Over 170 cyclists take part in Autumn Sportive

THE 2nd Innisfree wheelers Autumn sportive is over with 170 people taking part.

With three distances to choose from, all fitness levels were catered for. Forty-five took part in the in 140km, 50 in the 100km and 75 in the 60 km. The start of the sportive was from the lovely setting of Clayton Hotel. There was a short briefing on safety at the start of each ride.

The weather remained dry for most of the day, which was certainly a help to those taking part. Cyclists travelled from all around the country to take part in this cycle.

The feedback had been very good on the event with positive comments about the organisation including the marshalling signage, the good cycling routes with the panoramic finish around Lough Gill.

There was special mention of the excellent food provided at the food stops in Knockvicar and Dromahair.

Cyclists were provided with tea scones, sandwiches, water and sympathy. Suitably refreshed, the cyclists from all three rides came back around Lough Gill and finished in the Clayton where a superb hot meal awaited them.

The facilities at the Clayton were excellent for organising the event. The support of the Garda the Civil Defence the Sligo Champion and Burns Skoda made this an enjoyable event for all.

The most important people of all the participants who came along and made the journey to take part are the people that make all the organisation worthwhile. A big thank you to all of you.

Next year the Innisfree wheelers are aiming for a bigger Autumn Sportive. The next event on the Innisfree Wheelers calendar is the ladies Tour of Lough Gill which takes place on September 30th. This is the seventh year of the event.

This a 40km route around Lough Gill. It is very suitable for beginners and experienced cyclists alike.

The cycle is at a steady pace with no cyclist being dropped behind and full assistance being provided along the route.

This ladies only cycle was the first in the country with the numbers growing every year. It has been associated with a local charity every year.

This year the associated charity is St John’s Community Hospital, who are actively raising funds to purchase a rickshaw to enable patients to get out of the hospital and be cycled around the area.

This event is being run in conjunction with Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership, Women in Sport.

As part of this a ‘Bike for Life’ course is currently being run on Wednesday evenings to get people trained up to be able to cycle the 40k route for this event. THE 28th running of the Grange 10k will take place this year on Sunday 1st October. For the first time in the race’s history, the race will have a new route and direction. Instead of heading west towards Maugherow it will head east towards Ballintrillick. The organizers are excited about the new route, it will avoid the main N15 route North and will be run on quiet and almost traffic free roads. It will also avoid the four hills which were an unavoidable feature of the first 5k of the old route.

The route has been measured up to IAAF standards for road courses and Coretiming are doing chip timing. The race will start just outside the Sports Centre and finish on the finishing straight of the all-weather track.

There will be prizes in all categories. The race will start at 1pm with the walkers starting at 12 30pm.