Cyclist Support Team, all in a days workEmma Quirke BSc Sports RehabilitationThis will be my third year working on the Ras with Stamullen Cycling Club, sponsored by Martin Donnelly.  Emma QuirkeAt a race event my first job of the day usually involves a weight in before breakfast to check that the riders have not lost any weight. This would indicate that the cyclists have lost fluid and are dehydrated and unable to compete at the best of their ability. If they are down in weight they need to increase their fluid intake. Depending on the intensity and outside temperature, we loose one litre of water on average during each training hour, hence the importance of rehydrating drinks. After breakfast we get bottles ready for their bikes and the race car so that when they need liquids during the race they are ready for them. They also like to have certain drinks like protein recovery drinks, Coke, or water at the finish. After the race they return to their accommodation, have a quick nap and a shower and I start some massages before dinner. Daily massages help to flush out lactic acid (a waste product produced by muscles during heavy exercise). Some muscles become tight from being overworked so the need to be loosened. I like to use some essential aromatherapy oils such as black pepper and ginger which are good for tired muscles. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes per cyclist so some days I might get finished at 9.30 to 10.00pm. After the massage I advise them to stretch but I’m not sure if they listen!  EmmaStanding on the finish line can be very nerve racking. During the course of the race you get feed back over the radio on how your team is doing. It’s great when you hear one of your riders is “up the road” that is ahead of the main group or away with the leaders. You never want to hear one of your riders has been taken down in a crash. I spend most of my day praying that this does not happen. Punctures also test the nerves because you need the team car to get up to the cyclist quickly for a wheel change and then the cyclist has to work hard to get back to the bunch. Simon Mulvaney has had his fair share of punctures so hopefully he can get through the week without any. At the finish line you have an idea of where the cyclists are, but waiting on them all to come in can seem like an age. Once they are all in, I can breathe again. Last year the team was unlucky with some of the riders getting caught up in some crashes. Robert Moore had to pull out with a bad wrist injury in the middle of the week after a crash. Unfortunately I was not able to work miracles that day. The icing on the cake last year was when Bill Moore won the final stage in the park giving great cause for celebration in the club. This year we are hoping that the local lad Craig Sweetman can do it in Skerries. Skerries are very lucky to have the Rás coming to the town and to have the overall finish here is fantastic. It is great to be involved with a team such as Stamullen Cycling Club and hopefully everybody in Skerries will come out on the day to cheer on the local team and especially Craig on this great occasion. Emma Quirke Emma will be accompanying the Stamullen Cycle Team in the forthcoming FBD RáS which this year will finish in Skerries on Sunday the 28th of May. |
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