Cycling forum Raid Pyrénéen trip 2012

Planet X

AstraMonti wrote: »

Went for 100k spin with almost 2000m of climbing.. 35+k on that bloody headwind.. wasn't really fun..

Good stuff.
It was cold enough yesterday. We ran into slush on the back roads around Roundwood.

ROK ON

111km with 1450m of ascent. 5 climbs, 3 of which were absolute killers (but thankfully short).

Cold but very sunny, blue skies.
Sore everywhere. I need to lose a lot more weight.

ROK ON

Anyone doing the Orwell sportif in a few weeks?

Planet X

Yes. I'll be there.

Inshallah.

AstraMonti

ROK ON wrote: »

Anyone doing the Orwell sportif in a few weeks?

Yeap, 5may orwell, Slieve bloom challenge on the 6th, Mount Leinster Challenge on the 19th. After that it's Mick Byrne Randonee on the 27th.

lennymc

I'm doing Orwell aswell.

manafana

mmmm orwell on saturday so might not fit my schedule pity, will be my first week of midweek riding during day so might be big ask to do saturday too.

Captain Havoc

I'm next in Killorglin on Sunday

lennymc

so with 3 months to go before we head off, what are peoples thoughts on meeting up to do a good days cycling in advance. There are a few spins like the orwell spin coming up, and it would be good to get to meet everyone before the trip.

Thoughts?

Captain Havoc

lennymc wrote: »

so with 3 months to go before we head off, what are peoples thoughts on meeting up to do a good days cycling in advance. There are a few spins like the orwell spin coming up, and it would be good to get to meet everyone before the trip.

Thoughts?

I'm doing Rathdowney tomorrow.

ROK ON

lennymc wrote: »

so with 3 months to go before we head off, what are peoples thoughts on meeting up to do a good days cycling in advance. There are a few spins like the orwell spin coming up, and it would be good to get to meet everyone before the trip.

Thoughts?

Yep.

May is a big month for me as training will have to peak due to other commitments

I am down to do:
Orwell Randonee (and if I feel ok I will head to Carlow the day after to do Slieve Bloom challenge.

Mount Leinster Challenge

Mick Byrne 200

I could be moving back to Dublin during May, so training in June and July could be compromised as a result as I will be half week in Dublin and half the week down the country.

Other than that I will hopefully do a cycle in Kerry called the Vicious Cycle.

Captain Havoc

ROK ON wrote: »

Orwell Randonee (and if I feel ok I will head to Carlow the day after to do Slieve Bloom challenge.

If you're in Carlow drop in and say hello, I will undoubtedly be working.

AstraMonti

Good week,

35k with 700m on wed
racing on thurs
mtbing on friday
125k with 2100m yesterday
50k with 850m today.

I 've also planned to go mtb tomorrow as well, but dunno if the legs will be up to it.

lennymc

ROK ON wrote: »

Anyone doing the Orwell sportif in a few weeks?

yeah - im doing it aswell. we can keep each other company on the climbs!

jhiner

Hi all,

When are you looking to do the Raid? I'm from Canada and have recently decided to tackle this beast. Do you guys still have room in your tour? I have been doing a lot of training the past month and have climbed the majority of the cols in the Raid.

James

lennymc

Hi James, unfortunately the trip has been booked out a long while, and there is a list of backup riders if anyone pulls out.

Lenny

AstraMonti

So.. see you all on Saturday?

ROK ON

AstraMonti wrote: »

So.. see you all on Saturday?

Yep. Hopefully weather will improve somewhat. I have to be in Dublin Thur for work, so am free on Fri if anyone fancies a spin. Thinking of something handy enough, maybe Blessington Lakes and Sally Gap from the easy side (80km or so).

manafana

ROK ON wrote: »

Yep. Hopefully weather will improve somewhat. I have to be in Dublin Thur for work, so am free on Fri if anyone fancies a spin. Thinking of something handy enough, maybe Blessington Lakes and Sally Gap from the easy side (80km or so).

ROK ON i should be free friday morning, i wont be doing saturday thou, but will be up for an easy one.

lennymc

yeah - ill be there saturday. I need the practice!

we will have to arrange a secret handshake before hand, cos ive never met astramonti or rok on

manafana

lennymc wrote: »

yeah - ill be there saturday. I need the practice!

we will have to arrange a secret handshake before hand, cos ive never met astramonti or rok on

for astromonti just look for the guy with shinest, lightest bike thats him.

Planet X

Was out this afternoon for a couple of hours.
Wrap up well on Saturday. It was very cold descending this afternoon. Was wearing 3/4 tights and shoes (only :pac:)
Will be wearing full tights on Saturday and overshoes. Full fingered gloves. Weather is meant to get much nippier over the weekend. Could even see some white stuff high up.
Take heed.

@ROK ON. Won't go out with you tomorrow, as semi planned, not around Blesso anyway. Plan to get about 3 hrs in down Ashford, Devils Glen and back instead. Have the day off.
You fancy that instead?

See you all on Saturday morning. Was planning on Boards kit but think I'll have the full winter Siberian tackle out.
Either be in Castelli top and bottom or Boards gear (if the sun bates the ground) not.

lennymc

we still need to sort out that secret handshake for saturday

Planet X

Is it just the 4 of us?
Meet at the school gate at 8:30am. precisely?
I'm on a Titanium bike.

lennymc

ok. see you there. Peter is coming aswell (i think you met him at the randonee?)

Planet X

I did. See you all then.
It'll be a Teddybears Picnic.

ROK ON

Hi. 830 tmrw is fine. I will be in full Mapei gear and on a black Kuota.
I know Astra so that should help.

Lovely handy 3.5 hours this morning with Manafana. Stayed flat and spun around in zone 2 & 3 HR. Legs feel nice now.
Was a bit chilly out in Kildare and temp dropped noticeably as we hot toward Blessington, so I'd imagine that it is very cold at 400-500 m.
Knee warmers were fine for me, but it's weather for a gilet/jacket, cap and full finger gloves definitely.

On the way out of Naas we passed a lad heading toward Eafestown who looked at least 70. Hope I am still well enough to be on the bike at that age.

Planet X

Light to moderate N NE wind tomorrow.

Super Freak

Hi all.

I'm going to have to pull out of the raid trip this year.  I've no one to blame but myself. If spent very little time on the bike over the past six months and to be honest it was always going to be a struggle for me as even at my strongest I would have struggled with the climbing and the long days. 

I have discussed this many times with the captain and he has always encouraged me to stick with it. His enthusiasm for the trip is infectious and he would not let me quit. Sorry captain I know that if I call you again you will just persuade me to keep training and will just prolong the inevitable.   I did a 100km spin last week with 1000m of climbing and I was completely spent when I got home.   There is no way I could do this twice a day for four days, it took me four hours before I could talk after that spin!!

It least now I hope it allows another boardsie to take my place with two months to go. 

It's going to be a magnificent trip, maybe next year I'll have the legs for it.  I wish you all the best. 

Kieran

AstraMonti

Sad to see you pull out, but it might be for the best. Its supposed to be fun I guess and not pure suffering. I think we are going to lose a couple more bodies before we start.

I am also challenging my own mentality about doing this!