Road to improvement 2012

Dermot Illogical · 08-04-2012 9:45pm

A handy enough week. The wind on Tuesday was a touch dangerous, so wimped out on Wednesday when it hadn't died down. Got a couple of club spins in at the end of the week, taking in some hills I'd never met before. I'm back on the Ridley at the moment as the Raleigh needs a little bit of maintenance and I haven't the time to do it at the moment.

Mon: 50km commute
Tue: 50km commute
Wed: Rest
Thurs: 50km commute
Fri: 65km easy club spin
Sat: 85km club spin
Sun: 42km commute

Weekly total: 342km
YTD: 3882km

Dermot Illogical · 15-04-2012 9:48pm

An easy enough week. Nice spin on Saturday. Slow pace but lots of hills, which I'm starting to get the hang of. Liking them won't happen anytime soon all the same. I could do with shedding a few kilos though if I want to improve upward speed. I'm hoping to get over to the Swords CC hill climb on Wednesday to establish just how bad things are.

Mon: 43km commute
Tue: 50km commute
Wed: 50km commute
Thurs: 42km commute
Fri: 50km commute
Sat: 100km club spin
Sun: Rest

Weekly total: 335km
YTD: 4217km

Inquitus · 15-04-2012 10:03pm

RT66 wrote: »

Snip

The Epic Battle de La Lanterne Rouge de Swords commences on Weds. Best of luck sir!

Dermot Illogical · 15-04-2012 10:15pm

Inquitus wrote: »

The Epic Battle de La Lanterne Rouge de Swords commences on Weds. Best of luck sir!

I've already got my maglia nera washed and ironed for the occasion.

Dermot Illogical · 22-04-2012 8:55pm

This wasn't a great week to be honest. I missed out on the Swords hill climb on Wednesday as work took over my life completely for a couple of days. The RMHC around Blessington made for a lovely day out on the single speed. Fitted it with Panaracer Closer tires so will see how they go. Rounded out the week with a thorough drenching on my commute home today. I'm looking forward to belatedly getting involved with the Swords league this week and hopefully completing my debut race.

Mon: 50km commute
Tue: 50km commute
Wed: 17km commute
Thurs: Rest
Fri: 17km commute
Sat: 72km Ronald McDonald House Cycle
Sun: 51km commute

Weekly total: 257km
YTD: 4474km

Dermot Illogical · 01-05-2012 4:10pm

A week of rest and recreation. I was off work Wednesday so missed the nasty weather. Tore a hole in the sidewall of a new tyre on Friday evening so Saturday morning was spent at the LBS instead of on the bike.

Mon: 50km commute
Tue: 50km commute
Wed: Rest
Thurs: 50km commute
Fri: 45km commute
Sat: 4km LBS for a new tyre.
Sun: Rest

Weekly total: 199km
YTD: 4673km

Dermot Illogical · 01-05-2012 4:11pm

Count: 42 Activities
Distance: 1,220.23 km
Time: 46:27:26 h:m:s
Elevation Gain: 5,192 m
Avg Speed: 26.3 km/h

Dermot Illogical · 06-05-2012 5:26pm

A really enjoyable week for me.
I did my usual bit of commuting without incident. Nothing remarkable there.
On Wednesday I went for a spin around NCD and got onto a few of Beastie's strava segments. He was assisted in keeping one segment by an old boy slowly guiding a banger of a car around a roundabout, dashing any hopes I had of taking the top spot. Never mind, next time perhaps.. I found the Ardgillan hill climb used by Swords CC in the league and had my first spin up it in a time of 5:06. Now that I know where it is I'll have to start targetting a sub 5.
Marshalled at the Swords league on Wednesday evening and got some nice photos. The weather was excellent, which helps.
On Saturday I got to do the Orwell Randonee (thanks Colm_gti) and my 2nd venture into Wicklow. Savage amount of climbing for the uninitiated like myself. Went around in a rolling time of 5:45. Cycled home afterwards into a very unwelcome headwind but very happy with my day out. Met a few boardsies too (Hello Astramonti, Conor20, Seamus, J Madone et al) and found the event to be very well organised indeed. The weather mostly played ball as well. Very well marshalled event, kudos to all at Orwell.
Today I did the Sliabh Bloom 100k. I had originally intended to do the 160, but didn't feel up to it after the Orwell spin. I really enjoyed this one. Stayed with the lead group as far as the tea stop. The pace was lovely, averaging around 30kph, with the (large) group staying together all the way. After copious amounts of sandwiches, biscuits, tea and cakes we formed a grupetto for the continuation of the 100k while the majority headed for the hills. Again we moved along nicely with the group staying together. Back at the finish we were met with enough food to feed an army. A really enjoyable spin, and definitely on next year's list.

