Profile

Cycling Background

Starting out more than 20 years ago as a touring cyclist I rode extensively in the UK and completed Land’s End to John O’Groats in 1995. I progressed to taking on many of the major climbs in the Alps, Pyrenees and Dolomites, for example completing all the mountain stages of the Tour de France in 2002.

A Vice-President of the Beacon Roads Cycling Club, I have organised Audax events and time-trials including the monumental classic, the Beacon Little Mountain Time Trial. I am especially concerned with the low participation of women in cycling and I established the Midlands Women’s TT Series which has encouraged many local women to race since 2007. I also conceived the idea of the Midlands TT Rankings and played a key role in their implementation.

Racing Achievements

I began cycle racing in 1998 and competed in road races, track racing, cyclocross and time-trialling. Little by little I made most progress with the time trialling and my excitement and fascination with fitness and training grew as I turned each experiment in training into success.

I was the National 50-Mile Champion in 2005 and the National 100-Mile Champion in both 2005 and 2008. Between 2004 and 2009 I won eleven individual National Time Trial Championship medals at distances from 25 to 100 miles. In 2005 I was the British Best All-Rounder with an average speed of 25.228mph in my fastest 25, 50 and 100-mile time trials.

Career Before Coaching

I have an academic scientific background, with a doctorate in semiconductor physics from Nottingham University. I am also a qualified teacher and spent three years teaching maths and physics up to A Level in two different schools. I worked for three years as a production planner at Cadbury in Bournville and most recently I spent six years working as a supply chain manager for the telecommunications company Marconi.

Coaching

My desire to coach cyclists has arisen from my own wide experience in many aspects of the sport but also because I am genuinely interested in people and in helping them to learn and make progress. I have always ‘coached’ myself for whatever I was aiming to achieve on my bike and I have learnt a great deal in reaching a very high level of performance. However, it is the uniqueness of each individual and their goals and situation which make the role of being a coach challenging and interesting.

I am a qualified coach with the Association of British Cycling Coaches and I hold the highest British Cycling coaching qualification, the Level 3 Certificate in Coaching Cycling (Road and TT). I was a Coach Education Tutor for British Cycling, delivering weekend courses for new coaches as well as the British Cycling ‘Understanding Powermeters’ workshop for established coaches.