Etape Hibernia - August 22 2010

moby2101

Just trying 2 get the porridge down in preparation for the SkyRide,.... Dreadful night I think I may have food poisoning from a dodgy Beef Jalfrezi last night .. Dunno how the spin will Go.. Got about an hours sleep! Good luck to one and all... Have a safe Spin

Jawgap

moby2101 wrote: »

Just trying 2 get the porridge down in preparation for the SkyRide,.... Dreadful night I think I may have food poisoning from a dodgy Beef Jalfrezi last night .. Dunno how the spin will Go.. Got about an hours sleep! Good luck to one and all... Have a safe Spin

hope it clears up. But in case it doesn't what's your number so I know not to draft off you!

Good luck.

Lumen

moby2101 wrote: »

Just trying 2 get the porridge down in preparation for the SkyRide,.... Dreadful night I think I may have food poisoning from a dodgy Beef Jalfrezi last night ..

Beef jalfrezi? Holy cow!

With a "goodie bag" containing shower gel and a cereal bar, the entry fee basically offers closed roads and a timing chip.

Since I have three time-telling devices on my person and it's not a grand tour, the timing chip is entirely superfluous.

We'll see how the closed roads pan out...

Jawgap

Back in the hotel after the Etape.

Completed it in 4:40 according to my Garmin, which is disappointing I was aiming for sub 4:30. The official time will be considerably longer because unlike the Garmin it didn't stop or pause when I punctured - All told I had three!!

No. 1 - between Cuan and Corrofin
No. 2 - just before the final food stop
No. 3 - at about 7km to go.

I fixed the first 2, but the third I just pumped the tyre and went like the clappers before it deflated - my main concern was not crashing in front of the assembled masses as I came into the Market Square so I took the final turn very gingerly!!

Maybe it was just me, but there seemed to be a lot of people pitched up by the side of the road fixing punctures.

I enjoyed the closed roads aspect of the event and the route itself was challenging without being impossible - the headwind in the coast was "nice" - followed shortly thereafter by the hills out of Spanish Point. I thought it was a good mix of roads.

The people around the course were very welcoming and their encouragement was much appreciated. I thought the marshalling too was excellent.

In summary, punctures aside - it was very enjoyable, but I'd have to think about whether I'd do it again next year.

moby2101

Made it!!!!!! I had a multicoloured yawn after 40k ! /improved immediately!! Finished in just under 5 hours... great day and well organised... Roll on next week

penexpers

Good day out. Challenging course, great marshaling and wonderful support from the locals.

Not sure it entirely justified the €54 entry fee though. I'd be in two minds as to whether I'd do it again.

Esroh

Firstly as I had expressed reservations I have to say it was well run.
I think we need to tell them that we expect atleast 1 good stop.
I went thru a badspot from Liscannor to thelast feed ans whould have loved a banana. How I held down the gel I dont know.
Enjoyed being able to use all the road and the buzz coming into Town was good Myself and a Nordie had the road to ourselves and it was nice to get a Cheer

One thing I did notice was the number of people who did not acknowledge the people on the roadside. They were confined to their homes on a nice Sunday morning and I got great extra encouragement when I waved back or said thank you.

Overall I enjoyed the day.
Route as well up to scratch
Would I do it again I not sure. The Tour de Burren may not have completely closed roads but is really well marshalled and itsroute is as good a way to see the beauty of Clare.

Jawgap I was on the wrong side of Town when I shouted at you and wanted to get help from thee Local lads. The New Jersey looks very smart.
Met Tackleberry at the finish as well .

Lumen

Well, that was OK.

Finished in 4:32ish I think. Stayed with the front bunch (I think) for two hours, then dropped off as they were still climbing at about 4W/kg and I couldn't take it any more.

Positives: the run in to the finish was fantastic, totally unexpected. Felt like a pro. Seeing Sean Kelly in the flesh was cool.

Negatives: the commercial side really took the sheen off for me. I felt like I was being constantly marketed to. For instance, at the finish I was offered a tiny slice of "protein bar" then instantly told where I could buy some more. The Britishness was also irritating, for reasons I can't really pin down. Motorbike riders with "British Cycling" vests, distance signs in miles (which f'cking century is this?), entirely staffed by Brits, the twunt with the megaphone at the finish telling us that we should how we should relax this evening and all consider ourselves winners. FFS.

Apparently one of the locals was overheard saying how the Brits had killed her grandmother, and now they'd closed her roads.

