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Art O'Neill Challenge 2011
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3 stars (average)I'm pretty sure my group was the group that fairly motored past groups on the road after giving them a tour of the bog
However, after our veir, we relocated pretty quick given that we had just crossed a small stream and due to the slope of the hill.... The chap with the GPS said I was clearly still wrong... despite him having a GPS with a blank screen and a dot on it... very helpful.
After 15 extra mins of bog trotting we hit the track. And looking back up the hill at the lights everywhere, we appeared to be the only group to hit the track! Lights everywhere lol
Pretty uneventful for the rest of the day exculuding the dodge porridge and lack of coffee... for which i was well disappointed about.
In relation to Ultramans aunti, I do enjoy motivating people... even more so when it saves me a 10km walk back down hill. She was getting up that hill, even if I had to drag her by the leg.
Oh, and the big smile when someone dropped out after saying I was wrong and pretty much insulted me by saying we weren't going quick enough... I do love the feeling of been right. Oh how Karma is a Bit*h
*(If Niall or myself insulted anyone by our sense of humor, pace, naving ability or other general shinaganians, we're probably not going to apologise.... however do feel free to join us some other time for some Wicklow fun, the organisers take no responsibility for us
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4 stars (good)Well, the sore legs and arms have recovered.
I did the hybrid after previously harbouring thoughts about doing the full ultra. This was a running theme with hybrids I spoke to, something along the lines as, "I was going to do the full but thank @*^£; I didn't!'
Arrived at Dublin Castle around 12.30am just as sleet started falling. Earlier that night I tried to catch a few Zs after work but spent an hour just staring at the ceiling bricking myself at the prospect that lay ahead.
Good nervous atmosphere in the castle as everybody asked why they were doing it and did anyone have a clue about the route!
So off we went for the first 25km. Found myself in a nice little group, lots of camaradie and chat. Was acutely aware not to go off too fast so was happy to see that my group were happy to run at 5.20mins/km pace, a full minute per km slower than I would normally run 25km. A few drunks and taxi drivers shouted encouragement as we made our way out to Templelogue. Surreal experience running through Dublin at that time.
Still felt good and was happy with the pace until we got to the start of the climb towards Bohernabreena. Not sure what happened but started to go backwards and was losing touch with the group despite the relatively slow pace. Very frustrating. Then before I knew it, a thick blanket of fog descended and i couldn't see the group who were just 50 metres ahead despite headtorches and reflective vests.
Was feeling pretty low at this point. 15km in and already struggling. Got the head together and kept the legs going and turned off the road towards Kippure. Walked some of the steeper parts of the climb that was now covered in ice. Despite feeling pretty demoralised, it was incredible to be out on that road, covered in ice, surrounded by snow/frost and no one at 3.30am or so. Eventually, the road levelled out and much to my delight, the legs started working again and before I knew it, I was flying, catched some of the people who passed me and started in to pull in some of my original group.
Eventually started to catch large groups of walkers who were great, shouting encouragement and leaving you plenty of space to pass. Never ran with a head torch before but I'm a convert now, something incredibly liberating about running down a pitch black road with just a head torch for company. I was enjoying the run at this stage with the kms just ticking by.
Got to Kippure House feeling great. I went to add my name to the fast walking group where I'm pretty sure OCNOC was taking names. Signed up to his group with the order to be ready in ten minutes. Changed into my walking gear and was ready to go when i realised I had to water in my camelbak. A 10 min wait meant I missed OCNOC's fast group. But it wouldn't be the last time I saw him.
Signed up to the next fast group which was Zoran and Seamus. So off we went and almost immediately I began to doubt my ability to stay in the fast group. The ascent out was pretty tough on the legs as was the fast pace. Almost from the start, it was clear that navigation would be difficult. A group ahead of us had gone off course within 200 metres of leaving Kippure House. My group managed to find the track and we were on the road in no time.
Road was fairly uneventful, just a hard slog through freezing conditions with ice crystals forming on coats and bags. Visibility was pretty poor at this stage. Reached Black Hill after a tricky ascent with the trail covered in ice.
The route to Art's Cafe was more eventful however. I found this the toughest mentally. We couldn't see further than perhaps 40 metres ahead and it was impossible to see the lay of the land. We struggled a bit here navigational wise but never seemed to go too far off course. But it was frustrating at the time given tired legs and head, the thought that we may have walked extra kms was a killer. I think we spent several hours walking along the side of mountains, a real ankle breaker given that you were constantly twisting your ankle in the same direction. Also the fact you couldn't measure your progress was tough. Might as well been blind folded.
