Willow Wheelers

Live to ride, Ride to live

WW 100 Mile Cycle: 5 May 2024

Welcome to our 100 Mile Cycle in 2024, raising funds to provide emergency relief for our supported projects in developing countries.

Your safety is our highest priority. All cyclists must respect and strictly comply with the public health guidelines and other restrictions in force.  It will be very important that each cyclist takes full responsibility for their own safety as this is not possible for the Club and our junior members will need appropriate adult supervision, preferably within the same family where possible.  Please monitor the weather conditions and ensure that you have suitable clothes for the day.

Donations:

We can make a real difference and provide emergency relief to help improve the lives of those who are most profoundly affected during this time of crisis. You can read about some of our previous WW Mission Trips by clicking here.

All donations, whether you cycle or not, will be gratefully received!
  1. Donate through our website by following this link to the Donate button: https://willowwheelers.club/donate/
  2. Please contact any member of the Committee or send an email to contact@willowwheelers.ie for bank details
  3. Cash or cheques payable to “Willow Wheelers Mission Fund” can be delivered c/o “Willow Wheelers” to Blackrock College or Willow Park School.

You can get your 2024 “Sponsor a Spoke” card from: (i) reception at Willow Park School; (ii) reception at Blackrock College and (iii) from Christy McDaid. We are very grateful for all your support. If you have any questions please contact any of the Committee, your WhatsApp group leaders or email contact@willowwheelers.ie.

Registration:

All participante should complete the WW Club registration form and provide it to the officials on the morning of the event. To save you time on the day of the event, you can download the form HERE and have it completed ahead of your arrival.

Cycling Ireland (“CI”) now require online registration for insurance purposes, which is free for CI members by following this CI link: https://eventmaster.ie/event/RpzKUL5h76. There is a €20 one-day-fee for non-CI members who wish to avail of the CI insurance for the event.  You may need create/activate an Eventmaster account and provide some personal details to get a CI event ticket and the process is outlined by following the CI link.

Summary of event timings:

The exact route varies over the years, but typically, shape of the day (times are approximate) is as follows:

  • 7:30am Mass in Blackrock College, followed by tea and biscuits in the teachers’ dining room
  • 8:10am Submit registration form and sign-on (also note Cycling Ireland process above)
  • 8:30am Departure from Blackrock College
  • 9:15am Pheonix Park
  • 11:30am Trim
  • 1:30pm Kinnegad (Lunch) (80km) – Depart latest by 2:30pm
  • 5:30pm Maynooth (joined by former club members)
  • 18:30 Topaz Garage, near Rathfarnam Shopping Centre (joined by fifth form members)
  • 19:30 Arrive back to Blackrock College  (160km)

See below a more detailed information sheet of the arrangements on the day – credit to Aine O’Donoghue

Enjoy your cycles, have fun and feel free to share photos of your cycles on Willow Wheelers’ Facebook and Twitter.

Christy McDaid & Willow Wheelers Committee

Route:

The 100 Mile Cycle Route scheduled on Sunday 5thay 2024 (unchanged from last year’s route) is accessible as follows:

Our Chief Marshals this year will be appointed closer to the event.  A meeting for marshals, drivers and the support team for the 100 Mile Cycle will take place in Willow Park School Cafeteria in late April 2024.  If you wish to become a cycling mashal, please contact any WW Committee member.  A final marshals and support team briefing takes place at 8am at Blackrock College on the morning of the event. The Chief Marshals’ 2023 presentation is here: WW-2023-100M-Marshals-and-Drivers-Briefing 26042023 v1

A Safety and Etiquette Cycling note has been prepared by Mike Hannigan, one of our WW members.  We recommend that you all take the time to read it: HERE.

Information Sheet for the Willow Wheelers 100-Mile Charity Cycle 2024

Credit: Aine O’Donoghue

Some points to note:

  • Although it is called the 100-Mile Cycle, some cyclists may prefer to do part of the route whether it be 20km, 30 km or longer. All efforts are appreciated and valued.
  • Back-up cars are on hand throughout to carry cyclists and their bikes if needed.
  • It is important for safety reasons to keep the group together, if cyclists are falling behind it is safer to get into one of the back-up cars and re-join the peloton at the top.
  • A bicycle repair van accompanies the peloton and First Aid is also available throughout the event.
  • Enjoy the day!

The following information may be useful for first timers:

Time

Location /Activity

Notes

7.30am

Mass in Blackrock College

It has been a tradition, since the first 100-Mile, for those who wish to do so to attend the Mass to bless all participants (not obligatory to attend).

8.00am

Tea and biscuits in Blackrock Cafeteria

Members can use the bathroom at this time.

8.00am-8.30am

Registration in Blackrock college (area to the left of the building) and collect a 100-Mile T-shirt (can be worn on the cycle or kept as a souvenir)

Forms can be downloaded from the website HERE beforehand, then signed and handed in at the registration desk.  Forms are also available on the day.

Guest cyclists who are not current members of Cycling Ireland are asked to pay €5 (amount tbc) to cover Cycling Ireland insurance fee.

8.00am-8.30am

Put an extra set of clothes in one of the back-up cars.  Back up cars will be clearly marked, take a note of the car and driver carrying your extra gear. (Mobile number).

Bring an extra set of warm cycling & rain gear, plus socks in case of rain/cold etc.

Ensure you have enough water, and perhaps carry an energy bar.  There will be plenty of food stops along the way.

8.30am

The cycle is launched and all cyclist move off. There is usually a ‘celebrity’ to launch the cycle.

It is important that everyone is lined up before the launch at 8.30 and ready to leave.  Christy will lead the peloton down the avenue and out the Willow Park gate.  At this stage, cyclists can be bunched up so keep an eye on cyclists in front of you.

8.30am-11.30am

On route to Trim

Marshals will be on route to give directions and provide information regarding road surface, traffic and other safety instructions.

ETA 11.30am

Arrival in Trim Leisure Centre Food and bathroom stop

Catering team on hand to provide tea/coffee/ water/juices, plus sandwiches/small cakes etc.

 

12.30pm (latest)

Depart Trim

Put used cups etc. in bins provided

ETA 13.30pm

Arrival in Kinnegad

Lunch can be bought in Pubs/ Café.  If weather is good lunch can be bought in Spar and eaten on the green.

2.30pm

Depart Kinnegad for Enfield / Maynooth, Leixlip, Tallaght

There will be a stop at a SuperValu carpark along the way and another stop in Maynooth College.

 

Meet up with the 5th and 6th Form cyclists. The whole peloton returns to Blackrock College.

The peloton will regroup and cycle back as one group led by the 5th Formers.

There will be food for the students and cyclists in the College dining hall
     

Thank you!