As detailed last week, cycling coach Aidan Hammond has sketched out a programme for me to follow for the next few weeks as I look to target a big summer goal.

I managed the slow and steady long ride with the club spin at the weekend, and the shorter, faster mid-week ride, but the strength and endurance spin only highlighted my lack of, well, strength.

I found a couple of suitable hills just south of Newtownmountkennedy, almost 2km in length, put the chain in the big ring on the front and tried to grind my way to the top.

Aidan said I should certainly be out of breath with the effort and manage about 50 revolutions a minute, but even counting them out, I knew I wasn’t managing that many pedal strokes. I think I was using a smaller gear than recommended but I didn’t want to contort my body totally out of shape looking for some extra watts of power while staying in the saddle.

I got through the ride, but I clearly need to add some more raw power.

On my other shorter ride this week, I did a variation of one of my favourite routes near the Vartry Reservoir in Roundwood. It’s about 40km with one good climb, up the Callow Hill, a spin between the upper and lower reservoirs and a fast descent back down the hill to home.

I’m used to cycling in this part of Wicklow, but going out with the club riders recently introduced me to some back roads that were new to me. There’s a real, simple joy to be found in taking your bike on some uncharted territory  – even more so when it’s close to home. Even one new variation can freshen up a route.

Km covered: 150km over three rides

Altitude gained: 1900mm

Ride leader training

Aidan Hammond says he has been doing a lot of work lately guiding and training new clubs and groups who may not have years of experience but are eager to grow and learn in a safe way. If you’re a part of these groups you might be interested in this rider leader training course that is taking place in Roscommon on Saturday, April 1. The course will help provide training for those looking to lead and manage a group of cyclists on the road.

Tweet of the week

Leitrim Tourism published this stunning video on Twitter this week to promote cycling in their unspoilt countryside. They take us on a spin around Glencar Lake, Sliabh an Iarainn and Lough Melvin, with the only traffic on view being some fairly relaxed looking sheep. Cycling and drone footage is always a winning combination.

Cycling kit

A good long-sleeve base layer is essential to get through the winter and spring months. And with the cold snap forecast for earlier this month I picked up this top from Irish cycling brand Galibier to help get me through – and it’s has plenty of use. Galibier’s Barrier Base Layer is the first layer under my regular cycling jersey and long-sleeved winter jersey. It comes at a great price (€33) and delivered in less than 48 hours.

Bike auction

After the collapse of major British cycling distributor Moore Large, administrators are set to auction off some 35,000 bikes over the coming weeks, starting today. £35 million worth of stock is set to be sold off by auction house John Pye & Sons, starting today. Their website allows you to register with an Irish postal address, but we’ll have to wait and see if the deliver options stretch that far. 

Serious cycling

It was another breakthrough week for Irish cycling with Ben Healy (22) claiming his first win as a professional at the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali in Italy. Sam Bennett had a more difficult week, crashing out of Milan-San Remo last Saturday before being forced to abandon Brugge-De Panne through illness and the effects of his crash in Italy. 

At home the first round of the road national series gets underway as Blarney Cycling Club host the opening round, the Donal Crowley Memorial Race on Sunday.

If you’d like to highlight an event, your favourite place for a mid-ride pitstop or tell us about your bike rides email icycle@independent.ie