Art O'Neill Challenge 2011

Enduro

4 stars (good)

unknownlegend wrote: »

Hi folks,
Will be walking this with a bunch of friends and really looking forward to it. Just 2 questions:
I have a led lenser flash light, it has excellent brightness and battery life etc, will that do as the mandatory light?
Secondly, how much food and water would be advisable to carry in the backpack? I was thinkin 2 litres, which can be filled at the various stops? And not sure about the type of food to bring, sandwiches, flapjacks, etc?
Thanks guys.

Led Lenser if fine. Have fresh batteries in it plus a spare set (batteries don't work so well in the cold).

Water/liquid is a personal thing. Since you're walking it the weight of it isn't such a big deal, so 2 litres is good. If your using a bladder for yout water contain, be aware that there is a chance the hose could freeze if the weather turns colder. Personally, I've no problem refilling water from streams.

Food again is a personal thing. Bring plenty though. High energy stuff, but stuff that you definitely like and will eat. Flapjacks sound perfect. Make sure you can fit plenty of food into your pockets etc, so that you can get at it easily on the move (you're then far more likely to eat it).

Enduro

4 stars (good)

Fi H wrote: »

Ian who was there and won the race last time in 6 hours said that if people were leaving their mandatory kit for Kippure to be aware that there is a height gain up to Kippure and that the road up to there last time was extremly icy and it was really cold. He said that he will be still packing all his rain gear and some warm thermals for that stretch even though he is running. (Correct me if I am getting this wrong but thats what I heard

Ian is actually spelt Eoin... that causes plenty of confusion. I blame my parents!

I think you've got it all spot on there!

RacoonQueen

Good luck to all doing this. Hopefully I can come along and play next year. Seems like a great one, have been dying to do a night time ultra seen as I'm a real night time runner these days. Have a blast, I look forward to the reports.

Fi H

4 stars (good)

Enduro wrote: »

Ian is actually spelt Eoin... that causes plenty of confusion. I blame my parents!

Good to know!

Just looking at the latest weather forecast and its showing -6 degrees but will feel like -13 degrees.....am thinking of revisiting the shops yet again tonight

jb-ski

4 stars (good)

Enduro wrote: »

Make sure you can fit plenty of food into your pockets etc, so that you can get at it easily on the move (you're then far more likely to eat it).

that's a great bit of advice;
I would have wasted time rummaging in the bag or postponed eating until the
'next stop'.

See you tomorrow eve.

nerraw1111

4 stars (good)

Anyone else try pack their bag yet? Mine seems a bit light with all the mandatory kit and I'm not a weight weenie by any means.

I'm doing the hybrid so will be changing gear at first checkpoint and then picking up a bag with spare layers etc.

Bit of room left in an 18 litre bag. That sound about right?

longford76

I'm taking part in the hybrid too.

I was hoping to keep it pretty light for the run part and then have a full change at Kippure but a little unsure of what I'll need to have at the changeover.

Is it right to say we can run in our running gear (runners, tights, tops etc) and have a light enough bag with some water and food and then when we get to Kippure we can have a 50L bag with gear for changing (from the e-mail yesterday)?

My concern is that for the complete change of clothes including heavy coat, fleeces, boots and mandatory kit that I won't be able to fit it into a 50L bag...

Anyone else worried about this or am I just being paranoid?

Thanks

bpollard

I am also taking part in the hybrid.

My understanding is that I need the following kit changes as hybrid - (simplified)
1.running kit - includes clothing, runners,small backpack\platypus,viz, etc
2.Treking gear that we change into after run - layers, boots, jacket, accessories etc
3. Spare set of trekking gear in backpack in case.
4. Change of clothing at finish.

AS I am running with small platypus I am dependant on having all my kit in my trek backpack. I obviously want to complete trek with a light as possible bag i.e none of my running gear or final change of clothing.

