Saturday Spin: 3rd May

TinyExplosions

Dog Track 10am, Dundrum 10:15

I'm determined to go over Sally Gap this time round, who's in?

DirkVoodoo

Hopefully I should be there. Suffering from a bit of pack pain at the moment and shockingly i have yet to pass 100km on my spins.

kenmc

aye.

niceonetom

yep.

RtD

Probably.

Might see if a friend is up for it as well, he's planning on the 200 also, though be warned, he's french :eek:

Chips Lovell

I'm planning a run at Slieve Maan on Saturday and will post up details when I have a minute for anyone interested. We'll be leaving a good bit earlier than 10 though because its such a long way down.

beans

I have a wedding on Friday but I'm off the sauce due to sickness, so expect to be awake nice and early. Shall endeavour to be at the dogtrack, I've been meaning to do this for a few weekends now.

I'll be on a battered old black Specialized hybrid

TinyExplosions

RtD wrote: »

Probably.

Might see if a friend is up for it as well, he's planning on the 200 also, though be warned, he's french :eek:

You can't choose your friends sometimes can ya

The more the merrier

dub_skav

I'm in this week. Have to see how I go with somebody else keeping the pace.

Where in Dundrum is the meeting spot?

kenmc

under the luas bridge, diagonally across the road from Joe Dalys

kenmc

el tonto wrote: »

I'm planning a run at Slieve Maan on Saturday and will post up details when I have a minute for anyone interested. We'll be leaving a good bit earlier than 10 though because its such a long way down.

oh decisions decisions..... have done wicklow and sally now at this stage, might be nice to do this one as well, so I've done all 3 before the day, then start reeling the distances back in a bit....
are you going to be hitting it the same direction as the WW200 or the other way - i.e. west to east, or east to west?

kenmc

beans wrote: »

I have a wedding on Friday but I'm off the sauce due to sickness, so expect to be awake nice and early.

If you're too sick to drink, do you *really* think you should be hitting the hills on a bike???? :eek:

dub_skav

kenmc wrote: »

under the luas bridge, diagonally across the road from Joe Dalys

Sounds good to me. I'll be there on my white Lapierre hybrid

ullu

Ugh, I had been looking forward to this all week but now have to work on Saturday morning.

Chips Lovell

kenmc wrote: »

oh decisions decisions..... have done wicklow and sally now at this stage, might be nice to do this one as well, so I've done all 3 before the day, then start reeling the distances back in a bit....
are you going to be hitting it the same direction as the WW200 or the other way - i.e. west to east, or east to west?

Actually, scrap that. After careful consideration we both decided we were a bit too physically shattered this week and have postponed until next Saturday. Fancy coming along then? And anyone else for that matter. We'll be going over the same side as the W200, but coming at it from the East, rather than the West. We plan on taking in Glenmalure (which is a fabulous climb) and the Wicklow Gap after that. It'll be a 150km spin, which should set you up nicely.

So we'll both see you all at 10:15 in Dundrum.

Raam

el tonto wrote: »

We'll be going over the same side as the W200, but coming at it from the East, rather than the West. We plan on taking in Glenmalure (which is a fabulous climb) and the Wicklow Gap after that. It'll be a 150km spin, which should set you up nicely.

Similar to the spin Roger and I did, also very tiring.

kenmc

Love to. Except that I'll be Pizza-ing and Pasta-ing and Wining in Rome for that weekend.
So, Sally gap this weekend - we could go on to the wicklow gap after coffee in Laragh like I didn't before???
Dundrum 10:15 so.

EH

Count me in for tomorrow, see you at Dundrum at 10.15. I'll be on the Tricross

Eoin

Chips Lovell

Raam wrote: »

Similar to the spin Roger and I did, also very tiring.

Exactly. Except we were planning on going down the N11 as far as Rathnew since we reckon its the fastest way to get down there.

kenmc wrote: »

Love to. Except that I'll be Pizza-ing and Pasta-ing and Wining in Rome for that weekend.
So, Sally gap this weekend - we could go on to the wicklow gap after coffee in Laragh like I didn't before???
Dundrum 10:15 so.

Sorry about that!

erizo

I'll be around the mountains too. But my friend want's to drive to enniskerry and do the whole circuit starting from there, as it will be 50 extra km for us in case of cycling from the north city side.
So i guess we will probably meet you at some stage.

By the way, check this out. I might join for next year.
http://www.quebrantahuesos.com/ i hope the link was in english.

This a another 205 kms challenge where 7500 cyclists from all over the world take part in, around the pyrenees. For this years edition inscription is full, but next year it will be the year.

