Last week before Ring of Kerry 2011 cycle & whos taking part thread

The Behemoth

Hey folks, many here doing the Ring of Kerry this Saturday?
Anyway bit of advice needed as i havent done as much training for this as i have the last 2 years. The best i got in was a 3 hour cycle the Sunday before last. I have plenty of one hour spins in the last few weeks in the evenings after work etc & a few 50 km cycles earlier on this year. Whats the best plan for the rest of the week as im worried im gonna be smashed after the cycle next Saturday. Whats the best diet on the morning & the best recovery directly after? I wanna enjoy my night out in Killarney afterwards etc.
Thanks in advance & hope you enjoy the cycle if your going.:)

07Lapierre

The Behemoth wrote: »

Hey folks, many here doing the Ring of Kerry this Saturday?
Anyway bit of advice needed as i havent done as much training for this as i have the last 2 years. The best i got in was a 3 hour cycle the Sunday before last. I have plenty of one hour spins in the last few weeks in the evenings after work etc & a few 50 km cycles earlier on this year. Whats the best plan for the rest of the week as im worried im gonna be smashed after the cycle next Saturday. Whats the best diet on the morning & the best recovery directly after? I wanna enjoy my night out in Killarney afterwards etc.
Thanks in advance & hope you enjoy the cycle if your going.:)

Its not like the Leaving Cert! you can't "cram in" extra training on the night before . At this stage, with only a few days to go, your either prepared or your not. I suspect you'll be fine, but panicking now won't help. Eat normally, get plenty of rest and try and get out on the bike once or twice between now and Saturday, but don't overdo it.

CheGuedara

I agree. Especially about the not panicking.

The nature of the event means you'll inevitably make your way around with others with the same level of ability.

Worst things you can do are:

• not eat enough on the day: close to impossible with the number of food/waterstops but there's no harm taking in something like a nutrigrain once an hour.
• eating the wrong thing on the day: the day of the event is not when you want to find out a particular energy drink/gel/bar doesn't agree with you.
• not drink enough: bring two bottles on the bike. you'll nearly always be grateful for that second one.
• try to jump in with and hang onto a faster moving bunch: there's a greater risk of hitting a wall and then being very hard pressed to complete.

This week try to take it easy on the bike: going for a short spin this evening and Thursday evening would be ideal. Eat well Thursday evening and Friday to put fuel into the legs (very hard to go wrong with pasta), have a good nights sleep Friday, try to select kit to match the weather, do your ABC's*, roll out and enjoy the day.

Re recovery - Firstly don't immediately get off the bike once you cross the line, do even as little as 3mins of just slowly spinning an easy gear to help flush some of the lactate out of the legs, then if you can get some good quality protein and carbohydrate and fluids into you inside of ~1hr of getting off the bike that helps with recovery no end.

*ABC's
A - Air, is there enough in the tyres? Do you have your pump, spare tube and repair kit?
B - Brakes, are they working? Check pads, cable and lever.
C - Chain, is it in good order and shifting cleanly both front and rear?

mgmt

I havn't got much milage in either. I'm just going to keep at a comfortable pace and draft as much as possible. I'm going to stuff myself with Fig Roll bars during the cycle so I don't bonk.

gaffmaster

I haven't registered.
I have no accomodation.
I have no riding buddies going down.
Should I still go?

I wanted to do the Ring this year, it'd be the longest one day event I've ever tried. My average speed when I cycle on my own is just over 26km/hr.
I have a mate who I might be able to tag along with who averages 30km/hr and regularly does club rides. Would I be right in saying I should avoid his group (if I go down)?

How does it work down there? Do groups of loners with similar abilities form, then set off together? Or is it more like you get dropped until you find your level?

I also don't have a triple (I have a compact and I'm rubbish on hills). Anyone think this would be an issue?

I'm in two minds altogether...

mgmt

gaffmaster wrote: »

I haven't registered.
I have no accomodation.
I have no riding buddies going down.
Should I still go?

I wanted to do the Ring this year, it'd be the longest one day event I've ever tried. My average speed when I cycle on my own is just over 26km/hr.
I have a mate who I might be able to tag along with who averages 30km/hr and regularly does club rides. Would I be right in saying I should avoid his group (if I go down)?

How does it work down there? Do groups of loners with similar abilities form, then set off together? Or is it more like you get dropped until you find your level?

I also don't have a triple (I have a compact and I'm rubbish on hills). Anyone think this would be an issue?

I'm in two minds altogether...

You can register now. Its not a big deal either way. Register on the day and give a donation or whatever.

I think 4,000 did it last year and they said it will be bigger this year. There is literally 100s around you at all times so you will never be your own.

kala85

what way does the route go. is it killarney kenmare or killarney killorglin first. Can anybody recommend any reasonable accommodation??

irishmotorist

Killarney to Killorglan first. Kenmare is the last food stop. I'm staying in my usual place - Old Weir Lodge B&B on the Muckross Road and I'd always recommend it as being a nice place and location. They also send me a Christmas card I booked it ages ago, but it's worth a try. The official start and finish are about 1km apart and this place is bang in the middle.

Hu Deman

Does anyone know how far apart the water stops are. and what is the best supplement to add to water.ie berocca or similar!

CheGuedara

Hu Deman wrote: »

Does anyone know how far apart the water stops are. and what is the best supplement to add to water.ie berocca or similar!

In addition to the main stops at Caherciveen and Kenmare there are usually optional water stops at Killorglin, Glenbeigh, Coomaciste (summit), and Sneem.

