Good luck to the brave souls doing the ring of kerry

roadmanmad

My thoughts are with those on the ROK tomorrow.

It looks as if it will be tough with the conditions

My excuse is that I have had a chest infection in the past week and participation would be suicide.

Well done

showry

Thanks roadman,
Conditions turned out great,
very little wind and stayed dry until we were coming down from Moll's gap.
It was my first time, very enjoyable, I've eaten so much brack I reckon I put on weight doing it.
Lots of boardsies out there - the kit looks great.

penexpers

Yep grand conditions, excellent event, very well organised.

cantalach

We didn't leave Killarney until after 9 so we actually got caught by the rain much earlier on - between Caherdaniel and Sneem. Good and wet we were!.

dh0661

Trolling HERE - sorry about that.

But I have to congratulate everyone who participated today, including my hubby -- I'm sure I'll be soothing sore mussels for the next month :rolleyes:;):rolleyes:;)

irishmotorist

What a day! The only bad weather encountered was on the way down from Molls Gap where I had the company of Tinyexplosions and Kenmc. Bit of drizzly rain there, but it was dry and fairly calm for the rest of course. I think I even improved the tan a wee bit!
I bumped into (not literally) Trekclimber too - much nearer the start. Great meeting you guys and I hope to get around to some of the weekend spins now that this event is over.
It was my biggest cycle (after the Wicklow 100 being the biggest at the time) and am chuffed with my time - about 6:35 riding time.
I was expecting the climbs to be worse, particularly when you hear about the mighty Molls Gap. It's a fine hill and all the rest, but not near enough to make you get off and walk, which was what I was half expecting.

kenmc

i enjoyed it - in hindsight. Coming up to sneem I was selling the feckin bike, never cycling again, totally in the horrors, dead legs, even cramps! guess thats what happens when you don't get on the bike for 4 weeks aftr the WW200. Met loads of people, as IrishMotorist was saying we finished together, and that was the only time we got wet. We went out hard and fast, leading the pace to cahirsiveen - overtaking many many cyclists who cheated by starting out ahead of the lead car - some of them must have left around 6am, cos they were going SLOWLY when we passed them coming up to 60km in.
An amazing amount of people doing it on mountain bikes, in tracksuits, cheapo rain jackets, backpacks, some even had panniers and sports bags - I don't know how much stuff they were carrying, truly an event for all levels - there were a pair of ould dears we passed on Molls gap on mountainbikes, they were chatting away to each other all the way up! Fair play to them all.
The organizers of the WW200 have a LOT to learn in terms of organization - we had garda escorts, roads closed as we went through in big groups, and the mountain of food to feed a small country!
my ride time was 6h11

edit also the number of comments we were receiving on the jerseys, people asking where the 'club' was from, also many many lurkers saying they drop in from time to time - come on, sign up and say hello!

cantalach

irishmotorist wrote: »

I was expecting the climbs to be worse, particularly when you hear about the mighty Molls Gap. It's a fine hill and all the rest, but not near enough to make you get off and walk, which was what I was half expecting.

Ah yeah, le Col de Moll tops out at only 260 m and has no steep bits at all coming from the Kenmare side. It's just a drag really and nothing compared to the likes of the Connor Pass or Slieve Maan. Lovely scenery though, and that fast and twisty part of the decent starting at the bridge below Ladies View is great fun if you get a clear run!

Coomakista is even lower than Moll's Gap and again not at all steep. But the nice constant gradient combined with the fact that you can see the top for most of the way seems to lure you into charging up full gas. It's one of my favourite climbs as a result. The stunning views help too I suppose.

cantalach

kenmc wrote: »

The organizers of the WW200 have a LOT to learn in terms of organization

Yes, fully agree - I made the same point last month just after my first Wicklow 200 but having previously done the RoK. There's no comparison really. And what community involvement - even in the lashing rain coming into Sneem there were whole families standing out under umbrellas cheering people on!

TinyExplosions

I enjoyed it quote a bit (especially the back massage in Kenmare!). Was surprised at the flatness of the course, and the speed we headed out -the first 60k were a blur...

Only downside was the guy with no pump who I stopped to help, and ended up changing his tube for him, but had the DIRTIEST chain ever, and turned me into someone who looked like they'd been down the mines for a few years.

Great organisation all round, and the W200 guys could definitely learn a thing or two.

Best moment was the boards.ie lead out train leaving the start and the food stop in Caherciveen -dead impressive looking I'll bet

ollietrex

Great day... Good to meet all the boards.ie lads and will defo be out on some of the saturday spins.

