EQ19

Great News.....Culann is Walking!
It’s no surprise Culann has succeeded in wanting to walk. He is a very determined, hard working, clever boy with a fabulous sense of humour. Chapeau Culann.

Great to be working with team JNJ Ireland and their Movember fund raising project.

The JNJ Plant 2 Plant Virtual Challenge is back ! In the virtual world.
We have teamed up with Virtual Performance and Energy Labs to bring you the 2020 Plant 2 Plant Virtual Challenge. - Cycle, Run, Walk.

This is a 507KM event where JNJ associates will Cycle, Run, Walk to all Campus Ireland JNJ sites.

Cycle, Run, Walk at home, to work, in the gym or on the road. Cycle, Run, Walk on your own, with friends, family, colleagues or club mates.
Everyone has a part to play !

The JNJ Plant 2 Plant Virtual Challenge is about “Making a difference” supporting the Movember via the JOHNSON & JOHNSON CAMPUS IRELAND TEAM

https://www.energylabrunning.com/Mizen2Malin/

Fantastic to see Culann Cashman walk in to school carrying his school bag on his back.
He’s a determined little fella.

Folks,
Unfortunately, we have decided to cancel this year’s Earthquake cycle.
This was a difficult decision for us, and we do hope to be back again in 2021.
We would like to thank everyone who supported the event and the different causes over the last 10 years.
Thanks again
Phil & Derick (EQ team)

A little reminder of who we are.

Why’s it called the Earthquake???

In middle March , in Midleton,
An event each year takes place,
A cycling race for charity
That’s definitely not a race.

The Earthquake spin was first devised ,
In New Zealand’s hour of need,
After devastating tremors,
Made Christchurch city bleed.

Now if this happened in your hometown,
You’d give a helping hand,
Enter local son of Christchurch
Phil “the painter “ Cunningham.

A one time rugby player ,
Turned cyclist now is Phil,
But he’s still a rugby player,
When he cycles up a hill.

He called his Irish buddies,
Of which he has a few.
But would they help the Kiwi ,
Nobody really knew.

Until that is , the day arrived
Of the first Earthquake test,
It wasn’t just a few turned up ,
It was hundreds and the rest.

They turned out for New Zealand,
Which had been through the mill ,
But the peloton reflected,
what they thought of Phil.

And so Phil spoke his words of thanks,
Tears crossed this tough guy’s face,
He waved the starting flag and called,
“Guys this is not a race”.

Those words rang true with everyone,
When out of town we sped,
But at the Castlemartyr junction,
The lights were never red.

From here the mood got serious,
For omelettes you must break eggs,
It’s time to get spat out the back,
Or time to test your legs.

The bunch moves ever faster ,
“Hole left Hole right “ we call,
Each hoping for an ease of pace ,
Up the bypass over Youghal.

The Youghal lads lead us up the hill,
Hickey , Walsh and Hill beside,
Don’t try to get ahead of them,
When they’re fueled with hometown pride.

Now you hear excuses,
The flu , my hip , my knee.
The race that’s really not a race ,
Sounds more like A&E.

Down the helter skelter
Into the drops and grunt,
The clever ones are at the back ,
Never at the front.

Arriving at the roundabout,
Going way too fast by far,
You know you’re going to suffer,
Up to the Halfway Bar.

Now we curse Phil Cunningham,
For taking us for mugs,
And wonder when he chose this route,
Was he taking drugs ?

Up Newtown climb you just hold on ,
The pace high as we roll,
The bunch much smaller at the top,
As the suffering takes it’s toll.

The road is flat for a few K,
Which eases legs that burn,
Riders hanging at the back ,
Refuse to take their turn.

Conserving precious energy,
The pace for now slows down ,
Some making their way back on,
Before we drop to Tallow Town.

A sharp left turn in Tallow,
The next few miles will tell,
You’re on the Tallow Gallows,
The fastest route to hell.

This hill is not the steepest,
It’s the speed that makes you crack,
If you haven’t done your homework,
You’ll be blown right out the back.

It seems to last forever,
This five kilometer drag,
It’s a sight for sore eyes and legs,
To reach Phil’s polka dot flag.

If you reach the top with the bunch,
You know you’re doing fine,
Because the members of this elite group,
Will contest the finish line.

We race down to Dungourney,
Just one more hill to go,
The short climb towards Midleton,
Nicknamed the Poggio.

We reach the green sheds on the right,
Which mark the end of climbing,
From here it’s a fifty K average,
It all boils down to timing.

Never sprint before the bridge
Unless you’re super strong,
If you’re not second from the front here ,
You know you’ve got it wrong.

You’ve done the climbs you took your turns ,
You’re going to make them pay,
But you’re pipped before the finish line,
By a lad who no one’s seen all day.

Five minutes on it’s all forgot,
Over a pot of tea.
It’s great to catch up with people,
That you rarely see.

The atmosphere is electric,
A charitable goodwill,
We should do this event every year,
The spot light turns on Phil.

So since twenty eleven
The Earthquake spin takes place,
Each year a different charity,
And still it’s not a race.

As time goes by we’ll never see,
That original spirit brake.
As future generations ask ,
Why’s this race called the Earthquake?

