gaelforce west 20/8/2011

Eido

3 stars (average)

Well done to all who competed. It's a great day out - even more so when you've got that bit of competition coursing through your veins. I was determined to take at least half an hour off last year's time and thanks to my trusty new roadbike and a bit of grit, I managed to finish in 5:15, 50 minutes faster than last year, and was really chuffed.

In terms of the competition, I like to see how I place overall in the race, but as a lovely lady, I also think it would make sense to see a breakdown of the male and female times at the finish line, as well as on the Gaelforce website. It can't be too inspiring for Emma Donlon, the top female finisher who took 6 minutes off last year's female winning time, to see the list of top 5 finishers (all male) on the screen at the finish line, and no mention of the top women. You have to scroll down to place 27 to see her achievement. Given the competitions are separate - i.e. separate prizes - I think that the organisers should make more of an effort to motivate within each category. As a woman it's possible to come in 140th overall, but still place 3rd (as was the case in with this race). Vive la ladies... and well done Emma!

robroy1234

Eido. The prizes as such are a common situation for female athletes throughout many different sports. The amazing thing about Emma is that she broke a toe a few weeks back in the Snowdon International Mountain Race running for Ireland. It would be great to see more female athletes competing in events such as Mountain running and adventure racing.

Enduro - in relation to the charity/entry situation, I wasn't referring to the where the money goes and the race being a commercial venture.

nerraw1111

Peter has done a very interesting race report over on http://www.gaelforceevents.com/en/news/blog.html

Peter that runner that Eamonn was talking to was me. Initially when I saw you I thought I was going too fast but a quick glance at the watch confirmed I was going at planned race pace.

Must admit I thought you were out of the race at that stage. Who knew you were the proverbial tortoise!

Rinker

2 stars (poor)

http://www.mayonews.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13525:hat-trick-for-gaelforce-west-winner&catid=23:news&Itemid=46



Article from the Mayo News

yop

Just read that at lunch, so its good to see that the Elites brick it, worry about pace etc etc that the rest of us do!

Did Paul Mahon not do it? I see he was down in the DNF's with myself

Great pic of Peter with Tom O'D going up the reek, and the "little kick" passing Mr Duncan was funny, good to teach the new lads a bit of a lesson!

snailsong

4 stars (good)

Paul Mahon dropped out after 25 minutes suffering a recurrence of his recent back problem. He was the first non-finisher to finish according to his OH.:)

acurno

4 stars (good)

Great race as always. What a cracking day, perfect weather, knocked half hour off last year with a 4.51.

Just looking at some of the splits and I have to ask, does anyone think the time-out on the kayak transition is unfair? I realise the time-out is there for when the queues build up in later waves, but it is a race, and you shouldn't be able to take a ten minute breather after the first run to get your energy back.

I reckon you should dib out once you join the queue, and dib in once your gearing for the kayak. I doubt somehow the front runners are allowed to take a ten minute break so why everyone else? Might send the organisers an email about this, any thoughts?

former

4 stars (good)

acurno wrote: »

Just looking at some of the splits and I have to ask, does anyone think the time-out on the kayak transition is unfair? I realise the time-out is there for when the queues build up in later waves, but it is a race, and you shouldn't be able to take a ten minute breather after the first run to get your energy back.

I reckon you should dib out once you join the queue, and dib in once your gearing for the kayak. I doubt somehow the front runners are allowed to take a ten minute break so why everyone else? Might send the organisers an email about this, any thoughts?

Great time, well done.

I waited for a friend as we had agreed to kayak together. Wouldn't have done it, if it hadn't been an option. All prize winners are required to be in the first wave so this partially addresses your issue.

TheTubes

4 stars (good)

acurno wrote: »

Great race as always. What a cracking day, perfect weather, knocked half hour off last year with a 4.51.

Just looking at some of the splits and I have to ask, does anyone think the time-out on the kayak transition is unfair? I realise the time-out is there for when the queues build up in later waves, but it is a race, and you shouldn't be able to take a ten minute breather after the first run to get your energy back.

I reckon you should dib out once you join the queue, and dib in once your gearing for the kayak. I doubt somehow the front runners are allowed to take a ten minute break so why everyone else? Might send the organisers an email about this, any thoughts?

I think dibing out when you join the queue is a good idea, might be a bit hard to enforce. I joined the queue straight away as I felt like I'd be cheating myself if I took a breather.

