Cycle

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What might have been …

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Cycling faster than I ever have before I am enjoying the fruits of my weight loss and training. Then a slap in the face arrives in the post.

My Dartmoor silver medal to reminded me of my failure. It is a beautiful medal, heavier with lovely inscribing. I cannot help but wonder what it would feel like to hold a gold one …

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C’est fini

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The seventh of July 2013 will be remarked upon in Irish cycling circles,  for many years to come. It was the day I completed L’etape du Tour in less than 6 hours. Dan Martin stage win in the real Tour might also get a mention.  Today’s spin may turn out to be the peak of my cycling achievement but hopefully there is more to come for Dan Martin. Maybe a victory on Ventoux next weekend or indeed in the Etape stage itself on the penultimate day of the tour.

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The retirement of an heroic helmet

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‘You should take a photo of my helmet and put it on your stupid blog thing’ said Hugh as he sipped on his coffee. ‘It has been all over the world. I’m buying a new one later and today is it’s last spin’

Hugh’s helmet had been all over Sligo/Leitrim, up most of the great climbs of France, many of them several times, it has done the Wicklow 200 five times and it had gone up the Alto de Letras in Colombia.

‘Get your own blog, my readers aren’t interested in such trivia,  your very self absorbed, Hugh

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Words uttered in haste

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Finished 48 minutes after the gold medal time, my slowest Dartmoor of the four only to have Computer add over ten minutes to my time when I did not register on finish line … Argggh

I did the last five hours with my gears screeching at me and every second cyclist I past telling me my bike was making noise. Some  even suggested that I should oil her every now and then Argggh

And don’tget me started on all those guys hearing that my bike was clearly malfunctioning and yet saying nothing Argggh

I am sitting in a warm Bath and starting to calm down.

I would not have finished off it was not for the help of three riders. The only number I’m sure of its 2003, I think 1916 was one of the others. I will  detail later

I have Marked next year’s event in my calendar and will book the time of work tomorrow. It’s gold in 2014 for me!

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Tour de Conemara

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Staying in Galway tonight. Travelling out to Clifden in the morning for the Tour de Conemara.

Many years ago my Grandfather made the same journey to the Mart in Clifden. After a Six hour drive in a van with cattle they arrived at the edge of Clifden.  They came upon a red headed woman walking the side of the road . Reading this as a bad omen he immediately turned the van around and drove the six hours back to Galway.