Tri-ing my best...

catweazle

couerdelion wrote: »

Just €3 a go, they were lovely. Felt drunk after 2 though.

Yep, just me on my own.

I presume this was Fibber Mcgees, was there a cross old fella with big eyebrows at the corner of the bar? My dad loves that place.

If I had known you were going through Claregalway, at the very least I would have had the flags out (I might have been a bit too hungover to join you)

couerdelion

catweazle wrote: »

couerdelion wrote: »

Just €3 a go, they were lovely. Felt drunk after 2 though.

Yep, just me on my own.

I presume this was Fibber Mcgees, was there a cross old fella with big eyebrows at the corner of the bar? My dad loves that place.

If I had known you were going through Claregalway, at the very least I would have had the flags out (I might have been a bit too hungover to join you)

It was McSwiggans (?) on Eyre St. I did get talking to an old fella though with big eyebrows. We talked about the hurling and he thought I was winding him up because I'm English. Couldn't understand much of what he said.

You wouldn't have had much fun on the cycle, I was suffering and going at a snails pace. A cuppa would have been nice though

couerdelion

Mizen to Malin Day 4 - Rossnowlagh to Malin Head

Final day! Had a great sleep and was up around 9:00 for breakfast. Only 130km so no rush to set off so around 10:15 I was off.

Outer quads were really tight and pulling on my kneels little. After 3 days my sitting area was also quite sore (not through friction, just sitting in same position) so I couldn't get comfortable. Because of this it felt like and was a long day.

First stretch was to Donegal town. Or actually just around it. I went past the first garage expecting to hit a cafe in the town but in the end it was Stranorlar 45km in before I got my first stop. The drag from Donegal Town over the Barnesmore Pass was a slog. From there down to Ballybofey (where a school kid decided to run at me untill I threatened to punch him) and Stranlor then off to Letterkenny. The descent into Letterkenny was fantastic. I nearly overtook a bus.

From Letterkenny the target was Muff. Took the obligatory "Welcome to Muff" picture and stopped for another coffee (cue joke about furry cup..)

Just a 45km slog to Malin Head from there. Once through Carnalough the scenery was stunning though so despite the aches and pains it was a pleasure to cycle through it. The nastiest hill was left till the end and I pushed the bike to the top and finally into Malin Head. Just shy of 700km done in four days!

It wasn't fun but I've a massive sense of achievement from completing it.

Abiding memories are the stunning coastal scenery Ireland has, the diversity of cow breeds, the abundance of Montbretia flowers on the west coast, the number of blackberries available to eat for free and the friendliness of everyone I met.

Questions: Does every dog get trained to bark at cyclists? Does every town in Ireland have rubber circles a few km outside where kids skid their Micra's? Do the government realise how bad the road surfaces are?

Capri Man

couerdelion wrote: »

Mizen to Malin Day 4 - Rossnowlagh to Malin Head

Final day! Had a great sleep and was up around 9:00 for breakfast. Only 130km so no rush to set off so around 10:15 I was off.

Outer quads were really tight and pulling on my kneels little. After 3 days my sitting area was also quite sore (not through friction, just sitting in same position) so I couldn't get comfortable. Because of this it felt like and was a long day.

First stretch was to Donegal town. Or actually just around it. I went past the first garage expecting to hit a cafe in the town but in the end it was Stranorlar 45km in before I got my first stop. The drag from Donegal Town over the Barnesmore Pass was a slog. From there down to Ballybofey (where a school kid decided to run at me untill I threatened to punch him) and Stranlor then off to Letterkenny. The descent into Letterkenny was fantastic. I nearly overtook a bus.

From Letterkenny the target was Muff. Took the obligatory "Welcome to Muff" picture and stopped for another coffee (cue joke about furry cup..)

Just a 45km slog to Malin Head from there. Once through Carnalough the scenery was stunning though so despite the aches and pains it was a pleasure to cycle through it. The nastiest hill was left till the end and I pushed the bike to the top and finally into Malin Head. Just shy of 700km done in four days!

