Orwell Randonnee 2015

BoardsMember · 01-05-2015 5:02pm

Leroy42 wrote: »

Whats the bets tomorrow ends up the best day of the year so far. Warm temperatures, gentle breeze always going with you and clear blue skies.

Hope Ur right, I'm marshalling. Though would love to be cycling, so would soften that blow...nah, hope you're right!! Good luck all.

niceonetom · 01-05-2015 5:03pm

Nothing to do with the weather (honest!), I'm just not over an injury yet so if anyone wants my entry (at face value) drop me a PM.

devonp · 01-05-2015 8:28pm

devonp wrote: »

I have an entry i cant use (and its even easier than usual:P)
if anyone wants it PM me
not fussed about the 30e, just ask that the user might donate to the Ross Nugent foundation, not quite sure how i transfer the registration(prob just email my pdf ??)

still looking for a good home for free

neris · 02-05-2015 6:45am

Lovely day for it

happyhappy · 02-05-2015 6:59am

neris wrote: »

Lovely day for it

This is a serious test of character at the minute!

iwillhtfu · 02-05-2015 7:06am

Pack warm clothes for afterwards it's gonna be another cold one.

Konkers · 02-05-2015 7:09am

happyhappy wrote: »

This is a serious test of character at the minute!

Agreed, and all I've done is look out the window

happyhappy · 02-05-2015 7:16am

Konkers wrote: »

Agreed, and all I've done is look out the window

You were one step ahead of me, I was listening to the rain from my bed!

mal1 · 02-05-2015 7:24am

I'm all dress up in gear and still not sure if i will do it.

happyhappy · 02-05-2015 7:29am

mal1 wrote: »

I'm all dress up in gear and still not sure if i will do it.

Same!

mal1 · 02-05-2015 7:31am

My plan is to cycle down the 8 km for registration and see how I feel.

godtabh · 02-05-2015 8:10am

good luck lads!

Hani Kosti · 02-05-2015 8:11am

I know about one who's not gonna show up (aka curled up in bed)

Buzwaldo · 02-05-2015 8:22am

Wusses all of you. Go for it. It's character building.
(Says one who is working today, but suffered Skoda last weekend)

The tax man · 02-05-2015 8:25am

I think I'll pass on today. Last time I was out in weather like today I lost 2 weeks off the bike.
Best of luck to those that brave the elements.

happyhappy · 02-05-2015 8:32am

I'm gonna pass today and do the course on Monday when the forecast is better. That way I won't feel like I've been lazy today.

Arequipa · 02-05-2015 12:27pm

Hi! I decided to stay in bed this am.. Would have loved to have cycled, but 5 hours cycling in lashing rain is not for me!
If it was a showery day i'd defo go for it...

Best of luck to all the brave ones!

dragratchet · 02-05-2015 12:30pm

castelli should be selling gabbas out the back of a car at the start, they'd have cleaned up

neris · 02-05-2015 12:36pm

Started and bailed out after Powerscourt. Roaring gale up kilakee with driving rain just made it miserable by time i hit top of powerscourt. Visibility was crap aswell. 3 degrees descending & that didnt include wind chill. Was offered lift in the van to catch up with the group as few of us were stragling 45 minutes behind at that stage. Thanks to Orwell was well set up and nothing you can do about mother nature

wanderer 22 · 02-05-2015 12:54pm

neris wrote: »

Started and bailed out after Powerscourt. Roaring gale up kilakee with driving rain just made it miserable by time i hit top of powerscourt. Visibility was crap aswell. 3 degrees descending & that didnt include wind chill. Was offered lift in the van to catch up with the group as few of us were stragling 45 minutes behind at that stage. Thanks to Orwell was well set up and nothing you can do about mother nature

Fair play for getting that far; I didn't even get to the start line myself

ROK ON · 02-05-2015 1:13pm

Spent the morning coughing, spluttering wheezing and attempting to study integral calculus.
Feeling absolutely 100% happy that I am not out in that sh1te.
Hard luck to Orwell - a huge effort has gone into organising and volunteering.
Fair dues to anyone out either riding or marshalling. Tough station - hope ye enjoy the afterglow and burgers.

goldenboots · 02-05-2015 1:22pm

Was fairly sure when I got up that I would not do it. Went to Benildus anyway and signed in but finally decided at 8.45 that it would be crazy to attempt it. Not sure whether anyone that did do it is unbelievably tough or just plain mental. One guy tried to encourage me by saying it would be character building! Am quite happy to have my character questioned on days like this.

Feel really sorry for the Orwell crew who always put on a great event. Was really looking forward to it, even the original route, and know of several others in the same boat. Have every intention of doing it again next year when it will probably be savagely hot!

