PINK ELEPHANT 200

Joff

Trying to find info re the PINK ELEPHANT 200, is listed on the Audax Events 2010 as being on March 27, organized by Midleton Cycle Club. Aidan from the MCC, who organises the Stephen Roche Tour De Cure knows nothing about it!

Does it exist, is it a real event, has anyone done it?

rottenhat

Yes, it's real - the organiser is Kevin O'Sullivan (MKOS@O2.ie). I'd imagine Midleton CC are only tangentially involved in that Kevin would be a member, and that's how it would be listed for Cycling Ireland purposes. It's a new route and I've heard it's reasonably flat as befits an early season 200. I'll be heading down for it certainly. I'd drop Kevin a line if you have any questions.

Caroline_ie

Flat'ish 200 Audax ....? tempting.

Joff

rottenhat wrote: »

Yes, it's real - the organiser is Kevin O'Sullivan (MKOS@O2.ie). I'd imagine Midleton CC are only tangentially involved in that Kevin would be a member, and that's how it would be listed for Cycling Ireland purposes. It's a new route and I've heard it's reasonably flat as befits an early season 200. I'll be heading down for it certainly. I'd drop Kevin a line if you have any questions.

Thanks rottenhat, have rang Kevin - no answer, also e-mailed - no reply!
Good to know its happening, Signal Rabbit and myself will no doubt head down, hope to see you there.

blorg

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Flat'ish 200 Audax ....? tempting.

Flat enough for a fixie I wonder?

Caroline_ie

blorg wrote: »

Flat enough for a fixie I wonder?

The Swords 160 was very doable on the fixie last year ... but I couldn't keep up on the downhills ... I dont think I could keep up with roads bikes on the fixie for 200km ... even on Flat, unless more fixie riders do it and wait for each other.

blorg

Methinks a carbon track bike is looking like the natural choice for this audax event.

Caroline_ie

blorg wrote: »

Methinks a carbon track bike is looking like the natural choice for this audax event.

Wow That's a good way to 'Launch' this P-X as one of the 'Blorg' fleet's winning race horse fixie.

ROK ON

It could suit me to do this. Middleton start I presume?

Joff

Seems to be a bit of interest in this, when i hear back from Kevin i will post up any details here.

Toblerone1978

blorg wrote: »

Flat enough for a fixie I wonder?

Kevin is not a fan of the hills, so if he says it flat, it's flat!! I wouldn't be surprised if he had a level with him marking out the route!

bcmf

Toblerone1978 wrote: »

Kevin is not a fan of the hills, so if he says it flat, it's flat!! I wouldn't be surprised if he had a level with him marking out the route!

sounding more and more appealing as the day goes on...

Caroline_ie

bcmf wrote: »

sounding more and more appealing as the day goes on...

Are you sure? It's in Cork ... Blorg will probably cycle down

Signal_ rabbit

Are you guys heading down to the real 'capital' then?

bcmf

Signal_ rabbit wrote: »

Are you guys heading down tofrom the real 'capital' then?

fixed

bcmf

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Are you sure? It's in Cork ... Blorg will probably cycle down

...and back. Time wise form M50 how long we looking at?

blorg

bcmf wrote: »

...and back. Time wise form M50 how long we looking at?

I have done Cork-Dublin in 10h30m before including stopping for lunch in Freshford and fixing a puncture in Tallaght. Should be trivially easy to get it well under 10 hours. It's easier that way compared to Dublin-Cork due to the prevailing winds.

Lumen

blorg wrote: »

I have done Cork-Dublin in 10h30m before including stopping for lunch in Freshford and fixing a puncture in Tallaght.

(shakes head in disbelief, again)

Cycling Robot wrote:

Maybe a week off after the Raid wasn't enough, I was feeling it in my legs and there seemed to be a headwind the whole way.

A bit off-topic, but I read something interesting about "crash training" in Friel's book the other day.

Apparently you can get maybe 10% performance improvement if you increase both training time and % of time at high intensity for a period of several weeks, and then rest well for two full weeks. There is a significant risk of overtraining, so you have to be careful (monitor resting HR etc).

In the study they were talking about increasing training time from something like 14 to 17 hours a week, so casual cyclists probably need not apply.

Perhaps a Raid-type effort is similar to the high intensity period in crash training, and you were only half-way through the recovery period when you did your mental trip.

bcmf

blorg wrote: »

I have done Cork-Dublin in 10h30m before including stopping for lunch in Freshford and fixing a puncture in Tallaght. Should be trivially easy to get it well under 10 hours. It's easier that way compared to Dublin-Cork due to the prevailing winds.

I was talking about driving down and back

rottenhat

bcmf wrote: »

I was talking about driving down and back

Should be under 3 hours if the final section of the motorway is open (which I believe it is), as long as you avoid rush hour.

Plastik

rottenhat wrote: »

Should be under 3 hours if the final section of the motorway is open (which I believe it is), as long as you avoid rush hour.

