Tour de Foothills 2017

grouchyman

Hoping to add the spin in and out to Kill onto it. Should bring me up to around 80k

Tabnabs

Looking forward to the 65km spin, not looking forward to the hanging around beforehand.

secman

Wont be in Dublin on Sunday, going to head out around lakes tomorrow morning, saw a lot of TDF markings on the roads behind Blessington last night. . Haven't done lake drive spin since last Autumn, looking good weekend weather-wise. Best of luck to all riders on Sunday.

Unknown Soldier

Eamonnator wrote: »

Gloat at all the people looking for a parking space?

One thing there is plenty of!

It's extremely well organised.

The spread at the start is savage, and there is a serious amount of parking to be availed of.

Fighting Tao

I'm looking forward to the Parking options. I'll be hitting the 65k which I think I'll be fine for but I'll be dragging a mate alone. I'll keep pushing him because I k ow he's fit for it but his mind rules his body too offen. I reckon a slower time then I want for myself but once he completes it I'll be happy.

grouchyman

Nice and easy 40ks this evening so I'm all set now for Sunday. Really looking forward to it. What's the climb out from Naas to Glending like? Looking at the map the highest point seems to be around there

JK.BMC

grouchyman wrote: »

Nice and easy 40ks this evening so I'm all set now for Sunday. Really looking forward to it. What's the climb out from Naas to Glending like? Looking at the map the highest point seems to be around there

The road from Naas to Glending is an almost continuous false flat of about 2% for 10km, as Glending is about 200m higher than Naas town. There is the odd slight downhil; but you really don't notice the climb much until the final 1.5km where it does hit 5-6%, but this is on a perfectly good smooth surface so you will be up and over without much trouble really. Like riding a main road through the country for a while and then looking back and realising how much you have climbed without noticing it.
To be honest, some sharp steep and quite short rises around the lakes are far more challenging as they slow you down considerably more than riding to Blessington.
Enjoy the day!

Gerry

Going for the 110 so will drive over. Seems like a good setup as I know there's plenty of parking over there. Looking forward to it.

tonytiger81

Doing the shorter route, it's been a few years since i've ventured down that way. Wonder how much has changed! Should be fun.

Dcully

Had to cut the 110k short, had a bit of a tummy bug and headache yesterday evening and had more or less ruled out today but thought I felt ok-ish this morning.
Trust cycling to let you know how you feel, only 5-10k at a really slow pace as there was so many participants heading to Blessington I was sweaty and feverish and knew I was in trouble.
Soldiered on trying to stick with my club, got dropped from them half way round the lakes and felt crap so took the 65k turn off, was a lonely last 35k or so.

Amazingly well run event from start to finish, well done Naas CC.

https://www.strava.com/activities/934596007

grouchyman

Well done to everybody involved in organising today. I did the 65k route so with the 10km each way in and out from Kill total of 86.1 kms. Thanks especially those doinf the food stop in Valleymount. I really needed refuelling aftet Ballyknockyn. A Great day.

lethal dose

Done the 110 or 115 as I ended up with?
Met Need More Gears, Deco?, Don't Chute and Mercian Pro in that order. Was hoping to meet the legendary Wishbone Ash but was reliably informed he was predisposed today. A few mechanical issues with front much caused me a bit of bother but thankfully no puncture as so many seemed to suffer.

Glad to have gone the distance and that amount of climbing too. Well organised as usual thanks to all who checked if I was alright as I carried out rough repairs and to the organisers who done a great job again. I hope you raise a fortune.

tonytiger81

Very well run. A good few punctures but the vans seemed to be well on top of things. The spread was excellent as was the marshalling. I hope it raises a good bit for the cause.

Fighting Tao

Really enjoyed the 65k. Beautiful route. First time cycling around the area. Cakes were great and everyone involved were so friendly. I really hope it raised loads of money for the school. It was very well sponsored and attended. Only bad thing was taking the wrong exit of the last roundabout. I didn't see any sign or markings. Either did a few others who were not familiar with the area.

py

Good 110Km, food stop was well stocked as was the start/finish. Stationery and bike marshalls were very helpful and signs were well placed. Thanks again Naas Cycling Club, will be back out for the peaks and tour of kildare later in the year. Hopefully you guys exceeded your fundraising target today.


My one gripe (which is nothing to do with the club or organisation) is the surface around the lakes, it's really really really... REALLY shit.

