TT Pursuit - Howth Hill style

christeb

Having spent some time doing W200 training around Howth (village side up only), I’m become quite enamoured with the loop. Probably a Stockholm syndrome-type scenario, I enjoy that special type of short-lived pain the hill going up through the village gives. Anyway, on my last descent on Weds I thought of a sick little idea. What if you could do an event that paired up people of similar ability (from Boards TT info maybe?) and set them up of opposing sides of the hill and they set off in the classic clockwise direction.

The first to catch the other is the victor. Needless to say this would involve excruciating pain and such and such, but I thought the concept was nonetheless interesting.

Who’s in?!!

justo

christeb wrote: »

Having spent some time doing W200 training around Howth (village side up only), I’m become quite enamoured with the loop. Probably a Stockholm syndrome-type scenario, I enjoy that special type of short-lived pain the hill going up through the village gives. Anyway, on my last descent on Weds I thought of a sick little idea. What if you could do an event that paired up people of similar ability (from Boards TT info maybe?) and set them up of opposing sides of the hill and they set off in the classic clockwise direction.

The first to catch the other is the victor. Needless to say this would involve excruciating pain and such and such, but I thought the concept was nonetheless interesting.

Who’s in?!!

Back in the day I used to put myself through this kind of caper... for added pain, have you tried the route up through the village but go right of the church instead? Bound to make you dizzy.

christeb

justo wrote: »

Back in the day I used to put myself through this kind of caper... for added pain, have you tried the route up through the village but go right of the church instead? Bound to make you dizzy.

Haven't tried this yet, but I'm comfortably doing 3 x laps now. Hoping to get it up to 6+ before the W200.

Also for those who have completed the W200 - is this hill good training for it or would I be better doing anti-clockwise loops?

morana

justo wrote: »

Back in the day I used to put myself through this kind of caper... for added pain, have you tried the route up through the village but go right of the church instead? Bound to make you dizzy.

Used it quite a bit...the Haggard we call it. Its very steep at the start but then flattens a bit.

There used to be a race up there af ew years ago. I think the route was halfway down the hill towards the village left and then left again and back out at the summit inn...carnage I reckon

Lusk Doyle

justo wrote: »

Back in the day I used to put myself through this kind of caper... for added pain, have you tried the route up through the village but go right of the church instead? Bound to make you dizzy.

I do the right side of the church each time I go to Howth. Did it a month or so ago with my bro who blasted up it all the way in the big ring! Was amazed as I nearly fell over the bars in the small ring trying to keep upright and going!

RobFowl

Remember 1988 morana !!

The millennium stage of the Nissan.

We cycled out to watch the bunch climb the village side of Howth thinking they'd suffer at least to an extent..

Feckers cruised up it in the big ring chatting away to each other. I think they went over 3 times? Alan Pieper won the stage but Paul Kimmage was away in the break all day.
(ROlf Golz won the overall beating Kelly for the first time in a Nissan)

morana

Remember it well..Spratty on the attack before Howth but Kelly wouldnt let him away. Those were the days!!!

Beasty

you guys must be very old .....;)

souter

christeb wrote: »

Haven't tried this yet, but I'm comfortably doing 3 x laps now. Hoping to get it up to 6+ before the W200.

Also for those who have completed the W200 - is this hill good training for it or would I be better doing anti-clockwise loops?

Back and forwards i.e. Sutton -> Summit -> Village -> Summit -> Sutton. You don't really want to allow 10 minutes recovery by lapping the peninsula.
Repeat as neccessary.
I got into the habit of Sutton climb, Haggard climb (right at the church), Village Climb, sort of 3.25 climbs as the Haggard climb rejoins about three quarters of way up the Sutton side.

christeb

souter wrote: »

Back and forwards i.e. Sutton -> Summit -> Village -> Summit -> Sutton. You don't really want to allow 10 minutes recovery by lapping the peninsula.
Repeat as neccessary.
I got into the habit of Sutton climb, Haggard climb (right at the church), Village Climb, sort of 3.25 climbs as the Haggard climb rejoins about three quarters of way up the Sutton side.

Thanks for this, seems like the thing to do to maximise hills in a short space of time. I suppose I just enjoy that descent too much. I'll give this "loop" a go next time.

kennyb3

If you go right after the haggard part (as opposed to following the road around to the left and coming out 3/4 of the way up the village side) the road ramps up significantly again and is an absolute killer on top of the first bit. You should come out pretty much right at the irish times shop.

blorg

Lusk Doyle wrote: »

I do the right side of the church each time I go to Howth. Did it a month or so ago with my bro who blasted up it all the way in the big ring! Was amazed as I nearly fell over the bars in the small ring trying to keep upright and going!

Check for a motor in the downtube.

Hermy

Try this:

Start out on Carrickbrack Road - climb to the Summit Inn and down Thormanby Road to the village - go left at the church up the Haggard to Summit Inn - turn right and go back down Carrickbrack Road to the second right - head up and over Windgate Road and at the end turn left heading back down the Haggard to the village - turn right at the church and head up Thormanby Road to the summit - take a right onto Balkhill Road and further down a left back onto Windgate - at the end turn right for home or left to do it all over again.