Journey to the 61st RAS; May 2013.

michael196

Follow the journey of a South East based cycling club, to the 61st RAS in May 2013.


This club last participated in the RAS in 1963, and now return to the event 49 years later.


In may 2012, one of South East Irelands oldest and most ambitious cycling club, formed a group of ten riders into a squad, and together they launch an ambitious plan to participate in the An Post Ras 2013.



Follow the story of the riders ambitions here, the evolution of the team, the training regime, the heart ache, the highs and lows, the selections, the back room team, the search for sponsors, supporters, and the full story of the formation of the organisation, to bring the team to the RAS in 2013.


Follow their story, on this site, and on the related sites, as the story evolves, towards the race start, and through the race, with live updates, using the best available communication technology, to continue to tell their story.


A unique story, yet to unfold, and yet to be told. Join us, on this site and related sites, as the journey begins.......................

RidleyRider

Best of luck with it.

Whats the clubs name?

michael196

Today, Saturday 12 Jan 13, was one of the first group training spins, accompanied by Coach Paddy Doran, followed by an extraordinary coaching session with Paddy Doran. This is how the day unravelled........

This is the story of nine RAS Rider hopefuls of Barrow Wheelers, from New Ross County Wexford, as their 2 year goal to ride the RAS, turns its final corner into the 19 week countdown.

Barrows are extraordinary, as, although the Club members have individually participated in past RAS, but their goal, for 2013, is one club- one entry.

Extraordinary, as, unlike its nearby Neighbour, Iverk Produce Carrick Wheelers, the club would not annually enter the RAS, hence the learning curve, to take a crew, develop and build, and present the Barrow Wheelers Innovate Wexford Cycling Team to the 2013, 61st Ireland Ras in May........


Here we go...........



Today, the nine member panel rode around the foot hills of south County Wicklow, Gorey-Inch-Coolgreaney- Ballyfad- Woodenbridge- Avoca- Arklow-Gorey.

The support car, carried the PR person, the manager, the Driver, and Paddy Doran Cycling Irelands Prominant Coach.

The cameras were on board, for posterity, and to relive the dream and the journey, after May.


The riders anxiety was high as the hills hit, the poor road conditions, the muck and winter dirt taking a toll. The riders anxiety to keep ahead of the support car, despite assurances that no selection criteria were being applied today.


The roads unknown, the terrain unknown, the conditions unknown. The weather cold, damp, and the dirt on the roads.


The hills were hard, with long drags selected. The instruction to demonstate not always possible, as the lads fell into routine, to be reminded of what to show, the sprint back on, the 4 minute leads.


The riders anxious to make up, their percieved demonstrated early riding difficulty, by tackling later equally difficult stages.


The circuit rode faster than anticipated, the cold south westerly dropping the ambient 7 Deg C, further, the coach and car stop at the foot of a selected hill, for a strength demonstration from Paddy Doran. Job done.


Back to the Hotel, lads cleaned and then uniformed, Room heated, hot food presented, the group sat down to hear what Paddy thought, and how to spend the 19 weeks.


Paddy presented, not an unusual message of rest,training, strength, endurance, intensity, VO2, watts, hours, family, work and balance, but also a to-do list stretching 19 weeks.


Through the session, the lads realising , that each of these elements , they already had control and past familiarity with, nothing new in the elements. The key being how to structure the elements together in an approach over the coming 19 weeks.




A league of extraordinary men. Following this crew today, around south wicklow, learning so much in their company about the sport of cycling. An extrordinary group, as these gents enter the final preparative months for their first RAS. Today under instruction and the watchful eye and guidance from Irelands Best : Paddy Doran. For myself a first time meeting with Paddy, not knowing what to expect to hear, and not knowing was to be heard

The sense of trepidation in the group, facing a daunting potential of the realisation of a cyclist dream to participate in Irelands' RAS, and the realisation of the ability to say, that they had rode the RAS.


On leaving the day long exploration of the training preparation for the RAS, I honestly feel that these guys have today, been given the tools, with which to achieve their personal, group and club goals and will ride the RAS. Chapeau lads for arriving at this juncture, an inspirational story so far.




www.barrowwheelers.com



http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Barrow-Wheelers/239750306091672?fref=ts

michael196

the Barrow entry is unique in that, over the recent decade or so, county riders from anywhere in the County Wexford Clubs, have had to participate in the RAS as members of other county teams, e.g. Carrick, Waterford etc.


Barrow set out the ambition in May 2012 under then club chairman Adrian Delaney, to enter a full Barrow Wheelers team into the 2013 RAS.


Of the initial 8 / 9 candidates of may 2012, only one had previously rode the RAS, again as a member of another team.


What transpired over the autumn / winter of 2012 -2013, was to turn this mostly A3 ( 1x A1 ) crew, into a team, capable of successfully participating in the 2013 RAS.


The team quietly worked in the background, initially building a team spirit, by helping each other in the 2012 SRAM Comeragh League, run by Sinead Power in Carrols Cross, Waterford.

Team Member Hugh Byrne won the SRAM training league over 10 weeks, in 2012, strongly helped by Barrow Riders David Whitty, Wing Man Brian Cullen, Pat McCaffrey, Gerry Byrne, Greg Dempsey and Mike Doyle. These were early testing grounds for a potential future RAS team.

The SRAM league, provided competition from strong rider, local clubs, such as Iverk Produce Carrick Wheelers, Waterford Racing, Dungarvan Cycling, Fermoy Cycling, on a testing circuit, against such names as Martin Mizgajski, John Dempsey, Robin Kelly Keith Gater.


Other clubs looked on, noticing the massive form that Barrows were building, unaware of the clubs RAS ambitions.


Barrow then ran a particularly tough Barrow GP circuit in June, keeping the route under wraps , until close to the race date. The route was particularly hilly and tough and reflected the clubs ambition to ride and run tough circuits.

Into the early autumn, training wound down, to soon restart, in the November timeframe. Long base distances, merging later into strength and interval training, the usual for a highly aspiring club based team. What was particularly evident around the wexford roads in early 2013, was the size of the barrow group, the structured training, the disciplined groups, out all training together on the roads.

In December 2012 the news released that the barrow wheelers were determined to put a team, into the RAS, all from Barrow Wheelers. Quite unique for a County Wexford Club.


More tomorrow.........................