The Castlegregory Bikeathon Festival
The inaugural ‘Castlegregory 24 hour Bike-A-Thon’ in aid of the charity ‘JIGSAW’ and Castlegregory Celtic F.C. will take place in Castlegregory village Co. Kerry on the weekend19th/20th Nov 2011.
Teams & Prizes
30 teams of 10 cyclists from all over Ireland will compete in a 24hr indoor cycle on ‘Trainers’ for : 1st prize €10’000, 2nd prize €5’000, 3rd prize €1’000. This is a non profit event with all proceeds going to charities and all staff are volunteers. We are hoping to make it an annual festival.
To enter a team, simply download an Entry form from the website, and we can send you Sponsorship Cards to help raise the entry for our Charity.
Competition Concept:
30 teams will battle it out on stationary bikes supported on ‘trainers’ over 24 hours for the inaugural Castlegregory Bikeathon this November. Each team will have one rider cycling at all times and the winning team will be the team that has most mileage covered in the 24 hours. With teams from all over the country and from all backgrounds it will make for fierce rivalry and a fantastic event for all. With huge interest and numberous fringe events planned for the weekend, it promises to be a superb weekend all around. So, this November come to Castlegregory for the ride of your life!!!

€16,000 Prize Money
www.castlegregorybikeathon.com

This year the Innisfree Wheelers Club are also promoting a Fundraising Event on the night of the Cycle in the Canus Major at the Clarion Hotel where they

will host a Buffet Meal and Music by the local group Ruby Ridge at a cost of 20euro per person.Tickets are available from any Club Member or by contacting the phone number attached.This night is aimed at both the Lady Cyclist,Club Members and anyone who feels they are not up to cycling but wants to contribute to the fund.A large aray of Spot Prizes will be up for grabs between the patrons on the night.Any cyclists travelling to take part in the event or those attending the function can avail of Special Rates for accommodation in the Clarion Hotel whose Sales Office may be contacted on 071-9119000.

All details of the event are available on the Club Website www.innisfreewheelers.com or by Contacting 086-1005219.

Contact: Yvonne O’Riain, Events Officer, +353 (0)1 6610588

Entry Form: Maracycle Entry Form1

Route Details: Maracycle Route Map

Info Leaflet: Maracycle 2011 leaflet

I’ve cycled for as long as I can remember and always enjoyed the great feeling of independence it gives me but even though I’d gotten myself a fancy new racer with the cycle to work scheme I’d only been using it as a commuting bike until fairly recently. Now I know what a waste this was! Earlier this year I had been training for my second marathon but due to a stomach issue (since sorted) I didn’t make it to the start line and once recovered, I was having so much trouble getting my running mojo back that I decided to switch focus a bit and try different sports that might be easier on my body and a bit more fun. The more I thought about it the more it made sense to try a bit of cycling.

I knew I wouldn’t stay fit by cycling unless I set myself some challenge to get excited about and train for and I decided audax was just the thing. I liked the idea of being sent off with a route sheet and no support car and just making your way round the 200k+ route at your own pace. Though I like to have a challenge I’m not a big fan of speed and I’ve always preferred to go long and slow rather than short and fast (hence the marathon!)
But if somebody had told me on Saturday afternoon 18^th of September at the point between kilometre 42 and kilometre 93 that I would be writing a rave review of my first audax experience, let alone getting ready to cycle my second 200k less than two months later, I would not have laughed because I’m pretty sure I could not have laughed. But I might have cried in disbelief. There was nothing but pain in my body and darkness in my head… and if that sounds melodramatic, I should say describing it that way is an understatement. I’ve run a marathon, I’ve hit the wall, I’ve trained through sickness/injury. But the journey I took on those 50 kilometres were a new experience for me in breaking through. But break through I did and boy, am I happy I did! I was on a natural high for the whole week after it and the feeling was so addictive that it’s sending me back for more at the next available opportunity!

