2012 is upon us!!

And so it is, 2011 nears its end, a successful year in all but hopefully the spoils of 2012 will far exceed it. If I was to recap on my year, I would remember it as one of both hardship and success, progress was stunted by many injuries and ailments, but at the same time when i managed to gather form I acheived some nice results.

As of the last month training has been going to plan. The inflammed sciatic nerve in my right leg seems to have slowly come good, thanks to some top class therapy from Dave Corcoran of www.nsrt.ie and Simon Walsh of the Massage Clinic above molloys pharmacies in bunree. This injury had caused havoc in November and early December but with it clearing up I can happily say that progress is been made.

Like usuall when Im home for the festive season over indulgement became my enemy, the illitany of food and drink forced a few pounds onto me, but im confident that this will not hinder my progress once my training rides really strike the long mileage. As of recent I have been training with my brother Ciaran quite a lot, we have been tackling the "Eagle Loop" this comprises of crossing the windy gap, hacking out by lough easkey and smashing it back into the relentless coastal winds via easkey and enniscrone. Last week we were met but gale force winds and insane hail, It was striking us so hard that my skin was in pain as it lashed against it.

The mountain bike is also going good, even though i am still working off my keo cleats and am waiting on the arrival of my Mavic Razor MTB shoes which are expected this week. There arrival will be great as it will give me the opportunity to take to rougher trails were if forced into walking wont destroy my road shoes!!

But that is it for 2011 people it has been a good year, but even greater lay ahead

Winter!!

This time last year I was packing my bags and getting ready for what was to be a 3 months of sun and heat in Spain, but this year though things will be very different. For the winter of 2011/2012 I have decided to stay in Ireland and do my training here, this can either be a very positive move or a negative one. Here in Ireland I have a very good support network with my physio Simon Walsh from the "Massage Clinic" above Molloys Pharmacy in Bunree, Ballina, my coach Scott Mc Donald from Winning Solutions, training partners and the many other individuals that help me succeed in my cycling. But on the negative side as we all no the weather in the west of Ireland is not nice during the winter months, last week alone it hammered rain for 5days straight, which isn't the best if your hoping to put in 4hrs on the bike. But there is one way to conquer all bad weather and poor road conditions, that is to get a quality Mountain Bike and as of last Monday that is exactly what I did, I purchased a Merida MTB which is equipped with disk brakes and a mid range shimano groupset. So if ice or snow land then at least I wont have to accept defeat and retreat to the turbo I will be able to take to the trails and keep things moving forward!!

I began training last month which was November, but I was met with a bit of hardship in the form of injury, my hamstring developed a slight pull when I was doing some light jogging. Unfortunately the muscle did not want to heal at any rapid pace but after much DIY Therapies and physio work it seems to be coming round. Hopefully it will be the last of injury for this season giving me a clear run at what lies ahead.

Recently I had a very good meeting with the Science In Sport (SIS) Nutritional company in relation to some of their newly developed sports supplements. It was organised by my local nutritional sponsor James Geraghty from Molloys Lifestyle Pharmacies who intends on stocking a full range of SIS products in store over the coming Weeks/Months. The products range from Top end Energy drinks to Night time protein supplements specifically designed for weight conscious athletes. But over the next while I will try and post a blog that will give a bit of info on how to maintain a healthy eating regime over the winter and how sport supplements can aid an athlete in this quest.

But until then Keep the training going!!

Back to basics!!

The Blog has been very silent as of recent.. mainly due to me being on my annual break from the bike, but now Im back and ready to go. I recently had 4 weeks off the bike were I have been eating, drinking and doing zero training, this is vital at the end of the season to allow the body to come back to a fully replenished state. I started off last week with a few 2.5hr rides to get back a small bit of conditioning into my legs, It was not easy with the horrific wind and rain the has been bestowed upon the west of Ireland the past few weeks.

What has been the toughest part of returning to training has been the steady adaption to a healthy eating regime again, as anyone that knows me knows my love for the junk food but now its back to business that is all behind me. I have been in to visit my nutritional sponsor James Geraghty from Molloys Lifestyle Pharmacies who has informed me that he has some great new supplements for me to test out over the winter months, Im looking forward to this and will be giving consistent updates on both my blog and twitter.

Till next time!!

