Intro to Post Winter Spins&Leisure Season 2016
- Garret Connolly
- Topic Author
- Offline
- Posts: 972
The official Club Winter Spins finish on March 27th and practically every leisure member is now asking what we do after March 27th? Reports of fear, panic, widespread looting of Hanley Hats have been reported...fear no more we have a solution.....
The idea this year is to create 4 groups of differing levels and aims with mentor leaders in charge of organising each group's spins, routes, and rough training plans until the 1st big target for most people this Summer is the Wicklow 200.
Group 1
Wicklow 100 aimed at 1st timers lead by Derek Handley.
More than likely this will be White/Light Yellow Level.
Group 2
Wicklow 200 aimed at 1st timers lead by Gerard Coffey, Rodney Phelan, Warren Cray and Leonard Kaye.
This is probably going to the biggest of the groups and will probably have 2-3 sub groups each week.
Speed level probably be Yellow to Light Orange.
Group 3
Wicklow 200 aimed at experienced Sportif riders and Wicklow 200 vets lead by Greg Farrell
Probably Darker Yellow to Orange.
Group 4
Aimed at those who are training for the Alps and Pyrenees level Sportifs. Mentors Garret and Darragh Connolly plus a lot of the usual suspects who will be aiming at Etape/Marmotte/Classic Alpine Cols
Darker Yellow to Light Red.
Introduction to Orwell Sportif and Leisure Season/Groups Night
Monday Feb 22nd 7pm
Cavern Wine Bar, Baggot Street, Dublin 4(under my wine shop Baggot Street Wines)
Denis and I will lead the evening and intro to the new groups and their leaders. We will also introduce the new 2016 Orwell Leisure Championship and the several rule changes etc that will be put forward by the Leisure Sub Committee of Garret, Eugene, Dave Carroll and Alan Gordon over the next few weeks.
The idea being Denis will do a small talk about the club, the vision for the club and the year ahead on the leisure side. We will then ask the members who show up to group up into the group that fits their aims best. Then the leaders/mentors will go through with their groups the rough plan of action to get from end of Winter Spins to Wicklow 200 in June and beyond. I would ask all the leaders to have rough plans re training weeks and sportifs to aim at in the run up to the big days ahead ie Wickow 100/200.
For example the rough plan for Alps/Pyrenees group
-Meeting every Tuesday Eve as part of the overall Tuesday night Hills
-Wednesday intervals in Phoenix Park.
-Optional Club League
-Sundays Orange Level Spins.
-Good Friday Monster, Foothills. Mick Byrne 160/200, Mount Leinster, W200, Beast, Inishowen, TKAS.
Each of the groups will have different targets and different sportifs to use as training for your big event but the key will be to have a rough plan in mind that you can converse with the group on the night with. The intensity of the training plan will change person by person depending on what they are aiming but there should be an overall rough plan for the evening itself.,
If anyone is out there of similar standard and with similar aims to Group 1 and 3 and would like to volunteer and help out as Mentor Leader please get in tough on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and I'll forward on the details to the leaders. We could do with a few more volunteers to help out,
Weekly spins etc will be posted up on the forum by the leaders.
Please note the Winebar will not be open on the night, we will just be using the space. However Ann H will soon be announcing the next Orwell Social evening taking place in the Cavern!
Happy Cycling to all
Garret
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Greg Farrell
- Offline
- Posts: 344
It's not aimed at real beginners to sportives - that's Groups 1 & 2, but if you don't manage to get a space in Group 2 and you're strong enough for the pace then come out with us and we'll see you sorted. It's intended to be more of a social group for cyclists who like suffering together in the Wicklow hills, coffee, cake and banter. There won't be as much advice about training but we will build up the distance and climbing over the weeks so that you will be well prepared for the Wicklow 200 if that's your goal. If you come out Saturday's with us, and then do Tuesday night hills, you'll be grand. Do a third night and you'll be flying. There's also a fair number of experienced cyclists in the group if you do feel you want advice on anything cycling related.
We'll be doing a pace in the faster half of Yellow. I'm going to call that 'strong Yellow' from now on but I don't mean the people at the very top of Yellow who are borderline Orange. If you're a regular in Yellow and you're always mid-pack or better, then you'll be fine.
We'll stick together on the flat sections at this strong Yellow pace, and we'll do the climbs at whatever pace you like from strong Yellow up to Red. You can take your time, or you can race yourself or your friends up the hills until you feel like vomitting :) You'd be surprised how fit you'll get from plenty of aerobic cycling with horrible climbing intervals mixed in!
We'll regroup at the top of climbs, and we'll go slowly after long descents until everyone is back on. You'll find it'll be almost nothing but climbs and descents after a month or so :)
We often have Red paced cyclists come along for some of the spins, and anyone faster is always welcome if they don't mind going at this slower pace between climbs and waiting at the top of climbs. The weathers usually a bit nicer and there's people to chat with on top of the hills, so many faster folk enjoy them.
We'll meet opposite Joe's at 8:15 on Saturdays, and I'll do up a route every week and post it on the forum at least a few days in advance. We'll start at about 85 hilly kilometres from Joe's, and it'll get progressively longer and hillier from there as I want people to be ready for the Wicklow 200. You'd be surprised how much climbing you can do if you do it at a sustainable pace.
