I joined the cycling community very late in life and like many other recreational athletes, discovered the joy of two wheels after entering my first triathlon. A runner at heart, I was tempted into multi sport having picked up my fair share of injuries. Swimming was kind to my body and I often found myself in the pool when rehabbing various calf or ankle niggles but I soon grew to love cycling, despite my lack of experience. Entering my first three triathlons on a hybrid (!) I knew that if I was to take the sport seriously, an upgrade was needed. Investing in a road bike was one of the best decisions I ever made. It is bizarre how drop handle bars and cleats make you feel like you’ve finally made it!
What I love most about triathlon, and endurance sport in general, is the hours of training that goes with it. It is my way of shutting off from the world. I suppose it is my mindfulness activity, albeit quite an energetic one! Long distance swimming, running or cycling takes me to a happy place which I’m sure many Voxwomen readers will be able to resonate with.
Back in March 2020, just on the cusp of lockdown, I was on my bike doing a few laps of Richmond Park. It was a lovely spring evening so a perfect way to spend my one hour of exercise outdoors. Looking back, it seems almost unbelievable the level of restriction we had to endure but at the time, we were all playing our part. After our two laps, we were heading home through a quiet residential area, a route I knew so well and just 5 minutes from my flat. Unfortunately, this journey didn’t end in the same way as all the others – a collision with a double decker bus left me on the floor and my bike slightly worse for ware.
Thankfully, after a few months of TLC for both me and my bike, we were once again road worthy however, this accident prompted a lockdown investment in the form of a turbo trainer. It meant that I could cycle as much as my heart’s content, without the worry of traffic, frostbite fingers, or dare I say, double decker buses! In hindsight, I wish this wasn’t my mentality, I wished I’d jumped back on as soon as my body allowed, but I didn’t, and this was to the detriment of my outdoor adventures. The power of the mind is quite unbelievable; despite my heart wanting to be out in the fresh air, enjoying the early morning sunrises along with coffee and cake stops, my anxiety was holding me back.
And then something changed. I saw the advert of the Vox Performance Project through a friend; he tagged me in the Instagram post and suggested I apply. I had nothing to lose and needed a reason to get my training back on track – so I applied. And to my absolute delight, I was successful. Being part of this project has given me a new focus; whilst cycling outdoors still remains a challenge, I have a new motivation to keep going. In just the few months of being part of this incredible team, I have learnt so much about my training – in particular my lack of fuelling, the timing around my nutrition, the importance of hydration and how being part of a community can give you the confidence to just keep going. I am so grateful to Voxwomen, Supersapiens, Zwift, and Precision Fuel & Hydration for selecting me; with their support, I am hoping 2023 will be the year I regain my love of two wheels.
And so what am I training for? A surprise successful ballot place in the Essex-100 will see me on the start line in May 2023 and I have one or two other ideas in mind….! I know I have a long way to go to be fully comfortable on my bike but we all need to start somewhere. And despite the cold weather and short days, I feel excited about winter training this year. Check back here in February to see my progress or follow me on @ally_1986
