2014 Beast of Ballyhoura - Ireland's longest AR

Causeway

The Beast is back for 2014. Experience this uniquely Irish 40 hour non-stop adventure race set in the ancient and magical surroundings of counties Cork, Limerick and Tipperary. The Beast will start on Saturday morning August 2nd and finish on Sunday August 3rd. The race is designed for mixed teams of four. Teams will mountain run, bike, kayak, abseil, orienteer and shoot, navigating the best route to win. Prepare to meet your demons during this event designed exclusively to push each team to their limits.
Start: 1st - 4th August 2014 Race for: Mixed Teams of Four (All male teams can enter but will be considered non-competitive)
Beast entry fee: 800 Euro (Team of 4)
All Ireland Inter Services Challenge
The Inter Services Challenge is a race within a race. Your team will race over the same route as the Beast and rank in the results of the Beast but will also be in the running for the All Ireland Inter Services Challenge title. You'll need a 4 person team with at least 1 female and your team must consist of at least 3 team members from the same service.
Start: 1st - 4th August 2014
Race for: Mixed Teams of Four Only (at least 3 from the same service)
Inter Services Challenge entry fee: 800 Euro (Team of 4)

dapope

Stick it in your calendar folks. Last years course was pretty epic. I would encourage anyone to give it a go. Get on a team first... ask questions later You might love it, you might say never again but you'll always have the memories.

shotgunmcos

Stuck Now to find a team...

Enduro

shotgunmcos wrote: »

Stuck Now to find a team...

Somebody recruit this man fast!

Causeway

Enduro wrote: »

Somebody recruit this man fast!

Thought you would have been planning to do just that.

Causeway

shotgunmcos wrote: »

Stuck Now to find a team...

Make you're own team up.

Link to your race report from 2012.

mossym

shotgunmcos wrote: »

Stuck Now to find a team...

i'd seen you mention it before, but not read your race report. holy %h&t. i'm not sure whether i'm scared off it for life or mad to give it a go.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Must resist messing about.:)

pgibbo

I'd love to try something like this at some stage. That and UTMB even if UTMB isn't messing

sconhome

mossym wrote: »

i'd seen you mention it before, but not read your race report. holy %h&t. i'm not sure whether i'm scared off it for life or mad to give it a go.

Florence Juicy Magnate wrote: »

Must resist messing about.:)

pgibbo wrote: »

I'd love to try something like this at some stage. That and UTMB even if UTMB isn't messing

There you go MCOS, 3 left in the line up while the rest of us took a step backwards

shotgunmcos

So teams consist of 3 lads and one hoochie. If not Oryx who is wearing the wig?!

A boards team would be cool alright. Anyone seriously up for it? Who can read a map? €200 entry per person may seem like a lot but it is totally worth it

Enduro

If you all do put a team together I'll help you out with anything I can.

mossym

shotgunmcos wrote: »

So teams consist of 3 lads and one hoochie. If not Oryx who is wearing the wig?!

A boards team would be cool alright. Anyone seriously up for it? Who can read a map? €200 entry per person may seem like a lot but it is totally worth it

honestly, if i wasn't targeting lost sheep i might consider it. plus i can read a map, kind of, was in top 3 individual and on the winning team for the scouts national orienteering in my youth. not sure it is up the responsibility of navigating a team around though, the pressure!!!

as i said though, LS is a focus of mine this summer so not sure this would fit.

Kurt Godel

Pending faster choices stepping up, you can pencil me in for a Boards team. I can read a map and navigate, and in the likely event of my dying during it, my carcass would feed an army.

lgk

Kurt Godel wrote: »

Pending faster choices stepping up, you can pencil me in for a Boards team. I can read a map and navigate, and in the likely event of my dying during it, my carcass would feed an army.

You could use tows on all stages to even the speed across the team

sconhome

If there was a lad, hypothetically say, who was relatively fit and with no major plans for a big event this year, available to make up the x3 males on the Boards team and same lad has some QuarterMaster experience where would he send his CV ?

*yet to be put to the Planning Authority but interested in exploring the option.

shotgunmcos

OK the Boards Beast Team

Pencilled in
shotgunmcos
Kurt G - can navigate, sweet. If there is a swim section at the start again we will have this nailed!

