Eddie Rockets!

Fazz

Nothing to worry about regarding showdown Eddie!

I'm in a similar/worse boat so it will be a case of both of us going in with lack of fitness, having several inconsistencies in training but yet looking forward to the race.

So a classic none the less! We may be battling to try get into the top 10 at current rate!


My training has been hampered a lot up to now, had a run of 3 issues (hopefully done in the 3's as they say!) and haven't put the work in yet. Must update my log so you can rest easy in the knowledge it's everything to play for!
Way behind on fitness but still time to get back to reasonable shape for Tri an Mhi I hope.
It will be no peakfest for either of us though but still just as fun hopefully!

Back to taking things day by day for me and trying to get the consistency. Not as easy as it sounds!

Bambaata

Sorry to hear that Ian. Hope you can get something out of it.

So back on the wagon today

Tuesday 22nd April
Lunchtime Run
Just an easy 45mins. I didnt known where i was going to be. I havent washed my HRM in about 3 weeks (been mad busy since landing back home last week so washing took a back seat!) and so i take the readings its giving me with a pinch of salt. It was saying i was in mid to high 1450s and low 150s at times when it felt like high 130s/low 140s. Felt like marathon pace and i was pleasantly surprised by how i was running. Legs felt good, no aches or niggles and felt totally fresh! Pace was ok too with the average being around 04:15/km!
10.21km, 00:43:30

Im happy how that run went. I was beginning to question why im training and bothering doing this, why im giving such time and money and was feeling quite doom and gloomy about Tri an Mhi. This is completely natural as while the holidays were amazing its always hard letting go of the fitness id built up. I was in a good place just before the hols and have now to accept im playing catchup. I know i cant possibly peak for Tri an Mhi but i do know i can still race well and can take a lot from it to use for Canada. I have to remember Canada was always the primary goal anyway and i will still go well in Tri an Mhi but not so well as i was aiming for. Ive a swim later, lets hope im still positive after that! Its going to be a good summer and im going to make the most of it! Bring on the good weather!

Todays Food:
Brekkie:
2 Sesame crispbreads with tny amount of Whole Earth crunchy peanut butter (ran out so barely got a taste of it!) + Nespresso (no milk or sugar). Barely dragged myself from bed so no brekkie before work, had this at the desk on arriving,

Lunch
Brown multiseed bread sandwich with tomato relish (instead of butter), chicken breast, coleslaw, sweetcorn and boiled egg with a side of beetroot/celery/apple salad

Afternoon snack
Nespresso, lunch was at 14:30 so wont need anything before this evenings swim.

Dinner
Beef Wellington, 2 medium spuds, 2 carrots, 1 parsnip with a mushroom gravy (came as part of the Aldi beef wellington pack) + nespresso as desert. Dinner was had a bit later than id have liked. We had nothing in the house so last night was the first proper shopping since the hols. Did that after swimming so didn't get to eat til 9:30pm or so!Wont be happening the rest of the week now as we're well stocked up.

Swim
In after work. It was a short enough swim to get back into the swing of things. Usual warmup and then some 50s as 25 fist/25p and then a few steady 100s alternating sw/pull. I tore off the a 02:54 opening 200m warmup swim which was a lot faster than expected! I felt great. It did feel a bit strange at first as i havent done any decent structured swimming in about 3 weeks! Still though i didnt go full gas but was a bit over eager. Cooled it off after that but still delighted to see i seem to have lost nothing! 50s went good too and all stayed solid time wise. The 100s were also on par with where i was. There were only 5 of them so fitness wasnt tested but still delighted to see there wasnt a drop off. Fast 50s to finish on 60 came in on 37, 39, 39, 39. I know id struggle to do 20 x 100s but ill get that in order quick enough. What did concern me though was cramping! My feet were curling in cramps a little and at the end i tried stretching out the quads after some kick drills and they went for cramp straight away! Nice to be back in the pool though and happy to be this positive about things by the end of the day.
2100m, 00:45:00

