Eddie Ryce Athlete Ambassador

Eddie is a cyclist who enjoys the challenge of endurance sports. He talks to Sundried about life in the saddle.

Have you always been into sport?

I have never been into team sports, I have only really loved sports that count on just me and my effort. When I was young, I was sponsored by K2 for aggressive in-line skating and competed at a high level. Over the years, I have dabbled with Brazilian Ju-Jitsu but had to quit due to injuries form skating. I turned to cycling as I had put on a tonne of weight and cycling was as low impact as I could find. I love the freedom it gives and the ability to really push your fitness levels and test yourself, losing weight was a byproduct of doing something I love.

What made you decide to enter the world of triathlon?

I have only done a handful of triathlons due to the impact running has on my back, but I thoroughly enjoy the struggle; pushing the boundaries of what you think you are capable of. I first got introduced to triathlons through a South African friend of mine who was training for an Ironman. The thought of the distances he was training for frightened but also excited me. So I just started tagging along with him and doing more and more training and then entering a few local triathlons. I will be doing more in the future but will have to balance family life with serious training regimes.

What’s been your favourite race to date and why?

I don't take part in races, I'm a bit of a lone wolf and don't hold a race licence for cycling. I do take part in some serious sportives locally and have my eye on a few internationally. To date, there is one sportive called Inisheown 100 in Donegal, Ireland. It has one of the steepest climbs in Ireland hitting 26/27% and no matter what side you climb it is tough, that is why I love it so much.

And your proudest achievement?

Finishing my first triathlon if I am being honest, it was a local set up and was a 50-mile cycle, then a 3kms swim in the local pool and finished with a 9-mile run. It was tough especially as they did the cycle first, everyone got cramp in the pool but the logistics and pool timings dictated that.

Have you ever had any racing disasters/your toughest race yet?

My major disaster was 3 years ago when I was doing the Giants Causeway Sportive. I had trained seriously for it as it is a very difficult route with the dreaded Torr Head at the end of 116kms of climbing all day. About a third of the way through, we were doing about 65kph coming down a hill and I hit a pothole and seriously hurt myself.

How do you overcome setbacks?

For me, it is about assessing my numbers and looking at the bigger picture. Remembering that I am not a robot and sometimes the numbers just can't be hit. Be pragmatic and sensible with goals and recognise that sometimes life gets in the way.

What advice do you wish you'd been given before you started competing?

Get a coach. Having someone to speak to/consult with pays dividends. Being able to have someone assess the numbers and give context is worth every penny.

What are your goals?

I will be doing a 24-hour Alpe Du Zwift in June this year for World Bicycle Relief.

I will get my weight down to 80kgs through nutritional ketosis, this will allow me to hit my endurance goals without being tied to carbs.

Who do you take your inspiration from?

I am part of a coaching group called 'spokd'. We share all of our thoughts, ambitions and goals and it really helps inspire me and strive to do well and share it with them.

What do you like about Sundried and what’s your favourite bit of our kit?

What really brought my attention to Sundried was ethical and environmental values they have. The fact that their kit has fantastic reviews is a bonus too! My favourite piece of kit is the cadence Cycle Jersey and the Stealth Bib shorts. The quality is outstanding and they look super sharp out on the road too.