M3 sportive May 16th

mfdc

Can anyone point out on google maps roughly where the Vortex nightclub is? We're going to cycle down on the morning and pick up numbers before heading to the start, but "Dublin side of Dunshaughlin ... on N3" covers a 7km stretch of road and depending on where it is there's a few ways to get there.

Wouldn't like to head to Dunshaughlin and find that it's 20 mins down the road just outside Dunboyne, or vice versa.

sy

mfdc wrote: »

Can anyone point out on google maps roughly where the Vortex nightclub is? .

Few hundred metres Dublin side of this marker.The County Club is the name of the pub/restaurant

CheGuedara

Just picked up my registration pack.

The chololate will go down well tonight! (would melt in the back pocket on the bike). Not sure about this 'TaHIRO' stuff though (ingredients are in Dutch and French so hard to say exactly what we're dealing with here (my leaving cert French is not great to begin with...) though the scarce english does tell me it's powered by 'Tahitian Noni' - which is, well, tropical I guess.

Anywho - let's hope the weather is something like what we had today for the cycle, it would do quite nicely!:D

alcyst

Barrabus, I will be cycling from Glasnevin to the Vortex tomorrow; old N2-Ratoath-County Club departing about 830

"16th May 7a.m. til 9.30a.m. at the 'Vortex' Nightclub" Looks like I'll be departing at 815, and going Finglas-Cappagh-Hollystown

souter

just noticed the Vortex nightclub will only be open till 9 tomorrow. So an even earlier start for me.

penexpers

Just back from this. Did the 55k (was actually 48k by my reading). Well organised, plenty of food at the stops though sone sandwiches and tea would have been nice the road was in pretty good nick for the most part.

Ryaner

Just home from this event. Worse. Event. Ever. And that is far from an understatement.

Food stops consisted of bananas, bottled water and some elevens bars. End stop had some biscuits and sandwiches with "something" in them which we didn't chance.

For the 55km run, someone moved the turn sign and no on thought to let the marshalls go ahead. Meant some of the group passed straight by not knowing.

The 100km had its own problems. Right from the start we were bridging gaps to try get up into groups. I spent over 5km trying to make up to the front group with some guy on my wheel refusing to take a pull. He didn't get the idea event after I slowed to 15km/h.
Eventually a group did catch up and was with these for a while. It contained two loud mouths who were unable to stop shouting orders at everyone while not following them themselves. Numerous people pulling to the front, moving over and then braking.

At 28.2km my event ended. For some unknown reason, the people ahead slammed on the brakes. My wheel made contact with Barrabus wheel and down we went with a few others. His wheel was minus 7 or 8 spokes, mine out of true with damage to fork/bars/helmet.

Crashes are part of the sport and no broken bones so hey. It was 15 minutes before the first marshall was seen - who didn't even bother to stop. Next one did stop but said he'd call someone at the next stop. Another 20 minutes and a van rolls up but say can't help, broom wagon is on the way. 15 more minutes another van, again unable to help, but broom wagon definitely behind. 1 hour 10 minutes after the crash, we started walking back. It was 5km down the road at the stop when we meet some more marshalls. These hadn't seen a broom wagon and the organisers were arguing with them that they needed one. Barrabus ended up getting a lift in someones car back to the start as still no broom wagon.

So a start to finish time of 3 hours 51 minutes on a distances of 51km cycled. I'm glad it was a one off event.

billy.fish

I thought it was good, ive done ALLOT worse. At least they let you have water unlike a certain food stop i remember a few years ago at the top of Shay Elliot.

Pity you had a bad day. Saw you walking back as we passed you on the way home. Unlucky, can happen to the best, but nothing to do with the race, or the drafting wheelsuckers, you should have just rode harder and dropped them.

TT bike all the way, dealing with Freds who cant ride in the wind, watching as Freds get shelled into the gutter in a cross wind, riding as hard as i can to make the Freds who havent taken a pull in over 20km get off my wheel, and generally realising that people do like to complain allot.

