“Have you also been at that race in Richill?” Emma was asking me as she tried to move my arm in the right position to get a scan done. “Yes, I was…”

I was not the only one ending up in the Craigavon hospital today. Unfortunatelly the race was just over before it really started for me. Too cut a long story short – i crashed. The first time in my short racing career i touched down. And it went fast, really fast. The race was in it’s last loop and i felt good. I was in the middle of the bunch and on the go to move up towards the front. The long downhill stretch just 2k into the last loop was the finish for me and roughly 20 other riders today. A guy hit a water bottle and fell. The rest is history made at a bit more than 50 kmh.

I could not get around the scene and bumped straight into a guy that was already on the ground. Lucky enough i was close to the side of the road and ended up on the grass. I was a bit dizzy and when i looked around and checked everything my bike was in two pieces. My beloved and trusty bike is gone. Sad enough! The body itself is alright and not too bad. The ambulance was at the scene in seconds and after helping the guys with the really bad injuries they cleaned my cuts at the right elbow and the right knee.

For a final check i went to Craigavon hospital. When i arrived there some familiar faces from the race were just sitting in there already. I got scanned and 4 stitches on the elbow. All good so far.

It was the weather Paris-Roubaix is waiting for since a couple of years – Rain!

We were riding towards the start as a sunny sky turned around into a black and grey something. It was raining nicely on a quality field that was lined up for the championship race in Donaghadee. Just beside the sea we had to race 9 loops to get 70 miles in.

I went out with the A3 group which had a little headstart towards the A1 and A2 group. My group worked nicely through the rainy streets. This time the surface was good which was really necessary in that heavy rain.

Drafting is not that funny in rain but i did not really care. I was hurting straight from the start. My legs just warmed up in the second loop and felt good then. This one was the toughest race in my short road cycling “career” but i enjoyed the challenge. The middle of the field should by my spot in this race and i tried to maintain it. It was not easy. After every corner i struggled and had to focuse on a certain wheel. “Do not drop, do not drop…” was the sentence i said myself after every tempo increase. And there were quite some sprints, especially when there were some points to grab. For me it was a survial game.

When the A1 and A2 group caught us it got really busy. I could stay and ended up driving in the wind several times. Too much as i had to find out after approximately 80k. After the long windy stretch beside the sea, which i was leading for a bit, i could not hold the group at a uphill strech and got dropped. When i saw how many guys were sitting in that main group i was shocked. Why did i lead that bunch? My mistake. I got dropped and could not get back to the group. The Commissaire was driving by and i was gone for the day. The truth of road cycling caught me. This time by surprise.

Some recreational cycle road racing this morning at Maryland‘s Tommy Givan Road Race in Hillsborough.

It is really addictive to go out racing. I really do enjoy it and was looking forward to todays race. Just 15 minutes outside of Belfast was the venue. My first non club race saw some serious competition. The finest gear was lined up and again a fairly good crowd.

For the second time this week i felt good. The course was good. Some nice uphill stretches and the usual improvable back roads were fun.

And for the second time i made the mistake to NOT hold back and wait for the sprint to go off. I got away from the field at the last climb just 1k from the finish line. But after some secounds it was that depressing voice of the field flying by. Bad luck but worth a try as i still felt strong – but not strong enough…

Tomorrow im travelling to Donaghadee to race the North Down GP. This time i try to stay in the pack as long as possible.

Another tuesday – another cycling race.

The sun was out and about for tonights race beside Crumlin. Just a couple of minutes drive from my workplace we had to race 3,5 loops on backroads.

It was dry and cold and a good crowd lined up again. The wind made it very chilly but interesting to race.

I felt really good today and did a lot of work. Unfortunaltelly not many guys wanted to face the wind. When the speed increased in the last round it was really good fun. I tried to attack just a couple of kilometers from the finish line. Nobody came with me so i eased of and got caught again. All little attacks were covered by the field and when it came to a sprint finish i had nothing to respond.

That was the first race i was really satisfied with. I could not do any damage in the sprint finish but worked constantly throughout the race. Good fun again.

I was grinding down the road. The wheels are not rolling properly as the surface is rough and the little stones on the streets hit my frame here and there. I can not clearly see the road but far away i spot the finish line. A bit blurry and nothing left in the tank i still try to get more speed. Then it is one quick “swoosh” sound right beside me. The guy that started 1 minute behind me overtakes me. A perfect aero position a nice final punch and he got me. Bad luck. I could not escape the truth of time trialing…

Todays 10 Mile Time Trial was a pretty rough one. Rough for me and rough for the rest of the crew as well. Tough course mixed with heavy winds and the usual bad roads.

It is a UK thing – Road Time Trials during the week. The north of Ireland is well known for those events. So this weeks club race was a time trial. Usually the TT races are on a thursday night but the club decided to get one in today. I attended clearly knowing that this will be hard.

When i arrived at the meeting point the lads were setting up their gear. It looked pretty profesional. The finest TT gear from now and then. Guys on old Nolan or Raleigh Machines and boys with the latest Cervelo or Ridley swag. I did not care about the equipment. My aero bars and aero wheels are in Dublin and since my last Triathlon i did not use them at all. The only TT relevant gimmick on me were cover socks. It did not bother me. Normal road set up and here we go.

I was keen to race and keen to suffer. And i suffered. At the end i came in with a 26.25. Lots of space for improvement to be made. First i need to get my legs up to speed for such a thing, then i can think about the gear.

At the moment i can not RUN a marathon but i am well able to CYCLE the 42k 😉

Today was Bank Holiday Monday and Marathon in Belfast. It was a beautiful sunny morning. Not really windy but sunny and chilly. Perfect running conditions for the 3.300 people running the rough course throughout Belfast.

I decided to stay with the leaders, obviously on the bike. Belfast based kenyan John Mutai (pictured on the left) was on the hunt for another win at Ormeau Park but the 24 years old Ethiopian Urga Negewo (pictured on the right) ran a smooth and clever race. He was never leading and just drafted along as Mutai was running in the wind. He outsprinted him with 50 meters to go. Mutai was leading since the 12k mark.

It was no problem to stay with the leader until the finish. Interesting to see that they suffer badly as well. But also interesting to see how easy and smooth it looks when running 3:13 pace throughout a marathon.

See all the pictures i took by clicking HERE!

It didnt take Dr Alan Byrne long to find out what is wrong with my legs. The cause for the pressure in my legs is the Compartment syndrome. Compartment, what…?

Compartment syndrome is a medical term which refers to the compression of nerves, blood vessels and muscle inside a closed space (compartment) within the body. This leads to tissue death due to lack of oxygenation as the blood vessels are compressed by the raised pressure within the compartment. Compartment syndrome most commonly involves the forearm and lower leg. It can be divided into acute, subacute or chronic compartment syndrome. MORE…

First of all i am glad to know what causes the problem and second i would like to get rid of it now. Ill get scanned, hopefully, next week and then Alan decides on a operation or a therapie.

As the doctor of the FAI he is well experienced with the Compartment syndrome. He treated plenty of players, just a month ago Shamrock Rovers‘ Gary Twigg. After the operation one have to rest between 4 to 6 weeks. It sounds good and makes me confident.

In the meantime it is still cycling and swimming.