Mercian Pro

Full marks to Naas CC and friends of Saplings school for a really well organised event. As always, the homemade fruit cakes were great. For once the weather cooperated and we even had hazy sunshine for a few moments. Unlike other years, I didn't see any groups barging through on the wrong side of the white line between Naas and Blessington but one young guy very nearly got taken out by a speeding Mercedes on the Lake Drive.
Worked with two club mates after the food stop in Donard and it really helped shorten the way back. In previous years I have often ended up solo around Dunlavin and it is quite a slog back to Naas.
Good to meet a number of Boardsies too and apologies for being incognito in club gear.

Eamonnator

Great day. Top marks to Naas C.C. for putting on a great event.
Food stop at Donard was lovely, the scones with jam were just the ticket.
I really enjoyed the spin, average 29kph moving, delighted with myself.

detones

Great event today. Not done a longish spin in a while so was very happy with it. Lovely fast finish for last 30k. No real steep climbs though a challenging enough route. Thanks to all in Naas cc and funds raised to a cause close to my heart.

NeedMoreGears

Great day out. Well done NCC. Met lethal dose and thought I saw Mercian pro in club gear. 4:05 rolling with a twenty minute stop on top. Happy with that.

Tabnabs

My first time on this run, did the 65km route. Tagged on to a group of Filipinos who kept up a good pace around the lakes but turned off up the road instead of into Valleymount.

Absolute full marks to the people who organised the food stop in Valleymount, so friendly and helpful too. After the camaraderie of the two groups together, it was a lonely spin back to Naas. Took a bit of time to get the legs working again and saw nobody between Ballymore Eustace and Naas. A tough enough slog back solo and I also fell into the trap of taking the wrong turn on he last roundabout. Nobody about at the finish line so a wee bit of an anticlimactic finish, but was happy with pace overall and great to see so many about. Hope the charity end makes a nice few quid.

Don't Chute!

Did the 110 but just about! Was really, really struggling for the last 40k or so. Spent most of it alone and as Mercian Pro said earlier it's quite a slog. I find it quite hard when on unfamiliar roads thought it would never end! Met Lethal Dose and saw a few others but was in a world of hurt so didn't/couldn't say anything! Very well run day.

kirk buttercup

My first sportif. Did the 65km, it was stunning! ( kinda wished I did the 110km as I still had plenty left at the end but there is always next year) . Thanks to all involved brilliantly done. I'm still buzzing.

Roadtoad

Cakes: Yummy! Smiles: Lovely! Weather: Super.
xxx to Saplings and Naas CC.

Mercian Pro

Chillin' after a good dinner but the endorphins are obviously still circulating. I think Boards and Strava help prolong the high!

Aren't sportives great though? I did a lot of cycling back in the last millennium and, other than the Wicklow 200 and the Maracycle, there were very few organised leisure events around. We are spoiled for choice now every weekend and a lot of good charities get to benefit also. Roll on the Orwell Randonée.

Gerry

Great event for a great caused. Really well organised. Lot of fun with the rolling hills around the lake, unfortunately later on like a few here I ended up solo for most of the latter half. So my strategy needs improvement. Drag to dunlavin was a slog, I caught a boardsie whose name o didn't quite catch but ran out of steam shortly after. So when a group caught me on n9 I was not able to keep up. Argh. A little more strategy or more in the tank would have made the last 25 - 30k a lot more enjoyable. Still, chuffed with 26k average and it was a lot of fun.

grouchyman

JK.BMC wrote: »

The road from Naas to Glending is an almost continuous false flat of about 2% for 10km, as Glending is about 200m higher than Naas town. There is the odd slight downhil; but you really don't notice the climb much until the final 1.5km where it does hit 5-6%, but this is on a perfectly good smooth surface so you will be up and over without much trouble really. Like riding a main road through the country for a while and then looking back and realising how much you have climbed without noticing it.
To be honest, some sharp steep and quite short rises around the lakes are far more challenging as they slow you down considerably more than riding to Blessington.
Enjoy the day!

That's for sure:D

Had a great day and thoroughly enjoyed. Hopefully now I'll be able to try the 110km next year. Hope a good sum was raised for the Sapling School.

Naas Cycling Club

Sapling's School and Naas Cycling Club wish to thank everyone ( too many to mention) who made today's Tour De Foothills a successful event.

We are truly grateful to every cyclist who turned up in huge numbers to support this little school in Kill, and helping to raise funds for the Children.

Thanks again and hope to see you in 2018 !

Eamonnator

And the compulsory question: any photographs?

nilhg

Eamonnator wrote: »

And the compulsory question: any photographs?

https://www.facebook.com/Cycling-Photography-1459024894392825/

NeedMoreGears

Gerry wrote: »

..... I caught a boardsie whose name o didn't quite catch ......

that was me - didn't realise Gerry was your Boards name