Happy Patricks day all.
So Sorry its been a late weekly update and I’m afraid I will be brief this week.
This week saw an improvement in the weather and therefore a massive amount of miles done by Midleton CTC on bikes, in pools and on the running trails.
Such is the massive amount going on I just can’t keep up with everything going on.
And as Ive said before unless people let me know about all the cool stuff your doing its hard to keep up with you all.
This week We had the usual Tuesday and Thursday spins which as always were well attended as well as some impressive solo Spins done by all.
Saturday there were more well attended spins one led by Frankie Froome and another by Tony Fitzgerald and Barry McMahon.
The racing lads have seen a busy few days with racing at the weekend and again today in Carrick on St Patricks day with notably impressive performances by Shane fuller who finished in the main bunch in both races and is looking stronger by the minute. Leonard O’keeffe and Martin Cashman put in good efforts in support of their leader Paid for Osbourne Meats with him taking wins in both races. As well as Dominic Cashman placing on Sunday in the A4’s.
Johnny Finn took to the race track for the first time today and was 4th wheel when his race was cancelled due to a crash up the road, All the lanza hard work put in by Johnny really looking to have paid off. Well done everyone.
Sunday saw for the first time three substantial groups headed off from the Courthouse with red, amber and green groups making up the splits. All with Coffee of course.
Its great to see that we have become so strong after the raging success of the beginners group that we can now have three highly attended groups on the road of a Sunday with around 50 riders on the road.
The red group with a pace of 29kmph took a spin to Dungarven and back with the usual stop for the Guccis selfie.
While the amber group and the green group both doing the Earthquake 70KM spin.
The amber group averaging 26kmph and the green group just over 20kmph.
Pat Burke Kindly sent me a bit of a report on the Amber group spin:
I fell in with the Amber Group ably led by Barry Mc and Tony. This was the first spin for quite a few from the Beginners Group who were bravely setting out minus our stabilisers for the first time. We thought we were heading for Dungarvan but a series of punctures and a mechanical issue changed that. After a master class in puncture repairs from Tony and Jude we learned that 2 tubes is required for a reason!! A quick decision later and we decided to fall in with a tour of the Earthquake Route, sounded like a good idea at the time and ideal prep for next week. We'd been passed by all and sundry at the side of the road so there was a healthy air of suffering about us as we attempted to catch any of the peletons that had whizzed by us while stopped. We were soon trailing Barry Mc up Youghal Bypass hill faster than ever previously and with a now smaller number than had started. Trying to hide was out of the question with such small numbers and very soon the chat dried up as we turned for Tallow. Once we got the rhythm we were up and moving and we all obeyed the rule of breaking the rule that is the speed limit entering Tallow. A quick coffee and a promise to the nice lady of the shop that we'd write a strongly worded letter to the Manager who got rid of the bench outside the shop and we headed for home. More punctures and the group split again as the cold set in. Despite being out the day before for a 'lazy 100k' Barry Mc led us out and the group set to work. We managed to get up the hill out of Tallow and began to have a small sense of accomplishment as we stuck at it travelling at a new speed for all of us. I learned a very valuable lesson on the way in to Tallow which I'm happy to share with fellow newbies - having a chat at the front is all well and good if its a quick natter. I was yapping away high on adrenaline and admiring the view and didn't realise it until my legs told me to shut up! More concentration and less yapping in future for me. We came across fence cutting which added a whole new dimension to road debris and survived a 'speed wobble' that was scored at 7/10 for grace and poise in the fall - if nothing else we are merciless! Plenty of attacks and craic on the hill back to Midleton and another great day out chalked up. The Amber Group averaged 27k for the spin which was a quantum step up for us newbies. It was great meeting one and all at the Court House beforehand, there is a great spirit to this Club and that is testament to the Road Captains who each Sunday have guided us out and back. 3 different groups set out, there was a number of splinter groups emerged but it looked as if one and all had a good day out. While the step up in speed was something to experience the group effort got us around and the lessons from the previous weeks stood to me. I really enjoyed the buzz afterwards and was glad I did some stretching afterwards as I tackled the stairs this morning. Another milestone passed, Earthquake next Sunday with a number of the Amber Group talking about tackling it as a group together. Anyone else want to fall in with us? See you Sunday morning!
Sunday was also the adventure race down in Killarney where we were again represented well again by James Cronin who had a few strange encounters with sheep by all accounts? but thats not a story for here?!! Martin O’Rouke was on top form completing the course in a very handy time and John and Ailish Lynch took part together crossing the line side by side. Well done all.
Monday Night this week and Last saw the swimming lessons continue at the Fota Hotel with great success coming from those.
Manus, Colum, Noel, Adrian and Myself are really seeing the benefits from Marc’s coaching and completed around 78 lengths of the pool this Monday which is a mighty feat considering most of us could barely do two lengths when we started. Big thanks to Tim Mahony and Johnny Finn for getting these organised and to Marc Sanquist for the excellent coaching.
Today ( Patricks day) Again saw three large groups take to the roads in the glorious sunshine.
The Gucci spin as we will call it completed a nice 80km hilly spin in a variation of the earthquake spin with a little extra with a handy pace of 27kmph on the tough route.
A stop again for the obligatory Gucci selfie was made in Tallow where the fine breakfast rolls were duly sampled by certain members of the spin.
Fergus Blackmore lead a group of the newer members on a 60km spin into town and back with a bit of a climb to finish up towards lisgold with a nice pace of just below 27kmph.
This spin again was well attended and is great to see with the newer members (I refuse to use the term beginners anymore) really starting to get great speed on the road.
Start Posting some pics guys and Gals!!
The third group on the road was lead by the Piano Man Peter “I’ve nothing done” Moloney.
An early start was got in at 730 to enable us to get a mighty 125km spin in via Mitchelson Town and then up the Vee and home through Tallow.
Over 1300m of climbing was got in with Peter seemingly taking us in any direction he could find a climb.
A really great pace was set on this one with an average up the Vee of just over 20kmph and about 46kmph down the other side dodging the blue Sheep! Seriously the Waterford folk take this GAA stuff way too seriously! Blue sheep!!!
A mighty pace was set after the Lismore Coffee stop and a local Rival club were duly blown away on the run into Midleton.
Great personal Satisfaction was got by myself as it was my first time up the Vee, only tempered by the fact Lloyd just couldn't let himself give me the KOM in the sprint for the top reeling in by breakaway attempt sprint just before the top. Swine!!!
But don’t worry revenge was executed at the finish when again Lloyd reeled me in on the sprint for the town only for me to catch him napping when he thought I’d given in and pass him out! scores level Lloyd :-).
This was possibly the finest spin I’ve been on with bright sunshine, great scenery and even better company.
I must say I was particulaly impressed with Peters planning for this ride, he even organised a professional photographer to be waiting at the top of the Vee!
So a great week for Mctc with Three spins now well established showing how strong our club is becoming.
Sorry for the shorter report this week things have piled up on my desk.
Thanks to Pat Burke for the report to pad out the update :-)
I’m off on Hols tomorrow so there might be no update next week.
But Catalina will be writing a blog so you won't be disapointed.
Have a safe week on the road.
