After a defeat or a bad day at the office, sports stars often talk about getting back on the bike. For Team NI cyclist Chris McGlinchey that is literally the case.
The Belfast rider - who will be in action in the mountain bike and road race categories at this summer's Commonwealth Games - has had several injuries in his career that would have ended many a sporting journey. McGlinchey has broken his wrist, his collar bone and most serious of all his back, but after each set-back he has returned to the saddle and his reward is a place on the plane to Birmingham.
He said: “I have had loads of injuries through downhill (mountain biking). I have broken my back, broke my wrist, broke my collar bone and every time I was stupid enough to get back on the bike again.
Read more: Northern Ireland sprinter banned from Commonwealth Games due to 'security risk'
"I think the adrenalin kind of outweighs the fear of hurting myself. The back was probably the longest one, so it was maybe three months rehab.
"I took it really seriously and thankfully there have been no lasting injuries after that so it’s very lucky. It was in 2013 so eight or nine years ago and there is no lasting pain thankfully.
"I have a bit of metal in my wrist from that one, but the back is all good.”
From an early age McGlinchey liked anything with two wheels. He started in motocross racing in the 50/65cc category before switching.
“It was my older brother he started downhill mountain biking and I got into it soon after that. I was maybe 10 or 11 and I have been doing it ever since," he explains.
“I have kind of gone through phases of doing different disciplines. It started with downhill then I moved to road, and it has kind of went full circle because now I’m back doing mountain biking again.”
McGlinchey offers a very simple explanation why mountain biking was the sport for him.
“I think it is just the adrenalin, there are so many obstacles and the fitness as well. There are so many variables and variations as well and just cool jumps and trials, it is more fun that road cycling," he said.
“I think road cycling is a little more tactical. There are more team tactics that go on where mountain biking it’s just you against everyone else and just the thrill of it.”
McGlinchey gives a quick guide to the sport for those who will be maybe watching their first ever mountain bike race during the Commonwealth Games.
“Basically, it is a three- or four-kilometre circuit around the forest. It’s Cannock Chase (venue for the Commonwealth Games) and they have just got a new trial specifically for the event which will be great to see," he added.
“It is a about a four-kilometre circuit. It is around an hour and a half in distance and there can be any sort of obstacles from jumps, drops, rock gardens or steep climbs so you really need to have the fitness, but you need the technically ability as well to go fast down the hills.
“You can do a lot of the training on the road for your fitness and then just purpose-built trials. There are some good trials in Rostrevor, Castlewellan and Cavehill which is quite local to me as well, just anywhere with mountain bike trials.
“It’s not as much in the gym most of it is on the bike training, I’d probably do a bit more gym work in the winter in the off season just to build the strength up but mainly training is on the bike.”
At 28 years old McGlinchey is excited to make his Commonwealth Games debut.
He said: “It is amazing. It will be the first time I’ve went to the games to be ale to represent my country is an incredible achievement and I’m really looking forward to it.
“It was a bit of a relief to hear I’d been selected because it had been a big target of mine all year. I spent the early part of the season going to events to specifically to try and qualify, so I was able to train hard and do the target races and get a result which allowed me to get there was great and then to finally find out was just a relief.
“I’m looking forward to the level of competition and just representing my country. You are used to pulling on a jersey to represent your team, but it is totally different to pull on a jersey to represent your country and you know the whole country is behind you so I’m looking for to that.”
McGlinchey is confident of a big showing in Birmingham but admits with the unpredictability of mountain biking you also need a bit of luck on your side.
“I think there is definitely the ability," he added.
"With mountain biking there is a wider scope of possibilities. The favourites could get punctures or crashes.
"It is a very open field, and my training has been going very well so I would like to think that I have a good shot of a medal or at least a top five.”
READ NEXT:
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here. To sign up to our FREE newsletters, see here.
