Hydration

Part of the ‘How To Endure Long Rides’ series, Sasha Maguire outlines the basics to ensure you maximise your potential on the big day.

HYDRATION

Water is a vital component to cell health in the body. Our bodies are made up of roughly 60% water and we need to be hydrated during the day. This is particularly important when doing physical activity. As mentioned above, cycling burns a lot of calories which means you will be sweating and losing using the food and hydration stocks in your body at that time. The more you sweat the more water you need to consume in order to avoid dehydration. Similarly to ‘carbo-loading’ it is good practice to keep yourself hydrated throughout the week leading up to the event.

Usually more water means more trips to the toilet, which is good for detoxifying your body until you are excreting nutrients. If you find you are constantly needing to go to the toilet because of the amount of water you are consuming, you may not be absorbing as many nutrients as you should be. In this case you can make a homemade electrolyte drink for the bike or to sip on throughout the day:

Cyclist is drinking water from the sport bottle

This is a perfect drink to have on the bike, avoiding lots of pit stops and feeling fresh on the spin. Or if you have a packet of the effervescent electrolyte tablets or Berocca they do the same job.  Eating water dense vegetables such as cucumber, courgette, radishes and celery are a brilliant way of hydrating your body. You can even juice those vegetables into a healthy drink. The bottom line it to keep track of how much you’re drinking on the bike and know what works for you!

Carb Loading – Eating for Glory

In the first of a ‘How To Endure Long Rides’ series, Sasha Maguire outlines the basics to ensure you maximise your potential on the big day.

Carb Loading

vlo en pates

Carbohydrates are an excellent source of energy to the body and they are vital to pre-event preparations. ‘Carbo-loading’ became a very popular term in the 90s and has some merit to it, but basically it involves the storage of glycogen (broken down starchy carbohydrates) in the liver and muscles. It is important to be fully stocked up on glycogen a few days leading up to a challenge like the Wicklow 200. It allows for more energy to be used throughout the day and will significantly impact on your overall performance. Foods such as brown rice and pasta, quinoa and potatoes are great to have for dinner, lunch within the few days leading up to the event.

 

Rennrad Wiggensbach

 

It is equally important to constantly eat throughout the day whilst on the bike. Every rider at one point or another has experienced ‘bonking’, which is the feeling of hitting a wall, the pedals slow right down, everything hurts and you’re starving. It is a horrible feeling, but one that can easily be stopped if you plan your food correctly for the bike. Cycling burns a huge amount of calories, this is a great form of losing weight although during an event you need be replenishing those stocks. Bear in mind how long it might take you to complete the event and plan your food accordingly. Every rider will have their go-to snacks and it is always good to know what works for you. Some cyclists prefer gels or bar, where as other prefer more natural products such as bananas, raisins or jellies. Eating enough leading up to and during the challenge is taking care of your muscles and will improve your enjoyment of the day.

Mental Preparation – Recover from a Setback

What is the most effective way to recover from a setback such as an accident, injury or failure?

If you’re an avid cyclist you are pretty much guaranteed that you will at some point face a setback. It is important to understand that these setbacks can be a great way for us to learn something and move on to better performances, here’s some great advice from Sports Psychologist, Alan Heary.

Here are three steps to get you back quickly:

There are a lot of things that can negatively affect confidence on the bike. Here are three of the most common:

So now we know what can reduce confidence we can look at how we can boost it.

Get rid of how we view past bad experiences

We can have the memory of a bad experience such as a crash very clear in our mind and can run it like a movie over and over.

To reduce the feelings that we associate with this movie try this:
Imagine you are in a cinema and play the movie of the incident. Now stop the movie. Imagine shrinking it down in size so that it is the size of a small TV. Change it from color to black and white and push it off into the distance. Now imagine that you are the director of this new movie that is playing on the big screen. Create an image of how you want to ride.

Practice the basic skills – After each of your rides spend 15 minutes practicing a particular skill you feel you need to improve, for example cornering or balance.

Stop the Self-criticism – Use positive self-talk to create a new inner voice that tells you that you ARE strong, fast, and you CAN do it. Practice this a lot!

Stop asking stupid questions – The brain is very clever. When we ask it a question it will go in search of an answer. If you ask a question like why am I not fast or why can’t I climb, it will give you answers like you don’t have the genetics, your too old, fat or you have the wrong bike!

Instead, ask better questions like “how can I get faster or climb quicker?” The answers to these questions are action bound answers and things you can control – do some speed work, do interval sessions. All of these answers will motivate you to work harder and get better results and so help build confidence.