Rawhead

4 stars (good)

I decided to do a quick race report.
I entered the race along with a mate after hearing the lads at work talk about last years race. I trained hard and was aiming for a sub 5hr, but as this was my first gaelforce there were a lot of unknowns.
We were in the 7:30 wave and the morning was an absolute cracker. I had decided to not carry any water and just had 2 bottles on the bike (this proved a bad idea). Took my first gel (thanks to Tunney and some other boardies for the fueling advice) with about 15 mins to go.
It took about 2kms for me to settle and I started to get comfortable. Turned into the off road section and started getting passed by a good few lads, this worried me a little but I kept plodding on. At one stage I decided to pass a group who had bunched up by going high on the trail, bad idea, straight up to my "town halls" in muck. I actually laughed as I realised that my mate had done the same thing in the same spot the year before. I started to see the kayaks and thought I was getting close so took gel number 2, I didn't realise that there was still the inland loop to do and this threw me a bit mentally. Arrived at the kayaks in 1:13 feeling good and happy as I had allowed 1:15 for the run. Took a few gulps of water and then my buddy arrived so we hit for the kayaks.

Had a good laugh on the kayaks although my groin was starting to hurt come the end 8:19.

Off on the bog run and was still feeling good. As soon as I came off the bog and onto the road I started to feel the calves twitching. I couldn't believe it and got angry as I had never cramped in training. I drove on and thought that I'd spin easy on the bike and that would help. 20:07

Had a nutrigrain bar at the bike and put on my cycling shoes. Off I went and I started to get the fluids in. I had pure orange juice mixed 3:1 with water and some sea salt. Just went in low gears spinning quick but the cramps were getting worse. Started to up the pace as the cramps just continued to worsen and I genuinely thought I might have to pull out. The pain was the worst I ever had and it felt like worms burrowing into my muscles. I just decided to suck it up and as I went up that swine of a hill the cramps started to ease. I pushed it hard after that and started to pass a lot of people. The cramps never really went and I reckon I cycled at 2/3rds my planned pace. 1:29

I had taken another gel on the bog road and I started to munch another nutrigrain along with filling my water bottle on the ascent. I motored away and at the start of the cone a big mountainey man went past me at speed. I tucked in behind him and never left his heels. I never looked left, right, up or down just at the back of his kayano 16's (size 15 i'd say) till I saw the church. I gave him a pat on the back and said thanks but I don't even think he knew I was behind him. Took last gel and away like hell. 40:08

Descended in 21:05

On to the bike and at this stage I knew I was well on target for sub 5hr so started to push hard. Was with 3 other lads going over skelp and I have to say I was sh1tting myself on the road descent I was going so fast and didn't have the strength to slow myself. I was delighted to be back on flat open road after the bottom and opened up all the valves. I flew home and even though I knew there was a run at the end it was torture, I remember thinking as I ran over the rocks on the beach that someone will die if I break my ankle at this stage. Over the line and job done. 35:40 for final stage and 4:48 total time.

It wasn't bad going considering I was 5 stone heavier, smoked 40 benson a day and couldn't run 5k only 18 months ago. I think I can take a significant amount of time off next year and will be aiming for sub 4:30. I will need to bring water on the run as I believe that caused the cramping on the bike. My descending of CP is very slow.
I thoroughly enjoyed the race and got loads of great advice off this thread. Hope to see everyone posting for GF 2012 and good luck with the training.

ThisRegard

The cheek ! A 20 minute descent is fairly respectable to be honest.

snailsong

4 stars (good)

Good going, Rawhead. your splits were remarkably similar to me. I was 1.14, 20.30, 1.31, 40.57, 19.05, 37.30. Total 4.51. An improvement of 1hr 15 on last year. The experience of having done it before was a big help, as you will find next year. Might try for 4.30 next year as well.

acurno

4 stars (good)

former wrote: »

Great time, well done.

I waited for a friend as we had agreed to kayak together. Wouldn't have done it, if it hadn't been an option. All prize winners are required to be in the first wave so this partially addresses your issue.

I like most people have no chance of coming in the top 50, let alone top 100. Was just one place away from a top 200! Point is, it doesn't matter what place you finish in, but as long as that place is deserved. We're all racing. If someone beats me by 2 minutes after spending ten minutes recharging their batteries in kayak transition, well, in my mind, I feel cheated. difference between finishing 199th and 201st. Rules are there, your allowed take a break at transition, but this is there due to the queues building up. Not to let someone who goes out hell for leather at the start to take a breather.

