Cycling Coaching & Gravel Ride Coaching
Cycling coaching that actually fits your life.
Work with USA Cycling Level 3 certified coach James Nance and Expert Gravel Coach Zack Russell who understand that you’re not just a power file—you’re an athlete with goals, a schedule, and a life outside the bike.
Microcosm Coaching offers expert cycling coaching for road cyclists, mountain bikers, and gravel riders. Our coaches provide power-based training, interval programming, and strength integration for athletes of all levels.
Power-based training. Real results. Human-first support.
We Specialize in Efficiency Over Volume
Time-crunched athlete? We get it. Our coaches prioritize high-quality interval training so you can maximize your time. Targeted VO2 max sessions, threshold work, and cadence drills deliver maximum gains on minimal time. No more four-hour rides you can’t fit into your week.
Power-Based Training (Power Meter Optional)
We use watts per kilogram, heart rate zones, and RPE to design workouts that make you faster. Have a power meter? Great—we’ll analyze your data. Don’t have one? No problem. Progress doesn’t require expensive tech, just smart programming.
Road, Mountain, and Gravel Expertise
Road cyclists: Build sustainable power for centuries, gran fondos, and competitive racing. Master long climbs and efficient pedaling.
Mountain bikers: Develop explosive power for technical climbs and rock gardens. Strength training can be integrated at certain coaching tiers to increase power transfer through your entire kinetic chain.
Gravel riders: Train for ultra-distance events with endurance and mental toughness work.
What you get.
Personalized weekly plans with structured intervals tailored to your schedule and goals.
Power and HR analysis to track progression and manage training load (when available).
Ongoing adjustments based on how your body responds to training and when life happens. All our tiers of service include program changes when athletes need them.
Direct coach access through email, text and monthly calls depending on your tier of service.
Strength training protocols & Recommendations proven to increase cycling power (depending on coach and tier of service).
Bike fit guidance to connect you with quality fitters in your area.
Race and Training Nutrition to keep you healthfully sustaining your training and reaching your goals over months and years.
Who we work with.
✓ Beginners nervous about their first group ride
✓ Runners coming back from injury who’ve discovered cycling
✓ Time-crunched athletes who need efficient training
✓ Century and gran fondo riders chasing PRs
✓ Mountain bikers training for endurance events
✓ Gravel grinders tackling 100+ mile adventures
✓ Multi-sport athletes balancing run and bike training
Meet your Coaches.
James Nance – USA Cycling Level 3 Coach
USA Cycling License #777402 | UESCA Certified Running Coach | Fort Collins, CO
James discovered cycling through injury when running was off the table. What started as rehab on an old commuter bike became a passion—especially after moving to Colorado in 2019 and confronting his fear of hills head-on.
Today he’s completed the Triple Bypass and conquered countless Front Range climbs. With a PhD in Applied Mathematics, James brings an analytical approach to training design, combining RPE with power-based zones to create sustainable, effective workouts.
His philosophy: power data helps, but it’s not required. Whether you’re training for your first century or your fastest group ride performance, James builds structured plans around spin-ups, threshold sessions, and steady-state work tailored to your life.
Best for: Road cyclists, multi-sport athletes, endurance rides up to 100 miles, athletes who value data-driven coaching.
Zack Russell – Multi-Discipline Endurance Coach
UESCA Trail/Ultra Coach | NASM Sports Nutritionist | NSCA Strength Coach | Certified Athletic Trainer | Carbondale, CO
Zack has worked as an athletic trainer with USA Track & Field at world championships. He’s competed in Ironman, 100-milers, Unbound Gravel XL350, and 24-hour MTB races. He holds a 2:41 marathon PR, finished 3rd at IMTUF 100, and won the Never Summer 100k.
Translation? He knows what big adventure days require.
Zack’s coaching centers on efficiency: more power with less effort through metrics-driven interval training. For time-crunched athletes, he prescribes targeted VO2 max and threshold work over endless volume. For mountain bikers, he programs explosive power work and technical climbing strength.
His differentiator is strength integration—recruiting more muscle fibers under load for greater power transfer through the full kinetic chain. He also guides athletes to quality bike fitters who optimize position for performance and comfort.
Best for: Road and mountain biking, gravel, multisport athletes, time-crunched schedules, strength-focused training