And some wise old historian,
Will recall the story still ,
Of how the race became a monument,
All thanks to “Earthquake Phil”.

Composed by Peter Maloney.

EQ 20 - Save the date March 8th 2020

EQ loves the Old Velos. Brendan Hennessy

OldVelos Flash Skin Tight Suit – A History One Spring morning OldVelos, the vintage cycling group, took it upon themselves to cycle part of the Ironman Ireland route in Cork. We had heard it was tough. Ah come on, how tough could it be? …

EQ19 vows to ‘Let Sleeping Dogs Lie’ in latest Old Velos furore. or Divans?
Brendan Hennessy

Alleged “sofa-use” mars OldVelos Earthquake victory We have been requested to undertake a three-piece review of the off-season activities of Earthquake Team Time Trial champions’ OldVelos following their unexpected win in East Cork on Sunday. Questi…

TTT times
1st Blarney CC 1:57:59
2nd De Ronde 2:02:54
3rd Midleton Express 2:06:33
4th OTH 4 2:12:19

1st Ladies: OTH 1 2:48:07

1st Mixed: The Old Offenders 2:38:34

Well done everyone. See you all again next year.

Why’s it called the Earthquake???

In middle March , in Midleton,
An event each year takes place,
A cycling race for charity
That’s definitely not a race.

The Earthquake spin was first devised ,
In New Zealand’s hour of need,
After devastating tremors,
Made Christchurch city bleed.

Now if this happened in your hometown,
You’d give a helping hand,
Enter local son of Christchurch
Phil “the painter “ Cunningham.

A one time rugby player ,
Turned cyclist now is Phil,
But he’s still a rugby player,
When he cycles up a hill.

He called his Irish buddies,
Of which he has a few.
But would they help the Kiwi ,
Nobody really knew.

Until that is , the day arrived
Of the first Earthquake test,
It wasn’t just a few turned up ,
It was hundreds and the rest.

They turned out for New Zealand,
Which had been through the mill ,
But the peloton reflected,
what they thought of Phil.

And so Phil spoke his words of thanks,
Tears crossed this tough guy’s face,
He waved the starting flag and called,
“Guys this is not a race”.

Those words rang true with everyone,
When out of town we sped,
But at the Castlemartyr junction,
The lights were never red.

From here the mood got serious,
For omelettes you must break eggs,
It’s time to get spat out the back,
Or time to test your legs.

The bunch moves ever faster ,
“Hole left Hole right “ we call,
Each hoping for an ease of pace ,
Up the bypass over Youghal.

The Youghal lads lead us up the hill,
Hickey , Walsh and Hill beside,
Don’t try to get ahead of them,
When they’re fueled with hometown pride.

Now you hear excuses,
The flu , my hip , my knee.
The race that’s really not a race ,
Sounds more like A&E.

Down the helter skelter
Into the drops and grunt,
The clever ones are at the back ,
Never at the front.

Arriving at the roundabout,
Going way too fast by far,
You know you’re going to suffer,
Up to the Halfway Bar.

Now we curse Phil Cunningham,
For taking us for mugs,
And wonder when he chose this route,
Was he taking drugs ?

Up Newtown climb you just hold on ,
The pace high as we roll,
The bunch much smaller at the top,
As the suffering takes it’s toll.

The road is flat for a few K,
Which eases legs that burn,
Riders hanging at the back ,
Refuse to take their turn.

Conserving precious energy,
The pace for now slows down ,
Some making their way back on,
Before we drop to Tallow Town.

A sharp left turn in Tallow,
The next few miles will tell,
You’re on the Tallow Gallows,
The fastest route to hell.

This hill is not the steepest,
It’s the speed that makes you crack,
If you haven’t done your homework,
You’ll be blown right out the back.

It seems to last forever,
This five kilometer drag,
It’s a sight for sore eyes and legs,
To reach Phil’s polka dot flag.

If you reach the top with the bunch,
You know you’re doing fine,
Because the members of this elite group,
Will contest the finish line.

We race down to Dungourney,
Just one more hill to go,
The short climb towards Midleton,
Nicknamed the Poggio.

We reach the green sheds on the right,
Which mark the end of climbing,
From here it’s a fifty K average,
It all boils down to timing.

Never sprint before the bridge
Unless you’re super strong,
If you’re not second from the front here ,
You know you’ve got it wrong.

You’ve done the climbs you took your turns ,
You’re going to make them pay,
But you’re pipped before the finish line,
By a lad who no one’s seen all day.

Five minutes on it’s all forgot,
Over a pot of tea.
It’s great to catch up with people,
That you rarely see.

The atmosphere is electric,
A charitable goodwill,
We should do this event every year,
The spot light turns on Phil.

So since twenty eleven
The Earthquake spin takes place,
Each year a different charity,
And still it’s not a race.

As time goes by we’ll never see,
That original spirit brake.
As future generations ask ,
Why’s this race called the Earthquake?

And some wise old historian,
Will recall the story still ,
Of how the race became a monument,
All thanks to “Earthquake Phil”.

Composed by Peter Maloney.

Leonard O’Keefe takes the EQ19 KOH.