Belgium Update!!

Since my last post on racing in Belgium, I had taken part in 2 kermesse races (small races 100-120km usually 20 laps of a circuit) and 1 Interclub race 16 laps of a 10km loop. In the Kermesse's my results were slowly improving with me managing to get 21st in 1 event, I was still sticking to my game plan of ignoring the initial breaks and as the miles ticked by and the oppositions legs weakened I would then make my move in an attempt to get a result.

Next on the cards was the Interclub, these races are the largest and toughest events that our team takes part in, with the exemption of a few Professional races that we attain wild cars to. The Interclub took place in Geluwe a small town 70km from were I live in Lierde, that morning my soigneur collected from the house and brought me to meet up with the rest of the team in Oudennarde and from there we travelled in our bus to the start of the event. Upon arriving the team had already set up camp and had our bikes prept, numbers on and ready to roll, we sat in our sun loungers under the camper van's canopy, pinned on our race numbers, filled our pockets with race food, put on our kit, got our pre race rub and chatted tactics among ourselves in preparation for the race ahead.

After my warm up I got to start line and lodged myself in near the front, at the drop of the flag the race was off, riders immediately rushed up by me and forced me to drop back, my bike handling is not yet up to the level of the Belgians making it hard for me to fight for position. each of the coming laps would be highly challenging as they were composed of a fast technical section through the town from were we rode out into the exposed countryside (Belgium unlike Ireland has dyke's not ditch's diving fields and at road sides providing little if no protection from swirling crosswinds) where cross winds hammered the peleton till it was stretched out into 1 long single file line, it was from here we made our way to what would be the deciding section of the race as each lap we were faced with a 1km cobbled climb.

As with all Belgian races the break escaped almost immediately, one of our team Dan Patten worked hard to make his way into it but unfortunately came a cropper on a sharp bend ending his race as he plummeted into the tarmac deeply wounding his arm. I held strong in the bunch saving energy at every opportunity, when we hit the cobbled climb I chose an easy gear got a high cadence going and dug in deep to keep up. with each passing lap, more and more people were getting drooped and left behind as the frantic pace in an attempt to close down the break was taking its toll, with 6 laps to go the bunch split and a large group of 20 riders rode off the front, unfortunately i was unable to make the split and was left behind. 1 of my team mates Chris Jory made it across and in doing so battled hard to achieve an excellent 3rd place.

For the remaining 6 laps I decided to try and escape the clutches of the bunch, upon hitting the climb i pressed on taking 10 riders with me we worked hard for the remaining laps and as we hit the 1km to go sign the sprint was on, with 35 riders already having finished ahead the pace was far from relaxed as we sprinted up the finishing straight were I took 39th overall.

After the Race I was Packed up and shipped off to the Train were I had to embark on my trip home to Ireland for my National Champs. Of which I will write about in my next blog.

Thanks for reading!!

Molloys Nutritional Products.

Before departing to Belgium I had been spending a lot of time working with James Geraghty from Molloy's Pharmacies. We had been looking at a number of areas in my athletic make up such as Nutrition and Lifestyle. It was during this phase that James kindly enquired would I be interested in being sponsored by Molloy's Pharmacy. Such opportunities as this rarely show face, so I accepted knowing only good things could come from the arrangement. James has supplied me with a number of up and coming nutritional products from the stock which is available in Molloys Pharmacy. Since I will be racing and training full time in Belgium my body will be stressed to its maximum and consistently fatigued. This should provide a perfect testing ground for the products to see do they provide my body with necessary nutritional benefits that are needed to rest, recover, and progress in my athletic field. At the current time the product that I am using are listed below. I will give a quick review of how I feel these products have affected me to date, and if you keep an eye on my posts from here on out you will see how I am using them before, during and after sporting events.




Products:





1. Body Glide Anti-Chafe: Very similar to Vaseline except it possesses anti-bacterial properties, rubbed on under areas it provides a friction free non chafe layer which prevents saddle sores and promotes cycling comfort



















2. Kinetica 100% Recovery, Post-Training Recovery Supplement: Most beneficial product I have used vital part of my weight management programme, quick and easy after race and hard training gives body the vital nutrients it needs to recover fast without the bother of preparing large meals and the fear of overeating.










