Growing up in a small village in Ireland, there was one thing that all young boys and girls had in common: the ability to ride a bicycle. When your parents bought you a bike, you immediately became independent, you were able to move around and have fun.
You always knew where a group of kids were gathering, because there was normally a pile of bikes on the ground, so they were never too far away.
We also had our heroes. Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche, Martin Earley and Paul Kimmage competed on the international stage. Kelly was local, coming from the town of Carrick on Suir, a 40 minute drive away. Everyone wanted to be Kelly.
Many years later, people my age still have the feeling of freedom and exhilaration that cycling brings.
There are few experiences in life that can match the feeling of accomplishment you feel when you reach the top of a steep hill on your bike. We’ve all been there, when your computer warns you that your heart rate is dangerously high, when your legs beg for a break, or when your mind tries to tell you “you can’t do this.”
One day, I went for a ride, with another runner. This guy had a great pedigree in the sport and as usual he was always willing to give advice, even to a total hopeful like me.
He talked to me about suffering during a race and to always keep in mind that it’s the same for everyone.
“I would turn to the guy next to me and ask him if he had any vacation plans or anything stupid just as I was about to break down,” he laughed, explaining that it would be enough sometimes to make the other driver crash first.
This rider was an Irish national champion in the mid-90s, so he knew what he was talking about.
Life can sometimes feel like riding a bike. You can ride without much tension, but eventually the road will head towards the sky and you will have your own mountain to climb.
A few years ago, I had a checkup with my doctor. It was routine, check my blood pressure, cholesterol, liver function and answer a few questions:
- Do you smoke? No.
- Do you drink? A little.
- How much does a little cost? Oh of course, you know it, like everyone else. (A typical Irish response)
- Are you aware of the health risks associated with alcohol? Yes
My doctor suggested I reduce it considerably, or even eliminate it altogether. You see, alcohol consumption plays a huge role in Irish society and now my doctor was becoming the ultimate party animal.
Alcohol has an insidious side and many people are unaware of it. He will tell you that everything is fine, but in reality it is not. I discovered how insidious it was as soon as I stopped.
Quitting was easy, staying stopped was much, much harder, as it became clear that my bedmate did not want to leave me.
The impact of alcohol on a person’s mental health cannot be underestimated. Your body doesn’t particularly like alcohol, which is why you get sick and suffer from hangovers. However, your brain loves and craves this stuff, and that’s what makes quitting so difficult.
Ask anyone who is struggling and they will tell you how important it is to keep your head in the right place. If your mind is busy thinking about other things, it doesn’t have time to think about negative things or crave things. It’s so simple and in my case it worked.
I had started cycling a few years before and enjoyed the sport. I was at a club and looked forward to the Sunday morning round, where I slowly built up my fitness and knowledge of the sport.
It was with the club that I completed the 100km for the very first time.
Like all cyclists, my first 100 km will remain forever etched in my memory, because it is a milestone to which we all aspire. For me it was the flat tires and how other more experienced club members would give up their day, stay with me, support me, literally put a hand on my back and push me, until my computer showed 100 km.
Our club has a wide diversity of members, from those who have professional careers, others, for one reason or another, are not working at all, some are enjoying their retirement and some are at university, still waiting to heading into the big bad world.
However, once the band hits the road on a Sunday morning, it makes no difference what you do for a living.
From your first morning, you are informed of a simple rule. “We are as fast as our slowest driver and above all, no one is left behind.”
As cycling has evolved and people become fitter, with better bikes and better abilities, the rule unfortunately begins to lose its importance. This may be one of the reasons why you see so many people alone on the roads and group riding suffers.
There are many opportunities for people to go bike racing, but the Sunday group ride is not one of them. OK, let’s finish the conference.
My love for the sport was growing and instead of spending my money on cheap wine and cans of liquor, I was heading to our local bike shop to treat myself to something nice.
I saved up and bought my first real bike. It was all carbon, with Shimano RS81 wheels and an Ultegra groupset. It wouldn’t make me better or faster, but it would make me “look fast”, which is just as important.
In July 2018, I checked my phone and noticed a voicemail. The message came from Irish Pro-Continental team, Aqua Blue Sport and they had some exciting news.
They had held an online competition a few months before, with the prize being a Ridley Noah SL road bike. This was no ordinary bike, this was a fully professional bike, with all the details such as handmade wheels, a Di2 groupset and sporting the team livery. They would ride the exact same bikes a few months later at La Vuelta D’Espana.
Long story short, I had won the bike.
A few weeks later they arrived to introduce me to the new bike, even sending in former Irish track world champion and sporting icon, Martyn Irvine, to make it even more special.
The bike is only used in the middle of summer, when there has been no rain and it does not appear to be raining. In Ireland this is around 4 days per year.
This year has been devastating for the cycling community with events canceled due to the pandemic, but they will return and as cyclists we will all be ready.
In the meantime, I turned to Zwift and discovered a whole new range of challenges and a whole new community, all from the comfort of the garage.
It’s now been over 5 years since I last touched a drop of alcohol and as they say here in Ireland “I’m all the better for it”.
My last check-up ended with my GP declaring: “whatever you do, keep doing it”, a far cry from a lecture on potential liver damage.
The role of cycling in this transformation cannot be underestimated. As I said earlier, alcohol attacks the mind and for a person suffering from it to fight back, it is important to keep that mind in the right place.
I live in an area surrounded by spectacular mountains, quiet roads and an opportunity to fully test my mind and body. But more importantly, these mountains and roads give me the chance to get away and find that bit of peace of mind we all need.
On a winter morning, it’s not uncommon to hear cries of “well, how are you doing” as a large group approaches from behind. This is Carrick’s group on Suir, as they return home. In the middle of the group, you’ll notice Sean Kelly and Sam Bennett, along with some guys they’ve known since they were kids. This doesn’t happen in many sports.
If you think you have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol, I suggest you speak to your GP and they will advise you of the wide range of treatments and help available. One of the suggestions they will give you is to stay active, stay active and keep your head in the right place.
Having a few drinks with your friends can be one of life’s greatest pleasures. You have to appreciate it and keep it under control. If you lose control, you’re in dangerous territory, so be careful.
He is called cunning, confusing and powerful for very good reason.
