Sloppy seconds

St Moling has a lot to answer for. Seems to me everywhere his name appears on a road sign within 15 miles of home there's a killer hill lurking in the undergrowth nearby. Yesterday was no different. But I'm getting ahead of myself. A murky morning skulking along in the group was enlivened by two sprints for town signs. Two second places. Their cumulative effect was like a butcher using a tenderiser on a slab of mutton. Which is apt as we were lambs to the slaughter by the time we climbed up the sky road near Saint Moling's well heading due south out of Thomastown. Its a beauty. Perfect surface, ramps, flats and a view on a good day. More sheepdogs than cars and a tough grade if, like me, you'd helped to celebrate four birthdays in the preceding week. And two helpings of apple strudel. Great craic though! Soon afterwards I turned off with Colin to zigzag home by Ballymartin windfarm and on to the quarry climb, a full-on haggard of shite layering the road. I like my climbs. I only do one three hour endurance ride a week and I like Malcolm Elliott's old approach to make it pay. Go hard, mix in climbs and hardship and drag your sorry ass home in a bag. The rest of the week I do intense stuff, sufferfest without the screen or marketing. I guess this time of year is often seen as the silly season as people move club and try something new. But no matter who goes where, the sloppy long stuff has to be done regardless. More base than a cocaine lab, more hardship than a mother-in-law, more sweating than death-row. It just can't be avoided. New kit can make it fresher but you still have to feel the pressure. So after an October not very sober and the seasonal rest and nourishment enjoyed I have to push on into the darkening gloom of days and make something of the most important time for cyclists. It may consist of gloopy days in the lanes alone or, sun-split days blinded in the countryside with frosted ditches and your own skewed views of the world for company. But it doesn't matter as long as you make yourself happy and fit.