I made some crucial mistakes in the run up to the cycle and during and that’s part of the reason I’m so keen to get back out there and put my hard-earned lessons to work. I didn’t carb-load properly the night before nor did I have a big enough breakfast that morning. On the road I managed to keep with two lovely guys till just before the first checkpoint at 42km where I got some Ambrosia creamed rice and the rice and a few jellies got me to the all important food stop at 93km. Is it any wonder that I had a torturous 50k in the middle there? I had no food, no energy, and no water thanks to the fact that my bottle had staged a breakaway and jumped off my bike on a particularly jolty downhill in the rain and I hadn’t had the heart to go back up the hill for it.

I’m not quite sure if I’ve ever experienced such misery as I did in the unending trudge between 42k and the food stop at 92k but it was hard to feel anything but cheerful when greeted with hot tea and sandwiches. The misery of the last 50k was fresh in my bones and my brain though and I was sorely tempted to switch over to the 160k route like I had promised myself the whole way through my bad 50k but even through the worst of that I knew that I’d be far too thick-headed to switch. I did flirt with the idea of it, mostly in order to comfort myself I think, but the encouraging words of fellow audaxers kept me hanging on and I hit off from the community centre at Hacketstown drier, fuller, warmer in a polar opposite state of mind than how I’d entered it. It was 93k down, just 107k or so to go at that point.

I was literally on a buzz after the food and the tea and after the lads did a bit of trouble shooting I kinda figured that the lack of food and water was what had been making things hell for me on 42-93. As soon as I got back on the bike I started eating PowerBars which did me a world of good and from 93k to 107k things went much better for me and I bombed along enjoying myself thoroughly despite the rain. At kilometre number 107 the unthinkable happened. I got a puncture. My second puncture ever and second one in the space of a week and the first time round I had no puncture repair kit and had to be rescued at the side of the road by my poor mother 40k from home! I learned my lesson though and had borrowed some puncture repair stuff and bought a tube. I’d only changed one tube before – the one I’d punctured the previous weekend – and my boyfriend had supervised that endeavour and given me instructions and generally done most of the heavy lifting so I pretty much thought at that point that my audax was over. I walked in the rain till I found a safe spot in the road (gateway) and I resisted the urge to call my boyfriend/mother/best friend/organiser of the audax in floods of tears and just hunkered down and decided to try. Just try. If it worked, great, I would keep going. If not, I would start the tearful calls. I was mentally preparing myself for the calls but miraculously I managed it!! To the proper cyclist this is no great feat, an everyday thing that must often be done. But to me? An incredible personal victory! About 40mins later after struggling enormously I got back on my newly fixed wheel with a great sense of achievement while trying not to remember that I was only about half way through the day’s cycling. Even now weeks later, I’m trying to decide if I’m more proud of surviving the 200k intact or the successful puncture repair!

The next 40k or so to the last control at Woodenbridge were not too bad despite the bad weather as I was flying high on a mixture of tube-changing victory and PowerBar. A chap who I’d met at the Hacketstown stop passed me and said hi and told me how he’d stopped at a pub for a coffee and a toastie and I cursed my bad luck of the puncture as I’d so wanted to do the same somewhere between 93 and 150. He carried on but I met up with him at the last control at Woodenbridge delighted with myself and my wonderful cycling skills at catching up to him, never even thinking for a second that he might have deliberately been watching out for me and waiting on me. I only found that out afterwards and felt really touched by his thoughtfulness and selflessness. Even though it’s not a race, I’ve no doubt people keep an eye on the clock (I certainly did!) and particularly when its getting dark and the weather’s not great you just want to get the job done and spend as little time as possible out in the elements. I think his gesture just sums up the essence of this event. I have participated in a few different sports with teams/groups etc and I’ve never had such a low-key but yet entirely welcoming initiation to a sport. The organisers and support and participants were, every single one of them to a fault, exceptional. I felt encouraged without being pushed, completely welcomed without being fussed over and looked out for and minded without being patronised.

