The long silence is over. I’m back blogging again. No particlar reason for the long gap in Blogs just a case of blogger’s block. I still have nothing to say but feel I better upload something. Training had gone well despite the freezing temperatures and alcohol fueled stag weekends. I have clocked up over 2000 km this year already and my weight is at a 10 year low. The number one highlight was a fantastic ride around Joyce Country in Connemara. We took a detour to add a little distance to our spin and discovered a great Hill, spectacular views anda beautiful Lake side road. The clocks have sprung forward and I can consider commuting from next week. I am off to Manchester for a long weekend and in 8 days I am off to Southern Spain for a spring training camp. My bike is in for servicing and hopefully will be ready for the trip

Poppy seed and lemon muffin with coffee on the train to Preston. Struggling to overcome the grave injustice that was Manchester United’s defeat by Real Madrid in the Champions league.

My weight was 90kg at the start of March. This is 3.5kg lighter than this time last year. I have been very careful about what I eat trying to ensure that I don’t use tiredness,  training load or a lack of time as an excuse to make bad choices.

The number one goal for March is to continue my weight loss

Got up at 7 am and headed out in the beautiful frosty morning to cycle one hundred miles. Nearly seven hours later I arrived home. This madness was inspired by a STRAVA weekend challange. Will continue to get my base miles in and start interval work in late March or early April.

Paddy and Jaclyn have both express disappointment at not featuring in my widely followed blog. As my path to cycling glory weaves it’s way uphill towards it’s summit I occasionally cross paths with others. For the most part they are an inconvenience but occasionally they enrich the journey. Today I went for a winter spin with the afore mentioned Jaclyn and Paddy. As I stood waiting for them at various points I reflected on my training so far. Thanks to Jaclyn’s abuse (predictive text error but better than my original choice- advise) and support my weight loss has gone well. I am lighter now than I have ever been at this time of year. Thanks to Paddy’s optimistic world view I am keeping positive about my struggle for gold

Cycled 100 km on Saturday and Sunday. Got up first thing Saturday morning. Got a stew cooking and then prepared to hit the road. Still ice at the side of the road so back in for coffee to give the bright morning sun to rise above the hedge line. Finally got on the road but after 1 hour I noticed my back wheel unstable. 2 loose spokes that would not tightened despite the fact that for once I had the correct tool for the job. Did the last 80 km slow and steady. Spin took me more that 4 hours and I was glad to fall in the door to a warm stove and a hot stew. Today? I went out and did it all again

48km in the freezing cold and was slower than I was two years ago. I have come to the conclusion that I’m going to have to boost my performance by artifical means. I have discovered a substance that researchers in Northampton university claim can boost the performance of an athlete by 10%. I found this substance on open sale in Charleville. I purchased some and plan to use it in training this weekend. I realise I have crossed the rubicon and there is no going back. I feel ashamed but I am obsessed by Gold in Dartmoor.

Resoloution 2013 : Everything matters.

No list of promises this year.  Looking back on previous years I notice that my lists stay the same and so do my results. After much contemplation and inspiration from friends I have decided on the above statement.

Everything matters.  What I am hoping to achieve matters and every decision I make along the way matters.  I will enjoy the journey.

Everything matters

Always carry a chain tool and some spare links.

Standing in the cold waiting for my saviour Helen to rescue me.  As I was pedalling along I thought to myself that it was over a year since I put this chain on. Decided I would check it for wear and change it when I got back.  Didn’t quite get the chance