Marble City 200

Toblerone1978

Marble City Cyclers will be hosting the ‘Marble City 200’ audax event on Saturday, 2nd April 2011.

And as we know, the sportive season don’t really kick-off until April. I personally think this would be great introduction to the season for anyone who simply wants to get miles into their legs without the climbing. Particularly in preparation for the upcoming climbing audax and sportives events in the next few months!! Marble City 200 is a relatively flat route on mostly good roads.

Sign-on will open at 7.15am at the IWA Building on College Road in Kilkenny and closes at 7.45am. The cycle itself starts at 8am. There will be three ‘man’ controls for this audax event. Entry fee is €10 with a €5 discount for anyone with a Cycling Ireland licence with them on the day.

As with a lot of audax events, please note that cyclists will need to be self-sufficient in terms of both food/drink and bike road worthiness. There is limited back-up available on the day.

There is more information on our website and a review by rottenhat of last year’s event is provided here.

Details of the second control are currently being finalised and once done, we’ll upload a copy of the route sheet to our website. I’ll let you know when this is done.

Any questions, just ask!

Chips Lovell

Without the climbing you say?;)

Cookie_Monster

What's needed?

just turn up with a tenner?

Toblerone1978

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

What's needed?

just turn up with a tenner?

A helmet is compulsory and while a bike isn't, I strongly advise to bring one of those as well.

Seriously, although we will have some refreshments at the controls, you are advised to have your own food/drinks (and perhaps money if you want to top-up). Also your mobile, spare tubes, pump etc, there won't be any back-up/broom wagon vehicle (but we will have a track pump at the controls).

And your Cycling Ireland licence if you have one, to reduce the entry fee to €5.

penexpers

Anywhere local (and cheap) to stay?

rottenhat

Toblerone1978 wrote: »

There is more information on our website and a review by rottenhat of last year’s event is provided here.

I'm not suggesting for a second that you're losing it, but that's actually your description of the route that you emailed me a few weeks ago.

Anyway, it is a nice route and we were pretty well looked after last year. You'll have to be going well to beat the time set last year - I think the first finishers were done in about 7h15m.

I should be there again this year.

Captain Havoc

For cheap and cheerful I recommend Billy Byrnes but I'll ask around.

Toblerone1978

You could try Anna Villa, it would be very near it, on the same road.

Other B&Bs reasonable near sign-on are Launard House, Beaupre and Glendhu.

Are they cheap, I really don't know, I live fairly near them so I never have to use them!!

Chips Lovell

rottenhat wrote: »

Anyway, it is a nice route and we were pretty well looked after last year. You'll have to be going well to beat the time set last year - I think the first finishers were done in about 7h15m.

Hmmm, 28kph-ish on a flattish route. Sounds doable. Mind you, I shouldn't be setting myself up for challenges like that given the state I'm in.

Captain Havoc wrote: »

For cheap and cheerful I recommend Billy Byrnes but I'll ask around.

What was the name of the place we stayed in November? You know the one with all the hen parties?

Toblerone1978

rottenhat wrote: »

I'm not suggesting for a second that you're losing it, but that's actually your description of the route that you emailed me a few weeks ago.

Sorry, wrong rottenhat website. Review of last year's MC200 was done here!

Toblerone1978

el tonto wrote: »

What was the name of the place we stayed in November? You know the one with all the hen parties?

Kilford Arms. It's very near Billy Byrnes. Tbh, it you have a 200km cycle the next day, I'd be inclined to avoid John Street!! The B&Bs I posted above are on the quieter (and more respectable ) part of the city!

Although John St is an ideal place if you are staying down for a night on the tiles on Saturday night, after completing 200km!

DirkVoodoo

el tonto wrote: »

What was the name of the place we stayed in November? You know the one with all the hen parties?

Why Tonto, are you pondering what I am pondering?

Chips Lovell

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Why Tonto, are you pondering what I am pondering?

I thought you'd be afraid to go back after getting chased around the corridors by hen parties.

But seriously, yes, I was contemplating it. But I think I've mixed it up with the Tour de Kilkenny, which is later on in the year. I gather this one would be a bit smaller.

Captain Havoc

el tonto wrote: »

I thought you'd be afraid to go back after getting chased around the corridors by hen parties.

But seriously, yes, I was contemplating it. But I think I've mixed it up with the Tour de Kilkenny, which is later on in the year. I gather this one would be a bit smaller.

Longer but you get to ride with Havoc, what more do you want?

unionman

el tonto wrote: »

I thought you'd be afraid to go back after getting chased around the corridors by hen parties.

But seriously, yes, I was contemplating it. But I think I've mixed it up with the Tour de Kilkenny, which is later on in the year. I gather this one would be a bit smaller.

Tour de Kilkenny is towards the end of July, and recommended if you haven't already tried it.

DirkVoodoo

el tonto wrote: »

I thought you'd be afraid to go back after getting chased around the corridors by hen parties.