OleRodrigo · 02-05-2015 1:49pm

Me too. Last Saturday was plenty of character building, today would have been foolish. Chapeau to anyone who gave it a lash.

bazermc · 02-05-2015 2:05pm

Any chance Orwell would run it again in say a months time. I would happy pay again. The original route looked great.

happyhappy · 02-05-2015 2:14pm

bazermc wrote: »

Any chance Orwell would run it again in say a months time. I would happy pay again. The original route looked great.

Il second that!

Keep_Her_Lit · 02-05-2015 2:35pm

Fair play to anyone who completes the course in that deluge. I don't envy you ...

simonrooneyzaga · 02-05-2015 2:46pm

Don't feel one bit guilty about going back to bedthis morning. Made it to dundrum before turning back. Well done to anyone who has finished that. Gratifying to know I'm not the only one who gave it a miss!!

terrydel · 02-05-2015 2:49pm

Good luck to anyone who even attempted that today!
Fair play is all I can say.

Konkers · 02-05-2015 3:21pm

Just back and out of the bath, did not do the loop over Shay Elliot though. Interested to see how many do the whole thing, they are the hardy ones. Felt like I was in a wetsuit all day (a cold one). Was shivering at the foodstop in laragh so decided to come back by the Wicklow way with two others. Still 121 all in for the day ain't bad. Are the gabbas worth it, not sure anything would have given sufficient protection. Oh and fair play to the Orwell crew, they are a mighty bunch

mal1 · 02-05-2015 3:32pm

Did the lot and Shay Elliott was fine, almost sheltered. Although, it was tough getting back from Rathdrum with the continuous hills. Legs were cramping badly on the cycle back from Goatstown. Body was getting cold and the muscles didn't like it. Burger and chips were great though.

julio_iglayzis · 02-05-2015 4:02pm

Konkers wrote: »

Just back and out of the bath, did not do the loop over Shay Elliot though. Interested to see how many do the whole thing, they are the hardy ones. Felt like I was in a wetsuit all day (a cold one). Was shivering at the foodstop in laragh so decided to come back by the Wicklow way with two others. Still 121 all in for the day ain't bad. Are the gabbas worth it, not sure anything would have given sufficient protection. Oh and fair play to the Orwell crew, they are a mighty bunch

That was me with you on the Wicklow Way - I'd a gabba on and you heard how much I was whinging about being cold! There's no gear available that could protect you from those conditions. Just horrendous altogether.
Having said that it is still a great piece of kit, but cycling in those conditions was the same as jumping into the sea.

And yup, great job Orwell, very well organised and marshalled.

Crocked · 02-05-2015 4:18pm

Zero regrets about bailing on this when I heard the rain this morning, there'd have been no enjoyment at all in going for a cycle in that weather. Fair play to those hardy souls who gave it a shot

devonp · 02-05-2015 4:50pm

happyhappy wrote: »

I'm gonna pass today and do the course on Monday when the forecast is better. That way I won't feel like I've been lazy today.

my plan also, Monday might be busy up there...
fairplay to all who did or even attempted it

Konkers · 02-05-2015 4:57pm

julio_iglayzis wrote: »

That was me with you on the Wicklow Way - I'd a gabba on and you heard how much I was whinging about being cold! There's no gear available that could protect you from those conditions. Just horrendous altogether.
Having said that it is still a great piece of kit, but cycling in those conditions was the same as jumping into the sea.

And yup, great job Orwell, very well organised and marshalled.

Good man Julio, you're a strong cyclist. Thanks for the company, it made the return home bareable.

Hmmzis · 02-05-2015 5:03pm

Kudos to anyone even attempting this today, the only thing missing from the weather was a snowstorm. People's wet gear was certainly put to the test today.

And there is no kudos big enough to those who actualy got round the whole thing. Some hardy souls you are!!!

irishrover99 · 02-05-2015 5:28pm

Done the whole lot and glad I did. Other than the severe pain I had in my hands when I stopped in laragh I was feeling really good and finished with plenty left. Conditions were terrible and made my poor descending even worse. Climbed really well all day and pulled a few along with me. Even took a wrong turn after glenmalure lodge and went up another climb that wasn't on the route before joining up at rathdrum again. When I got to the end I began to shiver and the lads from Orwell put some of that insulating foil around me to warm me up. Very well run event and nice food stops all day. Still trying to warm up now. Well done everyone involved today, finished or not.
https://www.strava.com/activities/296650148

newbiecamper · 02-05-2015 5:51pm

Did the lot and now that I've thawed out I'm glad I did. Big Thank you to everyone involved in organising and marshalling the event. It can't have been fun standing out there. Well done Orwell.