Eventually we got down off the mountain, found some houses and eventually Art's Cafe. I was thinking to myself, I wonder where I would be if I went with OCNOC's group. I found out 15 mins later after his group came in after us much to the delight of Zoran and Seamus
After some quick porridge, we regrouped with smaller numbers and pushed for the last 12k. This section was spectacular. The sky was now a beautiful blue, and, we were assured, the route was fairly obvious. Up the mountains again, a brief stop at Art's plaque and then to tackle the climb to Art's Cross. This was hell on the legs coming at 51kms. It's a fairly technical climb which was made more difficult with the ice. Not a good combination for tired bodies and minds. The lake at the top was complete frozen over as was most of the terrain which made walking easier if not sore on the feet.
Once at the top, I could sense the finish and just took off down the valley and crossed the line around 2pm. Garmin reads 9 hours 28 mins of moving time but altogether was around 12 hours.
Superb event in every sense, from organisation, marshals, guides, and fellow competitors. Great camaraderie and at the finish, you could tell, despite our best efforts, every one of us was as proud as punch with ourselves.
Garmin recorded a total distance of 57.81kms with elevation gain of 1585 metres. Not a bad day's work.0 -
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3 stars (average)I have been recieving a few emails asking what happened on the first hill.
Putting it bluntly - it went wrong! V wrong.
The group was pretty stretched out. I was nervous, as would any sain person be bringing a group of 15 (plus hangers on) into the hills at night in zero vis. The objective was also slightly different. Instead of attempting to drop everyone, we had to keep everyone together... So I took the lead and Niall took the end to make sure no one fell off the back. We were moving along nicely. I was watching my compass like a hawk. I hit the summit, or what I thought was the summit and at point A) I swapped positions with Niall. Foolishly, I assumed he knew where we were on the map and he contuined to walk. I wasn't paying much attention to what was going on now that I was at the back of the group. After 10mins or so Niall stopped (point
... I ran up to him, jumped a stream... (the thought, oh **** went through my mind). We debated what stream we were at, whipped out the compasses, corrected our direction - had the argument with the guy with the GPS and I went off on my compass only, praying to hit the track. At point C, the guy with the GPS said I was drifting and we should be heading way to the south (as we were heading west), I said, trust me, I've done this before... (compass only at night in a dark Finnish forest counts right?).
I eventually hit the track and had a massive sigh of relief. A women exclaimed that we had lost almost an hour in time, looking at my track, we were only out for 56mins so she was away with the fairys. Looking back up the hill, there were lights everywhere, none of which were even remotely near the track. To my utter disgust, the O'Boyle had past us out and the group wasn't really up for a fast death march to satisfy Nialls and my ego's.
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hey ocnoc, that wasn't too bad an error given the conditions and the fact that N had just taken the reins. Probably seemed worse cause ye were just out of the blocks. Thanks for putting that up. I think the challenge has definitely highlighted to people who can't nav, how hard nav actually is. Might lead to more people potentially learning how to nav.
AON Uncut: Just finished scrubbing the bejaysus out of those porridge pots 0 -
4 stars (good)Eventually managed to write a report but I'm afraid that like the Art O Neill Challenge it's an ultra 0
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4 stars (good)Eventually managed to write a report but I'm afraid that like the Art O Neill Challenge it's an ultra
Great report. I also nearly came a cropper at the same road as you did at the end. The road looked so nice and flat rather than the rocky trail. I saw footprints going in both directions. Decided on the trail as it stuck to the river.0 -
Eventually managed to write a report but I'm afraid that like the Art O Neill Challenge it's an ultra
Well written, atmospheric account.
I think the runners might have avoided some of the worst weather because I never remember it being that bad.
"On a sour note, near Tallaght we had just caught up with and passed a chap when 3 scumbags attacked him. The cowardly bastards ran off as we sprinted back to help him. He withdrew from the event soon after."
This is shocking.
Although we joked about this as a possibility, I never really thought it was a hazard. Do you know anymore? Was the guy injured or just badly shaken?0 -
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4 stars (good)jeffontour wrote: »That will play havoc on us weight weeny ultra runners! Will a tack hammer do for us? The theory being we'll strike back once and then run away like the knights in Monty Pythons Holy Grail, run away!!!!
Would this help Jeff ??
Ham by Chris Cassidy1, on Flickr0 -
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