Da Cooley Thriller 2017

TGD

This is my first MTB race and some details are a bit vague on their website - could anyone help with the following please:

They talk about 2 "bottle drop/feed stations" and say "Please remember which tray you placed your bottle/food in as they will not be removed from trays"

How does this work? Does someone go to these points to leave stuff on the 'tray'?
Is there water provided at these points if you don't leave your own?
What's the chance of your stuff being taken by someone else?

They also mention 'limited water station' at half way. Should one carry enough water for the entire route, 'just in case'?

If there is a route description out there it would be helpful too.

Thanks, in anticipation!

JazzyJ

At registration you leave your water bottle (preferably with your number or name on it) and whatever gel/food you need taped to it in a crate. This will be brought up the the designated spots on the course. So when you reach there you can swap out your empty bottle for a new one and get food. USE THEM.

They usually have bananas and some jellies here too, along with water if you need it. At the end of the race they bring back all the bottles to the centre and you can get them back.

At the mid point they'll just have water. As far as I can recall the bottle drops are at around 18/20 km at the end of the road climb, and maybe 40km.

As for the course, it starts with a neutralised spin around Carlingford town. From the actual start its up a fireroad and into a bit of single track. Queues can be a bit big at the river crossing and styles. Then a 7 or 8K climb up to the mast mostly on road. After that it's pretty much all rolling XC.

The final descent is an absolute joy, between knowing there'll soon be relief on the shattered body and the fast twisty run in through the ferns.

I'd a tough year last year between multiple punctures and horrific cramp. It's a really tough day out so be prepared, but in the end great fun. I'll see if I can dig out my strava.

Plastik

https://www.strava.com/activities/369573895 That's the 2015 route.

Tenzor07

Don't be fooled by the "neutralised spin around Carlingford town"

It's as much a part of the race as any... the further up the narrow lane you get (where the race starts) then the better chance of making a good start over the first sections which can get very congested at the narrow gate/stream crossings..

De Bhál

Are you allowed participate on a cx bike and if so would it be able for it?

Sinbad_NI

Cheers for heads up. My first one as well. Good to know the craic.

Tenzor07

De Bh104283771 wrote:

Are you allowed participate on a cx bike and if so would it be able for it?

Shouldn't think so no, there's a lot of open mountain stuff, rocky drops and descents, so would be a bit too hard without disc brakes/front suspension and at least 2.0 tyres..

Eamonnator

De Bhál wrote: »

Are you allowed participate on a cx bike and if so would it be able for it?

Completely unsuitable for a CX bike.

TGD

Thanks for all that info.

Can anyone give an idea of how technical it is - comments range from 'not too technical' to 'some very technical rocky downhill sections' - I know it's all relative!
Are there sections that would be better to walk for someone who isn't a downhill nutter (sorry, I meant 'expert')

Mr. Grieves

TGD wrote: »

Thanks for all that info.

Can anyone give an idea of how technical it is - comments range from 'not too technical' to 'some very technical rocky downhill sections' - I know it's all relative!
Are there sections that would be better to walk for someone who isn't a downhill nutter (sorry, I meant 'expert')

You would want to be used to natural trails but there's nothing too hairy. There's one or two tricky bits crossing streams which most probably don't ride. There's two very technical climbs. Take it easy on the final descent, it's fast but rough in places.

You should definitely drop bottles. Depending how fast you are you may be waiting after you finish for them to be brought down, so think about bottles you don't mind leaving behind.

If you can get a gpx file, I'd use it, it's very easy to take a wrong turn if you find yourself alone.

It's an amazing race, very sorry I'll miss it this year!

iwillhtfu

I only spotted this today and think I'll sign up for the shorter "fun" route

I hear the long route is a sufferfest.

Plastik

TGD wrote: »

Thanks for all that info.

Can anyone give an idea of how technical it is - comments range from 'not too technical' to 'some very technical rocky downhill sections' - I know it's all relative!
Are there sections that would be better to walk for someone who isn't a downhill nutter (sorry, I meant 'expert')

Personally, speaking as someone with very limited MTB experience, I thought on the lower end of technical. There are some technical bits and technical climbs but there was nothing approaching downhill style sections. It's a race that is absolutely perfectly suitable on a hard tail for instance, it's XC after all.

I didn't drop any bottles for pick up when I did it. I did however drop bottles. Both of them. One before 7km and the other shortly after 20km. Both times without realising. It was a long, long 30km to the finish. Serious dehydration.

I set out to ride it as hard as I could. I was way, way behind a lot of lads but one of the first few finishers in the Sport cat or whatever it was called. Riding it like that, at the time, it was harder than absolutely any road race that I had ever done to that point.

CX bike would be completely unsuitable for the course.

C3PO

The secret to enjoying the "long" Cooley is to pace yourself - it's not a particularly long marathon but it is tough going! Usually the ground can be fairly wet and that really drains the energy out of you. With the exception of the last descent (amazing views) the 2nd half is tougher than the 1st so keep a bit in reserve!
Always a big crowd, great atmosphere and the scenery is fantastic. For many it's the highlight of the MTB year.

Tenzor07

iwillhtfu wrote: »

I only spotted this today and think I'll sign up for the shorter "fun" route

I hear the long route is a sufferfest.

Shorter route is really not worth it, usually it's only youths who cycle the short route as they're not allowed in the main route... It's basically a forest road start, onto a tarmac road and climb, then offroad again but for probably 30 mins...

iwillhtfu

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Shorter route is really not worth it, usually it's only youths who cycle the short route as they're not allowed in the main route... It's basically a forest road start, onto a tarmac road and climb, then offroad again but for probably 30 mins...

Hmm maybe I'll give it a miss so and head to the local trail. I still might come last

Tenzor07

iwillhtfu wrote: »

Hmm maybe I'll give it a miss so and head to the local trail. I still might come last

Some race it, some see it as a challenge to complete the route, and there's always someone slower, so defo do the full route and make a day out of it..

Gerry

Did it last year, it's a great event, good buzz and a little competitive aspect to it. Looking forward to this one. Hopefully don't cramp up like last year, it was a sufferfest for me for the last 20k. Didn't help myself by leaving the fork locked out and crashing as a result in the first technical section. I would agree that some of the stream crossings are tricky.. i wont be ashamed to walk one or two of em.
last descent was meant to be tricky, it's got loose rocks so you need to take a bit of care but it's fine.
It would be less tiring in some ways to use a full sus bike but the hardtail is faster for all those long draggy climbs.

youllbemine

Hi Folks, thinking of doing the shorter 20km route below in the Cooley Mountains on Saturday morning. From the map it seems to take in a lot of the forest roads and a short enough section of single track on the final descent. Quite a lot of climbing too. I don't mind climbing as long as there is nice single track on the descent! I have done the Brown loop 5/6 times the past 3 months in Ballyhoura taking in Tech Loop 1 which works out at about 20km. So I think I'd be capable of completing the below loop. Big fan of the Brown loop and the especially the fast flowy tracks towards the end of the ride. Would like to try somewhere else now as I don't want Ballyhoura to go stale!

Is the route in the link below the best route to take? I'm from the area and know the Cooley's fairly well but never been mountain biking there before so don't know the best routes.

I think there's also a ride that starts from the Ravensdale car park. Again, I know the short walking routes there but wouldn't know which routes to take on the bike.

Any advice helpful.

http://www.mapmyride.com/gb/rostrevor-nir/a-run-mapped-on-05-25-2011-route-35405006