iwillhtfu · 02-05-2015 6:19pm

irishrover99 wrote: »

Done the whole lot and glad I did. Other than the severe pain I had in my hands when I stopped in laragh I was feeling really good and finished with plenty left. Conditions were terrible and made my poor descending even worse. Climbed really well all day and pulled a few along with me. Even took a wrong turn after glenmalure lodge and went up another climb that wasn't on the route before joining up at rathdrum again. When I got to the end I began to shiver and the lads from Orwell put some of that insulating foil around me to warm me up. Very well run event and nice food stops all day. Still trying to warm up now. Well done everyone involved today, finished or not.
https://www.strava.com/activities/296650148

:eek::eek::eek:

I was about to say how good do you want it to be when I saw you max speed 85.3 km/h. I assume it's either a glitch or on the back of a car for a bit.

Well done good averages and climbing well.

glennbhoy · 02-05-2015 6:22pm

3rd out of the last 4 years randonee and defo the toughest. Fair play for changing the course as it was so tough out there. Wanted to turn round manys a time but happy that stuck it out. Need to invest in some proper wet gear as was freezing and soaked through pretty early on.

Congrats to Orwell for the great organisation, marshalling and off course carrot cake

Ghosty669 · 02-05-2015 6:36pm

bazermc wrote: »

Any chance Orwell would run it again in say a months time. I would happy pay again. The original route looked great.

In a word : no!

It takes us the best part of a year to organise an event of this type between contacting the various county councils and related associations for approval, getting places booked for start/finish and food halls, getting 50 volunteers to turn up to help and of course getting all the food sorted for the entrants.

Getting this done in 4 weeks would be impossible even if we had the energy for it at this stage.

nilhg · 02-05-2015 6:51pm

Firstly I should say well done to Orwell, the standard of marshalling and care given to the cyclists was second to none, the food stop in Laragh was all one could ask for (that soup really hit the spot) and the carrot cake was worth the wetting, the one thing that nearly put me off going today was when the route was changed, I understood why it had to be done but still wondered would it be worth the hassle to me of the early start and the drive up to Dublin for a "lesser" challenge, I have to say I shouldn't have doubted them, it was an lovely wander around a part of Wicklow that I hadn't cycled in before with plenty to challenge the legs, well done to whoever came up with it.

Reading some of the posts above I'm starting to wonder if there is something wrong with me, I really enjoyed the day, there were some hairy moments for sure, I was almost brought down up on the featherbeds when three lads crashed in front of me, I was sure I was gone but by some miracle they slid apart and left a tiny channel down the middle that I just about squeezed through (they all seemed to be OK after, a bit of road rash OK but seemingly nothing too severe). After stopping with the lads for a few minutes and almost straight away turning down Glencree I was cold and wondering what I was doing but the climb up the Old Long Hill soon warmed me up and I was comfortable enough up to the food stop.

After the stop on Shay Elliot 4 lads from Blanch Wheelies gave me a beautiful tow all the way up, I couldn't have asked them to pace it better and from there home I felt good, I had a ridiculous amount of clothes on but it seems I got it right cause I wasn't cold at all getting back, just tried to keep an even effort all the way.

Well done to Orwell and all who took part today, someone said to me this morning "only you and the mad f****rs would go out today", maybe she was right but I'm glad I made the effort.

https://www.strava.com/activities/296719636

ArdRi71 · 02-05-2015 6:56pm

Firstly a big thank you to Orwell and their team, great marshalling and support. Utmost respect and admiration.

I had cause to use the support as I came down on the Featherbeds (apologies for bringing you down Eddie, felt so bad. This isn't my first rodeo so touching the wheel in front should not have happened). Ripped gear, gashed elbow and bike in bits thought my day was done. But fair play to Peter from Orwell who swapped out my buckled front wheel and repaired the breaks and shifters so I could ride on.

Then.......on the descent to Powersourt waterfall I punctured on the replaced wheel. Peter to the rescue again but unfortunately the tyre wall was slit, cue John in the van and I'm on my way again on my third front wheel of the day after a lift to the bottom of Old Long Hill to catch up.

Ambulance staff sorted out the elbow in Laragh and the soup eased the hypothermia.

Chips and burger were very welcome at the end, but the hot cup of tea was the best! Credit to all at the finish who kindly helped me with the uncontrollable shivering, at one stage I was under 2 foil blankets, a sleeping bag and a very kind lady had given me a fleece hat (sorry forgot to give it to Peter, emailed trying to track you down to return it ).

