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CLEC -09/07/11
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07-07-2011 9:32am#1
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CLEC is a classic race, one of Ireland's best. And it's the fantastic mountain biking, along with the after race party, that make it so.
Those of you doing the road version are missing out on the core of the race. It's like bringing an umbrella into the shower.
Trinewbie was definitely trying to get a team together for the full CLEC. Don't know if he got one together in the end.
Have fun everyone. Don't forget your chainbreakers
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Cheers, doing the tarmac myself. is there parking available near the registration?
Yes - certainly if there early but even if not parking in overflow public car park is near enough
Latest race news has Trinewbie "under the weather" so unlikely to defend his tarmac title!
Those in the know have defending Rathfarnham lads as odd on favourites but I have had a few quid at 3/1 on the locals giving them a good run for their money 0 -
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earsandasmile wrote: »Just in from this. Really had a great day & the fine weather made a big difference. Going to take your advice Enduro and give the MTB version a crack next year. I was a bit envious watching the teams coming in.
Glad you enjoyed yourself, and you're right to be envious
Very glad to hear that you'll step up to the MTBing next year. Will see you there hopefully! 0 -
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we tried to convince Johnny to run a solo race with shorter mountain biking instead of the tarmac last year but no luck
I think the biggest problem with the mountain biking races is that most of them are team events!
Just back from ras na riochta though and that was fab
Looking forward to the ballyhoura blitz now 0 -
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As the slow one who holds people up I am with ya on that one
I do think though that a few more solo events would help bridge the gap cause if nothing else it would allow you to see if other people are near your times that might at some stage like to make a team
They mentioned the possibility of a munster league at the prizegiving at ras na riochta so i am assuming that would be MTB based which could be good
i am deffo enjoying the less road based races but i ahve to admit i am still slogging my way round and coming last by a long shot dont care though as long as the race organsiers dont 
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nah i dont think that a multi-sport race is close to an adventure race ..and maybe thats the problem..there actually seems to be a rather large gap between the skills required for say achill roar or galeforce and those required for the clec or similar ..
Just on the CLEC specific one, the only gap in skills is the mountain biking. The kayaking level is exactly the same as GF. The course is nominally marked, and you get a map showing you the route.. again, just like GF.
And on the moutain biking front...MTB beginners have done CLEC and made it around. If you want to win it then you need to be a very good MTBer. But to take part you just need gumption to give it a go. The MTBing on CLEC is superb. Plenty to keep the good riders on their toes, but also a course that novices can and do hugely enjoy.so something in the middle of the type that fi-h was on about would help to bridge the gap and maybe bring more people to full on adventure racing.. i know maybe some of us just need to make the jump and see what happens.. but getting lost, killing myself coming off a mountain bike or drowning on a kayak in carlingford are not enticing me.. and im a fairly adventurous person...
Adventure racing is one of those sports you just need to take the plunge and do. Rationalising building up to it really doesn't gain you too much, as it isn't simply the sum of its parts. For example, one of the best adventure racers I know is a pretty slow runner, a relatively slow cyclist, with only moderate MTB skills, , and good but not exceptional kayaker. But as an adventure racer they are superb, one of the first I'd pick for a team, over a lot of people who on paper look much better. Attitude is hugely important, and is what appears to be holding you back. To be blunt, however adventurous you think you are, you're not adventure enough at the moment to do what it takes to adventure race. Once you decide to do one, then you are!
There comes a point where you just have to give it a go. You could spend years doing 100 meter sprints, and even work up to 200 meter and 400 meter sprints. But in the end you wouldn't know how good a basketball player you'd be until you played basketball. The adventure challenge races are no indicator or preparation for adventure racing at all.
Also, getting lost on mountains happens all the time. Even the best AR teams usually occasionally get totally lost. That's part of the fun. It amazes how people who love adventure sports like hill running or mountain biking aren't clammering to teach themselves to navigate. Being able to find your own way around the mountains opens up a whole world of adventure that is otherwise cut off to you (and that's all irrespective of adventure racing).
And finally, road biking crashes tend to be much more serious than mountain bike crashes, as road bikes tend to be going faster, on harder surfaces, in close proximity to other cyclists, and in proximity to traffic. There are definitely a lot more mountain bike crashes, but mostly the worst that happens is cuts and bruises. A very long way from killing youself (Several riders a year die on the roads on bikes in Ireland, but I've never heard of anyone dying in Ireland from an off-road crash).the whole team thing is somewhat tricky too..maybe i havent enough friends.. and the ones i do have that would be into this kind of thing..well they are worse with a map and compass than i am.. and ive gotten lost on lug ! ( started from glenmalure..finished up in the army barracks..it was an expensive taxi ride back around.. ) , so its a chicken and egg situation kind of, you need to enter a team and learn the ropes, but people want to know at least the basics before they start... and so they wait and do the smaller much easier races.. and realistically most people in this country know what a real adventure race is, its just much harder to sound cool when your telling your mates you just finished a multi-sport challenge race thingy... The weekend warrior syndndrome well described there!
On the team thing... there are more than your current friends that you can race with. I've raced with plenty of people over the years who I didn't really know. A huge number of teams have been formed at the post-IMRA race pub sessions. Other get formed out of mountain bike clubs etc. I've raced with people I've never even met before when teams are assembled on internet forums etc. Races will usually help people find teams too. There are lots of ways to get involved. And only one person needs to be able to navigate. The others just need to tolerate his/her mistakes!
And the final point... there is no chicken and egg. I learned very little about AR by theorising about it. I learned tons from throwing myself in at the deep end and just going and doing it. Every race I learn something. I learn very little from not racing. I can look back at my first AR and say that even my knowledge of the basics was very limited. The main thing I had going for me was the drive to do the race and finish it.0 -
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