But seriously, yes, I was contemplating it. But I think I've mixed it up with the Tour de Kilkenny, which is later on in the year. I gather this one would be a bit smaller.

Dirk has no such fears, being pursued by ravenous hen parties is part of the cycling lifestyle, I embrace it. I can hold off until the Tour de Kilkenny though.

Chips Lovell

Captain Havoc wrote: »

...what more do you want?

A massive big bunch of riders to hide in while I get some miles in. Unless your arse has gotten considerably bigger and I can hide behind that.

Captain Havoc

el tonto wrote: »

A massive big bunch of riders to hide in while I get some miles in. Unless your arse has gotten considerably bigger and I can hide behind that.

Try say that in the sex and sexuality forum

Toblerone1978

Captain Havoc wrote: »

Try say that in the sex and sexuality forum

Beasty, help!! Put some order on this thread!!

penexpers

I will see about this one closer to the time - was fairly well beaten up by the Ardattin.

AstraMonti

Is it really flat (I don't believe you) or the constant ups and downs of the Tour de Kilkenny?

Cookie_Monster

wait now, no hills?

Ascent 1171 meters

http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=135392

penexpers

I think the correct phrase here is "relatively flat"

ROK ON

Kilkenny is one of my favourite places. Post ride tapas in the Grapevine followed by pints in Tynans and I could be seriously tempted to make a w/e of this.

A few questions as I have never Audaxed.
Are these solitary affairs. I get the impression that audax people just go and cycle and sort of end up coming home in 1s and 2s. Is this correct. Just that I can cycle on my own any day, if I do an event I want there to be a bit if group riding, banter, hiding in a bunch type of thing.
Also on my phone so can't see map. Does this go out near Inistoige at all. Cycled there duri g summer and it was a great route.

Thanks.

Diego Murphy

At first I said no, but i'm kind of tempted. Nice time to clock up a bit of early mileage. There not be any hidden mountains though!

penexpers

ROK ON wrote: »

Kilkenny is one of my favourite places. Post ride tapas in the Grapevine followed by pints in Tynans and I could be seriously tempted to make a w/e of this.

A few questions as I have never Audaxed.
Are these solitary affairs. I get the impression that audax people just go and cycle and sort of end up coming home in 1s and 2s. Is this correct. Just that I can cycle on my own any day, if I do an event I want there to be a bit if group riding, banter, hiding in a bunch type of thing.
Also on my phone so can't see map. Does this go out near Inistoige at all. Cycled there duri g summer and it was a great route.

Thanks.

In my (limited) experience, they don't tend to be solitary affairs but the groups tend to be smaller so the chances of finding someone of the same ability as you to go a long with is a bit smaller.

I think the self-sufficent thing is just a warning that you need to have your own supply of food and have the tools/ability to fix your own bike on the side of the road and have a means of getting back to civilisation if you need to abandon.

rottenhat

ROK ON wrote: »

A few questions as I have never Audaxed.
Are these solitary affairs. I get the impression that audax people just go and cycle and sort of end up coming home in 1s and 2s. Is this correct. Just that I can cycle on my own any day, if I do an event I want there to be a bit if group riding, banter, hiding in a bunch type of thing.

Depends on how closely your speed matches other people - everyone starts out in a single group but after a while it will tend to break up a bit and you wind up riding with the people who are around the same pace as you. If you get dropped by the fast lads, just ease up a bit and others will catch up to you. But these are small events - we had 49 starters on Sunday and that was the biggest audax here in two decades - so there's no guarantee that you won't wind up by yourself for a while.

Toblerone1978

ROK ON wrote: »

A few questions as I have never Audaxed. Are these solitary affairs. I get the impression that audax people just go and cycle and sort of end up coming home in 1s and 2s. Is this correct. Does this go out near Inistoige at all. Cycled there duri g summer and it was a great route.

Rottenhat has his finger way more on the pulse on Audaxes than I ever will, but just to give you an idea about TdeKK. Two years was the first MC200 and all cyclists were of similar ability so we all finished together. Last year, about half finish with the main group, the other half came in 1s and 2s. As Rottenhat, it all depends if there are other cyclists of similar abilities there.

ROK ON wrote: »

Does this go out near Inistoige at all.

Yes! It doesn't go up that sneaky (steep?) hill they call Woodstock that features in Tour de Kilkenny.

Toblerone1978

Diego Murphy wrote: »

There not be any hidden mountains though!

We only do that with the Tour de KIlkenny

Seriously, there's a few drags in alright but no climbing. As penexpers says, the more correct phrase would be 'relatively flat' - you're not going to get 200km of flat roads in Ireland!

Diego Murphy

Toblerone1978 wrote: »

We only do that with the Tour de KIlkenny

Seriously, there's a few drags in alright but no climbing. As penexpers says, the more correct phrase would be 'relatively flat' - you're not going to get 200km of flat roads in Ireland!

that sounds fair enough. I did the west cork 200 last year with not a whole lot of training and that had one 16k climb up a mountain. So this should hopefully be ok.