You might also benefit from tips on Goal Setting or Utilising Pre-Event Nerves

Mental Preparation – Utilise Pre-event nerves

In the first of this series, Alan Heary explained the importance of mental preparation for your cycling and the practical ways you can achieve the right mindset through goal setting.

In this instalment, Alan details practical ways a rider can utilise pre-event nerves…

 

How can a cyclist tackle or utilise pre-event nerves?

Pre-event nerves can be a vital part of any preparation. Adrenaline and endorphins begin to kick in and it can be a great way to feel ready for your event. However if these pre-event nerves aren’t kept in check they can creep up to become more of a hindrance than a help.

Imagine an arousal scale between 0 to 10 where 0 is sleep and 10 is blind panic. As you prepare for your event your arousal level rises. At about 6 on the scale you find yourself focused, motivated and physically ready. This could be considered the zone state. Any less than 6 and you don’t put in the effort required to perform at your best while anything above 6 and you begin to lose focus and your mind is jumping all over the place as you begin to feel less in control and more anxious.

So the question becomes, how can I get to 6 and stay there?

 

Here is what you need to do if you feel you’re slipping too high up the scale:

 

Next time, Alan will share his advice on how to recover from a cycling setback.

Fundamentals – Cornering

Whether you’re a seasoned rider or just coming to the bike, good technique makes bike events so much safer and less stressful.

In this Cycling Fundamentals post, we focus on getting through the bends….

Cornering

Heading into the cycling season after the winter training, it can sometimes be a shock to the system when you find yourself in a big group of riders.

Different colours, sounds, unfamiliar roads. It can all be a bit of an assault to the senses and it’s at times like this that proper technique will really pay dividends.

Being comfortable riding your bike through the corners will help make you relax, expend less energy and enjoy the experience. You’ll also be better placed to make adjustments to take account of other riders’ movements in the group.

In any sport or pastime from golf to guitar playing, work on the fundamentals will pay off in the long run and cycling is no exception.

Watch The Terrain

Look for and avoid gravel or lose chippings that could cause you to slip. After you know what the riding conditions are in a particular corner, you can slowly increase your speed each time.

Position

If it’s a fast and challenging corner, make sure your weight is distributed properly and you have full control of the bike by putting your hands on the handlebar drops so you can apply the right amount of force on the brake lever.

Brake early

Do all your braking before the turn. Three-time world motor racing champion Jackie Stewart says that the key to good cornering is in the braking and the principal applies to bike riding, too.
As you brake most of the weight is focused on the front of the bike so it makes sense you’ll apply more force on the front brake lever but the back brake is key, too, so don’t neglect it.
Release the brakes and start the turn by leaning the bike.

Lift the foot

As you lean into the corner lift the inside foot so that it doesn’t strike the ground on the turn

Look where you’re going

Look in the direction you want to go. Your bike will follow where your eyes are looking so look at the exit of the corner

Make Your Exit

As you come out of the turn, gradually straighten the bike until it’s upright, then start to pedal again.

Mind the wet

Painted lines, manhole covers and oily pavement become slippery in wet conditions. Wet roads exaggerate everything you do: Braking while the bike is leaning will cause you to skid more easily, and sudden turning can make your wheels slip. So slow down.

 

The key is that all movements should be smooth and natural. And make sure you are within your personal ‘envelope’. Don’t push too hard, too soon.

The right technique will become second nature in time but don’t rush it.

 

Mental Preparation – Goal Setting

 

Mental Strength coach, Alan Heary details the importance of mental preparation for your cycling and the practical ways you can achieve the right mindset.

Why is mental preparation just as important as physical?

What we think has a direct effect on our physical sensations. In fact research has shown that the nervous system cannot tell the difference between a vividly imagined experience and reality.

Think about it this way. Let’s say you wake up in the middle of the night and you hear something outside. You think it might be someone breaking into your car or worse, your house. Your body starts to react – your heart rate increases, muscles become tense and you reach for the baseball bat. You are in the fight or flight mode. It makes no difference that it might just be a cat on a bin, if in your mind you think about it as the worst possible outcome your body reacts as if it’s really happening.

Now let’s take it that into a scenario where you have a cyclist who is travelling to a race or sportive and they keep thinking about the route and are concerned about all the climbs and how they might get dropped from the group or crash. As a result they forget to focus on what is important like hydration or food intake and this has a direct impact on their physical performance.

You will not perform to your best if you turn up to a race in great physical condition but your motivation is low and you can’t put in the effort required to do well or you lack focus and miss a break away or there is a sprint finish and you don’t have the confidence to go for it. You need to be physically ready for competition but it’s not enough without that commitment, confidence, control and concentration you need to succeed.

