Hi all, we hope ye have all had a good week, a mixed week of weather but with the fantastic weather this weekend we hope ye have all been able to get out on the bikes.

Tuesday

On Tuesday we had our normal evening spin, the group headed from Moynan’s out the Limerick road and they turned off for ballina via the four sisters across the bridge to Killaloe and from there the group cycled on to O’Briensbridge and on to Castleconnell and back home on the old N7, well done and fair play to everybody who was out on the evening.

 

WEDNESDAY

NTW BFL (Bike for life 2017)

Bike for life for me has been one of the most rewarding and educational courses that our club has ever undertaken. We set out with a few goals in mind in the beginning, they were to get people out cycling, teach them all the skills they needed to know to be confident riding on the road and in a group, educate participants on the workings of their bike, safety on the roads, introduce them to the club and most importantly to make friends and have fun while out cycling which we all most certainly did.  For the duration of the course we had amazing weather and we were able to go out and enjoy the course with no sign of any rain on the evenings, thank god. 

The first week of our course the core group of tutors and helpers introduced ourselves to everyone and we asked them their goals and what they wanted to achieve from this course and we were told that the most cycling some of our participants had done were very short spins about the town and for some others absolutely no cycling at all. The vast majority of the group said that their main goal was to be able to go for a spin in confidence as they were not confident to cycle on the road on their own or out with other people. When it was mentioned by Owen on the first evening that by the end of the course everyone would be cycling 50k easily, a burst of laughter was heard and remarks came across the room saying “absolutely no way”, “we won’t be able” but we were out to change their views 🙂 week two they cycled a 4.5km loop around town where they got their first official taste of cycling out on the road, week three a 13km spin was achieved, week four a 20km spin was achieved and at this rate they realised quickly that they were all progressing on to longer distances each week and were completely amazed and delighted with themselves, which they should be. So jumping to week 8 we had everyone cycling 45km with even a spin to the Applegreen for a coffee after taking on the ramp.

Every week we were encouraging them along and keeping the moral high. Last week during National Bike Week we held our final BFL altogether spin where club members and our participants were able to mingle and cycle together out as far as the Lakeside hotel in Ballina where we had delicious scones and an ample supply of tea and coffee on arrival which went down a treat indeed. They cycled 50km that evening, something that was laughed at on week one but they all did it.  On behalf of the club we would like to say a massive well done and thanks to all our BFL participants,  Majella, Paddy, Frank, Mark, the two Maria’s, Mary, Breda, Grainne, Paul, Linda, Anne, and Joanne, ye were an absolutely fantastic bunch of people to be with and we look forward to cycling again with you during the rest of the year.  No course could be run without the help of a core group of members who were out every week of the course to help, teach and to cycle with the group and they are Aggie, Noel, Selina, Owen, Olivia and Gerry so thanks everyone.  Thanks also go out to other club members who helped out when they could during the duration of the BFL nights it was very much appreciated indeed. Thanks to our marshals, drivers, photographers who all who helped on the all together final event.  Below are a few of the lovely emails that I received from a few of the participants during the week to give their views on the course and it makes it so worth while when you know they have enjoyed it so much so thanks a million to ye all. 

 

 

“When I started with BFL in April, my bike (first one ever!) which I had purchased 16 months earlier, was finally taken out of the shed.  I was always too afraid to go out on it, nervous of the traffic and honestly, not sure of my cycling skills. My hope for the course was simple…to be able to cycle confidently so I could go for a leisurely cycle on a Sunday afternoon. Mileage was never a consideration!

The NTW had other plans! On week 4 I think it was, they took us for a 20km cycle and I could not believe that I had completed it. Red faced and breathless, I went home happy. On the last week of the course, we cycled 42km – taking in the horrible hill up to the M7 flyover at Birdhill! But I did it!  And I didn’t need a defibrillator! Just! In between course days, I had gained the confidence to go out on practice cycles and covered distances from 10km to 28km on my own. This was a HUGE achievement for me personally…a 50-something unfit woman, who 8 weeks earlier could barely ride the bike! 

Apart from the actual cycling, the course covered how to clean the bike, basic bike maintenance, fixing a puncture & tyre pressure, what to wear for comfort, what to take with us on long journeys incl. what to eat for energy. We also covered cycling rules of the road, cycling etiquette and riding in groups. It certainly surpassed any expectation I had when I joined.

The North Tipp Wheelers, who delivered the BFL course in Nenagh did a tremendous job. They’re a fabulous group of people, very patient with the ‘newbies’ and gave us fantastic encouragement at every turn. The core group from the NTW who were there most every week, Gerry, Aggie, Noel, Owen, Liam and of course Selina…the resident photographer…were really committed to making cyclists out of us. It was a big commitment on their part and I am very grateful to have had the opportunity of learning and cycling with them.