The final furlong!!

Hi Everyone,

It has been an age since my last post, but I’m still going strong, racing day in day out in search of glory. The last few months have been ones of mixed fortune; I managed to attain some very good form for 2 races in Ireland. These were the Suir Valley 3Day and the Portaferry 3Day of which I finished 3rd and 2nd overall, I was very pleased with these results as it showed good progression from the results I attained in them last year.

After those races I swiftly made my return to Belgium where I set about my campaign to attain a some solid results, at first my legs proved to be up for the challenge as I performed well in a number of races, but as the weeks have ticked by my legs have simply become drained from the hard work.

With a mere 5 weeks of racing left in my road season I am currently on a small rest period in order to give my legs a chance to catch up after which I will be full throttle until the last race of the season. After conversing with my coach we both came to the conclusion that this is the best idea as there is no point digging deeper into a hole, when I can rest up get fresh legs and give the final few races a good shot!!

I have also recently been working on building up a set of wheels to take the place of my heavily worn Fulcrums, which I can happily say are fit for nothing but training from now on. My new wheels on the other hand are Ambrosio Nemesis rims built onto shimano hubs, with Challenge Criterium tubs. Having never properly built a set of wheels from scratch they were to prove a challenge but after some time and effort they are 100% complete and after a number of test rides I can happily say they are ready for battle!!
Keep an eye on my blog and my twitter and were I will be providing continuous updates on my cycling career.

Paddy Clarke!!

Post Ras & Return to Belgium.

Hi everyone,

Since my last blog post which took place before the An Post Ras, I have been exceptionally busy putting plenty of high intensity racing miles into my legs in preparation for the nationals which are on this coming weekend.

The Ras itself went quite successful this year as I managed to attain the stage 3 county rider prize as well as Placing nicely on a number of other stages. The 8 day stage race was exceptionally demanding on my body as I was tested and tried over each of the 160km+ stages and to complete the race and not be totally rundown at the end was also an aim, which would then allow me to go direct to Belgium and use the high level of racing there to improve on my fitness some more. It was very important during the event to make sure my nutrition was tip top, and the high quality selection of sport supplements provided to me by my Nutritional Sponsor Molloys Lifestyle Pharmacies & Health Food Stores gave my body the essential nutrients and energy sources needed to ensure my upkeep. My daily intake of Molloys Energy+ Multi Vit Capsules were vital in preventing illness along with Udo's Ultimate choice seed oil.

After the Ras I waited in Ireland for a week in order to give my body time to recover correctly. During this period I raced in swords and managed a nice 3rd place on a tough circuit outside the north Dublin town.

After my stay at home I was Belgium bound were I have currently raced 6 Kermesse races and 1 Interclub. All the races have gone very good and I was so close to achieving a top 10 but on the final bend I had a wheel slip which relegated me to 16th place.

As I stated above I am home this weekend to take part in the Irish national road race champs and hopefully attain a great result, Last year I came 14th and am eager to improve on that result. Keep you eyes on my Twitter and my Facebook and I will be providing day to day updates on my training, Nutrional advice and Race results!!

Until next time Keep it real!!

Roll On The Ras!!

