A dusty downhill race ?

So here we are guys, our first Downhill race of the year and what a benchmark it set.. the dusty track, the race atmosphere, the food from Kurt and Una, the general craic and of course the weather were all just unreal.

My weekend kicked off at about 8am from home in West Cork where I headed up to the race with Richie "The big man" Thornhill. As we arrived in Mallow after our 2 hour drive there was a mist covering the forest that made it look like a scene from a horror movie.. After we signed on we headed up to the top of Mt Hillary for our first drop in on the beast of a track. As the practice day went on the speeds began to get insane, my poor Kona Process 134DL took every smack like a champ and continued to accelerate everywhere (It really can do anything) as practice day continued the vest was pulled out as it just got too hot. Practice day ended on a puncture for me and I headed back to Tralee with my Paul Lenihane and Oisin Shanahan for the night.

Race day:
There we were, another clear hot day, the same roosty, dusty monster of a track we kicked off our morning with a track walk

 

For the day I decided I would go full Enduro and just pedal up the hill for all my runs so I just did one practice in the morning which went great, hit all my lines and mentally I was set.
Next came seeding.

For seeding I again rode to the top, clear head, excited for my run. I took off the start line for my seeding like a mental case on the sprint and as I dropped into the first corner my chain came off meaning I had to cruise the full way down until I went into the Gully. As I entered the Gully I went for a sprint having forgot about my chain and went straight over the handle bars. I rode to the finish in seeding and was sat dead last in the Senior Category. 

 Chainless in seeding

After half an hour of freaking out, I headed off for an hour of pedaling before my race run which seemed to do the trick, I rode my race run slightly cautious but still controlled and as I came into the finish I remained in the hot seat for the next 17 riders until the final 5 came down. I finished up fifth in the Senior category with a 2:14 just 4 seconds off first, a 41 second improvement from seeding. An absolutely sick weekend was had, a big congratulations to 021 Racing on running such a great event.

I Just want to congratulate my great friend Oisin Shanahan on his first win in the sports category, Oisin is a rider who is progressing phenomenally quickly and I am sure as the season goes on I will be trying to fight him off in the Senior category.

Also a big thanks to Derick Davoren for looking after any mechanical I had all weekend (mainly punctures), it was massively appreciated.

 

The Triathlon and College training.

The college life is pretty tough as you can see here...
Not being your typical Triathlon team here are me and my housemates Glen and Ciaran after a brilliant race in the college Triathlon.















 

Alex (Bike)                                        Glen (Runner)                                       Ciaran (Swimmer)

The I.T.Tralee Relay Triathlon was Organised mainly by Jackie Ruttledge a Health and Leisure first year in I.T.Tralee. Over the past 4-5 weeks every Thursday evening at 6:15 I have been taking out groups of participants along the 10km route in an effort to build there strength, fitness and mainly to get a few smiles on faces. The numbers grew steadily over the weeks and I was delighted to finally see just over 20 cyclists actually racing in the Triathlon about 10 of which had past been out with me.

 so.. the triathlon.
For us as a house we never felt as competitors in the Triathlon until we were actually on track especially as both Glen and myself were dying sick on the day. We started off with our runner Glen doing 5km in a strong field of runners and eventually bringing in the leg in about 9th position. From here I was set upon the roads of Tralee for the 10km bike TT where I pulled us back up into contention in 4th position and then we unleashed our swimmer who put in a super strong effort and held our position through to the finish. A great effort from a college house we were delighted to come away so well. I look forward to it again next year.

The banter....

 Training with my great friend Oisin Shanahan up in Tonavan after college.

 Mountain Skills Night Navigation.

 Rock Climbing Leader Training.

 Kayaking in Dingle

    Kayak rolling training in Castlegregory

 Kayaking with Fungi the Dolphin in Dingle

Mallow Pre race

An early morning start was had yesterday by Alan Connolly, Richard Thornhill and myself as we set off on a day of having the craic. first we went over to Torc, Killarney, Co. Kerry. Here we put in half a dozen runs down Torc Mountain with the Tralee Bay mountain bikers and a few wild deer that decided to join us.

