“Way up in the North of Ireland lie the Sperrin Mountains. Long ago, say about 500 million years ago, these were enormous mountains, but all the original sandstone, mudstone and limestone has been eroded. What we are left with is nice, easy-going, rounded quartzite and schist – all boggy and pleasant with only the odd peak rising above 600m (2,000ft).”
– Irish Times, Saturday October 20, 2012.
The author clearly wasn’t on a bike.
We’re rightly proud of our Sperrins; our vista, our home.
An area of outstanding natural beauty, the 65km of mountain range that stretches along the border of Derry and Tyrone is the place we call home. Its unspoilt beauty offers tantalising glimpses of life in another era. Old stone bridges punctuate winding mountainous roads off which lies ancient bog land and sparkling streams.
But enough of the brochures talk. It’s time to prepare.
Over the coming weeks and months, we’ll feature training plans, tips and advice from the good people of the Train Station Gym, Maghera that could, if you really want it enough, see you become a Man of Sperrin on June 11.
We’d invite you to follow us on our social media channels @manofsperrin for all the latest information, which we’ll host here on manofsperrin.com.
Months of planning are now about to roll into action and we’re looking forward to the challenge. We hope you are too.
Nice, easy-going and pleasant?
This is the hardest 100km sportive you will ever do.
We promise.
Yours,
Man of Sperrin team.