 

How should a cyclist go about setting goals? (both long and short term).

Goal setting is hugely important for performance. Most people just think about their goals at the start of the year or write them down and then put them to one side never to look at them again but that’s not good planning and a goal without a plan is just an idea!

 

Here is my five-step plan to setting goals.

 

Why is this an important process in training?

Training sessions are mini steps towards your ultimate goals and in order to get the most out of your time you need to have a sense of purpose.

The first step is to ask yourself before you go out – what do I want to achieve today? Are you going to work on climbing, speed or is it a recovery spin. Before you go out write a short list of performance goals you want to achieve. These can include:

After your ride you can tick off the goals you achieved and decide what your next session’s goals are going to be. This keeps you on target for your longer-term goals.

 

 

 

Group Training – The Value

Why cycle in a group? The Wicklow 200 is a solo event, after all, albeit one ridden in the company of 3000 friends.

Many riders are attracted to cycling and to challenge events because they like the solitude of the countryside and the peace that a long spin immersed in their thoughts offers as they focus on the physical effort surrounded by the beauty of nature.

It’s a heady mix and it’s no wonder that many shun the collective noise of group cycling to make the most of their cycling time alone.

However, the benefits of cycling in a group are numerous and unless you’re only riding your bike once a week, in which case the Wicklow 200 will be a daunting prospect, you really can enjoy the best of both worlds – solo training during the week and group rides at the weekend is the usual mix.

Group bike rides offer considerable benefits – especially as part of a spin with an established cycling club – and outlined here are the positive aspects of getting social on your spins.

groupweb

Shelter
Riding as part of a group of similar ability is, quite simply, easier. Sitting in the shelter of your fellow riders offers an easier passage and allows you to go further and faster.

Motivation
Whether it’s the ‘I’ll show ‘em’ attitude to the challenges faced or quite simply the distraction from the physical effort that riding in a group offers, most riders find they are willing to push themselves harder in training – both during the group spin, and in the subsequent midweek solo spins – buoyed by the positive encouragement of their peers.

Advice
While there is endless information available online to aid your understanding of physical training, nutrition, technical skills, bike maintenance and myriad other topics there really is nothing like the hands on one to one advice from your club mates.

Many will have faced the same challenges and encountered the same pitfalls that present themselves to you and, while you may think that you have a pretty good handle on bike riding by the time you join a club, you’ll be amazed at all the little methods, techniques and etiquette for every situation you’ll face.

As Bismark sagely put it: It’s always better to learn from someone else’s mistakes.

Technical skills
Steering the bike up hill, down dale and around every corner is one thing on your own, quite another in the company of a large group. And that’s something you’ll face on the big day in June.

Learning how to do this safely and confidently is best done in a group where the experienced riders can offer practical ‘on the bike’ demonstration and training. Classrooms and textbooks are great but there’s nothing like learning by observation and practice.

Mechanical support
If you’re new to cycling, there’s a lot to learn about maintaining your bike and, make no mistake, you’re going to have to learn the basics.

Out on group rides you might not have access to a qualified bike mechanic in the group but you will have a ready supply of riders who know how to swap a tube with the minimum of fuss and who can perform rudimentary tasks to get you back on the road after a mechanical mishap.

You’ll pick up the information pretty quickly. Staring at a hobbled machine while your clubmates look on impatiently is a rite of passage for every club rider. Someone usually steps in to help and skills are acquired quicker than a youtube demo. Skills acquired in that environment are never forgotten.

Community
Last but far from least is the tremendous sense of well being that is gleaned from belonging to a club.

There’s nothing better than soaking up the endorphins from a tough spin in the company of like-minded souls. Shared experience is a great addition to coffee stops and the knowledge that you are in a group that will have your best interests at heart is a great comfort when you’re 100km from home with 100km still to do.

Road test a couple of groups to find the one that suits you best but, rest assured, with over 450 cycling clubs dotted around the country, most of which have more than one group ride per weekend, there’s a group for you.

Pain over the Kneecap While Cycling – Karen doyle

There are many types and causes of knee pain. Knee pain is thought to constitiute 41% of chronic cycling injuries. In this article I review the causes of pain directly over the kneecap which is made worse by cycling. You may have heard of the terms patallofemoral pain (PFP), chondromalacia patellae or runners knee which are all used to describe pain around or under the kneecap.
Kneecap pain is not limited to cyclists; it is common with up to 25% of sport participants complaining of this type of pain.