Dear god that was some pace you lads set... My average for the days was 30kmph I have never kept that pace on any spin. Managed the whole thing in 5.40 which I was really happy with.

Was a very friendly spin and very well organised, I will defo be back next year. :):)

niceonetom

great cycle, and one that's deffo in the calender for next year too (though i think i'll be a bit nicer to myself accommodationwise next time :rolleyes: tom no like hostels so much now).

beautiful part of the country, though i can't say that i really took much of it in at the rate we were going. all my records for pace over long distance were blitzed, we were absolutely whipping along for most of it. can't fault the organisation, or the good will shown by all involved, plenty of food, water etc and a really good atmosphere. even the hardened dublin cynic in me soon warmed to the spectators shouting encouragement, it's a welcome change from the usual verbal abuse that you might get around here . the bishop even arranged a surprising clement day for it too.

the boards jerseys seemed to catch a lot of people's eye too, so i wonder if any lurkers might be enticed out from the shadows and say hello... or even be tempted to join the ranks of the saturday spins.

kenmc

what time did penexpers get back to killarney at, and when did ye get back to dublin?

ollietrex

Think he got in at about 6ish, I was back in dublin by 11 and a beer in my hand by 11:20 and finished at about 3:30.

I even managed to do my MTB race today (well gave up after two laps) but was not as much fun as the ROK, think I am maybe turning into a roadie...:eek:

daymobrew

ollietrex wrote: »

Dear god that was some pace you lads set... My average for the days was 30kmph I have never kept that pace on any spin. Managed the whole thing in 5.40 which I was really happy with.

5:40 is brilliant - I thought I was doing well with 6h08m moving time (17.7mph for the 108 miles). I only stopped for 42mins. Got home by 3pm.

I started from Beaufort at 8:10 and I too made great time to Cahersiveen. Nice declines and good surface to there.
At Sneem Hotel I felt like I was the first person there - there wasn't anyone there when I arrived.

I found the home stretch, after Moll's Gap, to be the toughest. A group of about 10 passed me bike like I was stopped. I was dead. I felt that Torc Waterfall would never appear.

Just like last year I got pee'd on after Torc. Thankfully it's reasonably sheltered there.
The mist/drizzle was there on the way up Coomakista but dried up on the descent.

I'm a big fan of buttered brack. Mmmm.

kenmc

jeez thats good going! I was in bed at 12:30. After a 3 hour powerkip before dinner!

TinyExplosions

I was in bed by midnight I think. Definitely in the calendar for next year, with the aim to beat a 30kph average (27 was mine yesterday). Finished in about 6.10, very happy with it.

RobAMerc

Hi guy's congrats to all who took part yesterday - it was a brilliant day out!

Exact same as last year I only got wet on the run down from Molls Gap home.

Does anyone know the official start time, I am trying to work out my total time, as I forgot to start the bloody watch !

thanks

kenmc

my gps started at 8.23

RobAMerc

kenmc wrote: »

my gps started at 8.23

Thanks.

Got in at 16.10 with about 45 mins stopped - so about 7hrs on the road I reckon.

Not bad - was hoping for 7 hrs including stops - I suppose some trainging might help !

kenmc

daymobrew wrote: »

I started from Beaufort at 8:10 and I too made great time to Cahersiveen.

Was that your kid waving a yellow tshirt as promised, on the left of the road maybe about 15km into the route? Long enough garden, stone wall topped with grass perhaps (as we sped by!)

blorg

I pressed the start on my Garmin at 8:22, although it died 27km in. Got around in around the same time as Ollie (he was flying and seemed fairly handy at the top of the gaps, didn't seem to have any trouble with the pace at all), 5h49m total including going on out to my shower in An Oige hostel in Fossa (another 6.5km or so- it was pissing rain at that point, I didn't realise the end was at the Gleneagle and I wasn't going to turn around ) Fastest I have ever cycled for sure!

penexpers

kenmc wrote: »

what time did penexpers get back to killarney at, and when did ye get back to dublin?

As Ollie said got back in about 6:10. Started off with the boards.ie lads but got dropped after about 500 metres Computer read 7 hours 45 minutes cycling time and I took a fair few breaks along the way. Really happy with that considering my previous longest spin was in the 40-50k region and I had never climbed any "hills" like Molls Gap. I did fade really badly towards the end, took me nearly 90 minutes from Kenmare to Killarney and the descent took alot longer than it should have because I have crap brakes on my bike.

