Wicklow 200 2007

TheGman

hey, doing the wicklow 200 in a months time now for the first time. This will be my first long trek, any advice for a newbee like meself? wat should i expect? i heard its fairly though goin'.

cheers

Cod

I'm doing it for the first time too, but I've seen some good advice on the wicklow200.ie website. Limerickman on this forum had some good info as well, if you do a search of his messages you'll see some references, for example http://www.cyclingforums.com/t135091.html

My main worry is food and drink, making sure I have enough and of the right type. When I bonk I lose it completely. i've followed John Hughes' 200 K training plan but have missed out the long rides each week due to family commitments, i.e. I haven't done more than 100K in any one ride, but I've averaged 300K per week, all hills, so I'm hopeful. Best of luck on the day...hope d'arse holds up...

__________________
Cod
Carbon Forks
Carbon Seat-Stays
Titanium Stents

limerickman

G'Man/Cod : yeah I'm doing the Wicklow again this year.
I've done this event since 1997 :

Advice?

Make sure that you get as many miles in as possible between now and the week before the 10th June.
There is still plenty of time to add mileage in to your bank of endurance.

Make sure that you eat well before the event - preferably get some carbs like pasta in to your system and make sure that you bring plenty of food and liquid with you on the day.

The course is a tough one but it's not insurmountable.
The climbing starts from Enniskerry up to Glencree.
Glencree down to Laragh is downhill.
Climbing from Laragh up Wicklow Gap is for me the hardest part of the day.
I never liked that climb and it's a 5 mile climb : the gradient tends to change
and that upsets my tempo.

Get to the top of Wicklow Gap and it's downhill to Hollywood.
Hollywood to Donard is rolling hills - which I prefer.
Donard to Baltinglass is more rolling terrain and then it's in to Rathdangan for food.
Climb out of Rathdangan to Slieve Mann : Slieve Mann is a steady long climb and some find it very hard going.
I prefer Slieve Mann to Wicklow Gap - that's because Slieve Mann is steadier
(for me).
Top of Slieve Mann to Rathdrum is rolling stuff again : couple of little drags and you'll feel them because tiredness will be setting in by that stage.
Important to eat and drink at Rathdrum.
The Djouce climb is next - this isn't too bad, I think.
Then it's back to Enniskerry and then on to UCD.

If you have doubts about your climbing - make sure that your bike has a triple.

And remember it's an event - not a race.
Go at your own pace - don't get carried away with the numbers doing it.
That's the biggest mistake - trying to ride at someone elses pace.

Best of luck to the both of you!
If you need more detail - let me know.

__________________
.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets" - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

Cod

Thanks for all the info Limerickman. I had plans to go up that way for a weekend to get the lie of the land but I kept waiting on others to come along and never made it, I should have just gone ahead on my own.

4 of us are off to the Pyrennes next week so hopefully the legs will be that bit more oak-like when I get back. Have a great day in wicklow

__________________
Cod
Carbon Forks
Carbon Seat-Stays
Titanium Stents

limerickman

No problem, Cod.

If you can handle Pyrennees, I reckon you should be able to handle the Wicklow
Mountains.

Enjoy your trip and have a good Wicklow too!

__________________
.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets" - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

TheGman

cool thats good advise, the one thing i dont want to happen is to get the shits half way through so i better cut down on the fibre a day or two before!

but seriously, im only 18, getting a new racer next week (trek 1500) so its a great chance to put it and myself to the test, in the middle of college of exams at the moment now so going to have to get in good shape quickly!

limerickman

You're 18?
200kms is a step up at 18 years of age - no disrespect intended.

Make sure that when you do get your new bike that your position on the bike is totally relaxed.
If your position is not correct - and you do do the 200 on this new bike - you could end up in a lot of pain (backpain) during the event.

I would be wary of using a bike that I wasn't used to - to do the 200.
Has the bike shop taken your measurements?
If they haven't - and your new bike arrives I strongly suggest that you ask them to measure you before taking ownership of the bike.

