Finally, a bit of a reprieve from the relentless rain! This morning we woke up to a stunning, frosty landscape. I originally planned to head out for a quick 5k run, but I was enjoying the weather so much—and taking so many pictures—that my 5k accidentally turned into a 12k instead! It was exactly what I needed after the mountains last week.
"35 Days of rain", I think that's what I heard some town in Ireland have had so far. Its been pretty miserable in Ballymahon toot. And today is no exception. But the duck loves it though..
Note to self: 300km on a bike doesn't make you immune to gravity. Six days post-challenge, we headed to the Slieve Blooms. By the third climb (Glendine), I was spent. Between the 10% average gradient and the 15% kicks, I had to pull over to find my lungs! Brian "accidentally" guided us onto this monster, and while Laoighse powered through like a machine, the rest of us were feeling it. Still, you can't beat a day like that in the mountains.
We did it! Huge thanks to everyone who sponsored me. As a club, we raised nearly €35k for our now yearly 12-Hour Challenge, which is just mind-blowing.
I opted to stay on the bike for the full 12 hours this time around. Thanks to a bit more prep than last year, I crossed the 300km mark— the furthest I've ever gone in one go! The vibes were great all day, and honestly, the group spirit is the only thing that got us to the finish line.
