An Post Meath Heritage Cycle

joxerjohn · 22-07-2013 04:17PM #1

Planning on doing the 160km cycle next Sunday I am not familar with the route and was wondering what it is like. It looks on the Map My Ride profile to have a few hills in the first half of the cycle but is fairly flat there after. Hopefully this is a correct assessment ? Any comments on the relative difficulty of the route from those who have done it previously would be much appreciated.

HivemindXX · 22-07-2013 05:09PM

I did it last year. The route is not very hilly but it was a lot harder than I expected. This was mainly due to the road surface which was pretty shocking in places and the wind on the day.

Based on the height profile I expected it to be a doddle even though it was the longest cycle I had done up til that point. Even though it is not very hilly it is still quite a slog though. If you are mentally prepared for that I'd say you'll have no problem.

Kav0777 · 22-07-2013 05:19PM

HivemindXX wrote: »

I did it last year. The route is not very hilly but it was a lot harder than I expected. This was mainly due to the road surface which was pretty shocking in places and the wind on the day.

Based on the height profile I expected it to be a doddle even though it was the longest cycle I had done up til that point. Even though it is not very hilly it is still quite a slog though. If you are mentally prepared for that I'd say you'll have no problem.

+1 on the wind, particularly on the section around Nobber. It was the slightly rolling roads on one section that I thought would be flat, I found surprisingly difficult. I was tired and couldn't get into a rhythm. Big ring, little ring, big ring, little ring... I couldn't tell you where it was but it was relentless up a little bit, down a little bit....

joxerjohn · 22-07-2013 05:36PM

The "big ring small ring" comments confirms how I had heard it described as being a lumpy route. So not that easy a spin then ?

You never get an easy rides from the Royals !

Kav0777 · 22-07-2013 05:38PM

joxerjohn wrote: »

The "big ring small ring" comments confirms how I had heard it described as being a lumpy route. So not that easy a spin then ?

You never get an easy rides from the Royals !

I wouldn't know, I never went to a nightclub in Meath.....

Scrumdog · 22-07-2013 10:00PM

I'm doing it myself for the first time. It will be my longest distance if I make it. I was fairly confident up till last weekend. Did a 105 k out of stamullen and boy did I suffer on the hills towards the end. So if you see someone in a bright orange CAS jersey struggling a few words of encouragement would be more than welcome. See you on Sunday.

Ryaner · 22-07-2013 10:08PM

I've done this twice, last time being two years back. There was an issue with a down hill covered in gravel that year with (un)luckily I had a flat at the time so was going super slow.

The organisers are great however and really do take feedback so I'd say it was taken care of. Its always a great atmosphere. First year it ran there was some heavy rain near the end, and it was still great fun.

jimmycrackcorm · 22-07-2013 10:42PM

I'm looking at doing this too. It will be a huge leap from my normal city commute cycle. My average speed in the city is 23km/h - would that be to slow a pace for this?

I'd expect to do better given that I wouldn't be weighed down with my commute backpack.

PeadarCo · 22-07-2013 11:04PM

The route is flat in the sense that there's no major hill particularly compared the Wicklow 200 and Sean Kelly. Even Tara and the Hill of Slane are relatively short if a bit sharp but shouldn't pose any major issue where they come early on. However the route isn't pan flat so expect some rolling roads on the rest of the route. Having done the Sean Kelly and heard from people doing the others this is probably the easiest of the An Post cycles. Its probably a bit tougher than the Ring of Kerry but a fair bit easier than the Sean Kelly.

If you have a reasonable amount of training done e.g do 100k with reasonable comfort you should be ok. The thing about the route is that decent sized groups do tend to form so its not that hard to sit in and get carried along especially for the first 80km before things break up a bit at the food stop.

detones · 22-07-2013 11:16PM

Have my name down for the 160k really looking forward to it. Have not done it before but not knowing what to expect can be fun. Have over analysed these things before and tried to figure out exactly where all the climbs are and what exact gradient, but it was to no great benifit to be honest. Just gonna go out give it a lash try have a laugh and enjoy the spin.

RobFowl · 22-07-2013 11:25PM

2 North County boardsies have signed up for the 160....

Edit And I see they've posted at the same time .....

Inspector Coptoor · 23-07-2013 12:01AM

I'm doing the 100km.
Really looking forward to it

Felloffmebike · 23-07-2013 12:15AM

I have signed up for the 100k. It's a bit of a different route this year with some of the hills from last year now gone (Ros na Ri and Slane bridge for example). A couple of new ones are in including Dean Hill and the climb up from the Boyne bridge to the food stop at Ryans of Gormalough. Nothing major though. The second half is quite flat as it goes over towards Bohermeen, Athboy and a new bit across to Ballivor and back to Trim.

Last year a big group was lead astray by a bike marshall just after the start and we ended up doing 114k so be ready for the first turn at Jack Quinn's pub towards Bective. It means going from a wide fast road to a narrow one with a little short sharp hill just after the turn so be careful, there will be bunching there and a bit of frantic gear changing by some as they will see the little hill late. Easy place to get caught with someone stopping in front of you. The last sharp ramp up to O'Connells pub at Skryne is the same, a few just can't make it and come to a full stop. I saw a couple of falls there last year. The food stops seem to have been sorted this year and are better spaced. Last year the first stop was too far into it and the second was too near the end but the new route seems to have sorted that.