With my newly found company at the 50k-to-go stage I was relieved not to be heading into the final stretch on my tobler since any thoughts of finishing in the daylight were now clearly unrealistic. I’d like to think that if I’d had to finish it out on my own I would have managed it but honestly… if I’d had to do that last 50k solo while trying to see the route sheet and the road in the dark, I’m pretty sure that the tears I’d saved earlier after managing to fix my wheel would have been used up in self-pity on that last long hilly stretch home. One thing is for sure – I’ll be on the watch for my chance to pay it forward and I only hope I can be as nice and helpful to someone as my audax buddy was to me on that last 50k – a pure gent! And as for the entry fee? By now I’ve done quite a random selection of organised sporting activities.. marathon, half marathon, 5ks, 10ks, triathlon, city chase etc and while they’re great fun, there’s always a slight sting in the tail when you check your credit card a week later and see the ridiculous amount of money you paid for the same old regulation T-shirt and a race that lasted an hour. The audax? Best fiver I’ve spent in my life bar none! I find myself wondering if these guys are the only ones in Dublin adjusting to the recession or if they’re just secretly a charitable organisation for crazy cyclists. Not only was everyone super nice but the organisation was top notch, tea and sandwiches when needed, Powerbars, a route sheet that even I could read and more importantly follow without getting lost or confused, and that alone must have been no easy task to put together!

Sometimes a little information can be dangerous. If someone had told me before I had started this cycle how hilly it was (or if I’d been organised enough to check it out beforehand!) I either would not have done it full stop or I would have plumped for the 160k and been forever left wondering if I could have managed the 200k. I’m now on a recruitment drive and friends who thought I was completely nuts when they first heard about my day out are now slowly being talked around. So, even though I would have put any money down against it, I’m actually getting ready for outing number 2 on the audax trail and I’m starting to think about the next limit to push – the 300k. It’s a slippy slope this audax thing, I can only conclude that they put something powerful in the PowerBars that keeps you coming back for more!

On Saturday 25th September the club host the 40 km Annual Ladies Tour of Lough Gill.

This is strictly a Ladies only event and is an ideal event for all Ladies particularly those

Ladies who are complete Leisure Cyclists or who are interested in getting involved in cycling.

The event is held by the Innisfree Wheelers Club in conjunction with the Sligo Sports Partnership

under the Women in Sport programme.This programme is supported by the HSE West and the

Irish Sports Council.The event has been a huge success for the club over the last three years and

the club are very hopefull that it will be another successful event this year.

Sign on for the Ladies event at the Sligo Clarion Hotel from 9.00am with 11.00am start.

Entry Fee for Cycling Ireland members is 10euro with 20euro for non members to include a one day licence.

All proceeds from the day go to Sligo Cancer Support Centre in Wine Street Sligo.

A Fundraising Function takes place on the night of the Cycle at the Clarion Hotel with tickets for this function

available from club members at a cost of 30euro which includes Buffet Meal and Entertainment.

Accomodation is available at the Sligo Clarion Hotel on the night of the Ladies Event at

80euro per Double Room sharing for B&B.Reservations  must be made directly with the Clarion Hotel.

Dear Cycling Member,

                                 Cycling Ireland is looking to further promote and develop the area of leisure cycling by setting up a dedicated Leisure Commission. To kick start this Cycling Ireland will be holding an open meeting on Saturday 28^th of August in The Park Hotel, Dungarvan at 7pm.

Cycling Ireland Leisure Cycling Meeting

Location – Park Hotel Dungarvan 7pm, Saturday 28^th of August

Agenda and discussion points

1. CI Overview – Outline of current profile of organisation, members/clubs and how commissions work etc
2. Leisure Cycling in Ireland –
   1. Leisure Calendar of Events – Does it need some regulation on Entry Fees & Event Clashes
   2. Leisure Event Return Forms – Need to gather greater participant and event information with a view to grading events
   3. Event Organisers Guidelines  – Review of current guidelines from CI – See attached
   4. Leisure Tours V Sportives V Audax Tours – Is there a need to distinguish/promote each differently
   5. Off-Road Leisure Cycling – Guided Trail Riding?
   6. Leisure Leagues – How they worked in the past & should they be revisited?
   7. Current Plans
      1. Publication of A5 Booklet on Introduction to Cycling with advice general training, bike setup, nutrition/clothing etc
      2. Guide to Leisure Cycles in Ireland – Greater promotion of existing events through new guidebook
      3. Regional Workshops – Aimed at new groups who wish to take up cycling
      4. Sprocket Rocket Skills Program – This new program is aimed at kids but is similar or same program suitable for “new/inexperienced’ cyclists
      5. AOB
      6. Next Meeting & How to move forward with a Leisure Commission

 New Leisure Event Guidelines found here:  CI Leisure Events Guidance

Women of Ireland Unite and get on your bike!

