So we’ve made it to Newcastle West in Limerick. That’s 5 out of 14 done now. I’m still spinning the legs – although in too heavy a gear according to the cycling coach with us!

We had a relatively late start at 11am this morning, there were a huge number of students cycling from Tralee to join us in Killarney, and come with us back to Tralee for the first half of our day. The spin was nice and steady, a couple of “shlanty bits” as John calls them (hills in my book) but nothing too bad, and we were in Tralee around 1pm.

The reception we got in Tralee was simply massive. I think it’s Jim’s home town, but probably more influentially, it’s where Donal Walsh lived.

I didn’t know Donal’s story when we started out this morning – I only knew that he was a teenager from Tralee who had died of cancer and clearly had a big influence on a lot of people. Chatting to a local man coming into Tralee, I learned more about why Donal was such a huge influence around his local town, around Ireland, and even around the world. Continue reading “No matter how bad life gets, help is always there” →

After yesterday’s tortuous 122 hard fought kilometres, what I badly, badly needed today was a break. Thankfully we got it. Mostly good weather, slow pace, relatively mild hills (relative to yesterday). The only large one was nasty, but on the flip side it provided a thoroughly deserved fast descent.

John, a local fella, was telling Anne-Marie and I that they weren’t called hills, just “slanty bits”. Apparently if a Kerryman calls it a hill it’s time to start worrying.

Into Killarney and again feeling 14 days might – just might – be within the realms of possibility. We’ll see.

And here he is – hogging the camera as usual – suck in that belly, Jim!

I built this site for several reasons: in part to help promote CycleAgainstSuicide and their message (it’s ok to feel shit sometimes, and it’s ok to ask for help when you do), in part to chronicle my own attempt to complete as many days cycling as possible, and mostly because Jim Breen made me do it.

Jim asked me to make him a promise – a contract he called it – that I would come speak with him before I quit the cycle at any point. He also decided to broadcast this to the peleton as “14 days alastair.com” (clearly not aware that 3% of the population can spell my name correctly). I told him I’d build it.

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I am Alastair McDermott and my business is WebsiteDoctor.com. I built this website during the CycleAgainstSuicide 2014 event, in a hotel room on spotty internet connection after a long couple of days in the saddle – please forgive the rough edges.

I am intimately familiar with depression, both from my own experience, and that of my loved ones and friends, and of work colleagues and peers in the small business community. Thankfully I have no experience with that which the CycleAgainstSuicide is trying to prevent.

The positivity and support and comradery amongst the cyclists on this event is incredible, almost surreal. The message is being spread far and wide.

Fairplayjimbreen.com.

Day 3. Nearly broken by Waterford to Youghal leg of CycleAgainstSuicide.com.

Hills. Rain. Head winds. Hills. More fuckin hills.

But fuck it, let’s carry on. Halfway through the day.

Note: swearing levels calculation is (hill gradient * length) / swear constant.

A story and shared experience we’ll remember: the Waterford homestay for 39 lucky CAS’ers was in a scouts training centre in Mount Melleray. After an hour’s drive out in 2 buses the hot food was very welcome at 8.30pm or so.

Unfortunately due to a minor mix up there was no bedclothes and the place was quite cold. With a minimum of stress and negativity – something quite normal in this group of people and event – a deal was struck with a hotel back in town and we were back on the bus and headed back the way. Finally changed out of the gear to hit the shower around 11.40pm, and a pint was deserved afterwards.

“Free the MM39” – Colm

This adequately summarises Day 2!