And the best bit…I can now call myself a cyclist! 

 

Thanks Selina for your report and for your photographs of the whole course.

 

THURSDAY 

On Thursday we had road race number 7 in our race calendar, we had a reasonably good turn out on the evening considering the poor weather conditions to tackle the testing route of, Cloughjordan Road – Ballygibbon Hill Loop – Cloughjordan – Borrisokane – Ardcroney. It was a miserable evening for racing and fair play to everybody who braved the weather to take part, congrats to Pat Bergin on taking a fine win on the night with Owen Hynes taking second place and Michael Crowe taking third place, well done to everybody who raced on the evening. Thanks to Jan for doing the start and finish and to John Spillane, Conor, Selina and Noel for marshalling, to Vic for great pictures on the night and thanks to Selina for a short video of the finish line.

Saturday

On saturday we had three club members, Roger Spain, Peter Moynan and Daniel Ronan head off to Clare to take part in the Tour de Burren well done to each of ye and what a fantastic day ye had for it.

 

Sunday

On Sunday we had club member Pat Bergin head to Blarney to take part in the Munster Road Race Championships, The weather was kind to them and what a beautiful day they had for the races. Pat was competing in the M50 category over a distance of 110kms in which Pat finished in third place taking the Bronze Medal well done and congrats to you.

 

 

Club bags

Folks, Jan still has a few of the ordered bags left to be collected so please arrange with her on 087 1374354 to collect as soon as you can. Also in case any of you missed out on them there were a few extras ordered but half of them have gone already so if you want one give Jan a shout quickly before they’re gone.

Club weekend away to Donegal

Deposits are now due for the Donegal trip in August. The hotel is looking for payment now so can any of you who have not paid yet, please contact Jan to arrange to give her your deposit money, Cheers.

Bike Fit

Reminder: The club is having a bike fitting day with Aidan Hammond of Bike Fitting Ireland in Moynans Bike shop, Nenagh, this Saturday 24th of June for those members who have booked in for this service.

This week’s Club Training spins are as follows:

Tuesday: Club training spin leaving from Moynans at 6.30pm.

Wednesday: Green group spin leaving from outside Eire Og Nenagh GAA grounds at 6:30pm.

Thursday:Club road race 8. Sign on is at Moynans at 6.15pm and depart to the start at 6.30pm. Race starts at 7pm sharp. Route: Birdhill – Five Alley Roundabout – Back to main turn for the Silvermines – Dolla – Bolingbroke – Usual finish at the carpark before the top. Entry is €5.

Saturday: intermediate cycle 40/50km in distance,  leaving Woodies at 7.30am.  Anyone who wants to is very welcome to join in on this spin. You can contact William on 086 2447888 for more details.

Saturday: Spin leaving at 9.45am from Moynans to meet former racer for his 80th birthday.

A reminder to let you all know that a former racer, Brendan Lynch, who raced for Nenagh McDonagh Club and Tipperary back in the 50s is planning on redoing his cycle route to school from Toomevara to Nenagh this coming Saturday June 24th in honour of his 80th birthday. He plans on leaving from the bridge in Toome at 10:30am and is looking for some support. If there are any of you available to either turn up and give him a little support on the morning or incorporate this into a longer training spin. We will cycle out to Toomevara to meet with Brendan and cycle back to Nenagh with him.

Sunday:  Leaving at 9am from carpark at Moynans.

Depending on numbers present, we’re going to split into three groups with defined speeds.

The 3 groups are;

1. Firstly a “Green” group that will be for beginners/leisure and that group will be in the region of 20-24kph.
2. The next group will be the “Orange” group which is an intermediate group and will be controlled at 25-27kph average.
3. Finally we’ll have a “Red” group which will do in the region of 28-32kph average.

We’ll split into the different groups in the carpark, with Red leaving first, then Orange and finally Green. The orange and red groups will cover the same route but there is also a green group spin that should only take about 2 hours cycling and includes a coffee stop.

For anyone reading this and sitting on the fence about whether to come out and give it a go, come on out and try it. You’ll be well looked after, just come in and be ready to leave on your bike at 9am from Moynans.

This week’s Green route is: Moynans – Portroe – Ballina – Birdhill – Up ramp to Applegreen for Coffee – Back to Nenagh

And for the Orange & Red it’s: Moynans – Portroe – Ogonnelloe – Tuamgraney – Bodyke – Broadford – O’Briens Bridge – Dalys cross – Birdhill – Nenagh

We hope you have a great week everyone and hopefully we’ll see you out and about on the bikes during the week and weekend..