Wicklow 200 - 13th June 2010

daragh_ wrote: »

Pics going up now.

http://www.wicklow200.ie/gallery/2010wicklow200-100?page=1

Ah deadly, some heartwarming smiles in those pics! Sounds like it was good fun. Had planned on doing it this year but silly me decided to leave the country and live somewhere else.

Congrats to all and hopefully catch ya next year!

After a bit of mashing in excel (I found the best way to be to copy the entire web page (ctrl+a) and paste it into excel and then remove the graphics etc.) it looks like I did about the 11th fastest real time in the 100 - excluding the people who managed it in 1 and a half hours! I'm delighted - and thanks again to Planet X for hauling me around the course.

Great day out - big thanks to the organisers and other helpers (Civil Defence etc.) for a great job - pity couldn't organise the weather! Just read about thumb tacks - that's mad, I mean just why would you do that, it's not like we're a blood sport or something....? Well done to the Boardsies and everyone out there, persevering in the rain. Training diary entry and photos below.
The Wicklow 200.
Met up with Andreas and drove over to the venue in Greystones. Got the bikes ready, registered, last minute stuff and left at 07:25 off through to N11 and up Long Hill at Kilmacanogue through to turn for Enniskerry on way to Glencree. All good so far but on way up to Sally Gap, the picturesque sunlit mist became drizzle. I had been tempted to stop for a photo but glad I didn't stop until I got to the top at Kippure, where it was on with the rain gear as it was now pretty horrible. On the descent over the Liffey and towards Kilbride, the wind was a bit gusty so took it easy on the wet roads. It cleared off a bit so stripped rain gear off about Hollywood and really enjoyed the section leading toward Donard on the back road. Met Susan from Dublin Wheelers and Caroline from Boards on the way. It felt like we were flying past people though we weren't really going too fast. Decided we'd queue for the tea and sambos as it could be a long day. This lost us some time, about 40 mins or so in total. Saw Seán Kelly while we were in the queue. Back on the bikes and Andreas now fuelled up drove us like a train over the mostly flat sections that followed on the way to Slieve Maan. I was pleased with my climbing yesterday and went up this well enough, got some water and took a couple of snaps. The weather at this stage was pretty nice again and the roads dry. The desent was fantastic, though nearly ran into a car on one of the bends. Went up Glenmalure (Shay Elliott) the same as SM and felt great again on the descent heading into Laragh. On the way to Rathdrum,we joined up with a chap from Lucan CC and we shared the pace work which was a bit of fun. Another (thankfully quick) cuppa here. The turn towards Avoca brought in a couple of drags and a brief bit of bad weather. We met up again with the Lucan chap and another from Bray on our way home and fairly steamed along on the route home. It started to lash again, I reckoned we were too close to home to stop, but Andreas stopped so we finished separately but only a couple of minutes apart (I was there at 15:57). The weather was really foul at this stage, so it was great to get the cuppa, and in from the weather etc. Fair play to the Civil Defence who did a great job. Was glad we'd brought the car in the end as the weather just got worse and worse. Felt pretty sorry for those still out on the roads. A great day the only problem was the mixed weather. Really enjoyed the climbs, the descents and the cool pace-lines we got going. Was glad to get home and relax in the end. Saw a good few fellow Swords folks and I think 3 Boardsies (Caroline, Gimp101 and another whose name I didn't get).
Stats: Distance: 194.84k, Cycle Time: 07:18:51, Elapsed: 07:25 - 15:57 (~8:30), Max: 68.9k/h, Ave: 26.6k/h, Climb: 2700m. Official Start/ end time - #1498 7:13:35 AM 4:01:05 PM (scanned before queuing for loo at start and after finding place to put bike at end! Roughly 190th out of 1112 doing the 200 using the official start/end times and removing blanks etc.).
Went out for spin the next day to make sure legs able to take consecutive days. Did 134k in 4:47, brings total for spins/ races to over 6300k this year....