With two weeks off the bike there’s always a certain amount of anxiety getting back out again, a worry about how much fitness you’ve lost over the period of inactivity. With my week long back issue I was a bit more nervous getting on the bike this morning, in fact I was wondering if I’d even have the flexibility to throw my leg over the saddle!
I’m glad to report that I was worried about nothing and it all went well. I picked the perfect ride to go back, joining the Saturday morning Stabiliser Group. This is a slower paced ride aimed at beginners or anyone returning to cycling after a long break, suitable also for anyone returning from injury 😉
📸 by Brian McElhinney
I cycled up to meet the group to see how I felt. It’s 11km so long enough to identity any problems. It was a cold but dry morning with fog rising from the river and quite thick in around Ballybofey. You can see it behind us in the group photo above.
The route took us into Raphoe via Liscooley which has a few punchy climbs to further test my back when putting down extra power and climbing out of the saddle. All still good 👌
The other reason I enjoy this group so much is that it’s very sociable. The emphasis is on getting out and enjoying the ride. A tea/coffee stop is mandatory and we have a usual now in Dolans of Raphoe. It’s a shop and service station but has a separate, heated sitting area with toilets. Luxury!
I was definitely feeling better than middlin’
A final climb with the group up the Broadpath and then a final solo 10km home and the unavoidable climb to the house left me with a solid 56km and the confidence to push on next week and hopefully get my 100km ride in next weekend 🤞
My back has been steadily improving all week since my sneeze of doom on Sunday morning. I was concerned about returning to work on Monday morning but my work car is so comfortable and supportive that I think driving has actually helped. I’m convinced that the heated seats have also contributed especially having them on the high setting for long periods of the day.
As well as warming my ass in the car I’ve been walking each evening. Sunday and Monday I just about managed 3km and 4.75km, very slowly and with a walking pole for additional support. On Monday I could feel a significant improvement although my right leg was still dragging as my glute was operating at about 70% with mild spasms giving me regular reminders.
Tuesday evening I could feel further improvement and after the first 10min I realised I didn’t need the pole. It was still slow but manageable without any significant pain, still dragging my leg very slightly but hugely improved.
Last night and tonight I left the pole at home completely 💪
I’m full sure that this kind of managed, active recovery has helped. I’ve found in the past that stopping all activity to protect my back is counter productive and just prolongs recovery. Controlled and gentle exercise is much more effective.
Of course none of that would have been possible without the prescription grade anti-inflammatories I’ve also been popping!
I got these at the start of November when my dodgy knee flared up (yes, my body is falling apart!). I got a 4 week supply but only needed them for approximately 2 weeks. Like a proper Irishman I did the responsible thing and kept the balance “just in case”!
They’ve definitely assisted my recovery this week also. However, as I was feeling a lot better I decided to skip my dose last night to see how I got on. No major issues today so same thing this evening. I’ve 4 left so that will carry me into and over the weekend when I hope to get back on my bike for Saturday morning.
It’s 2 weeks today since I last turned a pedal on NYE. I’m definitely missing it and it took a fair bit of self denial not to join the Club night spin this evening. I’m also very conscious that I’m already halfway through the month and still have a 100km spin to complete and maintain my RRTY 100 progress.
Saturday’s forecast is just about as good as you can get for January and I’m really having to talk myself out of not doing attempting the 100km this weekend! The long range forecast for the 24th is also looking good but that could change. The sensible decision is to wait of course.
The one member of the household happy about the last week is of course Cooper. It’s hard getting the time to walk him properly with all the other stuff I be doing so he thinks this week is a late Xmas present!
I’ve been getting home from work most of this week between 5 and 5:30pm and the stretching evenings are getting more and more noticeable. Especially this evening with the mostly clear skies. The photo below was taken at 5:30pm. Official sunset was 4:35pm but it didn’t really get dark until 5:10pm and even later they’re was still some brightness in the Western skies.
The Bluestack Mountains just visible below the clouds
Now all we need is a stretch in the mornings. It’s getting progressively more difficult to get out of bed at 7am in the dark…
Since finishing the Festive 500 on NYE I’ve been very lazy. I have various excuses reasons: needing some recovery time, spending some family time, weather, returning to work. Unfortunately, also due to a niggling sore back that was pushed over the edge this morning.
I’ve had an off-and-on issue with my back for about 20 years. It’s the usual issue of an aging body, lack of fitness when I was younger and a weak core that I’ve done nothing really to help.
After the second-last Festive 500 ride I could feel a niggle in my lower back but called in Mr Ibuprofen to keep it at bay enough to get the last one done and the Challenge completed. The evening of the last ride though it was noticeably worse and it has been causing me issues ever since.
