Mourne Sportive & Hilly 2013

[manuel6b]

The pre-entries or the 2013 Mourne Sportive and Hilly Leisure Tours are now open.

The Mourne Sportive is entered using EntryCentral (this works as we have one entered already).

The Hilly Leisure tours are entered using PayPal. Can someone please enter one of these distances to check that the system fully works? See the link on the main website. I need you to go all the way through the process to the PayPal site, then pay.

Many thanks in advance

Martin

[Graham B]

Martin, 125 entered and paid for successfully

[manuel6b]

Less than a fortnight now to the Hilly / Sportive. Get your entries in for this too.

[manuel6b]

If you are planning on taking part in the Hilly or Sportive please get pre-entered ASAP. Pre-entry is cheaper than paying on the day.

[manuel6b]

VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED

Not including volunteers to mark the roads (see separate thread)

We need people to man the sign on tables (5 - 7) - can all take part
We need car park attendees (1/2) - can all take part
We need helpers at the tea stop (3/5)
We need someone to go to the top of Spelga with bottles of water and a timing station for the Sportive riders
We need someone at the finish area to hand out gifts.

Please let me know if you can help.

[manuel6b]

16 entered so far for the Sportive
26 for the Hilly.

[lisa]

Think I already said I'll do sign on.

[Graham B]

Martin,

I'll help with sign on or car park, whichever is required. What time do you want us there for?

[manuel6b]

Thanks Graham and Lisa. I was called last week by Dave F (now with Dromore CC) who has offered to help at the tea stop.

39 in for the Hilly, 19 in for the Sportive (2 brave ones from Dromara).

[garz]

Entered, went fine using paypal. Martin I signed for the 85, if i'm felling stupid on the day can I tackle the 125?

Gareth

[manuel6b]

Gareth, of course you can.

[manuel6b]

Pre-entry for the Sportive closes tonight. 34 entries so far!!

Pre-entry for the Hilly 60, 85 and 125 closes tomorrow at 6pm. 80 in so far.

[lisa]

Thanks to everyone who helped with this. Martin and his folks, road markers, the Jaffa Cake Boys on Dree Hill, tea stop helpers, signer on-ers, the CRC van and the many other people who do the behind the scenes stuff that makes it such a fantastic day. Now where did I put my compression tights?

[Graham B]

Well said Lisa. Big thanks to Martin and everyone else who organised today. Great event. Well done to all those who took part, especially the Sportive nutcases;-) Special mention to the Magowan bros for motivational words and Jaffa cakes on the Cornmill and Dree.. Looking forward to seeing Gav's pics of the carnage on cornmill ;-)

[Gavin]

All photos now uploaded to my Facebook site ...............Gavin Magowan 

[manuel6b]

Many thanks to the sign on crew, Graham, Aoife, Bernie and Lisa (then Dave Fisher).
Many thanks to Phillip W for sorting out the car parking.
Many thanks to the tea stop gang, Dave Fisher, Aoife, Bernie and my folks.
Many thanks to Eddie D for sorting out Meelmore and the water stop at the top of Spelga.
Many thanks to Aoife, Bernie (then Lisa) for their help back at the football club, feeding and giving out keyrings.
Many thanks to Ian in the football club for opening up early in the morning then looking after the thirsty riders returning.
Many thanks to Leitrim GAA club for hosting us in their excellent venue.
Many thanks to Tony and Brendan and to ChainReaction Cycles for their support in the van.
Many thanks to the Eurospar in Dromara for storing the food.
Many thanks to TVR and their food contacts at Muller, Freshways sandwiches, penguii bars and Sunny D drinks.
Many thanks to Lagan Valley Orienteers for the loan of the SportIdent timing equipment for the Sportive riders.

And a big thank you to all the riders who came from near and far to support our event. We exceeded all our previous attendance records with approximately 275 taking part.


My photos are
here.

[barryvankellett]

Many thanks to all those folk Martin mentioned as well as Martin himself.

BVK Ride Report(!)
I had a late rush of blood to the head on friday night and a hastily signed permission slip granted followed by a hurried entry onto the Big'Un. I did it back in 2011 and had a great day out with Davy Chambers so was looking forward to getting another rip at it.

A quick glance of the sign ups and I spotted a few likely DCC names on the list to ride around it with. I met Gary B in Ballynahinch early on Sunday morning with more power bars and gels in the pockets than I thought possible. On the other hand, we met Big Ring Marty at sign on with 3 empty Jersey pockets and looking a little pale and with a slightly more perplexed look on his face than usual.
As it transpired, our king of torque had only gone to bed at 4am and up again at 7am, and had decided the sportive was doable with no breakfast in your Belly. I feared this would not end well for the big fella.

We rolled out with the Dromara group leading the sizeable bunch, Setting the pace at an alarming 14mph. Over Downeys leap, up the little drumlins and the legs are warming up. The cornmill beckons, I warn a few fresh faced riders around me: “inner ring, now!”. Bit of slipping and wheel spin from one or two, but thankfully the offroad experience kicked in and up on the rocks and grassy verge I went, and we all made it up without a dab.

The keen men behind, by now getting twitchy and nervous that their average speed goals were going to end in tatters, soon cruised past leaving the 4 of us to chat and laugh at Marty. Hawthorne then decided he was too good for us and rode off to Leitrim on his own. Big Ring Marty called it a day, after climbing dree hill, as he was now fuelling his ride solely on muscle, internal organs and brain matter and having difficulty riding in a straight line and keeping himself warm.

Bailie then showed off his performance enhancing wheels on all the downhills. My saddle bag made a break for freedom and that was about the height of the excitement before the first food stop. Before we had even sat down we witnessed the second coming of Big Ring himself as he burst in through the door. Revitalised by a box of Icelands finest frozen burgers and a large tub of ice cream. We never did ask if he bothered cooking those burgers.

We pick up long distance specialist Michael as we left the tea stop. Off across the “flat” bit to Mayobridge. Marty sends us on as we are disrupting his style. Up Tamary and Michael punctures, with his side kick Hawthorne leaving him there. So Gary and myself did the same. It seemed to be the done thing if you wanted to survive this ride.

Tea Stop number 2 and quite a few traybakes, cakes and buns are gorged. I pity anyone who was coming after us – as I personally made it my goal to leave as little there for them as possible. We waited a few minutes expecting to see Marty again, but no sign. We assumed that either his front mech had jammed in the 39t or he rode on without stopping at meelmore, as eating is beneath a man of his talents.

A high speed puncture by Gary and a short stop to repair. While waiting I start trying to guesstimate how far we have left to go. Confused by the KM and Miles conversion, my distance including riding over earlier, I came to the conclusion that we must be nearly there, just round the next bend. Naturally I decide to horse it on home hoping that I can get there before the 125ers have eaten all the nicest cakes and buns. As it turns out, we were an hour from home. But it was certainly top quality Marathon XC training. Unfortunately Zak got there before me. So Fat.

Great Day out.
Recommend it to pretty much anyone. It is tough, but do it at your own pace and forget about keeping up with “sportive pro’s”

[Graham B]

Hilarious report BVK. Looking forward to reading Marty's riposte..

[david hawthorne]

well said Barry, and indeed all true every last bit of it ,though I have been blocking out the more painful memories today! such a great day out on the bike and that windy gap on the way home is not that bad is it, or is that bit blocked out ,, maybe ..

[ross]

Thanks to all involved for another great hilly! Super day.