Ladies, forget about spin classes and release your gym bunny back into nature by signing up for the An Post Cycle Series.

Gather your closest gal pals and get on your bikes, whether you usually ride your Raleigh with conviction through traffic or haven’t been on bike since you can last remember, this hugely popular summer cycle series promises to be a great day out.

With the evenings getter brighter and longer its time to dismount your exercise bike at the gym, wave goodbye to semi-autocratic instructor and bring exercise back to basics by getting out on your bike and enjoying a cost effective and enjoyable way of keeping fit.

This is the second year of the An Post Cycle Series which is designed to suit people of all ages and levels of fitness; from the keen athletes to those who remember their stabilisers with fondness.

Stacey Kelly, daughter of former world number one cyclist Sean, is one of the many women who have already signed up for the first event which kicks off in Sligo on Sunday, May 9th. Entrants can sign up for a leisurely 10km spin, a 60km Circuit, or for a serious challenge; the 160km circuit.

Stacey, a budding young cyclist in her own right, is encouraging more women to sign up to this year’s events, “Last year I took part in the Series by cycling in my local Tour of Waterford with a couple of girlfriends and we had a great day. I just about managed to complete the 100k route but a few of the girls kept it to the 10k spin, which they all really enjoyed; that’s the great thing about the Series, everyone can enjoy it at a pace that suits. Cycling is a really fantastic way to keep fit and healthy and I would encourage ladies out there, whatever your ability, to find your local Tour and sign up to take part.”

And for those budding cyclists who want to get up to speed on all things cycling, Women’s Cycling Ireland will be arranging workshops throughout the country to coincide with the Cycle Series. The focus of these short courses will be to help women improve their cycling in line with whatever their goals might be, whether that be to improve cycling skills, to learn how to train, or even learn how to race. Further information can be found at www.womenscycling.ie

The Cycle Series gets under way with the An Post Tour of Sligo on Sunday May 9th and there will also be a further four events to follow throughout the summer around the country in Clare, Meath, Waterford and Cork.

For more information on the An Post Cycle Series visit www.anpost.ie/cycling

ENDS -

For further information please contact:

James O’Reilly

016690030/0879227996

James.O’Reilly@ogilvy.com

Editor’s Notes:

The An Post Cycle Series details are:

Sligo: An Post Tour of Sligo, Sunday, 09th May

· Family Spin 10km

· Circuit 60km

· Challenge 160km

For more information www.sligosportandrecreation.ie

Clare: The Tour De Burren, Saturday, 19th June

Stage lengths:

· Family Loop 10km

· Challenge 60km

· The Burnin Burren 160km

For more information www.burrencyclingclub.com or john@claresportspartnership.ie

Meath: Heritage Cycle Tour of Meath, Sunday 25th July

· Family spin 10km

· Short distance 40km

· Mid distance 100km

· Long distance 160km

Waterford Tour, Sean Kelly Tour of Waterford, Sunday 29th August

· Family Spin 10km

· Kelly Cruise 50km

· Kelly Legacy 100km

· Kelly Challenge 160km

For more information www.theseankellytour.com or info@theseankellytour.com

Cork: Rebel Tour, Saturday, 11th September

Stage lengths:

· Family fun spin 10km

· Short distance 50km

· Mid distance 100km

· Long distance 150km

For more information email info@cclsp.com

The 2010 Tour takes place on Sunday the 9th May. The An Post Series proved to be very popular in 2009, they helped introduce a lot of women to the world of cycling, and the first of the series kicks off on the 9th of May. (Perfect timing after our “intro to cycling” weekend on the 26-27th March).