Bambaata

Wednesday 24th April
Food!
Brekkie - 08:30
3 Aldi Weetabix with milk and tiny pinch of sugar

Midmorning snack - 10:30
1 Sesame rye crispbread & 2 Tesco healthy living multigrain ricecakes (no peanut butter! Forgot to get some so just plain!)
Nespresso - black

Lunch - 14:30
I didnt have time for anything solid right after training so took 3/4 of a Ross Nurtition Endurance Recovery shake.
At 15:00 i got to lunch - brown multigrain bread sambo with relish (no butter), chicken breast (loads!), coleslaw, sweetcorn and tomato with a small side of potato salad. Had a black coffee straight after at a meeting.

Midafternoon snack - 17:00
1 Tesco healthy living rice cake just before cycle-time!

Dinner - 20:30
I wouldn't stand a chance calorie counting this one! - Made a mashup style fish curry (using whatever i got) - coconut oil, red onion, scotch bonnet chilli, ground cumin, ground coriander, garlic, ginger, tin of chopped tomatoes, tin of coconot oil, jumbo prawns, mussels, mushrooms, carrots, parsnip, courgette, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, red linseed with a half/half brown rice/quinoa. Complimented this with some mango chutney and small portion of homemade wedges (spuds, small bit of olive oil and paprika and tikka powder)
Britt coffee (black) after to wash down

Kurt Godel

Regarding the cramps, did you eat before the swim? I cramp a lot myself, and only recently tried swimming "hungry", and haven't cramped since. No scientific basis for this, just a hunch.

Bambaata

No, id not eaten for about 3/3.5 hours before the swim! I put it down to the inactivity the past few weeks and the first proper day back at it. Not too concerned for now, if it starts happening all the time then i'll look further into it. Fortunately it didnt effect the swim.

Bambaata

Kurt Godel wrote: »

Regarding the cramps, did you eat before the swim? I cramp a lot myself, and only recently tried swimming "hungry", and haven't cramped since. No scientific basis for this, just a hunch.

I was thinking about this a little more but i don't think it was the cause yesterday./ I find i can have bad cramps if i eat too much peanut butter in a day, even if it was hours and hours beforehand. I really don't think it was the cause yesterday though as i barely had a 1/2 teaspoon of it! Normally if had about a tablespoon and id still be ok.

Kurt Godel

Bambaata wrote: »

I was thinking about this a little more but i don't think it was the cause yesterday./ I find i can have bad cramps if i eat too much peanut butter in a day, even if it was hours and hours beforehand. I really don't think it was the cause yesterday though as i barely had a 1/2 teaspoon of it! Normally if had about a tablespoon and id still be ok.

Thanks. I was asking for selfish reasons, hoping to expand my sample pool to two.:)

From talking to a lot of people about cramps, the concensus seems to mention magnesium and potassium deficiency as the main culprit. A banana a couple of hours before the swim seems to help.

Bambaata

Thursday 24th April
Swim
Just some 300s sw, 200s p and 100s sw and went well enough. I took things handy enough and tried to keep pace consistent. My left shoulder was at me a little in the 100sw/100p of the warmup but was fine after. I cant put my finger on this! It was fine from there though. Sw pace was around 01:35/100 in the 300s and pulls were the same for the 200's. Stayed consistent to the end with the 100s being 01:32, 01:32, 01:27 (slightly held up on the first 2) and some 50s mod at the end all being 41.
00:48:35, 2400

Lunch Run with some builds
Good enough run, bit of a drop off in pace between the easy before the builds and the easy after! I ran 04:17/km (AHR - 143) for the opening 20mins into a slight wind but only 04:28/km (AHR - 142) for the last 15mins back after the builds. I gave the builds a decent showing running hard to sprint for the last 5-10s. Legs felt fine despite pace drop off.
00:50:25, 11.71km