Expressed interest
mossym & pgibbo: both doing lost sheep so not sure if a 40 hour race a couple of weeks before that is ideal prep?
Oryx: Has 2 weeks to recover from IMUK, and we need a hoochie
AKW: knows a hypothetical other
Nerraw111: lurking
The Hobbit???

Enduro has volunteered as a mentor which is sound. We will have lots of questions. I had the privilege of watching the guy in action, in this very race, on his team :eek:

Training:
At least 3-4 long training days in Limerick/Cork/Wicklow to simulate race type situations and to team build

mossym

as long as i get an entry to lost sheep that'll be my priority and as much as this interests me i'll go with LS. If i don't get an entry though and ye are still looking for someone i'd be interested

nerraw1111

Ha!

I'll throw my hat in the ring. I'm doing a 50 mile race a week before it but could be good to go with a week rest.

I'll be doing plenty of running and mountain biking anyway this year so in theory it'll be great training. I'm ok on navigation.

Causeway

Guys I missed all this, was out making sure our last CCAR Winter Series event run as it should on Saturday. Enduro as mentor you can't go far wrong there, I'm also happy to give advice if I can. Would be great to see a boards teams Battling the Beast.

shotgunmcos

Causeway wrote: »

Make you're own team up.

Link to your race report from 2012.

In progress!

Causeway

Just to confirm, the Beast of Ballyhoura will be part of the European Series this year again.

Excuseless

Causeway wrote: »

Just to confirm, the Beast of Ballyhoura will be part of the European Series this year again.

Good stuff Ivan

Good luck with the preperations

Hopefully our team will be "Outfront" at some stage - preferrably towards the end

Causeway

Paul, hopefully there will be a few other European teams to challenge you for that Outfront spot... maybe even a Boards.ie team to give you a run for your money, who knows. Get your team gathered together, it's going to be one hell of a race this year.

Excuseless

Causeway wrote: »

Paul, hopefully there will be a few other European teams to challenge you for that Outfront spot... maybe even a Boards.ie team to give you a run for your money, who knows. Get your team gathered together, it's going to be one hell of a race this year.

Would be good to see a good boards team out there for sure

It will be time for the talking to stop and the action to begin in earnest so hopefully it actually happens :cool:

Outfront will be there again and hopefully fairly well prepared too.

We have to all do our best keep these vikings and other foreign "raiders" from plundering the honor and glory of a Beast win :eek:

Causeway

Excuseless wrote: »

We have to all do our best keep these vikings and other foreign "raiders" from plundering the honor and glory of a Beast win :eek:

I like your thinking here Paul. Get your team sorted it could be a big one this year, the Danes already coming plus a few others from across Europe talking about it. This might also be a good year for a stab at it if you want to try something bigger in the near future.

shotgunmcos

Suggestions for the boards team name anyone?

Team is
shotgunmcos
nerraw111
AKW
A hoochie TBC

Is this the first TDAR boards team assembly?

Oryx

Team Tri Harder

shotgunmcos

OK I'm losing my touch.. Burned through 3 hoochie options so far :cool:

On the lookout for a girl to join the team. If anyone knows a fit outdoorsie mad hoochie, send them my way

Oryx

shotgunmcos wrote: »

OK I'm losing my touch.. Burned through 3 hoochie options so far :cool:

On the lookout for a girl to join the team. If anyone knows a fit outdoorsie mad hoochie, send them my way

Mwahaha. I hexed it.

shotgunmcos

Oryx wrote: »

Mwahaha. I hexed it.

You put a certain inevitable spell on it alright ha ha you are not the only tough Kate in the world ya know

Oryx

shotgunmcos wrote: »

You put a certain inevitable spell on it alright ha ha you are not the only tough Kate in the world ya know

I hope you find a good one.

Dory Dory

What?? :eek::eek: Oryx, are you mad to pass this opportunity up?? This is right up your ally, if you must know. Honest to god, if I lived anywhere near Ireland I'd be all over this and not blink twice.

<looks next to Solobally 8....>

Oryx

Dory Dory wrote: »

What?? :eek::eek: Oryx, are you mad to pass this opportunity up?? This is right up your ally, if you must know. Honest to god, if I lived anywhere near Ireland I'd be all over this and not blink twice.