All in all great day. Really well organised with plenty of honest local support and enough food to feed the proverbial army. Met some great people during the day as well (including one guy who has done it for the last 23 years!) and my bike got a good few compliments (including off a lurker on boards.ie who recognised the frame from my postings here). I'll definitely be back next year.

blorg

You did really brilliantly in my opinion, Penexpers, with the previous distances you mentioned to make it around that distance at all never mind in 7h45 is a mighty achievement! I hope it has instilled in you the long-distance bug; you looked pretty handy when you got back to Ollie's van.

TinyExplosions

Bloody impressive is more like it penexpers -that's certainly a bike and a half you have in that Surly (in looks and weight!), and considering your lack of trainin, you made good time

BUACHAILL

Fair play everyone it makes me envious to hear all the stories

blorg

BUACHAILL wrote: »

Fair play everyone it makes me envious to hear all the stories

Sean Kelly on the 24th of August... Good choice of distance, get your nice new bike out there!

BUACHAILL

Sounds like someone just threw down a gauntlet blorg ? What distance is it?

Gavin

BUACHAILL wrote: »

Fair play everyone it makes me envious to hear all the stories

+1 !

paddyb

Sean Kelly Tour
50, 100 or 160km

BUACHAILL

Thanks paddy.
Now I have no excuse ha. Ok so I am in

sooty11

hey guys

well i lost ye all before we even got out of killareny town! it was amazing heading out in the big group. i didnt see a boards jersey for the rest of the day. Ye must have been flying!!
myself and the brother took it at a handy enough pace. averaging 25km/ph. My fastest speed of 52kms was clocked heading into waterville. god i was scared! We had plenty of stops on the way. we actually spent too long at cahersiveen and it did us more harm than good. my bro was feeling the pain at waterville. I was surprised at how fresh i felt at that stage.
my god definetly the worst part for us both was covetown to kenmare. it poured rain the whole way and the wind didnt help. its a long,boring stretch, i though it would never end. i got in a fight with a wasp or something like it along that route and had to flag down the ambulance to get them to give me something cause he got me right under the eye and it was swelling fast.
i was so happy to get to kenmare. molls gap was tough but i made it up with out stopping. i relaxed my shoulders, sat back in the saddle, slowed down my breathing and i was at the top sooner than i expected. with my brother arriving about 10 mins after. we relaxed there for awhile before heading for home. it was a great feeling flyng down from molls knowing we were nearly home. it took 8 hours riding time. my body felt like it was hit by a truck today.
i was talking to a guy after in the gleneagle and he left at 9am and arrvived back at 330!!:eek:, that was savage going. so he advised us for next year not stop for so long. no more than 10 minutes, but stop as much as you need to. and obviosuly more long distance training...
There was no need to bring food. god ive never seen so many bananas in my life! i loved when the official cars past us playing music. it was a great day. and even though im suffering now ill do it again next year.
ive raised about 400 euro on one sponser card. and i yet to see how my second card has filled out.

browneire

Great cycle. We couldn't have been luckier with the weather. There were a good few pace setters which helped the averages. Organisation was top notch, there was a truck load at food in Cahersiveen! Did it in 6:09 and well chuffed as only got a bike 3 weeks ago. The boards.ie jerseys looked the part.

blorg

There was a bit (this was only one of many tables, all of which were constantly replenished:

I ate as much as I physically could at that stop, given that I skipped breakfast (never a good idea, just wasn't available at that time!)

ROK ON

Started in outside Killarney and finished in Kenmare, where the inlaws live (unfotunately if I finished in Killarney I would have had to cycle back to Kenmare. Made it in 6h10m. Have travelled the road from castlecove to Kenmare very very regularly - and agree with previous posters (long and boring). I found it way way tougher than Coomnakista. Have been up and down Mols Gap from both sides in past few months, and the road from Sneem to Balckwater in particular I found much worse. First time ever doing somethin like this (did about 100m), had to finish in Kenmare as I was staying there and wouldn't have been able to get lift back. Great fun. Have been training for 4mths for this, and is so much more enjoyable cycling in a group than out on the back roads of Kildare and Meath on my own. To be honest, apart from cramp (maybe stopped to long in Caherciveen) I found Coomnakista very vey enjoyable, but was with various groups heading up. If anyone knows of a casual cycling group aroound West Dublin let me know, I would much prefer to cycle with a larger group in future. On training runs I averaged 13.5mph, whereas y;day averaged 15.5mph. I put most of this down to cycling in a group. Great experience. Loved it.

daymobrew

kenmc wrote: »

Was that your kid waving a yellow tshirt as promised, on the left of the road maybe about 15km into the route? Long enough garden, stone wall topped with grass perhaps (as we sped by!)

