Bushy Park - Phoenix Park - Coast // Awsome cross spin

Today I've decided to visit 3 different places on the cross bike. They are all in the city and since I got the perfect weather as well I just went for it. 

I started in the Bushy Park nice and early before the usual "rush hour" starts with all the runners and dogs out there. After 2 laps around the park on the muddy trails and wet fields I turned the front wheel towards my next destination. 

Some serious puddles out there on this lovely morning

The Phoenix Park was much better with the long trails and the super wet places! I went around the Glen Pond lake to set some nice lap time around the loop there. Managed to get what I went for, so did a little bit more in the park and after that I started to head out to the coast. 

The coast trails I know are very short but I think they are nice to ride and since it was a brilliant morning the view was simply amazing. 

Nice, isn't it?!

I went out all the way to the light house. The best bit was the surface: felt a bit like Paris - Roubaix with all the cobble stones! :)

Rusty old crane, cool

 

This was the third and the last place that was planned for today. I was out there for 2 hours and 38 minutes and covered the distance of 55 km. I had great time on the bike and felt good too. Loved the off-road bits and really enjoyed the pace on the tarmac too. Cool!

Life saver Jelly Babies after the spin! Yummy stuff! :)

Frosty spin in the park // Winter CX is great!

I thought I might go a bit arty this time, so I've decided to upload some nice B&W photos from today's frosty cyclo-cross spin. 

Cyclocross spin in the Phoenix Park

Finally I could get out on the bike after being sick for about a week and a half, so I wasted no time this morning: dug out all the winter gear (since there was only 4 degrees this morning) and I was on my way to the Phoenix Park to have some quality cyclocross time on the bike. I haven't been in the park for ages since it isn't exactly the most exciting place to go on the bike but I have to say: it is an absolute heaven for the cross bike indeed! 

The Magazine Fort - my first destination this morning

The place around the Magazine Fort is simply great: grass, turns and some steep, kicker climbs as well. I spent about 30 minutes there to get a couple of laps done around the building.

Good training terrain it is

Here is a panorama photo of the place (the lights are messed up a little...)

The park was simply great this morning: still very cold and wet but the sky was super bright and there wasn't a single cloud anywhere. Everything was super slippery so I definitelly had fun on the bike trying to keep it upright in the corners! :)

The trails around the Glen Pond lake are brilliant

My second destination was the Glen Pond lake near the Knockmaroon Gate. There is a  kilometer long loop around the lake that I reallay like so I did not miss the chance to ride around a few times. Also great thing to have that super long set of log stairs next to the river that I could use for some run-up practice at the end. 

Doing my run-up session...man, it is a long way to run like this! :)

After I finished what was planned for today I decided to head home. I have been out only for 1 hour and 35 minutes and got covered the distance of 31,5 km. Short spin but optimal for a cyclocross training session. I had great time on the bike this morning, I really missed to be out and it was nice to get the legs turning. I felt ok for a spin like this but I'm still not well enough for tomorrow's Fixx Supercross Cup Round 2... 

I hate to accept the fact but I need to skip this round. But I think I'm doing the right thing in order to get rid of this illness and be 100% in good health for the next one. Can't wait!

Keeping up the good work on the road bike

Lately I try to spend as much time as possible on the road bike and I have to say it is so much fun so far. Road cycling is great! Now, I don't think I will get converted for good but I havin' good time on the road bike indeed. 

Yesterday I felt like I want to get to the Phoenix Park and just get couple of laps done there. I cycled out and started to get the laps done on the long loop around (still inside) of the park. This time I picked the anti-clockwise direction and it seemed like it was a lucky pick 'cause of the one-way traffic around the park caused by the current diversion that I did not know about. 

The well known route

I wanted to keep some nice and steady pace and I think I could manage it well. I have done 5 laps (9.3 km each) and I felt great on the bike. I kept comfy and steady 27-28 km/hour avarage speed during the 5 laps. The overall distance of the spin was 65 km and it took me 2 hours and 26 minutes to get the training done. It wasn't too long spin though but I think it was still good going just before I got to work.

check out this spin on Strava.

I had a great time on the bike and even if the park was brilliant last morning but I am sure I wont be back there for a while. I need some place with a little more action! Let's head towards the mountains again this weekend! :)

Short & easy road spin in the park

I am in the middle of my off-season break but I still need to keep the legs turning from time to time. I am doing little on the bike in the last couple of weeks. Mostly I join the guys from the club on the Saturday mornings on their mountain bike spins. But today I felt different: wanted to ride the road bike on my own. I haven't been on the road bike since the  National Hillclimb Champs, and I have to say I missed to have a good road spin. 

Today the weather was pretty savage with very strong wind and some rain also. Now, I was lucky enough to get out and get the cycle done before the rain but I am telling you I did get some serious wind out there today. I had couple of things to do at home so I didn't want to go too far and since I haven't been there for a while I decided to go to the usual and ultimate easy road spin destination: the Phoenix Park. 

The park was the same as usual, nothing special I can mention about it except the spectacular view at some places. The autumn is here and the forest looks brilliant at this time of the year. I love it!