Mon: 42km commute
Tue: 50km commute
Wed: 61km spin around NCD
Thurs: 50km commute
Fri: 50km commute
Sat: 185km including Orwell Randonee
Sun: 100km Sliabh Bloom

Weekly total: 538km
YTD: 5211km

velo.2010 · 06-05-2012 7:27pm

Thats a savage amount of cycling in a week, Can't remember but I don't think I did over 500km at any stage last year training for the Marmotte. Maybe 400-450km at the most in a heavy week. Your commute alone would nearly be enough for many folk, absent a long spin.

Keep it up. Next Saturday is that GardaCC sportive.:)

G rock · 06-05-2012 7:48pm

Agreed. Savage stuff!

Congrats and keep it up!

Dermot Illogical · 14-05-2012 10:22am

I rested up on Monday after the Orwell and Carlow spins. Back in the saddle on Tuesday, I went along to hear sage advice (thanks 07lapierre, beastie & raam) on negotiating the Corduff circuit used by Swords for Wednesday's race. I had hoped I would make my debut in Wednesday's race but work put paid to my plans. I did make it over to see the finish though.
I did the Stubborn Mule sportive on Saturday and was going along nicely until I punctured about 20k in. I more or less did the rest of it by myself. I ended up taking a couple of wrong turns but got it mostly right for 107k @ 28.3km/h. I managed to get my 2nd sunburn of the year as well. The farmer's tan is coming along nicely.

Mon: Rest
Tue: 44km Swords CC Corduff course intro
Wed: 73km commute and return via race
Thurs: 50km commute
Fri: 50km commute
Sat: 155km including Stubborn Mule sportive
Sun: 50km commute

Weekly total: 422km
YTD: 5633km

Lusk Doyle · 14-05-2012 11:29am

Nice weekly total. I thought I was doing well with 800+ last month and you did half that in a week! The commute makes some difference in the mileage. I have no commute to work so suffer in that regard.

Dermot Illogical · 14-05-2012 4:04pm

Lusk Doyle wrote: »

Nice weekly total. I thought I was doing well with 800+ last month and you did half that in a week! The commute makes some difference in the mileage. I have no commute to work so suffer in that regard.

Yeah, I reckon the commute must be worth 700-800 or so per month by itself. I hope to stretch it out a bit over the summer as well. I figure I can get 3 or 4 days a week where I don't have to carry a rucksack if I organise myself a bit better. Then the long long long way home becomes an option.

Dermot Illogical · 21-05-2012 12:06pm

I felt a bit tired during the week, so when work and social commitments got in the way of cycling I didn't complain too hard. The result was an easy week. I did a spot of marshaling at the Swords CC race on Wednesday. I originally intended cycling over but ran out of time so drove instead.
On Friday I went for a short spin with junior but rested otherwise. No long weekend spins due to work.

Mon: 50km commute
Tue: Rest
Wed: 46km
Thurs: 50km commute
Fri: Rest, with a short unrecorded spin
Sat: 25km commute
Sun: 25km commute

Weekly total: 196km
YTD: 5829km

Dermot Illogical · 27-05-2012 5:23pm

A much better week. The weather really helps

I felt more energetic this week, and even got my first race in on Wednesday. I also got over to Garristown for the course intro on Tuesday which I found very useful.
I rounded out the week with a couple of club spins and a spot of marshaling at the Ras. Now sitting at home applying aftersun.
Great weather, long may it last!