Its all good. It's all bike racing. Its fun.

Didn't use the food stops, allergic to bananas, tea makes me barf. Thought some food at the end was fine (more than you get at most) , enjoyed the ride there and back, made for a nice 180km spin.

Also met a lovely lady triathlete who can ride with the big boys, Karen (dunno your surname) you madame are a beast.

Now where did i leave my EPO, ill need that for the next sportive....

mfdc

Agree with everything Ryaner said. I was with the lads after the crash - 2 bikes, 2 cars and a van went by us and refused to help ("oh yeah there's a truck coming he'll be here soon, good luck!"). After an hours standing around we started walking back, wasn't until we reached the first food stop - well over two hours after the crash - that we actually got assistance.

The marshalls there were incredulous, they told us that the broomwagon had got to them, 25km in, and turned back. One of them got into an argument with someone on the phone who was insisting that there was a truck heading down the whole route.

The thought occured to us on the way back to the start - we were kind of lucky really that we were 5km from the food stop when it happened. Anyone who had a serious accident in the 35-65 km area and was left with a bike unfit for riding is probably still walking back now.

CheGuedara

Well that was fun - headwind for 50km, tailwind for 50km and in 3h14 on the RwGPS clock.

Fairly basic affair when held up against An Post rides but was grand all in all and will prob be my fastest 100km for a while unless the gov decides to roll a lot more of that nice blacktop out!

Big number doing the 100km & looked like most enjoyed it. Food/water stops were very basic - would def agree with that. Would have expected a bit more for the entry fee all truth be told (like a sandwich at the end even).

Met (who I'm guessing) Ryaner back at the car at the end - hope you get the wheel up and rolling again soon, bit of a bummer to have a ride cut short coz some pillock grabbed a fistful of brake for no reason

CheGuedara

@ billy.fish - that Karen girl wasn't the one riding a TT rig with a pink backpack on her back was she?

If that's the same lady she's a Serious Operator (evidently attempting to prove that aerodynamics mean jack sh!t) - was in a group with her for a while, wasn't happy unless going full tilt!

Ryaner

billy.fish wrote: »

I
Pity you had a bad day. Saw you walking back as we passed you on the way home. Unlucky, can happen to the best, but nothing to do with the race, or the drafting wheelsuckers, you should have just rode harder and dropped them.

I do totally agree and I tried to do just that. Moved to the front and upped the pace to let the group split into what it should. It was met with one of the guys shouting at everyone who tried to come through with me. Next time I'll be taking 2-3 people and just riding from the middle past people like that.

vektarman

I did the 100kms which was actually 110kms, nice event but saw a lot of disappointed faces when we reached the turnaround point at 54Kms and there was no food, only drinks. Agree with earlier posters that the food stops were very basic, tough headwind on the outward section, I tagged along with a few ladies from Orwell wheelers but drafting with them was a waste of time as they were far too slim to be effective , oh and I got two punctures on sharp stones, do they not use those brushy, sweepy trucks anymore to finish new roads?
Distance 110Kms
Rolling time 3H 55 Mins
Average 28kph.

billy.fish

CheGuedara wrote: »

@ billy.fish - that Karen girl wasn't the one riding a TT rig with a pink backpack on her back was she?

If that's the same lady she's a Serious Operator (evidently attempting to prove that aerodynamics mean jack sh!t) - was in a group with her for a while, wasn't happy unless going full tilt!

Aye that was her, pretty much rode with her for the whole race (i was on other TT bike, in WORC kit, looking slightly more aero and doing way to much work )

Reason she was going full tilt was because she was ignorant of pain, she planned to stay with me for 'as long as she could' so she said. THen Pretty much rode like an animal! Well impressed.

CheGuedara

billy.fish wrote: »

Aye that was her, pretty much rode with her for the whole race (i was on other TT bike, in WORC kit, looking slightly more aero and doing way to much work )

Reason she was going full tilt was because she was ignorant of pain, she planned to stay with me for 'as long as she could' so she said. THen Pretty much rode like an animal! Well impressed.