I am wondering if I will be allowed to use two small 25L bags so that I can ship all non-required equipment for trek from Kippure to Finish! What that would mean is that I have a bag ready for trek immediately at Kippure, 2nd small bag I can remove gear I am wearing on trek change into and put in the gear I wore running to be forwarded to end.


Bren

Fi H

4 stars (good)

They said they will be giving the runners a separate plastic bag to put their stuff in for Kippure so potentially it would be fine to have 2 25l bags in that - might be worth putting the 2 into a couple of plastic bags and just ripping one out then.

I also remembered that the guy from mountain rescue said that the following GPS co-ordinate given on the Art site:
Art’s plaque (T:036 991) should be a 4 instead of a 1 for those using GPS

He said it but its up to you if you decide to take this! Dont balme me if he was wrong

ocnoc

3 stars (average)

nerraw1111 wrote: »

I'm doing the hybrid so will be changing gear at first checkpoint and then picking up a bag with spare layers etc.

Bit of room left in an 18 litre bag. That sound about right?

Put in an spare warm top that you don't intend to use - chance are you will use it.
I reckon my 30L pack will be close to full (i think, haven't tried to pack yet) and I am a serious weight weenie...

Big difference between walking and running it. Don't underestimate how cold it could get.

(please don't flog yourself on route to the kippure... aka don't try keep up with Eoin, he doesn't exactly slow down. Been there, done that :cool: bad idea)

guapos

Hope you all enjoyed your self last night, was strange walking home in the rain feeling jealous of all of you up the mountains, soaked freezing and tired

ThisRegard

Jealously wasn't on my mind when looking at the rain/sleet/snow and then seeing all the ice this morning.

Fair play to anyone who even made it to the start in that weather !

unknownlegend

Got to say I thought it was very tough but a very fulfilling experience... looking forward to next year.

Hats off to those who ran, very impressive :-)

Fi H

4 stars (good)

So morto to report I missed the cut off at Kippure and had to come home after the first 25km. Couldnt walk on the ice at all and got a load of blisters which really slowed me down.

I dont think I was really prepared mentally for how tough it would be setting off at bed time and having to keep going through the night. So my goal for next year is to get to at least check point 2! also to have hiked a good bit of it over the summer to get the lay of the land so I will have an idea of what to expect. AND to get out before Christmas regardless of the weather and train properly - if its on next year that is!

That said I am soooo delighted I gave it a go and now I have so much swanky gear I have to keep getting out to justify it!

Fair play to all the runners who whizzed by on the Kippure road - I was the girl with the red flashing bands around her ankles in case you saw me Its always amazing to see the best of the best out there! Really an inspiration to get out more and try harder

And well done to Adventure10 who I know finished it in 16.5hours!! A real triumph!

nerraw1111

4 stars (good)

Epic event. Too tired for full report. Massive thanks to guides zoran and seamus who unfortunately I didn't get to thank personally. Awesome work lads.

Enduro narrowly beat me by 5 hours or so to claim victory in 7 hours 15. Incredible stuff given almost White out conditions.

One of the best events I've ever done. Im physically and mentally exhausted but wow.

jb-ski

4 stars (good)

+1
well done Enduro (again!)

7 hr 10min(ish) is something ordinary folk can just dream about:)

Krusty_Clown

jb-ski wrote: »

+1
well done Enduro (again!)

7 hr 10min(ish) is something ordinary folk can just dream about:)

Can't wait to read the reports guys and gals. Congrats on a massive achievement. Really hope to be lining up next year.

PositiveNegativ

4 stars (good)

I'd somehow managed to ignore the request for extra guides on the IMRA forum until Donothoponpop asked if I'd volunteered? An hour later I was talking to Gearoid finding out what was involved and signing up.

Preparations were extensive.
Thursday night - fitful sleep half thinking it will be fun, half thinking Billy Byrnes gap in the dark.
Friday night was more definite, no sleep and 100% thinking about Billy Byrne's gap in the dark and the rain.

