Day 1 of 6: Monday April 2nd 2012
Route: Mizen Head - Killarney (via Moll’s gap) Approx 127k total
On a visit to Mizen Head about ten years ago I first had the idea of cycling the length of Ireland. The scenery in West Cork is rugged and inspirational. About six months ago I mentioned this dream to a friend who ended up pushing me to commit to a date and make it happen. As a coach, I’m normally the one encouraging people to take a leap of faith and make it happen so I am very grateful for the push!
The task itself looked achievable on paper. Approximately 120 kilometres per day. The distance seemed achievable because I am training for a long distance triathlon and it was the perfect way to commit to some long hours on the bike which takes too much discipline for me to do on my own I’m afraid.
My first obstacle was the state of my bike! I asked the guys at The Cycle Superstore in Tallaght to work their magic on my racer which they did. If you are ever thinking of doing this challenge then I’d suggest taking no shortcuts with your bike and clothes. I ended up buying a new set of wheels and keeping my old set in a backup car just in case I got a buckle.
We woke to the perfect morning on Day 1 and had a stunning breakfast at the White House B&B which I highly recommend. The service was outstanding - Joan the owner insisted on feeding Fauna (our guide dog in training puppy) with chicken for breakfast!
After a huge feed we met up with the rest of the gang and I soon realised I had forgotten a key bag containing essential elements for cycling like my cycling shoes and gas tyre pump! We worked around it thanks to some help from Cara and my brother Eoin who always seems to show up for me when things like this go wrong!
Before we ever began cycling we had a mini photo shoot, some mechanical issues, one fall off a bike and a robust ego debate about whether we should be touch the sea at land’s end in order to technically begin the Mizen to Malin experience justice! Therefore we were much later than expected getting on the road. I was overwhelmed with gratitude for my gorgeous wife Cara and for what an encouraging person she is as I set off.
The cycling on Day 1 was tough at first but then got easier as we neared Bantry. We had our second fall about 25 or 30k in and one of the girls badly bruised her thumb. She ended up being taken to hospital later to make sure it wasn’t broken. At 42k we stopped in Bantry and were just finishing lunch as the heavens opened. We waited for the rain to slow down and set off again. I was delighted that I was able to get a loan of a pair of fancy cycling shoes for the rest of the day. It turns out that I’ve been using a cheap and frankly useless pair of cycling shoes for 10 years. When I tried the high quality shoes I couldn’t believe how much more comfortable and effective they were.
The low point of the day for me was the very, very tip of Moll’s gap where I ‘got the knock’. For those who aren’t familiar with the expression it is a phenomenon very similar to ‘hitting the wall’ in a marathon. Things start to feel challenging physically, then the mental game begins. The first negative thought starts with something like; ‘this is feeling hard all of a sudden’ and soon the world can start to feel like a dark and hopeless place. The ability to manage ‘the knock’ and keep going is what will determine if I make it to Malin Head or not!
I suffered the rest of the way home but arriving in Killarney was an uplifiting experience. The scenery was something special. I jumped in the bath, ate some food and was too tired to join Cara and the gang for dinner!
We learned a few lessons on Day 1. Get out earlier in the mornings, don’t take so long on lunch breaks, never stop on gravel and never ever forget your cycling shoes or it will make for a very hard day when the quads start to pack in!
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