Easy/Recovery
Herself was meeting a friend of ours for a spin in the park so i went along with her to the park and then spun real easy (all under 200W) for the guts of 40mins before returning home with her. Kept power off completely and tried keeping cadence over 95 throughout. Nice evening out for it.
01:08:31, 28.28km

Friday 25th April
Lunch run with 15 steady, 5 mod
Good enough run. Had the same wind conditions as yesterday (into face on way out, on back on way back while along coast). HR was rising very easily as has been the case since getting back to things after holiers but i expect that to even out by mid/late next week. I ran an opening 04:15/km pace 20mins easy, then had 3mins more into the wind for the start of the steady and then turned for it to be on my back running 04:05/km for the steady for HR around 150 and ran a 03:58/km for a controlled mod (not pushing too hard).
00:49:30, 11.72km

Evening Swim
Good swim again. Had a bunch of 150sw's easy, 100p's steady, 50k's hard & 150b+b's with some fast 25 easy 25 to finish. No issues in left shoulder and no cramping either. Had the lane virtually to myself too for the entire set. 150s sw's were between 01:28 & 01:32 which is good for easy. 100p's were between 01:31 & 01:33. I don't think ive ever buried myself as much in a kick set and was in agony after but very happy to hit 59s, 01:02, 01:02, 01:01. I think i've managed that before but that would have been with fins. 150s B+B were all 01:37 to 01:36/100 pace. 25 fast/easy were 40, 41, 40, 40.
00:52:59, 2600m

Saturday 26th April
Long Bike
Out early with Fran with no real plan. We decided we'd hit the hills. I was underprepared and didn't expect to hit hailstones and gale force winds! We were freezing from about the hour mark and cut the intended route short and went for Enniskerry after climbing old Military Rd from Rathfarnham rather than going into the thick cloud over the Gap. Finally warmed up after stopping for a coffee. Got to the Phoenix Park and did 1 x 290W AP 31min rep which was probably about 305/310+NP as i had to freewheel around corners which were very oily and dangerous (had rear wheel slide out a bit when on first bend!) My garmin for some reason had erased the activity after supposedly uploading! I remember seeing about 193AP for the session near the end and did hit 290AP exactly for the 31min rep. The cateye had my time and distance still on it this morning when i checked.
03:45:55, 95.5km

Sunday 27th April
Run to work
I was supposed to get up early and do my long run before work but met a friend for food Saturday evening and hece was later to bed than planned. Ran into work in the morning so i could run from work after - very easy, very short!
00:08:41, 1.89km

Long Run - Easy using run/walk
Good enough run. I felt tired (mainly mentally) by the end of a long work day. It took me about 30-40mins to snap out of that and start feeling decent. I was very careful food/coffee wise all day and it worked. I'd no tummy issues. Ran pretty well. Slight wind out which i was into along Clontarf strand on way out and had on my back on the way back in. Felt very fresh to the end, felt like i could have gone on double that!
01:20:10, 18.72km

Well no chance id be able to remember everything i ate the past few days. I was out for a Crackbird on Friday night (Buttermilk chicken, slaw, potato salad) and 2 drinks and BoBos Saturday night (Sex on the Farm burger, chips and 2 drinks after too). I did manage to not eat sweets etc until Saturday when i had a bag of crisps and a protein oat bar washed down with a San Pellegrino Sparkling Lemon drink. Not all too bad then bar the two meals out, drinks and that.

A good week overall. Got about 13hrs in overall. Good to get back to it.

Split was:
Swim|Bike|Run
02:26:30|06:48:01|03:52:21
7100m|177.95km|54.28km

mossym

Bambaata wrote: »

I did manage to not eat sweets etc until Saturday when i had a bag of crisps and a protein oat bar washed down with a San Pellegrino Sparkling Lemon drink.

we need to discuss your definition of sweets..:)

Bambaata

Ha, i know i know. I didnt want to say "eat sh!t! as i had done that Friday via Crackbird ;-) I was happy though that i managed to not eat the crap that was around the office last week. Everyday there was something on the printer table in the middle of the office which i have to pass to exit. I nearly went for a few skittles at one point!!!

