6 Days Until Trip - Day 153 of Training / Diet

I'm finally into the single digits with only 6 days to go :-) brilliant !

A question  I get asked the most often about the trip is how do I feel about it. To be honest as I've said before it's still excitement and nervousness but no matter what, it's happening on Friday and I'll deal with things then.

Some people are concerned that I might overdo it.....hmm, with a body shape like mine, do you really think I'll overdo it :-) I'm built for comfort not speed lol. I'll do what I can, and if I want to, if not, I'll hop on a train. It's a holiday with a challenge, but note I said holiday first.

Then there's another question and that is, how did I do on the weight loss. Now I did slip on my diet over the last two weeks AND I'm back on coca cola after been off it for three years and, ha no more ands.

I'm down two stone, not the four like I would have liked but when I get back I'll break the cola habit again and work on losing the rest. I'm delighted with what I've lost though.

I'm going to enjoy my holiday and the ice cold cola (colas) after my spin each day....well there's nothing better than it on a hot sunny day.



Over the last week I took it handy with a nice spin on Tuesday with a few nice hills 65+ k. I've given myself a rest from the beast also and won't be on her again until the trip.

The Beast got her bitch slap done and now she's in for a service, just to be sure.

Bike almost ready, and panniers ready to be packed, I'm looking good to go. Maybe I should have selected the bike caravan :-), what you think?





This morning I was out for my last club spin and again a 65+ k spin.and was great craic when I got to the tea stop......they
presented me with a gift, a French horn....very funny :-) :-)

What more do I need for my trip.......thanks guys :-)

Keep smiling :-)

17 Days Until Trip - Day 142 of Training / Diet

Today was a sad day, as my little princess headed off to the Big Apple for the next few months and we were up at 05:30 to see her off. 

Of course there's the inevitable drama :-) and then you wish it was a year she was going for......don't you just love your kids lol :-)

After six she headed off with her boyfriend, and so my little man went back to bed for whatever time he could get before school and I went to prepare "The Beast" for another big cycle day.......today we conquer Everest.

However that was the original plan, but when I was talking with Michael H, who was going to come with me today, we changed to plan B as he was caught for time, and speed and the beast don't go together.

After the usual morning stuff and school run was I was ready and waiting for Michael.

Now for those of you who may not live in Ireland, Summer time is nothing that you learned about in school. Instead it is winter with a few sunny days (not guaranteed, mind you) thrown in but today that was different. So bear that in mind when it comes to selecting what to wear. If you're brave, within a few k's your freeze your ****s off and if you go the other way and put on full tights and jacket, within the few k's your sweating like you're in a sauna. But us Irish are cute, most go a sort of in-between the two scenarios They wear the long pants and cut back on the top layer and say a decade of the rosary that this will work. Mostly it doesn't :-)

We set off Michael with his shots and fingerless gloves and myself with the long pants and full gloves, aha we covered all the bases and to be fair we were right because today's spin had everything but snow but the overall theme was the relentless wind.

We finally decided we would head to Leamybrien and home but just after Kilmacthomas we turned around to avoid the black storms clouds approaching us. It eventually caught me but not Michael as he had to head off near home. However I almost had 60k this morning, 59.5 to be precise but it's time on the bike that counts and although today was one of those times that you initially want to take a sledge hammer to your bike, you're really glad you did it.

I've decided on my next new bike.....

Tomorrow is a new day and hopefully it'll bring sunshine and no wind .....keep smiling :-)

19 Days Until Trip - Day 140 of Training / Diet

This morning I was out with the club (Biscuit Club) and we all cycled out to take part in a 50k charity cycle in aid of the 

Ronald McDonald House Crumlin.

This event was organised by a group of local cyclists known as "Tean Skelly" . 

This year, in a couple of weeks time, they plan on cycling from Malin Head to Mizen Head over a few days with their charity group......655 kilometre in total 

Team Skelly, Malin to Mizen cycle challenge.

They are a great bunch of guys and gals, giving up their time to raise money for charity but I'd never tell them that :-) A couple of their members are doing extraordinary work with this endeavour, supported by rest of their club, family and friends and like in many things are often the unsung heroes......well done lads.