3. Kinetica Whey Protein: This product is a high quality protein which I generally use to keep my protein levels topped up when recovering from tough events like hard training or races, A scoop of this product into either water or milk (I actually find it tastes quite nice in water and also keeps calorie intake down) and it will provide your body with a sufficient blend of essential amino acids, proteins and fluid from the milk or water. It is here that I usually add a tablespoon of Udo's Oil in order to make it easier to take and also the addition of the oil has been proven to keep the body focused on the metabolism of fat after exercise.

4. Udo's Essential Oil: I was introduced to this product by Molloys Pharmacy recently and since using it I feel my immune system has picked up ridding me of all those annoying colds and coughs that I always was faced with. it also provides my body with the essential fatty acid's, and omega's that I would usually deprive it of when focusing on maintaining a strict diet.











5. Molloys Sports Gel, Joint & Muscle Care: Great for just after sports events helps relax stressed muscles and promotes recovery of all connective tissue. Having had problems in my calf regions in the past I feel this product is a vital part of keeping my joints, muscles and tendons in working order.















6. Molloys Joint & Muscle Rub: Really relieves aches and pains especially in lower back, neck and around feet and knees, Rubbed in generously on these areas and if you can handle the faint Deep-Heat smell you will find that the results are what you seek.














7. ZYM Electrolyte Drink Tablets, Caffeine & Non Caffeine: Great for both training and racing, provides body with the electrolytes and salts it needs to keep hydrated, and if you chose the caffeine product you can that extra kick of the 100mg of caff in each tablet.
















8. Molloys Energy+ Multivitamin, Mineral & Herbs Capsules: With it being a powdered capsule instead of a tablet means nutrient uptake will be higher. After taking 1 every morning I have felt more energised and with a reduction of that run down feeling, mouth ulcer, colds, coughs and tiredness I can honestly say that they are having a positive effect on me.







Over the coming weeks I will be constantly speaking of how I am using these items in my sporting lifestyle so hopefully now you will know what I am on about.

Heading back to Ireland this Tuesday for the national championships on the 27th so hoping for a nice result, it is taking place in Sligo town so if your around on that date make your way there.

Settling into the routine!!

It is now Thursday the 17th of June, I have been in Belgium for over a week and can honestly say I am enjoying the experience. Myself and my house mate Daniel have really gotten to know each other, he has shown me many training routes, local bike shops and many other things that will make my duration here pass with ease. To date i have ridden 3 races, Grangliese, Bavaghem and Zwyndrecht, non of which have been easy. My first race in Grangliese was a Baptism of fire, the course was mainly flat with just 1 drag of about half a km, it also had 1 quite sever cross wind section lasting about 2km. I travelled to the race with other Asfra racing team members, all of whom were providing me with the advice that would hopefully aid me in doing well. I got my warm up completed, stretched and lined up for what was going to my first race in Belgium in 2010, the whistle was blown and away we went, from word go we were lined out at 40+kph cross winds beating of the cosmics (The cosmics are the brand of wheel i own) making the bike hard to control. Feeling confident I moved up on the outside and made my way to the front, once there I began going with groups that were attempting to get away, was i being to eager?? the answer came pretty fast. At about lap 10 of 14 My legs were screaming and my lungs burning, I was totally juiced, no way could i continue, I dug in but came to a total halt on the Drag with 3 laps to go, it was my first race and i had been totally defeated. 3 of my team mates put in impressive rides, achieving 30th, 15th, and 2nd.

