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 🤞
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.
Yesterday’s forecast turned out to be accurate and there was a distinctly chilly feeling leaving the house at 10am and -2°C!
Once on my way though it was clear that the roads were once again dry and frost free. I headed for Ballybofey, looped around and took the main road to Clady before turning off across the border and up one of my favourite climbs into The Glebe, a small village with a view out over Strabane and across to the Sperrin Mountains.
I was nervous about this climb as it’s pretty tough and my legs were definitely feeling the accumulation of the distance over the previous 6 rides. However, head down, arse up and a steady rhythm soon got me to the top without running out of steam.
Part of the reason I like this climb so much is the long sweeping descent that brings you back to the main road. Into the picturesque Victoria Bridge and I took the back road to Strabane following the river.
A quick tea stop in Strabane and I retraced yesterday’s route home via Clady. This time I didn’t need the additional distance and turned off for home at Liscooley.
Getting to the house I had 60.9km on the Garmin and couldn’t finish like that. A few loops of the house was enough to cool me down and tip me over the 61km.
And just like that, it’s done. This is a challenge I never thought I’d ever be able to complete and I’m delighted to finally have done it. As well as a fantastic sense of achievement it’s also given me a new found respect for all of Audax riders that complete 300, 400 and 600km events as well as the huge 1200km events like London Edinburgh London, Paris Brest Paris or our very own Míle Fáilte.
Rapha Festive 500
The festive season is meant to be the moment to take a breath before life resets. But it often ends up being the most hectic part of the year. That is why we challenge ourselves every December – from the 24th to the 31st. Not just physically, but to remind ourselves that the holidays grant you permission to waste some time exactly how you want. We choose to waste ours over eight days, and 500 kilometres. Time is precious. Waste it wisely.
The overnight frost didn’t happen due to the cloud cover which was a pleasant surprise when I eventually dragged my ass out of bed shortly after 8:30am. I was still tired and my legs felt heavy but at least I was in bed at a decent time and had a good night’s sleep. The first since Xmas Day!
Today’s route took me back to Raphoe once again but coming at it from the opposite direction this time. When putting together my plan I had it in as a road I haven’t ridden in a couple of years. As a Club we’ve been avoiding the climb out of Stranorlar to the Kilross junction as it’s the main road to Letterkenny, quite narrow with no hard shoulder and can be very busy with lots of impatient drivers. However, with the very hard frost on Saturday morning we ended up riding it as a safer gritted road for our Club Twixmas Spin. Still, it was nice to get a chance at it on my own again today and the traffic wasn’t too bad this morning with most people probably still off work.
It’s a fairly stiff climb out of Stranorlar with a second climb into Raphoe from Convoy. While the first climb is one I just wanted to get over, due to traffic concerns, the second climb is very enjoyable and it was only when my power output hit 180W that my tired quads starting moaning.
The drop out of Raphoe towards Ballindrait is one of the most enjoyable around here. It’s a rolling road that starts with a big descent with a couple of punchy climbs in the middle.
After a tea break in Lifford I crossed over into Strabane and returned home via the Urney Road and Castlefinn. I’d planned for 57km today but added 3km extra in Ballybofey and 1km at the very end to get me over the 450km mark.
Something weird was going on with my chest strap today. It has been giving some low readings the last few days so I figured the battery was getting low. Swapped it out this morning and while all was well at the start it went bananas after about 20km.
I’ve removed the battery in an effort to reset it and I’ll see what the story is on tomorrow’s ride.
I’m a little bit concerned about tomorrow’s forecast. It’s giving to freeze hard from early this evening and well into the morning tomorrow. I have a good cushion of extra kilometres built up so only need 48km tomorrow to finish the challenge. However, I’d like to do the planned 60km route tomorrow and I’d really like to start and finish from home as I’ve done that with all the rides so far. I just need our road to stay dry and ice free for one final day 🤞
With yet another night out last night and a bedtime well after 1am it was hard work dragging myself out of bed this morning. As it was, my estimated start time of 9:30am soon became 10am.
I had planned to do my second 100km long ride today but part of me was screaming to do a shorter 60km. In fact, a significant part of me was advocating to simply stop and forget about the challenge altogether and that took a certain amount of effort to quieten.
As with most things once I was up and about with a couple of boiled eggs, soda bread and tea in my belly, the headache began to fade and the scratchy throat was gone. Unfortunately, they weren’t a cure for the dog-tired legs!
Today’s route was basically a repeat of Xmas Eve and Day 1 using my East Donegal Audax route. However, with some extra distance in the bank from the first 4 days I decided to shorten it slightly.
The amendment was at Raphoe. Instead of doing The Broadpath climb into Stranorlar yet again, I decided to head across country via Carnowen and into Liscooley. Instead of going straight home I went as far as Killygordon village before crossing the river to give me an extra 5km and 96km in total for the day.
