The dog is in the dishwasher and I have nobody to tell.

‘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 on. Normally you give a brief answer of either ‘nope, met no-one’ or ‘yep, I met the lads’, and then the conversation moves on. Nowadays, however, did you meet anyone is always going to be in the negative as you either do lap after lap of short circuits within 2km of home or else you are out in the shed beating yourself into oblivion on Zwift.

Speaking of Zwift, I will just briefly mention that it is a fantastic resource but don’t go racing on it seven days a week. It’s really difficult to do a recovery/handy spin on Zwift because even if you are not racing, as soon as a group goes past you are trying to latch on. Mix it up with a few occasional spins out in the fresh air. It’s amazing how many backroads, laneways, deserted pedestrian streets and even the odd field that you can find within 2k of home that will make for an enjoyable adventure that will keep your legs turning and get plenty of fresh air into your lungs. Most importantly it is also good for the head and will help you to enjoy going for a cycle just for the sake of going for a cycle.

Having more time confined to barracks can have some interesting in-house scenarios. Last Thursday evening after a long enjoyable family dinner at the kitchen table Kate asked where Charlie was, our very originally named King Charles. We looked around to find him doing his best to extricate himself from the dishwasher. A plate with some gravy was within licking distance and he went for it with gusto. But with so much gusto that he was now stuck in the dishwasher. We helped him back out and then admired the sparkling finish he had managed to get on the plate within seconds. Not even fairy liquid could work as fast. We made him assist Kate with her English homework as punishment. It would have been a good story for an early morning spin up the mountains with the Dawn raiders back when group spins outside your 2k radius were the norm.

Routine is important at a time like this. I still try to be in bed by 10.30 and up at 5.30am every day. I also make sure to get plenty of physical exercise done. Then I have no problem sleeping. I heard a doc on the radio the other day talking about many people having difficulty sleeping at present. She gave loads of advice about not drinking coffee too late and avoiding screens for 1 hour before bed (try telling that to a teenager). All true, but here are a few other things to consider. If you are exhausted enough you will sleep no matter what. The best way to make sure that you will be exhausted by bedtime is to get up early and work up a sweat. If the kids are up late don’t mind feeling sorry for them and keeping the house quiet the next morning. Make a load of noise and get them up early. They might be a bit cranky for a while but they will get over that and then be tired enough to go to bed at their normal time that night.

We also had a funeral this week. My Uncle Jimmy passed away last Sunday night. He had been ill for the past 4 years but you would never know it if you met him in the Minella gym at 6.30am 5 mornings per week, which he was still doing right up to a few weeks ago, along with playing a few holes of golf on Saturday or Sunday. It was a sad time that was made more difficult by the current restrictions but there will be much to celebrate about his life once everyone can get together when this lock in is over. He was very successful in his career but his main achievements were outside of his own work. He helped nurture many others in business and life. He even went to the aid of his competitors when they were in difficulty. He was a great man for time and I learned from him that an 8am meeting meant that you were there between 7.30 and 7.45. This meant that you were not rushing and stressed and also that you were always well prepared. His greatest legacy was his concern for others. One time he heard of a family who were going through a difficult time financially as their daughters First Communion approached. They got a phone call from a local clothes shop to say that they were to come in to pick something up. Upon arrival they were assisted to choose a communion dress and then the rest of the family were also dressed from head to toe. They explained that they were not in a position to pay it all up front but were told that everything was already taken care of. Not even Jimmy’s wife Ella knew about what he had done at the time. He was a great example of doing good just because it was the right thing to do and not for any recognition or praise. He was a good man who will be missed by many.

My father Johnny, RIP, my uncle Canon Billy and my uncle Jimmy, RIP

Having to stay home all the time can be easy or difficult and the main factor in deciding how you experience it is how you think and what you focus on. This morning I passed by the Main Guard in Clonmel. A place I pass early most mornings where I normally see two men sleeping rough. This morning the sleeping bags were gone but two pairs of runners remained neatly in their place. I hope that they have found somewhere to live. There are many who would love to have a home to be confined to, so be thankful for the roof over your head and the good people within it.

Treasure these days when you get spend some quality relaxed time with your family and also time to catch up on all off those jobs that you have been putting off to ‘someday when I have the time’. Life in all its’ shapes and forms is good so make the most of it.

Barry

Here are a few pics that I took on gravel bike adventures last week before the lock down :