On the day if we have enough people we'll split the group by pace; in my experience the faster people don't mind waiting (or they wouldn't like my spins) but some of the slower people can feel a bit uncomfortable about people waiting for them. So we'll split it by pace when possible.
'Mentors' wise, if you're an experienced cyclist and you'll keep an eye out for the slower people and anyone having mechanical trouble then you're a mentor for the group. You'll find that half the people on our spins would count as 'mentors' by those standards. If you're a regular from the last 2 years, or just of the Wicklow mountains in general, then you'll know most of the routes; so it's easy to ad-hoc split the group if we want.
We try not to leave people behind and if people are struggling at the back I'll ask the people on the front to slow down, or I'll split the group, but with that many cyclists over that many weeks, sometimes bicycles fail. I've seen seat-posts and saddles break, many many spokes break, dereailleurs explode, peddles come off and so on. Some of those we'll manage to bodge to get home on their own but sometimes the only way out is a lift - so please bring a phone. Of course please also bring two tubes, tyre levers and a pump. That also gives you much more freedom to head off on your own if you're having a tough day and want to take a short-cut home. Also some money (for an emergency can of coke if you're bonking) and a packable jacket.
Now for the controversial bit - I couldn't be bothered to do Sportives when you can just go over the Wicklow mountains instead :) Don't tell Gar! So while if you come out with me you'll be in good shape for the Wicklow 200, I won't be there :) There will be plenty of the group who will be, and similarly at the Mount Leinster (a great one to do), or whatever event you want to do.
We also don't stop after the Wicklow 200 - the spins will keep going until the Winter ones start up again, and they'll keep on getting harder. This was last year's blow-out final spin - www.strava.com/routes/3368521 .
Come join us - it's the best part of the cycling year, in my opinion, and I'm very slightly less of a sadist than Garret is!
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Leonard Kaye
- Offline
- Posts: 899
Two questions
Are you planning on surpassing the 2,390m elevation gain for the blow out spin in 2016?
And , are you including the route posted last year, over Three Rock with 27% gradients?
Cheers
Leonard
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Greg Farrell
- Offline
- Posts: 344
*not really
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Leonard Kaye
- Offline
- Posts: 899
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Noel Finnegan
- Offline
- Posts: 100
Noel
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Garret Connolly
- Topic Author
- Offline
- Posts: 972
This night is happening next Monday at 7pm in the Cavern Wine Bar, over Baggot Street Wines, 17 Upr Baggot Street, Dublin 4
The wine bar will be closed on the night but if you fancy a beer or wine you can buy in shop and BYOB to the Cavern. No food available tho.
The night will start at 7pm sharp and the rough plan of action will be the following:
-Intro to club 2016 and where we are now by Denis.
-Intro to Orwell Sportif Leisure Season 2016 by me
-Orwell Leisure Championships 2016
-Orwell Randoneur Medal 2016
-Intro of the new groups post winter spins as above.
-Split the room in 4 into the different groups and each of the leaders will lay out the the plan of action to get you all fit to tackle the sportif season!
This night is for everyone in the club who have a target to aim at in the season ahead. Come one come all
See you all Monday night
Garret
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Garret Connolly
- Topic Author
- Offline
- Posts: 972
Anyone who has a target or plan for 2016...this night will benefit you all.
See you Monday at 7
garret
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Ken Moloney
- Offline
- Posts: 287
Guys unfortunately I can't make Monday night's intro but am keen to join group 2 focused on the Wicklow 200 if there's space.
Thanks guys.
Ken
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Garret Connolly
- Topic Author
- Offline
- Posts: 972
forgot to mention there is a courtyard at the back of the cavern where you can bring your bikes into and will be safe. You can come through shop and then turn left out onto the courtyard.
Garret
ps starts sharp at 7
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Greg O'Donnell
Count me in for Group 4 though.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Ronan Moran
- Offline
- Posts: 20
Thanks.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Warren Cray
- Offline
- Posts: 74
For all the people that signed up, we will be in contact over the next few weeks to firm up the Training Plan details.
If, as a matter of course, some places become available, we will post availability up on the forum.
Thanks
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Dave Hesnan
- Offline
- Posts: 13
Cheers,
Dave
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Donal O'Connor
- Offline
- Posts: 339
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Jose Filipe
- Offline
- Posts: 41
Unfortunately I couldn't make Monday night's intro because of work but I'd like to join group 2 focused on the Wicklow 200 if there's space.
Thanks guys.
Jose Filipe
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Mervyn Bent
- Offline
- Posts: 92
I am interested in joining group 4 even though I am not doing a foreign trip and am focusing on domestic events, thanks enjoy your trip.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Shauna Whelan
- Offline
- Posts: 85
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Garret Connolly
- Topic Author
- Offline
- Posts: 972
Welcome to the club.
The gregs Wicklow 200 group(group 3) and the advanced mountain group(group 4) will be mentioned weekly on the forum under spins.
The Wicklow 200 for beginners group is full up now I believe and not taking any more sign ups. Gerry c and Rodney are lead mentors here.
The Wicklow 100 for beginner group is lead by Derek Handley. If this is the group you are interested in post up here with phone and email address and Derek will be in touch.
Best of luck with the cycling.
Garret
Please Log in to join the conversation.