Anyone else doing ROK on their own?

thehamo

Folks,

Is there anyone else out there doing this on their own? I've tried and tried in ernest to rope some friends in but everyone just looks at me like I have two heads when I ask them.

Is there anyone else doing it on their own? The more I read up on it seems to be a lot of people doing it in groups or with friends etc. Anyone out there looking for a training partner for the next few weeks or anything?

Captain Havoc

There's going to be 3,000 odd doing this, you'll have no problem hooking up with a group.

thehamo

id just feel like a bit of a pleb going up to someone and asking hey, can I cycle with you? :P would like to recognise a few heads on the day

Ryder

any sportive ive entered has been on my own and ive always ridden with a group. Youll naturally gravitate to riders of a similar ability on the day so finding a group wont be a problem......stopping a line from hitching rides on your group will.

Even if you entered with friends you would all have different abilities and likely split up at the first hill.

QueensGael

I did a few of the An Post series by myself, you'll be grand! People are in good form and you'll strike up conversations with random groups. Plus, there are plenty who sign up and start with a crew, and get separated, so they're just hanging out chatting as well. Sign up and do it, it's a really cool event! I would let being a solo cyclist put you off

mgmt

I burned my group about 1km from the start and cycled on my own for the day. You get chatting to loads and there is 100s of riders around you at all times.

on_the_nickel

mgmt wrote: »

I burned my group about 1km from the start and cycled on my own for the day. You get chatting to loads and there is 100s of riders around you at all times.

Agree. Though I was a bit more polite and waited til Killorglin.

Chips Lovell

It's probably the biggest sportive in the country in terms of numbers. You'd be grand on your own, you'll end up chatting to loads of people on the way around.

irishmotorist

I'll be doing this and as others have said, you just end up with people. There's usually a good bunch from here doing it and there will be 'what time/where will we meet on the morning' threads in the days leading up to it. That said, people go at different paces so groups often split up. Say, last year, I missed the boards group at the start but just ended up jumping from group to group with a little 'hello', 'great day' etc. for the most part with others that I was with at the time.

petethedrummer

I started it last year with a group and ended up doing it on my own. I got fed up of wobbly riders and overly large pelotons.

Captain Whizzer

Anybody able to register for this? The website doesn't seem to be working! Anyone know what the entry fee is?
Thanks!

trek climber

Captain Whizzer wrote: »

Anybody able to register for this? The website doesn't seem to be working! Anyone know what the entry fee is?
Thanks!

There is no entry fee per say, after you register on the website you will get a letter in the post with your registration number and a couple of sponsorship cards for raising money. The idea is that you raise as much money as possible and it does not matter how small the amount. I dont know what is wrong with the website though, I registered a couple of weeks ago. Alternatively, you can just turn up on the day make a donation and go and cycle the route.

Captain Whizzer

Thanks for that, i'll just pay on the day so. Hopefully the weather will be better than it was in Wicklow at the weekend!

moby2101

Captain Whizzer wrote: »

Thanks for that, i'll just pay on the day so. Hopefully the weather will be better than it was in Wicklow at the weekend!

Hi Captain,

I had the same problem registering on the ROK site...
I emailed my details to office@ringofkerrycycle.ie and they sorted it out, the registration pack arrived yesterday.

Theres no payment required but ..and im open to be corrected on this as far as Im aware if you arent registered and dont have a registration no at the sign on on the Friday night or Saturday morning they will not issue you with a "race no" ..
Theres nothing stopping you cycling the event tho'

Dr.Millah

Will most likely be doing this on my own also, I havnt managed to rope anyone in for the day yet!

snottybridge

is it possible to hand over sponsorship money and cards on the day?

irishmotorist

I'm not so sure about that morning because I'm always down the evening before when they do that part of the registration. You go in with your number and the sponsorship and they give you the number/tag for your bike. I'd imagine you can do it on the morning but for them to try to control numbers, the evening before would be more recommended.

petethedrummer

snottybridge wrote: »

is it possible to hand over sponsorship money and cards on the day?

Yeah, Just hand it up at the end. There are collectors for each charity in the tent at the finishing line.

The Wexican

Can anyone tell me what kind of times do people expect to finish it in. First ROK and in fact haven't been on the bike that long, and was hoping to do it in 8-9 hours including food stops. Or should it be a case of not worrying about time and enjoying the craic along the way.

irishmotorist

What kind of training have you done? What kind of distances on individual spins and in total in the last few months?

The Wexican

Longest distance so far is just 60 miles and hope to get another one in this weekend. Don't get out as much as I should as I do a good bit of running as well, and am running a half marathon the week before Kerry.

Tbh hoping havng the running in the legs is what will get me around, although I realise they are two different animals

shamwari

The Wexican wrote: »

Can anyone tell me what kind of times do people expect to finish it in. First ROK and in fact haven't been on the bike that long, and was hoping to do it in 8-9 hours including food stops. Or should it be a case of not worrying about time and enjoying the craic along the way.

