On Saturday 8 December I went up to Dublin to meet Olympic Medalist and World Cycling Champion Wendy Houvenaghel at a training day organised by Cycling Ireland Development Coach Paddy Doran with the Women’s Commission of Cycling Ireland.
Houvenaghel, née McLean, from Upperlands near Magherafelt Co Derry, is Northern
Ireland’s most successful racing cyclist. During her nine-year international racing career as
part of the world renowned British Cycling squad she has won three world championship
titles and four world championship silver medals, in addition to an Olympic silver medal in
the Individual Pursuit in Beijing four years ago. Wendy was the reserve on the victorious
British Team Pursuit squad at the London Olympics in August.
Although a track cyclist, the majority of Wendy’s training is road-based. She has put out a
savage time-trial or two in her time, so it her knowledge of training for time trials that is of
real benefit to us as triathletes. Wendy led us for a turbo session which she uses as her key
training session for time-trials. We will be using this session regularly at our Thursday
evening turbo sessions – Thursday 19:30 at Murrintown Community Centre – come
along and train like an olympian!
Wendy is a real advocate of the benefits of the turbo trainer during the winter. As a
professional cyclist she cannot afford to be injured – so why would she risk injury doing a
road session on icy or very wet roads? However, she pointed out that this is something we
all should be concerned about – a fall could stop us training for weeks or months. Also, in
bad conditions we will tend to hold back so in all likelihood our training sessions will not be
at the intensity level required. Now, she is not advocating never going out – we all need fresh
air and being outside is what most of us enjoy so much about cycling – but make use of good
days for quality sessions outside, and choose your sessions carefully on bad days. The idea
of transferring a three or four hour road session to the turbo fills me with horror. Fortunately,
an hour on the turbo is equivalent to about two on the road since there is no freewheeling on
the turbo trainer. Wendy also suggested splitting sessions up, for example and hour in the
morning and then another in the afternoon or evening.
The Cornwall-based rider presented her thoughts on the requisites for success: developing
the physical, psychological and nutritional facets so that combine for successful training and
performance. She then took part in a question and answer session. I found her thoughts on
nutrition for females particularly interesting. None of the British female team count calories,
they are encouraged to listen to their own body, and eat when they are hungry. Wendy is
adamant that treats are good! Just as long as they are part of a balanced diet, and she would
recommend less of them nearing competition time.
I was delighted to see so many young, enthusiastic, female teenage cyclists from the
cycling ireland 2020 development squad and talent team. I often dispair when I see the
Wexford cycling underage leagues with plenty of young boys, but not a girl in sight. At least
there are some girls cycling somewhere in Ireland! For those of us that are past our teenage
years, Paddy Doran and the Women’s Cycling commmission are keen to start a women’s
cycling league in Wexford (perhaps this would also help encourage young females that
cycling is for women too!). Anybody who is interested in a Women’s cycling league, which
would probably comprise road races and time trials, please let me know.
Ciara