Bambaata

Bit of a stop start again int he last two weeks. Had a good w/c 28/04 but not so good last week as i travelled up to Belfast for the Giro and missed 2 days training.

Short summary of the two weeks:

Monday 28th April - Swim & run. Tired legs on the run from the weekend before. Just an 8.32km run in 00:36:38 with some builds in it that i didnt quite kill myself in. Good swim i the evening with some 300p steady and 100s mod. All mod 100s sub 01:29 which i was happy eough with

Tuesday 29th April - Bike at lunch was to be 5x(2 105-115%, 1 easy) but i didnt feel i hurt enough so went for Howth after work. Double bike day and a solid 61k in just over 2hrs. Enjoyed the Howth spin. Legs felt good which confirmed i didnt hurt myself enough in the earlier spin. I took Howth hill in a similar format to the earlier session and gave myself short recoveries on the flat/downhill parts and rode mod to hard on the climbs. The 5 reps AP/NP/AHR/durations were 1) 349/345/144/03:28 (52s recovery after), 2) 383/376/146/1:49 (25s recovery after) 3) 458/440/162/3:27 (descent to harbour) 4) 344/341/150/6:34 5) descent from summit - 277/318/151/7:07. Felt great throughout and interesting to see i hit a 391W AP for 5 mins (from strava).

Wednesday 30th April - Morning swim with some 200p's and 100s broken up as fast/steady. Ok swim but lane was a bit busy. Got 00:57:39 in and 2850m. I was supposed to run at lunch but had some stomach issues so headed out on the bike for a very easy 28mins and 12.5k just spinning the legs. Got the run in on the way home from work. The iffy stomach was caused by crap food in the morning but i felt fine, funny energy feeling in the middle but got through the 10.74km in 00:45:48. So all 3 in one day

Thursday 1st May - First day of summer and a short 2k run to work as my bike was in there. I then had a bike with some sprints. The sprints were (AP/Time) 1) 667/15s, 2) 610/20s, 3) 557/25s, 4) 479/44s, 5) 510/42s. Legs felt good. Session flew by and a nice 40.34km in 01:20:04 done. I know im going ok when an easy spin averages 30km/hr+

Friday 2nd May - A morning swim consisting of some balance drills, sculling and then 200sw’s steady, 150p’s mod, 100sw’s hard + 20s and finished off with some 50s fast on 70. 200s were 03:06 to 03:09. 150s were 02:20 to 02:23 and the 100s were 01:27 – 01:24 (all descended). 3100m covered in just over the hour. A run at lunch then with a 15 steady and 5 mod. Managed 04:01/km for the 15 steady and 03:52/km for the mod so happy enough with 12.89 covered in the 00:55:05

Saturday 3rd May – On Friday evening I drove to Galway and then Saturday morning to Limerick to drop Leisha at the Limerick to Ennis Cycle Against Suicide stage. I drove back to Ennis, parked up and then set out for a long bike with no real plan in order. I ended up going Ennis -> Lahinch -> Kilrush -> Ennis and threw in an Olympic/Sprint and HIM 35min rep with 18mins between each. Good spin despite getting lashed on for about 90mins of it!! I took GU gels and High5 2:1 as id hope to race using this and had no issues. Loving the GU gels! What I was most happy with what a 33.3km/hr average for the 113km in 03:23:50 and a NP of 273 across the whole spin. Here's the strava - http://www.strava.com/activities/138154172