I haven’t had much issue with my back over the last year or more and I’m putting this occurrence down to an over enthusiastic trip to the gym at the beginning of November. I definitely overdid things on one of the machines and I could feel it for a week after. I figure this hadn’t healed properly and the lack of recovery over the 7 rides brought it back to the fore.
All was going OK until I had an “unexpected” big sneeze this morning and lots of unsupported muscles in my lower back simply went sod this! I’ve been limping around the house ever since trying to find ways of relieving the ache while not straining it any further. I’m hoping it’s sorted by the morning as getting in and out of the car is one of the trickier operations when I’m like this.
The weather over Xmas was one of the helpful factors in getting the Festive 500 completed. From Xmas Eve it turned very cold here with temperatures hovering either side of freezing. Unusually for here though, it stayed dry. This meant that despite some very frosty starts the roads weren’t slippery and cycling could continue. This changed pretty much as soon as I got off the bike on the final ride. It became windier that evening and NYD ended up being quite wet and windy, so much that we cancelled our plans for a beach walk.
Over the weekend rain turned to snow with quite a bit on Saturday and Sunday night. Monday morning I was working from home and was an early morning snow taxi for Owen and Catriona who don’t like driving in those conditions. Returning home after dropping Catriona off it started snowing heavily again and although I could only get halfway up our drive I was happy just to get up our road and as far as the house.
It snowed heavily again after that for another couple of hours but thankfully I was able to get out safely in the afternoon and evening to collect both of them from work again. I credit my success to bringing coats and boots, prepared to walk at least part of the way home, thereby allowing the universe the option of proving me wrong but thankfully in my favour…..
The snow came again on Monday night but this time we all worked from home before a partial thaw on Tuesday evening and Wednesday.
Thursday and Friday saw the temperatures plummet again with the joy that is partially melted snow and ice mixed with rural roads. All manageable but once again I was called upon to provide taxi service.
A pal on Facebook posted some fabulous photos from a snow covered Sperrin Mountains on Friday evening and I concocted a plan to pay a visit to Sawel and Dart on Saturday and get some Winter walking before it all disappears again.
The last time I was on those two mountains was 2007 with my pal Jim. I’m sure the mountains haven’t changed much but we certainly have!
My plans were completely foiled early on Saturday morning when we woke to incredibly difficult road conditions with extensive black ice following overnight showers and then a freeze. I was able to get out locally but decided a trip to the mountains was foolhardy. Aldi was as adventurous as it got!
Good to look at from the inside of a warm house, otherwise rather inconvenient and a bit overrated, except for skiing, in my opinion!
Similar conditions to here in a nearby village
Since yesterday afternoon our weather has reverted to type with much milder, wet and windy conditions and a yellow wind warning for this evening. Pretty gloomy to look out at but at least we can get around safely…
My ambitions for 2026 aren’t off to the best of starts and it’s now only 10 weeks until my first goal….
Some dog photos to finish. Apparently Spaniels have only two states of being: On or Off…
I lied, one last photo. I made a digital graphic as a memento for the Festive 500. My sister printed it on photographic paper on her fancy printer and I framed it. I’m very pleased with how it turned out.
Happy New Year Everyone. I hope everyone had a happy Xmas and wish you all a healthy and prosperous 2026.
At the end of 2024 I didn’t set any goals for the year ahead but ended up hitting a good many milestones regardless, almost 5000km cycling for the year, starting the Audax RRTY 100 challenge, completing the Festive 500 and ticking off a good few summits on my various Mountain lists. We had a great family holiday in Spain at the end of August and Catriona and myself had a really enjoyable long-weekend visit to the Xmas markets in Budapest at the start of December.
For 2026 I’m not setting any massive goals either but there are things I’d like to do this year. I definitely want to keep up the progress I’ve made cycling this year. I want to finish the RRTY 100 but I’m also determined to get back to full Audax long-distance cycling. In 2016 I completed the Audax Ireland Four Provinces Challenge and I’d like to do that again 10 years later for 2026.
I’ve identified four events I’d like to do for the Challenge. The first of these is on Saturday March 21st so that gives me 11 weeks to train for it.
All four events have been chosen to hit the four Provinces but also to find events with as little climbing as possible. The first goal is to get fit enough for March and then I’ll see how the rest go.
I want to keep ticking off my mountain lists but this year I’d like to get a better mix of solo hiking as well as walking with the Club. In 2024 I only managed two solo hikes in Ireland plus one on holiday in Spain.
I did no camping in 2025 at all, partly due to the lack of solo hiking and an increase in cycling. However, a big part of that is nervousness about solo camping. I have all the gear so no excuses. I’m not setting any big goals here either but I want to get one camp done by Easter and then set a new goal after that.
I think the main thing is to have a number of plans to keep me focused for the year and to give me something to work towards. It’s also important not to set overwhelming and unrealistic goals that only end up demotivating. Anyway, here’s to a great 2026.
niall harran 