Two Weeks Before The Race

The Pan Celtic Race

On the morning of Sunday 10th July, a fortnight before the start of the Transcontinental Race, I was on the start line of the Pan Celtic Race.

I wasn’t really sure how this race would go. My training had tailed off a bit in the three months prior. But I got the bike ready and packed the same as in the previous races - with a lot of spares and tools - as my top goal was to finish the thing.

I pushed quite hard on this one, with more of a race mentality than in previous races. This entailed maximising my day lengths by sleeping less (I averaged about 3 hours sleep per night), tried to be efficient at stops, and went at a pace as fast as I could sustain.

I had some mechanical issues. My dynamo lights stopped working on the first night. I traced this down to the rear cable shorting against the front light housing, and was able to fix this on the road. I had a few issues with the rear gears, but again was able to get things going again.

The almost show-stopper moment came when the bike’s bottom bracket started working a little loose and making noises on the second day. The noise and play got progressively worse to a point which became unbearable. I really thought my race would be ending early, but to cut a long story short, I was saved by the most amazing Local Bike Shop in Clonakilty, who were able to fit a new one for me.

The route packed physical feats alongside magnificent scenery, so took my breath away one way or another. Some riders I knew from previous events, and some I’d met for the first time. I had many enjoyable conversations and moments along the road, and experienced days I’ll never forget. On these races, there’s something about the physical exertion, the tiredness, and the beauty of it all, that puts me into some kind of heightened emotional state - feeling everything more acutely. Being able to share this experience with others on the road is always an amazing thing. We have different backgrounds, different personalities, different goals, but share the passion, the miles, and the adventure. It was the 3rd time I’d ridden the PCR and I’d had the best time. I’m very proud to be a part of this ongoing race series.

View my photos from this race over on Flickr.

Visit the Pan Celtic Race website.