More Q&A’s with those in the racing community, this one with Connie Hayes (AWOL Worx) who is a full time student at Queen Mary university and based in East London
Lockdown Q&A with Connie Hayes (AWOL Worx)
Q: When was your last race?
Connie: My last proper race week was the 3rd, 7th and 8th of March. I raced Les Samyn Dames which was absolutely savage but good fun and then the Milton Keynes Spring series where I came 5th and the Hainault Hilly 30m Time Trial which I won the women’s and also took the course record in.
Q: With racing cancelled what does a training week look like?
Connie: Five or six days of various different turbo sessions set by my coach Mark Dolan to keep the legs functioning and to just have a bit of normality in all the madness that’s going on in the outside world.
Q: Enjoying the turbo or avoiding it like the virus?
Connie: I really enjoy turbo sessions which is good as right now I have made the decision to not go on anymore road rides for a while. I live in London and although the roads are quiet, those who are out, are driving recklessly so I feel it’s better to just stay safe on the turbo as I don’t want to end up in A&E and put any extra pressure on our brilliant NHS staff. Although it’s tough not knowing when I will get to race again and racing being my escapism from the stresses of normal life since I was a youth, once I get going, I love a turbo session so this is really helping me mentally stay on top of everything.
Q: What are the distractions on the Turbo?
Connie: I just listen to music whilst on the turbo- usually the 1975 or the Wombats. I don’t currently use Zwift – never really seen the appeal of it although my coach, team mates and boyfriend are all on a mission to change this but at time of writing I am refusing to budge!
… continued after advert
Q: What’s the hardest thing about the lockdown?
Connie: That’s a tough one, I really want to say racing. Yes, there is more to life than a bike race but I grew up on the sidelines either watching my dad race or the pros, I then took it up myself so my whole life sort of has been bike related. When I was out for a number of weeks in the autumn of 2018 with a fractured back (my only real race break till now), my sanity was going to watch my mates race at the local ‘cross league.
This time the whole cycling community is on hold. As much as I miss the adrenaline rush, I think it’s more the people at races who I miss. This sport is like one big family really! Away from cycling, it’s also tough because I went into uni one day and then we were told everything was being moved online a matter of hours later and we were one of the first uni’s to announce this so we didn’t have any warning.
A few of my friends are overseas students so I am unlikely to see them till late September at the earliest so it was tough to process although completely the right decision and I am proud to go to a uni that took this decision early for safety of the whole community.
Q: Away from cycling what’s your biggest distraction?
Connie: This is going to sound very nerdy but definitely my uni work. I am studying geography at Queen Mary University of London which is a very demanding course so the lockdown has allowed me to get lots of reading and work done which is helpful.
Once I have finished all my work for this year, I am also going to try and get a head start by doing reading for my modules next year so that I can take some of the pressure off when I am back racing cyclocross in the winter.
Q: Having to ride solo – New or used to it?
Connie: As said above, I am currently not going out on the road but when I did during the week before total lockdown, I dragged my dad out to sit on my wheel – I try and avoid riding solo in normal times at all costs as I am not a fan of being miles from home on my own!
Q: What’s the weirdest thing you have seen since this crisis began?
Connie: Oh that’s easy the queues at supermarkets; it’s utter madness!
Q: At home or still having to work/Uni?
Connie: I am at home but as mentioned above I still have lots of end of semester essays to complete as well as online lectures and readings to do.
Thank you Connie; stay safe, stay healthy!