 Richie "Big Man" Thornhill, Me and Alan "the beast" Connolly.. #teamwestcork

After several runs of Torc we decided to take our riding elsewhere, so we headed over to the Venue for next weekends Irish Downhill Mountain bike Series round 2 on Mt. Hillary, Mallow, Co.Cork. Apparently the only person ever not to ride the track I was absolutely shocked. The track in Mallow has the most diverse terrain from top to bottom I have ridden on an Irish downhill track. The trail goes from perfectly smooth flowy hardcore, to rocky drain gullies, to steep rooty turns. It is one of the races I am most looking forward to this year to say the least !

 Riding my Kona Process 134DL down the top section in Mallow DH

racing anyone ?

Its been just about a month since my last blog and a considerable amount has happened over the last four weeks including some of the best days of mountain biking I have had in my life.

Just a couple of weeks back I was shocked and absolutely ecstatic about taking the win in the overall of the biking blitz after a 3rd position in the final race in Ballyhoura on my Kona Process 134DL

The race was quite tough and consisted of a 17ish km loop with two main climbs both of which my Kona was more willing to go up than I was as it pretty much dragged me up both. I ran the first half of the race with my great friend Scott Wallace as he sat in behind me I attempted to get him back into contention in the Junior category but after a while I had not noticed he began to slip back and from here on in I was alone in persuit of the two men that were to beat me. I watched them trod away up the climbs in front of me but there was nothing I could do with no more power in my legs. Bringing home a third on the day I was more than happy with my results and then being surprised by Niall Davis (biking.ie) that I had taken the overall things just kept getting better.

Race chest cam from ballyhoura (4min edit)

Just one of those days

My day started off like every other back at home in west cork, I headed up with my friend Podge O'Driscoll (WCCC) to the First round of the Munster XC series in Tracton Woods, Co. Cork.

To avoid the inevitable future accusations of sandbagging I said I would make the jump and race in Elites (I was told by four different people that I was to race elites between the car and sign on)
This was my first opportunity to finally compete with my trainer of the past 2 years Mr. Donncha O'Brien something I was really excited about.

At 12 our race set off, I was sat in the second row behind Donncha and my team mate Johnny (MBW-Kona Ireland Racing) and off the start Johnny took off like a bullet sitiing in behind the monstrous Sean Prendiville (Killarney CC) and I was just four places back in 6th. 

First set of single track

From this solid start my race went rapidly downhill as I just lost everything, I lost my flow, I lost my legs, I lost my stomach and I lost my motivation, I simply rode around the track back to the start finish area, stomach in my mouth and I had to call it, as the evening passed on my joints stiffened and my stomach stayed shook, It was just one of those days every racer has at some point, It was one we try to suppress and hope they dont return to torture us any time soon.

My animal team mates the Maunsells rode as strongly as ever with Leah taking a well deserved 2nd in Baggies and Johnny riding to 3rd in the strong field of Elites
A weeks rest now and I will be well set for Biking Blitz Dublin on Sunday the 16th of March.

With some constructive criticism from Cieran and a cup of tea from Caroline "Mammy" Maunsell my day began to look up, and shur I still had the craic after.  Great to be back racing at home a good day or not!

Derroura Biking Blitz

I honestly did not think id see myself back into XC this early in the season but I have already caught the bug.. After a winter of hardship my first XC result of the year set up my years benchmark.

We headed off last Saturday (March 1st) from Tralee over to Mallow and onto Galway for the second round of the Biking Blitz. We arrived at Moycullen in Galway just before closing time on saturday and it was then that I got my first look at MBW's facilities.. its insane. Massive pumptrack next to the shop, as you walk in the front door your greeted by an Indoor BMX park, I was in awe. After a chat with the boss man Garry we went for a play in the BMX bowl and after several wipe outs and one dead pair of skinny jeans it was time to leave.