An Post Tour of Sligo is taking place on Sunday 9th May 2010 with legend Sean Kelly cycling on the day. There are three events to choose from including the 10k Hazelwood Spin for All, the 60k Lough Gill Circuit or the 160k Ox Mountain Challenge. So Ladies Get on Your Bike and be part of a great cycling occasion ! For further details on information on how to enter check out www.sligosportandrecreation.ie

Sean Kelly Logo

Flyer

Women's Leisure Spin

You can cycle as an individual or as part of a team and will be
encouraged along the way by an excellent support team of motor-bikers,
car support, puncture repair and first aid experts and the Gardaí.  It
is not a competitive cycle and the emphasis is on fun and completing the
challenge.  The route will be well marked and signposted and regrouping
points will make sure cyclists are not out on the route alone, if they
don’t want to be.  Refreshments, including bananas, water and lollipops,
are available along the route and we stop off for lunch halfway at the
Newcastle Inn.

The celebrations begin as soon as we arrive at the luxurious Arklow Bay
Hotel.  After receiving our goody bags and medals we can relax and
recuperate with a free massage and the use of the hotels 5-star leisure
facilities including a pool, steam room, sauna and Jacuzzi.

We stay overnight at the hotel and enjoy a three course meal and a
night of entertainment, prize giving, raffles and, of course, ceol agus
craic.  The next morning a coach takes our tired but happy cyclists back
to Dublin.

Sign up today and become a member of our exclusive online cycle
community.  We have our own social networking site that will include
training plans, fundraising tips,  event details, route maps,
directions, promote fundraising events and much more as we count down to
the big challenge – Saturday 15th May 2010!  To sign up, call 01-8684721
or email cycle@womensaid.ie

Christina Sherlock
Communications & Campaigns Officer
Women’s Aid
Everton House
47 Old Cabra Road
Dublin 7
Tel: 01-8684721
Mob: 087-9192457
Fax: 01-8684722
Website: www.womensaid.ie
Email: christina.sherlock@womensaid.ie

National Freephone Helpline 1800 341 900
7 Days a week 10am – 10pm

We would like to let your members know about us – we’re a new company called Velo Vercors, based in the spectacular Vercors region of S.E.France. Our website address is www.velovercors.com.

We offer holidays for all level of cyclists. I’m a cyclist myself and want to encourage more women to discover this wonderful region.

Roger, my husband is an ex-international and has 12 years experience at Top Level in Luxembourg, Uk and Ireland.

We both have Irish parents – Leitrim, Mayo and Edenderry so expect a warm welcome and great hospitality.

All the best

Teresa @ Velo Vercors

*A selection of supporting images from last year’s Race Around Ireland are available on request

Race Around Ireland 2010 is now calling for cyclists and volunteers to participate in this annual World Cup series charity cycling challenge

Wednesday, 03 March 2010                   For Immediate release

Race Around Ireland 2010, which is widely recognised as Europe’s toughest endurance cycling race, is now calling for solo and team entrants for this adventure of a lifetime.

Taking place in September 2010, amateur cyclists will get the chance to take to the starting line with internationally renowned elite cyclists as well as experience the stunning beauty ofIreland as they cycle a 2,100km route around Ireland over the course of a week.

But don’t despair……you don’t have to do this alone! As well as accepting entries from solo riders, Race Around Ireland 2010 is also encouraging groups of up to eight people (where each person will spend approximately three hours a day cycling) to take part. So, whether you are an elite rider or a leisure cyclist, there is a category that is perfect for you.

The course route will take you on an adventure from Navan in Co. Meath, past Newgrange, north to The Giants Causeway, Malin head, down along the west coast by The Cliffs of Moher, through The Ring of Kerry, past Mizen Head, up the east coast through the stunning scenery of Wicklow, the Garden of Ireland, and back to your starting point in Navan.

Each participant (solo and team cyclists) are encouraged to provide their own support crew and vehicles, so why not get a group of your friends or work colleagues on board and hit the road for a unique and fun adventure to see our beautiful country like you’ve never seen it before!  Each cyclists / team’s crew are responsible for providing food, bicycle repair, massage, and navigation and crewing for the cyclists, this is as much of a challenge as riding itself.