But overall it was really well organised last year and a great atmosphere at the start/finish. Looking forward to it.

SpaceGerbil · 23-07-2013 09:53AM

I'm signed up to the 160Km also, this will be the longest distance I've attempted. The weather has been super of late so hopefully the weekend should be good craic. !! Enjoy.

mcgratheoin · 23-07-2013 10:23AM

Felloffmebike wrote: »

The food stops seem to have been sorted this year and are better spaced. Last year the first stop was too far into it and the second was too near the end but the new route seems to have sorted that.

Are there 2 food stops on the 100? I thought there was only the one at Bohermeen?

Couple of us signed up to do this on Sunday - what size & pace was the front group the last time? Would be nice to get into a gang tootling along for the first 60k or so.

Guybrush T · 23-07-2013 10:36AM

PeadarCo wrote: »

The route is flat in the sense that there's no major hill particularly compared the Wicklow 200 and Sean Kelly. Even Tara and the Hill of Slane are relatively short if a bit sharp but shouldn't pose any major issue where they come early on.

There's also the Mulaghroy climb (1.4km @6.3% Strava segment here) Which is the hardest hill on the route, it's about 10km after Newgrange.

Felloffmebike · 23-07-2013 12:52PM

mcgratheoin wrote: »

Are there 2 food stops on the 100? I thought there was only the one at Bohermeen?

Yes I think you're right. The first one is a water stop. The food stop at Bohermeen was only about 25k from the end last year so was a bit late. I think there is a second water stop at the pitch&putt club outside Athboy. They are better spaced this year anyway.

NeedMoreGears · 23-07-2013 03:43PM

There are one or two short sharp digs near newgrange - I know as I got was spat out the back on them last year ; other than that it's pretty flat. Couldn't make it this year unfortunately.

t'bear · 23-07-2013 04:24PM

Planning the 160k myself, missed last year, so really looking forward to this one.

karltimber · 25-07-2013 08:49PM

hi,
missed the registration on this - would like to do the 100k.

if anyone has a "ticket" that they will not use, would appreciate it.

payment of course.

thx

K

B4IGoInsane · 25-07-2013 11:38PM

Thought deadline for registration was today. If anyone cannot make Sunday and happy to sell entry please PM.

RobFowl · 25-07-2013 11:59PM

Beers in Balrothery inn after by all accounts .....

encryptix · 26-07-2013 04:14PM

Me and a friend are giving this a go this year! We we're wondering about the r jersey you get - mainly does it have a pouch at the back?

HivemindXX · 26-07-2013 04:23PM

encryptix wrote: »

Me and a friend are giving this a go this year! We we're wondering about the r jersey you get - mainly does it have a pouch at the back?

It's a standard cycling jersey, probably from Spin 11, so it will have either two or three pockets on the back. Picture is hard to make out but it looks like three.

http://www.meathsports.ie/cycle-tour/spin-and-train.html

ht9zni1gs28crp · 26-07-2013 04:28PM

Im in, after all it passes my front door!!!!

Did part of it the other day, lumpy at start until after Drumconrath, should be relatively flat after that....weather doesn't look too good though!

redved · 26-07-2013 04:34PM

doing the 160k on a spur of the moment decision. Entered last Wednesday.
Go out most weekends for 80k spins so hope thats enough

RobFowl · 26-07-2013 04:53PM

redved wrote: »

doing the 160k on a spur of the moment decision. Entered last Wednesday.
Go out most weekends for 80k spins so hope thats enough

It should be as long as you pace yourself and remember to eat regularly. Aim to eat a bar at least from 25-30 on wards.
As a rule of thumb I try to eat a bar/small roll, banana every hour on a long spin like this as well as drinking lots. I use 2 750 mls bottles on water, 1 high 5 and try to down at least 500mls every hour (don't always mange it tbf ).

Ponzi Bilharzia · 26-07-2013 10:05PM

Hi,
Doing the 100k, which is shaping up to be my first long distance cycle in the rain. Any advice for preparing for the rain?

t'bear · 26-07-2013 11:22PM

Ponzi Bilharzia wrote: »

Hi,
Doing the 100k, which is shaping up to be my first long distance cycle in the rain. Any advice for preparing for the rain?

Don't stop long enough to get cold if wet. Keep moving. Gillet to keep body warm and rear mudguard to keep as much water off the rear end as possible

Inspector Coptoor · 27-07-2013 01:53PM

Doing the 100k tomorrow. Never done more than 35km in one go before but have done adventure races where I was moving for 3.5 hours so engine is there.

Bike being serviced, picking it up at 3.

Hope to be in trim by 8:20 or so in the morning

Any advice for today/early tomorrow??

Lambretta · 27-07-2013 03:14PM

Hi,
Due to a family bereavement - I have two entries for the 160km event available - please pm me.

Cheers.

An Post Meath Heritage Cycle

Comments