the ridiculous downstairs in the MBW shop

Johnny, Paul Lenihane and I stayed in our team mate Michelle Muldoons for the night and Sunday morning were escorted to Derroura mountain bike trails for the race. Once we arrived we signed on straight away and I met with Garry (MBW) who supplied me with my weapon of choice, A brand new Kona Process 111DL with full XX1 drive, safe to say I was cautious on board.
On the advice of my team mate Johnny I chose to race in baggies for my first ever biking blitz, it was a short 16km loop (single lap).
The races kicked off at 1pm with the Super pro leaving 2 minutes before they left the baggies off. I sat on the start line with a feeling of no pressure for possibly the first time and as we took off I simply spotted my gap between the four men in front and I opened out to the top of the hill, pulling out a gap I simply had to maintain to take my first win in what felt like forever. All was great until I hit the super pro traffic on the first single track and this ended up being my entire race, just weaving in and out and looking for passing opportunities throughout. The Kona process 111DL was the first 29er I have ever rode and it has converted me.. bigger wheels are better, they go faster. The phenominal grip from the tires and sharp gear changes from the XX1 are just a winning mix.. it would be inexcusable to lose on that absolute weapon.

In the end I took my first win of the season sitting 2.5 minutes in front of second place, the boss man Garry Davoren.

I just want to shout out a thanks to Garry and all the MBW-Kona Ireland racing team for keeping me going on Sunday, Michelle for her hospitality and Paul Lenihane for being my driver and grRANA Energy Europe for driving me on, Also thanks to action pictures Ireland for the great pictures.

Gravity BC Winter DH Cloon Report

Here it is.. We have finally reached the first race of 2014,
My weekend kicked off with an early morning train trip from College in Tralee over to my friend and team mate Jonathan Maunsells (MBW-Kona Ireland Racing) in Mallow from here the levels of craic soared rapidly, I spent from the minute I arrived in Mallow to the Minute I was on the train home..
From Mallow we suffered away through the long drive up to Cloon in Co.Wicklow and at 11pm in quite possibly the windiest spot in Ireland we set up our home from home (our tent) for the weekend, it was so windy we ended up tieing our tent to the van just in-case we lost it..

It was business as usual on Saturday morning with early morning sign on and as a non uplift race it was pretty damn nice, the push up was a short 15 minutes on board my little hardtail and the track was absolutely packed with features, it had pretty much everyhing you could pack into a sub 2 minute track with a seemingly endless amount of line options, rock gardens, doubles, berms and slippy wet routes. Saturdays practice rolled on and I began to get up to speed on the hard tail and just as I became comfortable my flow was burst by a sneaky rock ending my 2.1 XC rear tire, at that I called it a day and hid away until Sunday morning. 

Saturday morning Co.Wicklow

On Sunday after some angry shouting at my wheel I was offered by the lovely Joe Bergin (Ballyhoura Trail riders) a new Giant Glory to race on and how could I pass that off? I walked up and it turned out my first run on the bike would be my race run.. All I can say was after two years of riding hardtails.. it was mad.. After a cautious and frankly poor first run following my hardtails lines down the track I decided a new strategy was necessary so I went and made up a blind route for my second race run.. and it took 11 seconds off.

I finished off Sunday with a 7th in seniors just in time to go and see my  team mate Johnny animal his way to a 4th in Elites on his Kona Process 153DL. Our other team mate Michelle Muldoon also showed the ladies whoes boss in her season opener taking the win by 1 second on her Kona Process 153DL. Some great results for our season opener, smiles all round. Massive thanks to everyone over the weekend, thanks to Gravity BC for a great race and venue, Thanks to Johnny and Leah for the bike and gear and thanks to the MBW-Kona Ireland racing team ( https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mbw-Kona-Ireland-Racing/503614179726656 ) and grRANA Energy Europe for taking me on board for the season.

Provincial race calendar 2014

This is my provincial race calendar for 2014. Both the Munster Enduro and XC series are brilliantly well run events with some unbelievable tracks and people who only make the experience better. I am racing again this year in the u20 category for Enduro as well as the Super pro category for the XC series. I am looking forward to both series and hope to manage some of the same great wins I have had in the events in the past. #racehungry.

Ill also just mention big things have been going down in concerns to my race season and future seasons, watch this space for updates, its going to be a good year.

Wise Words of a mad man

True inspiration is something this man provides me with every time he talks, this is some of his finer work from today.... 