Get out there, do 2 laps and come back home! :)

I cycled only 2 laps around the park but it was more than perfectly enough what was planned for the day. It was a very short spin with only 38 km of distance in 1 hour and 30 minutes with almost no elevation gain. I really enjoyed to be on the road bike again and I know it'll be fun to have all the long winter spins on the road soon. :)

Last training before the NPS Rd. 5 in Lady Dixon Park & first test ride with the new fork

The next round of the NPS league is coming up this Sunday. As a part of the preparation for this race I went out to the Phoenix Park to do some sweet sprinting sessions accross the fields. The Lady Dixon Park in Belfast is quiet similar so I just wanted to have my head set up for racing in a park. I have raced there before and I love the course. If the weather is gonna be dry it will be a beast place to race. Even if it has virtually zero difficulty but with all the swich back turns and insane speed it's gonna be excellent race. :)

On Sunday we need to expect lots of this...

...and some of this in deed.

Today's training was all about short but very fast burst type sprints, get the sharp corners right and accelerate from them as fast as possible. Also to set very high pace and speed becuase I have to deal with all this on the race this weekend. 

So, I am ready for Sunday! :) I feel really good on the bike and I'm looking forward to race after the couple of weeks brake. 

First impression after the first test ride with the new fork:

I have fitted the new suspension fork yesterday, so I was pretty excited to take the bike out for the first test spin. Well, obviously the terrain in the Phoenix Park wasn't too challenging in deed but was perfectly good enough for testride.

The most important thing I could mention is the stiffness. Even a small rider like me can spot the huge difference between this fork and my old one, thanks to the Double Arch Design from  Magura, that gives incredible stability when I turn the bike in high speed.

The other thing is the quality of the remote lock-out system. The whole thing is very neat design with the integrated cable casing end on the back side of the crown. 

Also the hidden cable fitting is an excellent idea and of course it looks sweet! :)

So, I'm very happy with the new fork and I am sure it will be brilliant to have for all the upcoming races. Can't wait to try it out on some brutal rocky trails up in the Wicklow! :)

Easy recovery spin in the rain

After two days of racing in Killaloe I needed the well deserved resting on Monday and Tuesday. But this morning I needed to get on the bike and cycle a bit just to get the legs moving again. Intresting enough but after the weekend I was pretty tired but I could not point out any particular "issue" except my lower back pain.  I've been very tired in general. Since I was back I did cycle in and out to work but that was it, nothing more on the bike...

This morning I just wanted to have a short and easy recovery spin done so I went to the Phoenix Park. The weather was not the best: it was very wet and I got rain couple of times on my way. I felt good on the bike, my lower back and my legs were fine after the two resting days. However I still feel a bit tired... But I think it is ok and I am sure after the short 26km easy spin around the park my body will get back to normal and I will be stronger in the next couple of days. :)

First crash of the season...

I went to the Phoenix Park this mornig to get some easy and flat recovery spin just before the weekend stage race. The weather was mild but wet and damp all morning. As soon I got to the park and started my regular full loop training, the worst thing happened... the first proper crash of the season!

The result of the crash...proper size bruise on my left leg.

I admit it: it was my own fault alltogether. I was way too fast in the bend and the front wheel went and I came off the bike just in a fraction of a second. The bigger issue was that I was doing about 30km/h speed so it took a little while before I stopped. Then I left a long scrape mark on the road also.

"This is just great..." This is exactly what I don't want to have just 2 days before the race. Well, lucky enough I didn't hurt myself badly: bruises on left leg and both elbows but nothing serious.After a quick handlebar adjustment and check I was back on the bike and finished 2 more full laps in the park as it was planned before. 

It is not nice to have a crash but it is even worst when it happens on tarmac road. I think in some cases it could cause more serious damage than off-road crashes. This time I was lucky and I am sure this crash shouldn't hold me back to have a savage race in Killaloe. 

Tomorrow I will get the gear ready and than I am all ready for the weekend! :)

Easy spin in the Phoenix Park

I have been a bit ill in the last couple of days, it seems like I did catch some sort of flu or cold. I didn't feel too well and didn't ride the bike on the weekend. I just wanted to stay away from getting sick seriously just right before the season.

Today I felt better and decided to have a very short recovery type spin in the famous Phoenix Park. I think the park is a little bit under estimated by many of the mountain bikers. It is in the city, we have to deal with traffic, and let's be honest here: it isn't exactly challenging terrain. It's might be a little bit boring for mountain biking.

But in some cases this park is an ideal choice. Because it's very close to the city it is very fast to get to and back. I also really like the fields, the single tracks and the little lakes also, I like to have a nice bike ride ther from time to time.

I allways been interested to see the details of the park spin. It has lots of little up and down sections on the trails but I've had no idea about the exact numbers. The trail that goes around the park is 99% off road and it is 11km long. One full lap has 233m of total ascent, which is not too bad compare to how flat the park is. So you can actually get in a nice training spin if you cover the full lap four or fives times.

As I said it before the park isn't the most exciting location for XC spins but I think it's good idea to visit it once in a while.