The Brick – Q&A Session – Karen Cassidy

  1. FULL NAME: KAREN GABRIELLE CASSIDY, most people just know me as Cass!

  2. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A MEMBER OF GTC: 2009

  3. PREVIOUS SPORTS?  Badminton and Hockey. I only discovered Triathlon at 40, which was perfect timing really , just when my body started politely informing me that competitive hockey and badminton might no longer be the best life choices!

  4. SWIM, BIKE or RUN?  Bike. No question. It’s the only discipline where stopping for coffee and cake is considered part of the training plan.

  5. FAVOURITE EVENT? Mondello 24 Hour Cycle Event, without a doubt. I’ve raced the solo 24-hour event twice and coached teams there three times. There’s something slightly mad but completely magical about the whole event, sleep deprivation, bikes everywhere, people questioning their life choices at 3am… yet everyone keeps coming back year after year.

  6. SPORTING CLAIM TO FAME? Probably the Mizen to Malin Record I set in 2023. But if you asked me what means the most to me, it would be Race Around Ireland with the Galway Baybes in 2017. That event completely cemented my love of cycling and created friendships with the girls and crew that are still going strong today. Turns out suffering together on bikes is a fantastic bonding experience.

  7. MUSIC TRACKS THAT POWER YOUR TRAINING SESSIONS?  I’ve been known to play Unstoppable by Sia on repeat. Motivational? Absolutely. Slightly concerning after the 47th consecutive play? Also yes.

  8. YOUR ALL-TIME SPORTING HERO AND WHY?  Lael Wilcox and Leah Goldstein. Both are absolute powerhouses who continue pushing the boundaries of female endurance cycling and proving that “impossible” is often just a warm-up.

  9. YOUR GTC HERO?  Has to be Joanne Murphy, mainly because her contagious energy could probably power half the club. Her passion for the sport and constant support for all my cycling adventures (and questionable ideas) have been incredible.