Today was the first day I experienced some saddle irritation. I had on my best shorts but the back to back days seem to be mounting up with some irritation today. I’m actually blaming it on Saturday’s choice of shorts. I’ve only worn them on 40km rides up to now and think 60km was just too much for them. I’ve taken all necessary precautions since I got home so hopefully it doesn’t cause me too many issues over the last two days.
Frosty conditions returning overnight tonight so I’ll wait and see what it’s like at 10am before deciding which route to do tomorrow.
Today saw a slight change in the weather with enough of a warming overnight to melt all the frost away. One of my planned routes goes over higher ground so today was the best day to get it done.
It’s not as easy a route as I probably should have been doing with 523m in 62.5km and two fairly significant climbing sections. However, it’s one I haven’t done for a while.
Our Club Xmas night out was last night in Ballybofey. A very enjoyable night but the third night in a row to be in bed between midnight and 1am. Doing this challenge at this time of year it’s difficult to get proper recovery between rides.
I was driving last night and obviously cycling this morning, so I stuck to alcohol free cider. However, four of these late at night meant I still had a broken night sleep getting up multiple times to pee!
I lay on a little after the alarm this morning and left half an hour later than planned at 10am to a chilly but not cold morning. I have a feeling though that this was all relative to the freezing conditions of the previous two days.
My route today took me West up and into Barnes Gap before turning left to head towards Castlederg via Killeter. This is a really enjoyable rolling route with small, punchy hills and descents that are just enough to challenge and then allow recovery. I really do enjoy this section of road and in the right conditions (like today) you can get down in the drops and get some decent speed up.
I could definitely feel the three back to back days and late nights in my legs this morning but it was a strange mixture of tiredness and strength. I can feel my legs getting stronger with the jump in mileage this week despite the lack of good recovery.
The forecast tomorrow is for much the same as today with Tuesday and Wednesday returning to some frosty conditions overnight into the morning. I’ve decided to bring my 100km ride forward to tomorrow to make the most of the conditions and also allow for later starts the following two days if needed. I also think it will be nice to have two shorter days to finish.
Boy that was a cold start! A hard frost overnight meant it was still -3°C at 9:30am ❄️🥶
With yesterday’s temperature not getting much above 1/2°C it left everything looking white and crisp this morning…
It looked foggy but it was just a thin blanket that I soon dropped below and it burned off quickly in the sun
I was a wee bit nervous setting off but despite white roads they were dry and the surface frost wasn’t slippery at all. Grainne cycled down the road to meet me part way and to get some extra km for the day. She made a big effort, coming decked out on a full Santa outfit and picked up the prize for most festive bike/rider 🤶
In total we had 15 members out which was really good considering the conditions. We went to Raphoe for refreshments sponsored by the club and returned the same route, making the safe decision to stick to gritted roads. We had also delayed the start from 9:30am to 10:30am to let the roads clear a bit.
Cycling up and down from home meant I got my 60km for the day without too much additional effort. Although I had to do a lap of the house to get me the last 100m, I couldn’t finish at 59.9km!
Tomorrow’s forecast shows overnight temperatures to stay just above freezing so I might change my plans slightly and do the Killeter loop that goes across the higher ground. It wouldn’t be safe after a hard frost but should be OK tomorrow. Also I’m getting kind of sick of Raphoe 🤣
Despite a hard overnight frost the roads were dry and I was out the door just after 930am as planned. Important today as Boxing Day is still very much part of Xmas here and another important family day. I really needed to be home by lunch.
Today’s route was a repeat of the start and finish of Wednesday’s just without the 40km bit in and out of Derry. A short link section from St. Johnston to Raphoe was the new section and one I haven’t ridden for ages.
It was good to ride this road again today but it was the quietest and therefore sketchiest of the day. I kept my eyes open and only one section had me concerned. A hill near the beginning is very sheltered and has a lot of tree cover which left the road very damp and prone to black ice. The descent was particularly concerning but taking care saw me down without a tumble.
Back at the main road and into Raphoe I was finally able to get up a bit of speed and cruised into Raphoe mostly at around 30km/h.
A quick stop for my traditional tea and kitkat allowed me to defrost my toes and then it was the drag up The Broadpath, just like yesterday, into Stranorlar and home via the main road.
The main roads were a lot more enjoyable today with the reduced traffic 👌
Tomorrow will be a lot more laid back as we have our Club Twixmas Spin. Back to Raphoe again but a social spin with refreshments in Raphoe. I’ll cycle up and down to get somewhere close to 60km again. I’ll be leaving the house shortly before 9am so hopefully the roads are as good tomorrow morning 🤞
That’s the first ride done and off to a great start.
It also counts as my Audax RRTY 100 for December so a two for one deal.
Weather was just about as perfect as could be hoped for. It was cool but not cold, dry and bright after the first 30km. There was a slight breeze (about 10km/hr) coming from the East that put an edge to the day. I could feel it setting off but soon warmed up enough to counteract the chill.