Belated nice to meet ya lad! You looked to be rolling very well today and those TT bikes out there today (the Felts, Trek TTX etc) looked the business on the road that was in it.

Have to agree with ya about some of the Freds in that group we were in for a while. Very strange behaviour for a group of cyclists, some spent the day busting a gut to pass you (sometimes on the inside) then sitting up or failing to put pace into flat or descending road and I found the general unwillingness to run a proper paceline or similar for the first 50km very surprising TBH. Still enjoyed the TTT/ITT that the thing ended up being - wont get the opportunity again!

buffalo

Sounds like I was lucky to get into the lead group, though at one roundabout on the return leg, the lead car missed the right exit, which led to a lot of confusion. 2h 50' for me, think I might have been fourth or fifth over the line. Another 45k to get home because the way to the N3 wasn't well signposted. That'll teach me not to bring a map!

Surface was still unfinished in a fair few spots, which was unexpected. Would've liked something with more sustenance to eat at the finish alright, but I didn't encounter any issues.

Fredo

Agreed with food stops. Why putting a food stop with only 7km to go and no grub at the turn point. Agreed with the poor display of bunch cycling skills. Scary at times :eek:
Also what made me mad is to see so many empty gels wrappers on the road. Can you not put the wrappers back in your back pockets?
Apart from that, I'm happy I cycled it and happy with my time.
Soory about Ryaner and Barabus , hope you wil be on the roads again soon.

CheGuedara

Fredo wrote: »

Also what made me mad is to see so many empty gels wrappers on the road. Can you not put the wrappers back in your back pockets?

Massive +1

The wrapper goes in the back pocket when you're finished. Not on the road/in the ditch/over a hedge!

I do a lot of mountaineering when not on a bike and we (the club I'm in) and Mountaineering Ireland support Leave No Trace. It's not all directly applicable to cycling but the basic idea is leave any place you've been as you found it, a message that could be taken on board more often

Gavin

Eh, was this not a sportive ?

DirkVoodoo

Gavin wrote: »

Eh, was this not a sportive ?

That's what I thought, certainly wasn't advertised as a race. But then again they said there would be mechanical support which doesn't sound like it was there.

billy.fish

No way man! You werent there! it was the bestest fred race ever!

I would have won if i'd used my 404's too.

Amount of total pointless bling on desplay. Gucii wheels all over the place on ....well i'll just stop

@CheGuedara : thanks man, was having a good day until about 70km into it when i remembered to eat Did you hear my minor rant at the wheelsuckers about 35km in?

CheGuedara

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

That's what I thought, certainly wasn't advertised as a race. But then again they said there would be mechanical support which doesn't sound like it was there.

If you wanted to you could've raced the 100km (prize for 1st over the line - was printed somewhere IIRC).

I think that while it was a sportive, a lot of participants (myself included, I won't lie) were out to push themselves to see what kind of 100km they could produce given best case scenario (or close to it) roads. It wasn't a really a typical sportive where picturesque countryside/classic climbs provide the draw/challenge in addition to the distance aspect. Even the event blurb isn't a typical sportive sales pitch

M3Cycle wrote:

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for cyclists to have a chance to cycle on a closed motorway. The aim is to create a fun and exciting event which participants of all levels and all ages can take part.

...This will be a fantastic opportunity for people to travel at a pace slightly slower than the 120kmh usually associated with motorways and get a true appreciation of the work undertaken to create this magnificent structure.

CheGuedara

billy.fish wrote: »

@CheGuedara : thanks man, was having a good day until about 70km into it when i remembered to eat Did you hear my minor rant at the wheelsuckers about 35km in?

Missed the minor rant unfortunately, I think you were just ahead of me on the road at that point - you give 'em hell?