Alan Heary, Race Director of Race Around Ireland, says;

“Almost 70 cyclists took part in last year’s inaugural Race Around Ireland. The entire event was a huge success not just amongst the cycling elite but for all the amateur cyclists who took on this amazing challenge and really made the event special. This year we are going to be offering amateur training clubs to all participants who would like extra support in the lead up the event. From crew to cyclist, every participant is a winner and their sense of achievement after completing the internationally renowned course will be immense.”

Registration costs €300 for solo entry, €1,100 for a four person team and €2,000 for an eight person team.

To register your details or for further information logo ontowww.racearoundireland.com

-Ends-

About The Race Around Ireland:

Race Around Ireland is part of the Ultra Marathon Cycling Association (UMCA) World Cup series which includes other huge endurance races such as The Race Across America. Unlike other cycling races such as the RÁS or the Tour de France, the course is in no way roped off. There are no marshals controlling traffic flow and there are no planned rest stops or stages in this event. Once the clock starts in Navan at the starting time, it won’t stop until each rider reaches the finish line at the end of the 1,350 mile circuit.

Time Stations will be set approximately 40 to 80 miles apart. At each Time Station, you must phone into Race Headquarters and report your location and time. This information will be posted on the Race Around Ireland website and it will allow the officials and all fans and followers to track the cyclists progress.

The UMCA is the international umbrella organization for endurance-cycling. The UMCA determines the qualifying standards for and monitors the qualification of all racers desiring to race Race Across America solo. To compete in the Solo Division of Race Across America(RAAM) you must qualify. The Race Around Ireland is listed as a RAAM Qualifier Race, so this is good for European cyclists wishing to qualify for Solo RAAM.

The Race Around Ireland is run in association with Navan Road Club

Follow Race Around Ireland on Twitter at http://twitter.com/2010rai

_________________

Joanne Leahy,

PR Account Manager,

Unique Media Ltd.,

600A Cathedral Court,

New Street,

Dublin 8,

Ireland.

T: (01) 522 5200            F: (01) 522 5220

M: (087) 1229776       W: www.uniquemedia.ie

 This is the third year of the event which is a 40km fun event aimed at getting ladies involved in cycling.
The event is funded by the Irish Sports Council through their Women in Sport programme and is coordinated
locally by the Sligo Sports Partnership.The event route is a circuit of the very picturesque Lough Gill and in turn
is known as the Ladies Tour Of Lough Gill.This year for the first time we are linking it to a charity the
Marie Keating Foundation.All entry fees on the day will be contributed to this fund.Details of the event are as follows
 
Ladies Tour of Lough Gill Saturday 26th September
Route 40km
Registration from 10am with Start at 11am from Sligo I.T.
Entry Fee 10 euro for Cycling Ireland members 20 euro for non Cycling Ireland (includes one day licence)
All info on event from club website www.innisfreewheelers.com

The first ever Ride4Life cycle for the Irish Cancer Society will be on Saturday, August 22, 2009 in and around Killarney, Co.Kerry and we want you to join in.

There will be an 85km route and a 44km route. It’s not a race and all are welcome to sign up, take part and enjoy the day, but we expect a few serious cyclists to take on the challenging Kerry roads as the 85km route passes though the legendary Gap of Dunloe and Black Valley.

The Ride4Life runs along much of the second stage of the Tour of Ireland so while you’re cycling, the professionals, including Lance Armstrong and Mark Cavendish, will be racing at the same time on the same roads, just a little further along the route. The Ride4Life will finish on the stage’s finish line, not long before the main field arrive.

We have confirmed that Stephen Roche lead the Ride4Life and we are hoping to secure some other topnames . Lance Armstrong has lent his official support to the event and we hope to arrange a meet and greet with Lance for some lucky participants so stay tuned for more on that.

We also will have some great prizes for participants.

For further information and to register please visit www.Ride4Life.ie or call the Irish Cancer Society’s Fundraising team on CallSave 1850 60 60 60.