Cycling in the Ballyhouras in gusts of 130kph. Brilliant!
training
Kilmallock cycling club
I have started riding with the Kilmallock cycling club. There are no shortage of people faster than me so keeping my Nee Years resolution has been a breeze
New New Years resolution
After last year’s successful ‘Everything Matters’ may I present my guiding words for 2014 …
Stormy weather
Pouring rain, gusts of over 100kph and flooded roads, spring has arrived.
Blogs have been few and far between
recently and ordinarily this is a sign that I am going through a blue period where my training declines and my weight climbs. Not so on this occasion I have mostly be experiencing writers block.
Last weekend I managed to write a few lines and attach a few photos. I pressed the button to upload and minutes later I got a message saying that the upload failed and my post was nowhere to be found. I was too tired and frustrated to rewrite the passage and so in protest I have ignored WordPress for seven days
Eye on the Prize
The Goal for 2014: Dartmoor classic in under 6 hours 35 minutes
http://www.chainreactionhub.com/latest-news/1220-is-this-the-worlds-most-expensive-bike
Crache dans la soupe
I must apologise to my loyal readers. I have been wallowing in a Kimmagian pit of misery. As my chip and chocolate addiction spiral out of control so does my weight. Work and weather wreck my weekly training.
I reached my Nadir tonight however. I found myself reading ‘Rough Rides’ while eating a McDonald’s ‘Happy meal’. The meal did not make me happy.
But I have found inspiration within the pages of Mr Kimmages splendid book. Sean Kelly had saved me again.
Paul visits Sean in Brussels when he is facing a professional crisis …
‘I never liked saunas, and Kelly insisted on rising the temperature by throwing water on the stones. We lasted 15 minutes but had to get out. It had been incredibly hot and we were both so drained that we could hardly stand
“Jaysus, Kelly, you look like death warmed up. “
And he laughed, but then said, “Did you never feel this tired after finishing a race?”
I thought about it. Yes I had but only once. It was in a prologue time trial of the Coors Classic in Boulder, Colorado a few weeks before the Olympic Road race in LA. The finish was at the top of a hard climb, and I remember losing consciousness about fifty metres before the line and waking up with a blanket around me five minutes later. It was the only time in my life I had ever pushed myself beyond my limits
“Yes” I replied, “once. What about you? “
“Yes, regularly”
Tomorrow I’m going to wash my hair with Johnson & Johnsons ‘No more tears‘ Shampoo. It begins here, regularly
January blues
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
New Year Revolutions
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
Tired, me?
Well I won’t have the No. 1 on my bike next year but I did enjoy my day in the Sun. I was telling everyone ‘I was fastest last year’, as they past me on the climbs.
Stayed with the front group until Maam and after a hour in the wilderness myself and two others managed to catch the leaders again as we arrived at the biggest climb of the day. They took it easy and I managed to stay with them over the top and down into Maam. 50 km to go and then Bang!
A race broke out when we arrived at the 3 km timed Mountain goat challange. I eased smoothly out the back as the back of Nigel Forde’s head disappeared up the road ahead of me. I finished the climb well out-sprinting a few guys and made it down to Maam Cross with one other guy. He then dropped me with ease and I found myself cycling back to Galway on my own.
I stopped in Oughtard for a comfort break and two guys past me. It broke my heart but 25km later I caught them. They kindly allowed me to tow them into Galway and past me in the last 50m.
Crossed the line in around 4 hr 25 min. A lovely BBQ waited and thanks to a 7am start I was fed and on the road home by Noon. Sat in front of the telly for Liverpool v United by 12:30
Its good to be King
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
Confessions of a Velophile 