Save for the cyclo-cross riders, October is the month when many Irish cyclists decide to take a mental and physical break from training and racing.
But it’s not a complete picnic either, as we discovered.
We asked a number of riders across all categories about their ‘off-season’ habits and we discovered that trail running, yoga, holidays, cakes and plenty wine are pretty much the done thing (for this lot anyway)!
Stephen Murray
Club: Strata 3/VeloRevolution
Category: A1
Age: 30
When did you stop training? Just after Rás Kilmallock on August 30th
When will you start training for next season? Christmas week
What things do you like to do in the off-season? The off-season is usually a time for the MTB to get dusted off, but nothing seriously.
I'll do some events like the Nire Valley drop (October 25th), a small bit of running and some coffee runs on the road bike.
Advertisement
I’ll catch up with friends and will head off on a few trips with my long suffering girlfriend.
Stevie McKenna
Club: Omagh Wheelers
Category: A2
Family: Married with 4 kids (and a three-hour commute to work)
When did you stop training? I do it when I can. My training over the past few months has ranged from 1.5 hours a week to last week which totalled 8 hours - and 5.5 hours of that was on Sunday.
When will you start training? I’ve learnt that less is more so when I train I make the most of it, but life dictates my training and in no way would I recommend people to do what I do!
Sometimes all I’ll manage in the week is a 40-minute run but that’ll be done at threshold pace.
What things do you like to do in the off-season? I go running when I can - once or twice a week and throw in some off-road for good measure.
Cathal Purcell
Club: Carrick Wheelers
Category: Second year junior
Related News
Age: 17
When did you stop training? I stopped training immediately after my last race on 13th September.
When will you start training? I take roughly a month of a break so I'm starting up again this weekend.
What things do you like to do in the off-season? Catch up with my friends on nights out that had to be avoided during the season. And I've been learning to drive.
Grace Young
Club: De Ronde Van Cork
Category: Female
Age: 38
When did you stop training? I stopped training the day I finished Ràs na mBan (September 13th). I lasted about 10 days off the bike!
When will you start training? I'll continue to cycle during the winter but easy coffee spins. I will start training seriously again in January.
What things do you like to do in the off-season? I trail run with my dog and do lots of yoga and some strength training.
I eat out a lot and enjoy my wine. Most importantly, though, I try to catch up with friends and family.
Oh and I bake a lot. I bake lots of cakes!
Cathal Miller
Club: Clontarf CC
Category: A2
Age: 47
When did you stop training? I've just recently finished an Ironman and I'm back track training with the Para squad so I'll keep pedalling easy for 2-3 weeks before going back at it again.
When will you start training? Late November I tended to do club spins and cyclo-cross training in St. Anne's Park.
What things do you like to do in the off-season? Drink large amounts of German beer, swimming and some core work, catch up with old friends.
Plenty of AGM type meetings for IVCA, Clontarf CC and the Para commission.
Topics