"if you want to look more muscley and hang out with your friends go to the gym, if you 

want to be a competitive cyclist , go your ride bike, BITCH"

Re-cap of 2013

My 2013 kicked off with the trials for the Irish XC youth development squad in mid January, I came to these trials having had pretty much a 4 month spell of not cycling so one could be pretty amazed that come the start of February I was selected as Munsters representative in the under 18 category. It was from here I began to put in the work. I started up a diet to bring me down to race weight from 11.5 stone to 10 stone and the mileage really kicked off.
In February I also joined a newly established local club called WCCC, these men gave me a free entry into the club as a member of the XC youth development squad and the clubs only junior rider. It was this group of lad that carried me through 2013 with their regular spins and my own trainer Donncha O'Brien being one of the main men behind pushing these spins. A great group of lads I owe a million thanks to for all the support throughout 2013.

Things get rolling:

As the season continued I kept becoming stronger and faster a rider but still off the pace to what I was riding in 2012, as we went on into march I was feeling pretty good so I decided to race my first ever Enduro race and this was the Atec Munster Enduro, I raced this on board my 100mm Ragley Hardtail which was sponsored to me by Robbies Bike Shop ( http://www.bicycleshop.ie ) and I rode for the day with my friend Jonathan Maunsell a very fast and stylish Enduro rider which eventually lead me to taking the win by 75 seconds over my fellow XC youth development team rider Luke Courtney and a 200 second gap back to third placed John McCarthy. 

 

I hit a wall: By the time May and June came I hit a wall in motivation. There are so many things I would like to blame it on, my leaving cert, stress, money problems, sponsor problems or end of a relationship. But honestly I was just scattered, I just needed some time away from everything and to get away from the leaving cert hassle. It was at this stage in the season I went back to my devotion of the last 6 years and I picked up an oar once again to Row in the Irish Coastal rowing Championships for my beloved club/family Kilmacabea. Its this choice that ended up causing the highlite of my year after a long 6 year wait I finally accomplished my dreams and took home both an All-Ireland and a County under 21 medal which I must say was no easy task as we rowed the 2300m multi turn courses. 

My motivation then kicked up for the XC National Champs held in late July which even though I had a diabolical race (blowing up on lap 1) due to just over training coming into the race, it was one of the best weekends iv had mountain biking. I went to the Champs with the Killarney CC crew and we stayed in an unbelievable BnB just outside Garvagh the race venue where we had a private swimming pool and all.. We rode the course on the saturday (maybe a few too many times) and I instantly fell inlove, it is by far the best XC course I have ever ridden, it has EVERYTHING! from flat fire road sprints to technical climbs, to technical descents to flat out single track. We then raced Sunday and Monday morning we headed off to Rostrevor Co.Down to sample the new trail centre. Well beaten from the day before we hauled around all looking forward to the final 5km descent which did not disappoint! All in all an amazing weekend with the lads. 

 national champs

Rostrevor

Once all the madness ended I began yet another journey, this time a bit bigger than Kerry to Derry, this time I was moving away from home. After 18 years living with my Mam and Dad I finally moved out to attend college in I.T.Tralee where I am now studying for a BA in Adventure Tourism Management (A pretty damn brilliant Course). Thankfully I already had some mountain biking friends in Tralee which I had gained over the years like my great friend Paul Lenihane and Oisin Shanahan both really self motivated racers. It was thanks to Paul I got to race the Irish DH National Champs in October of 2013 as the two of us spent several weeks in his garage assembling a rather rickidy Giant Glory for me to race on (he also drove me there). The champs was a great end to the season as I hadnt ridden a proper DH race in 2 years. I finished up in 4th in sport  just 0.300 of a second off 3rd and 2 seconds off first, I was also ranked 5th Licensed in the Senior Category.

 Race Run Nat Champs.

 Seeding Nat Champs

At the moment on my days off from the gym I am just riding my bike and going as quickly up and down hills as I physically can, I am training in the gym 3 to 4 days a week whilst in college and I get to ride my bike every weekend so I cant really complain, Im really looking forward to next year and I am getting hungrier for racing and podiums with every passing day.