Marmotte 2016

2016

Updated list:

Rita1
ladder in me tights
Leroy42
2016
Red Belly
andy69
kilns

1bryan

question for those who have done the Marmotte before. Do packs get posted out, or is it a case of turning up on the day and giving your name, if you've registered?

And, are entries transferrable if one weren't able to go themselves?

thanks.

Leroy42

I guess by packs you mean the race numbers etc.

No, not posted out you pick them up on registration at the event. I think it opens on the Thursday in Alpe D'Huez at the sport centre, where the finish line will be, runs throughout Friday and then there will be a place for late registration on Saturday down in Bourg (in the past this has been at the roundabout leading to the base of Alpe D'Huez opens from 6am to 7am.


By reg I mean just collection, the event is all pre-reg in effect.

You will get an e-mail sometime in January giving you your race number. The reg process is pretty straightforward. They have the tables split per numbers so you simply go to the correct table, maybe que a bit, give them your entry document and they normally just give you out the pack. I usually upload my racing licence prior to heading over and they have never asked to see it, but it states that they can (same is true for medical cert)

Entries are non-transferrable. I have tried this before and the best they offered was to give me a credit for the next year event. However, nobody is going to stop you once you have the race numbers. You need to decide whether from an insurance point of view it is worth it.

One year, for eg, two lads we had in the group couldn't make it. I collected their race numbers/pack and took the timing chip with me on the day so in effect all 3 of us finished the exact same. Slightly different but shows it can be done.

1bryan

Leroy42 wrote: »

I guess by packs you mean the race numbers etc.

No, not posted out you pick them up on registration at the event. I think it opens on the Thursday in Alpe D'Huez at the sport centre, where the finish line will be, runs throughout Friday and then there will be a place for late registration on Saturday down in Bourg (in the past this has been at the roundabout leading to the base of Alpe D'Huez opens from 6am to 7am.


By reg I mean just collection, the event is all pre-reg in effect.

You will get an e-mail sometime in January giving you your race number. The reg process is pretty straightforward. They have the tables split per numbers so you simply go to the correct table, maybe que a bit, give them your entry document and they normally just give you out the pack. I usually upload my racing licence prior to heading over and they have never asked to see it, but it states that they can (same is true for medical cert)

Entries are non-transferrable. I have tried this before and the best they offered was to give me a credit for the next year event. However, nobody is going to stop you once you have the race numbers. You need to decide whether from an insurance point of view it is worth it.

One year, for eg, two lads we had in the group couldn't make it. I collected their race numbers/pack and took the timing chip with me on the day so in effect all 3 of us finished the exact same. Slightly different but shows it can be done.

excellent, thats very useful. Thanks a lot for the info.

Jim Stynes

A tip with sign on. You can change your number to an early start pen number on the day of registration. There is a desk in the left corner of the room closest to the door. I had a number in the 7000 odd or something. Got it changed to a number in the 1000s or something like that. Cant remember the exact details but it meant I got to start an hour earlier.

Leroy42

Jim Stynes wrote: »

A tip with sign on. You can change your number to an early start pen number on the day of registration. There is a desk in the left corner of the room closest to the door. I had a number in the 7000 odd or something. Got it changed to a number in the 1000s or something like that. Cant remember the exact details but it meant I got to start an hour earlier.

Really? I never knew that.

Now, if I can just get them to take an hour of my actual time!!!

Jim Stynes

Yip! It is numbers from people who have cancelled or dropped out. The tour operator showed us it the extra will come in handy to people who are lookin to make the cut off time.

ladder in me tights

Jim Stynes wrote: »

A tip with sign on. You can change your number to an early start pen number on the day of registration. There is a desk in the left corner of the room closest to the door. I had a number in the 7000 odd or something. Got it changed to a number in the 1000s or something like that. Cant remember the exact details but it meant I got to start an hour earlier.

Thanks Jim - that could very handy - I'm not sure how the heat, cramp and other unknowns will effect my time as I've never done Marmotte before so would like to get as much time in the bank so I don't have to worry about not making the cutoff time.

ladder in me tights

BTW how's the training going lads?
Weather, work & kids are clipping my wings bit the past month so I'm doing a few turbos sessions per week and the weekend spin, also trying to loose bit of weight (damn you supervalue puff pastry mince pies)
S

MillieMollie

Rita1 wrote: »

When i booked the flights four weeks ago, there was already 3 bike on it.. ..mine would be the fourth. I would say there's not many left, this is Thursday the 30th of June flight.

