The Wicklow 200 (2009) Thread

TinyExplosions

I won't let AstraMonti take the left turn.... he'll most definitely doing the 200!

AstraMonti

AstraMonti wrote: »

Change of plans! I am doing it! I am looking for doing the 100 though, not strong enough for the 200.

G'wan, do the 200.

Esroh

blorg wrote: »

@Taxman- I did that route myself on the last day of the Tour of Ireland earlier this month. Nice to see the cautions are useful, honestly the level of detail those guys went to in marking out almost 1,000km all over the country was really incredible.

+1 on that
Really looking forward to Sunday. Will all the BH traffic havedone much road damage in these temps.Had a few new potholes over here today and we not have anywhere near as much traffic.

AstraMonti

Wow! Thanks for the all support.. I am afraid though, never been up Shay Elliot or Slieve Maan but wth.. lets do it

ROK ON

AstraMonti wrote: »

Wow! Thanks for the all support.. I am afraid though, never been up Shay Elliot or Slieve Maan but wth.. lets do it

You really should do the 200. I have never met you, but have followed your tales of the new bike. It would be a shame to do the 100 on a great big bling bike. Your nuts. Feel the pain, do the 200.

My big worry isnt the climbs. I will struggle on all of them, but I have done all of them and I know that I can do them. I have actually grown to enjoy the Shay Elliott. Its nice in a sick, painful sort of way.
I have 2 worries (1) the 200km and (2) the 200km. Most I have ever done was 170km, and there was very little climbing in it. My training has gone to pieces this month after having a great four months up to the end of April.

It's alright lads, if anyone's worried about completing the 200 there'll be plenty of room at the back with me!

Esroh

AstraMonti wrote: »

Wow! Thanks for the all support.. I am afraid though, never been up Shay Elliot or Slieve Maan but wth.. lets do it

I know nothing about you but just reading about the spins you lot do would lead me to think you have little to worry about apart from sore legs on Mon,tues,wed.;).A few guys I know from over here in the west are doing the 200 and would have never seen hills like SM never mind SE straight after.And I not told them about the one b4 them both(is it Aughavannagh)

xz

victorcarrera wrote: »

Well done and best of luck next weekend.
A friend of mine of similar build as yourself has just started cycling. I would be interested to know what kind of bike you did it on and what gearing you used.

I have a planet X with compact and a 12-25, I don't climb particularly well, but have learned to go MY pace and not everyone elses, besides, I normally make up for it on the descents

FrankGrimes

I drove to Laragh today and parked up there and went over the Wicklow Gap where I joined up with the Wicklow 200 route and did 60k of that route thru Hollywood, Rathdangan and over Slieve Mann and Shay Elliot and back to Laragh.

Had never done SM or SE before and to be honest I got a bit of a shock at how relentless they are - SM was showing 9 to 11% gradient for at least 80 of the way up. But strangely I kinda enjoyed them both, especially as early on I realised I had it in me to complete whatever was ahead of me. I knew I'd be slow but I've now got to a point where I can just keep on grinding it out in the easiest gear and keep on going. Yep, with 10km/h average on both climbs it's about as slow as you can get, but I'm delighted with completing them. Now that I know what's involved, I could measure my effort throughout and give a bit more to squeeze out a marginally faster speed. That's for another day though...and that day will not be next Sunday - I expect to suffer on those climbs a lot more next week due to the sheer distance under the belt by then.

The Tax Man's post pretty much covers all my thoughts (+1 on TOI markings - very impressive and helpful) on the route right down to the false dawn mini climb before Slieve Mann.

81km total for today with 1550m ascent in 3hrs 31min giving overall average of 23km/h. Given the 3 big climbs covered, I'm happy with that and was happy with my speed over the rest of the terrain, particularly rolling terrain (am crediting my recent bike fitting for the feeling of increased power).

I'm still trying to figure out what sort of time might be realistic for me next week, and have a 9 hour target in my mind without much scientific reasoning behind it. I can hold 27-29km/h solo over rolling terrain depending on how bumpy it is but am still having serious trouble with hip flexor trouble and saddle pain after 2.5 hours in saddle (will discuss on separate thread) but am hoping the adrenaline will get me through. Am trying to gauge how much the benefits of riding in a group might offset the fatigue factor over the distance - what's the perceived wisdom on that?




