Trip to Tipp Weekend of Cycling with Sean Kelly in aid of the NCBI 6&7th August 2011

Blazing Bikers

Hi Guys,

Just to let you know about an event I am organising, the Trip to Tipp Weekend of Cycling which is on the 6th & 7th August.

This is our 16th Year running this event in aid of the NCBI - Working for people with Sight Loss and we are delighted to have Sean Kelly taking part.

Last years event raised €18,000, with all funds going to the NCBI - Working for People with Sight Loss

The Weekend consists of Two days Cycling with 5 Different Routes on offer, so there is something over the weekend to suit every level of cyclist

Saturday 6th August
The Three Counties Tour - 70km

Sunday 7th August:

20KM Family Fun Cycle

60KM Route

100KM Route which takes in the Glen of Aherlow

180KM Route which takes in the Glen of Aherlow and The Vee

All routes will be marshaled, there will also be support vans, lead cars & Foodstops on every route
T-shirts and certificates for all participants

Entries will be taken on the day, the entry fee can be paid by personal donation or through sponsorship.
If you are interested in taking part, have any questions or you would like a sponsorship pack you can email me on blazingbikers@gmail.com

website: www.bikerschallenge.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.100595000014987.1633.100001934614720#!/profile.php?id=100001934614720

Thanks for your time

Katriona

michaelm

Really love this event having done it for the last 4 years - the food stop in Errill on the Sat ride is worth the trip alone!

CheGuedara

Great event - fantastic route that would be the match of an An Post event with a good mix of rolling road and nice climbs and excellent support, marshalling and what stands out in my mind as a particularly good (and welcome) food stop at the Cats Bar.

Would highly recommend the 180km to anyone looking for a good spin on August 7th, will be there going for my 4th TtT.


@ Katriona - will Mt Mellary be featuring on this years route also? Was a tough but good addition (and this coming from someone who's climbing legs abandoned him last year!)

Rallymad

Would love to do this event but sadly cant as im working:mad: but best of luck with it Katriona .

Blazing Bikers

Thanks Michael, hope to see you again this year

@ CheGuedara there is a very strong possibility it will be included, Dad and the lads were out marking the roads this evening, they just got half the route marked, but I will know by the weekend if they include it or not and I'll let you know. He is keen to make it challenging anyway!!
Going to give it ago myself this weekend weather permitting.....might leave out Mt Mellary though!

@ Rallymad thanks very much

Vizzy

Did this last year(70k) and it was brilliant.Route is nice and flat,food stop was great and the guys on the cycle were very helpful and encouraging.
What I really liked was that they controlled the pace until we arrived back to Templemore and then let us go.
I managed about 50kph(for about 100 metres) and then limped home to Thurles.:D

Catriona,see you on the 7th for the 100k this year.

Blazing Bikers

Thanks Vizzy looking forward to seeing you on the 7th, the 100km is a nice route, if you want me to email you the map let me know.

frankjunior

Vizzy wrote: »

Did this last year(70k) and it was brilliant.Route is nice and flat,food stop was great and the guys on the cycle were very helpful and encouraging.
What I really liked was that they controlled the pace until we arrived back to Templemore and then let us go.
I managed about 50kph(for about 100 metres) and then limped home to Thurles.:D

Catriona,see you on the 7th for the 100k this year.

Vizzy when you say controlled the pace roughly what was that pace?
I am only getting into cycling and so far only doing bout 35km so this may be happening too soon for me
Also "nice and flat" - is there any climbs? :-)
Thanks,

Blazing bikers/ (Katriona) for a relative newbie is the Saturday 70km or Sunday 70km considered easier?

Vizzy

The pace behind the car was about 25kph but even if you fell off the back there was plenty lads there who you could get a tow from.As i say though,when they let everyone go the fast lads just stretched their legs a bit and blew everyone out(it was only 14k back to Thurles)
There are no real hills to speak of,just a few short drags.
If you are managing 30k comfortably at the moment,try a nice flat 50k over the next week or so and if you manage that you should be able for the 70k spin on the Saturday

frankjunior

Thanks a mill for that

Blazing Bikers

The pace behind the Car is between 20-25kph, but there will be a few at the back to give a little push if needed and also a support car so there is no need to worry about it, just go at your own pace.
There are no climbs just a few drags on both those routes so its really down to whatever day suits you.
On sunday if you are feeling good there is also the option at the water stop to follow the 100km up the Glen of Aherlow
If your around Thurles I do this route most weekends with some friends to get them ready for the Trip to Tipp, so you could join us and see what you think there are many options to cut the route shorter and then build it up the following week.

frankjunior

Blazing Bikers wrote: »

The pace behind the Car is between 20-25kph, but there will be a few at the back to give a little push if needed and also a support car so there is no need to worry about it, just go at your own pace.
There are no climbs just a few drags on both those routes so its really down to whatever day suits you.
On sunday if you are feeling good there is also the option at the water stop to follow the 100km up the Glen of Aherlow
If your around Thurles I do this route most weekends with some friends to get them ready for the Trip to Tipp, so you could join us and see what you think there are many options to cut the route shorter and then build it up the following week.

