The Latest Training Update

We might not have done all these things together but our team has been extremely active. Our latest endeavors include...

Mark Thompson signing up and training for the Kuala Lumpur marathon
Sarah Beale training for an Ironman distance triathlon having already completed a half Ironman
Drew Bradley and Ben Oldham continue their training on the bikes clocking several hundred miles in the past weeks
Oonagh Thompson and Dominic Berry continue their mountain training in the Mourne Mountains
Laura Bradley and John Watson continue their higher impact training with rugby and mixed martial arts respectively. We know who to turn to if things get a bit handy on the mountains!

We're all doing this because we want to achieve our goals. Completing the 3 Peaks Cycle Challenge. Please see this video for more information about our challenge. Thank You

Charity Video

Slieve Binnian March 18th

After several weeks away from the mountains we finally made it back and we're back to training. Plenty more cycling and more trekking to come! But on Sunday 18th March we were faced with blue skies, warm sunshine and so what can you do? Well you've got to go from a long trek in the mountains, obviously! The Blue Lough is just one of the great views we had on this trek.

 As we started the trek we had some company. The locals were slightly curious about the three people geared up in gators and water proofs on such a lovely day but the sleet and sudden downpour on the way back to the car vindicated out decision to waterproof up!

Unfortunately our equipment wasn't quite ours. In a slightly rushed moment I picked up a pair of boots and asked Oonagh if they were hers. She said yes so off we went. Sadly they weren't Oonagh's, they were her sister Eileen's which were identical... but a size and a half bigger.

Despite the 'malfunction' Oonagh gallantly continued on the trek and we're glad she did. The Mourne Mountains are home to some wonderful scenery which has largely to this point been enjoyed while covered in rain, snow and cloud. It make a nice change seeing the mountains in the sun. To show how much we appreciated the sun we took lots of photos. Now we realise that it seems slightly odd taking black and white photos on a gloriously sunny day, but we think they look lovely nonetheless. 

 

 Near the top of Slieve Binnian there is a large open space. Above you can see Ruud majestically striding across it. This is what we should have crossed last time we did Binnian but were forced to turn around due to 100 mile an hour winds. Even the less diminutive of our group would have struggled to stay grounded in those conditions.

Our return to the mountains was even celebrated by the local search and rescue team who organised a fly by in our honour. Please note it is an assumption on my behalf that the fly by was for us, it could have been a training exercise, but here's hoping. 

Lunch at the top of Binnian led to some debate. More on that in the next post. Still we were there to enjoy the last of the sun before the clouds closed in and we were chased off the mountain by rain and hail. The waterproofing paid dividends, apart from the lighter trekking trousers I decided to wear. By lighter I mean not waterproof and with two soggy legs I squelched back to the car... lesson learnt!

What we're doing and why!

This is what we are doing and why. 

Thank you for looking.

Some of the best cycle jerseys around...

As if wearing lycra in winter isn't eye catching enough we found some of the some of the best looking, funniest or just plain cool jerseys around. Happy cycling!
(The titles above the images are links to the website that each shirt is available from)

Down to the bone

Something for the more gothic bike riders amongst us, or those who just like a good laugh. This shirt is bound to have people taking a second look as you cycle past. Not sure if the matching leggings are available yet but we will keep an eye out!

Crash test dummies

Team member Sarah Beale owns one of these little beauties. The subtle, delicate colouring is one of the key features of this particular item, allowing the rider to blend into their surroundings. Nice.

 Subtle hints

The writing on this shirt sort of says it all. It voices a sentiment shared by all road cyclists and anyone who rides a bike. In fact I think everyone shares the sentiment. 

Suit you sir

A personal favourite of Drew Bradley. Worried about not looking professional after your commute to work? Worry no more! This smart shirt, tie and jacket number is just the trick for the cyclist commuter who doesn't have space for a change of clothes. Arrive to work ready to get business done in this cheeky Franklin number. 

PLEASE NOTE: wearing this shirt will not explain your red face and profuse sweating. It may also leave your colleagues asking why you're wearing a lycra suit... ignore them, you look great!

Beans means... cycling?

Well, this one is just plain funny.

SPAM!

Admit it, you like Spam! You can try and kid yourself but you know you like it. A poll of 67.5 vegetarians and vegans showed that spam was the single most difficult meat to give up. It registered a whoping 9.8 /10 on the Meats That Are Difficult To Stop Eating (MTADTSE) scale, leaving it's nearest rival , goat, lagging in second with a rating of only 6 / 10 on the MTADTSE scale. You can't argue with stats people. 

Dark Side of the Moon

There are hundreds if not thousands of epic band / album bike shirts, we just picked one of our favourites. AC/DC, Rush, Bob Marley, Pink Floyd (obviously), Rolling Stones, Grateful Dead and Led Zepplin are just a few of the bands you may see. 

There are hundreds of great shirts out there, if you think we've missed some of the best let us know! 

Happy cycling!