__________________
.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets" - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

TheGman

ah none taken sure, all i can do is prepare, get as many miles into me as possible before the 10th. just hope it will be enough. Infact, any advise how many kms i should be getting in on a regular basis at this stage? on a good day id get about 60 in no problem and avery other day 35 at least

limerickman

I suggest that you need to try to get one long spin in before 10th June.
I'd say you need a 150km spin in.
Reason being - you don't know how you're going to cope if you haven't done the full distance (or mileage close to the full distance).
Nothing wrong 60 - 100 kms on regular training sessions : but I would suggest that you need to get a really large spin in.

__________________
.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets" - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

TheGman

Sound man,
cheers for the advise.

Gerard

Cod

Your advice is much appreciatd Limerickman..
So far I've done all my training spins on hills, as I was geting in shape to go to the Pyrenee cols next week. I've been hammering the hills around here since last October. The Wicklow 200 then became a possibility as I felt my fitness made it achievable. My longest spin had been 100K, but I did a 160K spin in Thursday last, on a flattish route and it was no bother at all. The mixture of distance and hills on the Wicklow 200 is diffent of course but I'm much more confident about it now. Looks like the Pyrenees trip is off, the others have pulled out as the drive to and from Roscoff/Lourdes is too long. The ferry is booked, I have the time off and fitness so I'm tempted to go it alone but it might be a bit too much to tackle. I'll still do the Wicklow 200 though!

__________________
Cod
Carbon Forks
Carbon Seat-Stays
Titanium Stents

limerickman

Glad to be of help.

150 kms on the flat is good going - if you can do that then the 200 is very achieveable.
The problem is that only doing say, 100km, doesn't give you any insight as to how your body will cope when it has to do 200km.
150km distance at least gives you some insight as to how you're feeling and how well your system is coping.

Long distance events like these are a wearing down process : so in order to minimise that wearing down process, you need to get long distances in.
From 150kms onwards, tiredness does set in (it could set in earlier depending on your fitness level).
So no matter how many miles you have in your legs, you're going to feel tired
in the last part of the route.
If you can minimise that level of tiredness - that is the secret of how to complete it.

Eating regularly and drinking regularly during long distance rides is very important.
You need to keep drinking and eating - if you start to feel thirsty that means that it is too late to effect a recovery during the ride.
So eat and drink little and often.

__________________
.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets" - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

limerickman

How did you guys get on yesterday at the Wicklow 200?
Did you do the 100 or 200 route?

Me?
I did the 200km but not without some problems toward the end of the route.
Started at 7.00pm and was going well - climbed well out of Enniskerry and got to Laragh.
The group that I was with split - some decided to do the 100 route instead of the 200 route (despite their saying beforehand that they were going to do the 200 route).
Did Wicklow Gap and got in to Donard.
Out of Donard and on to Slieve Mann was ok - going well at that stage.
Got to the feedstation at Rathdrum at around 2.00pm stayed there for 15 mins.
Checked my computer - temperature read 28 celsius (and it felt pretty warm too).
Climbed out of Rathdrum and started to feel a little bit weaker.
I'd started to sweat a lot more than usual - and given the heat - I think this lead to my cramping badly on Douce Mountain.
Thighs were pretty sore at that point.
I dropped down to the lightest gear that I could pedal and just rolled along.
With 20k's to go, I knew I'd make it back but the cramping was bad.
It's years since I experienced cramping like that.

I got back to UCD for 4.10 which I was pleased with.

A very enjoyable day - but if they could have turned the heat down a degree or two it would have been even better.
Nice medal.

__________________
.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets" - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

mikbianchi

Well done Lim

I also got in around the same time.
I trained a lot this year in the hills and was hoping to finish earlier but I really suffered with the heat on Slieve Maan and the flat section around Moneystown despite drinking 6 bottles of fluid. I had no enegy and a headache. I was ready to throw away my helmet. Cooled down on the decent from Djouce and was fine from there on in. My much lighter buddy was very suspicious of my remarkable recovery. I think he thought I was malingering. Am a bit worried now as we have booked to cycle in the Alps at the end of July and I presume it will be even hotter.
Have you any advice for cycling in the heat?
thanks
Mick