Sunday 4th May – With a bit of last minute thinking I realised that I could get my long run done and join the Cycle Against Suicide leg of Galway to Tuam. I was dropping Leisha to the starting line anyway and we decided we’d do that leg and cycle back to Galway. We got to the start of that leg a bit early so I could get my 90min run done and then jump on the bike. I went a bit harder than the intended easy but felt good to suffer a little. HRM was spiking like crazy so i didn’t run to it. I’d guess i was high easy into mid steady for the first hour and then did a mod 20mins as i was under a little time pressure. Felt great though which surprised me as the legs felt a little tired from yesterday’s bike when i woke first thing in the morning. I took 1 Espresso Love gel around 55mins and prob needed it as i seemed to start flagging ever so slightly around 45/50mins. Enjoyed the run and delighted with the pace over the 21.56km setting a 2nd fastest ½ marathon according to Strava which was good considering 2mins of that was walking (I know I have a lot quicker from years ago though). http://www.strava.com/activities/138154060 So then onto the CAS cycle. The legs certainly felt the earlier run so spinning around 100W was about all I was happy to do! We spun out real easy with the group and then Leisha and I headed back into the wind. It was about 160W back as light was dying but Leisha did great and we got back just in time.

That ended a good week and very happy to log over 17hrs!! Pretty certain that’s my biggest ever and it really didn’t feel like it. I know a lot was easy pace but still better than sitting on the couch! Breakdown of that was 55.76km ran in 03:55:15, 291.35km cycled in 10:03:31 and 8650m swam in 3:03:57.

Last week to come!

mossym

solid week there eddie, well done

Bambaata

Well its as good a time as any to try catchup here! Have had a busy few weeks and am currently sitting in my office avoiding the 1D concert outside! Wrecked today after 2 long days previous so hoping i can get this updated:

Monday 5th May
I was supposed to meet up with a few in Galway for my first OW swim of the year but the wooses all bailed, you know who you are ;-)
Bike - After leaving Leisha to Tuam for the Tuam to Enniscrone CAS leg I called the lads to find a cycle was planned so headed out for an easy enough 44km in 01:36:52. Got a few tempo efforts done up some climbs and it was good to have some company – always seems to help the time pass. Wind was crazy though so hard to actually hear at times!!
01:36:52, 44.04km

Tuesday 6th May
Run - Lunchtime run out along Clontarf Strand. Good run, was without the HRM strap so ran to feel. Ran high easy id say but felt good and didnt flag throughout. Blustery wind out that at times made it a bit slower but couldn't say if it favored any particular direction. Enjoyed it. Good pace held.
00:46:04, 11.02km

Bike - After work i met up with a group (including joey here) for some motivation in what was to be a 4min interval/3 easy few reps. I planned to just hang with them for as long as possible but while staying close to the session plan. What was supposed to be 1 easy lap and then some race pace laps turned into race pace pretty much from the off so i only lasted the one lap before letting it go so that i could stick to plan. My 4 reps went well enough, the legs were tiring by the 4th rep as i felt like i just couldn't turn over quick enough to get the power up. Enjoyed the session though but it did have to start raining near the end didnt it! I was getting cold then so shot home rather than riding easy around to say my goodbyes. Not very mannerly but i was frozen!
01:12:17, 37.65km

Wednesday 7th May
Bike- Seeing as i forgot my shorts and was half changed i decided to head out and spin really really easy to help the legs. Got fecking lashed on though and had a very nasty wind with the rain for the way back. Kept power off as much as possible but was over 230/40 at times on the way back with the blustery wind.
00:28:12, 11.4km

Run - Had to do after work as i forgot my shorts, hate running after work but got on with it. Felt a bit tired as i have done all day and a bit funny energy wise. That lasted until just after a few fast sprints which were just ok, probably ran at 85/90% rather than 100% but ok nonetheless. I didnt start enjoying the run until about 30mins in but enjoyed from there.
00:45:26, 10.54km

Thursday 8th May
Bike - Was to do 40 tempo but I kept getting caught in traffic during the tempo for which i was trying to aim for 250-290. I had about 6 or 7 disturbances in it and thus lengthened it out a little to 47mins. Felt very comfortable in that range with HR just floating around high 120s/low 130s. With all the stop/starting and rolling around cars here and there the AP was destroyed but ended up still 256AP and 271NP. Session flew by and enjoyed it
01:17:37, 38.24km

