Blitz 2, Ballyhoura- Squeezy Introduced

I was keen to get down to this one as I’ve never ridden the trails and had heard they are really good. I made it down in a little over two hours and after a nice sleep, headed out for a warm up with series contender, MarkG. He told me the course was very up and down so I was going to find it difficult to know where to go hard as I would be riding blind. As we stood on the start line, hale started hammering down! It looked a lot worse than it was though as once we got going it was grand.

I took it easy off the line and got into the singletrack in around 15th. Over the 35km I made up a few positions and lost two. The trails are really brilliant down there with the entire loop almost entirely singletrack! One of the sections in particular is like a roller coaster with small table tops and humps that launch you a fair height. My only gripe about the place is the boardwalks. They're long, slow and just dangerous. The slick wood is incredibly slippy when wet so riding them is just a matter of getting across unscathed rather then any fun. A bit of chicken wire wouldn't go amiss!

After an hour 45mins, I finished in 10th place. The race was pretty uneventful. I felt good and pushed pretty hard but I wasn’t that tired afterwards. I guess the lack of racers around me and the fact I didn’t know when the end was coming probably sucked some of the eagerness out of me. I’m feeling alright on the bike and these Blitzs have been a brilliant way to get the race fitness up before the Leinster League/ NPS starts.



I’ve recently become Leinster sales rep for a company called Squeezy.ie. Their full catalogue is online but I’m particular impressed with their gels (caffeine and non caffeine), recovery bars (dead ringer for Nestle Milkyway) and energy drink concentrate. For me, energy food must have three attributes:

1. Good value- I’m not going to shell out €2+ for a little sachet of sugar
2. The numbers add up- Squeezy’s nutritional values stand up (and in many cases exceed) other players out there
3. It’s gotta taste good and more importantly be easy on the stomach! I have some diagnosed stomach problems and whereas the gels I was using had me cramping after races last year, these go down easy.


I’ve got a good lot of samples that I can give out, just mail me at stescrivo@gmail.com

Intervarsity Report

The intervarsities are always important. They show the college that they're not funding us for nothing and it's a great way to pay them back for all the support they give by winning it. With this, I put down a good 10 weeks of training prior to Sunday in the hope of retaining my title.


After a really good warm up, I was feeling great and went off very fast from the gun. As it was just one lap (half of the race distance/time I usually do) I knew I could go all out without the fear of fizzling out. I rode at my limit for the first half of the lap and enjoyed the second half having chats with people as I went. I was delighted to finish in first and under 50minutes which is a PB for me in the 'stoe.

A huge thanks has to go to Niall Davis in Biking.ie. He always runs a great race and undertaking the running of the varsities is very cool of him. The next race is Blitz Round 2 in Ballyhoura in two weeks. I'm looking forward to it already!




The money shot!

University Championships this Sunday

I've been doing a good bit of training the past few weeks in prepatation for a good result this Sunday. I put in two way quicker training laps of the race loop last week than I did racing it last year so at least I'm in a better place than then. We'll see on Sunday!

Dublin Does Romantic Gestures- sorta

The Top 9 (I'm edgy like that, don't want to go with the crowd) Romantic Pub Gestures
Drawing a heart in the top of the Guinness.
The tried and tested. Every man loves when someone fondles the head of their Guinness and drawing a heart in your partner’s pint is sure to make sparks fly.

Ever the romantic, your partner makes sure to get four single euro coins in their change. They lovingly place them in a neat pile in front of your pint. Romance and safety in mind, this ones a keeper.

Origami is the much underused art of creating beauty by folding pieces of paper. The advantages are two-fold however (pun intended) with a well constructed swan sure to make her heart melt.

Nothing shows love more than “Joe luvs Mel 4eva” scrawled across the cubicle wall. The relationship might not last but the permanent marker declaration will be there for years!

Everyone knows how to make a house out of beer mats, why not spice things up and make a love- shack? Note: Heineken beer mats stack best!

Let her win at pool. Sure, it’ll de-mascilinise you there and then but you’ll have a better chance of giving her your stick and balls at a later date.

Girls love bunches of flowers but they also love guys who go against the crowd and do their own thing. Get her 4 bags of flour tied together. It’ll show her you’re different but you also have an interest in culinary arts.

It’s a leap years guys! Return that ring and let the girl get down on one knee! The most romantic way to propose to your man has to be to buy him his favorite pint, a pack of scampi AND bacon fries, just for him and instead of a ring- a new set of alloys for his car. Beautiful.

Continuing on the proposal theme, recession may have hit you or you may just be cheap. Either way, ring pulls are a perfectly acceptable substitute for a diamond ring.

Dublin Does Fridays Continued

Madigans
This pub is steeped in history with a list of regulars including literary giants Joyce and Behan. Local poets are some of Madigan’s best locals and they can be seen tucked in the corners with their note pads writing away. The place oozes quality with its Harry Clarke stained glass and Victorian features throughout. The proof is in the pint though and like all good barmen, I had only sat down before I was asked if I’d like a pint brought down to me. The bar staff are total professionals ensuring that everybody is served their drink while having the intuition to know when people just want to be left alone. Not only that though, it’s clear these guys take pride in their work with every drink being poured with the greatest care and attention. It’s hard to define a ‘real’ Irish pub but Madigans is it. They serve traditional stew all day with a food menu on til 11pm with free finger food available on Fridays for the trad session.

