LOCKDOWN! Q&A with Josh Housley (Team PB Performance)

This lockdown feature is with Josh Housley who rides for Team PB Performance. Josh is based on the Nottingham/Derbyshire border so the Peaks are his playground

LOCKDOWN! Q&A with Josh Housley (Team PB Performance)

This lockdown feature is with Josh Housley who rides for Team PB Performance. Josh is based on the Nottingham/Derbyshire border so the Peaks are his playground. Josh is currently in his final year at Loughborough University studying Product Design Engineering.

Q: Your Last Race was?
Josh: My last race was the Roy Thame Cup which didn’t go to plan after puncturing at a key moment. I managed to get back to the main group but the break had already gone so I had to settle for a top 20. It was frustrating especially after a run of top 10’s leading up to it.

Q: With racing cancelled, what’s a typical week training wise for you?
Josh: The current situation of uncertainty makes planning training more complex as there are no specific targets. Personally, I see this as an opportunity to top up my base, whilst maintaining intensity, and improve my fitness beyond where it has been before. Therefore, my weeks mainly consist of endurance rides incorporating specific efforts.

Q: Enjoying the turbo or avoiding it like the virus?
Josh: Luckily the weather has been gorgeous so I’m trying to make the most of riding outside while we are still able to. Inevitably this will probably be short lived, so there will be plenty of gruelling turbo sessions to come.

Q: If on the turbo, what’s your favourite distraction – Zwift or some other entertainment?
Josh: I use a combination of things to keep me entertained. Zwift is great for making the time pass on the turbo. The Zwift races are brutal but a fantastic workout and keep motivation high. I also love having my turbo playlist in the background so I can really zone into the efforts.

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Q: What’s the hardest thing for you about the lockdown?
Josh: There are so many things that I didn’t realise were so important to me until now. Firstly, I miss the ability to travel freely. I can no longer go and see friends or go on group rides where the miles tick by with ease. Obviously, I miss racing especially seeing some of my favourite and targeted races being cancelled. After being so close to those all-important results last season, it puts even more pressure to perform when racing resumes.

Q: Besides cycling, what’s your biggest distraction as lock down continues?
Josh: Currently it’s given me an abundance of extra time to put into university coursework and my final year project. Aside from that, my girlfriend and I are big quiz heads so there’s a lot of that going on at the moment too.

Having to ride solo – new or used to it?
Josh: Last year during my industrial placement year as part of my degree, I spent most of my time training alone so I’m used to it. However, I have the opportunity to ride with my girlfriend as we are currently living together. This makes the current situation a lot easier.

Q: What’s the weirdest thing you have seen since this crisis began?
Josh: The absence of self-raising flour – I just want to make a cake! (It’s the little things in life…)

Q: Finally, at Home or Work/Uni?
Josh: With my university still being undecided on the best way forward regarding summer assessments, I am still working to ensure I graduate this summer.