Cyclists always have the same excuse when it comes to stretching or any form of flexibility training, they don't have the time. Well, like just about everything else in life that time limits are an excuse for, it is not really about not having enough time, it is more about not prioritising it. So, why…
Next Saturday or Sunday, when you are out on your group spin take note of how people around you are moving their bodies when out of the saddle on any climb. They will be split into two very distinct groups. Those that swing the bars and those that don't. Anyone who spends more than 60…
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,…
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…
It feels good for the lion or the gorilla but what about poor Tommy or Billy at the back. They feel like an antelope after being savaged by a pride of Lions. It takes a different form of mental strength to keep coming back for more but they always do because they know that their day will come too.
The New year is a time for fresh starts and new plans. Goals are set (or just dreams if you don't write them down) and motivation is high. Enthusiasm is seeping out of every pore as everyone prepares for what will be their best year ever, or not depending on the amount of stickability you…
There are many different ways that any cyclist can go about their training, but in general they can basically be broken down into two, Old School and New School. Old school is all about feel and experience. New school is more about heart rate and power, but how do they differ out on the road?…
Yesterday I arrived home from the group Sunday spin and noticed that the average speed was 33kph. This was pretty quick and I wondered how that compared to other group or individual training spins throughout the country. So just to gauge roughly what average speed cyclists who read this blog are travelling at I would…
Everyone experiences days when they do not feel like going training. We have all been there. It would be easy to stay in bed, watch tv, sit on the couch, surf the web, have a quick look at Facebook that turns into an hour or any multitude of other distractions that seem like valid reasons…