I'm doing the Marmotte too. I feel a bit bad not doing my 5th ROK, but I think this will be a bigger challenge. I looked into bringing my bike, but I found hiring a bike over there works out about the same cost wise. And there is no risk of it being broken by the baggage handlers, like the last time I brought a bike to France

07Lapierre

MillieMollie wrote: »

I'm doing the Marmotte too. I feel a bit bad not doing my 5th ROK, but I think this will be a bigger challenge. I looked into bringing my bike, but I found hiring a bike over there works out about the same cost wise. And there is no risk of it being broken by the baggage handlers, like the last time I brought a bike to France

Personally speaking, I wouldn't consider doing the marmotte on any other bike. It's a long day on the bike and if you've spent months training on your own bike, changing onto a different bike a day or two before the event seems like a bad idea to me.

If your determined to use a rental bike, I'd suggest bringing your own saddle and make sure the bike has the same gearing as your own bike.

goldenboots

"I feel a bit bad not doing my 5th ROK, but I think this will be a bigger challenge."

I think you might be right!!

Jim Stynes

goldenboots wrote: »

"I feel a bit bad not doing my 5th ROK, but I think this will be a bigger challenge."

I think you might be right!!

Just slightly lol

Curnode

Jim Stynes wrote: »

Just slightly lol

One hell of a difference between the Ring of Kerry and the Marmotte.
The Marmotte has over 5,000 metres of climbing, while the Ring of Kerry has 1500 metres of climbing.....
The Marmotte has approx. 70km of climbing at 7% gradient !!

Leroy42

Curnode wrote: »

One hell of a difference between the Ring of Kerry and the Marmotte.
The Marmotte has over 5,000 metres of climbing, while the Ring of Kerry has 1500 metres of climbing.....
The Marmotte has approx. 70km of climbing at 7% gradient !!

Yeah, but sure nearly half of it is downhill:D

Red Belly

Alpe D'Huez in April/May?

I have a window of opportunity to head to the alps for the May Bank Holiday week-end. I can head out on Friday, back on Monday, hire a bike, car, accommodation for under €500. I could get two full days riding in, and maybe a couple of hours on the monday too. Maybe head all or part way up the Glandon and do the Alpe over the week-end?

Should help me with the psychology of the Marmotte climbs....but....how likely is it that I'll actually be able to do the climbs that early in the season? Anyone know? I believe the Alpe itself will be open but winter gear might be required esp for descents but realistically will there be any other cols I can safely navigate? As macho as it sounds I don't really want to spend a week-end doing repeats of Alpe D'Huez in full winter kit!

rb

PringleDemon

Red Belly wrote: »

Alpe D'Huez in April/May?

I have a window of opportunity to head to the alps for the May Bank Holiday week-end. I can head out on Friday, back on Monday, hire a bike, car, accommodation for under €500. I could get two full days riding in, and maybe a couple of hours on the monday too. Maybe head all or part way up the Glandon and do the Alpe over the week-end?

Should help me with the psychology of the Marmotte climbs....but....how likely is it that I'll actually be able to do the climbs that early in the season? Anyone know? I believe the Alpe itself will be open but winter gear might be required esp for descents but realistically will there be any other cols I can safely navigate? As macho as it sounds I don't really want to spend a week-end doing repeats of Alpe D'Huez in full winter kit!

rb

To be honest I wouldn't bother going near the Alps until early June. It will be too cold coming back down some of the climbs. Glandon will prob still have lots of snow , Galibier etc will still be closed .
If you went down as far as Nice area there's plenty of good climbing in that area. Not on the scale of the high alpine passes but good enough for a test with better weather.

1bryan

Leroy42 wrote: »

I
You will get an e-mail sometime in January giving you your race number. The reg process is pretty straightforward. They have the tables split per numbers so you simply go to the correct table, maybe que a bit, give them your entry document and they normally just give you out the pack. I usually upload my racing licence prior to heading over and they have never asked to see it, but it states that they can (same is true for medical cert)

Entries are non-transferrable. I have tried this before and the best they offered was to give me a credit for the next year event.