I was joined by two club mates for the first 20km. They went as far as Lifford before swinging off to Raphoe. They weren’t as lucky as me to have so much available time on Xmas Eve so had to settle for 55km.
I was feeling punchy at the start and this lasted for a good 30km. I think I was a little bit excited! Coming out of St Johnston and heading for Carrigans I had about 5km of exposed roads with a strengthened breeze as it came off the river and straight into my face. This sucked the excitement out of me pretty smart.
This section is then followed by the nicest of the route as I joined the Foyle Valley Greenway and cycled traffic free into Derry with the river on my right and the sun shining over my right shoulder. The going was still harder than I expected and I was pushing harder than expected to maintain 23km/hr.
A quick break and photo op at the Quays in Derry and I took a hard left to head up the Buncrana Road. Despite the traffic I was smiling, now the breeze was on my back….
I flew across the border through Bridgend and on to Newtowncunningham for lunch at Kernans at 65km. I didn’t hang around long as I was sitting outside and getting cold quite quickly. Scoffing a sandwich and tea and filling my bottle with Energise I was away less than 30min after pulling in.
The next section was the toughest and for no good reason. I still had a tailwind but my legs were moaning something serious. A series of rolling hills out of Newtowncunningham and across the Galdonagh Road became hard work, much harder than expected.
Passing through Raphoe and down into Convoy at 85km I decided I needed a pick-me-up before tackling the long 5km drag up The Broadpath. I wasn’t really hungry so forgo my usual kit kat snack for a smaller fudge bar.
I’m not sure if it was the tea, the fudge or just the short break but I was up The Broadpath drag with no further issues and soon dropping back down into Stranorlar with the smell of home in my nose. I passed the 100km mark on the last climb of the route at 4hrs 2min so I was pretty happy with that. Another 3km closed the loop to where I started this morning and then it was just the final 1.6km soul destroying climb back to the house. I definitely didn’t set any records on that climb today!
Ride #1 done, rest and enjoy Xmas Day tomorrow and then it’s a shorter 65km route on Boxing Day. Starting time is uncertain as it will depend on the road conditions in the morning and how quickly they clear up.
The Festive 500 is the world’s longest running Strava Challenge and is run in conjunction with premium cycling clothing brand Rapha.
The challenge is to ride 500km in 8 days between Xmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. This is the blurb from Rapha’s website:
The festive season is meant to be the moment to take a breath before life resets. But it often ends up being the most hectic part of the year. That is why we challenge ourselves every December – from the 24th to the 31st. Not just physically, but to remind ourselves that the holidays grant you permission to waste some time exactly how you want. We choose to waste ours over eight days, and 500 kilometres. Time is precious. Waste it wisely.
I particularly like that last bit.
I think I first heard of the challenge from Tempocyclist’s blog back in 2014. At the time I was working in retail and the thought of getting that much time off over Xmas and New Year seemed like a pipedream. Add to that the fact that I was only really just getting into cycling. The thought of anyone doing that kind of distance in a week was mindblowing.
Once I started cycling longer distances the Festive 500 has sat out there as the one challenge I thought I’d never be able to get the time to complete. Working retail just made it impossible and the thought of completing it indoors was totally unattractive! I even thought about doing a Summer version but it didn’t have the same appeal…
Last year I changed jobs and one piece of the puzzle was solved. With extended holidays over Xmas and New Year I now had the time. The issue now was that I had only returned to cycling in October. With less than 900km for the year and only a handful of rides over 50km I had nowhere near the fitness level required. To be honest it never even occurred to me!
This year it’s different. I still have the time off work (December 24th – January 2nd), I have almost 4,500km ridden for the year and multiple rides of 100km+ with most of that in the second half of the year.
The final piece of the puzzle is the weather. It’s hard enough at this time of year with reduced daylight so decent weather is key. For the last couple of weeks Carlow Weather has been teasing the possibility of a settled, cold, dry and bright period for Xmas and into the New Year.
It looks like he was right!
As guided by Tempocyclist I also have a plan, probably for the first time in my life! I’m going to start the challenge with a 100km cycle tomorrow. This will get me off to a great start and will also fulfill my Audax 100 ride for RRTY 100. For the sake of my marriage, I won’t be riding on Xmas Day. I aim to finish on New Year’s Eve with a second 100km so that leaves me 5 days in between for rides of 60km each. This is my plan:
Xmas Eve: East Donegal 100 Audax Permanent [RWGPS Link]
Apart from repeating the 100km route I’ve deliberately chosen different routes for each day. These are all long time favourites and some I haven’t ridden for a while. They’re challenging enough to be interesting but not hard enough to kill my legs each day.
Rapha have a nice “Brevet Card” for recording the challenge. Ties in nicely with the Audax theme.
I’m feeling excited about this challenge which I didn’t expect. Usually I get more nervous and anxious but this time I feel different. It should be a bit of fun and it feels like this could be my year 🤞
niall harran 