Interview With James Berryman

Thomas Gerrard and Liam Needham interviewed our Year 11 student James Berryman on 10/03/2010. James is part of the British Cycling Talent Team. Read the interview below

Interview with James Berryman

Performed By Thomas Gerrard and Liam Needham on 10/03/2010

How many hours do you train a week?

I train 6 days a week; 2 hours on a Saturday and Sunday, 2 hours on a Wednesday. Also midweek I may train for just under an hour

Other than cycling how else do you train?

I attend the local gym to work on my upper body strength and fitness. While I am at the local gym I don’t work on my legs as I need to rest them. I also have to be careful playing other sports such as football in case I get injured

Do you have to follow a strict diet?

We are expected to understand the types of foods we are eating and the benefits of healthy eating. Every now and then I will have a McDonalds after training. I don’t touch cigarettes or alcohol as this poisons the body and affect performance. If I had alcohol the night before training, I would not reach my performance potential.

Who inspired you to begin cycling?

My dad inspired me by taking me mountain biking and dirt jumping at the age of 8. He took me to a biking event in Manchester and encouraged me to have a go; I was spotted by a scout who invited me to a training camp, here I was told I had made the Talent Team. I was appointed my own coach who sends me exercise diaries every two weeks which I have to follow and record my performance. I attend a cycling camp every few weeks for additional training.

Would you hope to begin cycling as a profession?

Yes, Definitely. I am currently taking place in a race in April and the winning prize is for a junior is £1000. For a professional they can earn up to £4000 a race or £1500 for 8 laps. In this profession we have a longer work span as professional.

When I leave school, I will be attending College and studying Sports Studies A level. This will be a good back up for future if for any reason I cannot continue to cycle. I am also training to compete in the 2016 Olympics so watch this space!