I just got my e-mail this morning. Looks like I'm gonna have to try the deferral option (long story, but after a bad winter, I have nothing organised).

Can I ask how you went about your attempts at transferring entry that led to getting the credit towards the following year?

Leroy42

I just sent them an e-mail.

I didn't go with the deferral in the end, I ended up doing the event, but they said they would do it but what that actually means I don't know.

When you say you have nothing organised what do you mean? Flights are still available, accommodation is available and we are still 5 months away so plenty of time to get training in.

Even if you have nothing at the moment, hold off deferring for a while as even close to the time something (flights etc) will usually come up as people have to drop out. Just get out and start turning the legs, even 5 months is quite a long time to get the training done so nothing is lost yet.

1bryan

Leroy42 wrote: »

I just sent them an e-mail.

I didn't go with the deferral in the end, I ended up doing the event, but they said they would do it but what that actually means I don't know.

When you say you have nothing organised what do you mean? Flights are still available, accommodation is available and we are still 5 months away so plenty of time to get training in.

Even if you have nothing at the moment, hold off deferring for a while as even close to the time something (flights etc) will usually come up as people have to drop out. Just get out and start turning the legs, even 5 months is quite a long time to get the training done so nothing is lost yet.

thats good advice, thanks.

I was ill for several weeks (shingles) so had no energy or motivation to even think about organising anything around this. I specifically meant flights and accomodation. I'm not that worried about the training as I've had a decent last few weeks and I know I'll get the miles in.

When you mentioned accommodation is still available, it that referring to anywhere in particular? Or is it just a general comment based on your past experience of the marmotte?

you've definitely given me some food for thought here so thanks a lot, again

kilns

As I am not fit enough and not enough training done or weight loss. I emailed them and asked could I switch mz entry to the Pyrenees race, which they did no problem. Gives me an extra 2 months now

Red Belly

Marmotte 2016 Sträva group:

https://www.strava.com/clubs/laMarmotteIreland2016

1bryan

kilns wrote: »

As I am not fit enough and not enough training done or weight loss. I emailed them and asked could I switch mz entry to the Pyrenees race, which they did no problem. Gives me an extra 2 months now

did you just respond to the confirmation mail that was sent after xmas? Or which e-mail address did you use?

I might do something similar. I never got around to actually booking anything for the one in July and feel I've left it way too late at this stage. I was going to look to defer a year but switching to the Pyrenees one sounds like a much better idea.

kilns

I wrote to info@sportcommunication.com and just advised them of my start number for the Marmotte and asked could I swap.

They replied no problem but I wouldnt be refunded the difference in entry price which isnt much anyway

When I logged back onto the website my Pyrennes entry was already there, my new number is in the 800s, for the alps it was in the 8000s

1bryan

kilns wrote: »

I wrote to info@sportcommunication.com and just advised them of my start number for the Marmotte and asked could I swap.

They replied no problem but I wouldnt be refunded the difference in entry price which isnt much anyway

When I logged back onto the website my Pyrennes entry was already there, my new number is in the 800s, for the alps it was in the 8000s

many thanks. I'll do this too, I think. Your new number would certainly suggest there will be far less people doing the Pyrnenean ride, which is definitely a bonus.

Thanks a lot.

kilns

Yeah I think for the first year it will be limited to 2500 people

Its also a good area for accomodation, Lourdes has so many hotels, plenty in Argeles itself and I am sure Paddy at Velopeloton is fully booked up already

