Ride Around Ireland 2013/2014

carlhallinon

Hi all,

I think i posted this in the wrong forum before:

I am considering entering the RAI 2013 which is in Sept 2013. I am not experienced enough to enter solo (being a rank amateur). I am putting out the feelers on here to raise a 2 or 4 person team to take on this challenge and perhaps even win it!

The official website is : http://www.racearoundireland.com/
The event also has a FB and Twitter page.
I would be interested to hear from any like minded amateurs who are up for taking this on in 2013 or 2014 be it as a racer or support crew. This is defiantly one for the bucket list.

many thanks

Carl 8)

sub55

Been watching your two threads with interest and waiting for someone to respond.
Doesn't look like its going to happen so i'll have a stab.
Personally thought about this event several times ,but life always just got in the way and i would only ever consider it as a solo rider. You say you're in experienced but what kind of riding do you currently do. Distances and speed ?
Even as a team it is a major challenge and not to be taken lightly. I would suggest you google "ultra marathon cycling association". Dont think they have a forum but if you start playing around on there , there may be people willing to come and play. The other one is" yet another cycling forum" . Thats the audaxers site , dont think that audaxers are slow , some of them can ride the legs off a race horse over a 1000k. Again , some of them might be up for a different challenge. Let me know how you get on. Do know several fella's who would be more than capable but most of them would only consider it as a solo ride. Have you ever done a 24 hr TT?

carlhallinon

Hi Sub55, thanks for the reply, i was begging to think everyone was giving this a wide berth lol. I am reletavly new to road cycling, however i am building up the mileage bit by bit. A 26 miler is where its at as i stand at the moment and am able to comfortably able to maintain a 25mph (ish) cadence (stand fast bloody traffic lights). This will improve with winter training. I am in the process of joining the Royal Navy Cycling Association so i will have access to first class training and knowledge. In addition i will be joining a local club to me in the new year. My background is a running one (a couple of marathons and a whole bunch of road races 10+) however due to advancing years (40) i have decided to go easier on the knees. I have promised myself that now i have hit 40 i will not waste anymore of my life, I have big plans to take on all kinds of endurance events over the next decade or so. RAI is one that is on my Radar. I am entered into the rideUK 24 (Newcatle to London ) which i will be treating as a 24hr TT to get a benchmark of where i am at. I will check out the sites you mentioned. Realistically 2014 is the race im looking at. Keep in touch if you fancy it

sub55

Aahh, now we are getting somewhere.
By the royal navy cycling association do you actually mean the RNRM C.A?
If so you are going to the right place. Over the years, i've had the pleasure of riding against and meeting some serious endurance riders from there. You can also tell the marines from the navy boys as they're as hard as nails.

With all due respect and please dont take this the wrong way , you are nowhere near where you want to be.
Certainly for 2013 would think 2014 would be your minimum interms of time from now to then.
The ride uk event , although a nice challenge , again just doesn't cut it. You need to be doing those sort of distances in 12hrs not 24. Forget the sportive scene and look at the audax calendar , quickly progress through the 200/300 events to build some endurance and feeling , then do some 400/600 events . Would recommend the Brian Chapman memorial , goes from Chepstow in south wales to Angelsy and back again , well organised and a serious challenge in its own right.
Also look at doing some 100/ 12hr/ and the 24hr TT . This should put some speed onto your endurance and give you the mental strength to push on even when you really dont want to.
To put some context into your ability and mine ( really not willy waving just tring to help).
I was riding 100 mile tt's in 3hr 50 mins , 24hr tt's in 460 plus miles , 1000 k audax's without sleep and i was still not sure i could get round the tour of Ireland in one piece. I wish you all the best , there is a relitive small pool of people who compete in ulta endurance cycling event. Most of us are quite strange , it takes a strange mentality to want to do it . However once you get in there with them , you'll find they are friendly and help each other along.
Regards paul

carlhallinon

Hi Paul,
That sure puts things into perspective for me! Maybe ill have to delay untill 2015! Yes i did mean RNRMCA, hopefully ill be able to attend a good few of their events (especially the TTs they enter and the training camps). I like the progression advice have given it would seem logical. How many years have you been TT ing to pull those numbers? Your right i am pretty far off of that standard , however with a bit of commitment and tenacity i am sure i can close the gap a bit lol. The sleep deprivation thing is a bit unnerving, however if other humans can do it.......
im gonna get on the adux site you gave me and have a good read through. Many thanks for the advice my feet are now firmly on the ground, i wont be so quick to rush into the RAI, i am determined to do it though...

Cheers Carl