Why not check out their page above, and if you're local why not support them by attending one of their events to raise much needed funds for their nominated charity......as Tesco say, "Every Little Helps"........please support them. 

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My New Baby :-)

Between the charity event and cycling to and from home I cycled 80.9 k today, but not on the beast, instead on my new bike Cube Peleton SL. 

The funny thing is that a lot of members have changed their bikes lately, that a new bike is just like saying it's windy or raining out today......."Do you like my new bike?", Oh yeah, the wind was a killer today, and tiddlywinks is on tv tonight"....."But it has the new, blah, blah, blah".......Yes, too many new bikes lol. I'm happy with it and glad to have added it to my lot - WHAT ! I'm meant to trade my old bike in, not a chance :-) She'll go with my collection, everyone has their habits.

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Now that's it for the day, relaxing afternoon planned ....... tv shows catch up time. 

Hope everyone's new week is great .................keep smiling :-)

20 Days Until Trip - Day 139 of Training / Diet

I woke up this morning, after another night of only five hours sleep, but this morning was different,

I felt great, tired a little but mostly refreshed and add the vertigo (and I've fingers crossed) appears to be gone, God bless medication :-)

Then to add to that, I realised that another "Club mate" had unfriended me on Face Book making that two in the last few weeks, well two that I've noticed. And to my surprise and if you know me, I might tend to be a wee bit of a worrier, just a tad :p BUT today my thought was good riddance to you. Okay it might have had a word stating with "B"  with yes you're right.....bless you :p

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I was back on the beast today, back cycling in general, after my time off and it felt good.....hmmm theme of the day is ....."feeling good and minions" .

Was out with one of my friends (Olive C) and we just did a short spin. The beast was almost at tour weight today, plus also I had the extra panniers to spread the weight as I wanted to see how it handled......all went well, no issues, thankfully.

Our route was up over Orchardstown and in to Tramore for a mandatory food stop.....yes we had cycled a massive distance so needed to carb load ha-ha. Then it was back in main road for home with the wind in our face, and no it wasn't Olive :p


 Only 30+ but I'm back, and it's a start. Tomorrow I have a charity cycle so should double today's distance and next week I'll be back on track.

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This blog is about my weight loss journey and also my planned trip and to be honest it has being an up and down experience. I've learned a lot.

• I may not have lost the weight I wanted, 
• I may not be eating as healthy as I planned, 
• I may not have cycled the 100,000 kilometres I planned or 
• I may not be graceful gliding up hills, or down them, ok or even on the flats, 
• BUT changes have happened.

I still eat lol junk days are not as often as they were, I'm down sizes in my clothes, people tell me I'm slimmer (or else they're a pack of liars lol)  but I feel slimmer myself. I no longer weigh in every single morning, weight is no longer a number. Cycling is back to being fun again and not worrying whether I averaged 16 or 26 or 36.....................oh ffs, I'll leave it at the 26 as then you believe what I'm saying, jeszz no let up from you lot :-)

Life is good.........alright, own up,who slipped happy pills into my food today.






Now get lost ye miserable shower and remember.....Keep smiling :-)

21 Days Until Trip - Day 138 of Training / Diet

Hi and long time no post, so time to update again, especially now as this day three weeks I'm off .......s c a r y !

The reason for my absence is because I haven't being out since the 1st May on the bike or indeed any training. Initially was weather and just busy but then it was due to having headaches and vertigo. The ironic thing is I suffered it for nearly two weeks when all it was, was sinuses. Got prescription from doctors yesterday so hoping I'll kick in by Sunday and then get back on bike. 

Well technically I was out for a spin everyday, just happened to be the wrong kind :-)

The ironic thing is that from Monday if I was going to plan, I was to start tapering down until trip......the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.  Lol, the joys.

three weeks time ... or should I say "trois semaines"

Starting to really look forward to it and have being working out the final planed and guidelines of routes to be taken.