Mon: 50km commute
Tue: 94km commute and Swords circuit intro
Wed: 130km commute and Swords league race
Thurs: 51km commute
Fri: 38km spin over to Howth
Sat: 136km Swords spin plus a bit extra
Sun: 121km Swords spin plus Skerries for the Ras

Weekly total: 620km
YTD: 6449km

G rock · 27-05-2012 6:40pm

RT66 wrote: »

Weekly total: 620km

Jeebas!

Dermot Illogical · 28-05-2012 4:17pm

G rock wrote: »

Jeebas!

Yeah, I was quite happy with that total.

It wasn't planned, and felt easy enough. I got in 538km a few weeks back and thought that might stand as my weekly record for a long time, but this weekend just worked out nicely.

Dermot Illogical · 31-05-2012 11:18pm

Garmin data for May 2012

Count: 53 Activities
Distance: 1,930.56 km
Time: 70:45:44 h:m:s
Elevation Gain: 10,314 m
Avg Speed: 27.3 km/h

Dermot Illogical · 04-06-2012 12:52pm

A handy week mostly. Raced again in the Swords league and really enjoyed it. I can see why it's so popular.
Work messed with the mileage a bit but I'm not all that bothered after a very good month in that department last month.

Mon: Rest
Tue: 50km commute
Wed: 122km commute and Swords league race
Thurs: 25km commute
Fri: 25km commute
Sat: Rest
Sun: 50km commute

Weekly total: 272km
YTD: 6721km

Dermot Illogical · 19-06-2012 11:49pm

A poor week. Lots of commitments stopped play.

Mon: 78km Club spin
Tue: Rest
Wed: 42km commute
Thurs: Rest
Fri: 50km commute
Sat: Rest
Sun: Rest

Weekly total: 170km
YTD: 6891km

Dermot Illogical · 19-06-2012 11:52pm

Slightly better week, but no big spin.

Mon: 50km commute
Tue: 50km commute
Wed: 50km commute
Thurs: Rest
Fri: 72km spin
Sat: Rest
Sun: 50km commute

Weekly total: 272km
YTD: 7163km

Inquitus · 20-06-2012 9:19am

So RT66 are we attacking off the top of the hill, or off the last bend tonight?

Dermot Illogical · 20-06-2012 10:01am

Inquitus wrote: »

So RT66 are we attacking off the top of the hill, or off the last bend tonight?

If I feel anything like I did cycling in this morning I'll be trying to catch up at the top of the hill and continuing straight on at the last bend

Dermot Illogical · 25-06-2012 9:28pm

Had an easy start to the week, with a couple of commutes. I didn't think I would make it to the Swords CC race on Wednesday but I managed to just about get there. Thoroughly enjoyed the race, even though the nags head just doesn't suit me at all. I ended up resting the remainder of the week bar Saturday where I had a ball at the Tour de Burren. From the start it was fairly obvious it would not be easy. The wind was fairly strong, and never behind us. I stayed with the front group until the 1st climb when the group broke up. Went up the climb in my own time as I knew there were more climbs later on to conserve energy for. As it happens I probably was too conservative. I did the rest of the event on my own. Shortly after the 1st descent the heavens opened and stayed that way for a few hours. The food stop was a bit earlier than I expected, but welcome all the same. I stuffed my face. There were a few more climbs which turned out to be handy enough, the last one being corkscrew hill. I had made this one a monster in my mind, but it turned out to be a pussycat. It's actually a really nice climb I think. At this stage the weather had improved and I knew there were no more climbs to conserve energy for, so I skipped the final food stop and went as quick as I could from Lisdoonvarna to Ballyvaughan, covering that 28km at 33km/h pace. Parked the bike and had a rake of pints. What else could a body ask for?

Mon: 50km commute
Tue: 50km commute
Wed: 102km commute and club race
Thurs: Rest
Fri: Rest
Sat: 160km Tour de Burren
Sun: Rest

Weekly total: 362km
YTD: 7525km

Lusk Doyle · 27-06-2012 8:04am

That's some distance to date. You have twice my distance covered!