@Astra - you just know you gotta have a shot at the 200. It'll be painful for sure but I doubt a Guinness will ever have tasted so good if I do make it round, so whatever your tipple of choice is just picture it and cycle towards it! Familiarity with the climbs has its advantages (and disadvantages!) but I reckon if you just get familiar with them on MapMyRide.com and look at the gradients and lengths so that you can gauge your progress up them on the day, that'll be almost as good....for me knowing how far I am from the top is invaluable info - I can always convince myself 'ah that's not that far' even though a snail may be overtaking me.

The tax man

AstraMonti wrote: »

Wow! Thanks for the all support.. I am afraid though, never been up Shay Elliot or Slieve Maan but wth.. lets do it

Fair play.;)
Only did them for the first time myself today. Worst thing about it was having to listen to myself all the way up both climbs. Man can I be a grumpy bastard at times. Company will help loads.
I'm in the same boat as yourself,200 will push me beyond my comfort zone but its one of two goals I've set myself and I intend getting around it.(slowly)

ROK ON wrote: »

I have actually grown to enjoy the Shay Elliott. Its nice in a sick, painful sort of way.

Freak!!

TinyExplosions

Not to really start the debate again, but an iPod is invaluable for those climbs you're inching up -a great distraction from the pain and suffering!

Raam

FrankGrimes wrote: »

Am trying to gauge how much the benefits of riding in a group might offset the fatigue factor over the distance - what's the perceived wisdom on that?

It's miles easier in a group. You won't notice the distance as much.

Raam

It's weather watch time...

Dublin has a chance of rain next Sunday, but it's not saying the same for Wicklow, just cloudy.

ROK ON

TinyExplosions wrote: »

Not to really start the debate again, but an iPod is invaluable for those climbs you're inching up -a great distraction from the pain and suffering!

Think of the extra weight man.

ROK ON

Raam wrote: »

It's miles easier in a group. You won't notice the distance as much.

I was thinking that. I am hoping that some group will pull me around, sort of like Ben Hur in the chariot races, me being the chariot, the group being the horsies out front hurtling away at break neck speed. If only.

Lumen

Raam wrote: »

It's miles easier in a group. You won't notice the distance as much.

Yeah, but you need to find a group at the right pace.

The last thing you want is to empty the tank staying with a fast group and then get dropped for the second half.

Maybe there are enough groups that this won't be a problem.

Raam

Yeah, ya don't wanna get sucked into a group that is too fast for you. Don't be afraid to slip out the back if you think the pace is a bit hot. There'll be more guys and girls along behind you anyway.

Caroline_ie

I am getting slightly worried about that one. I know I will not be able to keep up with the boys, and i do not intent to, and I will most definately not be the last one back home ... ( because there are some crazy unfit people doing the WW200 ... ) ... but ... all these hills ... so many of them ... everywhere ... eeeeeeeeek!

niceonetom

The effect of a group is huge both for actually getting through the air and for that psychological feel-good factor that can add a few kph to your average without you even noticing. If you start early you'd have to be very slow to find yourself alone for very long as you'll be able to tuck into a group for a while, then let it pass if it's a bit too pacey, and then tack on to the next one, and so on all day. More likely is that by the midpoint things will have naturally filtered into groups of more or less equal ability and they can stay together for the rest of the day. The W200 attracts a much wider variety than most other sportives (except maybe the ROK) so there'll be many a participant whose battle cry will be "What the fcuk was I thinking???".

If a group is too hot for you don't be a hero, let it go. Chances are it's actually too hot for a few others in that group too and if you drop back to another group behind you'll end up picking them up again once they've cooked themselves and dropped off the back or seen sense, whichever comes first. It'll probably be a huge train of people leaving UCD and the first breaks appeared last year at the scalp and then more groups formed on the steep climb out of Enniskerry - it's around there that you should begin to see who you'll be riding with for the next 150k.

@Astra - will your white pony be ready? I'm dying to see it.

