic fatigue that compromises your workday focus.

The shift: Stop thinking in "training blocks." Start thinking in "training doses."

Question 6: How do I actually recover faster?

Recovery technology has moved beyond "sit in compression boots and hope."

The 2026 approach is intelligence-driven. Platforms like PROTEC Recovery integrate data from Whoop, Oura, and Garmin to prescribe daily protocols based on your actual state. If your HRV indicates your nervous system is overloaded from work stress (not training stress), the system adjusts—prioritising breathwork or low-temperature sauna over aggressive percussion massage.

The hierarchy:

Most leaders invert this. They buy expensive gadgets while sleeping five hours. Fix the foundation first.

Question 7: How does endurance training actually make me a better leader?

This isn't motivational rhetoric. The mechanism is specific.

High-level endurance sports train your brain to enter flow states—where challenge and skill are matched, and your best thinking emerges. They also develop "recognition-primed decision-making"—the intuitive, pattern-based approach that experts use in high-stakes situations. Research into decision-making in high-risk domains confirms that this capacity is built through repeated exposure to stress and uncertainty.

Navigating a technical descent at 60kph or managing a group sprint trains the same neural pathways you'll use when making a strategic call with incomplete information.

The transfer: The bike isn't separate from your leadership development. It's part of it.

Question 8: Where do I find other leaders who ride?

Networking has moved from the country club to the mountain pass.

The Haute Route Alps remains the premier event—seven days from Nice to Thonon-les-Bains, 19,255 metres of elevation, and over 40 nationalities represented. The cost (£4,299+) filters for serious participants. The shared suffering creates genuine connection.

In the UK, the UKREiiF Sportif in Harrogate attracts property and finance professionals. Cycle Club London offers regular rides and training camps.

The principle: Shared challenge builds trust faster than shared cocktails. Find your tribe on the road.

Question 9: How is urban cycling infrastructure changing my commute?

Paris has invested €250 million in its 2021-2026 Bike Plan, creating 450km of dedicated routes. London continues expanding its Cycle Superhighways. The practical result: in many European business capitals, cycling is now faster and more reliable than driving.

For the leader, this transforms "dead time" into training time. A 45-minute commute becomes a 45-minute Zone 2 session. You arrive at the office with elevated cognitive function rather than the cortisol spike of sitting in traffic.

Research published in BMC Public Health found that 270 minutes of weekly cycling is associated with 24% lower mortality risk and significant reductions in workplace absence.

The reframe: Your commute isn't a problem to eliminate. It's an opportunity to capture.

Question 10: What ethical questions should I be asking about AI in my training (and my business)?

As AI becomes the operating system for both training and corporate management, governance matters.

The questions to ask any AI coaching platform—or any AI tool in your business:

Data sovereignty: How is my biometric and personal data stored? Is it being used to train third-party models without my consent?

Algorithmic bias: Has the system been tested to ensure it doesn't disadvantage certain users?

Human oversight: Does the system maintain a "human in the loop" for critical decisions?

Research from Shaping Change indicates these are the questions boards will increasingly ask about AI adoption in 2026.

The principle: AI is a tool, not a replacement for judgment. Use it thoughtfully.

🎙️ Prefer to listen? Here's a short, AI-generated audio summary of the main topic in this issue:

That's your 2026 playbook.

Ten questions. Ten clear answers. Zero vague predictions.

Print this. Save it. Return to it when you need clarity.

Here's to a year of riding strong and leading well.