The Beast, well she's ready too and due a service the Monday before we go. She's after having surgery and now has a new front rack which makes things easier. Now I'm spreading the gear over four panniers rather than the two and thus breaking ten weight over the whole bike. I'll test it out early next week and also plan to set up tent rather than arriving in France and not having a clue of what to do. Although that is still a good possibility.

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Apart from my planned journey there's a lot of local cyclists with their own giant challenges....and all for charity.

There's a group cycling from Malin to Mizen in aid of Ronal Mc Donal House 

and then 

there's the Solas 500 in aid of the Solas Centre.....a whopping 500k in a day or in Beast terms, four to five days travel, trying to beat the tortoise :-) and at almost twice the speed I'll be going ......but where there's a will, there's a way.

Fingers crossed both charities will succeed at what they have planned. I believe they will, so as I won't be here....all the best guys and gals.

That's it for me...................................................until the next cartoon, keep smiling :-)

41 Days Until Trip - Day 118 of Training / Diet

And before some smart ass say's it, no it's not a self portrait :-)

This morning I headed down to meet up with club (The Biscuit Road Cycling Club) for Saturday club spin and was feeling up for a 100k and if not 80k. I planned to go out with club and then just head off and do the rest......but like life, plans often change.

When I got there we had a lot of members and by the time we left there was 50+ members which was great to see.....all of varying levels.....nothing that would frighten Alexander Kristoff or Peter Sagan but enough to cover all types of leisure cyclists.

Off we headed for a spin taking in the local countryside out towards Tramore  and away from it and back towards Fenor and Tramoe again for a break and then back home. It was a spin of around 50k for most of us, give or take a few depending on where you travelled from. 

The route was draggy and lumpy and the route that helps you improve the most.

To clarify.....to a fit cyclist who can climb, today's route was just a series of the odd little bump, but to someone like myself, yes you're right , elite cyclist, who may not be the best at climbing, today was lumpy and draggy.....may not be real words, but either was Google at one time too :-)

Now for the reason for the main picture......you have to listen to your body, and today I had to. On the first part of the  cycle I felt great but then as I was heading out of Tramore a long the Glen Road, my legs died, I just couldn't get up the slightest drag at all, as for the flats, no bother, but any drag...not a chance (I just had to go up them slowly). I even turned around to head back to Tramore at one stage but then I met some of the others and went around with them. 

Am I disappointed.........of course not. Sure my last cycle was last night and I was only home for 20:30. Ok I didn't get the 100 I planned but I still was out on the bike today, time and kilometres done so happy. There's always another day to do more. So listen to your body and if you feel you really need to rest then ignore the gobshites that might say you're a wuss and relax......I'm a happy to be a wuss  :p

So that's it for today as I'm off to have a lazy day and evening.

Keep smiling :-)

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42 Days Until Trip - Day 117 of Training / Diet

This day exactly in six weeks time I head off on my journey, so I thought I'd challenge you to...."Cycle Slow", yes slow down.

You might ask or wonder why or even think I have officially being certified mad ....schhh that letter is in the post. The reason I say it is because in these times, with all on-line resources for us to upload our cycles, some have become obsessed with their averages and have simply forgot the beauty of just being out on their bikes. 

No I'm not asking you to consistently cycle slower but just every now and then just slow up and soak up the atmosphere, the scenery, the sounds.....it's amazing what you miss when you're cycling flat out or pushing hard. I was only talking to a cyclist last night who said his normal averages were 26 to 28 but now that he's returning to cycling after a break his averages are 21 to 22. He said he was cycling out some road and noticed the lake, that he never paid attention to before....amazing but we all miss sights...so go enjoy them and turn off or don't look at your gps on your spin.
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With the weather that has been in it (with exception of today) I have been getting in a few spins and have changed up training on the odd day by getting two spins in so that when I'm away as trying to up my weekly totals as I get closer to my trip so that it's not a complete shock. I'm still in awe at the old timer tourist cyclist I met the other day. I just think he's amazing at being able to cycle with all the load he has on his bike ....just amazing.

Four spins down this week and just about to head out for another so be careful as the roads will be slippy after the dry spell we've had......Keep smiling, keep safe and cycle slow....until the next cartoon....see ya :-)