Rider Profile - Charline Joiner
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Rider Profile

Name: Charline Joiner

Primary Club: MG Maxifuel

Biography

Hey everyone, I’m Charline Joiner, 24 years old, born and bred in Dunfermline, now classed as a city just over the bridge from Edinburgh. I am a Scottish Commonwealth Games team sprint Silver Medalist from Delhi 2010 and a graduated from Napier University in Sports and Exercise Science specializing in coaching 2010.

In first year of University I was playing hockey for the University and for my home club Dunfermline Ladies. My shins and left knee began to give me bother so I went to the physiotherapist and was told to cycle instead of run for my cardio. I really found a love for cycling. During my rehab period, my dad was giving me some sessions to do on the turbo and I just loved how much I could push myself and always wanted to do better each time I did a session. The self satisfaction level for me was much greater in cycling than it was in hockey. I even decided to do my first year project on cycling, testing myself and observing the improvements from my training over a period of time. I’d always watched the track cycling on TV and thought ‘that looks totally crazy, fun, difficult, fast, would give you such an adrenaline rush and buzz. I just would love to do that’, so when I found out there was a track in Edinburgh I rushed down and gave it a shot. I loved it from the first time I tried it in 2007 and haven’t turned back since.

I have been member of City of Edinburgh Racing club since 2008, Scotland’s most successful Track Club once supporting Sir Chris Hoy and Craig McLean and also been a member of a French cycling team, US Créteil in 2010-2012 where I trained on the track at INSEP, the French Team National Training Centre, training with the Olympic and World Cup squads including Gregory Baugé (World Sprint Champion) where I gained valuable experience and knowledge.

The toughest moment in my cycling career to date has to be a couple of months after Delhi Commonwealth Games 2010 I have decided to choose a different path in cycling – endurance! Focusing on the omnium and team pursuit. This choice had been in my mind for the past season and I came to my decision by discussing all the options with my dad, Graeme Herd the Scotland endurance coach and Brian Smith who is involved with the Braveheart fund. Having made this choice, I was invited to the 6 day race in Rotterdam in early January. This gave me only 2 and a half months to train. I finished the 6 days totally drained, physically as well as emotionally. I was out of my depth there but it gave me a feel of the type of speed I need to be racing at.

I am now in the early months of my 3rd Endurance Season. This year brings more challenges with qualifying for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and my first road season for my new team MG Maxifuel. Exciting times ahead!

Career Highlights to date

Delhi Commonwealth games - Silver at the Team Sprint,

Delhi Commonwealth games - 6th in the sprint

Scottish pursuit champion 2012

Scottish 15km Scratch champion 2012

British Track Nationals Silver Pursuit medal 2012

British Track Nationals Silver Points race medal 2012

British Track Nationals Bronze Keiren medal 2012

Scottish Kerien champion 2012

Revolution 38 Manchester – 3rd in the point race (international field) dec 2012

Rotterdam 6 day – 7th overall (international field) jan 2013

The proudest moment in my cycling career to date has to be standing on the podium watching the Scotland flag go up when Jenny and I won Silver at the Commonwealth for the team sprint. The Australian national anthem was playing but secretly I was singing the Scottish national anthem in my head. An absolutely surreal moment of my life!

Who inspires you and why

I have many Idols, first are my dad and big brother. Ever since I was a little girl I was so proud and excited to watch my big brother play rugby for Scotland, he was my hero! My dad having represented GB for triathlon was always a great lifetime achievement as well as having a full time job was so inspiring, then going onto Iron Men was just a whole different ball game, he just loved to push himself to his limits and this for me has always been so motivational. When I have to dig deep in training, sometimes I think of the kind of training he had to do and it gives me some extra driving force. Other than my family I would have to say of course Sir Chris Hoy, a fellow Scott having achieved what he has is truly inspirational.

How do you celebrate/relax after a big event

I don’t party a lot as I feel it sets my training back and it’s not worth it in the end. However after a big event I know I’m due some time off so go out and party and dance with my friends. I also enjoy going out for meals to celebrate.