Duly arrived for guide briefing and lot's of banter. Somehow managed to weasel my way into oconc's pole position on the guides list nabbing the first fast group to depart Kippure House. Took them 10metres stopped and we made a deal, our 'fast' pace would come from not stopping rather then bursting a gut. They would set the pace, I'd keep them on track. Contact made we set off.

It only took a quarter of the climb up Ballynabrocky Hill for the difficulty of the navigation to hit home. Visibility was nothing, we lost the tiny track up the hill fairly early resulting in not hitting a definite top point. Which made the descent a lot slower and more hesitant then it should have been. Missing the track down entirely I held to a bearing, talked a good game while intensely studying possible catching features. We ended up hitting the southern of the two fields just to the south of the track before recovering to the correct route. One of my group asked how many times I'd been over the route before. I think the sinking feeling set in on both side when I replied 'This is my first time'. A few of us guides had joked beforehand about the importance of finding the bridge out of Kippure House to make the right first impression. On the road leg up to Ballynultagh car park I had plenty of time to understand this was no time for jokes.

One of the group, well known to me, elected to run on alone. Another a strong walker not yet fully recovered from a recent operation decided to slow and wait for a slower group. I later learned he went no further which was a pity for him.

At Ballynultagh we renewed our contract, fully aware that the remaining 10 of us had to stay together. The track up Black Hill was useful only as a navigation aid as underfoot it was dangerously slippy for tired legs. Black Hill over to Billy Byrnes went very well. I did this one by the book, paces and bearings, using my usual 'run and repair' style of navigation only as a backup. My impression is that the group gelled on this leg. There were some funny looks when I asked them to kill their lights so I could see the form of the land but when Billy Byrne's gap appeared as expected and the first creak of dim light appeared on the horizon talking started up again. A very welcome sign. Porridge was the word heard most often.

This long dropping contour leg with frozen ground that followed was hard on the feet, we commented about how lucky we were that it wasn't cold. A comment not supported by the evidence of frozen coats and bags, movement clearly deceiving our temperature estimation. Everyone made it intact down onto the road and checkpoint 2. I'd reminded all that our stop would be short. To their credit the group ate, drank and moved off without a backward glance. My constant haranguing to eat, eat, eat seemed to be working. The gaps in ability were beginning to show at this stage but I was fortunate to have a group where the stronger held group unity more highly then their enthusiasm for a fast time. The weather which had so far hit us with fog and a snow storm now threw us a curve ball. Blue skies and sunshine. Happily one of the group had an almost step by step knowledge of the hills around Art's Monument. So while she led up I was able to hang back offering what encouragement I could. From Art's Cross I could point out our route back as far as Bill's gap.

The relief of seeing Art's Cross was written large on faces. It's all down hill from here! Well it would have been if the mist didn't drop again and I made my now usual balls of finding 3 lakes. As people had earlier signed up for the group I'd asked them how their navigation was. One lad said not great but he had a GPS, I'd grinned and told him that was cheating. Said GPS was now put into action saving the day.

When you are alone racing or orienteering a mistake is carried by yourself, dismissed with a curse and a burst of energy to make up for lost time. No amount of saving face is worthwhile when there's nine people some of them nearing the point of shattered looking to you to get them down and home. Electronic relocation done we corrected descending to the Avonbeg and the long track section home.

I'll finish by offering thanks to my group for being so understanding of my early and late missteps on the route and by saying it was a privilege to have spent seven hours of night and day with you on the hills.

Git101

4 stars (good)

Fi H wrote: »

I was the girl with the red flashing bands around her ankles in case you saw me

Noticed your flashing ankles alright, they were hard to miss

Congratulations to Enduro, fantastic result, especially under such difficult conditions.

Well done to all who took part and also to Gearoid and his crew for a really well organised event.

I had an interesting day (well, interesting to me anyway ) I'll post a report when I get a chance.