The lounge is immediately inviting with people from all walks of life deep in conversation about all sorts from the rugby on the multiple screens to how good the toasties are. It is easy to see why so many tourists are scattered throughout the bar, it’s the warm, lively atmosphere. Everybody is accepted as equal and one can retire to be alone in the snug or make friends with the genuine characters at the bar with equal ease. “Tempus Fugit’ or ‘Time Flies’ is written above the entrance to the lounge and it certainly does as I managed to stay for two hours without realizing it!



The Flowing Tide
Established in 1824, the Flowing Tide is as part of Dublin as O Connell Bridge. Inside, there is a warm, inviting atmosphere with a diverse crowd. Small groups of local workers huddle around their pints while younger professionals enjoy their coffees at the bar. Uniquely, it is these people that choose what goes on with them having free reign over the television controls. During the 1916 rising, a shell fired from the British Battleship, Helga hit the roof of the pub causing significant structural damage. One of the pub’s supporting pillars still contains the shrapnel as its removal would be too risky. Innovative ideas such as a bottle of wine and a large pizza for €20 and it having the only heated beer garden in the area keep people coming back after work. Although it is one of the smaller pubs around, the management concentrates on getting the basics right with excellent service and value for money given top priority. There is a nice laid -back buzz in the seating area with everyone enjoying a well earned drink after a long day of work.

Given its location directly across from the Abbey Theatre, actors and celebrities are common place here. Pierce Brosnan is said to always drop in for a Guinness after a show. Brian Denehy was famously quoted to have said “I love the pub, I love the drink but I’ll never understand why the guy behind the bar is telling me to go to bed at 11pm!”

Dublin Does Fridays

I've recently started work as a reporter for www.dublindoesfridays.ie. It's a campaign to show that Irish pubs are the best and most unique in the world and it's my job to convey this with my words. Yeah.... that sounds alright I think. Below is my first piece on '

What I love about Irish pubs'

generally. Later on it'll be focused on two pubs in particular.

Irish pubs are unique. They are not like any other pubs in the world and yet it is hard to put a finger on what makes them so brilliant. The best ones have very few luxuries, smell rancid and look like they’ve never been cleaned but this is not what makes them great. So the surroundings aren’t important. The pubs I love have their own character, they’re far from perfect but I love them regardless. They’re kind of like that friend you have, far from perfect but they’re so much fun that it makes up for all of their shortcomings. The walls and the people all have their stories to tell. They are full of spontaneity, atmosphere and the holy grail; craic.

On entering an Irish pub, you can be assured there will be a collection of regulars sitting at the bar who might give that subtle welcoming nod. Next is the barman, the efficient, friendly purveyor of your perfect drink. You hand him that hard-earned five euro and he always has a look of appreciation and total care as he prepares your usual. Depending on your mood, you can retire for a quiet social in the snug or make friends in the lounge. There are no limitations to the Irish pub and all people are accepted as equal. There is no dress code or entrance fee, just a friendly smile and the promise of something unexpected. I don’t know what it is about our pubs but they always manage to spark good times. Whether you are down about a loss or on cloud nine, the Irish pub always manages to bring the best out in people. Usually, a place is a sum of its people. This is not the case with Irish pubs, they are a personification of the best their area has to offer yet there are always those brilliant characters that you can only meet there.

By Stephen Scrivener

Mechanic Extraordinaire

Testimononials -Oh I'm blushing!

Steve has been servicing/fixing my bike for almost a year now and I have no hesitation in recommending him. Every time I get the bike back from Steve it feels as good as or sometimes even better than new. He is obviously completely competent with all aspects of bike maintenance and setup and it's great to be able to trust that he'll always do the best possible job with the most suitable parts. He also often suggests little things to change which make a huge difference on the trails. His quick turnaround time also means that I never have to be off the bike for very long.

Paula Keohan- Adventure and XC Racer

I would totally recommend Stephen when it comes to fixing a bike. He knows everything there is to know about the bike. He is efficient and reliable and he doesn’t rip you off! If you leave your bike in to a shop to be repaired, you may have someone who really knows what they are at fixing the problem and on the other hand you may not. The do not particularly care how good a job they do, as long as the customer seems happy. Stephen is working for himself, so it is important to him to do a good job and please the customer. He is a very good mountain biker himself, and he knows all about the different components of the bike and he would have lots of advice to give on any technical aspect of the bike. If I ever have any questions, I would always ask Stephen. I really couldn’t find any faults with Stephen, he is a sincere, genuine, hard worker who will do him best for you.

Rachel Cinnsealach- Adventure Racer/ XC Rider

Yes, extraordinaire. That's right! I've been doing bike work from my workshop for the past 6months or so and have lot's of very happy customers. So why would you give me your bike to work on?

I'll treat it like it's my own with no distractions or shop managers breathing down my neck, I can take my time and guarantee the job is done 100% right. No compromises.

I charge approximately half the price of regular bike shops.

I check over every part of every bike. If anything is not 100%, I'll let you know immeditealey and let you know what it'll take to fix it.

Bike pick ups and drop offs are no problem.

I specialize in the biggest cause of bike handling difficulties and discomfort- setup. I'll ensure the bike fit's properly and your cockpit is right for you. The difference something as small as shifter placement and brake lever angle can make is HUGE.

I guarantee complete satisfaction with the work or I'll charge nothing.

Give me a shot! You've nothing to lose.
stescrivoATgmail.com
0861653925