LAP THE LOUGH - A REVIEW

[QuestionableCarro]

Not long back from a fabulous cycle around Lough Neagh. The "Lap the Lough" event wasnt as hard as I thought it was going to be, but its probably down to the fact I put a lot of training in and knew what foods to eat etc.
The other guys with me werent as well prepared and as such we fell back a little towards the end. We did it in around 6 hours and are very proud of ourselves. Very proud given that we had to cycle in some of the worst rain I have ever experienced.

So just to put it in perspective. A cycle around Lough Neagh - 89 miles and in around the six hour mark.

THINK I SAW A CYCLE CHAT RIDER!

Wasnt able to mix it up with one of our brethern and am apologetic for it. I saw a tall guy with what appeared to be an ear ring in his left ear from afar, wearing a cycle chat pink type jersey. That one of you guys that was posting on of the earlier threads?

A very well run event and hats off to the organisers.

Sadly though I have just discovered by logging onto the website lapthelough.org that one of the cyclists tragically took a heart attack shortly before the finish.

It saddened me a lot and my thoughts are with the family...

 

[dmoan]

Glad you got round safe and sound. A great achievement on a horrid day. I hope you were spoilt rotten when you got home (like me).

I was very sorry to hear of the tragedy. I was nearly back in Belfast when it apparently happened (sometime after 16:30, judging by other posts on the internet). As I posted on the other thread, the ambulance seemed to be out and about more than previous years.

My thoughts are with the rider's friends and family.

 

[Garz]

A nice achievement there QC albeit sad about the poor persons tragic news marring what would have been a fun event for most!

 

[barnesy]

Real sad to hear about the cyclist, thoughts are with his friends and family.

This was my first event of this type and my longest distance to date, i clocked 84 miles in 4 hours 50 mins. I thought it was ment to be 87?

The rain held off nicely for us until antrim but from then on it lashed down.

I was surprised by the boost cycling in a group can help, especially with how windy it was today.

Well doe to everyone who done it, any ideas on how many there were? i heard over 1000 pre registered then however many more on the day

 

[Will1985]

wearing a cycle chat pink type jersey.

Pink? There were requests for pink and celeste versions ages ago, but I've stuck to blue and black.....any more variations and I would go insane!

 

[getfit]

Well done to all that completed the Lap! I didn't find it easy at all. Part of the problem may have been trying to stay with a small group with road bikes at the beginning. They seemed to be cruising while I was constantly working to keep up. After about 30 minutes I fell behind but tried to keep up a constant pace.

We stopped at Shane's Castle for lunch after 54 miles with a willing bunch of hardworking people who made sure we had a steady flow of tea coffee sandwiches and biscuits.

Once I left the Castle it started to rain and I really felt the energy ebbing away. It was a slow ride to the finish and seemed to just go on and on. My trip computer showed a total distance of just over 84 miles so I must say this was a boost not having to do the other 3 miles. (Not sure if it is my computer that's wrong?)

My total time was 6 hours 25 minutes, I stopped for just a minute at the first water stop and about 20 minutes for lunch. Getting back on the bike after lunch took a few miles to ease the legs back in to the swing.

The hardest thing to get over was just how fast the road bikes were. They not only seemed to pass with ease but seemed to be relaxed and often able to slow the pedalling down or stop altogether on a regular basis yet still disappear at a fast rate of knots.

As QC says, the whole event was very well organised and hats off to them. But twice in the ride I saw bikers’ arrogance at its worse. The first was a Fire Engine with its blues and twos going yet small groups of cyclists didn't feel the need to make any attempt to move over on twisty country roads holding the Fire Crew up. Later in the ride we had an Ambulance again in Emergency mode go by and again small groups failed to make any attempt to help the crew.

Final I would also like to pass on my condolences to the family and friends of the cyclist who died.

GF

 

[Banjo]

Not long back from a fabulous cycle around Lough Neagh. The "Lap the Lough" event wasnt as hard as I thought it was going to be, but its probably down to the fact I put a lot of training in and knew what foods to eat etc.
The other guys with me werent as well prepared and as such we fell back a little towards the end. We did it in around 6 hours and are very proud of ourselves. Very proud given that we had to cycle in some of the worst rain I have ever experienced.

So just to put it in perspective. A cycle around Lough Neagh - 89 miles and in around the six hour mark.

THINK I SAW A CYCLE CHAT RIDER!

Wasnt able to mix it up with one of our brethern and am apologetic for it. I saw a tall guy with what appeared to be an ear ring in his left ear from afar, wearing a cycle chat pink type jersey. That one of you guys that was posting on of the earlier threads?

A very well run event and hats off to the organisers.

Sadly though I have just discovered by logging onto the website lapthelough.org that one of the cyclists tragically took a heart attack shortly before the finish.

It saddened me a lot and my thoughts are with the family...

nice one QC (and everyone else that did it)sounds like U were well prepared for it.Furthest I have done is 60 miles also in heavy rain by coincidence.

A real shame about the heart attack guy but I guess its inevitable now and then with thousands of people doing something strenuous.

 

[weepiglet]

Sadly though I have just discovered by logging onto the website lapthelough.org that one of the cyclists tragically took a heart attack shortly before the finish.

It saddened me a lot and my thoughts are with the family...

I too would like to pass on my deepest sympathies to Bryans family and friends, a sad loss on a day that should have been about fun, friendship and exercise.

Keep cycling Bryan........