J'aime Mon Velo
The past three months have been a bit of a whirlwind cycling romance, as I only started cycling in March of this year. Turning up to the Orwell Wheelers open night in the Cavern Wine Bar I was gob smacked how mobbed the place was, immediately I felt at ease after Darragh Connolly introduced himself, he even suggested I sign up for the WW100, little did he know at the time I hadn’t even cycled 30km! I was seriously impressed by the set up and organisation of the club and left feeling up lifted and having signed myself up for the WW100km?!
I managed to do 3 white group spins in March, the first saw me up Sally Gap and I will admit it I had to get off and walk up parts of it, being a gentleman that he is, Stephen Kerr reassured me that it wasn’t a faux pas. The second white group spin saw me over-coming Slaughter Hill led by the ever patient Ronan Gill, who taught me to keep the core engaged and just let the legs do the spinning. The last white group spin led by Dave Carroll brought me out to Russborough House, I learnt on the way home that if you’re feeling tired its ok to sit in amongst the group.
Finally the WW100 training starts and it’s apparent from the get go that anyone can do it you just have to commit to the training and that’s exactly what I have done. I even managed one of Garret's Tuesday night hill spins albeit I was part of the ‘slower’ group that split into an even ‘slower’ group, I still did it. When you’re new to the club you have to utilise the club forum as it’s a nugget for organising spins and receiving information from experienced club members. Through this I’ve gone out with Colm A and Colm F on mid-week spins which I think has strengthened my training.
Last week Alan Hickey planted the seed in my head to do the MLC, I’m sure he’ll agree it didn’t take much deciding on my behalf and I whipped up the chance to do it.
The morning of the MLC down in Enniscorthy it was great to see so many Orwellian's. The sun was shining and I felt like I belonged, I was part of something special and that is, being a member of Orwell Wheelers. The ‘mighty four’ as we are now called was made up of Derek Handley, Kathryn Keogh, Catherine McLynskey and myself. We weren’t 10km in and we were passing by all sorts of mechanicals and punctures. Those groups soon past us out when we stripped down to bare the legs. The first 60km we were motoring and we were really working like a pro peloton team, it was great, but I guess I am biased. Just as we were coming up to the foothills of the main climb we caught Leonard and Warren’s group and then the climbing started, we'd been waiting for it all morning.
Gillian with Kathryn, Catherine and Derek (photograph with many thanks to Sean Rowe)
Like all hills you take them at your own pace and that’s exactly what we did. Boy was it challenging, breath taking and well worth doing. Two thirds up it, I had to stop just to catch my breath (smell the roses of course) and take in the scenery. Determined, I gave it another go for I feared the paparazzi getting a picture of me walking up the final climb, it wasn’t going to happen. The sense of achievement and utter jubilation, one word, buzzin’.
Gillian tackling the Mount Leinster
We regrouped and were quickly on our way, all I could think of was food, for anyone doing the 100km or indeed their first sportive it felt like a long wait for the food stop and at one point I felt like I was racing to get to it. Eventually, we reached it and cheered, the food stop was amazing, but like a wide eyed bunny with headlamps flashing at me I didn’t know what to choose, cup of tea first then another and soon the taste buds were yearning. The final 15km flew by and according to my Garmin I was clocking up 97km, only! With the assistance of Catherine we headed down the town and back up just for me to clock the 100km! Coming over the finish line, beaming from ear to ear, getting my first sportive medal and completing the Mount Leinster Challenge it's all just been so rewarding. As Jimmy Cliff would sing, 'you can get it if you really want' ...
From social nights to manning sandwiches at the Randonnee, the craic on the spins, the banter and sharing of pictures on the whatsapp groups, leading the Ràs out, for me it's been a whirlwind cycling romance. I can't wait now for the WW100 I know it's going to be a great day out with the lads and lassies of the 100 group!
