Art O Neill Challenge 2012

Git101

Geniusforhire wrote: »

Entered for the trek and have recced almost all the off road but wondering if water supplies will be available at CP1 or CP 2? My thought is to keep the same back back with a 2 litre bladder for the duration but would be looking to top it up at one of the checkpoints.
:eek:

Pack water into your dropbag for collection at CP1.

I can't remember if there was water at CP2, I'm sure Gravale or one of the other guys will post details.

There's also the option of topping up your water supply on route, there are plenty of rivers along the way.

I'm happy to drink from most rivers in wicklow, never had a problem from them, you may have other opinions

Geniusforhire

Ty Git, think I'll try to avoid 'wild' water, the thought of possibly being doubled over with stomach cramps and diarrhoea at Art's Cross sends me scurrying back under my warm duvet, will go for your suggestion of putting a 2 litre bottle of water in my collection bag, with a bit more thought on my part the logistics of having 1,000 odd litres of water available for participants to help themselves to at CP 1 or 2 would seem to be putting a big imposition of the organisers who I'm sure have more than enough to be getting on with, wish you happy hiking on the day, I'll be the numpty smoking a cigar at 11.59 pm on the Friday.

:cool:

Gravale

Ballynultagh - Ballinagee

Ballynultagh-Ballinagee 2012.jpg

Ballinagee - Baravore

Ballinagee-Baravore 2012.jpg

Distances Breakdown

Dublin Castle - Stone Cross - 15k
Stone Cross - Kilbride Army Camp - 5k
(Checkpoint and Art's Kitchen)
Kilbride Camp - Ballynultagh Gap - 10k
Ballynultagh Gap - Ballinagee Bridge. - 9.6k
(Checkpoint and Art's Kitchen)
Ballinagee Bridge. - Art's Cross - 5.9k
Art's Cross - Table Track - 3.5k
Table Track - Barravore - 4k
(Checkpoint and Finish)
Total Distance 53k

Types of terrain

30km road walk to Ballynultagh Gap (includes 1km through fields)
9.6km hill walk to Ballinagee Bridge
5.9km hill walk to Art's Cross (includes 2.5km forest track)
3.5km hill walk to Table Track
4km track walk to Baravore

ezikel

Geniusforhire wrote: »

Entered for the trek and have recced almost all the off road but wondering if water supplies will be available at CP1 or CP 2? My thought is to keep the same back back with a 2 litre bladder for the duration but would be looking to top it up at one of the checkpoints.

:eek:

Hi Genius,

There will be water at both checkpoints, but as Git said, packing a large bottle in your bag to be transported is no harm at all. The more the merrier. Wiht the bag to be transported to CP1 and the finish my advice is to use all the space for essentials and creature comforts. Don't scrimp when it comes to layers, extra food, extra liquids etc.....worst case scenario is that you put them back in your pantry untouched.

Gravale

It's 23k from Dublin Castle to the point, 3km after the Kilbride Army Camp checkpoint, at which participants first leave the road for the short 1km+ trip through private fields onto the road to Ballysmuttan Bridge. These private fields are not to be reccied beforehand as there will be excellent markings through them on the morning to clearly guide everyone.

This Wednesday I'll be leaving Dublin Castle (entrance to the right of City Hall) at midnight and walking (not running) the 23k out to that point - and back again. Reconnaissance of this road walk is not necessary, but if any walkers want to see how their feet (and footwear) will react to this type of terrain then this 46k trek might be of interest to them. Of course you don't have to do the return journey if walking home is nearer.

Weather is expected to be much milder than of late.

Gasherbraun

Thanks for all your recent posts and info Gravale – considering your past experience of the event it is really good feedback. Just out of interest what sort of time would you expect to complete the walk on Wednesday in at your own pace?


I am doing varied distances (walking) for training and have just done 33KM (15KM hill and the rest road) in six hours and trying to gauge if this is a reasonable sort of pace for the Art?


Any feedback from previous entrants would be useful thanks

Gravale

It's only a training walk on the road in the dark so I expect that I'll be doing between 5-6 km per hour for the 46k.

The pacing for your own training indicates a good level of fitness which should get you through the main event on the night in good condition. The adrenalin will, however, be flowing during the walk from the Castle to CP1 so that should increase your pace. This can exhaust unwary people, so be careful that you follow your own pace rather than that of people who are fitter than yourself. Adrenaline may be in short supply when you start climbing Black Hill and you may be dying as you climb up to Art's Cross. The journey over to Table Track can be rough going and the walk down to Baravore at the finish can seem endless.

