Louth sportive

Ryder

See that there is a timed cycle on sunday. Anyone going?

Caroline_ie

And there are medals too ( i think some people might be more inclined to participate )

I'd like to take part -

Ryder

Yeah, medals are fantastic...to be honest the only reason im gonna take part, although 3 20 for the gold will be tough

bcmf

90% sure I will be there. Will need to start early as I need to get back home as early as poss.

bcmf

Ryder wrote: »

Yeah, medals are fantastic...to be honest the only reason im gonna take part, although 3 20 for the gold will be tough

Should be doable if a big group gets going.AFAIK its fairly flat with only 1 climb of note so should be within the realms of doable.

Lumen

Thanks for the reminder.

Original thread.

I'm still a "probably" for this.

niceonetom

I missed the first thread about this but I was informed of medals yesterday. Anyone temped to aim for gold? Surely doable with a bit of teamwork?*


*I haven't had a proper look at the route yet so I might be taking out of my arse...


@Ryder - How's your Ti P-X? my carbon is exceeding my expectations

Caroline_ie

June 28th 2009
Sign On: Dowdallshill GFC (Open from 8.30am)
(Sign Posted from M1 - Take Castleblayney Exit)
Event Departs at 10am
Entry Fee €10 (All Proceeds go to The Nestling Project)
Route Distance 100km
[SIZE=+1]The event is a test of endurance not a race[/SIZE]

Refreshments before and during event.
All Particpants must have a Cycling Ireland Licence
(Non Members can avail of a one day licence for €10)

HELMETS ARE COMPULSORY
All Finishers will be awarded a medal

MAP

GOLD STANDARD
Sub 3hrs 20min
Avg Speed 30kph
SILVER STANDARD
Sub 4hrs 00min
Avg Speed 25kph
BRONZE STANDARD
Complete Entire Course

bcmf

niceonetom wrote: »

I missed the first thread about this but I was informed of medals yesterday. Anyone temped to aim for gold? Surely doable with a bit of teamwork?*


*I haven't had a proper look at the route yet so I might be taking out of my arse...

I think Rob Fowl had a look at it.He said it was fairly flat.Slightly lumpy maybe heading for carlingford.
Large group doing up and overs ie Tiny and RobFowl at the front and everyone else drafting.:D

TinyExplosions

bcmf wrote: »

I think Rob Fowl had a look at it.He said it was fairly flat.Slightly lumpy maybe heading for carlingford.
Large group doing up and overs ie Tiny and RobFowl at the front and everyone else drafting.:D

Get el tonto up there pulling too, and we'd be laughing.

Would definitely be up for giving this a go, and aiming for gold standard. I'd say it's easily doable if we got a pace line up and running

Ryder

@tom. Glad youre happy with the p-x. To my shame cant really comment on the ti yet, used the fixed for the w200 so did all my training on that. Sunday will be my first real test on it. Great to see that theres a bit of interest in this...looking forward to it

RobFowl

There's one climg at mid distance about 2 miles long average 6-7% gradient, Haven't ridden it so no idea whats its like. Restof the route is flat as .....
Reckon even if climbings not your thing should get back on the descent.
Aimiing to get the gold (sad middle aged competitive git that I am)

TinyExplosions

@RobFowl, sounds good then, and doable... let's all go for the gold medal!

Now, this leads to the second question... who fancies giving TinyExplosions and his pink bike a lift to Dundalk?

RobFowl

TinyExplosions wrote: »

@RobFowl, sounds good then, and doable... let's all go for the gold medal!

Now, this leads to the second question... who fancies giving TinyExplosions and his pink bike a lift to Dundalk?

Balbriggan/balrothery no use to you I suppose !

TinyExplosions

RobFowl wrote: »

Balbriggan/balrothery no use to you I suppose !

A little far away tbh, I'm city centre

penexpers

I think the roads around the Cooley mountains are in poor shape.

vektarman

I'm doing this one, I'm going to be ambitious and aim for the bronze (I've never cycled a sportive):)

Caroline_ie

I will try to keep up with the fast group as much as I can - Keeping up with a fast group for 100k might be hard - I am aiming at silver

Lumen

Caroline_ie wrote: »

I will try to keep up with the fast group as much as I can - Keeping up with a fast group for 100k might be hard - I am aiming at silver

If I know boardsies, the "going for gold" group will actually be "hammering all the way for death or glory group".

We need a "just scraping a gold group" that will pace itself more modestly

Nietzschean

Lumen wrote: »

If I know boardsies, the "going for gold" group will actually be "hammering all the way for death or glory group".

