Cycling the wicklow Way

Raam

Raam wrote: »

I hope it works out for you, but I think bad weather is on the way

http://www.met.ie/

Hopefully you can beat the rain Good luck.

Hrm. Hope it stays ok, looks like nice out from my desk at the moment

ryan_sherlock

Just back home to Dublin now.

Did the complete thing in 8:17:19 in some very tricky conditions. Everyone told me that the last 50k was easy - it was the hardest! If you were not on a road (which was nice) you where on some slompy path. It was so so wet! The rain didn't bother me, the soaked ground did!

I'll be writing a report about it some time next week.

Man, I'm tired...

studiorat

Hardy buck.

blorg

Jesus, well done Ryan. That is a new record if I am not mistaken?

Enduro

Oh yes indeed it is. The old one was 12:04. So thats the record well and truely shattered (just like Ryan at the moment I would imagine )

Well done Ryan. Thats a great time. I was up running in the Hills near Dublin this evening and the wind was screaming in the wrong direction, from your point of view, so it must have made for very hard conditions on the higher sections out there today. Sounds like things have got considerably murkier since my run along the route. Welcome to the club

scottreynolds

ryan_sherlock wrote: »

Just back home to Dublin now.

Did the complete thing in 8:17:19 in some very tricky conditions. Everyone told me that the last 50k was easy - it was the hardest! If you were not on a road (which was nice) you where on some slompy path. It was so so wet! The rain didn't bother me, the soaked ground did!

I'll be writing a report about it some time next week.

Man, I'm tired...

Awesome -- well done that man. i had great fun following you online.... via twitter. Great updates.... infact all the twitter information tired me out so instead of a tough turbo session last night I took it off in you honour -- being that you were tired in all -- thanks

Chips Lovell

Wel done Ryan. You did it in that time and were posting updates on Twitter???

Raam

el tonto wrote: »

Wel done Ryan. You did it in that time and were posting updates on Twitter???

I think someone else was posting the updates.

Chips Lovell

Raam wrote: »

I think someone else was posting the updates.

OK, he seems slightly more human now. I stress the word slightly.

scottreynolds

Ant testing for CERA, EPO, blood doping required here.... ....

ryan_sherlock

Thanks guys - I actually recovered after it pretty well. I was off to London early the next morning to work at a trade booth at the London Bike show - talk about taking it easy

I didn't really attack the course as a race, so by the end it was more just a general feckedness rather than anything else - no sore muscles etc... afterwards.

I thought the twitter thing worked well, Mel (support) was doing them as I passed. She would have done more, and taken pics and posted as I went only she was being carefull of the phones battery - still - was cool. (I didn't really see the point of twitter before).

Anyway, I'm writing a post about it in three parts with the first part up here. The first covers the prep etc...

SetOverSet

Well done Ryan - looking forward to readin the rest!

joemc99

Nice one Ryan, new record. Pity about the conditions. Would my estimate of ~ 6 -> 6.5 hours be right for world class marathon riders in perfect conditions be correct?

Last 30km crap imo, not worth doind it the 2nd time.....stay in Aughrim, get hammered, back the next day...:D

joemc99

Enduro wrote: »

And just to update....

I broke the running record with a time of 13:46:01. That shows how soft the cycling record is at 12:04. Go put the thing out of its misery Ryan

Thats incredible!!!!!!!!!!!! Nice one

ryan_sherlock

When I hit the half way point (Glenmalure) I had already had to walk a good few sections that were ususally 100% ridable and there was a constant headwind but was still there in a little over 4 hours. The last half just got crappy - instead of bombing along at 20-25kph on grassy flat sections I was walking! That sucked so so bad. Given good conditions, closed & marked trails (I took it real easy through Marley and Glendalough) and a racing situation, I would say 6 to 6.5 is doable by the world elite marathon riders... (I am ranked number 42 in the world though )

It would never happen, but would be a great race to run. Not many people could actually do the whole thing though quick enough - it is a very very tough challenge.

I put up the second part of my report here.

ryan_sherlock

I finally got around to writing my final post about breaking the record.

You can find it here.

All the Wicklow Way posts are available here.