Dermot Illogical · 27-06-2012 8:50pm

Lusk Doyle wrote: »

That's some distance to date. You have twice my distance covered!

To be fair, the commuting makes it reasonably easy. I'm aiming for at least 1,100km per month. If I can do that for the full year I'll be delighted. So far, so good. Another 90km or so and this month will hit the target.

Dermot Illogical · 30-06-2012 7:34pm

Garmin data June 2012

Count: 34 Activities
Distance: 1,153.48 km
Time: 42:51:34 h:m:s
Elevation Gain: 5,440 m
Avg Speed: 26.9 km/h

Dermot Illogical · 07-07-2012 10:20pm

A good week, with a decent amount of ground covered. I finally got around to tackling Howth from steepest road on the village side. It's going to feature regularly I think. I also acquired a Benotto road frame from Holyboy. It shall be my winter project. If I can get it anywhere close to the condition of my Benotto track bike I'll be a happy camper.

Mon: 50km commute
Tue: Rest
Wed: 75km commute and spin around Howth
Thurs: 54km commute
Fri: 50km commute
Sat: 50km commute
Sun: 50km commute

Weekly total: 329km
YTD: 7854km

Dermot Illogical · 08-07-2012 8:29pm

I didn't really have much time for the bike this week. I was off work so missed out on commutes. Other commitments and crap weather didn't help.
Still, I got out a couple of times midweek and Saturday made up for a lot.
Wednesday's spin around Howth took me up the village side going left at the church for the first time. I have to say it's an enjoyable little climb. Managed to break into the Strava Top 10 on the descent too, which was nice.
The crap weather on Friday got me onto the turbo for the first time. The Sufferfest video made it bearable, but I really am going to have to change the saddle on the turbo bike. It's the only bike I don't have a 4ZA Stratos saddle on, and it hurt. It's easily fixed, so no big deal.
Saturday was lovely. Didn't want to get off the bike it was so nice out. Pity we don't have more days like it.

Mon: Rest
Tue: Rest
Wed: 35km spin around Howth
Thurs: 56km spin North Dublin & Howth
Fri: 1 hour turbo session (Sufferfest Fight Club)
Sat: 139km club spin plus a bit extra.
Sun: 50km commute

Weekly total: 280km
YTD: 8132km

Dermot Illogical · 17-07-2012 11:04pm

Crappy weather is sapping my motivation. It's like I only have to look at a bike and the heavens open. Mileage tailing off as a result.

Mon: 50km commute
Tue: 50km commute
Wed: 50km commute
Thurs: 25km commute
Fri: 25km commute
Sat: 45km spin around Howth
Sun: Rest

Weekly total: 245km
YTD: 8377km

Dermot Illogical · 22-07-2012 6:26pm

Did a little bit of work on the Raleigh so stuck to the Ridley this week. I'm heading to Italy next weekend for a few weeks and I can't decide which bike to bring. The Ridley is better geared for the big climbs, but if I might be leaving whichever bike I bring over there for future visits. Also, I have transport over sorted for a bike, but not back (yet).
Whichever one goes will need some work. The Ridley needs a new BB & chain/cassette. It has 12,000km on it with one chain/cassette change very early on and the BB is the original so I wouldn't be happy bringing it to mountains without doing that first. If I bring the Raleigh I'm definitely going to need to swap out the cassette for something granny-ish. It's a 7 speed, so limited with what I can achieve there. I'm leaning towards the Ridley.
Anyway, this weeks totals. I managed to get into a couple of Strava top 10s, and consolidated a KOM along the way as well.

Mon: Rest
Tue: 49km commute
Wed: 50km commute
Thurs: 49km commute
Fri: 72km commute + spin over to Ratoath for beer.
Sat: 22km spin back from Ratoath
Sun: 50km commute

Weekly total: 292km
YTD: 8669km

Dermot Illogical · 31-07-2012 6:51pm

Garmin data July 2012

Count: 41 Activities
Distance: 1,189.11 km
Time: 44:38:31 h:m:s
Elevation Gain: 5,799 m
Avg Speed: 26.6 km/h

Dermot Illogical · 03-08-2012 9:01pm

A few commutes and then I brought the bike to Italy for it's holidays.
No shortage of mountains so should help in my preparations for the SKT and Giant's Causeway.

