Hey guys, www.tkas.ie
I normally don't do race reports/ promos but the effort these guys put in to organise this definitely warrants a mention.
Ride report ( from the back of the gruppetto):
When I signed up for this event in January, I had every intention of using it as my post-op training target, get myself set for the marathon mtb events later in the year, but low and behold life, and a flurry of excuses get in the way and I find myself on the night before I am due to travel to the event with 4 weeks out of the saddle putting pay to any fitness aspirations, and the bug from my 7 month old ensuring whatever carbs I was pre-loading weren't going to be available. I was having serious second thoughts about doing it. That's the benefit of having agreed to do it with someone else, I couldn't let Kev down, I had to go.
Man and am I glad I did. 3 days, 300 miles ( 488k's) through some of the most breathtaking scenery on this planet. I have ridden my bike in some beautiful places, Cape of Good Hope, Drakensberg, B.C, Lake Garda, but Kerry/Dingle has to rank right up there with the best of them.
Day 1: 105miles, supposedly flat although there were lots of continual ups and downs to pepper the route. To be honest day one was a grind for me, went out too fast and got dropped soon enough, then sat in no-mans land for ages soloing it into a stiff headwind, I ate poorly on the bike, more like I would for a 1 day event, come the end of the day the lack of training and saddle time was telling, I had hit the wall nutrition-wise and the prospect of day two was ominous.
Day 2: 89 miles. The Queens stage as it was labelled. 5 climbs, 3 of note. Gap of Dunloe simply spectacular, short steep hairpin ramps but the views made up for it, Molls gap gradual steady climb reminded me very much of Chapmans peak in Cape Town less the sea view, and Ballaghbeama, narrow steep and tough after the first two... the best part of the climbs, the descents off the back, twisty and techy, got the adrenaline pumping and almost made the legs forget the trials before. An undulating few k's saw the base of Sliabh Mish, legs in denial of the 5km KOM markings I was pedalling out of habit up and over the last climb, but I had made it, the toughest day done, 1 more to go.
Day 3: 106 miles. The one I had been looking forward too, well once I had Connor pass out the way that its. What a great climb ( and that coming from a fat lad who hates to climb). Long looping corners meant that you could see almost the entire climb and every rider on it, gave you targets to chase or keep ahead of. Brilliant race organisation saw the descent of Connor pass neutralised into Dingle, with a timing mat at the top and bottom, very wise given the tourist mecca the area is and no closed roads, but you'd still give it a lash down there wouldn't you, it'd be a shame not to :). The second part of the route took you around Dingle penninsula and simply breathtaking scenery along tough twisty roads back to Dingle for the second water stop and then the 45mile run for home. 45 miles and I had it done, the thought of achieving my goal fueled every pedal stroke, long gradual climbs, sweeping descents and a great group from Orwell Wheelers all pulling turns helped the miles fly by and I held in until Castleisland just before the last climb, again up Sliabh Mish when the pace just became to hot to maintain for me so I sat back to solo the last 12 miles and earn my beer.
I learnt 3 lessons in 3 days over 300 miles:
1) Chamois cream is like manna from heaven
2) Mental determination can overcome physical pain and lack of fitness, but man its hard, so I will train for this next year
3) Post ride recovery nutrition and pre-ride loading may be a chore, but nutrition/hydration is 70% of endurance success
A massive thanks to the organisers ( Tralee CC et al) for a superb event. Well signposted everyday, brilliantly marshaled from what I saw, fantastic refreshment stops, superb facilities at the base in Tralee and great banter all round.
A big thanks too to Kev for getting me to take up the challenge and for the motivation and pep talks each night and to the crew from Orwell wheelers for letting a fat lad off an mtb tag along with a well organised eschelon.
I will be back to this event again, I see it becoming an annual event for me if all goes well, and I would encourage anyone who likes a challenge to sign up for next year.
I normally don't do race reports/ promos but the effort these guys put in to organise this definitely warrants a mention.
Ride report ( from the back of the gruppetto):
When I signed up for this event in January, I had every intention of using it as my post-op training target, get myself set for the marathon mtb events later in the year, but low and behold life, and a flurry of excuses get in the way and I find myself on the night before I am due to travel to the event with 4 weeks out of the saddle putting pay to any fitness aspirations, and the bug from my 7 month old ensuring whatever carbs I was pre-loading weren't going to be available. I was having serious second thoughts about doing it. That's the benefit of having agreed to do it with someone else, I couldn't let Kev down, I had to go.
Man and am I glad I did. 3 days, 300 miles ( 488k's) through some of the most breathtaking scenery on this planet. I have ridden my bike in some beautiful places, Cape of Good Hope, Drakensberg, B.C, Lake Garda, but Kerry/Dingle has to rank right up there with the best of them.
Day 1: 105miles, supposedly flat although there were lots of continual ups and downs to pepper the route. To be honest day one was a grind for me, went out too fast and got dropped soon enough, then sat in no-mans land for ages soloing it into a stiff headwind, I ate poorly on the bike, more like I would for a 1 day event, come the end of the day the lack of training and saddle time was telling, I had hit the wall nutrition-wise and the prospect of day two was ominous.
Day 2: 89 miles. The Queens stage as it was labelled. 5 climbs, 3 of note. Gap of Dunloe simply spectacular, short steep hairpin ramps but the views made up for it, Molls gap gradual steady climb reminded me very much of Chapmans peak in Cape Town less the sea view, and Ballaghbeama, narrow steep and tough after the first two... the best part of the climbs, the descents off the back, twisty and techy, got the adrenaline pumping and almost made the legs forget the trials before. An undulating few k's saw the base of Sliabh Mish, legs in denial of the 5km KOM markings I was pedalling out of habit up and over the last climb, but I had made it, the toughest day done, 1 more to go.
Day 3: 106 miles. The one I had been looking forward too, well once I had Connor pass out the way that its. What a great climb ( and that coming from a fat lad who hates to climb). Long looping corners meant that you could see almost the entire climb and every rider on it, gave you targets to chase or keep ahead of. Brilliant race organisation saw the descent of Connor pass neutralised into Dingle, with a timing mat at the top and bottom, very wise given the tourist mecca the area is and no closed roads, but you'd still give it a lash down there wouldn't you, it'd be a shame not to :). The second part of the route took you around Dingle penninsula and simply breathtaking scenery along tough twisty roads back to Dingle for the second water stop and then the 45mile run for home. 45 miles and I had it done, the thought of achieving my goal fueled every pedal stroke, long gradual climbs, sweeping descents and a great group from Orwell Wheelers all pulling turns helped the miles fly by and I held in until Castleisland just before the last climb, again up Sliabh Mish when the pace just became to hot to maintain for me so I sat back to solo the last 12 miles and earn my beer.
I learnt 3 lessons in 3 days over 300 miles:
1) Chamois cream is like manna from heaven
2) Mental determination can overcome physical pain and lack of fitness, but man its hard, so I will train for this next year
3) Post ride recovery nutrition and pre-ride loading may be a chore, but nutrition/hydration is 70% of endurance success
A massive thanks to the organisers ( Tralee CC et al) for a superb event. Well signposted everyday, brilliantly marshaled from what I saw, fantastic refreshment stops, superb facilities at the base in Tralee and great banter all round.
A big thanks too to Kev for getting me to take up the challenge and for the motivation and pep talks each night and to the crew from Orwell wheelers for letting a fat lad off an mtb tag along with a well organised eschelon.
I will be back to this event again, I see it becoming an annual event for me if all goes well, and I would encourage anyone who likes a challenge to sign up for next year.