<looks next to Solobally 8....>

Its two weeks after IMUK.

Solobally8

Dory Dory wrote: »

<looks next to Solobally 8....>

Well I was asked but since I was 4th choice I decided to say no

(Actually I was flattered to be asked but I have a wedding that weekend)

RacoonQueen

Solobally8 wrote: »

Well I was asked but since I was 4th choice I decided to say no

(Actually I was flattered to be asked but I have a wedding that weekend)

At least you were asked

I wouldn't, but, that is not the point.

sconhome

RacoonQueen wrote: »

At least you were asked

I wouldn't, but, that is not the point.

Mike, no matter what you do you can't please them all :rolleyes:

RacoonQueen

AKW wrote: »

Mike, no matter what you do you can't please them all :rolleyes:

I mean, even YOU made the team...I feel so dejected to be deemed not even good enough for a team YOU made :P

shotgunmcos

RacoonQueen wrote: »

I mean, even YOU made the team...I feel so dejected to be deemed not even good enough for a team YOU made :P

He put his hand up for the challenge! Did you? As did 2 other lads but one had to drop out. When iron hoochie became unavailable I went searching. I had a friend and multiple marathon winner with bike skills practically signed up but she had to drop out reluctantly too. I currently have another tough future hoochie who stepped forward practically signed up and good to go but I'm waiting on a decision from an earlier draft choice first. Either way the female element of this boards team will keep the boys in check when the going gets tough I'm sure of it!

BTH

RacoonQueen wrote: »

At least you were asked

I wouldn't, but, that is not the point.

There's biking involved, why are you surprised??

RacoonQueen

BTH wrote: »

There's biking involved, why are you surprised??

I'm a great cyclist.

Oryx

RacoonQueen wrote: »

I'm a great cyclist.

You're better than me.


But very few are worse.

sconhome

Oryx wrote: »

You're better than me.


But very few are worse.

I just realised there's MTB involved, I win the 'Worst Cyclist' Category for that

shotgunmcos

So we have a Boards team entered into this year's Beast of Ballyhoura

Team Tri Harder
shotgunmcos
AKW
nerraw111
career_move

Causeway

shotgunmcos wrote: »

So we have a Boards team entered into this year's Beast of Ballyhoura

Team Tri Harder
shotgunmcos
AKW
nerraw111
career_move

Folks, thanks for getting a team together, don't be afraid to ask for any advice, either on here or if if you prefer you can contact me through the website. On here might be better and you'll get more replies from other boards members who have taken part in many other events.

Sothgunmcos no ankle socks this year

shotgunmcos

Heading for a spin in the Ballyhoura trails this weekend if anyone knocking around.

shotgunmcos

The mind rather than the body

Read over the route instructions for the last 2 years today :eek: In 2012 we just left all the thinking to Enduro. It took me 2 hours today just to plot the 2012 control points on the maps and go over the route we took . Just that exercise was interesting as I combined Enduros route decisions with how the team were feeling at key stages. I underestimated how much he carried us through with his experience in the last 12 hours. Going back over the report 24 hours into the race it took us 3 hours to cover a simple 25km bike on the road in the dark :eek:

Some of the CPs look so handy on the map but in reality they were mostly anything but handy.

There is so so much to this race and it would be coinsidered a short one by AR standards! Last time I was blissfully unaware :cool:

Hopefully there is some shooting stuff this year

Enduro

I wasn't doing much carrying Experience is the best teacher alright, and it played a big role in my decision making. You'll have learned tons from that race, and from looking back and analysing it now.

But attitude counts for more, and that's what got us around that course so well. Even at our lowest we were still all racing and doing our best to collectively make it to the finish with the best result we were capable of (which we most certainly did!).

shotgunmcos

Places to track the boards team this summer
SleepMonsters
The Beast on FB
Beast website
A series of pics from last years race which Enduro & Co won

Only 8 of 21 teams completed the full course last year :eek:

shotgunmcos

One of my 2012 teammates is looking for a team if there is another scratch boards team or otherwise out there

shotgunmcos

If you were given maps and as master map with CPs premarked for you to copy to your maps, why not just be given a marked map(s)?

Hey Ivan any chance I could get a copy of the grid coordinates of the TAs and CPs from last year, I'd love to see the route taken for the first ARES here?