As 2025 winds down, I’ve started to look back on my cycling year, a blur of early starts, headwinds, and many roads less traveled. Of all the events I rode, one stands out more than most: the Celtic Knot 1000 Audax, held on May 31st in County Clare.
I can’t say there was a deep reason behind signing up. I saw it on the Audax Ireland calendar, thought “why not,” and clicked register back in February. That gave me about three months to “prepare.” Preparation in Audax terms isn’t a scientific process; it’s just time in the saddle and a tolerance for mild suffering.
Getting Ready the Audax Way
My “training plan” looked something like this:
- Birr 200 – January
- Mayo 200 – twice in February (apparently once wasn’t enough)
- Nephin Range Gravel Adventure (160km) – March
- An East Clare Meander 200 – March
- Rás Mhaigh Eo (3-stage road race) – March
- Midlands 300 – April
- Queen of Connemara 200 – May
- Criu a Chairde 300 – May
- Annagh Wheelers Tour of Mayo 200 – May
Looking back, that’s a lot of riding. I definitely had the cycling bug early in the year, but more importantly, I was excited to start the Celtic Knot. No fear of the 1000km ahead, just curiosity about what the next three days would bring.
The Setup
My steed for the event was a Van Nicholas road bike, kitted out with aerobars and rechargeable lights. I left the dynamo wheel at home since I’d only be in the dark for a few hours each night. The route structure made logistics easy; each loop started and finished at Flagmount Community Centre in Clare, so no need for a full bikepacking setup. I slept in my campervan between stages, my own little pain cave on wheels.
Day 1 – Into the Wind
Loop one was 360km around Clare. It started pleasantly enough, but once we hit the coast, the headwind arrived, full-on Atlantic punishment. Knowing the route actually made it worse; I could visualize exactly how long we’d be stuck in it. Loop Head Lighthouse felt like the edge of the earth.
When we finally turned for home, the tailwind was bliss. I rolled back into Flagmount around 10:30PM, tired but on schedule.
Day 2 – Smooth Sailing
After a decent sleep and a hearty breakfast at the center, I tackled the southern 340km loop. No major drama. A long, steady day of riding, eating, and enjoying the rhythm of endurance cycling. Back to base around 10:30PM again, the routine was working perfectly.
Day 3 – The Shortcut That Wasn’t
I woke feeling strong for the final 300km loop, but there was talk of a weather warning later in the day. My plan was simple: ride hard and stay ahead of the storm.
Everything went fine until Moate, when my bike computer started showing odd route lines converging. That’s never good. A quick zoom-out confirmed the nightmare: I’d missed a huge section of the route. Somewhere along the way, my GPS had auto-rerouted, and I’d taken an unintended shortcut. Normally, I keep rerouting off, but I’d reset the unit earlier in the year and forgot to check the setting.
Audax rules are clear: if you leave the course, you must return to where you went wrong. That mistake cost me an extra 65km and about three hours. I tried not to dwell on it, just put my head down and pushed through the Midlands as the weather started to turn.
By the time I reached Galway, the rain and wind were biblical. I took brief shelter in an abandoned school, wondering if I should call for a bailout or pay a local for a lift. In the end, I did what every stubborn randonneur does: got back on the bike.
The final 80km were brutal but strangely satisfying. I rolled into Flagmount around 11PM, 1065km total, soaked, shattered, and smiling.
What I Learned
Every big ride teaches something, but the Celtic Knot drilled home three truths:
- Mindset trumps metrics. Watts are great, but a positive attitude will carry you farther.
- Training doesn’t need to be perfect. Just ride long and ride often.
- When things go wrong, don’t panic. Accept it, adapt, and keep moving forward.
That ride reaffirmed why I love this kind of cycling; it’s not about speed or status, it’s about testing yourself quietly, persistently, against the road, the weather, and your own head.
My second big highlight of the year was the Mondello 24-Hour, a very different kind of challenge, more competitive, more intense, and full of lessons. But that’s a story for another post…