That was my 3 year old niece. My lad is only 7 months old and said it was too cold to be out waving.

Raam

Sounds like a great day was had by all. Well done to everyone.

Chips Lovell

I really enjoyed the weekend. While I knew there wouldn't be that much climbing, I wasn't expecting it to be that flat. Coomakista was really just a long drag and Moll's Gap isn't that tough, although coming right at the end means you do feel it in your legs. It's a beautiful ride up there though.

We were going at a fair old clip and I was really enjoying the pace. I probably got a bit carried away with myself by taking some big pulls near Sneem, which meant I had to let blorg, niceonetom and ollietrex go off up the road before Kenmare. After the food station in Kenmare I took off up Moll's Gap. I caught up with Paul (who'd skipped the Kenmare stop) on the descent and we found blorg a bit further up the road just after the rain started putting his raingear on. The three of us flew back into Killarney, but didn't succeed in catching the other two before the finish. Ride time for me was 5:50 with an average speed of just over 29kph.

The organisation was great. Plenty of food at the stops and the support cars and Garda motorbikes really made a difference, especially at the beginning. The food stop at Kenmare probably could have been better signposted since a lot of folks missed it and the fact that it finished at the Gleneagle wasn't broadcast either, but they're pretty minor quibbles. It was also great to see so many locals lining the road cheering us all on.

I'm surprised no one mentioned yet that myself, blorg, niceonetom and Paul were on the lash until three in the morning that night.

Was also nice to meet some of the guys from Boards who I'd never met before. Ollietrex was flying all day and Harpz was very strong for a guy who hadn't done much long distance stuff before. Ran into showery at the finish line, who recognised the boards kit.

daymobrew

el tonto wrote: »

The food stop at Kenmare probably could have been better signposted since a lot of folks missed it and the fact that it finished at the Gleneagle wasn't broadcast either, but they're pretty minor quibbles.

I agree wrt the Kenmare stop - they needed someone to be at the T-junction.

As I approached the Gleneagle I saw an electronic road sign mentioning the end of the cycle.

Chips Lovell

daymobrew wrote: »

As I approached the Gleneagle I saw an electronic road sign mentioning the end of the cycle.

That's how I found out about it too, but a remarkable amount of people blew right by without spotting it. I don't think it was helped by the fact that it was raining and a lot of people just had the head down gunning for the finish.

Beached

We were so lucky with the weather. Started and finished near kenmare so got molls gap out of the way nice and early. Was too far down the bunch at the start in Killarney to see any Boards jerseys. Never saw as much punctures as i did this year in the first 20K. Smashed heineken bottle in the middle of the street in Killarnet didnt help anyone and i reckon it had got at least 3 riders.
No headwind anywhere, it was a great day. Saw my only boards jersey in Cahersiveen, but was queueing at the time so i couldnt say hello.
Was treated to a real Tour de France moment going up Coomnakista. A 4x4 with a camera man out through the sunroof getting some great shots of us struggling up the hill. Hopefully ill make the DVD.
Only tough bit for me was that little hill before sneem. Its like an optical illusion to me. It does'nt look like a hill, but it kills me every year.
Karma finally caught up to me weatherwise as I got drowned yesterday at the Kerry, Cork match, but i wouldnt have it any other way.
Did it in 7 hrs 10

RobAMerc

Did anyone else have a tangle with a d*ckhead in a Jeep Cherokee blowing his horn and telling everyone to get off the road ?

penexpers

el tonto wrote: »

That's how I found out about it too, but a remarkable amount of people blew right by without spotting it. I don't think it was helped by the fact that it was raining and a lot of people just had the head down gunning for the finish.

I would have gone right past it too only I was with the "23 times in a row" guy and he was able to direct my to it. In hindisght, I shouldn't have stopped in Kenmare and I should have just pushed on.

penexpers

RobAMerc wrote: »

Did anyone else have a tangle with a d*ckhead in a Jeep Cherokee blowing his horn and telling everyone to get off the road ?

I didn't come across this guy but there was a good bit of aggro off a few drivers. There was one coach driver in particular who I came across quite a few times during the day and he was driving quite aggressively. Maybe a suggestion for next year is to see if the coaches can be taken off the road for a few hours.