Mon: 49km commute
Tue: 50km commute
Wed: Rest
Thurs: 49km commute
Fri: 12km http://app.strava.com/rides/15013187
Sat: 25km http://app.strava.com/rides/15040011
Sun: 19km http://app.strava.com/rides/15313119

Weekly total: 204km
YTD: 8873km

Dermot Illogical · 07-08-2012 9:06pm

This was probably my most enjoyable week's cycling to date. I'm even starting to enjoy hills. The weather in Italy has been fantastic, and I've found some like-minded people to go cycling with. Local knowledge has been very useful in seeking out some good routes, and some great little bars for the obligatory espresso.
I've probably done more climbing in this one week than I've done for the rest of the year, or at least it feels that way.
Monday we went to the beach, an 87km spin over some fairly undulating terrain, and were rewarded with a fantastic descent into Formia.
Tuesday I went out on my own to do a bit of exploring.
Wednesday I went for a climb in the morning and a group spin in the afternoon which went over a road closed to motorised traffic due to parts of the tarmac having fallen into the valley below. The result is a 14km stretch of road used almost exclusively by cyclists.
Thursday I went for a short spin by myself and on Friday we went for a group spin to Lago di Cardito. A lot of climbing was done to get there. A road sign advising of a 20% gradient wasn't lying. A very enjoyable cycle, and a route I hope to revisit.
Sunday's spin included what was probably the toughest climb I've ever encountered. It shows up as a Cat 3 on Strava, but it's over a very bad surface which makes it very tricky. Standing up causes the rear wheel to spin on the gravel surface so sitting is the only game in town. I was absolutely on my limit going over the top. Great fun!

Mon: 87km http://app.strava.com/rides/15504109
Tue: 30km http://app.strava.com/rides/15705285
Wed: 65km http://app.strava.com/rides/15867641 & http://app.strava.com/rides/15922283
Thurs: 33km http://app.strava.com/rides/16115171
Fri: 67km http://app.strava.com/rides/16239611
Sat: Rest
Sun: 37km http://app.strava.com/rides/16740147

Weekly total: 319km
YTD: 9192km

smacl · 08-08-2012 6:03pm

Makes for some great reading, now how to convince my missus that the next family holiday should be in the hills of Italy.

Dermot Illogical · 12-08-2012 11:07am

This was another very enjoyable week on the bike. Cracking weather, sunshine and high temperatures. I sought out as much climbing as I could, something I wouldn't have dreamed of previously but which now has become very enjoyable.
I used Strava to look for a Cat 1 climb but couldn't find any close enough to have a go at. However, I did find a HC climb not too far away. So I did that one on Saturday. I can honestly say I've never done as much climbing in my life. I enjoyed it very much all the same. 24km of ascent with switchbacks all over the place. The road was like Sally Gap with the amount of cyclists and motorcyclists. On the way over to do the climb I took some guy's KOM on a segment I had noticed on Friday. He doesn't have an Italian name so in my imagination there's some poor fecker in England cursing me having received one of those horrible strava notifications

Mon: 64km http://app.strava.com/rides/16854945
Tue: 50km http://app.strava.com/rides/17032777
Wed: 61km http://app.strava.com/rides/17323149
Thurs: 23km http://app.strava.com/rides/17506217
Fri: 50km http://app.strava.com/rides/17638723
Sat: 94km http://app.strava.com/rides/17830809
Sun: Rest

Weekly total: 342km
YTD: 9534km

Dermot Illogical · 17-08-2012 2:42pm

Holidays are over for another year. I left my bike behind so will have to go back next year

I'll also have to get a new one here

Garmin stats for the holidays.