It wasn't fun but I've a massive sense of achievement from completing it.

Abiding memories are the stunning coastal scenery Ireland has, the diversity of cow breeds, the abundance of Montbretia flowers on the west coast, the number of blackberries available to eat for free and the friendliness of everyone I met.

Questions: Does every dog get trained to bark at cyclists? Does every town in Ireland have rubber circles a few km outside where kids skid their Micra's? Do the government realise how bad the road surfaces are?

Well done on your great achievement.

couerdelion

After doing the HIM and being impressed by the organisation I decided to do the sprint to finish off the season. Well actually my wife decided we would do it as it was out 5th wedding anniversary...

Having been down to Lough Lene a few times for open water practice I knew it wasn't too far to drive but as usual it was still an early start. Got down early enough with no queue to register and plenty of room to rack. There was a few of us from the club at the race so I was looking forward to the little race within a race as usual. Once the briefing was done it was time to get into the water which was as cold as always.

Swim: In retrospect I took the swim a bit too easy and the lack of swimming over the last couple of months showed. Once I got to the first buoy I started making up places but I'd slipped back over the first few hundred.
Time: 14:53 (45/161)

T1: Into T1 and could see 1 of the team mates already in transition so I had a hare to chase. Felt like transition went pretty well.
Time: 1:09 (?/161)

Bike: Struggled getting my shoes on and had to spin my left shoe a good few times before I could get my foot in. I lost a couple of places whilst this was going on. Once I had my foot in I settled down and got to work. First up was getting the places back I'd lost and I ahd them back within a couple of kms. I then saw one of the club kits up ahead and put in a spurt to catch him. As I went past I noticed one of the other club members and passed him too. I was really pushing it as I went past trying to look as strong as possible. I made up another few places but then coming in to Castlepollard I got caught in traffic and lost a place. Got it back on the way into Collinstown and got another few too.
Time: 32:29 (19/161)

T2: Was going well till T2. As I pointed my foot to put it into my runner my calf cramped and spasmed and I couldn't do anything, it was in a ballerina position and I couldn't straighten it. I had to sit down and massage it before the spasm went and I could get my runners on. I limped out of T2 hoping it wouldn't reappear and spotted a teammate arriving into transition.
Time: not recorded (included in run I think)

Run: Settled into the run albeit at my usual slow pace and concentrated on trying to keep my legs turning over at a decent cadence and not get over taken by the teammate. At the half way turn around point I could see that I had lost ground and thought it was a matter of when rather than if I would get over taken. Just after this point I was overtaken by Fionnula Britton and she was flying. With just under a km to go I saw my wife coming towards me and she told me that the teammate was just behind me. I was too far out to sprint it in but decided to put a burst in to try and make the gap too big to bridge.
In the end he wasn't as close as my wife made out. Phew!
Time: 26:15 (114/161)

Overall: 1:14:49 (41/161)

Second race this year I've broke 1:15 so really happy as that was my sprint target for 2012. Could have been faster without cramp and also shoe problems on the bike (I also struggled getting shoes off and then one fell of my pedal and I had to go back for it). Great way to finish my season and then the next day I flew out for two weeks of relaxation in sunny Sardinia.

I aren't going to do a long review of 2012 on here. The only person it benefits is me and I've spent some time whist I was away thinking about the season and what I want to achieve next and have started planning things out.

So as 2012 is finished now then this log too is finished after 2 seasons. Thanks to all who commented and offered advice. Not sure if I'm keeping one next season. I seem to have slipped out of the habit of logging and aren't sure I want to get back into it.

elvis jones

you ready to go Up & Over ?

couerdelion

Not at all. Dreading the amount of training needing to be done!

elvis jones

couerdelion wrote: »

Not at all. Dreading the amount of training needing to be done!

Not the only one but it will led to weight loss and quicker times during the season as a by product !

I haven't done anything since i arrived in Lanza on Sep 13, the odd swim and walking is all !