Wicklow 200 - 13th June 2010

sy

tunney wrote: »

For CT owners I created a 3dc file of the W200 so the course can be ridden in your shed

Tunney you seem to spend so much time on your CT that it might be worth connecting up to the national grid and selling your generated electricity. (I assume you have a generator connected to you bike) Thanks by the way

Roadtoad

Last years KARE Tour of Kildare 100km from Naas, Ballyknocken etc. was a good teaser for people needing a group cycle before the W200.
On in 2010?

NeedMoreGears

What happened to all you guys? Last year's thread was hilarious and very supportive of people like me who were trying the 200k event for the first time.

Yeah - there were big organisational problems last year but Rathdrum seemed to work ok (probably because I was late enough getting there and everyone had already been there). If I had known it wasn't a formal checkpoint and not just a food stop, I would have kept going and rested/eaten at the side of the road earlier.

Going to give it another go this year anyway (entered on Tuesday). Hope to set out good and early and maybe get to the first food stop ahead of all those who'll be flying past me on Sliabh Mann.

Some more time in the hills mightn't do me any harm either. Anyone any suggestions as to some warm up events?

petethedrummer

NeedMoreGears wrote: »

What happened to all you guys?

I have nothing against the WW200, I just preferred the smaller (and shorter) events I did last year. I'd encourage anyone who is vaguely interested to do it and knock it off the list things to do on a bike before you die. Sure I'll probably relent at the last minute and do it anyways.

LastGasp

NeedMoreGears wrote: »

What happened to all you guys? Last year's thread was hilarious and very supportive of people like me who were trying the 200k event for the first time.

That was just to sucker youse all into doing it, and it worked ! I wouldn't worry about it - WW200 is the biggest and best known event, so most of the people moaning about it will probably do it anyway, just because it's there. I've my entry in. Initially people thought everyone had to queue up and check in with your number, but as it's turned out just to be a queue for grub, I would suggest just make yourself a sandwich and stick it in your pocket along with a few bars, make sure you drink enough, and you'll be grand. There are plenty of shops on the route if anyone needs them.

ROK ON

The more I think about it, the worst thing about any sportif is the food stops. I find it very difficult to stop for just 5 mins, and consequently find the immediate hour after a foodstop very very tough.

Going to try doing every event next year with minimal stopping.

Captain Havoc

ROK ON wrote: »

The more I think about it, the worst thing about any sportif is the food stops. I find it very difficult to stop for just 5 mins, and consequently find the immediate hour after a foodstop very very tough.

Going to try doing every event next year with minimal stopping.

I keep my stops as short as possible, it's a right pain in the gary if you stop for too long and then have a climb or a head wind after it. The last sportive I did, An Post Rebel Tour, I went non-stop and I don't think my riding time was compromised too much, where as the SK, I think it's nice to get out of the saddle for 5. P.S. you're not the slowest climber on boards, that's my title.

DirkVoodoo

ROK ON wrote: »

The more I think about it, the worst thing about any sportif is the food stops. I find it very difficult to stop for just 5 mins, and consequently find the immediate hour after a foodstop very very tough.

Going to try doing every event next year with minimal stopping.

I agree totally. If I could get a support car to hand bottles out the window to me I would probably never stop.

Don't get me wrong, I like stopping for the social aspect and getting to drool over the Kerry rose, but getting back on the bike is almost torture. I actually felt like crap for about an hour after the first food stop on the ring of kerry.

Once you get into a good rhythm, it's nice to keep it going. W200 did not help this at all as quick stops were pretty much impossible.

The tax man

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Once you get into a good rhythm, it's nice to keep it going. W200 did not help this at all as quick stops were pretty much impossible.

Couldn't agree more. On the SK I arrived at the first food stop,took one look at the amount of people there, turned on my heels and kept going. Next stop wasn't busy so got some pasta into me,a quick chat and was back on the bike within 20 minutes. No tough miles trying to get back into it like I had on the WW200.