The following day i was set to race in Bavaghem, 30km from my house in Lierde. I woke that morning with a new wave of confidence, i was going to be more reserved in my racing today, hold back at the start and allow people to waste energy, and then the Cobra would strike and that i did. The trip to the race went fast, i managed to get signed on and pinned my number to my jersey, the route today went over two small inclines and had a number of sharp bends of which I would be expected to sprint out of if i was to hold in there. Once again the whistle was blown and out the road we went brakes screeching, people swerving, bikes clashing off each other, the echo of People roaring cuss words as they all jostle for position as we head into sharp turns and down narrow avenues. Racing in Belgium is far from normal, races generally consist of about 10 or more laps of a highly technical course exposing riders to Cobble stoned sections, Hills, Cross winds, surfaces coated in gravel and oil, and sharp bends, it is only through keeping alert and racing intelligently can you survive and if you manage to do that and posses mass fitness it is then that you can contemplate winning. I rode central in the bunch making sure I did not get caught out in any unfortunate scenarios such as crashes or splits in the bunch, by the half way point 2 groups had broken of the front and both had in excess of a minute on the peleton, I saw 4 riders attempting to escape the clutches of the main field and decided to take a chance and try and join them, i rose from the saddle hammered hard on the pedals and swiftly accelerated towards them making sure not to drag people with me, the moment I made contact I drove past them ushering them to follow me of which they did, we took turns pushing hard into the wind and steadily opening up a gap on the bunch. Our steady work continued lap after lap as we fought to keep the pace up, with 2 laps to go we were joined by a large group from behind consisting of nearly 15 riders, with there aid we closed in on the 2 escape groups that were still ahead, with riders from the U23 Kazakhstan national squad pushing hard in our group the first of these escape groups was soon hauled in. With half a lap to go people became dubious of working and attacks from riders present in the bunch began coming swift and fast, i struggled to hang in bit took the bit between my teeth and clung to the wheel in front of me. we went into the final bend riders were slamming into me and i was having to fight for every inch i could gain that would allow me to get a better place, we cam out of the bend and into the home straight, i kicked hard and managed to get 15th out of my bunch and 32nd overall.

On Wednesday the 16th of June I raced in Zwyndrecht, it was far from were I am staying so i decided to take the train to the location, with such transport being very cheap in Belgium and with the station being 100m up the road from were I am staying it made perfect sense. I rose at 8am that morning, devoured some muesli and bread, followed by sum natural yogurt, I then took my daily dose of supplements beginning with my Molloy's Pharmacy Energy+ Vit, Min and Herb tablet, I then downed a table spoon of Udo's Seed Oil, all of these are to provide me with the essential nutrients that my body needs in order to function and recover during such an intensive lifestyle. After breakfast I collected my gear bag which i had packed the night before and my bike of which had been washed serviced and prep for the event ahead. I boarded the train at Lierde and began my journey, after switching at Gent, I travelled to Zwyndrecht, Belgian trains are far more pleasant and easy flowing that the old Ballina to Manulla junction train that i am so used to. when I arrived I swiftly found sign on and there i got changed and prep myself for the race, I then proceeded with my racing license and signed on for the event. The race began at 2.30pm and it kicked off with a bang, the pace was frantic and i had to fight hard to hold my position in the savage cross winds that battered us each lap, it was on the first lap that the break escaped, it was to stay away all day leaving the rest of us scrambling in an attempt to make up the time that we were consistently losing to them each lap. As in the last race I adopted the tactic of holding strong and allowing others to tire themselves out and then i would attack, with 4 laps remaining the bunch split and i dug in deep to make it across, from that point on the pace was high insuring that the groups behind did not once again make contact. As we came onto the final lap the speed and the explosive sprinting out of each corner in order to hold the wheel in front of me was taking its toll, I suffered like a dog and as we hit the finishing straight I struggled in finishing at the back of what easily was a 40 man group.

So far I can only say the racing here is far more intensive than what i was facing in Ireland but with my first Inter-Club event taking place on Tuesday coming in at 160km, it will be nice to see do the Belgians posses there wicked speed in longer more enduring conditions....... most likely they will and most likely i will once again suffer till the end, but what doesn't kill me can only make me stronger!! (Below is a short video clip of my accomidation)

Belgium.....

The above Monument in Brakel is dedicated to Cyclists of the Flanders region.... made of 3000 bicycles it truly is a sight to behold.




Travelling to Belgium wasn't easy, the early wake up, the cramped flight and the masses of trains and changes that were needed to get to my destination was very tiring. When i finally arrived in oudenaarde Belgium, I was breathed a sigh of relief to see the teams car sitting outside waiting for me. The manager of the Team Luc Azzez Greeted me, we drove across town to his bicycle shop from which the team is run out of. There i assemble my bike and went in search of some food as at this stage i hadn't eaten since the bagel i got at 6am that morning. as the evening went by we attended a bike race were some of the team i was soon to join were racing, when the race finished we made our way back to oudenaarde were i had dinner with Luc's family after which i was dropped out to my accommodation.
The house that i am staying at is specifically designed for cyclists, It can hold a maximum of 6 riders but at the moment all that is based here are myself and a checkoslavakian guy Daniel who has been based here since Feburary, he is a sound man. The following day after arriving I went for my first spin, i rode from brakel were i am staying into oudenaarde to the shop were the team is located. Luc my manager provided with my race information for the coming weekend, on Saturday i take part in a 170km inter-club race it should be very tough but at the end of the day that is what i am here for, on Sunday i also race of yet the full details i am not sure of. with today being Friday the 11th of June, tomorrow is when the racing begins, after a big plate of pasta and plenty of fluids i am now all set for what tomorrow may bring.... also I am going to dedicate an up and coming blog to the nutritional aspects of my cycling, i will pay extra attention to the new products that my main Sponser Molloys Pharmacy have provided me and i will go through the pros and cons of each product in detail. after the weekends racing i will also update the blog with how the races went and will have some good racing footage of the events and pictures also, so until next time........ stay classy cyclists.