Thanks a mill for that and for the offer of tagging along - much appreciated. Not around that much at the mo - hoping to move back the end of next summer.
Will hopefully get to try the dundrum route in the next few weeks - do you use the old sugar factory road route to holycross? I presume turn somewhere round dundrum for cashel
Thanks again.

Blazing Bikers

frankjunior wrote: »

Thanks a mill for that and for the offer of tagging along - much appreciated. Not around that much at the mo - hoping to move back the end of next summer.
Will hopefully get to try the dundrum route in the next few weeks - do you use the old sugar factory road route to holycross? I presume turn somewhere round dundrum for cashel
Thanks again.

No problem, if you would like to pm me your email, I'll send you the map of the route.

Blazing Bikers

Roads are nearly all marked now for the 5 different routes, getting a great response so far, can I just ask anyone that may come across this thread, if you are interesting in taking part, just to send me a quick email (blazingbikers@gmail.com) or leave a comment here, just so we can have an idea for the catering for all the routes, I promise to have set up online registration for next year!!

CheGuedara

Not sure it needs saying but I'll be there all things going well and hoping to convince a few more of the Gang travel up for it also.

lily200

What a fantastic event! Last year event introducted me to this sport! It has inspired me to take up cycling. This year i'm challenging myself to the 160km route and looking forward to another brill day out! Thanks to Katriona, Billy and all those involved....Keep up the great work!

Blazing Bikers

@CheGuedara, sorry I didn't get a chance to get back to you sooner, the route for the 180km is pretty much the same as last year, there has just been one little change, we are going to be a little bit easier on ye this year in terms of Mount Melleray, there will be still a climb, but it will be more gradual so not as tough as last year
Big Jim gave instructions that we needed to change it and make it easier!

Blazing Bikers

lily200 wrote: »

What a fantastic event! Last year event introducted me to this sport! It has inspired me to take up cycling. This year i'm challenging myself to the 160km route and looking forward to another brill day out! Thanks to Katriona, Billy and all those involved....Keep up the great work!

Thanks lily200
See you on the the 7th for the 180

Peter Tormey

I was just wondering does anyone have a map of the route for the 180km cycle?

Blazing Bikers

Peter Tormey wrote: »

I was just wondering does anyone have a map of the route for the 180km cycle?

Here you go
http://www.mapmyride.com/s/routes/view/bike-ride-map/ireland/thurles-co-tipperary/19425678

Seweryn

Hi Guys,

After completing last week's Tour de Kilkenny, I found an info about another Cycle Event this weekend. Details here:

http://www.bikerschallenge.com/Blazingbikers/Trip_to_Tipp_2011.html

Does anyone of you know this Event and is it worth going? I believe it is not competitive race, but rather a Charity Cycle.

Any feedback will be appreciated.

Seweryn

Blazing Bikers wrote: »

http://www.mapmyride.com/s/routes/view/bike-ride-map/ireland/thurles-co-tipperary/19425678

Thanks for moving my post...

I am fancy the 180km route, however I have never covered that kind of distance before on my bike...

BTW, is Sean Kelly will be going with the group as well?

CheGuedara

Great event again this year; a tough and scenic route backed by some great organisation.

The roll out to the Glen of Aherlow from Thurles was well paced and the climb a good lung opener for the day and the Vee a rather soggy affair (much like last year) but it's definitely one of the most consistent bits of rising road for tempo climbing I've come across anywhere in the country.

The food stop after the Vee was great again, sandwiches (a nice design your own affair), tea/coffee, jellies, crisps and chocolate - couldn't ask for better!

Didn't hear the call for leaving the foodstop though so left there pretty much last with one other and then ended up puncturing halfway up the Knockboy climb. Made a quick job of firing a tube into the tubeless tyre rather than patching it, after which there was a whole pile of chewing the bar tape and channelling my inner Jens for the ~60km chase back on to meet up with anyone else. It was a long time to be giving it beans solo though I did get a few beeps of encouragment from the many rally cars on the road on the way back which helped keep the drive going.

Eventually made it back to Thurles after the 180km and the 14 super-bonus-fun-time kms with 7.35 on the clock; pleased enough with it given the way the day went (and given the two particularly good weddings attended and the reduced training miles put down in the last month).

Thanks again to Kat and all the organisers, and the very excellent moto marshalls - I'll be looking forward to my 5th TtT when it rolls around again next year.

Oh, and Strava says it was beyond EPIC!

JOHN_70

Well done to the organisers and especially the motorcycle marshals for a great day. Did the 180km route and it was great, a nice blast for the last section into Thurles once we got through Cashel:D. 193.5km :eek: or therabouts on my bike computer so I spent the last few km wondering where exactly Thurles had been moved to:)

Blazing Bikers

Trip to Tipp over for another year!!!

We were delighted with the turn out, especially with so many other cycles on over the weekend!!

Weather started off promising on Saturday, but as soon as we arrived at the Food Stop the sky opened up! Really enjoyed Saturday, great to be able to cycle with and put faces to the people I have been emailing for the last few weeks

Sunday weather was looking OK .....until the Climbs!! I was with the 100km group, and felt their pain when it started pouring as they climbed the Glen of Aherlow, although it was a nice easy climb on the motorbike I have to say!

