Stage 1 – postscript

• Cycle time of 4 hours 29 mins 15 seconds
• Distance of 143.2 kilometres
• => Average speed of 31.9 km/hour, with a max speed of 67.2 kph.
• Average heart rate = 126 bpm, with a max of 175
• Calories burned = 5552.

I had bought a new toy in advance of this trip , a GARMIN EDGE 305, however i wasn’t to know until after that the memory in this baby whilst extensive enough wasn’t up to storing 4 long days of up to 8-10 hours in duration. So the first day’s main data was overwritten by the fourth day, and all i have to show is the summary data above.

Looknig back, long after the cycle, this was the fastest day of the challenge and the shortest day. The bunch stayed together for a good part of the day, whereas in subsequent days, the three goups were readily seperated.

There were great thrills to be had … flying down through some small wee town in the North, one long main street is all it had – and the police sirens are wailing, the traffic is stopped, everyone is looking at us … of course this has the effect of making us go faster and faster, but everyone is smiling. This is great and i’m loving every minute of it !

We’re in a Sports centre and here we have access to welcome showers. The bikes are all stashed in the gymnasium part of the centre, and i’ve found myself a new “good habit” and like so many of the others around me I’m cleaning down the bike. When most are showered, we’re bussed down to the centre, where we’ve all the food we can possibly eat. An hour – 90 mins later i’m on another minbus bringing me to the Cavan Crystal hotel – again another pleasant surprise. Its top class !

Down to the pool for a quick dip to relax and loosen out – couple of lenghts and then i assume my position in the jacuzzi and get talking to some locals, who knew nothing about the event. Some comments of well done and of course others of “you’re stone mad”.

Couple of phone calls to family – yes I’m still alive, all going well so far, weather not so bad , etc….

One phone call to fellow Triathlete & Letaper (Declan) – man this is tough enough, the pace has been very hot in spots and just hot the rest of the time, some lovely bikes to be seen, loads of bling, weather turning nasty

I’ve a room to myself which is great, but I don’t really sleep that well that night. The day’s proceedings replaying in my brain – should i have gone with the main bunch when it split some 20ks out ? Work unfortunately gets into my head for a wee while – but thankfully this was the only time in the whole weekend. I can’t remember what time I feel asleep but tomorrow will be another day.

Stage 1 – Lisburn to Cavan Town (162km)

 

 

So we’re off … up early, not a great sleep by any means. A quick look at the window of the hotel shows a grey sky – nothing too threatening for now, but no need for sun-screen.

Down to breakfast, I’m still in my tracksuit and t-shirt … 95% of the people inthe room are already in their cycling gear … club jerseys from all over Ireland, some wearing professional team gear, and of course others in bog-standard plain cycling gear.

 

Got as big a breakfast as i possibly could get into me at 7am in the morning, and then back up to my room. Dress quickly – no doubt i’ve forgotten something or other, focus on the basics – shoes, glasses, helmet, jersey. Decide to wear the PULSE gear … no other club would have me. And quickly down to where the bus is waiting for me and the other stragglers to take us the couple of miles from Belfast to Lurgan.

Build up to the Tour Of Ireland Challange

Star-date: 10th May 4pm, Blackrock, Co. Dublin

Quick rush from work — “sorry have to go”, “I’m on a couple of days off”, “yeah sure, a nice couple of days off relaxing around Ireland”, “taking it easy”, “What about this project milestone ? – ehh! it’ll have to wait until Tuesday”…blah blah blah … if they only knew !

And even if they did know – they wouldn’t understand

I was leaving work to go on a journey where no man (that i knew at least) had ever gone before.

My mission was to participate and survive (and hopefully live to tell the tell, whatever about actually blogging the story) 800 odd kilometres around Ireland in a four day period.

I knew no one travelling – my ‘usual suspects’ in these long distance cycles had found other things to do … mutterings about doing their hair, catching up with long lost friends from school, whatever …. so be it I was on my own and ready to roll.