Friday 9th May
Nothing, was in Belfast for Giro. I had driven up really early to drop Leisha and a friend off at the Maghera to Belfast Cycle Against Suicide leg and hoped to get to B&B and get a spin in myself but the CAS guys ended up being bused to just outside Belfast and it took me ages to get to the B&B so i just got a short pedal in over to the CAS venue. Was a bit iffy cycling up and down the Falls road in an orange jersey (CAS jersey)!! I couldn't find the place at all!! I soon learned Belfast is a bit of a kip! Never seen such a high density of scumbags!

Saturday 10th May
Giro again and only a bit of soft pedalling around the city. This time we ended up in East Belfast and my darling wife had her tri-colour in tow. Nicer crowd than on the Falls Road though :P Leisha got a great spot as she was at the manhole poor Dan Martin came down at. She can be seen with the tri-colour on the bike cam coming behind just as he crashed! I was around the corner and didnt know what was going on when i saw just 4 Garmin guys come around cursing to the high heavens! I feared someone had been hit as the crowd had been venturing onto the road. I was devastated to see what had happened when i went around the bend.

Sunday 11th May
Run - Back in Dublin and so before the Giro i headed out on a long run along the Giro route. It was surreal seeing everything being set out and i got really excited for later! I really wasnt in the mood for it seeing how ****ty the weather was but got on with it. I always get gloomy when i miss a few days but had to get back to it. HRM was all over the shop. I ran easy for 40mins and then steady for about 25-30 before finishing easy. Went just ok, legs a bit tired from all the walking around Belfast the previous two days.
01:23:56, 19.06km

Will get to the next week tomorrow. Gig over now! Time for home!!

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Cannot recall, have you moved up to A3 or have any bike races planned. Just renewed with CI and will be doing Sean Nolan Sun week if you fancy it. Sure catch you next week in Cavan.

Bambaata

Alice Green Prizefight wrote: »

Cannot recall, have you moved up to A3 or have any bike races planned. Just renewed with CI and will be doing Sean Nolan Sun week if you fancy it. Sure catch you next week in Cavan.

No have only done the 2 bike races and with 1 3rd from that i need another result to get upgraded. Im hoping to get an A4 race in immediately after the Tri an Mhi race and i hope to dip in and out of bike racing all summer. Ill be working that Sunday unfortunately.

Race wise i've been very lazy! All i have as definites are:

Saturday 31st May - James Mc Manus memorial sprint - Cavan
Saturday 7th June - CXIII Middle distance - Westmeath
Sunday 7th September - World 70.3's Canada.

Ill need to get onto scheduling others! The bike club league starts tomorrow and continues each Wednesday for 12 weeks. I'll skip the first two as its too close to Tri an Mhi but hope to do the following 10 as its 10 to score!

tunney

Yeah - we need a race report on the cracking race!

pgibbo

tunney wrote: »

Yeah - we need a race report on the cracking race!

Let him enjoy a few days of RnR in Sardinia first :pac:

Awesome performance last weekend Ed

Bambaata

Ha cheers paul, in rome at the moment. Am flying home late tomorrow and work Thursday :-( ill get something together over the weekend, great course, amazing bike route and nice run. Swim was long, bike and run slightly short. The area is shut down this time of year though so you have to either go self catering (which we did through airbnb) or stay in Forte Village (which is pricey and mostly shut)

Ive not done a tap since bar one cycle the day after and have a nice belly going on! Stuffing myself with the breakfast deserts the italians lay on! Ill be back on the wagon this weekend as march 7th wont be long coming!!!

pgibbo

Cough, report, cough :pac:

joey100

How are you set for The Race eddie?? Seen you saying that there will be a few changes to your gear, you going with TT or road bike?? (only if you don't mind sharing, don't want you giving away your top tips!)