I did it in a ride time of around 8:15. Stopped in Cahirciveen and Sneem for a good fill up, and brief stops at a few other spots and at the top of the climbs. It's about enjoying yourself, not killing yourself!

irishmotorist wrote: »

What kind of training have you done? What kind of distances on individual spins and in total in the last few months?

There's a training schedule given on the ROK website. My weekly training regime consisted of around 90k (incl a good climb) on a Saturday or Sunday, and two evenings doing around 30-40k. Once you have the fitness to do this then the 170k on the day should be ok. Cycling in a group actually helps carry you along. Trick on the day is pacing youself, and keeping youself topped up with liquids and carbs.

ROK ON

The Wexican wrote: »

Can anyone tell me what kind of times do people expect to finish it in. First ROK and in fact haven't been on the bike that long, and was hoping to do it in 8-9 hours including food stops. Or should it be a case of not worrying about time and enjoying the craic along the way.

9 hours including food stops is realistic for nearly everyone.
Mostly flat. Coomakiste is a steady gradient climb (4-5% max) and Molls Gap is a 10km drag rising only 240m. Its just long and boring.

If you are doing 60miles on your own then you will be grand. A lot on the day depends on what type of group you get into and what the weathers like. Normally a headwind for first part out to Caherciveen and a tailwind from Coomakiste to Molls Gap.

There will be unofficial food stops in Killorglin, Glenbeigh, Waterville, The Black Shop and Sneem as well as the official ones and Caherciveen and Kenmare.

petethedrummer

There are two long steady climbs, once you pace yourself up them you should be fine. I wouldn't worry too much about fitness (if you're reasonably fit) but more about comfort on the bike for the 6-7-8 hours.

Also there was a bad patch of rain during it the year before last, so bring a good rain jacket. Considering how changeable the weather has been over the last few weeks, it can be bright and sunny one minute and bucketing down the next.

The Wexican

Thanks for the responses.

Yeah it's the comfort on the bike that would be my main worry, as the longest I have been in the saddle was just 4 hours, but there's very little I can do to rectify that at this stage.

ROK ON

petethedrummer wrote: »

Also there was a bad patch of rain during it the year before last, so bring a good rain jacket. Considering how changeable the weather has been over the last few weeks, it can be bright and sunny one minute and bucketing down the next.

Pete, in Kerry there is no such thing as a patch of rain. There are patches of sun between the incessant rain and wind.
Bring a rain cape, change of socks and overshoes. Regardless of what the forecast says.

irishmotorist

The Wexican wrote: »

Yeah it's the comfort on the bike that would be my main worry, as the longest I have been in the saddle was just 4 hours, but there's very little I can do to rectify that at this stage.

You will be fine. You'll likely be tired and a bit stiff afterwards, but fine. Despite it's length, it's a very manageable course and day due to there only being 2 hills and the big groups and numbers of participants. The important thing is to find your own pace. There's no point splitting yourself at the start only to fade at 100km and feel very tired for the end. Eat (small) and drink (sip) regularly and don't let yourself get hungry or thirsty. The great food along the way helps make it great too.

Dubba

ROK ON wrote: »

Pete, in Kerry there is no such thing as a patch of rain. There are patches of sun between the incessant rain and wind.
Bring a rain cape, change of socks and overshoes. Regardless of what the forecast says.

I never thought of this - a change of socks in a zip bag and into your rear pocket for a long day on the saddle makes good sense to me

stevie_b

ROK ON wrote: »

Pete, in Kerry there is no such thing as a patch of rain. There are patches of sun between the incessant rain and wind.
Bring a rain cape, change of socks and overshoes. Regardless of what the forecast says.

True, Kerry is the one place where i've seen rain fall horizontally

thehamo

Funny, looking at the pictures on the website there's never any rain. I wonder why that is........

Arequipa

Hey! I am doing ROK too: am looking forward to it.
Tore my stomach muscles over a month ago & now have an abdominal haematoma: so have been rebuilding fitness slowly on the bike.
My 2 cycling buddies are not gonna do it(allegedly too long for them) but a cousin of mine is doing it so will meet up.

Any recommendations for pints & fun on night of the cycle?

Arequipa.

peterjmaxwell

Hey guys,

I'm signed up for the ROK also and will be heading down on my own. I do have a question though, i've recently gotten my hands on a set of PX 82/101 carbon wheels and i'm wondering would there be any point in using them or sticking with the race x lites that are on my bike (trek madone)?

Raam

peterjmaxwell wrote: »

Hey guys,

I'm signed up for the ROK also and will be heading down on my own. I do have a question though, i've recently gotten my hands on a set of PX 82/101 carbon wheels and i'm wondering would there be any point in using them or sticking with the race x lites that are on my bike (trek madone)?

You need Zipp 808s at least, for the ROK.

DirkVoodoo

Tubulars and a support car too. Do you have a strong team around you? It's really about selecting the right domestiques, some big rouleurs would be my choice.

Just bring some regular box section aluminium clinchers, you won't be going fast enough to need those wheels and some of the roads are a little rough.

peterjmaxwell

As I thought so! Cheers!