BeachMusic

4 stars (good)

Rte one radio 6pm tonight The History Show"- "So how did the 500 walkers who set out from Dublin Castle at 12 midnight on Friday brave the elements and the 55km trek to Wicklow? Myles who joined the walk gave us an exclusive report."

Git101

4 stars (good)

PositiveNegativ wrote: »

I'd somehow managed to ignore the request for extra guides on the IMRA forum until Donothoponpop asked if I'd volunteered? An hour later I was talking to Gearoid finding out what was involved and signing up.

Thanks PositiveNegativ, a truly interesting and informative report.

Your honesty has made me feel a lot better about some nav errors that I made

chnachtigall

@ Gravale
Thanks for your reply days ago....I hope you did well...

@ EVERYONE...
Well done lads!!!

It was my first 55k race and I enjoyed it a lot...Looking forward to the next 50k race!!!...

Keep moving....

tceol

3 stars (average)

Hi all, tired but happy today... no major pains thankfully.

I want to thank Rossa for guiding our group, he did a great job and was very patient with us... in particular a very cranky member of the group who never stopped complaining. His name was <snip> ... anyway number <snip>.. he seemed to complain non stop for 15 hours... must be a record! If anyone else experienced this maybe they could get in touch, we may be able to get him a Guinness book record for it!

Thanks to all the organisers, I hope it was a huge success on all fronts!

Stark

4 stars (good)

Not very nice naming and shaming someone on a public forum like this, especially when they might not even be a member and won't get to see it themselves.

Slogger Jogger

Fair play pn for stepping in and guiding at short notice. The conditions sounded very trying but no better man for it. How did the guy do that decided to run ahead of your group? Seems strange to break off from the walking to running. Going alone could have been risky even if you knew and recced the route extensively.

Fi H

4 stars (good)

hey Enduro - congrats on the victory.

The route to Kippure seems to have been pretty similar to the route you described at the talk conditions wise but I would be interested to hear if you thought the conditions from there on were tougher than the last time you did it. I see the finish times were longer and it sounds like there were some tough spots out there. My friend who finished was saying there were really hard parts.
cheers!

PositiveNegativ

4 stars (good)

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

How did the guy do that decided to run ahead of your group? Seems strange to break off from the walking to running.

He was motoring strongly at CP2. I forgot to ask his time at the finish. On balance it was better he go ahead, he was dressed for running rather then walking.

ultraman1

3 stars (average)

good day out in a sadomacho sort of way, i was wit this group(PN and cnoc)lads were always on good form and there was always only 4km left ,and fair play 2 cnoc for pushin me aunti up the hill to arts cross,i think his hand prints are still on her arse;)....only 1 complaint the ice cream man never turned up....thanks lads

theduke1

tceol wrote: »

Hi all, tired but happy today... no major pains thankfully.

I want to thank Rossa for guiding our group, he did a great job and was very patient with us... in particular a very cranky member of the group who never stopped complaining. His name was <snip> ... anyway number <snip>.. he seemed to complain non stop for 15 hours... must be a record! If anyone else experienced this maybe they could get in touch, we may be able to get him a Guinness book record for it!

Thanks to all the organisers, I hope it was a huge success on all fronts!

i think i may have been in that group and i thought that that guy was great fun and kept every one in good spirits

mithril

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

Fair play pn for stepping in and guiding at short notice. The conditions sounded very trying but no better man for it. How did the guy do that decided to run ahead of your group? Seems strange to break off from the walking to running. Going alone could have been risky even if you knew and recced the route extensively.

I think that was me!
Ballinbrockey Hill is featureless and in the dark and fog it was very easy to miss the track. I always felt a little bit too much out of my comfort zone in the race and did not want to go blundering around in the dark by myself- it only takes 30 minutes to die of exposure in the hills - and we got more benign weather, than either the forecast predicted, or was the case in previous years.
I walked the Ballinbrockey off-road section with the guided group, and then over Billy Byrnes's gap with SarsfieldRock, and then ran the final Glenmalure section in daylight where I was more confident of the navigation, to finish shortly after 2.