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Dame Sarah Storey talks cycling, pregnancy and juggling motherhood

This month, Dame Sarah Storey will be making her return to competitive action at the Newport International Para-cycling Cup. Britain's most decorated female Paralympic athlete gave birth to her daughter Louisa in June this year. Here, Sarah talks about motherhood and cycling during her pregnancy and after her daughter's birth.

How does it feel to be a Mum?

It is amazing being a Mum, so much fun and a brilliant challenge; I can't imagine life without Louisa now and she is doing brilliantly. I am breast feeding and so our days revolve around when she is hungry. I have to be ready to go out training as soon as she looks like she might have a longer nap! I leave expressed milk in the fridge though, so she won't go hungry and Barney gives her the bottle.

Being the most successful British Paralympic athlete, what motivates you to keep going?

I love racing and training and I know I can still improve. I am lucky to do what I do and be able to take Louisa with me and the family. So many jobs you have to take maternity leave to spend this much time with your kids. I think it will be great fun for Louisa growing up, we have been to a few places already and she loves to be nosey and look around, as well as loving to meet people - she is a real socialite!

During pregnancy, where did you find guidance on exercising?

I read the basic guidelines given to all expectant mums and then discussed the specifics with my coach, Gary Brickley, and our Team Doctor. Like most things in pregnancy, everyone is different, so after following the basic advice about the importance of staying hydrated, not overheating and not getting overtired, the workload I did was very specific to me. Gary and Doctor Richard were brilliant at advising me and also reminding me not to push myself too hard.

How did pregnancy change the way you rode your bike?

I had to adjust my effort and heart rate expectations. In essence, I adopted a ‘pregnancy pace’ to protect my baby and also ensure I didn't become overtired. I was unable to do structured efforts above an aerobic level, so all the training I did was general base training.

If you became pregnant again, would you do things differently?

No, from a cycling perspective everything was great. I didn't take any unnecessary risks. For example, I didn't ride in the rain in case I slipped off and I gradually reduced the hours in the final month. Cycling definitely prepared me well for the birth, as when the early contractions started, I had the stamina for that not to affect me.

How did you start training again after giving birth?

I started training again six weeks after the birth and have gradually built up in terms of time and intensity. My hours were slightly down as my body needed to cope with the energy demands of breast feeding, but I am actually quite fit now and doing more intense sessions. The challenge was managing intensity and milk production, as higher intensities for prolonged periods have been linked to lower milk production. I also have to be careful when I train abroad through the winter, as hotter weather and not drinking enough will also affect milk supply. Ultimately though, Louisa will be eating food and I will gradually feed her less, so this fine balancing act will only be for a year or so and I think it is an effort worth making to give her the best start nutritionally and health wise.

What her coach says

Sarah’s coach, Gary Brickley, played a key role in ensuring the elite rider trained appropriately during pregnancy. Gary is a hugely successful coach, having worked on the Great Britain Paralympic Cycling Team programme and contributed to the medal successes of many riders. Gary works as Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise at the University of Brighton and specialises within exercise physiology:

Was coaching Sarah through pregnancy a new experience for you?

Yes, coaching a multiple Paralympic champion through pregnancy is pretty rare and there is no textbook to help you with that. I know a reasonable amount of information about the changes in pregnancy. I am aware of the many myths that might suggest don’t train too hard and be over cautious with eating and training. Sarah’s pregnancy enabled her to continue to train right up to the birth. We scaled things accordingly - we changed the target power outputs and took into account some of the weight changes. We knew that hydration and exercising in the heat might be a problem. We also didn’t take any risks on crashing and accounted for some of the positioning changes at different stages of the pregnancy.

What advice would you give athletes who wish to keep active during pregnancy?

Everyone responds differently, but everyone is capable of keeping active during pregnancy. I would recommend tracking heart rate or at least perceived effort during training. Keep a training diary and report when you feel good or not so good. There is no reason why you can’t slightly scale down the training that you were doing before pregnancy. The top end of high intensity efforts may be reduced, but there is no major reason why the duration should be reduced.

Keep on top of hydration, and don’t overhydrate as this may reduce your sodium concentration, but try at least to match your sweat losses during training. You will normally be carrying more weight and more blood, so it is important that you keep circulation going through continued activity. If cycling is not possible, then other activities such as yoga and walking might work.

It is very easy to detrain during pregnancy, but this shouldn’t be nine months off training. Keeping the training going normally will help in the birth process and the return to normal pre-pregnancy training.

Sarah’s top tips for cycling during pregnancy:

  • Go on feel - A rider needs to train according to their own body, so it is impossible to set strict session lengths or heart rate aims. Some women suffer with sickness and other pregnancy ailments too, so these could dictate how well training can go.
  • Drink and drink - This is slightly frustrating as being pregnant puts pressure on the bladder, so you are always going to the loo, but staying hydrated is the best way to keep cool and protect the baby.
  • Don't take any undue risks - You will find you are very protective of your growing bump and things you previously did without worry all of a sudden feel dangerous. Don't ignore these feelings, there is no such thing as being too safe.
  • Ignore well-meaning advice - When you are pregnant you will find experts come out of the woodwork and want to advise you on everything  from exercise to the buggy you should buy. Some will also show huge disapproval at your choice to continue cycling. Ignore these people and do what makes you happy.
  • Don't expect to find cycling maternity wear! Simply stretch your existing shorts or buy a bigger size and steal a man's jersey as you will need the extra length to cover your bump!
  • Don't worry about your weight - I gained 4 stone (24kg) while I was pregnant and bizarrely some of this was extra muscle built from climbing hills carrying my bump. Eat sensibly and exercise and you will maintain a strong metabolism, which will help when it comes to losing weight after birth.
  • Don't rush to lose weight after you give birth - You gradually gain weight during pregnancy, so you need to lose it gradually too. I found the first 10kg disappeared very quickly as it was mainly baby, water and other fluid, but after this, I have only lost a kilo or so every couple of weeks. Much of the fat you store is to fuel breast feeding hence the gradual weight loss, so it's even more important not to rush to lose weight as you affect your milk supply too.
  • Enjoy the whole process and be patient - Pregnancy and becoming a Mum is an amazing journey and it really does fly by, so don't try and rush things because your pregnancy will feel short once you are holding your baby. They don't stay tiny for long, so make the most of every day!

 

British Cycling’s Coaching and Education team recently worked with the NHS to review its guidance for expectant mums, which now advises that cycling should be done with caution due to the risk of falling. Expectant mothers will experience a number of physical changes, including a loosening of the joints and a change in centre of gravity. These changes alter a rider’s ability to balance, so a coach should not ask riders to participate in technically challenging activities that require good balance.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) also provides excellent guidance on recreational exercise and pregnancy, suggesting that if people have cycled regularly beforehand, then they should simply take extra care. More information can be found here

Please contact British Cycling’s Coaching and Education team, if you would like any further details.