Symptoms
Common symptoms of patella femoral pain can include:
· Pain located around or under the kneecap noticed when cycling, prolonged sitting, stair climbing, kneeling, hopping, running
· Gradual onset, not related to any traumatic event such as a fall, twist, or knock
· Stiffness after sitting for long periods
· Crepitus or crunching noises under the knee cap

What causes the pain?
In order to understand how it occurs, it is useful to understand the structure of the knee and the kneecap (patella). The kneecap is a triangular shaped bone that runs in a groove formed by the thigh bone (or femur). At the top the quadriceps tendon inserts into it, below the patellar tendon connects it to the shin bone (or tibia) and from each side fibrous tissue that surrounds the knee join attach to it, and from the right side it also receives attachments from the vastus medialis oblique (VMO).

The kneecap moves in this groove when the knee bends and straightens. When the kneecap does not track properly in the groove, it can rub on the sides of the groove leading to pain and inflammation. In these cases the kneecap tracks too laterally i.e. it tends to track more to the outside of the knee. Due to the excessive lateral tracking, stress can also be placed on the fibrous tissue on the inside of the knee. This can also be a source of inflammation and pain.
Anything that changes the way the kneecap moves in the groove can lead to patellofemoral pain. This can include:

Muscle Imbalances

SONY DSC

SONY DSC

· Imbalances between the muscles on the outside (lateral quads, ITB) of the leg versus the inside (VMO): the lateral muscles can put a stronger pull on the kneecap than the VMO can meet, leading to weakness and strain of the VMO. The VMO is particularly susceptible to weakening after knee injury where the leg is immobilised or full range of knee motion is restricted for a period of time. Sometimes clients will report a feeling of strain or tenderness just to the top inside of the knee which they can feel by pressing when the knee is bent. They notice it during cycling, running or stair climbing. This can be a sign that the VMO is weak, and if not addressed could later lead to pain around the kneecap.

· Studies have shown that tight ITB, weak gluteus medius and abductors, weak external rotators, and weak core can give rise to instability in the pelvis. Pelvic instability can cause the thigh bone (femur) to rotate inward more than usual. This might be observed as a side to side movement of the knee when extending the leg during the downstroke, instead of the desired linear movement of the knee as you push down on the pedal. This changes the orientation of the groove so the kneecap does not track in it properly leading to pain. A rough test of your pelvic stability would be to perform a lunge or squat and note whether the knee rolls inwards as you perform it. Your knee should keep pointing straight and not dip or turn inwards. Excessive hip dipping while cycling would also be another indicator that the gluteus medius and abductor s are weak.

Anatomical Reasons
· Increased foot pronation. Pronation is the rolling inwards of the foot during walking or running or cycling. Excessive pronation or over pronation can lead to problems at the knee. While this movement happens at the foot, it also causes a compensatory movement in the shin bone which affects the alignment at the knee impacting the kneecap and causing pain.

· The position of the shin bone, excessive inward or outward rotation of the lower leg can affect the alignment at the knee. It has been suggested that people with low arches may be more susceptible to PFP than those with normal arches as low arches change the alignment of the shin bone. The positioning of your cleats can affect the position of the shin bone and the rotation of the lower leg.

· Leg length discrepancies: when setting saddle height only one leg is correctly fitted to the pedal meaning that if the bike is fitted to suit the shorter leg, there will be increased compression of the kneecap in the groove and pain. Leg length discrepancies can occur due to rotations at the pelvis, or more unusually, if you were born with them.

Bike Set up & Training
· When cycling, a saddle set to far forward will increase the wear and tear forces on the knee and the likelihood of knee pain. Similarly cycling with the saddle too low will have the same effect. As mentioned above your cleat positioning will also affect the rotation of the shin bone and possibly impact your knee.

· Training: sudden increases in training, a lot of hill work, or cycling in high gears with low cadence can cause problems.

What can you do to help it?
The best thing to do is to get assessed and rehabilitation from a therapist familiar with the sport. They will advise you on what needs to be strengthened, work out tight muscles, perform mobilisations to realign the pelvis and correct leg length if needed, tape your knee, and determine whether to refer you for orthotics should you need them. Also consider seeing a bike fit specialist to ensure your bike setup is optimal.

 

2015 Wicklow 200 / 100

View the photos

The W200 and W 100 Climbs

 ROUTE DESCRIPTION

Starting in Greystones and heading to Kilmacanogue, Roundwood, Laragh, the Wicklow Gap, Holywood, Baltinglass, Aghavannagh, Slieve Mann, Drumgoff, Glenmalure, Rathdrum, south to the Meeting of the Waters and on to Avoca, a left turn through the villiage, past the now famous Ballykiss Angels pub and on to Redcross, Ballinderrig, then Kilmacurra, Ashford on on to the finish in Greystones.