Blogging has been slim over the last few weeks, it has been mainly due to the fact that I simply do not have the time on my hands to sit down and put a quality article together. But now that its 7am on a Saturday morning I reckon an hour or 2 can be found.
Over the past number of weeks I have taken part in a large number of races both in Belgium and at home in Ireland. I was in Belgium for close to 5 weeks on my first stay, the house I was in “The Hof” was pretty classy and I enjoyed every minute of it. The racing was hard at first but it’s exactly what I needed in order to shake off the cobwebs that had developed throughout my early season bout of Injury. Before coming back to Ireland I had gone via the UK to race the Rutland Cicli Classic but due a blast of flats it was not to go my way, this kind of left me unsure of what my form actually was like but all answers were made very clear over the 4 hard stages of Ras Mumhan. Ras Mumhan took a very challenging route and even though my legs were showing signs of coming round I still struggled to attain a significant result.
The following weekend brought The Tour of Ulster, which again was a 3 day stage race containing a number of very high standard riders. Day 1 I missed the break but fortunately managed to work my way across with a chase group, lady luck was not to be on my side and a dirty mechanical problem caused me to stop and seek assistance. A massive effort was then demanded to get back and just as I once made contact we began the Cat 1 Climb of the day..... For me that was Game Over!!
Stage 2 I decided to take a more conservative approach and ride in the peloton as I was fully aware that the many Koh’s on route would not suit my riding style. In the many cross winds and winding undulating roads I fought hard to keep up front taking no prisoners, between me, and my team mates Eagle, Comanche, Twominator & Matey we all did our best to avoid crashes and splits in the bunch. But at mile 60 an opportunity arose and I took full advantage, I leapt across a 400m gap to a small group that had developed up the road. Once making contact the hammer was down and in a matter of miles we had over a minute on a sluggish peloton. We pushed on further extending our lead to 2mins but the Cat1 climb that loomed ahead took the wind out of my sails. The top riders in the break set a hard pace one which my legs simply could not follow and I was forced to retreat back to the main group.
On the final stage of the day, it seemed it could play in my favour. Having slightly saved my legs the day before and with today’s course being a replica of the many kermeses’ style races that I had raced in Belgium, I felt I may have had the upper hand. Racing began fast with a number of breaks attempting to form, I rode very aggressive to ensure that I missed no moves but with such a strong team in yellow it looked doubtful that anyone could slip away. Lap after lap I held strong in the front section of the peloton, hiding from the wind and avoiding any splits in the bunch, the hard cross winds and short but steep accents began to take their toll on the other riders and with 1 lap left only 30 riders remained. Thing s seemed to be playing in my favour as at this stage my legs felt very good and I was confident that I could put away a solid closing sprint, but disaster struck and with 2km to go a number of riders crashed of which a few collected some nasty injuries, I wish them a speedy recovery but the disaster put an end to my chances as by the time I managed to work my way round the melee of bodies scattered across the road I had lost contact with the lead 12 to 15 riders that had been up front.
With only 2 weeks remaining now until the An Post Ras I am confident that If I can keep my weight under control and complete some steady training that I will have a good ride. Over the past few weeks I have also been helping my nutritional sponsor James Geraghty of Molloys lifestyle Pharmacies with his Bike work as he is aiming for a sub 5.5hr time in his bike spilt on the IronMan Tri event. But keep an eye both on my twitter and facebook for constant updates and news of new blog posts!!

All Go!!

As of yesterday I have now ridden 4 races here in Belgium. The first went down a treat, but the 2nd and 3rd were quite messy due to crashes and mishaps. The 4th race was also an unfortunate ride as with 2 laps of the 10km loop to go I flatted on rough section of road, thrown in the back of a transit van and bailed out at the start finish saw the finish to my race.

I generally ride to my race's here in Belgium, which means that if things do not go to plan in the race itself I can always make up for it on the way home with a tough ride back.

Over the next few weeks I intend on racing a number of Kermesse races here in Belgium before returning to Ireland for Ras Mumhan, TOU & The An Post Ras. I feel that my level of fitness is steadily returning to the state it was at prior to my injury and with no sign of any issues arising from my knee I can only hope that it will progress even further. Today im heading out for a short but intense ride after the monster 200km in the saddle yesterday.

In terms of my diet and nutrition, now that I am fully back into the swing of racing and training I can focus on steadily bringing the excess weight I piled on while off the bike under control. I am achieving this by controlling my intake of food and doing my best not to over consume after 7pm in the evening. Foods such as Porridge and Poached eggs for breakfast, Muesli and breakfast bars on the bike, followed by main meals generally composed of pasta, potato or rice for carbohydrates, chicken, tuna or steak for protein, and a mixture of greens to help my daily intake of Vit and Mins. In terms of supplements I am religiously sticking with my Udo's Choice Oil for my essential fatty acids & the for my Multi vitamin I am still using Molloys Lifestyle Pharmacies Energy + Multi Vit, Min & Herb Capsules. My Nutritional Sponsor James Geraghty from Molloys Lifestyle Pharmacies has recently provided me with some more products to try such as CoQ10 which is a vital antioxidant for our bodies And Bio Reu-Rella which is derived from Algae and contains high levels of Vit B12 and Vit A I have had a few people ask me to give a bit more detail on my diet in the past so over the coming week I intend on putting together a small blog post which will provide some basic info on what i eat from day to day, on the bike energy foods and daily meal plans

so keep an eye on this blog and in the next few coming days I will have so more Intel on my Racing and training experiences. Over last weekend I luckily was allowed to steward at the Tour Of Flanders which enabled me to stand on the riders side of the barriers to ensure that no lunatic's made it onto the course, it was a real experience and it gave me a perfect position to snap pics and record videos as the riders crested the top of the Koppenburg!!

