Wicklow 200 (2013) - report // My best W200 yet!

Wow, what a brilliant day it was, don't even know where to start the story of my Wicklow 200. This was my 4th W200 and it was surely the best one yet! Well, first of all, we had a brilliant weather all week before the event and Sunday was the hottest day I've seen in Ireland for a very long time! Good start, isn't it?

My alarm went off at 4:40 am on Sunday morning and after a massive brekkie we were all ready to go. The ThinkBike van was fully packed the night before, so all we needed to do was to wait for our mate Dani and off we went. Even the drive to Greystones was great, the three of us were in a good mood already! :) 

The Dudes are ready to rock: Dani AKA Lizzard, Jani & myself :)

 

The plan was to stick together as long as we can and help each other out as much as we can along the way. We left the carpark at 7:15 am and started to eat up the kilometers on the N11. By the time we got the the first little climb the sun really started to give us some heat. Was such a nice morning to be on the bike! 

We arrived to Laragh in no time and we went off to do the Wicklow Gap climb straight away without stopping in the village. Lizzard and me went ahead and put the hammer down a little bit just to test the legs (and each other just as always). I felt really fresh and comfy on the first big climb of the day and had a blast on the way down to Hollywood. We re-grouped at the petrol station there and after a super short break we kept going. 

This is how we roll: Lizzard & me on the Wicklow Gap climb

Still smiling after the fast descent

It turned out I needed this little break to catch my breath 'cause before I knew it we got into a hardcore group on the N81. The three of us and three lads from Swords CC teamed up and started to work hard to speed up the day. Everyone took their share at the front. We were doing about 40-45 km/hour for a good while...that felt brilliant...after I realized this is a bit too much at this early stage of the day. So I dropped out of this fast front group 'cause I knew I was going to pay the price for this "being-a-superstar" type game later. 

Once we turned off the N81 and started to head into the Wicklow Mountains again we started to gather our strenght to get ready for the second climb of the day, the Slieve Maan. The climb started at 120 km and I think needless to say what it's like to hit that road after you have 120 km in your legs. Bit of a shock to the system indeed. 

This was the point where we just had to make the decision and let each other do our own thing. Lizzard took off, then me and Jani has settled into his own zone as well. I felt pretty good but soon I started to feel that havin' a cyclocross bike with a single chainring on the front was a bot of a disadvantage. Didn't feel like I have the power to keep the cadence high enough while I'm in the saddle, but getting out of the saddle wasn't something that I was happy with either. Luckily I pulled myself together quickly and finished the climb the way I wanted. 

In action on the Slieve Maan

Didn't stop at the top, went into the descent straight away and enjoyed the speed. Man, that donwhill is so much fun when it's dry! 

The fun filled, fast rolling downhill was just enough to get recharged before I started the Shay Elliott Climb as our last big challenge along the way. I have done this climb many-many times before, but I never felt so good and fresh on it like I felt at that time. I was a bit surprised to be honest, I was expecting a lot of suffering after what I felt on the previous climb. But the suffering got cancelled, what's left was a fast paced, great climbing experience. Just the was I like it! :) 

After we have completed all the big climbs there was nothing else to do, but to start heading back towards home. At this point I was on my own for a good while, so I've decided to listen to some good 'aul fashioned rock music and let the rest of the day pass by a bit faster this way. Climb...descent...flat...climb...descent...flat...and then I got that funny feel off the bike that you never really want to get. Yep, there it was: a sneaky front puncture...

After a quick repair in the sun I was back on track and on my way to the finish. I passed by places that I remembered from two years ago and also remembered who much trouble I was in at that time. And how  much I didn't like it back than... But this year was different. This year was soooo much better! Stonesplitting sun, blue skies and amazing time on the bike. I was tired but still in a great mind setting as I was doing the last 10 km. I knew I'm about to have the best time I've ever done on the W200 and that really put a smile on my face! 

Only 10 km to go!

Smilingface.com

5 km to go. 4...3...2...1...and FINISH! The 2013 Wicklow 200 was over. I was tired but for the very first time I felt like I wanted to keep going a bit more. Just didn't want it to end! I was absolutelly delighted how my day turned out, there are very few moments like this I think! :)

At the finish

At the carpark after the long & hot day in the mountains

There it is: the longest and the fastest 200 km I ever done! Happy days!

My Wicklow 200 in numbers: 

Total distance: 202 km

Clear riding time: 7 hours 42 minutes

Total elevation gain: 2584 m

Calories burned: 5610 calories

Max. speed: 61,9 km/h

Avarage speed: 26,2 km/h

Food and drink taken: High5 Gels x 5 , PowerBar HydroGel x 1 , banana x 1 , High5 Performance Bar x 3 , PowerBar IsoActive drink x 2 litres , water x 1 litre

So, another Wicklow 200 is done, looking forward to do the next one! The experience was outstanding but for different reasons compare to the one back in 2011. This year's event was super hot with real summer conditions that I'm well used to from Hungary. It was a gift!

The weather was a gift, the massive sunburn not so much. Still sore as hell... :)

One of my cycling goals are donefor 2013. My time was better than what I was hoping for, so that is another massive bonus for sure. And to achieve all this on cross bike with a single chainring setup on the front was the icing on the cake! :D

Congratulations to everyone who has done it, especially my friends: Jani and Lizzard! Thanks for all the help and for the huge laughs as well! Well done lads! :)

...check the link here for thousands of great photos:

https://www.facebook.com/Wicklow200Photos2013

My St. Patrick's weekend spins

Another year, another Paddy's Day! I don't really like the St. Patrick's Day Parade mainly becuase of the huge crowd. I much more prefer to watch the whole thing later on in the TV.

