Dates announced for Maracycle 2011. 25 and 26 June 2011

jeffwode · 10-01-2011 11:59AM #1

Dates announced for Maracycle 2011. http://bit.ly/eQY4CZ

Anyone planning on doing it? Any tips for a first-timer? It's Dublin - Belfast - Dublin this year.

granda · 10-01-2011 02:20PM

ye me and a couple of mates are gonna do its and trasining starts now as long as the snow stays away

feck sake lads · 10-01-2011 02:31PM

jeffwode wrote: »

Dates announced for Maracycle 2011. http://bit.ly/eQY4CZ

Anyone planning on doing it? Any tips for a first-timer? It's Dublin - Belfast - Dublin this year.

yes get yourself well into shape a 100 miles on a bike is a long way don't be fooled.as soon as this weather breaks get the miles in ,it will make the challange so much easer honest.
and on the day get into a group that you know you can stay with;)

07Lapierre · 10-01-2011 02:48PM

feck sake lads wrote: »

yes get yourself well into shape a 100 miles on a bike is a long way don't be fooled.as soon as this weather breaks get the miles in ,it will make the challange so much easer honest.
and on the day get into a group that you know you can stay with;)

Its 200 miles!...you've to cycle back you know!

daragh_ · 10-01-2011 02:58PM

07Lapierre wrote: »

Its 200 miles!...you've to cycle back you know!

Is it not all downhill on the way back?

jeffwode · 10-01-2011 02:58PM

feck sake lads wrote: »

yes get yourself well into shape a 100 miles on a bike is a long way don't be fooled.as soon as this weather breaks get the miles in ,it will make the challange so much easer honest.
and on the day get into a group that you know you can stay with;)

I'd love to find a decent group. It would make it a lot easier. Would that be possible on the day, do you think? I'm not in a club so it's just going to be me and my regular cycling buddy. Would it be bad form to tag onto a group on the day?

feck sake lads · 10-01-2011 03:01PM

07Lapierre wrote: »

Its 200 miles!...you've to cycle back you know!

yes i did know that just didn't want to give the lad a heart attack:D:D

07Lapierre · 10-01-2011 03:02PM

daragh_ wrote: »

Is it not all downhill on the way back?

Is that what they told ya?.

RobFowl · 10-01-2011 03:03PM

I quite fancy the thought of doing this.
Every year before I was always either doing exams or working.
Would be nice to cross this off the to do list.

feck sake lads · 10-01-2011 03:12PM

jeffwode wrote: »

I'd love to find a decent group. It would make it a lot easier. Would that be possible on the day, do you think? I'm not in a club so it's just going to be me and my regular cycling buddy. Would it be bad form to tag onto a group on the day?

you wont have any problem finding a good group ,but for god sake don't suck a wheel all the way

do your share of the work .all you need to do is keep an eye on what speed the group are doing, and when you hit the front you just stay at that speed do not raise the pace.
if you do the training you will have a ball so don't be fooling yourself get it done properly and enjoy the craic;)

07Lapierre · 10-01-2011 03:12PM

jeffwode wrote: »

I'd love to find a decent group. It would make it a lot easier. Would that be possible on the day, do you think? I'm not in a club so it's just going to be me and my regular cycling buddy. Would it be bad form to tag onto a group on the day?

If you find a suitable group just ask if you can tag along. As long as you take your turn at the front and don't "wheel suck" at the back, you'll be fine.

Karagesh · 10-01-2011 03:19PM

I did it last year and really enjoyed it. It was the first running of the event for a few years so there were a few teething problems and the route was very hilly near Dublin.

The organiser took the various criticism on board (it was a few minor points that folks seemed to mention) and sent out a letter stating that it would be an easier route and that soup etc. would be available at stops.

I enjoyed the event and the craic was good. I was on my own, but fell in with a crowd and had a few pints with them down in DCU after. There is the usually carry on with a few clubs treating it like a race and quoting the rule book every five minutes, but a few my mates of mine are doing it with me and anyone is welcome to join.

fat bloke · 10-01-2011 03:47PM

What's the deal with sponsorship etc? Can you just pay a fee to participate, or do you have to raise a load of money?