Don't know how hard it would be to enforce. I thought the queue chutes are big enough how bad is congestion in later waves? Still think the dib out joining the queue, dib in at front of the queue idea is a fairer system allround.

Mr Freeze

3 stars (average)

Some people take 30/40 mins of a time out, are the queues that large in the later waves or are they purposely taking breaks?

I think a break after the 1st run (or at any stage) is a bad idea, as I would just get cold & go into recovery and find it harder to get going again. All I did at the timeout this year was eat a bar and have a pee and into the Kayak.

Some people obviously find taking a break at that stage refreshes them, it would feck me up.

Rew

3 stars (average)

We spent too long at the time out, def cooled down too much. There were 4 of us doing it together so a lot of messing around between queuing for the toilets, eating, stetching and topping up water before we got back in the queue to go.

robroy1234

One of the main problems that face competitors is when and how much Gel (Carbs) to take during the event. If a whole Gel is taken too early in the stages the problem arises that the blood supply to stomach is diverted to the muscles and the glucose is left in the stomach. Glucose is quite acidic and can be upsetting to stomach leading to diarrhea and/or vomiting. As for certain claims by some sport drink manufacturers - sports drinks do not hydrate the body quicker than water - isotonic glucose delivery is different from actual hydration. Isotonic glucose delivery is the provision of adequate glucose for the muscles and depending on physical fitness the ability for the body to convert that glucose into glycogen and then into pyruvate for cellular respiration. Whereas hydration is the homostasis of water in the body, which allows for the process of cellular respiration and also a waste product.
An experienced, well trained athlete gets to know when to take glucose/water supplementation, in what ratio, and one biggie here - HOW. One major problem with this is that when the feeling of glucose depletion/dehydration becomes apparent there would be a tendency to gulp down the supplement, this can overload the stomach causing gastric stress (stitch, cramp, vomit etc.,) , draw in excess air into the stomach.
Taking such supplementation should be incorporated into a training programme and you learn how to sip, whilst moving. As a general rule, you don't do anything new on the day or experiment and that definitely includes glucose/water supplementation. You gradually build up a toleration for the supplementation so on the day it doesn't give you any problem.
In relation to dietary intervention, Peter O'Farrell stated that he prepared his Pastamush on the Wednesday prior to the event. This is common practice among many athletes, but the main thing to avoid on the day (breakfast) is anything with an high fibre content - only to avoid a particular discomfort en-route.
Keep in mind for next year and other adventure races - have a dietary strategy in place as part of a training programme and not as a separate entity.

nerraw1111

Bruce Duncan's race report:
http://bruceduncan.wordpress.com/

A very impressive performance considering he had little knowledge of the course and his background in longer events.

Re the kayak time out. I'm not sure how much benefit you get from a brief rest at that section. It may have the opposite effect.

Still, only being allowed to dib out once you're in the queue would solve any issues. i.e. going the toilet is taken out of your race time.

Peterx

With nutrition everyone is different and so there are many right ways to do it.
For nearly all the multisport races I bring 4 gels, 4 diaralyte sachets, 2 muesli bars, 2x 750ml bottles (HighFive 4:1 3 scoops and a NUUN tablet in each bottle) for Gaelforce I also brought a 500ml bottle on the first run as it's long.

Gels are a double edged sword, once you start taking them you have to keep taking them or you will have a sugar crash and for that reason I always plan to take 3 gels working from the estimated finishing time back.
Ie: estimated race time 3.40 so gel three at 3.10, gel two at 2.40 and first gel at 2.10 in race time.

This year towards the end of the first run I necked a diaralyte sachet, on the bike I took another one and managed half an energy bar, it's important to practice this!

Bruce did really well in fairness, the man is set up for 4 days races and still came close to winning a 4 hour race against lads who knew the course backwards..

You follow the stated rules in any event, if there is a timeout at any stage you need to plan for that. It is not cheating to take as long as you need to recover from the run, it's just racing..

robroy1234

I advised a few fellas on their nutrition for the Croagh Patrick 12 peak challenge and the main thing for them was not to try anything new on the day. This was setting up a strategy well in advanced and similar to that of marathon training programme, and doing the hydration/glucose on the move - which takes plenty of practice.