There was an awful lot of serious bling wheels out there (people are still selflessly putting the Zipp kids through college even in these recession times!:D) but I wont complain too much, I'd love some myself. All in all though no real difference in terms of bikes than what I've seen at other sportives recently

billy.fish

@CheGuedara : there may have been gratutious use of the C word, and then a 'F-you all, how about you do some work'

*throws toys out of cot*

Followed by what looks like a rather spirited 350W effort for 5km....which i think broke most of that group up.

Interesting looking at the power data now (sez the man ranting about bling wheels :rolleyes:) Can actually pick out turns on the front, and when i was riding alone. Happy with average power on the way out vs way back. Hr is...well interesting to me too

shamwari

I did the 55km run (or was it really 48 :rolleyes: ?) and to be honest I was pleased with my performance. This is my first serious entry into anything on a bike and I used it as a tester for the Ring of Kerry which I'm roped into in July.

Allowing for a 10 min "foodstop" at the halway point (I brought my own grub!) I did the lot in 2:15. Average speed was around 22km. The headwinds outward where quite sharp and really slowed me down, although they helped on the way back. Also, it wasn't as flat as I expected it to be and there seemed to be a slight but constant climb from start to just north of Dunshaughlin.

Should I try the Wicklow 100 next ?

furiousox

Completed the 108k in 4hrs 10 mins.
First time 100k for me, the most I've done before is 55k.
I found it tough outward, with the wind, incline, bit of rain etc.
The return was easier, I bonked at about 90k but managed to fall over the line and I'm glad I did it, no way I was giving up at 90k!

First sportive for me so I've nothing to compare it to organisation-wise, just did my thing and went home, didn't cross swords with anyone (I was too far back :P)
I think you were going to get every type of rider at an event like this anyway
Might give the tour of Meath a go in July.

CheGuedara

@ shamwari - well done, Wicklow 100 will be a bit more hilly than what you did today but keep the training up and you'll be well set for when the RoK comes around!

@ furiousox - well done yerself too - when you hit the wall and push through is tough so fair play! You'll be looking at 160kms (100 miles) next!

Prezatch

This was my first non stop cycle over 60km (apart from a breather at halfway) and I really enjoyed it. Was with the 'crash group' for awhile in the first half and very narrowly avoided being taken out.

But I found the etiquette quite good - I managed to work in mini teams with 2 different guys and a group of 3 during the cycle at different stages. I also thought the food at the end was pretty good - got a sandwich, energy drink, water, biscuits, nutrigrain, banana and more biscuits! :pac:

Reached halfway in 2Hr and finish in 3Hr 40m

notuslimited

This was my first ever organised event having taken up cycling about 4 months ago in order to participate in the Bike 2 Belfast in two weeks time. Myself and two work mates are doing the Belfast cycle and training has been going fairly ok. I kind of figure if I can do 120km in training - well then I will manage the 160km on the day on the trip to Belfast. Anyway, the three of us entered the 100km cycle today and we all crossed the line at 4:04. We hooked up with a group of about 60 riders on the outward leg and they were great support in that they pulled me along. I tried to do my bit but was pretty much out of my depth due to lack of experience. We tucked into the middle of the pack. We had two fallers just in front of me and just managed to avoid coming a cropper. Thankfully the guys coming up the rear were switched on so were able to pull up in time. Took a break of about 10 mins at halfway. Thank god for the humble figroll. For the return leg the three of us were pretty much on our own having been joined up from time to time by one or two riders. Puffing a bit around 90km but got the second wind and the last 10km were kind to me. Delighted to have done it in just over 4 hours and am looking forward to Belfast in two weeks time. You might have seen a guy about half way along on the outward leg who unfortunately had come a cropper and was fairly bloodied around the face. Well I bumped into him after the race and was fairly upbeat considering the stitches and the broken arm. Fair Play.

barrabus

Cycling gods against me this year .
Thanks to ryaner and pal for hanging about and to nice girl who generously squeezed my bike into the back seat of her pugeout 106.