CramCycle · 10-01-2011 03:52PM

Looks like a laugh, I'm in.

jeffwode · 10-01-2011 04:24PM

This is the 10 week training schedule they suggested last year. I have to say, I'll be aiming to have more miles on my legs than this.

http://bit.ly/gM6WoB

Karagesh · 10-01-2011 04:25PM

fat bloke wrote: »

What's the deal with sponsorship etc? Can you just pay a fee to participate, or do you have to raise a load of money?

You can raise money if you want and if you get €50 you get a jersey iirc. Your under no pressure to raise any funds.

granda · 12-01-2011 06:12PM

i should get my bike back from the bike shop on fri and next week i'll be out training

granda · 26-01-2011 10:40PM

will there be anyone from the drogheda area doing it this year that i could do a bit of training with

trek climber · 26-01-2011 11:13PM

fat bloke wrote: »

What's the deal with sponsorship etc? Can you just pay a fee to participate, or do you have to raise a load of money?

You have the option of raising money but you will still have to pay a fee to take part, if I remember correctly last year it was approximately 150 euro for the two days but that included overnight accomodation in Dublin and Belfast as well as dinner in Dublin on the Saturday night.
As a bit of a veteran of this event (this year will be my 12th year in a row to participate) my best advice is get plenty of mileage in the legs leading up to it. There are always lots of groups at varying speeds to suit for you to hop in on but as someone else has posted, dont wheel suck be prepared to take a pull at the front even if it is short. It will give others a break which will be appreciated. Make sure that you are there at the start in plenty of time as the bigger groups will always go out early and be prepared for changes in the weather over the two days.
Well worth doing but you need to have the training done to complete it comfortably.

feck sake lads · 27-01-2011 12:06AM

granda wrote: »

will there be anyone from the drogheda area doing it this year that i could do a bit of training with

the drogheda group get out sat and sunday from quay cycles.10on sat10.15 on sun.

bcmf · 27-01-2011 10:11AM

May be on for this. Was supposed to do this in my younger days but work got in the way.

The Davestator · 16-04-2011 03:43PM

Bumping this old tread because I started my training today!

are there any cycling groups going from Dunboyne or nearby?

Also, for anyone who has done it, whats the average speed, or are there a number of different speed groups.

I averaged 25/30 kph today - dont want to finish on my own!!

Tony Leonard · 21-04-2011 02:08PM

id hope at that speed over 110 miles you wont finish on your own .. or ill be behind you at least ha

CramCycle · 21-04-2011 02:36PM

Tony Leonard wrote: »

id hope at that speed over 110 miles you wont finish on your own .. or ill be behind you at least ha

Agreed, at that speed you should definitely be in the top half of the field by a good bit,

Tony Leonard · 21-04-2011 02:41PM

As a follow up just how is everyones training going for this? what kind of weekly mileage are people clocking up?

granda · 21-04-2011 03:40PM

training going well at about 110 miles a week divided into hill(30 miles all in) 30mile spin and up 60 ile spin once a week which will go up by 10 miles every 2 weeks so i should be well prepared on the day hopefully

Tony Leonard · 21-04-2011 03:44PM

Nice work Granda, have you ever done the cycle before?

granda · 21-04-2011 06:08PM

no first year

decrrrrrr · 21-04-2011 08:33PM

Tony Leonard wrote: »

As a follow up just how is everyones training going for this? what kind of weekly mileage are people clocking up?

hey Tony - you're not worried about doing this cycle are you?? I thought you Belcoo boys were made of tougher stuff

:D

ONE DIP · 22-04-2011 07:18PM

:eek:First time doing anything like this , done 35 miles today and did not find it too easy took about 2hr 20 min , will every body be on proper racing bikes or like me a decent commuter bike , will it all be serious bikers from clubs or some people just aiming to finish for personal goals, any feed back or tips would be really really appreciated ...

granda · 22-04-2011 08:05PM

did 65 miles today and it was hard the last 10 miles,the only tip i can give you is lots of miles but not on consecutive days next week week try 2*20 and then maybe 35 or 40 again.as for the people doing it me and my mate are doing it for the personal goals with no specific time for finishing
good luck with the training and btw where are you based

Dates announced for Maracycle 2011. 25 and 26 June 2011

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