If I'm going to use any of the official food stops on the 200 this year I'd want to hit them early to minimise time off the bike,so no faffing around at the start and setting off late.Like the SK I wouldn't rule out bypassing the first stop completely.

mfdc

The tax man wrote: »

If I'm going to use any of the official food stops on the 200 this year I'd want to hit them early to minimise time off the bike,so no faffing around at the start and setting off late.

Last year we left really early, and as a result I got to the Donard stop just as it opened (was the third person there I think). Given what I heard about what it turned into was planning on doing the same again this year, until Greystones made an early start near impossible Thinking about skipping Donard and just very briefly stopping at Rathdrum for a water refill + sandwich this year, keep the rhythm going as much as possible.

jwshooter

im sure there would should be no problem to get a few support cars along the route.
glenmalure lodge would make a ideal stop.

i done the SK 100k with out getting off the bike ,but that was more to do with the horrible day.

stopping for a half hour is grand if you have a warm sunny day.

joker77

Have just submitted my entry! Really looking forward to it, it will be great over the next few months training to have something to work towards

dario28

Lumen wrote: »

It's about beating people who aren't competing with you.

hmmmm that sounds like commuter racing !!!!

Haldir

Roadtoad wrote: »

Last years KARE Tour of Kildare 100km from Naas, Ballyknocken etc. was a good teaser for people needing a group cycle before the W200.
On in 2010?

http://www.karetourdefoothills.com/#/the-event/4532562190

barrym91

That Kare cycle looks like a good practise for the WW200. Cycled Slieve Mann and Shay Elliot last weekend. I forgot how difficult they are after a few kilometres in the legs!

Are there many steep climbs on the KARE. Does anyone know what the total amount of climbing for it is?

Haldir

barrym91 wrote: »

That Kare cycle looks like a good practise for the WW200. Cycled Slieve Mann and Shay Elliot last weekend. I forgot how difficult they are after a few kilometres in the legs!

Are there many steep climbs on the KARE. Does anyone know what the total amount of climbing for it is?

http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/ireland/naas/544126860862592780

Only hills are around the Blessington Lakes and Hollywood, a few other drags on the way back to Naas, but nothing major.

barrym91

Thanks Haldir. I need to get used to riding in groups. I cycled the WW200 at the back all on my own last year. Was a long day :eek:

Haldir

Barrym91, you should also consider a few other events in the lead up to the W200 eg Orwell Randonee Sun 25th April, Siabh Bloom Challenge (Carlow) Sun 2nd May, Mount Leinster Challenge Sun 15 May, Humpy Hundred (Carlow) Sun 16th May, Carlow 150 Sun 30th May and the Swords Leisure Tour on Sun 6th June. Did most of them last year before my first W200.

mr spuckler

do you need a license for those events?

Haldir

If you don't have a Cycling Ireland Licence you can pay for a one day licence on the day, usually €10. Far cheaper to get the Cycling Ireland Licence if you are going to do a few of them.

barrym91

Cheers Haldir!
I'll have to look into those events alright. Just sent off application form with cheque today to Cycling Ireland (what are the chances) so should be good for those events. Sounds like good practise.

Anyone have any tips regarding this point. Unfortunately no major hills into work and back. I'd like to cycle a few hills during week but it doesn't seem possible. Does highering the gears whilst cycling on the flat have any effect on improving climbing ability. Does that make any sense to anyone?

blorg

barrym91 wrote: »

Anyone have any tips regarding this point. Unfortunately no major hills into work and back. I'd like to cycle a few hills during week but it doesn't seem possible. Does highering the gears whilst cycling on the flat have any effect on improving climbing ability. Does that make any sense to anyone?

Try to get to the hills but I would think yes, you can train on the flat. The problem with training for hills on the flat is that it is too easy to slack off on the flat, it is very difficult to push yourself hard for an extended period honestly. Ideally get a HRM and make sure your HR doesn't drop below a particular figure for the duration of a climb... say 75% of your MHR. As to lower cadence, depends on your gearing really, I tend to spin up hills very fast but if you have limited gearing this may not be possible and you would have to raise your gear and adjust down your cadence for training purposes.

blorg

Haldir wrote: »

If you don't have a Cycling Ireland Licence you can pay for a one day licence on the day, usually €10. Far cheaper to get the Cycling Ireland Licence if you are going to do a few of them.

