{"id":4040,"date":"2023-08-23T10:59:42","date_gmt":"2023-08-23T10:59:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/ie\/?p=4040"},"modified":"2023-08-23T10:59:59","modified_gmt":"2023-08-23T10:59:59","slug":"going-the-distance-with-imogen-cotter-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/ie\/2023\/08\/23\/going-the-distance-with-imogen-cotter-4\/","title":{"rendered":"Going the Distance with Imogen Cotter"},"content":{"rendered":"

Getting ready for a sportive<\/h2>\n

In this month\u2019s column, Irish professional cyclist and \u0160koda ambassador Imogen Cotter gives us an insight on her experience at the \u0160koda Ring of Clare, and how you can prepare for a sportive!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hi everyone, and welcome back to my monthly column with We Love Cycling. I\u2019m at my usual base in Girona, Spain preparing for a big block of racing and I\u2019m really excited for it. I\u2019ve been doing a lot of training which has been focused on heat adaptation. I try to head out at the hottest part of the day to get my training done, as I have races coming up in Italy. I\u2019m hoping this kind of attention to detail will pay off and I\u2019ll achieve some nice results for myself and the team \u2013 here\u2019s hoping!<\/p>\n

I really needed the time to get used to the warm weather again, as I spent June and July mainly in Ireland. This was great as I love training back in Ireland and I adore being close to all my family – and the cherry on top was that I got to take part in some races around the island. The Irish cycling scene is so friendly and motivating, and I feel like I made some great power and fitness improvements while I was back home!<\/p>\n

I also got to take part in the fantastic event that is the \u0160koda Ring of Clare<\/a>. It is a 160km ride around some beautiful areas across the county, including Doonbeg, the Kilkee Cliffs and Ennis via the Shannon Estuary! Although we weren\u2019t exactly blessed thanks to some typical Irish weather, (it rained nearly the entire day!) it was a lovely way to experience some of my favourite training roads with lots of like-minded individuals. As a professional cyclist, I do a lot of my training alone, so having people around me to motivate me on such a long ride was brilliant!<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Cu5MLGsMRkU\/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==<\/a><\/p>\n

Tips for preparing for a sportive<\/h3>\n

1. Create a training plan \u2013 and stick to it!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s a training plan that you have downloaded from a website like Zwift, or you have a coach who has created a tailored training plan for you, it can be very helpful to have some structure and guidance when you\u2019re preparing an event like the \u0160koda Ring of Clare. With a training plan that is designed by professionals, it takes the guesswork out of your training \u2013 you can be assured that you are increasing your workload in a realistic and achievable manner, without fear of getting burnt out.<\/p>\n

2. Build your base<\/strong><\/p>\n

As important as it is to get some hard training sessions in, it\u2019s equally important to incorporate some easy rides, keeping your heart rate low and allowing you to enjoy riding your bike. It\u2019s a mistake made all too often that people go out with their group ride on the weekend and go full gas for a few hours! Sometimes, chilling out and stopping for a coffee and cake is what the body needs. It can also improve your fitness in the long run. Plus, who doesn\u2019t like a coffee stop?!<\/p>\n

3. Make sure you take your rest days<\/strong><\/p>\n

This may seem counter-productive, but if you\u2019re pushing your body hard in training, it will need days to recover as well. You can\u2019t expect yourself to be ready to train hard every single day! If you like, you can incorporate yoga, pilates or swimming into your schedule if you don\u2019t want to take complete rest days. In fact, an activity like yoga that includes stretching can help you get through your preparation for the event injury-free.<\/p>\n

4. Get used to drinking and eating enough on the bike<\/strong><\/p>\n

In an endurance event such as the \u0160koda Ring of Clare, you can be on the bike for over 8 hours. It\u2019s really important to fuel yourself enough in that time, as you\u2019ll be burning lots of calories. Although there will be food stops, it\u2019s a useful skill to be able to take a gel or energy bar on the bike as you never know when you might \u2018hit the wall\u2019. It\u2019s also a good idea to try out the gels on training rides in the run up to the event \u2013 you don\u2019t want to take something for the first time on the day in case it doesn\u2019t agree with your stomach.<\/p>\n

5. Do some training rides in a group<\/strong><\/p>\n

An important part of any sportive preparation will be getting used to riding in a group. At the start of the event, it can be daunting even for an experienced rider to ride in a large group of people. A good way to alleviate that stress on the day is to practice riding in a group before the event. Most local clubs will meet on a Saturday or Sunday for an endurance ride together. If you\u2019re finding the endurance rides tough or boring, a group ride can be a great solution \u2013 the camaraderie, the coffee stops and the fact that you don\u2019t have to be on the front fighting the elements alone all the time, can make training miles go by a lot faster!<\/p>\n

6. Try out the turbo trainer<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re trying to balance preparing for a sportive with your own work and family commitments, chances are you are limited for time on your weekdays. During the colder winter months, it might not be possible to get out for a ride midweek, but it\u2019s important to try to keep active in some way from Monday to Friday. If you have a turbo trainer at home, you can easily hook up your bike and get some quality training done without being on the bike for hours. If the thought of being stuck indoors on a bike for an hour reduces you to tears, there are programmes such as Zwift to help with that!<\/p>\n

7. Make sure you are comfortable on the bike!<\/strong><\/p>\n

When you\u2019re going to be spending upwards of 8 hours on a bike, you need to make sure you are comfortable. Small things like adjusting saddle height, changing your saddle or altering the angle of your handlebars can make a huge difference to how you feel on the bike. You can also get your bike fitted by a professional, in case you\u2019re afraid to make those adjustments yourself. Be sure to keep on top of your bike maintenance too! Little things like washing off your bike after a ride and applying some oil to the chain can make your cycling experience so much more enjoyable.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t miss out on the next instalment of \u2018Going the Distance with Imogen Cotter\u2019. Until then, happy cycling!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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