Pj!

Sounds like a great weekend lads.
Hopefully I'll be up for it next year or the year after.

Beached

penexpers wrote: »

I didn't come across this guy but there was a good bit of aggro off a few drivers. There was one coach driver in particular who I came across quite a few times during the day and he was driving quite aggressively. Maybe a suggestion for next year is to see if the coaches can be taken off the road for a few hours.

I dont think any coach driver should be in a position to be complaining about cyclist's holding up traffic. They hold the drivers up for every other day of the summer.
But the coaches are the lifeblood of south Kerry tourism and there would be no way the would be taken off the road for a few hours.
And if there is a strong headwind, a slow moving coach can be a heaven send

DeepBlue

Like some others on this thread it was my first time doing the ROK or indeed any cycling event so happy enough to make it around in 7 1/2 hours cycling time and a rather leisurely 10 hours total.

From reading comments here I expected a well organised cycle but even still I was amazed at how there was stops and refreshments *everywhere* in every town and village we went through. T'was great getting load of claps and cheers of "well done" going around the course as well. Almost started feeling like a rock star (although that might have been the endorphins ).

Only saw two boardsie shirts briefly at registration time so you guys must have headed away briskly at the start of the group.
Apparently 1600 took part and all the mountains of sambos, scones and brack were made locally and donated by volunteers and the water, chocolate, bannanas and nutrigrain etc donated by sponsors so all money collected went directly to the charities.

The weather was almost ideal, slightly overcast to avoid being roasted by too much sun and yet not dull and also practically no wind. Unfortunately the light sprinkle that started in Castlecove turned into a heavy downpour about a mile short of Kenmare. I'd expected worse weather as it was lashing down on the way into Killarney before the race and the early starters looked like they were half-drowned.

The goal had been to get around the course without suffering too badly and after a month's preparation that was achieved.

Highlights:

• All the cheers and claps
• Whizzing down into Caherdaniel after Coomakista
• Speeding down towards Muckross from Moll's Gap
• Admiring all the bike porn on display at the start of the race
• The two chaps providing musical entertainment during a long wait in Kenmare
• The brunette volunteer in the white top in Cahirciveen :P

Lowlights:

• The politicians holding back the start of the cycle till 8.25am
• Thinking the final bend before Moll's Gap was actually Moll's Gap and realising it wasnt'. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

I look forward to it again next year .

Chips Lovell

Beached wrote: »

But the coaches are the lifeblood of south Kerry tourism and there would be no way the would be taken off the road for a few hours.

They would have had to ask them to take the whole day off. I met a guy last night who'd came in at 9pm and he said there were still plenty of people coming in then.

DeepBlue wrote: »

[*]The politicians holding back the start of the cycle till 8.25am

Don't forget the bishop of Kerry.

Harpz

Fantastic event, was delighted with the whole day. headed off in the group setting the pace for everyone (ok tailing behind the pace car!).
Kept up with group till sneem. El tonto dropped me not long after the last stop when I hit a real low by being passed out by a touring couple dawdling along complete with panniers. Picked up again soon after and finished up at about quarter to four.
Was delighted with that, given my previous longest cycle was the WW100 and I had done no training.
Nice meeting all the boards boys.
Photos???

DeepBlue

Beached wrote: »

Never saw as much punctures as i did this year in the first 20K. Smashed heineken bottle in the middle of the street in Killarnet didnt help anyone and i reckon it had got at least 3 riders.

From Killarney to Killorglin was littered with bikes propped up on the roadside getting punctures repaired. I think the support vans got a little swamped. Got a little nervous as I hadn't brought any spare tubes or anything but thankfully got around without any punctures.

Beached wrote: »

Only tough bit for me was that little hill before sneem. Its like an optical illusion to me. It does'nt look like a hill, but it kills me every year.

That section looks so flat and yet when I hit it I thought I'd gotten a flat or something as it seemed like cycling through wet sand. Thankfully it only lasted a relatively short stretch but it's *so* deceptive.

TinyExplosions

DeepBlue wrote: »

From Killarney to Killorglin was littered with bikes propped up on the roadside getting punctures repaired. I think the support vans got a little swamped. Got a little nervous as I hadn't brought any spare tubes or anything but thankfully got around without any punctures.

Don't talk to me about punctures... did the good samaritan bit and stopped to help a guy that had no pump, and got totally filthy for my troubles -it did amuse the others in Sneem though when I caught up with them