Complete waste of 40- on a closed road event you would expect some sort of broom wagon if you are unlucky enough to have a serious mechanical . Instead I wore out a brand new set of cleats... Walking back (making it a 55 quid waste)
I am retiring from crap Irish sportives run by either the uninterested or the incompetent.

mloc123

So a load of Freds trying to race in a group on a closed road... probably lucky that nobody was seriously injured.

trek climber

Have to say that I enjoyed that even though I would agree about the poor organisation. We were in a big group going out and tried to keep near the front which woud be safer. It was dangerous at times with cyclists coming up on both the inside and out side and then others who would get to to the front and then decide to have a breather. At about the 40k I had a blow out n the back wheel but fortunately there was no-one on my wheel so was able to pull in and change it. The food stop was a bit of a joke to be honesno food just water. We took a slip road to the nearby village and got a sandwich. Nice spin back with the tail wind but we had two more punctures which was unusual. We came in at 3 hr 47mins.

trek climber

billy.fish wrote: »

Aye that was her, pretty much rode with her for the whole race (i was on other TT bike, in WORC kit, looking slightly more aero and doing way to much work )

Reason she was going full tilt was because she was ignorant of pain, she planned to stay with me for 'as long as she could' so she said. THen Pretty much rode like an animal! Well impressed.

THE WORC kit - was that a Wicklow Triathlon kit by any chance

Caroline_ie

barrabus wrote: »

Cycling gods against me this year .
Thanks to ryaner and pal for hanging about and to nice girl who generously squeezed my bike into the back seat of her pugeout 106.

Complete waste of 40- on a closed road event you would expect some sort of broom wagon if you are unlucky enough to have a serious mechanical . Instead I wore out a brand new set of cleats... Walking back (making it a 55 quid waste)
I am retiring from crap Irish sportives run by either the uninterested or the incompetent.

what exactly happened ...? sorry just read the whole thread.:p
sorry to hear you guys had such a crap time

big mce

I agree with all thats been said. I enjoyed it but no food at the turn around was ridiculous. Perhaps some cycling etiquette should be explained on the website/info before people embark on these events. Why do people insist on passing you on the inside when there are two empty lanes to the right ?

karltimber

Hi,

It was my first big (80+) spin yesterday and really enjoyed it.
I have nothing to compare it to but thought there could have been some better marshaling and support vehicles for those who needed them.

It was also my first time in a large group and was careful with my actions within that group.

I second a sticky on group etiquette - to help us new folks who don't know the basics. Great day for myself anyhow.

3h 34mins so well pleased.

K

billy.fish

trek climber wrote: »

THE WORC kit - was that a Wicklow Triathlon kit by any chance

@ trek climber: Team WORC = Wicklow Off Road Club. http://www.team-worc.com/news.php

tunney

billy.fish wrote: »

@CheGuedara : there may have been gratutious use of the C word, and then a 'F-you all, how about you do some work'

*throws toys out of cot*

Followed by what looks like a rather spirited 350W effort for 5km....which i think broke most of that group up.

Interesting looking at the power data now (sez the man ranting about bling wheels :rolleyes:) Can actually pick out turns on the front, and when i was riding alone. Happy with average power on the way out vs way back. Hr is...well interesting to me too

Good job it was flat - otherwise that 350watt burst wouldn't have done much good

billy.fish

What's that puny FTP boy? I cant hear you from your closet

Turbulent Bill

Did the 55km with my OH at a leisurely pace, so didn't hit any of the problems found on the longer run. A few things:

1. Cycling on a motorway is almost as boring as driving on one. After the novelty wears off you really miss the different scenery found on a normal sportive.
2. Plenty of water, bananas and grain bars available on the 55km, don't need anything else for that kind of distance.
3. Some of the road surface was badly cut up, especially for a new motorway. About 20km outbound there were some sharp lips in the road, with scattered drinks bottles from the 100km riders, presumably hopped out with the impact. Could have done with warning marks on the road.
4. It seemed to fall between stools - run as a simple fun day out (with minimal rider support), but advertised as a potential hammerfest. I'm not that surprised there were problems.

Overall I enjoyed it, and the weather was great, but I'm not too sorry it was a one-off.