Berocca wouldn't be your best bet - you either want carbohydrate or electrolytes (or both) in your bottles, typical cycling energy products are Hi5, SIS and Torq (your local bike shop should be able to sell you some of these or similar if worth it's salt) but you would get away with 50:50 dilution lucozade sport and water to fuel and hydrate you on the day. If looking for cheap electrolytes to add to a bottle, dioralyte is one of the best easiest sources to put ones mitts on.

Hu Deman

thanks for that Che, i haven't done anything like this before so i'm a bit uncertain as what to take. will definitely try my local bike shop. thanks again:D

CheGuedara

Hu Deman wrote: »

thanks for that Che, i haven't done anything like this before so i'm a bit uncertain as what to take. will definitely try my local bike shop. thanks again:D

No bother, we all start off the same; my first cycling event all those years ago was the ROK so I can appreciate how it can be a bit daunting for novice cyclists.

Signal_ rabbit

I'll be there, its a grand day out!

mgmt

Hu Deman wrote: »

Does anyone know how far apart the water stops are. and what is the best supplement to add to water.ie berocca or similar!

Orange Juice for potassium
Salt to replace lost sodium in sweat
Sugar for energy

bikenut

irishmotorist wrote: »

. The official start and finish are about 1km apart

If only!!

thehamo

il be camping in the whitesbridge camp site anyone stayed here before know what its like?

Quirkey105

Can anyone who has done it before let me know what the hills are like?

ustazjoseph

coom na ciste , after Waterville is a long slow grind. The hardcore w200 mob will fly up it. the under-trained , the overweight,the slow and the hopeful like myself will make it up . just keep spinning,it looks worse than it is. The other big one is right after Kenmare ; Molls gap. Can look bad if your tired and its getting late - its do able . Last year i found a warm mini mars bar in my pocket . that got me through. then tell yourself its all downhill to the finish (its not really but your almost there ). ENJOY

The Behemoth

Yeah the Hills on the cycle arent too bad. As stated above they are long slow grinds, about 3% to 4% with an odd kick up here & there. Try & enjoy the view if you can. At the top of Coom a Ciste however you spell it there is a water stop & some people giving out loads of chocolate & bananas etc. Remind yourself of this as you head up it, it might keep your spirit up.
As long as your not unbelievably overweight then you will get over these fine. Its almost all downhill to Killarney from the top of Molls Gap but you will have around 12 - 15km of flattishness left. Just keep going at that point as you havent far left then.
Hope you have a great day.

check_six

I'll be taking part in this for the first time this weekend. Just checked the weather and it looks like the predicted sprinkling of rain will now be staying away from Kerry for the day. Wind looks okay too. I haven't done this kind of distance before, but I'm really looking forward to it now.

petethedrummer

thehamo wrote: »

il be camping in the whitesbridge camp site anyone stayed here before know what its like?

Nah, but I stayed at the Flesk one last year. It was pretty good but I woke up freezing in the middle of the night. I doubt that will happen to you, it's much warmer this year.

Morrisseeee

Virgin here too, only thing I'm concerned about is the distance, it's fcekin loooong! Altho if the legs are good, I'm thinking of veering off Molls and heading up the Gap Of Dunloe and into Kate's for a bite to eat, Kate does a mighty stew :pac:

ROK ON

Morrisseeee wrote: »

Virgin here too, only thing I'm concerned about is the distance, it's fcekin loooong! Altho if the legs are good, I'm thinking of veering off Molls and heading up the Gap Of Dunloe and into Kate's for a bite to eat, Kate does a mighty stew :pac:

If you are concerned about distance then thats simply daft.
By Molls Gap you will have 145km done. Kate Kearneys cottage is 30km away across sh1te roads and one steep (but short climb). Roads will be covered ion horse drawn carriages and horse excrement.

At Molls Gap you will be 20km from the finish. There are oodles of places to get stew in Killarney. If you fancy a bite to eat at that stage then the Avoca cafe at Molls Gaps does a nice slice of cake.

Also, just around the corner (2km down the road to Sneem) is http://www.pancakecottage.com/

They do lovely homemade soup, great pancakes and coffee.

Last year I started and finished at Molls Gap, and belted here for pancakes once I finished.

ROK ON

I drove down Coomakiste on Sunday.

At that thime there was a lot of roadworks going on about halfway down. There was a set of traffic lights with a stop/go system in place.

It is not mentioned on the AA Roadwatch site so I am presuming that they have been cleared for the event on Saturday. If not, and you are held up, then at the traffic lights there is a right turn that will descent you down to Derrynane house and you can detour around. Lovely steep descent if ye fancy something different.

Chips Lovell

Doing my third Ring of Kerry this year. Will be doing it with my sister this time. It's her first event.

michael196

picked up a few half snickers bars on the tour de burren, and found they gave great energy. especially when i had nothing else to provide energy.

would never normally take confectionary / cholcolate bars while cycling.

The Behemoth

I am looking forward immensely to the famous Ring of Kerry buttered brack that i hope will be in its usual abundance.

check_six

What's the consensus regarding start times? I know there is some controversy over the club riders start time (6am! A time of day I have only seen before going to bed, not after getting up!).

Anywhere else good for a heavy meal after? Either myself or my buddy will be driving back that night, so we'll need a good heavy meal after.

ROK ON

@donal

In Killarney for food try the following.
Smokehouse
Laurels Pub
The bar in Malton Hotel is great.
Trevauds is supposed to be very nice but I haven't been in there yet.
My favourite is a tiny Chinese takeaway next to the Spar that does absolutely fantastic salt & chilli spare ribs.

bikenut

There's a lot of comments in last years thread about dangerous cycling - my wife is new to cycling and wouldn't be the most confident with kamikazes whizzing past at close range at 55kph plus. She'd be well able to manage the distance/hills etc but the last thing I want to do is turn her off cycling or sportives...any advice?... wait until the Tour of Meath?