Sarah Senderski - Real Riders Blog!
We Caught up with Team Bottrill Rider and MBPC Coached athlete Sarah Senderski to find out about her journey so far and what is to come in 2019!
1. Sarah when did you start getting coached by MBPC and how have you found it so far?
The 2018 season was my first season having my cycling coaching with MBPC. I had my consultation in December 2017, then I got myself a power meter in the January and was launched into the world of power training! This was totally new to me and I have found it challenging to say the least! I have never trained so much or so hard for anything before, but it has now become a part of my daily routine, like eating or sleeping I suppose! With Gareth's patience and guidance I eventually managed to get the comments "textbook pacing", however it was on my last race of the year! I feel like I have had to learn how to ride my bike again, particularly for racing. My new ultra-aero position feels so fast and aggressive, I really have seen the benefits of it though and cannot recommend it enough!
2. We know you do a lot outside of cycling still, what else do you get up to and how do you find the time to train and fit everything in?!
Haha yes a lot of people ask me this! I get bored easily! So yes I also have a horse and an obsession for windsurfing. I live in Hunstanton on the east coast so there is usually an opportunity to get out in some mega winds or waves! If conditions allow I will fit in my own version of a triathlon in a day, where I ride my horse, go for a windsurf and turbo/ride the bike for my training!
3. Tell us about your ankle, what happened and how much longer will it be until you can get back on the bike?
In November I went on a windsurfing holiday to South Africa, and 2 days from the end managed to break my ankle. Unfortunately it wasn't even down to the windsurfing! I was having a surfing lesson and went over on my ankle on the beach, it was very rutted and I must have gone down a hole or something! I didn't think much of it, I even managed to walk up the beach to the truck! By the next day I literally couldn't walk so I had to get it checked out. Luckily I got treatment and was able to fly home, but it did mean my winter break has had to be a bit extended! My 6 weeks in the "moon boot" ended on 15th January, and I am now currently learning to walk again. Luckily I was allowed to do some turbo work with the boot on (not proper training but at least something to keep me from going completely crazy!), and I am now allowed to start building slowly again. I can go out on the road again after another week. My race season will have to start a bit later this year, but I did find last year's season incredibly long so this can't be a bad thing! I have the MBPC Camp to look forward to in April as well.
4. What would you say has been your favourite event on the bike so far while wit MBPC?
My overall favourite event has to be the Team TT at the Tour of Cambridge. I had completed the individual event earlier on in the day and had found it so tough. So to then do it again with a crazy group of Bottrills was so much fun! I had not met many of the girls before but we had such fun. As well as this I have to say my race in July where I smashed my 10 mile pb for the season. I fell off at the start, but managed to power on to set a pb of 22.59. I couldn't believe it! It all seemed to happen around me, everything just felt so good throughout the race, like no race before or after! It makes me wonder what I could have done if I hadn't fallen...
5. What is the plan for 2019 once you're able to ride again?
My extended break had actually been a bit of a blessing in disguise. I have had time to really appreciate the things that I like to do, as I haven't been able to do any of them! So I am even more motivated to get training and working hard to achieve my targets this year - the main one to GO FAST! I did my first two 25 mile TT's last year, so I want to do more of these this year. I am also treating myself to a mountain bike so I can improve my bike handling skills, I was described as "cornering like a granny" at the Team ToC event by one of lovely team mates!