cycling

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January blues

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The New Year is underway and the short dark days are taking a toll on my mood but not my appetite for Chocolates.

When I do get out on the bike I enjoy it but with such short windows of daylight to get out, trips are often shortened or cancelled.

Friday night I was working until 9pm and so was too tired to get up at 07:30 for a club spin and so headed out at 10am on my own to do 100km. Was going well until I went over the top of the main climb of the spin to find the road blocked with snow and ice. Had to walk a mile or so before getting back on the bike and free wheeling through the slush.

Today’s trip was cancelled because of a puncture. I was on my way to the mountain for a quick spin when the tyre on my car blew out.

Sorry for all the moaning but as you may have noticed when I am in a bad mood I post less blogs so this is a effort to blow away my writer’s apathy

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New Year Revolutions

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2014 gets underway. Managed to get out on the mountain bike for a short spin.

Christmas was busy and I didn’t manage much cycling. If I recall correctly I managed to cycle 100Km on Jan 1st last year. First weigh in of the year today.

My resolutions?

1) Get to target weight by April first
2) Match millage from last year
3) Beat times on spins from last year

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V for failure

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Dartmoor Hysteria reached new heights last week when the cycle sold out within hours. People obviously keen to be part of history as I go for another unique gold medal attempt.

My focus switches once again to my weight. The graph is shaping up to give me my annual ‘V’ sign. This year I am determined not to repeat the mistakes of the past 9 years.

I know that there are no quick fixes for weight loss so I am taking to the Internet this afternoon, armed with my Visa card determined to find the solution to my weight gain …

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Fall back

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Beautiful mild Autumn weather means great cycles on the quiet country roads on North Cork.

The days getting shorter and the mornings darker but still great cycling to be had

Next thing on agenda is the route for the Tour de France and the announcement of L’etape du tour route.  Rumours suggest Tourmalet/Hautacam but this would be a repeat of 2008. A start/finish in the same town would probably be too much to ask for again but the atmosphere and Craic in Annecy last year was brilliant

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Its good to be King

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Okay, okay, I know it won’t last and I know there were loads of people faster but it’s still good to be King for a day and 1/118 is good.

To be honest I don’t think I ever would have expected to be posting times like this.

Felt that I was going Okay until the first climb but found it tough then I was pushed up ‘Powers the Pot’ by Mike and Terry.I wasn’t able to match them on the climb but I clung on and crested The Hill wth them. Quick stop for water and got caught on my own until Mahon Falls. I struggled up it.

It was after Mahon Falls that I came into form. I made good time and no one could stay with me. At the foot of Maam Road I was passed by two Dungarvan CC riders. Tried to stay with them but couldn’t. Made it to the top then soloed the whole way back without seeing another rider until I joined up with finishers on the 100 km route.

Great fun. The Comeragh Challenge is a great spin every year

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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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Galeriens du Mount Ventoux

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Nearly 15 hours after we started in Bedoin myself rode into the clouds sitting atop Mount Ventoux and arrived at the summit of le Geant.

One line rider gripped the summit pole, his bike lying lifeless on the ground. He seemed  to be trying to take in the magnitude of what he had achieved.

‘Oh us?  This is our fourth time cycling up to day’ I still remember him standing there with his mouth dropped open and a distance stare in his eyes as we posed for this photo. I almost felt bad for busting his bubble but 187 km and 6000m of accent including over 10 km off road climbing we had to tell someone and he was the only one around.

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Wicklow 200

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The business end of the year is here. A beautiful sunny Sunday morning greeted us when we arrived in Greystones at 06:30. The shoreline Leisure centre is where Katie Taylor displayed her Olympic Gold medal to the people of Greystones. I’m hoping that is an omen for me.

Hugh, Brendan and I powered around the 200km for our annual sufferfest. Meanwhile Jaclyn completed her first Sportive without any fuss or bother. She was back in Greystones by noon  waiting for us.

Hugh reckons that his annual trip to Wicklow is a great barometer of his good health. Today was his eight and I hope he has many more. I have my eye on Twenty.

The day went well. I managed to keep with the pace for most of the day and finished strongly. Only 12 more Wicklows to go …

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Welcome to Loserville. Population 1

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Silver Medal 6hrs 55 min
Average speed 22.4kph  Max speed 77.6kph

A wet and miserable start meant that I got nowhere near my Gold medal. After 2 hours of cycling I was 20 Mins slower than last year. I slowly clawed most of it back and finished a couple of minutes slower than last year on a slightly different route.

I had a fantastic day and enjoyed the ride immensely.It really is a beautiful and challenging route with endless steep sharp hills. I feel I paced myself much better than last year and raced home from Princeton to the finish. I powered along the river valley in the last 20km trying to catch last years time. Great buzz flying along in a group of about  six of us.

Wasn’t too disappointed about time as I know I did my best and could not have done better

At least I know my goal for 2013- Gold medal in the Dartmoor classic