Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
wicklow 200
Options
Comments
-
-
First wicklow 200 today. This was my day. I should have sensed some sort of omen when I saw people fixing punctures on their way into greystones for the registration. We set off at 7.30 and at 8km mark one of our riders got the first puncture. 2 of us stopped to help him. 3 punctures in total before we could get the tube to stay up (we couldnt find the cause). Same lad got another puncture at 70km. 500 metres on 3 women stopped us asking could we help them with another puncture (gatorskin tube punctured) and we gladly obliged. By 14km one of the girls in our group derailleur snapped off while she was going up a hill. At around 30km a fella at the side of the road flagged us down by shaking his foot at us and pointing at his foot. It was only when we stopped that we noticed his crank and pedal had come off and were still attached to his shoe. We did a quick fix to allow him to get down to hollywood and we rang for assistance to come and help him there - so we escorted him down. At 120km we reached the top of slieve maan and there was no water or food left
ridiculous considering the heat and effort people were expending to get up it (some people dismounted and were walking) and we had no water left before our descent. On the descent down from slieve maan at 128km one of our lads came off his bike and broke his collarbone so his day was over. Had to use my arm warmers to make a sling for him. 400m further down the road a girl had taken a very nasty spill and was in a neck brace and was semi conscious. They had to get the air ambulance helicopter to air lift her to hospital (I really hope she is ok). Were there marshalls on the slieve mann descent? I didnt see any until they flagged us down because of the ambulances and injured girl. Highlight of my day was seeing that fella completing the 200km on a dublin bike! Lol. I saw 1 boardsie "skrynesaver" on the slieve maan climb.
Finished it in a moving time of 8 hours which I suppose wasn't all that bad considering how often I was cooling down having to stop off due to the days unforseen events0 -
-
-
Wishbone Ash wrote: »Fillup I think! (Large black beard?)
Yep, was chatting to him at the end, in the hall 0 -
Advertisement
-
-
I read that to mean you suddenly accelerated and was wondering why you 'confessed'!Unknown Soldier wrote: »I'm going to have to confess to putting the foot down on Shay Elliott...
Then the penny dropped! 0 -
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
First Wicklow 200, and my first sportive (I was at the miners village wondering why the feck I hadn't done one before to know how things work). This has turned into a longer report/ post than I was planning...
Miserable start, and tbh if I'd got a puncture on the Farrankelly road, it would've been touch and go whether I would've just jacked it. Forgot all my food in the haze of leaving the house, but since we passed my house it worked out grand - stopped, comfort break, water top and dry socks and gloves! Just tagged along with groups until the Laragh - didn't seem to be much organisation at that point.
Wicklow Gap took at my own pace up to the top of the miners village, figured a head wind was coming on the exposed bit and caught an Orwell train. I may have gone a bit deep, but it felt a bit six of one, half a dozen of the other at that point. Didn't stop at the top, and took a handy enough descent. Hollywood to Balto was pretty good - got in a good group, which was well organised by a group of lads from Armagh, and we fairly motored without me feeling going too deep. Went a bit to pot when we came up behind another group and a merger took place, and then when we turned off the main road is pretty dicey with some going up the middle of lines, switching between lines etc. Was just about to leave them to it when we hit the food stop.
There was a bit of a queue, but moved reasonably fast, and plenty of food. Only took the one sandwich which I regretted. Those marshmallow biscuit bars are lovely though! Met up with a club mate there, so we headed off towards Slievemaan together. Did latch on with a massive Orwell group for a bit, but that broke up on the hills towards Slievemaan. Heard a few asking on some of the smaller climbs was this Slievemaan - I'd say they got a shock! Less said about Slievemaan the better - sufferfest. No feet down, but probably would've been quicker crawling. First cramps on the climb too, in the hammers. Stopped at the top for water - seemed like plenty at that stage. Looked like someone had come off on the descent, but they were up and moving and looked just road rash. Didn't break any personal records on Shay, but was better than SM. I'd know that descent fairly well, but it looked like some were taking it way to fast towards the bottom, but didn't see anyone in bother.
From there on in, it was pretty much my club spin regular roads. Plenty of food in Rathdrum, and no queues. As we headed off another massive Orwell group left (more peloton than group), so latched on to that for a bit towards Avoca, but it was too big and too much opening and closing of gaps. I'd like to say I bailed as it was too dangerous, but reality was that I was cramping every time I tried to push to close the gap so sat up to recover for what I knew was to come. Did my own thing over the climbs and descents up until Deputy's, and legs were in much better climbing shape by then. Tried to latch on a group at Deputy's, but cramped again (pb for the segment though!). Glenealy to Ashford a group came past and kinda just slotted in ahead of me, so I took the shelter until the descent into Ashford - again there seemed to be a few others who were taking the tow who didn't really seem to know group riding, so I decided I'd rather solo that bit with the ramps and road surface, as I knew the roads.
My initial target was to beat 10 hours. I knew at that stage I'd beat 9, so Ashford and the coast road I solo'd and didn't push on too much. Averaged 23.2, which I was delighted with. Also worked out my IT Band issues are actually probably (lack of) bike fit related rather than running related. Could feel my hips fairly early on, and at the end I had the IT Band pain on the knee - a quick sea dip seemed to sort it short term (definitely recommend that for future years). Really enjoyed it, and the atmosphere and chatting to people, especially in the group we had going from Hollywood. Although special mention to the fella that decided to have a go at me over my "dangerous" disc brakes on the Shay (they nearly were dangerous for him to have go at that pain point! ).
Didn't see any boards kits. Must get some shorts even, just so I can mix it with the club top for these sorts of events, or did I see casquettes on the order list? Ring of Kerry next - no fear over the distance and terrain but a little nervous of so many people on the road to be honest.
Thought the marshalling was pretty good for the most part - I guess the times they were sparse was on the roads I know. I've not got enough experience to comment too much on the marshalling of the descents, but I would've said they were well flagged beforehand? Plenty of food at all the stops, and plenty of water.0 -
-
Advertisement
-
Advertisement