Sean McFadden: Just surviving is succeeding

Six days down. Still going.
Someone asked me this evening over dinner in the Mount Errigal Hotel how Glengesh was today, compared to previous jaunts up the famous climb.
My reply was simple and to the point; it never gets any easier. Ever. I used a few other words in my answer as well when elaborating on the topic - safe to say the language wasn't exactly parliamentary. Enough said!
I was extremely stiff and sore from my two brushes with the tarmac yesterday as I climbed on the saddle this morning in Dungloe. Thankfully, I stayed vertical today for the 132km ridden in some serious heat.
While Glengesh was always going to leave the body roaring to stop as I made my way along its winding, testing snaps, I was so glad to get a tidy day under the belt.
If the Rás taught me anything today, it's that the world of cycling is both relentless and unforgiving. One momentary lapse and you're off the wheel, off the group and out the back door.
I genuinely thought the pace would settle and drop to handy on the way in to Glenties, at least for a while. Wrong. The line out lasted a full 25 minutes as we pedaled from Fintown around to Portnoo. The pace was 60 kph - it really was off the wall stuff.
The support up Glengesh was amazing. I spotted and heard Ben George, Naoise Enright, Ciaran Liddy, Gerard Callaghan, Eunan Quinn, Declan Doherty, Terence Diver, Paul Lee, Kevin Holian, Paddy Friel, Louise Alcorn, to name but a few, on the climb. Every bit of support helps when you're fighting the laws of gravity...
But I made it up and over, got into Killybegs and made it home into The Diamond with plenty to spare. I live to fight another day.
In this world I've chosen to immerse myself in, surviving is succeeding.
It's back to Donegal Town in the morning, with the penultimate stage over 168 km finishing in Ardee.
It was great to be back in Donegal for the last few days and nights, and the home support was a big factor in keeping me motivated and focused.
But we're south bound tomorrow for stage seven. Fingers crossed, it's a lucky seven.
And Skerries remains the only thing on my mind.