Cycle Division’s Shop
Send your results as well as club, team & event news here
Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)
- Features, Reports, Results
- Result: Beverley Town Centre Races
- Hill Climb Championships: Change of Course
- Crit Result: Portsmouth Evening Circuits 11
- Crit Result: RCR FatCreations Goodwood Summer Special
- UK Armed Forces Inter-services Road Race
- Report: TLI Cycling ‘Belgium Training Series
- BMCR RESULT: The Ron Day MK Bowl Circuit races (July 23rd)
- RR Result: Bath RC Junior National Series Road Race
- Crit Result: West Thames League 15
- Crit Result: SACA Salt Ayre Tuesday Series 15
- Crit Result: Bath CC Mid Summer Series 2
- Crit Result: Full Gas Summer Circuit Series #17
- TT Result: Ross-On-Wye & Dist CC 25m TT
- TT Result: Ross-On-Wye & Dist CC 10m TT
- TT Result: Kernow Racing Team 10m TT
- News: Men’s Tour of Britain Route (Stage 1 & 2)
- Youth Result: RL360 Isle of Man Youth League 14
- TT Result: Verulam Cycling Club 25m TT
- TT Result: Manchester & District Ladies CA 25m TT
- TT Result: Ferryhill Wheelers CC 25m TT
- Crit Result: Banbury Star Crit Series #2
- RR Result: Lakes Road Club Summer Road Race
- National Circuit Series: Colne
- TT Result: Kings Lynn CC 15m TT
- TT Result: ECCA 10 mile Time Trial
- TT Result: Chorley Cycling Club 10m TT
- TT Result: Houghton CC 25m TT
- TT Result: Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers 10m TT
- TT Result: Farnham RC 10m TT
- Crit Result: King&Queen of the Bowl Series #13
- TT Result: Kernow Racing Team 10m TT
- Crit Result: Lichfield/Velospeed No Frills at Curborough #7
- TT Result: Swindon RC & Swindon Wh 50m TT
- Crit News: Spatzwear Friday Night Crit Series #6 | YBC
- GB News: Paracycling Squad for Paris 2024
- Crit Result: Thanks Crit it’s Friday 7
- Crit Result: Omega Portsmouth Circuits 6
- Result: BMCR National Road Bike TT Championship
- Crit Result: Ride Revolution Coaching Summer Crits #2
- Crit Result: Shutt Velo Rapide Hitters Crits Rd2
Other News on VeloUK
- Hill Climb Championships: Change of Course
- TT Result: Ross-On-Wye & Dist CC 25m TT
- News: Men’s Tour of Britain Route (Stage 1 & 2)
- GB News: Paracycling Squad for Paris 2024
- Ribble Redefines Road with launch of Allroad
- BMCR: National Road Bike Time Trial Championship
- SUNDAY: Bath Road Club Junior National Series Road Race
- TLI CYCLING FEATURE: SUPER4SERIES
- NATIONAL CIRCUIT SERIES UPDATE 2024
- News: Josh Tarling Extends Contract at Ineos
- Tour of Britain for Men 2024
- News: Connor Swift Extends Contract with Ineos
- Updated GB Olympic Team News
- Sunday: 2024 Youth Circuit Race Championships (Cyclopark)
- ROBBED BY THE HIGHWAYS AGENCY – National Highways
- Startlist: BMCR National Road Championships E/F/G/H
- OLYMPIC NEWS – Team GB Announces First Riders for Olympics
- News: Alex Richardson Retires
- New Releases from Shutt Velo Rapide
- STARTLIST: Men’s British Road Race Championships
- STARTLIST: 2024 Women’s British Road Race Championships
- Startlist: 2024 CAMS Yorkshire Classic Road Races
- Startlists: 2024 Circuit Race Championships
- Startlist: CAMS Ronde van Wymeswold
- Startlists & 2023 Results: National Time Trial Championships
- NEWS: Star Studded Line Up for National Road Champs
- Riders so far: London Dynamo Summer Road Races
- Women’s Tour of Britain Startlist (provisional)
- News: Lincoln winner hit by car
- Entries Wanted: Ilkley Cycles Races
- GB Team Named for Women’s Tour of Britain
- STARTLISTS: NW, Yorkshire & NE Regional RR Championships
- Startlists: East Midlands Road Race Championships
- News: Ribble Rebellion Race USA’s Armed Forces Cycling Classic
- TT Result: Legato Racing Team 10m TT
- Pre-Race Rider Quotes: Ford RideLondon Classique
- STARTLIST: Witham Wheelers Road Races
- Team News: Tour of Britain for Alba Development RT
- Startlist: Totnes Vire 2024
- Starters: NW Junior/U23 360cycling Two Day