The final section isn't open yet, unless it opened yesterday.

blorg

Probably wouldn't be far off 3 hours anyway.

rottenhat

Plastik wrote: »

The final section isn't open yet, unless it opened yesterday.

OK, in that case more like 3:15 or 3:30.

blorg wrote: »

Probably wouldn't be far off 3 hours anyway.

I take it you've never experienced the rare pleasure of Abbeyleix?

Plastik

You'll do it in 2h 30 if you're leaving early morning/late at night. It can take anywhere from 3 to 3 30 from the city centre at 4 on a Friday evening - the slowest part being getting out past Newlands Cross.

Toblerone1978

blorg wrote: »

I have done Cork-Dublin in 10h30m before including stopping for lunch in Freshford and fixing a puncture in Tallaght.

You had lunch in Freshford :eek:. So you done it in 10h30m, which includes stopping for lunch, fixing a puncture and getting lost/going the long way via Freshford!

Ditto Lumen, I'm shaking the head in disbelief!

Joff

Received this by e-mail from Kevin last night, so looks like its on;

Joff

Yes, it is on for the first time this year. At a high level the route is as follows. It may be changed slightly at the back end as yet but not by much from the following:

Midleton, Rushbroke, Monkstown, Carrigaline, Belgooly, Ballinspittle, Clonakilty, Enniskeane, Coachford, Carrignavar, Brooklodge, Glounthane, Midleton.

Haven't decided on the entry fee but shouldn't be more than €5. Assuming you have a CI licence.

Kevin


License?????

blorg

Joff wrote: »

License?????

Cycling Ireland license, covers insurance etc. If you are a first-time member and not racing it costs €10 for the year and covers you for any audax, sportives etc. you do in the year.

rottenhat

I see I'm coming late with the news. Anyway, I also asked about entry and he said that he'd probably be doing all the entries on the line, but if you're planning on entering please email him ahead of time. And if there will be a good few in Midleton on the Friday night, we might meet up in a pub and do the sign on etc there over a nourishing pint or two.

Dromcarrig

For those of you still interested in the maiden run of the Pink Elephant here is some more information. The following is the route http://tinyurl.com/Pink-Elephant-200 There is one minor error in this route depiction as one of the roads to be used is not represented on the map!! For those of you that were thinking it was flat (as I was too initially), it's not!! According to bikehike there are 2345m of climbing and it is concentrated in the second half of the route i.e. from Clonakilty onward. The hills are mostly shortish reasonably shallow drags. There are many of them though. The Ardattin would be a reasonable comparator - which some people do describe as flat. I would not agree with that sentiment. The controls are Kinsale, Clonakilty and Grenagh. The navigation is not overly difficult with most of the complexity in a short stretch from Carrignavar to Glanmire. I will follow up in the next week with more information on the registration arrangements. I would appreciate if people could give me an indication as to interest as soon as possible at mkos@o2.ie. If you have any more questions please let me know.
Kevin

rottenhat

Just giving this a quick bump - there will be at least a couple of us driving down from Dublin, if you're in need of a lift, drop me a PM.

blorg

rottenhat wrote: »

Just giving this a quick bump - there will be at least a couple of us driving down from Dublin, if you're in need of a lift, drop me a PM.

I'd be interested in a lift!

ROK ON

A few random questions.

I am interested in doing this but dont have a CI license. Tried to get one, but the website wont allow it - says its being updated. Does this mean that it is not posible to do it, or can I pay for a day license.

What time does this start as I am flying in from London the day before, so later the better?

blorg

ROK ON wrote: »

I am interested in doing this but dont have a CI license. Tried to get one, but the website wont allow it - says its being updated. Does this mean that it is not posible to do it, or can I pay for a day license.

What time does this start as I am flying in from London the day before, so later the better?

You should be able to get a one-day license although this is up to the organiser.

Not sure what time it starts at but at a guess 8am would be typical.

rottenhat

You'll be able to pay for a day license. 8am start.

Toblerone1978

ROK ON wrote: »

Tried to get one, but the website wont allow it - says its being updated

This is total BS from Cycling Ireland, our club is having the same problem. If we all ring them, complain about the delays and hassle in getting a licence, they might, after the 100th call, get off their @rse and issue the bloody things.

thebouldwhacker

I'm thinking of giving this a slow go, many other winter lazy boyz and gals signing up? Its not being last that would bother me... its being last by about 2 hours that would get to me:o
I will be fit, I will be fit, Iwill be fit

Dubba

Is this too much for a relative beginner?
I've 6 months exp. and just the one group / sportive ride - Blarney 72km Memorial Sportive in Feb.

Be handy as its local.

rottenhat

How long is your usual weekend spin? If it's less than 100k, a 200 might be a lot to bite off. If it's more, you'll probably be fine, but might be suffering a little as the day goes on.

blorg

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

I'm thinking of giving this a slow go, many other winter lazy boyz and gals signing up? Its not being last that would bother me... its being last by about 2 hours that would get to me:o
I will be fit, I will be fit, Iwill be fit

Audax is all about doing the distance, not how fast you do it; there is a technical cut off time but it is very generous- IIRC average speed (including stops) needs to be between 15 and 30km/h (e.g. you can't go any faster than that even if you wanted to- not that this has ever been a problem.)