Count: 19 Activities
Distance: 838.23 km
Time: 40:20:11 h:m:s
Elevation Gain: 14,214 m
Avg Speed: 20.8 km/h
Avg HR: 124 bpm

Dermot Illogical · 20-08-2012 9:28am

This week saw the end of my holidays. I ended up leaving the Ridley behind me in Italy so now I know where I'm going next year...
I'm very happy that I brought the bike with me as I got a lot of climbing in and overcame a lot of my climbing fears while I was at it. I will however need to get a new bike here though as the Raleigh doesn't have any climbing gears, and I'll need them as hills is my new favourite hobby.

Mon: 30km http://app.strava.com/rides/18324673
Tue: 56km http://app.strava.com/rides/18491591
Wed: 33km http://app.strava.com/rides/18580709
Thurs: Rest
Fri: 46km commute
Sat: 49km commute
Sun: 50km commute

Weekly total: 264km
YTD: 9798km

Dermot Illogical · 27-08-2012 9:36am

A quiet week aside from the SKT on Sunday which well and truly pushed me to my limits. In preparation I had changed the cassette to give myself a chance at completing the climbs. The best I could get was 40x28 in the end, which was just about enough to get me over the hills. I was determined not to put a foot down on any of the SKT climbs, and succeeded in that. Definitely one of the hardest cycles I've ever done, and very enjoyable too. Somewhere on the way around I hit 10,000 km for the year to date, which is nice...

Mon: Rest
Tue: 50km commute
Wed: 49km commute
Thurs: Rest
Fri: Rest
Sat: Rest
Sun: 164km SKT Waterford

Weekly total: 263km
YTD: 10,061 km

smacl · 27-08-2012 6:39pm

Fair play on 10k ytd, frightening distance, I've much less than half that covered. And 40x28 is not a low gear, not surprising you're pelting along

G rock · 27-08-2012 7:13pm

Congrats on the 10k!

15 by year end??

Dermot Illogical · 27-08-2012 8:22pm

G rock wrote: »

Congrats on the 10k!

15 by year end??

Thanks! I hope to be close to 15 by year end, but probably won't quite reach it. At the moment my goal is at least 1,100 km per month. If I keep that up I'll be happy.

Dermot Illogical · 01-09-2012 1:58pm

Garmin data for August 2012

Count:30 Activities
Distance:1,166.67 km
Time:51:44:20 h:m:s
Elevation Gain:14,849 m
Avg Speed:22.5 km/h
Avg HR:129 bpm

Dermot Illogical · 07-09-2012 1:59pm

Easy week with one reasonable spin on Saturday. Lots of post-SKT rest otherwise.
I'm signed up for Into The West on 8th/9th Sept and the Giant's Causeway on 15th. Also hoping to get a new bike soon, but not sure just when that will be.

Mon: 18km commute
Tue: 35km commute
Wed: 42km commute
Thurs: Rest
Fri: Rest
Sat: 96km solo spin
Sun: Rest

Weekly total: 191km
YTD: 10,252 km

Inquitus · 08-09-2012 8:07pm

Didn't bump into you on the SKT RT66, but you've had some year. My motivation got killed a bit with the demise of the club league, though I have decided to punish myself for being slack by doing the dying sow 300 Audax next weekend.

10k is some amount of miles, and you climbed a hugely respectable amount on your hols, well done.

Dermot Illogical · 09-09-2012 7:56pm

I took it handy early in the week, saving myself for this year's Into The West at the weekend.
I knew from doing the outward part of the route last year that it was relatively flat, so I toyed with the idea of doing it on the single speed. I did a bit of work on the bike earlier in the week to make sure it would be ready. When the weather decided to play ball on Saturday, I was ready to go.
The gearing is 48x16 so it's a reasonable usable setup for a flat spin.
Into The West is done in groups, so there's a choice of 5 normally, each with a set speed. I went with group 2 initally as I wasn't sure how the bike/me combo would perform. I found the bike comfortable and smooth so hopped onto the faster group 3 when they came through. On the return trip group 3 was combined with 4 and 5 so we had quite a large and fast group. The group worked well and moved along very nicely until the inevitable race to the finish from 10km out. As the group broke up I found myself wishing I had another couple of gears as I pedaled like a mad thing trying to hang onto the back. Great fun, and a fantastic weekend's cycling. Excellently organised event, and an excellent cause. Looking forward to next year already.
Next week's plan is to research a new bike, and to do the Giant's Causeway sportive on the 7-speed if I don't get past the research stage.

