Coin Tosser

It always difficult to get long spins in during the week after work. After a "tough" day at the office, sometimes the last thing you want to do is head out for 4 or 5 hours on a bike. When the evenings are sunny it can be the perfect way to unwind and get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. For the past few weeks the evenings have been getting progressively longer and it's not quite as cold as it has been. Having said that, on thurs 13th of May it was 2 degrees on Powerscourt mountain, factoring in the wind chill!

I've been clocking up over 300kms per week on the odometer since April. A weekend in April on my mate Dave's stag in Bristol offered me a few days off the bike. It was a welcome relief to wake up on the sat morning with a hangover instead of having to face into a long spin. That probably sounds likes a sort of oxymoron?

Rest weeks are very important in preparing oneself for endurance events as they give the body an opportunity to repair itself, both physically and mentally. Long hours on the bike, especially solo efforts, can take a lot out of you. Thankfully I have a goal which is now in sight. This helps of course, but there is always the fear of burnout, extreme fatigue and exhaustion. On an average week I've been doing 3 spins - 2 long with lots of hills and one (sometimes two) shorter spins at pace, on flatter terraine. I find long spins on the flat mind numbingly boring so I prefer to cycle vertically when I'm going to be cycling for more than 3 hours.

My favourite route (approx 120km mapped out below) takes in the Sally Gap from Dublin City centre, to Laragh via Glenmacnass (or Roundwood via Luggala), over the Wicklow gap to Ballyknockan, Valleymount, around the lakes into Blessington and then a straight run into Tallaght before eventually reaching Chirstchurch where I live in the city centre.

I did such a spin on thurs 20th May. A lovely bright evening, with lots of bugs in the air. I must have swallowed at least 85 greenfly, which kept my protein levels up. No need for a recovery shake when I got home! Didnt meet too many cyclists out and about, apart from an American couple who seemed to be quite taken with the Wicklow Mountains National Park. I passed over the Wicklow gap with the sun on my face, around the big lakes and on through Blessington. About half between Blessington and Tallaght as the cars rushed by I felt a tingle in my side, followed by the sound of a coin bounching off the tarmac. Yes, you've guessed it. Someone arsehole has thrown a coin at me from the passenger side of his/her vehicle! As soon as the realisation of what had happened set in I was livid. How could someone carry out such a degenerate act? I powered home, propelled by the rage.

Unfortunately as cyclists we are always exposed to nature and it's hazards. But never does one expect to be hit by an object tossed from a car! It ruined a perfectly lovely spin. Could have been worse of course, the coin didn't hurt or anything. But it just goes to show that there are a few mindless pricks out there intent on causing harm for no other reason than having a laugh at someone elses expense.

Training - Tuesday 25th May

I'm not sure if it was the tailwind, a couple of leg recuperation rest days or the dried prunes I ate before I hit the mountains but I flew up to the Sally Gap last night.  Anyone who rides up there via Cruagh or Kilakee road knows that there are some steepish climbs for roughly 13kms (with some flat bits thrown in as well).

I went around by Powerscourt mountain, and Luggala peering over at Lough Tay en route to Ballinastoe.  I had covered around 40km in the first hour and a half when i noticed my back tire had a slow puncture.  Damnation! The sun had given me a false sense of security in terms of the temperature, so when I stopped to change the tire I realised that it was only around 10 degrees.  I cursed and shivered as i realised that the BBB tubes that I was carrying didn't fit my Richie wheels!  Luckily enough, along came John Lynham from Laragh and sorted me out with a tube.  Life saver.  I dont think a bicycle tube from one of the many mountain bikers around there would have done the trick... 

After fluting around for a protracted number of minutes in the cold, my schedule was thrown off so i headed for Enniskerry and back to Dublin.  Just wanted to thank John for stopping and giving me a dig out.

Here is the route I took:

Les Dix Alpes

(This extract is taken from www.collymurray.com and provides an overview of Les Dix Alpes and my reasons for undertaking the trip)

Colly embarks on “Les Dix Alpes” (The 10 Alpes) on Monday June 21st 2010 in Como, Italy. The finish lies after 12 days, 1.100 kilometres and a multitude of beads of sweat at the waving palms on the boulevard in Nice, France.

The famous cols of the Tour de France: Col de l'Iseran, Col du Galibier, Col d'Izoard and Col de la Bonette will be traversed. In addition, some lesser known, but no less challenging climbs like the Simplon Pass, Col du Petit St. Bernard, Col du Grand St. Bernard, Col de Vars and Col de Lautaret will also feature en route to Nice. Nine passes above 2,000 meters plus the legendary climb to the ski resort of l'Alpe d'Huez. A lot of famous professional cyclists have fought out heroic duels here in the recent past; Federico Bahamontes, Marco Pantani or Lance Armstrong. It is now Colly's turn to follow in their tiretracks and in the process raise vitally needed funds for Cancer Care West.

This event is being undertaken in loving memory of Martin O' Gorman, a dear friend of Colly's who succumbed to cancer in September 2009.

Colly will be incurring the cost of the cycle out of his own pocket and all money raised will go directly to charity. No money donated will be used as part of the cost of the cycle.

A special word of thanks goes to those who sponsored cycling equipment and nutritional products for the training and cycle; Richies Bikestore in Swords, Asher from CycleWays Parnell St...