It would have been quite possible to do the sign-on this morning. I resent having to spend an evening away from my family so that ZipVit can sell more sh1te (the inside line is that sponsor issues were the main reason for the Saturday sign-on, regardless of what the promoters have said here).

On that subject, the closed roads made very little difference for me. My bike is only 40cm wide, I don't need both lanes.

I probably won't be doing it again. There are lots of local events that have a better feel, at cheaper prices, with less bullsh!t.

Negatives aside, many thanks to the locals for taking their morning of home confinement in such good humour.

edit: 120th of about 1341 overall, 25th of about 200 in my age cat. Woo-hoo!

_sheep

Enjoyed the event but cant for the life of me understand why they couldnt have registered us this morning and why there wasn't decent food at say the middle foodstop.

Hello to the boardsie I passed somewhere close to the start in the old orange boards gear, you were looking over a gate or something at the side of the road and seemed shocked someone was shouting at you

browneire

Very good event, good cheat from the locals. If it wasn't for them I think I would have walked against the gale down Lehinch main street.

I do however offer the following constructive criticism:
Drop the fee
Sign on, race morning
Put some bananas at the stops
Remove the crazy lady from 1/3 up the tv mast hill telling us we're nearly at the top.


Again, the local support was great and thanks to them for letting us tale over their roads.

_sheep

browneire wrote: »

Remove the crazy lady from 1/3 up the tv mast hill telling us we're nearly at the top.

But keep the bus load of American tourists going absolutely nuts somewhere after half way.

Chips Lovell

Who won?

ktz84

el tonto wrote: »

Who won?

Results up on the website:

http://www.etapehibernia.com/

Mark Stanley. 3h53m12s

spyderski

4.28.03 for me. Really enjoyed it. The commercialism and "Little England" attitude was a bit off-putting though, and I really expected a few sandwiches or something at the finish at least.
Thanks to all the locals - as Lumen said, they gave us great encouragement.
Thanks also to Sean Kelly, who passed me about 20K from the finish & shouted "Hey boay, ye went too hard too early - now ye're suffering heh" in his inimitable fashion!
Great day out, I'll be back next year if they give us a bit more grub & change the distances to kilometers (the miles thing REALLY pissed me off).

Lumen

spyderski deserves a special mention for driving down to the event this morning.

2am start - nuts!

...and he still beat me

penexpers

el tonto wrote: »

Who won?

Did you not hear? We are all winners.

ROK ON

@ lumen. More Irish than the Irish themselves. Welcome.
We'll have you singing "come out ye Black and Tans" next.
Lol.

ashleey

I'm English and I too was disappointed with the signs in miles but I guess with an English co you're bound to get English organisers. Loved the local support and thanked as many as I could. Me and my mate are nearly back in Donegal. Could have done with real food as I can still smell the gels and I feel sick again. Mate did it in 4 hr 40 and I turned into wooden legs with 2k to go with cramp. Facking gels. 4hr 46 and 36th in 40-44 age group. Respect to the boardsie with race no 471. Helped us along and to all those that encouraged me out of bad thigh cramp. Timing results up early on website was great.

Rapidmike

What a super event
To get closed roads in Ireland for an amateur event is a huge achievement
for the sky team and well done to them for making it happen!!!! As for the anti British sentiment , I suppose you guys also think the the tour de France
when it started in Ireland should have kept the frenchies at home !!!!
Well done to sky and all the Brits and Clare co co and the gardai who made
this event hAppen .
Ps if u think u can do better let's see your attempt next year
rapidmike

DirkVoodoo

Rapidmike wrote: »

What a super event
To get closed roads in Ireland for an amateur event is a huge achievement
for the sky team and well done to them for making it happen!!!! As for the anti British sentiment , I suppose you guys also think the the tour de France
when it started in Ireland should have kept the frenchies at home !!!!
Well done to sky and all the Brits and Clare co co and the gardai who made
this event hAppen .
Ps if u think u can do better let's see your attempt next year
rapidmike

Take it easy mike, it's not begrudgery, it's called criticism.

Chips Lovell

At least the French use kilometres.

anoble66

had a great day, dont regret handing over 54e. Did it in 4hrs 55 which I am happy with, thought the course was fairly challenging especially in the head wind. Agree about the the whole over the top commercialism aspect of this race, oh and that annoying tw@T with the megaphone....if he said "this race will leave on time" just once more

The locals were absolutely brilliant, and the support realled helped - all in all I would definately do it again next year just for the closed roads alone.

petethedrummer

Rapidmike wrote: »

As for the anti British sentiment

...it came from 2 british people.

ktz84

el tonto wrote: »

At least the French use kilometres.

though not all the Irish do

Lumen

To be clear, I am not anti-British.

