Q&A: Charmaine Porter (Ford EcoBoost)

VeloUK’s Q & A with a new recruit at Ford Ecoboost, the Army’s 21 year old Charmaine Porter

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Q&A: Charmaine Porter (Ford EcoBoost)
(Thanks Gordon Wiseman)

Although still only 21, the Army’s Charmaine Porter joins Team Ford EcoBoost in 2017 with more than half a dozen race wins to her credit including the women’s 2016 Inter-Services Road Race Championships. veloUK found out how the army’s team ethos is a motivating factor for the Shrewsbury born rider when she gets onto two wheels.

1. How did you get into cycle racing?
Charmaine: I got into cycling whilst being posted out in Germany. They needed a female for an Army team event and I always wanted to try and ride a bike so thought why not give it a go!

2. What’s your favourite discipline in cycling?
Charmaine: I like a course with a good variety, hilly but with some technical bits!

3. What is the best thing about bike racing?
Charmaine: The best thing or things about bike racing is the pain, the adrenaline and the feeling of being part of a team.

4. What was the highlight of 2016 for you and why?
Charmaine: Doing my first Nationals on my 21st birthday.

5. What was your favourite/most fun race of 2016?
Charmaine: It has to be the Nationals again, the atmosphere was great and the weather was delightful.
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6. What was the toughest race of 2016 for you and why?
Charmaine: Tour of Reservoir; that was simply grim. The course was tough and the weather was miserable.

7. If there was one thing you learned most in 2016 to help you go faster/better, what was that?
Charmaine: To pedal faster.

8. What is the best piece of equipment (clothing/bike/gadget) to do with racing you are proud of most?
Charmaine: My helmet, it’s saved me a few times when I’ve been sliding around on the tarmac.

9. What is your warm up routine for races – rollers or turbo? Music or no music?
Charmaine: Rollers, no music, I need all concentration on the rollers otherwise there could be a slight disaster.

10. Did you stay at home to prepare 2017 during the winter or get in a training camp or two abroad to get in some serious miles?
Charmaine: Mostly at home, but it would be rude not to seek out the sun, so just the one training camp.

11. When did you start training for 2017 and what comes first – long steady miles or a mix of miles and efforts?
Charmaine: Around October time, the winter training started, long steady miles first. My coach likes to get my base sorted before he starts throwing efforts about.

12. What are your goals for 2017?
Charmaine: Now then, goals, to perform the best I can for the team and I’d also improve on my Nationals result from last year.

13. Does winter training consist only of riding the bike or running/swimming/gym work (cross training)?
Charmaine: Well just bike and gym of course. If I was to do the other two I’d be a triathlete!

14. Finally, what have you learnt over the years to best deal with the winter months on a bike!
Charmaine: This is my first year of actual winter training and I’ve learnt that structure is key.

 Good luck to Charmaine in 2017 and thank you for the Q & A!

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