Mon: Rest
Tue: 12km messing about on my single speed
Wed: Rest
Thurs: 50km commute
Fri: 50km commute
Sat: 151km Into The West
Sun: 151km Into The West

Weekly total: 414km
YTD: 10,666 km

Dermot Illogical · 16-09-2012 5:24pm

Well that was a strange week. It started badly and finished worse.
On Monday I was all ready to get on the bike for my commute when I discovered an absence of shoes. I had left them at the Into The West the previous day. My 2nd pair being in Italy I had to quickly had to change plans and get the bus.
With new shoes hastily purchased I got back commuting on Tuesday, but work then screwed everything up and I didn't get a chance to get on the bike again until Thursday.
Thursday was an odd one with the onset of a head-cold. I felt weak, particularly on drags, and didn't really enjoy my cycle.
Friday's commute was uneventful, head-cold still making a nuisance of itself though.
Then came yesterday's Giant's Causeway Sportive. I did this one last year and found it very tough. I had hoped to have a new bike to do it on this year, but that didn't work out so I had to use the old 7sp (all 13.5 kg of it). As it turns out, I don't think it would have mattered if I had the lightest bike in the World. This one just beat me again. I made it around the 1st 100km easily enough, albeit feeling bunged up and generally unenthusiastic. I was out on my own the whole way around and the wind was savage. My nemesis, Torr Head, is at the end of the route and it humiliated me again. There was an option to take an alternative route, but like an idiot I ignored it. The alternative is a 7 mile long steady climb, as opposed to the 5 mile Torr Road climb which has some 20-23% gradients. It has five very very tough inclines. I was going along ok, although I was wishing I had a few more gears, for the first climb at least. I got over it easily enough, and was doing fine on the second of the sharp climbs when my right leg cramped up in a massive way. I had to stop, at which stage my left calf cramped in sympathy. The rest of the cycle was slow, miserable and painful.
I've done the 160km Tour de Burren and the 160km SKT, and neither is a patch on the 126km Giant's Causeway Sportive for difficulty.
All in all probably my least enjoyable week's cycling so far. Ah well, onwards and upwards.

Mon: Rest
Tue: 25km commute
Wed: Rest
Thurs: 100km
Fri: 42km commute
Sat: 126km Giant's Causeway Sportive
Sun: Rest

Weekly total: 293km
YTD: 10,959 km

Dermot Illogical · 23-09-2012 8:24pm

My headcold from last week has progressed and I'm now completely under the weather. Work commitments ensured I couldn't get out much anyway, so just a lousy week all round. My lowest weekly total of the year so far, although that record won't stand long as I'm due to go away next weekend for a couple of weeks with no access to a bike. Might have to go back running for the duration.
On the plus side, I've decided on my replacement for the Ridley Eos I left in Italy. All going well I should be taking delivery of a Bianchi Via Nirone 7 with Shimano 105 shortly. A Bianchi Pista shouldn't be too far behind as my new commuter. I sense a burst of motivation in the near future.

Mon: 50km commute
Tue: 18km commute
Wed: 25km commute
Thurs: Rest
Fri: Rest
Sat: Rest
Sun: 42km commute

Weekly total: 135km
YTD: 11,094 km

Dermot Illogical · 15-10-2012 10:40am

A quiet week before heading off to Germany for 2 weeks of no bike.

Mon: Rest
Tue: Rest
Wed: 52km commute
Thurs: 35km spin around Howth
Fri: 50km commute
Sat: 50km commute
Sun: Rest

Weekly total: 187km
YTD: 11,281 km

Dermot Illogical · 15-10-2012 10:42am

Nothing to see here. Stranded in the middle of nowhere without access to a bike.
The beer not so bad though.

Road to improvement 2012

Comments