Mick Byrne 200 For Beginners

The weekly leisure mail advised that “the MB200 is a tough tough day”. Repeating the word tough should have been a clue….

Mick Byrne 200 For Beginners

The weekly leisure mail advised that “the MB200 is a tough tough day”. Repeating the word tough should have been a clue, but in a rush of early season enthusiasm I signed up anyway. As the day approached I checked the forum to see who else was taking part. Names I might recongise from the ‘off white/soft yellow’ Winter spins were noticeably absent. Time for a reality check.

I got to Dalkey early on Sunday, signed on, and decided to leave ahead of the official start. I reckoned that if I tried to stay with an Orwell group up Dalkey Hill, and then up Killiney Hill, then I probably would be exhausted before I crossed the N11. Better to get going, warm up, and try to latch onto groups for a while as they passed me.

I made good time to Enniskerry where the first of the fast bunch caught up. Had a chat with Stephen as some Orwells went by, and set my own PR on the Old Long Hill Climb. I managed to stay with various groups through Roundwood and as far as the Devils Glen climb. When I got to the first checkpoint before Avoca there was a good crowd there so I felt reassured that I wasn’t at the back. A feed of cake, top up the water and keep going, feeling good. (No need to invoke Plan-B which was to switch to the 160km route and take the main road to Aughrim).

Stayed on the MB200, right turn after Woodenbridge, onto unknown roads. There is a section here called White Heaps on Strava, its not particularly steep, but it goes on foreveeeer. I don’t know why, but I found this to be the toughest climb of the day. I was with a couple of guys from Bohermeen CC and it was sweat and expletives that got us to the top.

I stopped at Aughrim for a 99 and a can of full sugar coke (guilt free), then up past Macreddin village as the sky darkened. A thunderstorm looked likely but fortunately never happened. More food and water just before Aghavannagh then over Slieve Mann. The sun was shining again as I passed the Glenmalure Lodge where showing great restraint I surpressed the urge to rehydrate.

Sandwiches made to order at the Laragh, more fruitcake and back out onto the familiar Glenmacnass road. Late afternoon, warm sunshine, and bit of a breeze to keep me cool as I passed the waterfall. What could be nicer? Over the next crest and the breeze was no longer my friend. A stiff headwind sucked the energy from tired legs. It was a long slog until Kippure mast finally came into view, then one last push and its downhill nearly all the way home. With the end in sight I hardly noticed Bono hill. The route meanders a bit at the end to get to 200km where Sorrento CC had a great spread of food. Job done. Many thanks to Paul O’Donoghue/Sorrento CC for a well organised and enjoyable event.

Highs: Rolling in a bunch after Roundwood, an ice-cream cone filled with Ambrosia creamed rice at checkpoint 2, early evening sun approaching Kippure.

Lows: Headwind across Sally Gap, the ‘scenic’ tour around the potholed backstreets of Dalkey from 197 to 199km.

Verdict: A great day out ! The “tough tough” description was good advice for someone like me who had never done this much climbing in a day. I had a reasonable idea what to expect, after that it was just a matter of pedalling.

Would I do it next year? Why not!