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Reservoir Dog 2023

gmacww

Morning all,

Many of you who supported us in the past will have gotten an email with the below. For those that haven't and are interested or have been looking at it from a distance this is the year. The reservoir dog sportive is now live for bookings.

3rd September leaving and finishing as usual in Russborough house. Yes it's a hard course but it's May and this isn't on for another 4 months. That's plenty of time and summer weather to get those climbing legs into shape.

https://eventmaster.ie/event/wzY7uPySRQ

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Seth Brundle

Didn't get an email but heard on the grapevine that it was open so bought my ticket last night.

As with previous years, I'm looking forwards to it!

Daroxtar

Signed up there. Always my favourite spin of the year, can't wait

retalivity

I missed the most recent one due to holidays, and covid cancellations before that. Just checked and its 2016 since I last did it!

Will be back this year however!

this.lad

I'm in, great day on the bike.

Mercian Pro

Made it last year after a bit of a gap but it clashes with Paris2Nice again this year so going to miss it 😫

gmacww

1 month to go. Hows the summer climbing legs? Don't let a woeful July put you off. Back end of August and September should be a cracker (i've nothing but the law of averages to base that off). Just in time for a late season day out.

We're back in Russborough for a cracking day out.

AxleAddict

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120937665#Comment_120937665

I've not done as much cycling in the last couple of months as I'd like, however I have shed over 12kg since last year's event - so that can't hurt when it comes to the hills. I've managed to participate in a wide variety of sportives over the years, and this is one of a small handful that I keep coming back to, year after year. The first year I took part I ended up taking a wrong turn at Roundwood, ended up following the road markings of another sportive for a bit, eventually navigated my way back to Laragh via Rathdrum (I wasn't joking when I said I took a wrong turn!) bypassing the food stop in the process - and I still loved every minute of it 😂

Fingers crossed for some nice weather (I'd even settle for overcast but dry!)

tc20

I've signed up for this, it will be my first time to do it.

I've done a few WW200s as that is local to me but for a number of reasons didn't take part this year. I only cycle as a commuter but do like to get a sportive done each year as a challenge. Looking forward to it as i've never cycled certain parts of the route before.

gmacww

Last o da wrappin paper!!!

We're rolling this Sunday folks. Prep is in the final stages and the sangers being made. If you haven't entered and you're at a loss for what to do this weekend we're down to the last few places. Sure everyone loves a good climb up cunard on a Sunday morning. There's even a decent pup route to get your teeth into it.

https://eventmaster.ie/event/wzY7uPySRQ

this.lad

I booked early doors but looks like I can't make it now.

It's a source of great disappointment for me. Always a great day out.

loyatemu

registered - slightly nervous of the amount of climbing in the first half, but I think/hope I'm in reasonable shape.

Macy0161

Won't make it this year, as racing, but did get some pangs of regret coming back from blesso on Tuesday evening and seeing the road markings.

Daroxtar

I don't mind the stacked first half, Ballysmuttan is usually the leg breaker for me. It's almost comical the amount of people that cramp up around the hairpin. The long drag up Sally Gap followed by the descent to cool the legs, a 10% ramp and suddenly you're careering towards the ditch trying to unlock your hamstrings🤣

vintcerf

just signed up, hoping weather holds up.

Seth Brundle

I was just sent a copy via WhatsApp of an advert for this sportif which features a really handsome looking fella...

potters ground

Would anyone have the Strava route for the 125km Reservoir Dog cycle please

Thank You

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121054423#Comment_121054423

Garmin...

Strava...

vintcerf

125km of pain, i found it tougher than wicklow 200. peach of a day, food was great, marshals/volunteers were amazing. only complaint was he lack of bike stands at the food stop - saw people laying their bikes on the tarmac. great event - will def do it again.

Daroxtar

Had a tough day, nowhere near enough miles in the legs. Died a death going up Glenmacnass after the food stop, got the legs back on the long drag to the gap, had an epic battle with cramping quads on Ballysmuttan. The weather was fantastic, marshals and organisation brilliant as usual. May it back in just over 5 hours. Wrecked and couched now. Roll on the Dog 2024

Seth Brundle

Did the Reservoir Dogs today also. Cycled down from Leixlip to the start and had it in the back of my head to hit the 200km barrier again today.

As usual, the organisation was very good and I've no complaints really.

Coming down from Sally, just outside Kippure Holiday Village, a clubmate who had been a bit ahead, was down and being looked after by a few other people but in particular by the cyclist who was behind him who thankfully was a first responder on his day off. He had already contacted the event ambulance and NAS (who dispatched an ambulance from Tallaght).

He had hit one of those blobs of cement that are left on the roads. It's thought he went over the bars and landed on his head and shoulder.

Myself and a few others (including after a while, a garda) tried to control traffic. It was surprising to see the number of people who can't be arsed slowing their cars down to a safe speed when going past stationary ambulances with flashing blue lights on a narrow road - even when the garda was gesturing to them to slow down.

We were at the scene for well over an hour so when the ambulance left, we finally headed back towards Russborough without doing Sorrell Hill or the Lakes.