Ras Time!!!

It’s been a few weeks since I last did sum blogging but now that I’m lying in my bed head cold frying my brains and my second ras behind me I suppose it’s no better time to update this thing.
Since last writing I took part in the Fbd Ras, I had great ambitions of providing some updates every evening after the stage's but due to mass fatigue and eating being the only thing on my mind I ended up pulling the plug on that idea. After the Ras last year I was 100% under the view that I would never ride such a painful suffer fest again, but time heals all wounds and 1 year later there I was getting Ras-ified once again, I’ll give a quick day by day review on my ras and then what I have on the cards for the coming period.

Day 1
Dunboyne - Dundalk: The time had finally come it was the beginning of the Ras, For a change this year I was on the Irish Development squad the lads I was racing with were sound out and were well motivated to put in some aggressive, and impressive rides over the coming 8 stages. As per usual the ras took off like a bullet from a gun, slane hill being the first challenge, after cresting that the bunch split and a massive effort was needed in order for me to make the crossing, the next Cat 2 climb to long women’s grave was tough and with the intense heat my legs were cramping like bad things, after a rapid decent and an aggressive ride to the finish in the main bunch I was happy with the performance. I lay on the side of the street in Dundalk with the only thing that was going through my mind being that I had 7 more stages of this hell left. The B&B was close by and dinner that night was enjoyable, our manager’s words for the following day were fairly simple.... "Up the road with ye and blow your lights".
Day 2
Dundalk - Carrick on Shannon: The day kicked off at a steady pace as we made our way across the width of the country to Carrick in Leitrim, the racing was highly aggressive attacks forcing the pace on consistently, The days major climb was fast splitting the bunch in an attempt to close down the break which was up the road, but unfortunately on the decent the Spanish team who had been pushing the pace came face to face with an Isuzu super trooper and its bull bars on a blind bend putting them all out of action. The day’s stage was cancelled and neutralized to the finish. upon crossing the line myself and my brother who also was riding with the western edge team were greeted by my mum, she gave me deorilites for my cramps and a bit of TLC to keep my spirits up.
Day 3
Carrick - Oughterard: After yesterdays crash one would have thought racing would have been relaxed and controlled but it was the exact opposite, a day of line outs would have been a good explanation, put yourself on a bike at 40+mph the only thought in your head is to hold the wheel I front of you and then "BANG" you cycle straight into a pot hole, fulcrum zeros knackered tyres flat, this usually wouldn’t stress me but with the days first Cat2 climb just 1km away I was forced to ride myself inside out to make contact with the bunch once more as the days route passed over the tough climbs of mamm cross and ended up splitting the bunch in two, due to the effort of chasing back on myself and a group of about 20 others rode up and over for 25km into a strong head wind in an attempt to limit our losses finishing in the back group a few minutes behind which wasn’t to bad for such a tough day. David o Loughlin a mayo man from the Sean Kelly an post team took the honours into oughterard hammering the competition into the ground.
Day 4
Oughterard - Tipp Town: The day began even faster than the previous I can’t even remember going from Galway to gort we were travelling that fast, line outs on the wrong side of the road weaving in and out of cars pulled into the verge I was praying for the line outs to end, as we passed though gort the road in bits the pace was frantic I didn’t even have time to take a gawk at sum Brazilians. It was to be the day that I would first come off the bike, 25km from home riding side by side with a Japanese rider, I witnessed cyclists hitting the deck in front of me in an attempt to avoid it I felt the Japs arm link my own and in we went into the pile, by the time I managed to scramble to my feet the bunch was gone all I could do was role in with a grupetto and try to limit my losses. When I crossed the line I was confronted by a ras official it was Drug test time, I was brought to the local swimming pool where the testing facility was set up I completed the procedure and got out of there happy to once again get into the shower and out of my paper thin shorts.

