The beginning I suppose...

I've been considering a blog for some time now in relation to my continued efforts to train for the Wicklow200, w200 in six weeks time. While training (loosely) since January and now six wks from the event it probably a good idea to chalk some of this down in case I ever decide again to be silly and unnecessary.

Generally the thoughts of blogging come on lonely painful rides when a few minutes distraction from the wind, the rain or just the cycling come as a welcome break. Today I decided to focus on the two efforts while on the turbo mainly to distract from my sweating levels. It's a spin day anyway so I deserve a rest right?

I've been cycling for a few years now generally starting in early January building to a 400km round trip charity spin to Galway near the end of march and flirting with some light training before another 50/100k sportif in the hills of Wicklow in may. The next time I generally think about the bike it's October, I've missed the summer being too busy doing everything else and sure it's too cold to cycle then. Until January.

This year was different. April was my most riding month clicking up over 460km and May has started well with a quick 30, a windy 80 and a casual sweaty blogging 25. Ish. Onwards and upwards as they say although the mental demons are knocking at the door, a story for another day.

We started cycling in January, that's me and my most regular cycling partner and general cycling expert. A long cold first day out covering a massive 27k at 21kph. I wasn't sure cycling was for me anymore. Another early retirement from the season? I forget which came first, the cycling or the w200 idea. The chicken or the egg. The egg or the chicken.

So that was January, a day a week, 5 months to train, how hard could it be? How much life could it take over? Ask my wife, she's tired of cycling speak, the clothes, the gear, the bikes, the knowledge of the ever continuous Internet, and of course the heart rate zones and how interesting they all are to me. Not her. But I tell her anyway. 

And I haven't even started on lactate thresholds. What an exciting one way chat that will be as she holds her ears and rocks back and forward.

So hopefully I'll keep more focused with this than the slow training weeks. In short it'll be catchup from the months gone by, things I should have done, things I shouldn't have done, the mental strengths (and weaknesses) and exciting performance updates as we get closer to that day in June. It'll be brilliant.

And if no one ever reads this at least I'll know to skip the blog next time and just listen to the music.

A song for today?
Let's go with Pixies - Monkey Gone To Heaven.