The Cobra!!

Back on track!!!

Yes people it has been a long time since I last blogged, mainly due to the troublesome knee injury that I picked up whilst in Spain, which then hassled me until a week ago, close to 5 weeks in total. I won’t dwell on negativity but it has been a trying time, having put so much hard work and dedication into my prep for the 2011 season and to then see all my progress slowly slip from my fingers tested me in more ways than one.... but I’m back and this time no injuries and no one will stand between me and certain success.

I was struck hard mid February by knee troubles, a disorder referred to as a patella tracking issue, my lateral thigh muscles had become too strong for the vastus medialus and in turn was pulling the patella from its proper groove causing mass inflammation. The diagnosis was quite slow taking nearly 2 weeks, but once confirmed under close advice from my coach Scott McDonald from Winning Solutions and Simon Walsh from the massage clinic based above Molloys Lifestyle Pharmacies in Bunree, Ballina, we developed a steadily progressive rehab programme to bring me back to form with a mixture of exercises and physical therapy which it seems has done the job.

But 4 weeks on from my initial aches and pains I’m here in Belgium having completed a string of challenging training rides around Flanders with no issues as of yet. This year I’m living in the Hof Ter Kammen, a cycling specific accommodation located a mere 1km from the base of the legendary koppenberg climb, it’s a big change from my home last year which was Lierde. It’s good to have more people around me and then to be only 2 km from the Asfra shop makes speaking with our team manager much easier than the 20km haul that I was faced with each time last year.

On the nutritional front, I am embarking on a healthy eating plan in attempt to shed the excess kilos that I unfortunately gained during my time off the bike. Having spent time discussing my diet with my nutritional sponsor James Geraghty of Molloys Lifestyle Pharmacies, the routine I will follow is a mixture of well timed meals along with the correct sporting supplements which together will have me in perfect shape come the drop of the flag.

Over the coming weeks I will be competing in many races here in Belgium in a hope to bring myself to top form for two large stage races in Ireland that I have many large ambitions for . The next while will not be easy but I have much dedication and discipline, as long as my bike holds up beneath me the road ahead looks bright and fast!!!

So Until next time keep it real people!!!

Vamos

A nice 3 week block of intensity completed and in the bag, it was pretty hard going but motivation is at an all time high with the season approaching fast. over the last few days I have been watching the tour of qatar in which the An Post cycling team are racing, the courses are pan flat with the wind being the only challenge but it still makes for interesting racing.

In my last blog I spoke about how I'm working hard to get my diet on track and steadily reduce the weight as march and the start of my racing season approaches, a lot of people have shown interest in this and have asked me to give more detail on diet plans and menus, so as well as this blog post I intend on posting a small blog with some sample plans and menus.

With 1 month of training left in the costa blanca which will compose of a tough block of riding before my return to Ireland things are looking good. I'm currently on a recovery period to give my body time to adapt to the load that it has been forced to endure over the past few weeks. A few mechanical disasters set me back slightly but nothing major, my rear mech exploded but I moved quickly getting a new one and installing it the very next day.

I am working extra hard on my health to ensure that I do not fall victim to any illness or injuries. Taking my Molloys Energy + Vit, Min & Herb capsules daily along with a combination of Arnica, Glucosamine & Udo's choice ultimate oil blend to ensure the upkeep of my connective tissue and EFA's.

Since I'm out here with limited access to a physical therapist or massage I have been making extra use of my "Injury Be Gone" massage roller which is doing the trick when it comes to working the knots and lactic build up out of my muscles.

I recently read on bike radar about the benefits that one can gain from taking a dreaded Ice Bath, the article claimed of the advantages of dipping your twigs into water ranging between 5-10 degrees for no more than 30mins. What is funny is that while I'm writing this article I'm waist deep in the outdoor pool of our villa which is perfect temp for cooling the muscles.