Got a WhatsApp from him after I got home and he's ok but will be out for a few months while he heals.

Myself and another clubmate cycled back towards home with countless close passes on the N81 (many of which were clearly deliberate). I decided to stop off for a quick pint at Hazelhatch. Half way through it, yet another clubmate arrives having driven from Russborough. He left around the same time as me which just shows that driving isn't always that much faster than cycling!

In the end, I managed 185km with 2100m at 26.4km/h.

loyatemu

first time Reservoir Dogger here. Great day out on the bike in beautiful weather (I actually got a bit sun burnt), but a very hard route - that Cunard climb must be one of the toughest in the Wicklow/Dublin area, quite a few people were walking it. I did the Miners Cross audax last year, 200km with over 3000m climbing and this felt harder, might have been the heat. I also died going up Glenmacnass (stopping for lunch is fatal), and didn't really recover until the final climb. As an added bonus I followed a Swords CC group down a wrong turn at the end and was rewarded with an extra 5km onto the distance.

Organisation was great, every stop had plenty of food, drinks were all chilled (I was never more glad to see a cold can of 7up than at the foot of the final climb), burger at the end was great (I'm not sure how much of that was down to how wrecked I was but others were saying the same thing). The cowbell medal is cool as well - Kudos to all the Reservoir Cogs, every one I met was friendly and really enjoying the day, though whoever planned the route is an evil sadist.

I saw the guy who went down at the bottom of Kippure, and I hit the same lump in the road, but fortunately I had slowed because 2 of the guys who were with him were waving at descending cyclists to slow down - thanks guys, I hope your clubmate has a speedy recovery Seth.

Daroxter you weren't the only one with cramp, I saw a quite a few guys with the same problem.

Alexzont

If I hadn't had had my hands on the drops I would've been bucked off by that piece of cement too! Wicklow roads extra dodgy this year. Difficult to see dangerous spots today with the mix of sun and shade too.

Brilliant event though. I don't normally bother with Sportives but will be back next year. Just over 200km in 7h30 today with some club mates, could've kept going it was that good!

tc20

Another first timer here.

Great day out; the choice of route was excellent - plenty of tough climbs, almost all on very quiet roads/lanes and very picturesque.

I have nothing but praise for the organisers - all the marshalls, RC club members and volunteers at the food/water stops were very friendly and helpful.

Wishing the chap who went down a speedy recovery, he was being loaded in to the ambulance as I went by.

kuro_man

Thanks to everyone for joining us yesterday on a great day out. I hope you enjoyed it.

We wish the injured a speedy recovery.

Photos found here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/barryhamiltonmedia/albums/72177720310937436/

Video here:

https://fb.watch/mQ5p-4QZGG/

Kop Idol

My 3rd Dog in a row and definitely felt the toughest. Think it was a mixture of the heat and, TBH, a little less distance training this year.

Usual great event, same comments as everyone else. The marshalling, organisation, food/water and overall feel was great. Still the best run sportive I've done. I was tired at the end and managed to take the same wrong turn (about 3k from home, just before going back onto the main road ?) mentioned above, but I copped my mistake about 500 metres on and turned back so I didn't go too far wrong.

I arrived at the crash scene mentioned need Kippure village not long after and stopped to help out with traffic. A group of Lucan lads arrived soon after (I presume you were one of them Seth) so I continued on as all seemed in hand. Checked with some other Lucan lads as I was leaving the car park and they updated me as to his condition so glad to hear he was well. Hopefully a quick recovery. Nasty place to go down with the speed involved.

AxleAddict

There are two types of people in this world. Those who've done the Reservoir Dog Sportive and those who haven't. Seventh one in the bag for me - as I mentioned earlier in this thread, one of my favourites - a lot packed into a comparatively short route, with little respite between climbs. Having taken part a few times now, familiarity with the route definitely helps - knowing ahead of time where the main climbs are helps with proper fuelling. Loads of scenic eye-candy to look at as you traverse the route on mostly quiet roads - although the good weather did seem to bring out a little more traffic than usual. Speaking of weather, it was great all the way around the route - it's frequently been pretty misty and sometimes blustery around the first part of the route in previous editions, but no such issues today - blue skies all the way. The view over the lake as you descend the last main climb of the day is great. Also came upon the injured cyclist along the side of the road in the latter stages - never nice - wishing them a full and speedy recovery. Lovely big burger to top the day off. Not my fastest effort, but satisfied given the lack of time I've managed to spend on the bike this year.

Next up for me is the Blackstairs Cycling Challenge in a few weeks time with two tough climbs up Mount Leinster...

tc20

would anyone know approx how many participants there were on the day?

shamrocka330

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121067278#Comment_121067278

Thanks for the photographers catching all the action during the day, the quality of photos are great.

Quick question, is there an easier way of searching through the photos? It could be me but, with almost 4,600 photos, it’s difficult to work through. Can they be displayed in folders by time?

Daroxtar

Seth Brundle

here...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/barryhamiltonmedia/albums/72177720310937436