Bambaata

Hey Joey, almost there now. Im kinda prepared, focus for this year isnt on this race so my training hasnt been all focused on this. I know i'll get around but unsure of time! Just going to pace each leg as i see fit and hope for the best!

Gear wise i am planning on having lots of backup plans! I was up there over the weekend and climbed Muckish. I was frozen with numb hands and shivering a lot by the time i got down so biggest changes are on that leg. Also planning on having a change in kit at every transition but only using it if needed. The hope is i dont have to change much. Socks and gloves will likely be changed a few times and ive bought some sealskinz waterproof socks to hopefully keep me somewhat dry. Im wearing tri-shorts and UA thermal running tights throughout and then lots of UA baselayers with a gilet for opening half marathon. Then on the kayak ill put on waterproof trousers over the tights with a water resident jacket, then stripping the waterproof jacket and trousers off and putting a Castelli Gabba jacket on for the bike legs, wear all that with another jacket for Muckish (in the middle of 2 bike legs), then back on the bike removing that jacket and ill have new tights, running compression shorts and change of socks for the marathon to finish.
Plan to put fresh thermal UA cold gear tops with talc, towel, socks, gloves in every transition box. Ive lots of decent gear thankfully! From what i hear, the biggest reason people didnt finish last year was from lack of backup gear (and gear in general!), particularly socks etc

Im going with the TT bike, im comfortable on it and i should be more aero on it so that should help get me out of the wind as its generally quite strong up there and the course is quite exposed in parts.

If anyone reading this is wondering what im on about here's some blurb i sent out yesterday to drum up some funding for the Self Help Africa charity who are running this event (with a link to the mycharity page )

Hi all,

As some of you may know already I'm partial to the odd bit of training and racing and so on March 7th I’m taking part in "The Race 2015". This event is all about raising money for Gorta/Self Help Africa - http://www.selfhelpafrica.org/ie

I’ve set up a My Charity fundraising page and would really appreciate if you can donate – http://www.mycharity.ie/event/eddiebrennantherace/ I also have a sponsorship card if you’d prefer to sponsor that way. Please let me know and I’ll get to you.

The event is a 250km unsupported endurance 24 hour event across the rugged landscape of North West Donegal. To finish competitors have to complete 15km of kayaking, 166km of cycling, 5km of mountain running and 64km of road and trail running. It is aimed at providing the ultimate 24 hour test of endurance.

A little bit about the charity:
Self Help Africa has been working in sub-Saharan Africa for thirty years. Established in the immediate aftermath of the Ethiopian famine, we have been striving ever since to tackle the root causes of hunger and famine across the continent.

Up to 70% of people living in sub-Saharan Africa rely directly or indirectly on farming for their survival. This is the area we focus on, because we know this is where we can make the biggest impact. Farming is a business, and by helping small holders to move from subsistence to surplus, long term sustainable farm businesses are created.

In July 2014, Self Help Africa merged with Gorta, Ireland’s longest established NGO.

I’d really appreciate if you can help in any way and if you are interested in finding out more about The Race 2015, or perhaps taking it on in 2016, you can find out more information here - http://www.therace.ie/

Thanks,
Ed

tunney

Based in twitter we are missing an interesting post.

pgibbo

Best of luck this weekend!!!

Bambaata

pgibbo wrote: »

Best of luck this weekend!!!

Thanks Paul, almost there now and really looking forward to it! Have that nervous excitement going on which I relish. Final packing tonight and then donegal-ward early tomorrow

Dory Dory

Definitely the best of luck!!!

Bambaata

thanks. For those interested i believe there shall be live tracking here - http://therace.ie/the-race-2015/2015-live-tracking

RacoonQueen

All the best Ed. Expect you to win

mossym

best of luck eddie. no point telling you give it lots as wouldn't be like you to do anything but..

zico10

Good luck Ed!

MojoMaker

Good luck B-man. Give 'em hell.