Captain Havoc

Any of ye that are worried about doing it, I'm totally under prepared for this and I expect to be the last in.

CramCycle

Captain Havoc wrote: »

Any of ye that are worried about doing it, I'm totally under prepared for this and I expect to be the last in.

To steal someone elses line:



I'll try to make it down, work and women folk etc allowing it.

Cookie_Monster

I'm seriously thinking of doing it, and in fairness 1200m climbing over 200km is pretty small. But 200km is about 80 more than I've ever done before so not too sure whether I'd actually be able for it tbh...

ashleey

I'm thinking along the same lines. It's a long way and as I live here though I may have to do it. Can't think of 200k of flat in the county though. I would seriously recommend avoiding the kilford arms until after the cycle though. The grape vine and tynans would be ideal mind you for afterwards.

penexpers

Wouldn't want to discourage you but if you haven't done longer distances before then an Audax at the start of April is maybe not the best way to do it. Doing something like the Wicklow 200 or any of the other sportives is a much better way of building up to the longer distances.

TinyExplosions

penexpers wrote: »

Wouldn't want to discourage you but if you haven't done longer distances before then an Audax at the start of April is maybe not the best way to do it. Doing something like the Wicklow 200 or any of the other sportives is a much better way of building up to the longer distances.

I dunno, couple years ago my first big spin of the year was the Virginia 300

Cookie_Monster

penexpers wrote: »

Wouldn't want to discourage you but if you haven't done longer distances before then an Audax at the start of April is maybe not the best way to do it. Doing something like the Wicklow 200 or any of the other sportives is a much better way of building up to the longer distances.

W200 is on the list already.
And the 120km route that I've done is over both wicklow gaps which is a lot of climbing, which would be thing to make me feel better about the Kilkenny one, being much flatter overall.

ROK ON

TinyExplosions wrote: »

I dunno, couple years ago my first big spin of the year was the Virginia 300

Just refresh my recollection here Tiny, was that the same year that you busted up your knee and have done precious little cycling since then.

For guys that haven't done 200k before I say go for it. 200k flat if you are with others is significantly easier than say wicklow 200.

TinyExplosions

ROK ON wrote: »

Just refresh my recollection here Tiny, was that the same year that you busted up your knee and have done precious little cycling since then.

For guys that haven't done 200k before I say go for it. 200k flat if you are with others is significantly easier than say wicklow 200.

Yes, yes it was, though that was later in the year!

I will be venturing up the Sally Gap tomorrow though, pinkie's coming back!

ROK ON

TinyExplosions wrote: »

Yes, yes it was, though that was later in the year!

I will be venturing up the Sally Gap tomorrow though, pinkie's coming back!

Good man. I take it I'll see you in the morning then. Sure I can even swing by your gaff on the way :-)

TinyExplosions

ROK ON wrote: »

Good man. I take it I'll see you in the morning then. Sure I can even swing by your gaff on the way :-)

If you'd like too and don't mind going slow, I'm grand with that!

Toblerone1978

The revised route sheet for the Marble City 200 has been updated and can be found here.

The route is largely the same as last year. The only change is the second control is in Carraig Hotel in Carrick-on-Suir, rather that 6km on the far side of Carrick in Ikes & Mikes.

For an additional €6, participants can opt for tea/coffee and sandwiches at this control. The fee is payable at sign in, is optional and is additional to the €10 sign-on fee (or €5 sign-on fee for those who present their Cycling Ireland licence at sign-in).

Any quesitons, just ask!

CramCycle

A few people cycling down for a bit of night riding from Dublin the night before if anyone is interested in joining.

MAWS

ROK ON wrote: »

if I do an event I want there to be a bit if group riding, banter, hiding in a bunch type of thing.

Second that ROK ON, if tapas, banter and bunch hiding facilities can be arranged, then MAWS may be willing to temporarily amend the name to 'MASS' (Mags & Anne Spring Spins) in order to make an appearance at this one!

Toblerone1978

Hi all. Anyone doing this, I would appreciate if you could PM me your name, address and cyling club by Wednesday, so I can get the brevet cards ready in advance.

It good to see the MAWS (although MASS is away better acronym!) considering this. Good training the l'Etape etc!

Captain Havoc

If anyone wants a lift down on Friday evening from Dublin I'm travelling down and have space for two bikes but I won't be going back.

AstraMonti

I ll pass this one, unfortunately. I did 130k on Saturday (with 1700m of ascent but still) and I felt terribly the last 30, I was crawling to get back home.. So have fun everyone!

Captain Havoc

I'll be crawling also so you won't be alone

CramCycle

Make that 3

Captain Havoc

I'm hoping to have my new wheels for this also, they were supposed to have been sent last Wednesday and USPS reckon it's five days.

CramCycle

Captain Havoc wrote: »

I'm hoping to have my new wheels for this also, they were supposed to have been sent last Wednesday and USPS reckon it's five days.

We can test it against my new front wheel, Dynamo hub versus race wheels