ROK ON

Lumen wrote: »

Yeah, but you need to find a group at the right pace.

The last thing you want is to empty the tank staying with a fast group and then get dropped for the second half.

Maybe there are enough groups that this won't be a problem.

With more than 1500 folks doing it there will always be someone on the road. I guess by group, you mean maybe 6/8 people at least, so that you can get somewhat of an efficient line going.
The way I am thinking is that a group is essential around the lakes as far as Aghavannagh (circa 50km), and will be pretty much essential for the leg from Rathdrum back to UCD.

Going up the 3 big climbs I reckon that is a solo effort (as I have not yet met someone that has the skill of being as slow as me climbing). Also, descending in a group would be hairy, if not used t it ( I am not used to it). But other than that, would be on for getting a group together, I guess the time guide on the time sheet is a good idea. I am ideally hoping for 9hrs, but would be pleased to be sub 10. Will depend on the day.

TinyExplosions

ROK ON wrote: »

Think of the extra weight man.

That's why I have a shuffle -as light as possible, plus I can pretend it's my D.S. giving me instructions on who's up the road

Caroline_ie wrote: »

I am getting slightly worried about that one. I know I will not be able to keep up with the boys, and i do not intent to, and I will most definately not be the last one back home ... ( because there are some crazy unfit people doing the WW200 ... ) ... but ... all these hills ... so many of them ... everywhere ... eeeeeeeeek!

You'll easily find a group that's going your pace. As Tom says, if it's too hot, drop out of it and wait for the next one to come along. FWIW, I think you'll be fine in the group till Enniskerry, then may drop out the back (along with me and a few others I suspect) on the climb towards military road, and will probably start finding a group around Sally Gap that's going your pace. You'll be grand!

niceonetom wrote: »

@Astra - will your white pony be ready? I'm dying to see it.

That's dependant on me I fear.... don't remind him!

Raam

ROK ON wrote: »

Also, descending in a group would be hairy, if not used t it ( I am not used to it).

Don't worry, when descending a group always strings out in order to give everyone their own space and a bit of a buffer zone. Pass on the right of riders if the guy in front is too slow, and allow space for people to pass you on the right also.

Funkyzeit

Raam wrote: »

It's weather watch time...
.

Looking alright nice and light winds - heat is my big worry and it looks like it'll be fine - dread to think what it would have been like doing it yesterday...

ROK ON

Funkyzeit wrote: »

Looking alright nice and light winds - heat is my big worry and it looks like it'll be fine - dread to think what it would have been like doing it yesterday...

+1. Heat would be a killer. Here's hoping for 16-18 degrees, nice light cooling winds on the climbs just to keep body temp down a bit.

Doing it y'day would not have been enjoyable IMHO. Cycled 125km on Saturday in Kerry, was going at a gentle pace and found it tough. Brought 1.25L of liquid, and stopped twice to completely refill. At the finish, consumed 2 cans of freezy cold coke, and another litre of water.

blorg

Would quite like the weather to be like yesterday myself It never gets too hot for me in this country.

Raam

blorg wrote: »

Would quite like the weather to be like yesterday myself It never gets too hot for me in this country.

Agreed! Nothing like the hot sun to make it all the more enjoyable

TinyExplosions

Raam wrote: »

Agreed! Nothing like the hot sun to make it all the more enjoyable

Maybe for ye skinnymalinks', but not for us fatties -cooling breeze ftw!

Nietzschean

Raam wrote: »

Agreed! Nothing like the hot sun to make it all the more enjoyable

aye i've got's to be working on me euro tan lines

AstraMonti

ROK ON wrote: »

Going up the 3 big climbs I reckon that is a solo effort (as I have not yet met someone that has the skill of being as slow as me climbing).

You haven't met me, have you?

Tom, if all goes well tomorrow she will be ready to roll! And it just looks a fine piece of bicycle! If only i was as good too :pac:

DirkVoodoo

Sounds like we have a few takers for another slow boards group Caroline. I think we should stick together for as much of the day as possible. Personally I'm not really interested in what time I finish in as long as I finish, and I would prefer to head back to UCD with a group of people I know rather than on the tail of a group I don't.