Art O'Neill 2013

Gasherbraun

just wondering if anyone on here knows when the Art O'Neill website and registration will open? I know it is in testing mode at moment but I am away on and off with limited internet access and knowing how over subscribed it was last year I do not want to miss it

Also on a similar subject is there anyone on here who has done the Art and the Lug walk and if so how do they compare.....which is toughest, most fun etc.

Cheers

Gravale

I've not seen any mention of registration, etc., yet. No doubt when the organisers have made preliminary plans they'll let us know immediately.

I've done 74 Lug Walks and 26 Art O'Neills. The Lug walk is undoubtedly the greater challenge though the distance on both challenges is about the same at 51km. While you could count the climbs on the Art O'Neill on one hand, there are at least fifteen mountains on the Lug Walk to be tackled. On the Art O'Neill you have about 34km of good road and track and really only 18km of mountain terrain. On the Lug Walk you are onto the mountain terrain almost immediately and it continues almost uninterrupted to the finish 50kms later.

Navigationally the Art O'Neill is quite simple, especially since the greater part of it is on road or forest track. On the Lug Walk navigation skills are required throughout the entire 51k, and you embark on this challenge without those skills or a guide at your peril.

Most reasonably fit people can do the Art O'Neill Walk and therefore it has a very high percentage of finishers. On the Lug Walk 'reasonably fit' people often end their attempt on the challenge at the Wicklow Gap due to exhaustion and a lack of training - or a failure to get there by the cut-off time.

Despite the fact that the Lug Walk is held every two years on the Saturday nearest the longest day in the year, it has a a poor record for good weather. More often than not it's conducted in wet and misty conditions. On the other hand the Art O'Neill, which might be expected to have bad weather because of the time of year that it's being held in, invariably has a record of very acceptable conditions.

Finally, the Art O'Neill has a team of guides for all who wish to be led, but there are no guides offered on the Lug Walk.

Gasherbraun

Thanks Gravale. You have confirmed what I suspected having looked at the route of the Lug walk and having walked sections. I think I will see how I feel after the Art in 2013 before deciding on it, assuming the Lug is happening next year. I am probably a lot fitter than I was for the Art in 2012 so hopefully if I keep working on that then the Lug may be a possibility.

Your stats on these walks amaze me but having seen you in action (myself and my friend Aoife did the ring of Glenbride with you leading up to the 2012 Art) I can quite believe them

Thanks once again for the answer.

Gravale

Here's a series of hikes which will prepare you for the Lug Walk.

Gasherbraun

Thanks for this Gravale

Are there usually any groups of walkers that follow this training schedule next year or is it generally done on an individual basis?

Thanks

Gravale

I'm afraid not, Gasherbraun.

It's a list of hikes I organised for my club, the Irish Ramblers, in 2010. I post them here in case someone wants to train regularly for the Lug Walk and become familiar with the route at the same time.

chesscyclist

The 2013 Art O'Neill Challenge will take place on the Friday 11th January 2013. Registration opens on Saturday 20th October 2012.

There is more information posted at: http://northfacejohn.com/index.php/opinion/art-oneill-challenge-2013/.

Gravale

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrY-J2RBfB4&feature=youtube_gdata_player