Especially given that the introductory yearly license if you haven't been a member before is the same price as the one day, €10 for the year.

Bear in mind you don't need a license to do the W200 (or some other events like the Sean Kelly or Ring of Kerry) but you do for most. The ones you do need a CI license for tend to be a lot cheaper too.

Raam

barrym91 wrote: »

Does highering the gears whilst cycling on the flat have any effect on improving climbing ability. Does that make any sense to anyone?

Be careful about pushing too big a gear. You can do damage to your knee if you over do it.

mr spuckler

Haldir wrote: »

If you don't have a Cycling Ireland Licence you can pay for a one day licence on the day, usually €10. Far cheaper to get the Cycling Ireland Licence if you are going to do a few of them.

cheers. do you need to be a member of a club? going through the application on the website seems to suggest that you do.

barrym91

Cheers Blorg and Raam for reply. I'll do my best to hit the hills at the weekend and have a serious session then

barrym91

blorg wrote: »

Ideally get a HRM and make sure your HR doesn't drop below a particular figure for the duration of a climb... say 75% of your MHR.

Hey Blorg. I've the Garmin Forerunner 305 with HRM. What would 75% of my MHR be? What's the best way to find out MHR? I know I go between the 180's and 190's when I'm doing vigorous exercise.

blorg

Realistically you can only really find it from a lab/ramp up test or from maximum ever attained when you have really murdered yourself in a race. But this isn't really the key issue.

I picked the 75% out of my arse simply as a number that would put you doing some constant work but perfectly sustainable type of effort for a climb. I would go much higher than that now but would have found more difficult to sustain over time starting out; in addition my MHR ended up being ~19 beats higher than predicted by my Garmin.

For your purposes, if you have both HRM and access to a hill probably best just do the sustained hill climb (ideally this should be at least as long as those you will hit in the W200) at whatever rate is sustainable for you. Try to make it as steady an effort as possible- it is fine to start off lower and ramp it up towards the end but less good to start off high, blow up and have it dropping off at the end.

The point is just to work out the level of hill effort you think you want to simulate on the flat. So when you have the HRM readings from the hill, whatever they are, warm up on the flat and then pretend you are climbing the hill, keeping your HR at your chosen value. If this hurts on the hill it will hurt equally on the flat, probably more so as psychologically there is more temptation to ease it off, your bike will keep moving unlike on the hill... resist that, don't ease up for one second. In my general experience most people actually seem to find it easier to push it up a hill than do the same level of constant effort on the flat, for whatever reason.

Keep it up for as long time-wise as it took you to climb the hill.

My 2c anyway.

dario28

Haldir wrote: »

http://www.karetourdefoothills.com/#/the-event/4532562190

This is at a perfect time for the w200 did 80km last weekend, up past djouce to roundwood and back to Portmarnock , cant imagine this has more than 2,000m of elevation though ?

Never rode in group before , presume my tri -bars would need to be removed ?

Would ya stop for food on this or whats the plan ? gels, sambos in back pockets ?

Also my eyes were stinging like fook from wind all way back from wicklow last weekend , anyone recommend good sunglasses ?

Raam

dario28 wrote: »

This is at a perfect time for the w200 did 80km last weekend, up past djouce to roundwood and back to Portmarnock , cant imagine this has more than 2,000m of elevation though ?

Never rode in group before , presume my tri -bars would need to be removed ?

Would ya stop for food on this or whats the plan ? gels, sambos in back pockets ?

Also my eyes were stinging like fook from wind all way back from wicklow last weekend , anyone recommend good sunglasses ?

Defo remove tri bars.
On longer cycles, I bring some cash and pick up extra food on the way. Otherwise your pockets are jammed full of crap.