Ahhh.... Training!!!

To be fair we always knew getting all 4 us back in the same place at the same time would be an eternal struggle. So we agreed on a training schedule which took a lot of inspiration from both holistic and chaos theory ideas.
Ash started out with his first climb last Sunday, somewhere in Millstreet. He sent an email afterwards with directions and how long it took him. Both would on face value appear to be figments of his imagination, and as far as I know if you go to the trouble of following these directions you end up on the same island that features on the TV show LOST!!!!!!!!. In case anyone is interested in finding 'ASH MOUNTAIN' here are his directions - Turn right over bridge bottom of hill in Macroom and follow road until signposted left for Millstreet Park. Park outside by rocks and go at straight up hill, over top and down other side(no track down this side and quite boggy) to fence then along to left until joins with trail, follow this to the right along ridge line down to road then back track using trail around hill to car park. - Myself and Conor missed this climb as we were in a Tag final in Highfield (we won, but only cos when the two of us are on the pitch at the same time there isn't a hell of a lot of room left for people to get past!). Sullie missed it because he started his training in 1984 and felt a weeks rest would do him good. I've no idea how Ash got on, as he buggered off to Barcelona the minute he got back. Its all a bit suss to be honest.
Despite the cloak and dagger stuff, we said we try for another climb last Sunday. After 20 phone calls and 14 texts we discovered Ash was still in Barcelona and Sullie had a Triathlon as well as 2 GAA games that Sunday. So that just left 2 of us. At this point I think a word of advice is called for.... 2 guys walking up a hill, mountain, or even a road looks gay. Maybe we'll encounter the same feeling when there are more of us, if so I can safely say the trip is off. A stray hand or a random bump could end beautiful friendships.
Anyway.... Sunday, only 20 min after our agreed meeting time (this is good for Conor) Mr. Crowley arrived at my door to collect me. So after the necessary cup of tea and chocolate roll we headed of to the start of the trail.
Stretching was banned, so a quick look at the map and we were on our way!!! Neither of us would claim to be religious so the sight of elaborate sculpture pieces of the stations of the cross along the trail took our mind off the walk for the first 20 min. Especially the 'Jesus falls for the second time' one!!!! I wonder will they change them now that the Vatican has decided that what they said was true all along is now slightly different and in just a slightly different order??? I think I'll need a new blog for my Catholic Church rants!!!! We walked to the top, saw the cross, looked at the views, I took a photo of Conor, he took a photo of me - Jesus it sounds like a modern Brokeback Mountain - and then rejoined the trail. And to cut a long story short, we got lost, found a dead end, went back the way we came, spent a least 40 minutes discussing Burger King and the Angry Whopper versus the Double Whopper, and I pulled every muscle down the left hand side of my back trying to see around corners.
We walked in total for 1.5hrs, and spent longer looking at the map at the end than we did at the start. There's a lesson there somewhere!!!!
I went home and had Pad Thai noodles, a Cajun burger and a tub of chocolate chip ice-cream.... There's also a lesson there too, but I'll be damned if I'm going to learn it.
Next week we're focusing on individual muscle groups. Mainly biceps and abs as its Heineken Cup Final weekend... Wonder will anyone in the beer garden buy my ticket????