Ribble Staff Rider Stories: Dee Allen
Customer service advisor by day, triathlete by night. Here we are showcasing Ribble staff rider stories, this week we have Dee Allen.
With goals of Ironman Kona, Dee Allen can push herself to the limits on land and in water – but can also neck a pint pretty fast too.
You get extra watts when your bike matches your shoes...
Dee, you're our resident triathlete, tell us more about yourself.
I work as a Customer Service Advisor at Ribble and have been here for around five years.
Which bike/s do you ride? The Ribble Endurance SL R and Ultra Tri.
Is that a pub I see in the distance...
What is your general riding like, how many days per week do you get out?
Most mileage is gained from commuting in and out of work three times a week - 18m each way. I decrease boredom with a training session one way, and then an easy spin back.
I also teach spin on Monday and Fridays which acts as a hard one-hour session with mixed intervals and also do a standard long ride or turbo session on Sundays.
You've been to some top cycling locations, which has been your fave?
I am a sun-seeker and love a good cycling tan so it has to be Calpe or Tenerife. The roads and views are equally amazing plus there is no escaping mountain climbs which are my favourite, I just hate the descents.
Who do you mainly ride with?
I mainly ride solo unless I am away with friends on holiday, or on the Tuesday night Ribble ride outs.
Are there any events you have got your eye on?
I had planned on racing Ironman UK however that will now have to be next year's goal due to current circumstances.
What is your ultimate cycling goal?
As a triathlete my ultimate goal is to race in the pro field at the Ironman World Championships in Kona - riding the Ribble Ultra TT out there would be so much fun.
Who is your favourite pro rider and why?
Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (UCI Female Cyclo-cross World Champ). I love her grit and determination, she never gives up on a fight. A true asset to women in sport.
If you could have the skill of any rider, who would it be?
Peter Sagan. I would love his bike handling and fierce descending skills. As a triathlete mine are very poor.
Tell us what cycling means to you...
Cycling is an escape - I love the freedom it provides, it allows you to get lost in your mind. Plus you get to see so many great places travelling for races/training. It’s also great to meet a lot of different people and is the perfect form of meditation and stress relief!
You're an interesting lass, so tell us one thing we might not know about you...
I am a twin, and also very good at downing a pint of beer.
What has been your proudest cycling moment?
Winning the team 100km charity time trial as part of the Ribble staff team in Mallorca and beating our owners True in the process - it was a good day.
There have been a lot of highs, but we’ve all had the lows. Tell us about a time that stands out for the wrong reasons.
Having to hitchhike off Mount Teide in Tenerife, holding our bikes out of a Fiat Punto after the temperature dropped to two degrees and it started snowing with really heavy crosswinds. It was 22 degrees at the bottom so we were just in shorts and a jersey, I have never been so cold and honestly thought I was going to die. The 100 Euro taxi fare to get back to the warmth of our apartment was so worth it and there was definitely a celebratory beer or two afterwards.
I'm off... to the pub.
Images with thanks to Two26 Photography.
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