So, instead of going into town to see the parade, I get out on the bike in every year and have a lovely spin out in the nature far away from all the madness that is in the city. It did work well in the recent years so why to change? I kept my own little tradition and celebrated St. Patrick's Day on the bike! :)

Friday // Very civilized XC spin up on Threerock

Finally I managed to get rid of the flu I picked up more than a week ago, so it was time to get back on the bike and get some lovely off-road session done on the dry trails of Threerock. I went up there before work on Friday to see how is the form.

Happy to be back on the bike after illness :)

Most of the trails were nice and dusty and the weather was pretty nice as well. The whole spin was very easy and calm, nothing extraordinary along the way. I was out for a little more than 2 hours and it was absolutelly fantastic to ride the bike since in the last one week the most I have done was the cycle to work and back. Happy days! :)

Saturday // Savage road spin over the Sally Gap & Shay Elliott climb

After Friday's XC spin I wanted to have some variety, so I picked up the road bike. I've checked the weather forecast straight after I got up and it did not look good for the day: sunny and warm weather for all week but lashing rain for Saturday. "This is gonna be fantastic..." I though and turned out that the forecast was pretty much right about the conditions for the day.  


Today I went out with a fellow Hungarian good friend Daniel from Cycle SuperStore to have a savage road spin. We haven't cycle together since the Wicklow 200 last year, so I was happy to go for a spin with him mainly 'cause we always have a good laugh and he always sets savage pace! The only thing to know about him is that he is "never in good form" (as he says) but he always goes like a freakin' train! :)

Quick shot near the Lough Tay

We hit the road nice & early and started to climb towards Sally Gap just as we always do. The weather was pretty ok so everything went very well. Got up to the top quickly and after a super fast descent we got to Laragh where we decided to get into the well known coffee shop. Now, I'm not that "let's stop for a coffee and a slice of cake" kind of guy but in the end of the day it was Paddy's Day today so it was a good reason to have a little treat indeed! :)

Hot chocolate & cake with whipped cream, yummy! :)

Happy as a little scout with my Paddy's Day treat! Thanks for the invitation Dani! :)

After our short break we were ready to get back on the bike. Just after we left Laragh and started the Shay Elliott climb the sky opened up and we got some proper heavy rain. I was under a little bit of a time pressure to get back home so once we reached the top we turned around and started to head back towards Dublin. We were doing pretty good speed already but 'cause the rain didn't stop and I needed to get home, we started to pull along harder to make up some time. It was brilliant until my fingers got completely numb just as they normally do in wet and cold weather. I started to suffer a bit by the time we got to Enniskerry but from there isn't too long to get back to Dublin. I was tired and very cold but a proper hot shower got me sorted in no time! :)

We have done 113 km of a distance under 4 hours and 38 minutes with 1650m elevation gain along the way. This was my longest road spin this year and with a strong training partner it was pretty hard going I think. 

The route was the following:

Dublin - Enniskerry - Military Road - Sally Gap - Roundwood - Laragh - Shay Elliott climb - Roundwood -Enniskerry - Dublin

I did like both of the climbs indeed, however the Shay Elliott was pretty grim thanks to the lashing rain. But we still loved it though! :)

Elevation graph

With these two lovely spins I defo had a great St. Patrick's weekend. I've done nearly 7 hours on the bike over the last two days. One day is still ahead of me to get some rest and do some stuff at home. But for now it's time to get some sleep! See you around! :)

100km road spin over the Sally Gap

This morning I turned to the mountains direction for the second time this week ( I went out for a 65 km spin before work on Tuesday morning also) 'cause I wanted to have some nice and long enough road spin. The night was pretty cold, it was -2°C in Milltown. Based on that I got all my proper winter gear ready this morning just to be on the safe side. It turned out to be a mild enough morning though with the lovely enough 4°C but later on I was glad to have the heavy gear on when I crossed the Sally Gap.

After the filling porrage breaky and my morning espresso that was as strong as a horse I was all good to go: Wicklow Mountains bring it on! :)

I went out on my usual route: Dundrum - Stepaside - Enniskerry - Lough Tay - Sally Gap. Since it was Saturday morning I have seen tons of cyclists along the way. 

Lough Tay on the way up to the Sally Gap

Once I passed the Lough Tay the weather started to turn into something else. Strong wind and very damp conditions luckily without rain though. Once I reached the Sally Gap I turned left at the junction and started the most difficult part of my spin as far as the weather concern...it was rough... I really started to feel the cold and the wind wasn't helping me either. My fingers and toes started to get into trouble, so it wasn't fun at that point. But when I got the long downhill done and I got to Laragh everything got back to normal.

The point where the WW crossing the road just before Laragh

So I got to the well known coffe shop in Laragh, got my bottle filled with fresh water and I was on my way again. The place was packed with roadies, but we all know it's usual. It's amazing! Every time I'm up there I meet at least one group of cyclists. Cool! :) 

Haha, the Chistmas Spirit is still present at the side of the road up in the mountains.

On the way home I hit the little more flat road through Annamoe and Roundwood back towards Enniskerry. I like this road 'cause most of the surface is great and I get back to Dublin quickly. After I got back to Enniskerry I countinued my way home on the same road that I picked in the morning. 

By the time I got home I was cold enough so the first thing I wanted was a lovely hot shower and of course something to eat. Luckily my wife Anett cooked some awsome Chinese meal for lunch which was life saver!

Real home made Chinese food: stir-fry noodles with veg and crispy chicken breast pieces, yummy! :)

Today I ended up with 100 km long spin accross the mountains that took me just a little bit longer than 4 hours. I did 1419 m of total elevation gain and burned 2650 calories along the way. 

...here is the Strava link on this spin.  

The spin was great, I loved every bit of it except the cold and rough time on the very top. But hey, after all it's winter time! Isn't it?! :)