So as much as I had promised good weather I am afraid I wasn't able to keep my promise, but still the rain kept everyone cool :P

@Seweryn .....Sorry I didn't reply sooner wasn't on here for a few days! I presume u are the guy that was there the two days? If so I hope you got home before the rain yesterday, u made a very speedy exit from Cashel when u heard the word rain! lol

@CheGuedara I'm glad you enjoyed it, sorry to hear you were alone after the foodstop and also that u got a few bonus KMs!! Good to hear though that u will join us again next year Thanks for all your support! btw so far i have at least 4 of us that will be down for your cycle and I'll try get a few more, I'll bring the left over flyers to a local cycle in two weeks.


@JOHN_70 I'm glad you enjoyed it, we would be lost without the Motorbike Marshals, they do a wonderful job! Sorry we moved Thurles for the Day lol


I'm just going through the pics from the weekend at the moment, so I will upload them to the facebook page and website www.bikerschallenge.com over the next few days.

Thanks to everyone that took part and everyone that helped in anyway to make it a great weekend, we really appreciate it.

I'll let ye know when we have the final figures for what was raised for the NCBI over the weekend.

One final BIG BIG thank you to our wonderful Motorbike Marshals who did a brilliant job over the weekend, they all gave up their weekends to help us out and we really, really appreciate it........some did ask about the next motorbike challenge May 2012.....but I am taking a little break for now.....but Scotland may be on the cards!!

Katriona

Seweryn

Blazing Bikers wrote: »

Trip to Tipp over for another year!!!
...
@Seweryn .....Sorry I didn't reply sooner wasn't on here for a few days! I presume u are the guy that was there the two days? If so I hope you got home before the rain yesterday, u made a very speedy exit from Cashel when u heard the word rain! lol

Katriona

Hi Katriona,

Yes, that was me . I enjoyed the Saturday spin so much that when I got back home, I cleaned and lubricated my bike and came back on Sunday morning. I just couldn't be seating at home missing all that fun in the rain .

Thank you (and Alan, who finished the Saturday run with me) for your kind offers of a dry t-shirt. I really appreciate it! However, I somehow managed without a dry piece of clothing on my way home on Saturday without getting sick. Then on Sunday on my run from Cashel to Thurles I got wet soaked to the bones... Anyway, I was happy I finished the Event (I am a beginner and that kind of distance is all new experience for me), even though I got lost in the town at the end (again!) and I was crying in the rain looking for directions...

Thank you all for the fantastic weekend. The organisation and management of the whole Event was a top class job! It was very nice to meet all of you and I hope to see you again on another Cycle Event.

Now time to go back cleaning the bike .

Best of Luck!

_sheep

Glad to hear you went back out again Sunday Seweryn, shame I didn't get to finish the run with you Saturday as I had to head to Birr after Templemore to collect a car. I think you snuck on the back of our train around Clonmore, hopefully it didn't slow down too much after I left

Seweryn

_sheep wrote: »

Glad to hear you went back out again Sunday Seweryn, shame I didn't get to finish the run with you Saturday as I had to head to Birr after Templemore to collect a car. I think you snuck on the back of our train around Clonmore, hopefully it didn't slow down too much after I left

Hi Sheep,

Nice to hear from you .

Yeah, the train was keep on going, however not as strong as before you left .
I wish I had all your power in my legs on that last bit...

Blazing Bikers

Seweryn wrote: »

Hi Katriona,

Yes, that was me . I enjoyed the Saturday spin so much that when I got back home, I cleaned and lubricated my bike and came back on Sunday morning. I just couldn't be seating at home missing all that fun in the rain .

Thank you (and Alan, who finished the Saturday run with me) for your kind offers of a dry t-shirt. I really appreciate it! However, I somehow managed without a dry piece of clothing on my way home on Saturday without getting sick. Then on Sunday on my run from Cashel to Thurles I got wet soaked to the bones... Anyway, I was happy I finished the Event (I am a beginner and that kind of distance is all new experience for me), even though I got lost in the town at the end (again!) and I was crying in the rain looking for directions...

Thank you all for the fantastic weekend. The organisation and management of the whole Event was a top class job! It was very nice to meet all of you and I hope to see you again on another Cycle Event.

Now time to go back cleaning the bike .

Best of Luck!

No problem, you were lucky you got home long before me I was still in the Anner 2 Hours later sorting stuff out for the morning in my wet cycling gear!! Had to have a hot Whiskey that nite after I finished making sandwiches to warm back up, lol

I never noticed ye leave the foodstop on Saturday, I think i must of been too busy talking!! caught up on one of my dads friends and he left me shelter behind him for a good bit of the journey home!! Found out i need to spin my legs a bit more lol!

I'm glad you enjoyed it, especially when you got to the top of the Glen, there were some good strong cyclists there yesterday including yourself Sorry to here you had difficulty finding the Hotel.

Lots more cycles coming up in the next few weeks so no doubt I'll see you at one of them, take care