And this is another cool stuff I would love to take part in.
http://www.titandesert.es/

Talk to you!

TinyExplosions

kenmc wrote: »

Love to. Except that I'll be Pizza-ing and Pasta-ing and Wining in Rome for that weekend.
So, Sally gap this weekend - we could go on to the wicklow gap after coffee in Laragh like I didn't before???
Dundrum 10:15 so.

I may be up for that, depending on whether Sally Gap kills me or not

beans

I'm out, I'll be sleeping till 10 at the earliest; later night than expected

kenmc

Right, so I'm finally home, despite the best intentions of my knees. No problems going up and over Sally, and even Wicklow, but on the way out of the valley towards Hollywood first my right and then my left knee started to hurt like hell, at the top of the pedal stroke. I was really unable to put too much power down, so had to limp home from Hollywood. Kudos to Tom for waiting up for me, and for breaking the journey at Brittas for a coke and to let the neurofen take some effect.

Was literally limping home all the way - so slowly that I was even in the cycletracks from Templeouge all the way. It's not sore to walk or stand, it;s the act of standing up from a seated position, or sitting down, that it hurts - the outside of both knees, just below the kneecap. I reckon it's either technique or position or a combination of both, but where do I start??? :mad: anyone got any ideas?

Very annoying. Ruined an otherwise beautiful day for a cycle...

edit: 118.26km, 5:10:33, Avg 22.8 (not too bad considering the slow pace from Hollywood as it happens!).

TinyExplosions

kenmc wrote: »

Right, so I'm finally home, despite the best intentions of my knees. No problems going up and over Sally, and even Wicklow, but on the way out of the valley towards Hollywood first my right and then my left knee started to hurt like hell, at the top of the pedal stroke. I was really unable to put too much power down, so had to limp home from Hollywood. Kudos to Tom for waiting up for me, and for breaking the journey at Brittas for a coke and to let the neurofen take some effect.

Was literally limping home all the way - so slowly that I was even in the cycletracks from Templeouge all the way. It's not sore to walk or stand, it;s the act of standing up from a seated position, or sitting down, that it hurts - the outside of both knees, just below the kneecap. I reckon it's either technique or position or a combination of both, but where do I start??? :mad: anyone got any ideas?

Very annoying. Ruined an otherwise beautiful day for a cycle...

edit: 118.26km, 5:10:33, Avg 22.8 (not too bad considering the slow pace from Hollywood as it happens!).

Ouch! Sounds like not a lot of fun. Our decent from Sally was totally fab, I even got up some speed

kenmc

it was fine until after the wicklow gap, a lovely cofee break in laragh, and fab weather. just the pain. even neurofen wasn't able to keep it at bay!! the weekend off the bike next week will be good for me...

Bicyclegadabout

kenmc wrote: »

edit: 118.26km, 5:10:33, Avg 22.8

woah, I was tempted to go join yee one of the days, but I'll be a while before I can manage that.



Knee's are a disastrous invention, hope you're feeling better soon.

niceonetom

Bicyclegadabout wrote: »

woah, I was tempted to go join yee one of the days, but I'll be a while before I can manage that.

don't be intimidated by them numbers! i would have been scared at them a few months ago.

we've built up to that over time, and only a couple of us went that far, the rest thought the sally was quite enough for one day.

honestly, the routes we tend to take have plenty of opportunities to go a shorter way, and we're getting decent numbers turning up so there's a goodish chance that you won't be on your own if you decide to peel off. you could start by taking it as far as enniskerry before heading back - or glenncree, or the sally. you'd be surprised at how quickly you'll feel like going further. being in a group makes a BIG difference to how long the miles feel.

TinyExplosions

Bicyclegadabout wrote: »

woah, I was tempted to go join yee one of the days, but I'll be a while before I can manage that.

Ditto to what Tom said, you can do Enniskerry and back, which is about 50k with not a huge amount of climbing, up over Sally Gap and back, which is a fair amount of climbing, and 80k or so, or can go on and over the Wicklow Gap too, and rack up the miles. We're a very mixed ability group, and if I can get up there, I'm sure you could!

smithslist

kenmc wrote: »

Right, so I'm finally home, despite the best intentions of my knees. No problems going up and over Sally, and even Wicklow, but on the way out of the valley towards Hollywood first my right and then my left knee started to hurt like hell, at the top of the pedal stroke. I was really unable to put too much power down, so had to limp home from Hollywood. Kudos to Tom for waiting up for me, and for breaking the journey at Brittas for a coke and to let the neurofen take some effect.