I am lucky in that my family have a house in Argeles so no accomodation worries

Buzwaldo

Ok. Confessions first. Have been lurking this thread from the start, as I have been inspired by the idea of doing this event for a while. As I pass a significant milestone this year ( unfortunately not 40, thankfully not 60) I decided to treat myself with an entry for this. I signed up in November and hoped it would come together.
Unfortunately due to changed work circumstances and much less time off this year (working every second weekend) I have gotten out much less
than I hoped for. Thus I abandoned hope of doing it and booked a few days in the Alps in early June with a few buddies.
Now however I'm thinking twice. I did the Orwell radonee a few weeks ago and got around much better and fresher than I hoped. (Yes, I know it doesn't compare to the Marmotte)
But long evenings etc. mean more cycling, and I will have my few days in the Alps in June. I have about 2k km under my belt so far this year and I enjoy a bit of climbing. I will be in France anyway on a family holiday - about 3-4 hrs drive away - at Marmotte time.
So, I'm now considering a smash and grab attempt driving down Friday, back Sunday, with the hope of getting around if weather not brutal. Expectations are low, silver or gold time will not be on the cards, but worst happens, I see some nice scenery, get the vibe of the event, and climb in the broom wagon.
With luck, and a constant strong tailwind (where do you get those concealed motors??) I may get around ( God bless my naivety)
Other obstacles will include getting some accommodation, and doing the event on a hire bike, but such is life. Neither are insurmountable.
Probably won't make a final call until I come back after my early June trip.
Wish me luck.

Jim Stynes

Hard to tell at what level you are at and depending on conditions I would have been looking to have more than 2k km under your belt at this stage. I would give it a go and have the wife waiting on standby to pick you up somewhere along the way. I never saw one broom wagon when I was there so you could be left sitting for ages in scorching heat waiting on a bus. The event is simply brutal. The hardest events in Ireland don't even compare. But if the Wicklow 200 gets talked about as being on the harder end of the well known events in Ireland. It would be about 4/10 and La Marmotte was 11/10 on the the difficulty level. That's my memories anyway haha I am a big guy though (90kg give or take a kg each way) and the weather was in the mid 40s at it's hottest on La Marmotte when i did it. I would still like to do it again though.

Buzwaldo

I did the Ring of Kerry once and that's longer, so I should be ok - right? 😜😜
Seriously though, I know it's difficult, and am not going to read any more blogs of extreme hardship - have read enough as it is. Most who failed were caught out by last years heatwave and the likes. If conditions are similar I'm sure I'll calve along the route as well - in fact may not even travel if such extremes are forecast.

As regards my level, I started cycling five years ago and feel I have gotten stronger each successive year. I'm not in the lead bunch (for long) at any sportive, but can generally finish in the top half of the field. I never raced, or even considered it - not fast enough, and moderate descender. Have done the SKT 160 comfortably twice in the past. Did a 1200 m climb in Italy last year (with 600 m drag from the coast to get to it) in high Summer last year and was fresh / comfortable enough. (just multiply that by four!!) At 72 kg I'm not too beefy, and while my weight hardly fluctuates, I'll be sure to be trim for the day.
For sure 2k km so far this year is way less than I planned when signing up (unforeseen circumstances) but if I up it over the next few weeks, and see how I get on in the Alps in 3 weeks, all without getting an injury, I may give it a lash.

Am hoping I might find accommodation in alp d'huez or Bourg / Allencon at short notice (a week or two if I commit). Any advice in this direction welcome.
(I know the obvious advice is to stop deluding myself)

Leroy42

@Buzwaldo, 2k is certainly on the low side but its not as if you've got nothing in the bank and as you said you have 5 years of cycling before this, which does count for something in terms of endurance if not speed.

It also depends on what you have been doing in lieu of the time you thought you were going to spend on the bike. Based on doing the Orwell, which whilst of course not the same in terms of the overall if a tough enough event, and being comfortable I would wager that overall fitness is decent and endurance is there.

La Marmotte can be brutal, the heat last year made it especially so, and it really deserves to be taken seriously but I think a lot of the riders really struggle with the length of the climbs. Glandon takes over 90 minutes, Galibier somewhere like that and the Alpe the same again. We simply have nothing to prepare us for that level of sustained suffering. So it's as much a mental issue as anything. Couple that with the fact that the last 14k are up Alpe D'Huez, we do not have anything over here that finishes with anything like that difficulty. Even the hardest sportives will finish on a downward/flat last 20k's, so again this is a mental issue (I'm not saying its not physical as well, it is damn hard to cycle up Alpe D'Huez).

Your trip to the Alps, and the fact you have done a long climb in Italy before will stand to you as you have already faced these challenges. You can still achieve a lot in the next 6 weeks, I would certainly be planning a good few longer rides with plenty of climbing. 5/6 hours rides in the mountains each weekend for the next few weeks will get you will prepped. Don't focus on what you haven't done, focus on what you can do for the next few weeks.