We need a "just scraping a gold group" that will pace itself more modestly

hehe, i'm not around this weekend alas, but thats exactly what i was wondering... the going for gold around here will be looking to average 35- 40km/hr not the 29.9km/hr....

eggie

Trains dont start to 10am on sunday.:(

Anyone cycling down?:D

ROK ON

Caroline_ie wrote: »

I will try to keep up with the fast group as much as I can - Keeping up with a fast group for 100k might be hard - I am aiming at silver

If you stay with the fast group you will get lost. While you will end up going fast, you will end up doing 130 instead if 100km:D.

Heads up folks, heads up.

RobFowl

Averaged just under 31k in the Swords one and that was longer an hillier !!!
No point trying to scrape 30k !!!
Death or glory

TinyExplosions

ROK ON wrote: »

If you stay with the fast group you will get lost. While you will end up going fast, you will end up doing 130 instead if 100km:D.

Heads up folks, heads up.

Nope, I'll have my Garmin, and you'll notice that I didn't get lost (too much) -that's why I was back 2 hrs before you guys... turn by turn is awesome!

Caroline_ie

Lumen wrote: »

If I know boardsies, the "going for gold" group will actually be "hammering all the way for death or glory group".

We need a "just scraping a gold group" that will pace itself more modestly

I know i am utter crap on hills, but I am fairly ok on flat and I will try indeed to keep up with the fast group up until the hill if I can ... that can be good training. i was able to keep up the pace yesterday very well. If I fall off the back and get dropped, which I will eventually, I will hop on to the group following ... that's my plan anyway ... we'll see i manage.

Lumen

Caroline_ie wrote: »

I know i am utter crap on hills, but I am fairly ok on flat and I will try indeed to keep up with the fast group up until the hill if I can ... that can be good training. i was able to keep up the pace yesterday very well. If I fall off the back and get dropped, which I will eventually, I will hop on to the group following ... that's my plan anyway ... we'll see i manage.

Well, I tried pacing myself on the WW200 and failed, so I'm not trying that again.

Death or glory for me. It's only 100km. :pac:

RobFowl

penexpers wrote: »

I think the roads around the Cooley mountains this entire country are in poor shape.

Fixed

Caroline_ie

Lumen wrote: »

Death or glory for me. It's only 100km. :pac:

I tend to pace myself too much, i am lazy, i give myself excuses - I will never get better that way - I need to push myself harder GRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!

I might die after or even during the event ...

TinyExplosions

Caroline_ie wrote: »

I tend to pace myself too much, i am lazy, i give myself excuses - I will never get better that way - I need to push myself harder GRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!

I might die after or even during the event ...

Death or glory's the only way folks. Last proper spin pre Marmotte, so I'll be going for it!

petethedrummer

The roads are grand. Better than North county Dublin, similar to Wicklow. I had sore wrists after the Swords Tour, never happened around the Cooley Mountains.

niceonetom

Lumen wrote: »

Well, I tried pacing myself on the WW200 and failed, so I'm not trying that again.

Death or glory for me. It's only 100km. :pac:

I really didn't think all that watt-watching was doing you any favours on the 200. I'm glad to hear you won't be its slave next time. Leave the garmin at home! The question 'how many watts am I producing right now?' will only have two answers on Sunday: 1) enough to stay with the group or 2) it doesn't matter because you just got dropped.

hammertime!

penexpers

Lumen wrote: »

We need a "just scraping a gold group" that will pace itself more modestly

Sounds like my kind of group. Not 100% if I'm going yet.

ROK ON

niceonetom wrote: »

I really didn't think all that watt-watching was doing you any favours on the 200. I'm glad to hear you won't be its slave next time. Leave the garmin at home! The question 'how many watts am I producing right now?' will only have two answers on Sunday: 1) enough to stay with the group or 2) it doesn't matter because you just got dropped.

hammertime!

I endorse this view. I learned a few things on y'days spin.
(1) A motivated person can push themselves a lot harder than their computer says is good. For example, on the last climb y'day I did the last 1.5km above my max HR. The garmin kept telling me that I had exceeded my limit. But, honestly, I felt fine an recovered on the descent. Ditch the computer. They are not worth it. I am bringing simple computer for cadence and speed on the ring of kerry. Ditching the garmin.

(2) An organised group is much easier to cycle with than on your own or with a disorganised group. The first hour flew y'day as Emty, Tiny, Tonto et al had a reasonably organised paceline going. Even in the later half the day, my day was made easier and more enjoyable in able to climb with or near folk (Tiny, Tom and Caroline on climb 2) and (Caroline, Astra and Tom on Climb 3). The group we had for the home 31km made this easier, and my pc reckons we did this run in under an hour.

I have not seen this course, but baring a killer wind, an organised group should be able to get everyone around in the gold or silver category fairly easily and enjoyably I would imagine.

The key is a good pace with companions, not a computer.

