Lockdown Q & A with Chrissie Slot

Lockdown Q & A with Chrissie Slot of Team Jadan Cyclespace Vive le Velo who has been cycling for two years and works part time. “I graduated last summer, so this year I wanted more of a relaxed year in which I could dedicate a bit more time to cycling”

Lockdown Q & A with Chrissie Slot

Q: Where are you based?
Chrissie: I’m based in Eastleigh, Hampshire. It’s perfect for training as I’m pretty much in the middle of the New Forest and the South Downs. Good variety of roads to train on!

Q: Your last race was?
Chrissie: I was planning to enter a few TTs early season, but unfortunately those were cancelled. So officially, my last race was a town centre crit in Eastbourne last July.

Q: With racing cancelled, what’s a typical week training wise for you?
Chrissie: Training hasn’t been affected too much. I had to take a bit of time off in February and March to recover from an injury. So the cancelled races have been a bit of a blessing in disguise, allowing me to re-build fitness with less pressure. I’ve been fitting in around 12-15 hours on the bike per week, including a mix of structured efforts and longer endurance rides. I also fit in a couple of strength sessions a week. Since being coached by Josh at Neo Pro Cycle Coaching, my power numbers have improved a lot.

Q: On the turbo or the road for training?
Chrissie: Recently I’ve done most of my rides on the road. It’s so uncertain as to how long we’ll be able to continue exercising outdoors, so I’ve come to really appreciate it in a way I haven’t before.

Q: If on the turbo, what’s your favourite distraction?
Chrissie: If I’m set intervals, I quite like watching a race, with music playing in the background. I imagine I’m one of the people in the race and it helps me push a bit deeper. For longer sessions (3 hours or more), watching a series works well. Strangely, I haven’t got into Zwift yet. I’ve tried it a few times, but as I don’t have a smart trainer, I can’t get fully immersed in it. I do like the occasional Zwift race though.

Q: Where would you do the majority of your training, turbo or road?
Chrissie: I do a mix of the two. Over the winter I used the turbo a lot – when feeling fatigued from work, I found the idea of spending a few hours on the turbo much more appealing than spending hours in the cold and rain. There’s less to focus on; no angry drivers, no cars pulling out, no punctures. Also, hours of non-stop pedalling has improved my endurance massively. That being said, having only started cycling a couple of years ago, riding outdoors is really important for me to develop good bike handling skills. It also adds a social element to it, which is what got me into it in the first place.

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Q: What’s the hardest thing for you about the Lock Down?
Chrissie: No café stops or club runs.

Q: Besides cycling, what’s your biggest distraction as lock down continues?
Chrissie: From this September I’ll be training to be a physiotherapist, so I’ve been reading up on that a fair bit. I’ve also been making more time for things like yoga, and a bit of baking. Last week for the first time I made vegan banana and blueberry bread. It’s so simple, but amazing to eat on a ride! It’s definitely made me think twice before spending loads on bars.

Q: What’s the bike that gets the most use by you and what is the best thing about it?
Chrissie: At the moment, my race bike. It’s an S-Works Amira and I love it! So light, and makes me feel like a climber.

Q: What’s the weirdest thing you have seen since this crisis began?
Chrissie: Seeing more cyclists on the road than motorists.

Q: Where do you enjoy riding the most in this country?
Chrissie: I love riding on home roads. But going to university in Durham has also introduced me to the roads up there which are pretty amazing too, and so different from down south.

Q: How do you deal with riding solo – taking in the scenery, concentrating on efforts, etc …
Chrissie: Having a good playlist or podcast helps. Usually I’ll have efforts somewhere in the ride too, which gives the ride a focus.

Thank you Chrissie, take care and stay safe and good luck for 2020!