Thanks yet again to Peter and Charlotte who very kindly drove me home as the buckled wheel wouldn't allow me to cycle.

Do you know what?? I loved the event, even with the weather (apart from the embarrassing fall). Great sense of achievement #Never Quit

irishrover99 · 02-05-2015 6:56pm

iwillhtfu wrote: »

:eek::eek::eek:

I was about to say how good do you want it to be when I saw you max speed 85.3 km/h. I assume it's either a glitch or on the back of a car for a bit.

Well done good averages and climbing well.

Defenitly a glitch

byrybak · 02-05-2015 7:05pm

Great event, thanks Orwell.
Did the full 122km and I'm glad I did it. Burgers at the end were lovely&#55357;&#56832;

D9Male · 02-05-2015 7:40pm

Absolutely brilliant event. Fabulously organised. I must have eaten €30 worth of grub in Laragh, so will donate more to the charity. I thought it was for Ryle Nugent initially, but now I know it is a good cause!

The event is a credit to the club. My first sportive and I was blown away by the friendliness, the slick running of the event and the route.

Oh the route! 125km of slog. Fair play to the lads for cutting it short vs the earlier plan. I would have struggled to do much more. The climb up to Glencree from Stocking Lane was the toughest. Into the teeth of a gale. So tough. Vindicated the organisers cutting out the exposed bits. Other climbs were hard, but sheltered. I was among the last to finish at 3.30 in a group of six.

I thought I deserved a hero's welcome at home. I got a steak and a kiss but it is beginning to dawn on my wife that having a cycling husband is not all glamour. Three kids on a rainy day for 8 hours plus.

I don't know who is dreading the WW200 more, Mrs. D9Male or me.

DaithiMC · 02-05-2015 7:41pm

Ghosty669 wrote: »

In a word : no!

It takes us the best part of a year to organise an event of this type between contacting the various county councils and related associations for approval, getting places booked for start/finish and food halls, getting 50 volunteers to turn up to help and of course getting all the food sorted for the entrants.

Getting this done in 4 weeks would be impossible even if we had the energy for it at this stage.

I did the whole course today and I have to say you and the club volunteers did a massive job to roll with the punches the weather threw at you. The course changes were bang on and recognising the dangers on the Long Hill descent and concentrating marshals there was fantastic. I was too afraid to stop at the food stop and cool down too much so missed the infamous carrot cake but the burger and chips at the end fit the bill!

del_boy13 · 02-05-2015 8:36pm

Did the full spin today and have to say that it was one of the toughest rides I have ever done. Thanks to Orwell for organising and then managing the event so well. Plenty of everything and great encouragement from all the marshals. Especially for the marshals who stood in the rain all day.

After the food stop in Laragh the camaraderie of all the riders kept me going the many who passed me and the very few I passed were all still positive despite the suffering.

whacker00 · 02-05-2015 8:37pm

What a tough day, a massive thanks to all in Orwell for a great day. Really well marshalled and organised, you guys really do a great event

Was such a tough day in the saddle, kudos to anyone who went out. Completed the whole course and delighted I stayed with it. Everything was telling me to turn around or find an easier route back but I managed to stay the distance. The headwind on Glencree was really tough, at one stage I got out of the saddle and was nearly blown backwards

Feet up now and enjoying a beer

Again well done to all

Whacker

Red Belly · 02-05-2015 9:19pm

Delighted to do this today after abandoning the Skoda Tour last week. Wore a Gabba last week and nearly froze to death. Today wore four layers including an assos Air Jacket and a rain jacket and while I was soaked and cold nothing like last week. Everybody else probably knew already about wearing latex gloves inside your regular gloves but I only discovered it today when a lady was handing them out at Laragh. They made a massive difference and while my gloves were saturated for the whole day, my hands were never cold after Laragh! Where do I get latex socks?

Huge kudos to the club and all the volunteers. Superb.

Rb

Konkers · 02-05-2015 9:28pm

Red Belly wrote: »

Delighted to do this today after abandoning the Skoda Tour last week. Wore a Gabba last week and nearly froze to death. Today wore four layers including an assos Air Jacket and a rain jacket and while I was soaked and cold nothing like last week. Everybody else probably knew already about wearing latex gloves inside your regular gloves but I only discovered it today when a lady was handing them out at Laragh. They made a massive difference and while my gloves were saturated for the whole day, my hands were never cold after Laragh! Where do I get latex socks?

Huge kudos to the club and all the volunteers. Superb.

Rb

Any of the DIY stores will have latex gloves unless you fancy a set of marigolds (they just may be better with the longer wrist).

Orwell Randonnee 2015

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