Nietzschean

maybe you miscaluclated your max hr? it would explain a lot of that....

ROK ON

HR - maybe. I followed the guide of 220-age (which would be 184). However I have hit 202 on Kippure and 193 yday. So it is possible that my max HR is not 184.
My point is that the key to a fun but worthwhile day, is to get with a like minded group and get organised. Then roll along and enjoy oneself. This is a personal opinion of what works for me.

Nietzschean

ROK ON wrote: »

HR - maybe. I followed the guide of 220-age (which would be 184). However I have hit 202 on Kippure and 193 yday. So it is possible that my max HR is not 184.
My point is that the key to a fun but worthwhile day, is to get with a like minded group and get organised. Then roll along and enjoy oneself. This is a personal opinion of what works for me.

that calculation is notoriously inaccurate for max hr, mine i should be 195 by it, and i regularly hit above that(normally topping out at 202/203). Not something to be watching on the sunday/sportive spin, but for mid-week training or that or even checking for overtraining its usefull....

Lumen

I honestly wasn't trying to turn this into another debate about the pros and cons of bike computers.

petethedrummer

The route goes very close to Gravity (or Magic) Hill. Would have been handy for the non-climbers if they had routed it this way.

bcmf

Ahh forget about HR moniters and Max's and stuff. If your still breathing it means you havent taken your turn at the front.

bcmf

petethedrummer wrote: »

The route goes very close to Gravity (or Magic) Hill. Would have been handy for the non-climbers if they had routed it this way.

I have heard about this hill alrite.NOW THATS MY KINDA HILL

Nietzschean

The Complete Book of Road Bike Training wrote:

Cheat! Feign fatigue and sit on the back, or time your pulls so your last turn comes about a mile from the line. Then you can hide in the paceline until it's time to fire your afterburners.

Taking your turn is for chumps?

TinyExplosions

ROK ON wrote: »

HR - maybe. I followed the guide of 220-age (which would be 184). However I have hit 202 on Kippure and 193 yday. So it is possible that my max HR is not 184.
My point is that the key to a fun but worthwhile day, is to get with a like minded group and get organised. Then roll along and enjoy oneself. This is a personal opinion of what works for me.

Then I'd take 202 as your max. I base mine off of what I hit on Kippure, and have gone to 101% since, but it's close enough for govt work!

Nietzschean wrote: »

Taking your turn is for chumps?

If you're in my paceline, you'll take a turn...

I quite enjoyed the power yesterday

Zorba

Might actually do this sportive meself seen as it's only up the road from me. Will see if i can shift the last dregs of this cold though first.

It says entry is 10 yo yos and u must have a racing licence, if not it's 10 yo yos for a day licence so am i right in thinking it's gonna cost me 20 quid cos i've no licence ?

mloc123

Anybody done it before? Big crowds, organised group or start as you like etc..? Might give it a solo go on the TT bike if its not frowned upon.

mloc123

I mailed off a few questions to them.. more details below..

* Yes, you can just show up on the day, sign on will be opened from 8.30, if you have a Cycling Ireland licence take it along on the day. Alternatively you can take out a one day licence for €10.
* Yes the route will be marked out and you will get a map of the route
* All cyclists will roll out as a group at 10am and the 100km route starts from the other side of Town
* The route is a figure of eight shape with a rest stop back where you signed on at the half way point.

Caroline_ie

mloc123 wrote: »

* The route is a figure of eight shape with a rest stop back where you signed on at the half way point.

I am guessing if you are working on the gold, you don't want to stop, that can mess up your time!

We need a car with bidons and musettes.

Zorba

Surely u wouldn't need to stop halfway ? Sure you'd only have 50 km done at that stage and AFAIK it's relatively flat ?

(Will probably live to regret posting this on the day !)

Or we could just draw straws as to who is the domestique and let them stop get all the bottles filled and then catch back up with the group and hand them out !!

P.S. don't think i'm going well enough to fulfill this role !

mloc123

yeah, Donard was 90k into the w200 so a flat 100 should be very doable on 2 water bottles and whatever you can stuff in your pockets imo.

Zorba

mloc123 wrote: »

yeah, Donard was 90k into the w200 so a flat 100 should be very doable on 2 water bottles and whatever you can stuff in your pockets imo.

Yep that's what i was thinking, a pint of water before u start and 2 full bottles and u should be ok.

Oh and some epo

LastGasp

I hope to get up to this too. Not sure if I'll be up to the "all or nothing" group though. Probably stick with it as long as I can, but may have to drop back after 5 mins !

decrrrrrr

Here's the route in MapMyride for those who want it.

http://www.mapmyride.com/route/ie/dundalk/273124576224484712

Going to be around 106km distance.