If only I could ride a bike and a few other factors I would do Gaelforce myself...

yop

Peterx wrote: »

With nutrition everyone is different and so there are many right ways to do it.
For nearly all the multisport races I bring 4 gels, 4 diaralyte sachets, 2 muesli bars, 2x 750ml bottles (HighFive 4:1 3 scoops and a NUUN tablet in each bottle) for Gaelforce I also brought a 500ml bottle on the first run as it's long.

Gels are a double edged sword, once you start taking them you have to keep taking them or you will have a sugar crash and for that reason I always plan to take 3 gels working from the estimated finishing time back.
Ie: estimated race time 3.40 so gel three at 3.10, gel two at 2.40 and first gel at 2.10 in race time.

This year towards the end of the first run I necked a diaralyte sachet, on the bike I took another one and managed half an energy bar, it's important to practice this!

Bruce did really well in fairness, the man is set up for 4 days races and still came close to winning a 4 hour race against lads who knew the course backwards..

You follow the stated rules in any event, if there is a timeout at any stage you need to plan for that. It is not cheating to take as long as you need to recover from the run, it's just racing..

Good report by Duncan, seemed to enjoy the event for sure, interesting that he is quicker over bog than on tarmac.... why would this suit him out of interest?

Rob - you will need to buy a bike and get out there next year, 12 months to the start

robroy1234

I don't think so Yop. I cannot ride a bike to save my life. The running sections and Croagh Patrick no problem at all, also the prize breakdown are not worth the effort - I apologise but in terms of my own competitive outings, I am very much a mercenary.

yop

robroy1234 wrote: »

I don't think so Yop. I cannot ride a bike to save my life. The running sections and Croagh Patrick no problem at all, also the prize breakdown are not worth the effort - I apologise but in terms of my own competitive outings, I am very much a mercenary.

Ah but the running would make up for that I am sure? Not a clue about the prizes tbh, are you saying that value of the prize isn't enough to compete? Interesting that.

robroy1234

I consider the Gaelforce a cycling event - especially that for someone like myself would lose on the cycling, this however does not take away from Peter's excellent performance. I also come from a middle-distance running background (800m-10,000m) and not really suited for the long endurance events. Even though I am new to mountain running I have always trained on the mountains - but this is different from competing in the mountain running races where the downhill section is just as important as going up.

As for prizes - from what I gather the amount is rather scant in comparison to the entry fee, the relative disciplines and effort of the training and competing. I am not being greedy in this respect but with the effort, time, cost and recovery such a competitive outing has to be worth it to justify - I also do not compete if I do not feel that I have a chance of winning.

yop

From my own point of view been a club cyclist I would definitely say that its a running event and that the bike is a minimal part of it. After 3 years of GF I am more and more convinced that its a running event.

Not sure what others think about that, but I would say been a strong runner would be of great benefit to you in this event.

Who did you advice on the CP12? Did a few legs of the reek with them, they seemed well energised, might have met you there at the tent, I saw a few people there given them food and drinks alright.

GoHardOrGoHome

yop wrote: »

Good report by Duncan, seemed to enjoy the event for sure, interesting that he is quicker over bog than on tarmac.... why would this suit him out of interest?

He's quicker on the boggy stuff *relative* to the other competitors i.e. the bog slows the other competitors down more than it slows him down. (but it does slow him down a bit!)

yop

Is that because of his training? Is there a tactically better way to run on a bog, I would have thought its hard to get it right on bog, it soft mucky surface and hard to make headway

Mr Freeze

3 stars (average)

yop wrote: »

From my own point of view been a club cyclist I would definitely say that its a running event and that the bike is a minimal part of it. After 3 years of GF I am more and more convinced that its a running event.

+ 1.

I am from a cycling background myself, and this is definitely an event more suited to a strong runner, than a strong cyclist.

nerraw1111

I think its a bit silly to say GF is a cycling or running event. Your opinion is probably formed by your weakest discipline.

The last three posters have defined it as a particular event based on their backgrounds.

I would've said last year that it was a cycling event after losing time on the bike. This year I've improved on the bike and would say it is a running event as that's where I lost time.

Fact is, it's a cycling and running event.

TheTubes

4 stars (good)

I'm really strong at running and cycling.
I think its a kayaking event.

Mr Freeze

3 stars (average)

TheTubes wrote: »

I'm really strong at running and cycling.
I think its a kayaking event.

I think I shall back peddle on my stance and agree with TheTubes here.;)