Gasherbraun

Thanks for that Gravale. I admit that it is the last haul up to Art's Cross that worries me most. I still have to get down there and climb up to it to get a better idea of it; I hillwalk regularly in Wicklow and the Mournes but know it is going to be a tough hill after such a ridiculously long walk in!

Lots of Christmas training is planned which should help

Gravale

Name a day and I'll do Ballinagee to Table Track and back with you. Early start, of course.

BigGeorge

Was hoping not to have a GPS but have a 'smartphone' . Any suggestions on the best way / app for using a file of the route on an android phone as a back up plan?

Gravale

I use a conventional Garmin Etrex myself but don't know if a smartphone would be of any use in this situation.

I can send you the full gpx file for the trek if you want it. Message me with your email address and I'll forward it to you.

coalshed

BigGeorge wrote: »

Was hoping not to have a GPS but have a 'smartphone' . Any suggestions on the best way / app for using a file of the route on an android phone as a back up plan?

I have an android myself & was considering trying this out. [Note: is has a trial period, so if you install it today (20th December) it will expire on the 12th of January!]

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.crittermap.backcountrynavigator

I used to use my Nokia E66 as backup - just entering co-ordinates for waypoints and verifying that I was at them when in doubt. I'd envisage using the app above in the same way, as I doubt there will be maps available for it.

Gasherbraun

Gravale wrote: »

Name a day and I'll do Ballinagee to Table Track and back with you. Early start, of course.

Thanks for this offer Gravale - it would be good to do this section with someone who knows it so well. I know the area vaguely from locating Lough Firrib from Turlough last year and remember it as quite featureless.

I am off the week following Christmas and will know later this week when I am about next week and will PM you

I may bring my walking partner along if she is free; she completed the challenge last year but is concerned about her lack of training this time

BigGeorge

Thanks Gravale, PM sent.

Am going to test viewranger GPS on my next from runs & will see how it goes & report back

davidsatelle100

was out around Black hill last saturday, was a good trek but low visibility really hampered the speed could only see a few feet in front so was taking it handy

reasonable enough trek though not to difficult****





****without the 35k before hand;)

Gravale

It's usual to be in darkness around Black Hill during the event if you're in a moderate group. Oftentimes daylight is not seen until Billy Byrne's Gap is reached. Fast guys have daylight at Ballinagee, and slow walkers have daylight on Black Hill. And yes, lack of visibility does slow you down unless you're confident about what you're doing.

Shannow 79

BigGeorge wrote: »

Thanks Gravale, PM sent.

Am going to test viewranger GPS on my next from runs & will see how it goes & report back

Would be very interested to hear how you get on with viewranger BigGeorge, am planning on using that for the event on my iphone as well, let me know how it goes for you!

Is anyone planning on doing a recce of the off-road sections of the course the weekend before? There's 3 of us doing the ultra from Tipperary & Limerick and we won't get a chance to get up for a recce before then but we could definitely benefit from a recce with someone who has some knowledge of the course. If anyone is out that weekend that could help us out we'd be very grateful! Thanks.

williamo

How long on average do climbs of Black Hill and Arts cross take?

donothoponpop

williamo wrote: »

How long on average do climbs of Black Hill and Arts cross take?

That's the sort of question you need to answer yourself, by doing a few recce's.

Gravale

...or look at your map and use Naismith's Rule for a fit walker: 12 minutes per kilometre plus 1 minute extra for every 10m contour climbed.

donothoponpop

Gravale wrote: »

...or look at your map and use Naismith's Rule for a fit walker: 12 minutes per kilometre plus 1 minute extra for every 10m contour climbed.

Maybe its tidier to answer all the questions in one spot- and if so take my response with a pinch of salt- but 12min/k is off the chart on this forum;)

williamo

Thanks for that. I climbed Black Hill last weekend.

BigGeorge

Quick updates on using a GPS app on a smartphone courtest of the gpx file from gravale. Havin tried it out, I just dont trust it be accurate or robust enough out on the hills ...maybe as a backup , but not for actual use. In the end I asked around & have organised to borrow an etrex

I trialled viewranger, i dont not get it to use maps from the cache - it kept downloading when repeatedly which was v heavy on the battery - and the bing aerial maps are very low resolution for most of the course; finally using it at night , with cold fingers or in sideways rain would just end in tears I reckon.