With not much else to report I'm going to leave it there for this weeks blog but keep a check as I will be posting on nutrition in the coming days so in the mean time keep the training going.

Venga!! Venga!! Venga!!

So far so good as they put it!! hopefully i wont jinx myself haha.

This month has been going good, training has been working a charm and I feel my fitness is steadily coming. The challenging roads and tough hills in the Murcia region have provided me with the perfect training. Recently I have been venturing further and further into the unknown riding as much as 200km in each ride. Some of the scenery is second to none but on a blustery day when you must put your head down and battle what seems like eternal head winds you are left with very little opportunity to look around.

The accommodation that I am staying at is going good, early bed 9am every night which means I must go soon.

I have taken a serious liking to Paella dishes which I have been cooking up for myself with many extra ingredients, Im taking my molloys "Energy +" Multivitamin, Mineral & Herb Capsules daily and as of yet I have had no Illness or signs of burn out, Im still religiously keeping with my tablespoon of UDO's Choice Oil daily in porridge which I really feel is a large part of what is keeping my body going so strong during the hard blocks of training. The largest difference that I have noticed from last year to this year is how much more training my body can sustain before my HR becomes slow to react, This is obviously a perfect combination between My training which my Coach Scott Mc Donald From Winning Solutions has been prescribing me along with the great sports Nutritional Products from Molloys Lifestyle Pharmacies and the Good recovery routine that I have managed to get myself into out here.

Life is pretty relaxing when I'm not on the bike, most mornings I rise early at 7am where i get a quick cup of coffee and my supplements in, from here I go for a short walk to the beach were I do some stretching. Ive taken heavily to Muesli, and Eggs which provides me with a good combination of Carbs and Proteins. Before hitting the bike I always get in a small meal which then helps me power through the initial part of my training session without being hindered by hunger.

On the bike I have been experimenting with a combination of home cooked goodies and sports supplements to get the most out of my body during each session. The viper bars and gels still remain in there on very hard and short days were energy is need rapidly and in concentrated levels, I am tearing through the Zyms and Deorilites as I tend to sweat heavily in the high temperatures which makes hydration important. I have been bringing a lot of home cooked foods on the bike such as Baked Potato's which may sound daft but since they are Number 1 on the glycemic index even above chocolate and energy bars they provide energy to the working muscles in a matter of minutes, I have also been making nice rice cakes composed of rice, egg and a small bit of bacon for the salt, I simply cook them in the oven and they are a savoury calorific snack that keeps me going on long endurance rides. I will give a bit of info on my recovery foods and techniques in my next blog post but if anyone has any questions or queries don't be afraid to contact me on Paddy4053@gmail.com.

The weather is quite warm at the moment but some days we get very cold bouts of heavy rain and strong winds which makes getting out on the bike impossible, like today when it was 5degrees and roads flooded!! but then wont stop me training I will simply have to lend a boat and row the 180km that I'm down for!!

keep cycling people the days are counting down till lift off!!

5 weeks in the Sun!!

So far I have been 5 weeks in the Spanish sunshine putting some quality miles under my belt. Living in Torreveija with Justin Callaway and Daniel Vejmelka... The apartment is pretty nice and comfy making it perfect for when we come in off the bike looking for some nice relaxation. Over the last few weeks my laptop has been playing up on me as it contracted a nasty virus which prevented it accessing the net. This would not have been a problem if My samsung Galaxy S mobile phone was working but since cracking the screen on it I have been left isolated from the Internet world. I am currently nearing the end of a 3 week training block which will give me a nice recovery week until beginning February's training.
With the season approaching fast I feel its time to really start working on getting the body fat to an acceptable level, up until now I have been trying to keep my consumption of food working along the lines of little and often. Controlled portions as many as 8 a day depending on my training intensity has been providing me enough energy to complete all my workouts whilst attaining a small deficit to promote fat loss without jeopardising muscle!!
In the coming weeks both myself and my sponsor Molloy's Lifestyle Pharmacies & Healthfood stores will be aiming to set up an online system where any athletes or everyday Individuals who wish to make any enquiries in regards to Fitness training or diet can do so via a confidential Q&A system on there website so keep your eyes peeled on http://www.molloyspharmacy.com/

But until the next time keep pedaling hard!!