 

The Wicklow 100 will veer left in Laragh and straight to Rathdrum for the checkpoint there and return on the same route as the Wicklow 200.

route-map

Per Centage Gradients:
At 1-2% you’ll barely notice it, like riding into a bit of a head wind.
3-4 % most people will do this quite easily. It rates as hill for a Novice-rider but to an Experienced Rider it is a mere bump.
5-7% will start to bother Novice rider, Experienced Riders will start to find it interesting.
8-9% Novice riders will find this difficult.
10-15% is going to hurt a Novice-Rider and they may give in, Experienced Riders will be challenged by this.
15% or greater and you’re in the “praying to your deity of choice” territory. This is going to be tough. Novice Riders simply will not have enough strength to push themselves up this sort of a climb.
Experienced Riders will be challenged by this gradient.

The long Hill W 200 and W100
Distance: 4.07 km Start: 11.44 km End: 15.51 km Min: 89 m Max: 287 m
Elevation gain: 221 m Elevation loss: -24 m Grade: 6.0%

Wicklow Gap W 200
Distance: 7.25 km Start: 36.39 km End: 43.64 km Min: 135 m Max: 476 m
Elevation gain: 435 m Elevation loss: -103 m Grade: 7.4%

HacketstownW 200
Distance: 1.33 km Start: 93.58 km End: 94.91 km Min: 130 m Max: 188 m
Elevation gain: 58 m Elevation loss: -1 m Grade: 4.4%

Crossbridge to Rathmeague W 200
Distance: 5.04 km Start: 102.01 km End: 107.05 km Min: 123 m Max: 221 m
Elevation gain: 107 m Elevation loss: -18 m Grade: 2.5%

Up to Mullan X V
Distance: 1.38 km Start: 111.26 km End: 112.63 km Min: 189 m Max: 240 m
Elevation gain: 50 m Elevation loss: -10 m Grade: 4.4%

After Mullan X W 200
Distance: 3.37 km Start: 113.29 km End: 116.66 km Min: 203 m Max: 308 m
Elevation gain: 115 m Elevation loss: -13 m Grade: 3.8%

Slieve Maan W 200
Distance: 3.38 km Start: 119.69 km End: 123.07 km Min: 192 m Max: 443 m
Elevation gain: 279 m Elevation loss: -29 m Grade: 9.1%

Glenmalure W 200
Distance: 3.20 km Start: 127.62 km End: 130.83 km Min: 127 m Max: 381 m
Elevation gain: 282 m Elevation loss: -29 m Grade: 9.7%

Laragh to Rathdrum W 200 and W100

Distance: 11.30 km Start: 135.07 km End: 146.37 km Min: 110 m Max: 182 m
Elevation gain: 220 m Elevation loss: -256 mGrade: 4.2%

Between Avoca and Redcross W 200 and W100
Distance: 4.09 km Start: 155.26 km End: 159.35 km Min: 29 m Max: 185 m
Elevation gain: 213 m Elevation loss: -59 m Grade: 6.6%

After Redcross W 200 and W100
Distance: 1.90 km Start: 162.52 km End: 164.41 km Min: 43 m Max: 103 m
Elevation gain: 62 m Elevation loss: -6 m Grade: 3.5%

Barndarrig W 200 and W100
Distance: 0.89 km Start: 167.06 km End: 167.94 km Min: 104 m Max: 152 m
Elevation gain: 52 m Elevation loss: -13 m Grade: 7.2%

To Kilmacurragh Jct W 200 and W100
Distance: 1.70 km Start: 168.44 km End: 170.15 km Min: 143 m Max: 187 m
Elevation gain: 55 m Elevation loss: -22 m Grade: 4.5%

Kilmanogue W 200 and W100
Distance: 1.51 km Start: 173.00 km End: 174.52 km Min: 57 m Max: 103 m
Elevation gain: 61 m Elevation loss: -16 m Grade: 5.0%

Kilcoole W 200 and W100
Distance: 1.70 km Start: 197.78 km End: 199.48 km Min: 19 m Max: 53 m
Elevation gain: 37 m Elevation loss: -3 m Grade: 2.3%

Overall
Distance: 202.40 km Start: 0.00 km End: 202.40 km Min: 9 m Max: 476 m
Elevation gain: 1860 m Approx Average Grade: 3.9%

Wicklow 200 Ireland's Premier Cycling Challenge