Gravale

Not being a user of a smartphone I was reluctant to express my opinion, but from my own observation of one I'd be reluctant also to depend on one for the hills. Pixmania and Amazon both sell the Etrex H for €66 (the former are out of stock and the latter only has four left).

http://www.pixmania.ie/ie/uk/666564/art/garmin/etrex-h-outdoor-gps.html

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Garmin-eTrex-Handheld-GPS-Navigator/dp/B000PDV0CE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1324731395&sr=8-1

My Satnav wants €97+ postage http://www.mysatnav.ie/garmin-etrex

Ebay http://www.ebay.ie/ctg/Garmin-eTrex-H-GPS-Receiver-/69477669

Note: The Etrex with the logo above the word Etrex is the older, less sensitive, version. It's ok, but can let you down in sheltered areas. Get the one with no logo above the name, and 'high sensitivity' below it. This is not a usb-enabled gps and the cables required for your computer are extra. A usb-serial converter cable required also and obtaiable from Ebay.

Of course, if money is no object then you should go for one with more bells and whistles.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_10?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=garmin+gps&sprefix=garmin+gps

Stark

BigGeorge wrote:

Quick updates on using a GPS app on a smartphone courtest of the gpx file from gravale. Havin tried it out, I just dont trust it be accurate or robust enough out on the hills ...maybe as a backup , but not for actual use.

+1.

I wouldn't even rely totally on a full bells & whistles GPS device tbh. A map and compass will never break down or suffer from software glitches. Any time I've over-relied on a GPS device, it's always ended badly. The most useful feature of them imo is providing a grid reference which you can use to relocate yourself on your physical map if you do lose contact.

Gravale

Like yourself, Stark, I would never rely totally on the gps. I always prepare a route card and bring a compass. In actual fact I have more confidence in the latter due to the number of times I've used them on this route. Technology can be quirky at the most inopportune times. Also, using a particular gps without having become familiar its operation on several previous routes is unwise.

Gasherbraun

Gravale.....I have sent you a PM

I used to opertate Viewranger about three years ago on a symbian operating system (Nokia) and as a back up to map and compass (I get by with map and compass but need to learn more!) I thought it was very good. I do not find it as good on iPhone and actually rarely use it on iPhone. In addition the iPhone package seems to have fewer features and seems more clunky to use plus it kills the battery very quickly.

I have never used a purpose made GPS so cannot really compare but would expect Garmin or similar to be superior to a phone based system

As a seperate question has anyone got experience of walking the Wicklow Way from Marley Park to Larah in one go? We were considering it as a final training walk (A very similar distance to Art and a good morale booster :-) and whilst I assume it can be done in about 10-12 hours just wondered if there is any first hand experience out there?

donothoponpop

Gasherbraun wrote: »

As a seperate question has anyone got experience of walking the Wicklow Way from Marley Park to Larah in one go? We were considering it as a final training walk (A very similar distance to Art and a good morale booster :-) and whilst I assume it can be done in about 10-12 hours just wondered if there is any first hand experience out there?

I did (jogged) it in summer, took me about 6 hours Marlay to Glendalough, without incident or difficulty, and little training. Then last week, ran some of the way (before they upped the pace) in reverse with a bunch of decent runners, took them 4:45 without putting the foot down. Its all on decent track, with a little bit of road. Hardest part is crossing Djouce, up from the Dargle to the Boardwalk can be mucky. The Boardwalk is exposed and can be extremely windy. There's no real climbs of note, so that mimics the AON.

There's a tap offering free (drinkable) water at a house leading up to Paddock hill, otherwise bring your own or chance the streams. To be honest, the section when you hit the road after Djouce, to Glendalough, is very boring. If you got out a map and planned some sort of route from there over to Scarr, that would mimic the final off-road section better, and would force you to use the map at a similar stage. Well deserved pint to finish as you walk down to Lynam's

Gravale

Only two sections require navigation on the Challenge, Ballynultagh Gap to Ballinagee and Ballinagee to Table Track.

On Tuesday I'm doing the latter - and back, so if any faster walkers wish to join me then they'd be welcome. We'll be doing 17k with 970m climbing.

Crossing over Ballinagee Bridge from the west, the meeting point is the first forest entrance on the left almost immediately. We leave at 9am.

Ph. 0860826857

Gravale

Information Night date and times confirmed.

Walkers: 3rd January 7pm in the Great Outdoors, Chatham St, Dublin 2.

Ultra's and Hybrids: 4th of January, 7pm in the Great Outdoors.