Day 5
Tipp Town - Seskin Hill: Disaster.... yea I think that word sums up this day, a puncture after 5 km left me chasing the fast moving peloton, what’s even worse when I made contact with them the biggest smash I’ve been in for a while took place. all I saw was bad cats black sidi's upside down in the air, I locked the brakes I was going in I threw the c50 to the side and slammed my body into the mash of carbon aluminium and flesh, Getting a look Keo pedal in the spine is far from nice and then having to drag your mangled, bleeding and aching body 140km across the roughest back roads and finally up Seskin hill is far from easy. poor Tuminators the "BAD CAT" broke his collar bone which meant all his sacrifice, hard work and effort came to a halt there on the road, I remember stumbling to my feet to see his mangled body attempting to rise from the ground, I rushed to his aid telling him to stay put and the medics would come to him shortly, next I was to see one of the Galway bay riders holding his bike which was smashed in 2 and handle bars broke, mike redden Dublin was walking around delirious asking where was he and were was his bike, the aftermath of the crash was evident in the many individuals that lay motionless tangled in barbed wire fences and lodged in the ditches of the road. Later reports from riders estimated the casualties from the crash to be up in the forties.
Day 6
Seskin Hill - Gorey: with the first of the big Cat 1 climbs being introduced today, people were really battling for positions at the front, from the gun the pace was frantic one line out going up though a town split the bunch in 2 as riders fought for position in the shadows of the up and coming ascents that would soon sort the men from the mice, a western edge rider Chris Coyle came a cropper as he literally fell clean of his bike with exhaustion taking out a sigma sport rider whose back wheel whilst airborne glided by my cheek leaving the faint mark of rubber upon my skin. The climbs were tough and really zapped my legs, they were all built into each other as we scaled the mountainside the first Cat3 caught many by surprise, with fatigued athletes being shelled out the rear of the bunch as the pro teams drove the excessive pace, next we moved onto the Cat 2 which was just as steep and as long, upon completing this we ended up on the side of the Cat1 which entailed a corner so steep that if one got out of the saddle and took their weight off the rear wheel it would simply spin on the gravel, many riders fell from the bikes to the earth at this point as sheer exhaustion brought an end to their stage. Upon reaching the top I was joined by a number of other riders who rode consistently and we managed to finish in the second group on the road.
Day 7
Gorey - Killcullen: with the day taking in what were to be 2 of the toughest climbs of this year’s Ras the shay Elliot and the Wicklow gap tension was high as the many fatigued riders braced themselves for the worst, I rode aggressively all day attacking a number of times but at about 75km I managed to get away in a break from the main bunch with a cycleways rider and we built up a solid lead of 2.30 before being joined by about 7 others one of whom was David Brennan from the Western edge Team. Before hitting the climb the pace was high and the Pro riders who had joined the break were doing majority of the work, it was at this stage that I took the opportunity to fuel up, on the bike you can easily burn in excess of 5000+ Kcals during a stage so taking on the correct energy foods is vital to your performance, I hammered in 2 carbo gels, 2 energy bars and a full bottle of carbo fuel. after 25km of riding we were at the foot of the shay Elliot climb, it was steep and long making at hard to hold with my break away companions but I dug in deep and held on till we crested the peak, the main GC contenders closed in on the decent and quite simply rode straight by me on the Wicklow gap, I rode at my own tempo and managed to reach the top of the tough 8km accent just as I was caught by a strong chasing group of riders who had suffered on the previous climbs. We rode the final 25km very fast with people being shelled on the small cat 3's that were to follow the Wicklow gap. Upon crossing the line I was greeted by my mum, sister and brother Declan who had made the journey from the west to watch myself and my brother battle our way across the rugged Irish landscape upon our bikes.
Day 8
Killcullen - Skerries: With it being the final day the Swedish team who's rider was clearly leading the race took it upon themselves to set a fast tempo to keep the bunch under control, we made good time getting to skerries with no crashes or punctures, and the cat 3 climbs on the way proved no obstacle, remembering last year I was shelled from the bunch along with half the race before we even entered the town, but this year as we made our first passage over the Black hills I dug in deep to hold wheels and managed to pull myself over the top on the back of the bunch, the pace coming onto the final 13km loop around skerries was blisteringly quick I had almost admitted defeat as my legs screamed and as he lactic acid flowed, upon hitting the hill for the final time and with about 6km to follow after the only word to explain what happened was a massive explosion, bodies everywhere, but I dug in deep and with the aid of the Comanche, and the eagle we rode like mad dogs to close down the bunch at speeds in excess of 50mph behind team vehicles which had passed us by and just in time as we turned onto the finishing straight, and just like that the 2010 FBD ras was over for another year the atmosphere on the main street of skeeries was electric as families and friends of the riders rushed franticly to give there applause to what had now been crowned the 2010 Men Of The Ras!!!!!!!.

