Frightening, that’s one way to describe what happened out on the mountain bike this morning. It had nothing to do with any white knuckle single track or any 80kmh decent. No, it was much more sedate than that. In fact my bike wasn’t even moving when it happened. To put things into a bit of …
Having cycled a bike on many different roads and routes all over the World, I sometimes wondered what my favourite route is. Having given it a considerable amount of thought it turns out that I didn’t have too far to look. For many people the conditions necessary for a good bike ride can be very …
A volunteer at a daytime shelter for homeless women notices a slightly introverted client who is pleasant to everybody and conscientious about helping to clean up when most others have already left for the evening. The volunteer begins to chat and initially the conversation revolves around general pleasantries. The volunteer has a curiosity about this …
“Sport binds people better than almost any other form of social interaction.” That was a phrase I once came across. Whilst having a sport in common is a huge factor in building a friendship, there is an extra dimension added when you suffer alongside someone on a bike. In the midst of physical pain and …
After the 2008 banking crash and following recession many found themselves taking up cycling for exercise. It became more popular than ever and was determined by official figures in both the USA and Europe to have surpassed golf in terms of numbers of participants. Many of these new cyclists came from the ABC1 demographic that …
Some people call their shed or garage ‘The Pain cave’. Whilst there are times when your legs and lungs should be hurting other parts of your body should be able to get through your training sessions without making their presence felt. With so many people now doing much of their training indoors on turbo trainers …
A guy from Clonmel moved to the Phillipines a while back. He befriended a local cyclist who invited him out on a spin with one of the local cycling clubs . On his first day out his friend was unable to go with the group but the guy from Clonmel headed along anyway. Cycling groups …
‘Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at change’ – Wayne Dyer No two days on a bike are exactly the same, even if you do the exact same route. The direction of the wind can change. It can rain or it can be dry. There can be lots of …
‘Did you meet anyone?’ is a question cyclists often get asked when they get back in the door after a training spin. Wives and partners are just showing interest in a non committal kind of way. They rarely ask what your 20 minute ftp was or even how many Strava Kom’s you just missed out …
Some cyclists like to train on busy main roads where a continuous stream of passing cars, trucks and busses help increase their average speeds and get them closer to the coveted Starva KOM. Others prefer to amble along quiet country roads, lanes and bodhreens, looking in over ditches, taking in the scenery that surrounds them. …
You won’t find the following in a newspaper supplement, or in very many online resources but for some it might just make the difference between achieving and dreaming when setting your goals for the new year ahead. First, a little background. As I sat on the couch the other evening, sipping a glass of Baileys …
The most common spin ever undertaken on the roads of South Tipperary and North County Waterford is a lap of Ballymac. The 100k route gets it’s name from the small village of Ballymacarbry, that signifies the point of no return when starting in Carrick on Suir and going through Clonmel then on to Dungarvan before …
We do not train to avoid pain, we train so that our body and mind learn to tolerate pain. Recently I heard someone say that cycling was meant to be enjoyed, not endured. They were correct, to a point, but the fact is that it is not possible to fully enjoy cycling if you cannot, …
There are two types of bike shops. Those owned and operated by cyclists and those that are just commercial ventures. No prizes for guessing which will give you the best experience. Many of those owner operated shops do a lot more than just sell bikes. Many are a treasure trove of good advice whilst some …
If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change ! This morning when I awoke at 5 am to the sound of rain beating against the window my first thought was – Good! ………. or it should have been…….. In fact it was something more along the lines of …
Last week the Dawn Raiders annual trip abroad took place and this years chosen destination was Bormio in the Italian Alps, as opposed to Borneo in South East Asia as one friend thought. The reason for choosing Bormio is because it is situated at the foot of the Stelvio Pass, one of the most famous …
This night next week, on Thursday June 20th a very special free event is taking place in Ryan Motor Power Clonmel. A panel of guest speakers are going to give an insight into what it takes to be successful at every level of your life, all of which will revolve around a sporting theme. The …
Shortly after seeing Sean Kelly in the Nissan Classic as a spotty teenager I decided that I wanted a piece of the action, so realising that I better start doing a few local races first, before the Tour de France, I was invited along by Joe Lonergan to a training spin with his son Bernard. …
The average age of cyclists who wear Lycra in Ireland is currently 42. Take the under 18’s out of that equation and it becomes 46. Let’s call the average 46 year old Irish cyclist Pat. Pat is married to Ailish. They have two kids Michael and Sorcha. There are two cars in their driveway, a …
One aspect of cycling that gets taken for granted and is often overlooked is the importance of how you breathe. You do it non stop, hopefully, but most people don’t really think about tuning into what this non stop activity can tell you and how you can improve when you pay attention to it. The …