Ring of Kerry prep

awec

My girlfriend has signed up for the ROK and has now entered the stage of freaking out about it. She's worried she'll not be able for it, but as far as I know it's a very social cycle with families doing it and people on all sorts of cycling apparatus.

She has cycled plenty before but not really for a year or two. We've done Dublin to Wexford (pretty slowly) and most of the An Post series a few years ago.

She did 40km the other day and says she found it really tough. Realistically what does should she be aiming for before the event itself?

Looking up the ROK site they have a training plan up there but there's no way she'd have the time to cycle the proposed 4 days a week.

Anyone have anything I can say to reassure her that she's well able for it? Has anyone on here actually done it while not being at peak fitness?

Is there a time limit for getting round?

pointer28

awec wrote: »

there's no way she'd have the time to cycle the proposed 4 days a week.

I would say consistency and frequency of training would be the most important factors.

How about buying a turbo trainer and riding on that 3 times a week (watch TV on it if she likes) and then a longer spin at the weekend.

I wouldn't worry about cut off times or standards though, AFAIK it's more aimed towards the charity angle than the serious cyclists and contains all kind of standards.

awec

What about time wise? If it takes her 9 or 10 hours would she be left all alone at the back?

pointer28

awec wrote: »

What about time wise? If it takes her 9 or 10 hours would she be left all alone at the back?

This is my first year but I know a lot of novices doing it and they're talking 9 hours or thereabouts.

Maybe someone will be along with more experience of ROK.

dogsears

awec wrote: »

What about time wise? If it takes her 9 or 10 hours would she be left all alone at the back?

There's alway someone ahead of you, always someone behind you. Start good and early, say 6 am, and 9 hours gets you around by about 3. Then sit down and watch all the others coming in for the next few hours!

Flood

It was suggested in another thread to go cycling with groups to learn the code words and cycling etiquette.

mossym

awec wrote: »

What about time wise? If it takes her 9 or 10 hours would she be left all alone at the back?

There Is no back. It's not one group setting off together
There will be endless groups heading off over a 5 to 6 hour period. Whatever speed she does she will be in an endless stream of cyclists all day. People starting at 6am and before. People finishing at 10pm at night.

5p9arw38djv2b4

awec wrote: »

What about time wise? If it takes her 9 or 10 hours would she be left all alone at the back?

We were slow last year, took 9 hours to cycle round and then we did lots of stopping for food, tea, tyre problems... Nearly 12 hours on the road in total and we still were not the last back! She will be fine, just starting early (6ish...) means lots of time to get around.

Also tell her not to panic yet, 10 weeks to go, if she can get a few 20k spins a week in now to start and work up to 40k in 2-3 weeks that should do. A lot of clubs are doing group training already and so far no distances over 25km on them so 40might just have been a bit much to start off

Also they say if you manage a 100km before the big day that's enough to get you around... 80k was the longest I had ever done before last year and I managed.

Koobcam

I did it in 2012 and as far as I recall, it was about 170km. The roads are mostly quite good and none of the climbs are super difficult, though Molls Gap will hurt as it comes after you've done most of the distance. As other people have pointed out, there are cyclists all over the road the whole day, so the best advice is to latch on to a group that is going at a sustainable pace. I think in terms of training, mainly just get out on the bike on the weekend and try to gradually add some distance. Get used also to eating on the bike as with this length of event, you'll need to be eating and drinking a lot-small bites often rather than big meals (though a good meal the night before and decent breakfast at least 2 hours ahead of the start if not more will be essential). Good idea also to do some training with a group (maybe a local club?), it can be a bit unnerving riding with large groups of people if you're not used to it.

Red Kev

awec wrote: »

My girlfriend has signed up for the ROK and has now entered the stage of freaking out about it. She's worried she'll not be able for it, but as far as I know it's a very social cycle with families doing it and people on all sorts of cycling apparatus.

She has cycled plenty before but not really for a year or two. We've done Dublin to Wexford (pretty slowly) and most of the An Post series a few years ago.

She did 40km the other day and says she found it really tough. Realistically what does should she be aiming for before the event itself?

Looking up the ROK site they have a training plan up there but there's no way she'd have the time to cycle the proposed 4 days a week.

Anyone have anything I can say to reassure her that she's well able for it? Has anyone on here actually done it while not being at peak fitness?

Is there a time limit for getting round?

When was the last time she was on a bike prior to this ?

I was off the bike for a few months, did about 20km and my legs were knackered at the end of it. A couple of weeks later I was doing my usual 70-80km (3-4 hours) cycles no problem.

If you use muscles that you haven't used for a long time then you will feel pain, but if she was at the level that you say she was a couple of years ago then I don't think she will have any real problems with the RoK.

Build up slowly over the next 8 weeks to about a 120km cycle the week before the event and she'll be fine. She'll probably be able to do a lot more than 120km by then but it's a handy target to reach.

PukkaStukka

OP, I'm doing the ROK this year having last done it 5 years ago. I did all my training by myself then and maxed out at 100KMs on a single spin beforehand. I had all sorts of concerns beforehand that I wouldn't be able to do the ROK but on the day I was fine - bar struggling up Molls Gap because I was tired.

This time I'm cycling to work two days a week - which are a 50km round trip plus a long (80-100-120km) spin over the weekend.

One big difference between training on my own and doing the ROK was that you get carried along by the group and you cover more ground with less effort than doing it solo. It is a great day and to be enjoyed and for me was one of the best days I've ever had! The atmosphere, craic and sheer emotion of completing it are something you won't forget for a very long time to come!

kerryjack

PukkaStukka wrote: »

OP, I'm doing the ROK this year having last done it 5 years ago. I did all my training by myself then and maxed out at 100KMs on a single spin beforehand. I had all sorts of concerns beforehand that I wouldn't be able to do the ROK but on the day I was fine - bar struggling up Molls Gap because I was tired.

This time I'm cycling to work two days a week - which are a 50km round trip plus a long (80-100-120km) spin over the weekend.

One big difference between training on my own and doing the ROK was that you get carried along by the group and you cover more ground with less effort than doing it solo. It is a great day and to be enjoyed and for me was one of the best days I've ever had! The atmosphere, craic and sheer emotion of completing it are something you won't forget for a very long time to come!

This tread give me great cofidence doing it myself for first time traing away on my own started off doing an hour at a steady pace now doing 3 hours 2 times a week went with a group last week we done 40 k found the pace tough going slow and steady and the beautiful scenery will get me around

dragratchet

my girlfriend did it last year with a single months training. apart from that she cycled a round trip of 8km to and from work each day. over the month of training she did do she would do : a spin out to howth and back from goatstown, and a spin to enniskerry from goatstown via ballychorus road. then about a week before the ROK we did goatstown to blessington and around the lakes.. despite her giving out to me for torturing her she said it helped her alot from the actual event. she took 10 hours to get around with her buddies and certainly didnt feel like she was at the back or last on the road. ive never done it myself but despite the distance it sounds like a handy one for anyone with a bit of fitness if you take your time