Caroline_ie

ryan_sherlock wrote: »

I finally got around to writing my final post about breaking the record.
You can find it here.
All the Wicklow Way posts are available here.

Amazing! Well Done!!! Must have been lots of fun too!

michael196

I hav an ambition to cycle the wicklow way in summer 2009, Dublin to Clonegal

Any one intertested in participating with me ? No dates set .

NeilMcEoigheann

i ran 117km of the wicklow way when i was 16 in two days 66km to glenmalure stay in b+b (other than that we ran completely unsupported) and ran the rest the next day fell short due to passing out and vomiting all over a road near tinahealy,. i also regularly ride Dublin ballinastoe on the wicklow way which is the toughest bit but is not technical at all, across douce, before the boardwalk is a bit of a trudge on the bike but none the less. marlay clonegal is prob better because you get the tough bit over first and once you leave the mountains it is a gentle slope down towards clonegal, i will prob attempt 12 hours bike when the trails dry out.
also if you need a bit of support or an extra person i'll raise my hand.
i would almost suggest a cross bike but i'm sure there are some places that you would come unstuck

blorg

I'd be interested in giving this a go if my mountain bike skills improve a bit, they are currently at the definite beginner level. I have only gone as far as Pineforest Road (!), found going over Two Rock very difficult to be honest and went over the bars twice. Does it get easier? Wouldn't want to be holding people up (would be a lack of skill rather than fitness.)

Peterx

Coillte appear to be making that section easier for you:) as part of their shiny new user friendly policy to walking trails.

Alkers

Found very few technical parts when I did it a few days back. Was carrying full camping gear and food etc in interrailing-style backpacks so that might have made it harder to go over the bars!

Straatvark

michael196 wrote: »

I hav an ambition to cycle the wicklow way in summer 2009, Dublin to Clonegal

Any one intertested in participating with me ? No dates set .

In one or two days?

michael196

given current fitm\ness 1.5 to 2 days should do it.....

ryan_sherlock

Pulling this thread back up...

Last year I broke the record for riding the Wicklow Way (132km offroad) and my partner, Melanie Spath (also an Elite level mountain biker) supported me. Yesterday, it was my turn to return the favour as Mel took on the challenge. She had horrible conditions to start (gales etc... nuts weather) but had good conditions for the second half.

After 8 hours and 55 minutes, she arrived in Clonegal cutting more than 3 hours off the female record. It really was an amazing ride! Like I did, she will be posting a report to her blog (www.melaniespath.com) pretty soon. She had this to say on another forum.

"Hi guys,

I'm fed, showered and pretty tired. Thanks so much for the good luck wishes - I really needed some luck when I trudged alongside Djouce Boardwalk in sideways sheeting rain and galeforce winds. It definitely wasn't the most ideal day to try an attempt. At least the weather improved during the 2nd half of the way and I even had some sunshine in the end.

Thanks also the the two MAD guys shouting encouragement on the WW near the Tibradden path.

I'm not quite sure yet if I enjoyed the attempt, but it was definitely a character building experience!

I'll write up a more detailed blog post soon.

Thanks,
Mel."

blorg

Well done to Mel on that, it was really horrendous conditions yesterday morning even on the road. Was out at the National Trails Day with some MAD guys this morning and the record was mentioned, impressive stuff. I would really like to cycle the way myself at some point, might be thinking of more than one day though, your record is safe from me Ryan! Step #1 would be to get over Three Rock without crashing

Enduro

That's an awsome time by Mel. Not many blokes would be able to beat that time, even in good conditions.

Caroline_ie

well done to Mel

Sean02

Mockler looking forward to joining you on your proposed Grand Canal charity but leave the W W to the walkers. When Failte Ireland and OPW design a suitable envirormental friendly course like i saw for Scottish highlands this morning on BBC Tv. Then its time to contemplate cyclist using this fantactic route. Having walked the route and cycled a number of E2E 's in my opinion your under exstimating the enormity of the challenge

michael196

Folks

any takers to accompany on a wicklow way attempt in september , 1 day attempt. Over the past year I have explored sections ( knockree to ballinsatoe). cycling fitness has improved and I have GPS onboard these days with a route. If you interetsed , let me know.