I just think that the what makes Irish cycling such a pleasure to be involved in is the rich history and character of all the local clubs and the amazing contributions of the many thousands of unpaid volunteers.

Today's experience felt like another thing altogether, and for me was less special. That's just my opinion, obviously, and I have no expectation that anyone will agree with me.

I guess there's space in the calendar for all sorts of event, and people can pick and choose whatever suits them.

Jawgap

ashleey wrote: »

I'm English and I too was disappointed with the signs in miles but I guess with an English co you're bound to get English organisers. Loved the local support and thanked as many as I could. Me and my mate are nearly back in Donegal. Could have done with real food as I can still smell the gels and I feel sick again. Mate did it in 4 hr 40 and I turned into wooden legs with 2k to go with cramp. Facking gels. 4hr 46 and 36th in 40-44 age group. Respect to the boardsie with race no 471. Helped us along and to all those that encouraged me out of bad thigh cramp. Timing results up early on website was great.

I was soldier no. 471!!!! Thanks.

I was hammering away trying to make the time respectable, but the last puncture really fe£ked that up!

Lumen

Who was the flame-haired chap in the new boards kit?

I saw you at the finish but didn't get a chance to say hi.

shg101

Finished with about 5 and a bit hours in the saddle, excluding stops (clock said 5:38 when I passed, started in wave H (edit: probably about 520th place). Forgot my timing chip like an eejit. Like I said earlier, my first ride >50k and first group cycle. I passed about 10 people for every one that passed me, so possibly started in the wrong group (edit: hmmmm, possibly an exaggeration based on my time). Ended up cycling a lot on my own, going from one small quickly dispersing group to the next. Legs were generally fine, but shoulders were absolutely wrecked for the last hour - probably not helped by my fairly aggressive bike geometry (or bad fit), and having done the kilkee bay swim the day before.

LOTS of punctures, I probably passed a dozen or two. About 10 in the first few k alone.

Well marshalled, but could have done with a warning on a couple of tight downhill bends where some people came a cropper. Ouch.

Was behind a tandem bike setting a hell of a pace along the coast, stopped for a pee, and killed myself trying to catch up again, Schleck-like I deluded myself, only to hit a food stop 30 secs later. After that I said to myself I'd stick to the groups, but the pace was pretty slow, so struck out on my own again for a while. Really upped the pace (relatively speaking) for the last hour, had to get to the finish line before the shoulders completely seized.

A tip from tunney I saw on here was to make a super-concentrated solution of high-5 and mix it with water at the stops. Worked out great. Had enough for 5 x750ml bottles. Brought my own energy bars.

Positives:
- glad I did it, was local so not many additional expenses.
- locals were great, guilty now that i didn't respond much.
- closed roads were great, but most people stuck to the left anyway

Opportunities for improvement:
- terrible, terrible goody bag. The stuff that should have been in there was on sale for exorbitant prices at registration. No jersey/t-shirt FFS, poor quality T-shirt was €20 at registration. Overall bad value. Either drop the price or add a jersey.

- Zipfit, yuck. Glad I brought my own.

- Embarassed to admit that the sheer Englishness of the event was a bit jarring. Eg UK-reg bikes and cars, ring the UK for information etc. Miles did't bother me.


Overall, happy but where's my frickin' t-shirt? (also better remember to post back that timing chip before I get hit for another tenner)

Jawgap

Lumen wrote: »

Who was the flame-haired chap in the new boards kit?

I saw you at the finish but didn't get a chance to say hi.

Me again!

Saw you in the full battle gear, and after I'd met the missus I was going to go over and say "hi" but I couldn't find you after.

Jawgap

Nice medal, but I do feel like it was used as an opportunity to extract as much cash from me as possible.

The registration could've been done today - yesterday I registered and wasn't asked for photo id - in fact, a guy in front of me picked up the envelopes for 12 guys from his club who were arriving down to day - maybe that's one way of making any future trip down a bit cheaper.

Thought charging for the t-shirt was a bit much.

As for miles and marshals - I wasn't that bothered by either. I thought the marshals individually and collectively were very good and each time I punctured they stopped to check to see if there was anything they could do - which they couldn't really - maybe next year put track pumps on the motorbikes!!