From starting the season as an A4 rider, Christopher McGlinchey worked his way into the Irish Development Team for last weekend's Tour of Ulster and has won a series of races in the process. Above, wearing the yellow jersey at the Tour of the North where he won the TT stage. Below he outlines a recent training week (Photo: Marian Lamb – Cycling Ulster)
Name: Christopher McGlinchey
Team: Chain Reaction Cycles for Road, Nukeproof Factory Racing for MTB/Enduro
Date of birth: March 31st 1994
Weight & height: 73kg, 5ft 10in
Training goals this time of year
At present my goals have been simply improving my threshold with some high-end stuff thrown in too.
As I’m racing road and enduro this season, my coach and I’ve been targeting my training towards both disciplines.
General goals for the year
My goals for this season are to just gain as much experience as I can on the road so that I’m more prepared for next season.
I was also selected for the Irish Development Team for the Tour of Ulster so I was looking to put in a strong ride there.
For enduro my goals will be to finish in the top 40 in the World Series rounds I’ll be competing in.
In the U23 classification leader's red jersey at the Tour of Ulster last weekend. He would finish 2nd in that competition and 7th overall (Photo: David McVeigh - The Belgian Project)
Monday
As I work full-time all my weekly sessions are split up into AM and PM of around 45 mins - 1hr 30.
This morning was an easy zone 1 recovery ride after the race at the weekend, all my AM sessions are usually fasted and I get breakfast when I get into work.
PM session - This was a 1hr 15 Zone 2 session with 1 x 20 min @ 160 - 170 hr. I had not done a lactate test in a while so I was going on heart rate today and then using power to get a rough estimate of where my threshold was.
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Power for the 20 minute effort was 345w @ 166bpm HR.
Tuesday
AM session is a 1 hour fasted zone 3 session into work. No efforts, just steady power for the full hour.
PM session is much the same just 45 mins Zone 2 this time. No real efforts apart from accelerating up to speed at lights in same gear that I was in.
Wednesday
Usually today is a hard day with Zone 4 efforts split up between AM and PM sessions.AM was a 40 minute ride into work with 30 minutes of it spent in zone 4.
PM was much the same just 1 x 20 minute zone 4 effort.
I also try and do some foam rolling and stretching with my girlfriend in the evenings.
Thursday
This was my hardest day this week with a combined AM/PM TSS score of 226.
Am session was a 1 hour 30 zone 2 rider with 4 x 30 second max sprints
PM session was a shorter session but again was zone 2 with 4 x 1 minute efforts, 2 seated and 2 out of the saddle.
On the start line of the time trial opening stage of the Tour of Ulster last weekend, his first race for the Irish team on the road. McGlinchey has also represented Ireland at downhill (Photo: David McVeigh - The Belgian Project)
Friday
Friday is generally an easier day after two hard days so it was just 1 hour 50 mins in zone two split between an AM and PM commute to work.
Saturday
After a hard week of training and a 40 hour week in work it’s great to get some time to just relax and enjoy myself.
Sunday
Again Sunday is generally race day but if there is no racing on I would do a 2 hour zone 2 ride with a hard effort every 30 minutes or so.
This week my brother was home from University so I headed out on a spin with him which was great fun as it was him that got me into cycling in the first place.
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