Now with the ras behind me and the fact that I had no problems with my calf injury the road ahead looks good. with me travelling out to Belgium for some serious racing out there on the 8th of June only to come back for the national championships in Sligo and the suir valley at the start of august, things will be tough, but focusing on the here and now, pounds that crept on over the last few months whilst I was bed ridden with my injury must be carved off and no better way than to train myself lean....
Looking back on the past 7months from were I first began my training, I was convinced there was nothing that was going to stand between me and success but it’s clear now that all road have their obstacles.... nothing comes easily but as Ghandi and his dry flip flops said "Every worthwhile accomplishment, big or little, has its stages of drudgery and triumph; a beginning, a struggle and a victory"

Fuk it I didn’t win!!!

Back in the Mix!!!

After close to 3 weeks sitting on my arse, being tortured by the rice crispy squares in the cupboard, i finally was given the all clear to get back on the bike and lay in some miles. I had 9 days left till the Ras kicked off so racing the Noel Hammond memorial seemed a good choice, my first spin back on the bike was Thursday 13th of may, a simple 3hrs to get the legs loose and the mind back in the swing of things, Friday was good crack we ended up riding the tour de tourlough in ballina which turned from what is meant to be a relaxed leisure event into an all out race, i managed to shed the tuminator and eagle in the final km's to take my imaginary victory.
After 4hrs on Saturday i was ready for the noel hammond, travelled up the night before to Dublin and stayed with Matey, after some of his legendary rocket pasta and a nights sleep i was ready for war!!
The Hammond was far from easy, with a tough climb each lap and some stiff competition i was seriously under pressure, i round hard though and managed a respectable 6th place.
The days are now ticking away and all i have to look forward to is the savage intensity which is the FBD Ras.

Some top news which everyone will be unaware of is i was asked to represent the nation on the U23 National team. this was one of my seasons goals and to achieve it really makes up for the disastrous season i have been having so far, it has given me the motivation to work hard on my diet and the final few days of training that i have available to me. Representing Ireland has always been a goal that has driven me to seek success in cycling and to do it in the Ras makes the feeling of success even greater.

BBQ

Being injured is simply shit..... all i do is lie around trying to keep myself busy, stretching doing calf raises and counting my calories so i dont end up the size of a polar bear while im doing no training.

over the bank holiday weekend i decided to throw a bit of a get together for a few mates.... ended up planning a BBQ, but like most ordinary BBQ's this one was a little bit different, the burgers wernt your average 1/4pd pates. NO these bad boys were 1.4kg slabs of beef, loaded with herbs spice onion and chilli.... in other words the biggest baddest burgers in the land.
pity non of us could finish them it was quite the killer to look at all my hard work left lying on paper plates in such vast quantities that not even my dogs had a notion what to do when it was there turn to chomp down. Check out the Video!!!
Ive been getting a lot of physical therapy work on my calf in the last 2 weeks and with the rehabilitation work the next few days will tell a story, the therapist believes in about a week i should be ready to rock and roll. its a sickener all the same though, missing the tour of ulster last week and the Shay Elliot this weeknd is really trying my patience. but im going to keep a cool head and focus on my long term goals.

If only people knew how hard it is to sit on your arse all day long knowing the competition is putting in the miles, winning the races, bringing home the silverware and in the mean time all i am doing is becoming less and less fit, heavier by the day, and losing all my motivation knowing my chances of success are becoming slimmer as every day passes.......