Toblerone1978

Dubba wrote: »

Is this too much for a relative beginner?
I've 6 months exp. and just the one group / sportive ride - Blarney 72km Memorial Sportive in Feb.

I was cycling less than 6 weeks before I tried my first audax event, the Ardattin 200. In saying that, I've a bit of hurling and running done before I started cycling, so I probably had a based to start off with.

I did do a charity cycle a week or two before the Adrattin200, which was 400km in total (200km on a Friday, 200km on a Sunday). So I knew going I could do 200km, it was just a matter of pace - as it turned out, I wasn't too far off the main group (and there was even a slower group behind me). If you go out and do 125-150km on your own before then, I think ya be grand.

The only thing is that if I had a puncture etc, I'd say my inexperience would have made it very miserable - sometimes ignorance is bliss .

rottenhat

Toblerone1978 wrote: »

The only thing is that if I had a puncture etc, I'd say my inexperience would have made it very miserable - sometimes ignorance is bliss .

Ouch...yes, you really should know how to do basic roadside repairs. There's no support on these rides except the charity of your fellow riders.

Limestone1

ROK ON wrote: »

A few random questions.

I am interested in doing this but dont have a CI license. Tried to get one, but the website wont allow it - says its being updated. Does this mean that it is not posible to do it, or can I pay for a day license.

What time does this start as I am flying in from London the day before, so later the better?

Its working now, though process seems to be a bit long winded - register first then wait for a day until you get an accepted email. Then go in and apply for a license, wait for another day for an accepted email. Then go back in and you can pay for the license - at this stage you get a license number. I picked the €10 introductory member as per blorg's advice. It arrived in the post today.

Joff

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

I'm thinking of giving this a slow go, many other winter lazy boyz and gals signing up? Its not being last that would bother me... its being last by about 2 hours that would get to me:o
I will be fit, I will be fit, Iwill be fit

Still hoping to do this and will happily keep you company at the back - because there's no chance I'll be at the front!

Have sent you a PM.

karlmyson

I'm doing this event too and I'm not going to flake around, so happy to go with anyone planning to ride at a social pace. Coffee and cake stops mandatory. I'm in it for the early season miles and it's quite a nice spin too. I'm thinking of cycling out and back from home as well, which will add 26km more!

thebouldwhacker

Just to clarify, can I get a one day licence and pay entry fee on the day? Just turn up with the cash and bike?

Joff

Not certain about obtaining license on the day, suggest you e-mail Kevin at mkos@o2.ie

CI are doing an introductory offer of a years license (non racing) for €10, sorted mine out fairly quickly by phone - not arrived yet though!

Joff

License arrived today:) Kevin reckons at least 8 coming down from Dublin and a good few from Midleton Cycle Club among others, not certain of total expected - hope to see you there.

thebouldwhacker

Looking forward to this, I did Ballycotton 10 yesterday so a bit sore today, so long as I have no injury full steam ahead for this:)

rottenhat

Well, that was very pleasant day out altogether, although I was a little surprised that the locals were outnumbered by those traveling down from Dublin. The group broke apart fairly quickly as a couple of people seemed to be in a hurry to get around - they were already a red and white dot in the distance by the time I threw my leg over the saddle. I spent the rest of the day directing the autobus - me, emty, the notorious legendary Eddie Dunne, and Joff (well, until he fell off the back somewhere around Grenagh) - around the backroads of Cork. The route was pretty, especially the section along the coast road to Timoleague (Dromcarrig has promised to arrange it so that the tide is in next year), and had enough drags and bumps in the road to keep it interesting.

We had great sandwiches at the Tea Garden in Clonakilty and surprisingly good coffee at the Costcutter in Grenagh. The routesheet was excellent - after navigating ten kilometers of unmarked turns on the back end of the route, I realised that there wasn't a single superfluous word on the sheet: if it mentioned something, there was a reason, and if you read it carefully, there was no way to go wrong. All in all a very solid 200, good company and a nice route along unfamiliar roads, and I'll be back for it again next year, not to mention Dromcarrig's 300 in September. And man, you would not believe the pub we wound up in later that evening....

karlmyson

Thoroughly enjoyed it myself too, a good spin in good company, and very well organised by Dromcarrig. Got to break my day record which was my personal objective - ended up with just under 219km - and no ill effects afterwards. I cycled from home to the start in Midleton, 12km or so, and when I got to the end I made it another 7km or so towards home when the chain broke. After walking / straddling for 2km my wife effected a rescue, saving me the last hill home! I was very lucky the chain didn't break earlier in the ride. All in a day's riding I guess.

thebouldwhacker

Just dusting this off, the 2011 date is set for 26th of March, anyone thinking of doing it?
I missed it last year due to a badly timed illness so looking forward to this as my first 200 of 2011.