West Cork 200 [Sun 24 Jun'12]

at1withmyself

Many doing this from the board? Going heading down after the Tour De Burren on Saturday and aiming to do the full 200. Previous longest length is about 180 km so looking forward to seeing how I get on.

I've done a search and no threads for this year and mixed reports from previous years threads but seems their always improving and the views sound spectacular. Have riden down in Cork a few times so looking forward to this and hopefully the weather will be nice!

http://www.westcork200.com/

vistafinder

Yep Im doing the 200 its a spectacular route for the views the road surface is bad in places but if the weather is fine that wont bother you too much. I have never had any problem with the organisation but Im easy to please. Its what west Cork is realy about. Enjoy

eoin88

Just home from it now, fantastic day out! Great weather, beautiful scenery and a very well organised event. Particularly appreciated the numerous food stops along the way; raisin and nut bars, fruit cake, fresh fruit and yoghurts go down so much better than energy gels! Seeing the weather yesterday I brought all my rain gear down in the car, never thought of bringing suncream and got burnt to a crisp today! Looking forward to going back next year!

Signal_ rabbit

I did this too and I have to say that its great value for money, well organised, plenty of food including a hot meal half way round. Also a fish and chip supper after, use of the leisure centre and a t-shirt.

The 200 route is one of the hardest I have done, mainly due to the ****e road surfaces, there are plenty of climbs as well.

Does anyone know how it compares to the Wicklow 200?

Roger Hassenforder

fotos here:
http://dermotsullivan.com/photo.php?aid=173

at1withmyself

I took some inspiration from Captain Havocs (Well done!) 3 sportiffs challenge but the poor weather that week put me off the midnight century run along with the crazy logistical challenge in itself so settled with just 2!

Well what a difference a day makes - after getting drenched wet at the Tour De Burren and a long drive down to Baltimore in the rain I wasn't feeling positive going to bed on the saturday night and after 6 hours sleep was tired when I got up.

Quick continental breakfast and off the registration in the glorious sunshine. Registered and thought there'd be a mass start (which I needed) but headed off on myself and at this stage I was thinking to Skiberean and back as the legs were tired but found a group for about 25 km (on my own for pretty much the rest from then) so stuck with them and decided to give it a go to Mizen head before making a distance decision. The run out of Mizen and along the peninsula was amzazing with a small drag of a climb before rejoining the N71 to the main food stop which had lovely pasta.

Onto the second peninsula 'Sheeps Head' and along the way there was a sign for 'Goats Pass' which I knew would be tough but figured we were going around to the end of the peninsula, I was wrong and what a tough climb with a nasty dig at the end. Some loose chippings on the other side but a nice run again into Bantry where I had to get some directions before getting onto the Mealagh which wasn't too bad, just up and down but not too difficult.

Continued up and down from there with nothing too difficult to the finish. Legs were hurting towards the end but pushed hard to maintain a 25.0 kph average speed and rolled over the line with 7 hrs 39 mins riding time and 25.7 kph average speed to complete my first ever 200km.

Burger & Chips, Leisure centre and T-Shirt at the end while basking in the sun shine in Baltimore was a great finish to the day. 300 km drive home then was tough and the cycle to work the following morning was only 10 km but felt harder then the previous day!

Overall great day, great route, great food and amazing scenery helped all largely by the weather. No sunblock either so lovely glass and helmet lines in the work the next day bit will be back again hopefully next year!

Now thinking to the Inveragh 200 coming up soon...

eoin88

Roger Hassenforder wrote: »

fotos here:
http://dermotsullivan.com/photo.php?aid=173

Thanks for that Roger, I was wondering where the photos of the day would be made available!

Captain Havoc

Roger Hassenforder wrote: »

fotos here:
http://dermotsullivan.com/photo.php?aid=173

Bostin photos of me there: