Gael Force 6

racso1975

Did anybody take part in this event at the weekend? Am really tempted to take part next year and just wondering if anybody could tell me what it is like or what the training for it is like?

jarmstrong001

I did this race for the first time at the weekend. The course is very hilly (even apart from croagh patrick!) and some of the ground covered on the runs is very marshy but it probably wont be quite as wet next year with a bit of luck. I used a racer bike and had to carry it for around 2.5k in the last section.
I did my first sprint triathlon this summer and had done a fair bit of training for that on the flat, before this race I did a couple of 10k runs including hills and a couple of longer cycles but I was way off the pace with my time so would recommend more running than that. The canoeing was very easy and is only a very small part of the race - 8 minutes out of 6 3/4 hours for me!

racso1975

and did you do much canoe training? just that i have never canoe'd in my life so wondering would i need to do much before next year?

jarmstrong001

I had been in a canoe before years ago so I had a fair idea what to do. They are 2 man canoes so there will be someone else with you to help out anyway. You wouldn't need to do any training specifically but it might be handy to have a go between now and next year just to see how it is done.

tracto

Did it for the first time at the weekend as well. Had a great time. The mud makes it in my opinion! Going up croagh patrick after a long cycle is as hard as it sounds but just keep at it and you'll get there eventually. Over 800 people did it this year and i really doubt the majority did any serious training for it. Just get out jogging and you'll be fine (also try to get your hands on a road bike rather than a mountain bike, it'll make the 40km much easier)

jarmstrong001

I just found an email from Gael Force which had been deleted by my spam filter. Apparently they did canoe training sessions the day before the race, see below...

7. Kayak refresher sessions – Friday 22nd August evening
We have been getting a few enquiries about skill level required for the paddling section of GF6. Some are nervous about the kayaks. This is a short section and the water, waves and the huge views make it exhilarating; the better you can paddle, the more enjoyable it is! We have excellent safety cover provided for the whole crossing. Some people still want a bit of last-minute training to brush up on their skills and to help them feel more confident about the crossing itself. This year we are offering a 30 minute training session to those who want to “pre-paddle” the Killary and just brush up on their kayaking. These sessions will be held at 1800 and 1900 on Friday 22nd August at Killary Adventure centre. You will spend 30 minutes with an instructor and this will include time in the water on the Killary at the Gael Force crossing location. If you feel this would benefit you, please email info@gaelforcewest.ie stating which time you would prefer before Friday and we will sign you up for a refresher session. They are priced at €10 per head and all equipment is provided. It’s an ideal activity to do before or after registering, as Delphi is only 25mins (by road) the other side of the water from Killary.

CunningStunt

Also did GF6 for the first time this year. Really enjoyed it, weather was poxy at the start, but cleared up later on. As mentioned above, an awful lot of people didn't seem to have done a huge amount of training for it and managed to finish in one piece. Kayak section is too short to warrant any serious training IMO, best tip is to use a road bike, infinitely better than a mountain bike, off road section is all rideable on a road bike if you take it steady, really enjoyable day out anyway, definitely be back next year

Enduro

Did the race this year for the first time. I would guess that unlike most people, this was a bit of a step down for me in terms of race distance. So for me there was no specific training for it, though I did re-balance my normal training to have more road biking at the expense of mountain biking (road bike is definitely the way to go, bike-wise). The kayaking section is indeed very short (6:25 for my shipmate and me). It still helps an awful lot if the backseat driver can keep the boat in a straight line. We made up time on our nearest rivals by doing this, and margins were tight enough that every bit helps. I heard stories that some people were taking 20 minutes to cross... if things reach that level then a bit of kayak training will be a huge help.

Croagh Patrick is the most technical hill-run I've come accross in Ireland, so a bit of hill running practice on technical ground can make a big difference on this section.

By the way, for an adventure race, it wasn't that hilly, and is a bit of an all-out sprint, as these things go.

If you liked this race, then there are better adventure races around that are well worth trying, such as the Turas Beag, or the Ballyhoura Blitz. Team races like the Beast of Ballyhoura, the Carlingford Lough Endurance Challenge, The Causeway Coast race series, or even the Turas if you really want to give yourself something big to aim for, are more fun again.

T runner

Enduro you forgot to mention that the Warriors run the day after in Sligo is a handy warm down.

See you on Corrig!

hunnymonster

just saw someone in the bank who had a race teeshirt on.... an his arm in a pretty serious looking cast! hope you all survived ok.

Enduro

No injuries here anyway. Just a bit stiff afterwards, which didn't make for optimal conditions for racing in the warriors run. Of course, I was even worse after that race.

Those T-shirts are pretty good quality. The Warrior's T-shirt is better again. Between the pair of races I ended up with tons of clothes after the weekend. It'll be a long time before I need to buy a T-shirt again.

Sniipe

Gael force was my first long distance event ever (aside from a very few long cycles). I did it in 6 hrs 6 min and was delighted with that.

I did 4 weeks training, and unfortuntely I "did" my knee a bit... apparently its called runners knee (according to a self diagnosis).

The event itself for me was soo difficult. I had a road bike (trek 1400) which zoomed by almost everything. There is 1 place where you have to come off the road bike and its not for long. Those with more expensive bikes may come off for longer.

I was on my own for this event, cause the G/F dropped out and the other friend was in a later bus even tho we were both in the joggers bus.

I had 2 problems with the event physically. One was going up the long drag on the bike I actually got my first cramped calf muscle... I had to jump off the bike I was in so much pain. Thankfully 2 guys stopped with my loud moans and "cramped" me out... Jesus I'm not joking here but it would have been less painful if you had stuck a knife into my leg.

The other injury didn't manifest until after the event. This one I kinda ignored. I trained on the tuesday before the event and got runners knee. This kinda went away, but not fully by the start of the race. Anyway I'm now still in pain and don't know what to do... although its definately healing, but its so slow.

I've blogged the event and I used a garmin to show how unfit I was.

http://sniipe.blogspot.com/

[edit]No training is required for the kayak section, I did it in 9 min with a heavier guy who cramped in his groin area...[/edit]

GoHardOrGoHome

I did Gaelforce as well for the first time. I'm definitely going to be back for more next year.

It took me a little over four and a half hours which I was delighted with. Not quite sure what I could do to improve this apart from getting fitter and faster. (i.e. didn't make any bad decisions regarding bike choice or footwear and didn't get any injuries etc.)

I used a road bike (only option in my opinion) although I was petrified of getting a puncture. The rough section is very short so I just jogged along with the bike.

I wasn't expecting the sharp climb and descent in the first 12k run.

Had a banana and about 200ml of diluted Lucozade Sport (I find it too syrupy to drink straight) at the kayak stage and ate two bananas and a Fry's Turkish Delight on the cycle (magic stuff!). I also had 500ml of cheap Tesco imitation Red Bull. Not the nicest but it didn't turn my stomach. Didn't have any normal sports drinks in the (huge) Tesco that I went to. Also drank about 200-300ml of water on the cycle.

Croagh Patrick was for me the hardest part of the day. I could probably improve on that next year. My splits were 40 minutes up/20 minutes down.

I was expecting some sort of an assault course at the finish in Westport but that wasn't to be.

Great day out. Would have liked to run with friends or at least meet them on Croagh Patrick if they were in later waves. By chance I was put in the first wave (I was a runner, not elite!) whereas other friends (runners) were in later waves.

I wonder will they revert to the one-long-day GF12 or continue the 2 day Gael Force? I'd be interested in a longer Adventure Race (maybe An Turas Beag) but I'm not that pushed on staying around for a second day where only 15 teams of two take part.

Enduro

Well done lads. The first one is always that bit more intimidating.

Not quite sure what I could do to improve this apart from getting fitter and faster.

Thats usually the trick alright

Croagh Patrick was for me the hardest part of the day. I could probably improve on that next year. My splits were 40 minutes up/20 minutes down.

Try taking up hillrunning. You'll look forward to the Croagh Patrick section then. Hillracing in Ireland is organised by IMRA (www.imra.ie)

They seemed to make a bit of a mess of the buses. I had the opposite problem to you, and had to spend half an hour at 11:30pm on Friday night getting myself moved from the walkers bus to the Elite bus.

15 teams isn't actually a too small a size for an adventure race at all. Smaller numbers make the race more intimate. You tend to get to know both the other teams, and the marshals a lot better.

sarsfield06

This was my second year doing it. If you pace yourself you can do it at any fitness level. I improved about 20 minutes on last year's time to about 4hrs 40 mins although my bike had mechanical problems last year. I am a Gaelic Footballer so most of my training was on football pitches although I did a few hill runs/cycles in the weeks before the event and normally cycle everyday to get around. My quads were by far the most sore muscles after the event, not sure why that is but presume it's from descending?

I'm interested in getting up Croagh Patrick quicker but I feel this is more to do with leg fatigue rather than technique. Although on the way down trail runners would be much better than my road runners as I was out in the lose rocks most of the time as there was no grip an the well trodden path. The first hill of the run was very treacherous on the way down, I could have done with my football boots! I don't know my Croke Patrick splits as I lost my timing chip on the way down!

GoHardOrGoHome

Enduro wrote: »

Try taking up hillrunning. You'll look forward to the Croagh Patrick section then. Hillracing in Ireland is organised by IMRA (www.imra.ie)

I did take up the hill running this year! I did the Leinster league and really enjoyed it. For those short races though the best race strategy seems to be go hard up the hill because it's easy enough to come down it. For the longer races if you don't have the energy in your quads for the way down then you can't attack the descent. Which is what happened in my case.

Croagh Patrick is fairly extreme anyway, give me Lug na Coille (sp?) any day.

Enduro wrote: »

15 teams isn't actually a too small a size for an adventure race at all. Smaller numbers make the race more intimate. You tend to get to know both the other teams, and the marshals a lot better.

I didn't realise that. If I can get a chance I might enter one of the remaining adventure races this year but I haven't had a chance to organise either training or to try to get the weekends off from other commitments.

Next year definitely.

Enduro

Glad to hear your with IMRA. Its the most fun to be had running in Ireland. You're right about Croagh Patrick. Its the most technical hillrun in Ireland, IMHO, but that's why I love it.

I wouldn't agree with you about hill-race strategy. I always make sure to leave enough to accelerate off the top and fly down. You're right that the quads are usually the main thing to go on the longer races, but from a GF6 point of view the good news is that the best way to counter this is to do more cycling.

Adventure races are fundamentally about enjoying yourself, so don't worry about your fitness... just get out and give them a go. The experience of trying them will be of more benifit to you than training and waiting until you get fitter. There are two nice ones coming up ( have a look at http://www.causewaycoastar.co.uk/)