Sonia Sullivan, swops runners for cleats!

fat bloke

http://www.stickybottle.com/womens/athletics-legend-sonia-osullivan-considering-riding-an-post-ras-na-mban-in-september/

The redoubtable Sonia is training with a view to lining up at the start line of Rás na mBan this September! I think it'll be absolutely fascinating to see how she gets on. I dunno how many parallels there are between cycling and long distance running. Low weight and endurance I suppose being two biggies, and she's obviously kept herself fit and trim. Plus - once an elite athlete, you're always going to keep that competitive edge and drive aren't you. A lot of rowers have come to cycling and made the change superbly well. I wonder how a runner would fare in the power stakes though.

Great story though, and quite a coup for Rás na mBan to have her as the patron of the event. -Drum up some more interest and support locally, and the all-important column inches. It's going to be a bloody tough race. I did a couple of the stages at scenic-route-tourist-pace and I was frickin knackered after em. Hard unforgiving roads, I wouldn't relish 5 days racing on em.:eek:

buffalo

One of the lads in work runs marathons regularly enough (3-4 times a year), and would drop me often enough when we were out for evening spins. Won't be surprised if Sonia gets herself a stage or two, but there's a lot of variables involved in winning a stage race. Her manager and team will play a big part, tactical nous, recovery ability, and of course luck.

Really looking forward to the event though.

wandatowell

She's a mightly impressive person

daragh_

More power to her.

Some great routes in there. Stage 5 looks like good fun. Shame they are going down Corkscrew instead of up.

Seaneh

She was sponsored a Planet X Pro Carbon a year or so ago for some triathlon, maybe she got into cycling after that?

Chips Lovell

Fair play to her. It'll be great publicity for the race and women's cycling in general.

Donelson

former world class middle distance runner, I wonder what her vo2 etc, I won't be surprised if she's shockingly competitive.

fat bloke

Would be worth going down to Ennis on the Friday. They've been cleared to run a crit right round in the centre of the town. A real fast sweeping circuit. Should make for mighty craic.

fat bloke

daragh_ wrote: »

More power to her.

Some great routes in there. Stage 5 looks like good fun. Shame they are going down Corkscrew instead of up.

They go up it on Stage 2 though. Ah you couldn't have 'em not go up our own limestone homage to the Alpe d'Huez:pac:

Esroh

Well you can bet that she would not have even given a sniff of the story to any journalist if she was not well on the road re preparation.
When she was part of that Team with Joe Barr for Charity a few years ago he mentioned how hard she worked on the cycling and was constantly in contact re training in interviews.
I would not be at all surprised to hear she turns up at one of the ladies crit league races or we have a thread about her appearing in some league race in Cork

shaka

Met her month back at a charity cycle for jack and Jill in Kilmallock Co limerick , strong on the bike and a lady with it. Wouldn't be shocked to see her take up triathlons

longshank

shaka wrote: »

Met her month back at a charity cycle for jack and Jill in Kilmallock Co limerick , strong on the bike and a lady with it. Wouldn't be shocked to see her take up triathlons

she already has taken up triathlons!

catweazle

I remember reading an article about that triathlon - she was very unhappy with her bike split afterwards and mentioned it would be something she would be addressing. So looks like she is doing that anyways

Lumen

In that photo, left to right, we have...

Runner
Rower
Hockey-ist
Runner

Triathlon doesn't count, it's a gateway sport. :pac:

...but they're all cyclists now, of course.

fat bloke

haven't done the whole Gallows Hill stage but have been up Gallows/Woodcock Hill - it's def a Cat 1 - a tough long hill that goes up and up - great views - nice descent too. Clare roads can be hard enough - very rolly country - with fresh atlantic 'breezes'. I reckon the hardest stage is day 2.

The Crunch

I saw Gallows Hill from the car yesterday and it's a cracker. Sonia had gone up earlier for a look and was well up for it.
She was lovely to meet. Very relaxed.
Athletically, she'll have no problem but then, if bike racing was all about athletics, I'd never have raced...
Ennis is going to be great, too. There was a good buzz in the town.
Wonder how many teams have started Team Time Trial training?

ROK ON

As a teen I used to train regularly on the roads around Gallows Hill & Woodcock Hill. They are steep but less severe than the queen stage last year.
That said the queen stage for this year is a cracking route. Narrow twisty roads.
Hopefully I will be driving a team car fir some of the days this year.
Looks like a great route.
I'm going to be in that part of the world in a few weeks - I may do a few of the stages if I get permission from the boss.

emtroche

I worked with her in March 2012 on the Sport Relief First Nation Home event. Think thats more or less when she got into cycling. Shes definitely handy enough at getting up hills!

snubbleste

Is there no Rás na bhFear

Chips Lovell

snubbleste wrote: »

Is there no Rás na bhFear

http://www.anpost.ie/AnPost/IrishCyclingRas/Home/

fat bloke

snubbleste wrote: »

Is there no Rás na bhFear

Ha ha ha. Kudos on the grammatical accuracy but.... that's about it!