Highway_To_Hell

First group outing for me as well (all my cycling is done solo) I was with billy.fish and Karen for a while (I was on the red specialized bike with clip on aero bars and wearing a red specialized top) and if I caused any newbie issues I apologies. I definitely did my bit up the front, the group went from around 4/5 people to 10+ and then when a split appeared in the group I broke my backside to regroup and pulled good few people back into the group only to get dropped off the back a few mins later. The next group I hooked up with was a lot bigger and been actively led out by a guy training for a Ironman, what shocked me with this group was the amount of reckless sideways movement without any regard for the guys around them. At one point I tried to chat with a guy beside me but got no response and just thought me was struggling but then I noticed that me had headphones on (surely these should be banned in any kind of a group ride).

At the turnaround all the food seemed to been given out at the one point and a queue was forming so I just by passed the food station as I had a energy bar and gel with me. Didnt hook up with any groups on the way back it seemed everyone was strung out.

covered 100km in 3:10 and crossed the finishline at 3:21. was hoping to get closer to the 3hr mark for the 100km but still happy enough.

tunney

billy.fish wrote: »

What's that puny FTP boy? I cant hear you from your closet

You're just jealous cause you can't fit in your closet anymore.

flatface

most dissapointing thing on the day was my fitness level having not been out much this year, really crawled the last 20k after a very fast 50-75k. 3:34 for me, need a get fit quick scheme and i need it fast.
Not my favourite type of event as I now know I prefer the scenery of a hilly sportif. good to see some nice people waving from bridges and overall I enjoyed the chat, bike peacocks and lack of potholes

Vélo

I enjoyed it. I did 131km in total with an average speed of 29km. The stops weren't great alright but I had some bars and a banana in my pocket so it wasn't an issue for me. I was amazed at the amount of punctures, so I suppose they could have swept the road first.

billy.fish

Its funny, i heard one puncture about 20km in but then didnt see that many. Heard a good few rocks pling about though. Luck of the draw. TBH its allot better than some roads we've been training on. Wonder if the guccii wheels and tyres caught people out? or just not enough pressure Who knows.

@ Highway_To_Hell : Nice to meet you man! You were riding strong on the front, deffo not one of the people i was talking about. Sorry i dropped you at that point, was getting frustrated at people, and yeah you must have worked like a dog to get back on!

@tunney : Thats cause my turbo is in there, you know, real roads, cycling on them, remember that feeling? Oh that and my massive legs...forgot about them

Highway_To_Hell

billy.fish wrote: »

@ Highway_To_Hell : Nice to meet you man! You were riding strong on the front, deffo not one of the people i was talking about. Sorry i dropped you at that point, was getting frustrated at people, and yeah you must have worked like a dog to get back on!

I don't think I could have kept up the pace for the full distance, my 45 year old knees just don't have what it takes I enjoyed the ride while it lasted.

Vélo

Vélo wrote: »

I enjoyed it. I did 131km in total with an average speed of 29km. The stops weren't great alright but I had some bars and a banana in my pocket so it wasn't an issue for me. I was amazed at the amount of punctures, so I suppose they could have swept the road first.

I forgot to mention I did this with a hangover after having just 4 hours sleep.

billy.fish

Vélo wrote: »

I forgot to mention I did this with a hangover after having just 4 hours sleep.

Well done, have some cake. I know i did.

178km, 241W NP (normalised power) for 5hr 46mins, for the whole day out.

With a nice 3hr 12mins of riding 110km in the middle at 250W NP (262W NP out, 231W NP return) , 150bpm avg heart rate.

Gotta love IM pace rides.

And a nice jog for 2km when i got home....which was uber slow.

trek climber

Does anyone know who came in first and how long did they go around in ?

blorg

Highway_To_Hell wrote: »

At one point I tried to chat with a guy beside me but got no response and just thought me was struggling but then I noticed that me had headphones on (surely these should be banned in any kind of a group ride).

Headphones in a group ride is very bad form certainly. Not only rude but dangerous too.