Was literally limping home all the way - so slowly that I was even in the cycletracks from Templeouge all the way. It's not sore to walk or stand, it;s the act of standing up from a seated position, or sitting down, that it hurts - the outside of both knees, just below the kneecap. I reckon it's either technique or position or a combination of both, but where do I start??? :mad: anyone got any ideas?

could be a number of things:
- bike position, pedaling style as you mentioned......
- slow pedaling on low gears while climbing where u are grinding up the climb this has a effect on your knees, especially if you have poor knees, or if your knees are not use to the amount of climbin u did, as you said that u did 118 clicks
- cleat position, but from ur cycling spins done already u shuld hav got the pain already, thats if you hav done the same route before
- strength of the knee, mayb from the amount of climbin that ur knee is not as strong.
- suffering from poor knees

hope it helps, but u will only find out the real cause if you eliminate them one by one.....

congrats the spin thou

kenmc

The only thing I did different was 2 climbs in the one day, i've been over both sally and wicklow seperately before, this was the first time I did them together. Did 130km last weekend over wicklow, and there was a *slight* twinge in the right knee just at the end, but it was gone by Monday, I played Tag Rugby on it on Tuesday so I presumed it was just an ache....
As far as I know nothing much has changed in my setup, unless my saddle has slipped slightly or something. I'll play with that first I think.
Pain is almost gone now - so much so that I was thinking of going to Enniskerry and back, but the voice of wisdom has convinced me otherwise

dub_skav

I have to agree with the lads, don't be intimidated by the prospect of joining in. I went out for my first spin with them on Saturday and while it was tough there is a mixed ability group and the quicker guys wait up at the top of climbs to get the group back together.

Sorry to hear about the knees kenmc, I was very tempted to go on to the Wicklow Gap with you lads, probably just as well I didn't so.

On the knees could it have been too much stopping and starting? I have dodgy knees and find I'm grand until I cool down and go to start again.

kenmc

I dunno what it was. still sore on the commute today - will get the bike home tonite and get the luas for the rest of the week I think, give it time to fully rest.
From what I've been reading it could be the saddle height. Hoping to get out to a mate tonite who runs a sports clinic and is also a cyclist, so he might be able to sort me out - or at least give me some pointers....

But yeah, it's a good group to go out with, so don't be afraid of the distances that are posted up - they're all just numbers, and it's MUCH easier to cycle further distances in a group than solo...

niceonetom

dub_skav wrote: »

On the knees could it have been too much stopping and starting? I have dodgy knees and find I'm grand until I cool down and go to start again.

that's a very good point dub-skav. we stopped for a coffee in laragh and then went straight onto the wicklow gap. that might not have been the wisest.

Chips Lovell

kenmc wrote: »

It's not sore to walk or stand, it;s the act of standing up from a seated position, or sitting down, that it hurts - the outside of both knees, just below the kneecap.

I'd be very careful with this as most guys I know who've had knee problems find that they don't go away unless treated and tend to get worse. I'm no expert, but if it's the outside of your knees, it could be Iliotibial Band Syndrome, which tends to affect cyclists and runners. It isn't the knee itself, but rather a tendon that ends at the knee that gets aggravated. You're doing the right thing by getting it seen to straight away.

Chips Lovell

niceonetom wrote: »

that's a very good point dub-skav. we stopped for a coffee in laragh and then went straight onto the wicklow gap. that might not have been the wisest.

While its a great spot for a break, I'm always in two minds about stopping in Laragh. Invariably you're doing the Wicklow Gap afterwards and I hate having to go right into the climb needing to get warmed up again.

kenmc

Yeah I know there's nothing to be gained from leaving it to itself. It's obviously something major if it happened with both legs. What I don't understand is why it hasn't happened before now. Maybe the combination of technique/position and the double mountain climb, coupled with the weather, the coffee break and the colour of my gloves on saturday has caused this

Chips Lovell

Could be anything and hopefully a doctor will throw some light on it for you. Could be that the problem has been building up over time and only reached a pain inducing state on Saturday or it could be that as you became a stronger rider something changed about your riding style that you haven't noticed. I wouldn't freak out though. You've got a month to sort it and you've plenty of training under your belt already.

RtD

Sounds nasty Ken, I guess you got the bad luck at the end of the cycle that I had at the start.

kenmc

Update:
So it's the ITB thats causing the problems. Have loads of stretches and exercises to do now. Also, the saddle went up about 3 or 4 cm, and back about the same! Feels really wierd now, like I'm perched on top of the bike! Felt strong enough in the knees this morning on the way into work.. Apparently I'll be able to climb much easier with the new position too!