Gaelforce West

desertcircus

I'm doing GFW this August, having done an absolutely terrible job of it in 2013 and failing to summit Croagh Patrick. Unsurprisingly, my training this time around is a good deal more intensive and organised than 2013's "run 6k a couple times a week and go for the odd spin" approach, but I'm a little worried that the surfaces I'm training on aren't sufficiently terrible. Does anyone know of anywhere in Dublin that has compacted stone/gravel roads like the bike approach to Croagh Patrick, or a good trail that's properly hilly and messy?

sconhome

Depending on where you are in Dublin

Go up and down to the leadmines in Ballycorus a few times
Tick Nock up and down by 3 rock
Bohernabreena
Howth Head
Killiney or Bray head

That should shake your legs out a bit

Peterx

desertcircus wrote: »

I'm doing GFW this August, having done an absolutely terrible job of it in 2013 and failing to summit Croagh Patrick. Unsurprisingly, my training this time around is a good deal more intensive and organised than 2013's "run 6k a couple times a week and go for the odd spin" approach, but I'm a little worried that the surfaces I'm training on aren't sufficiently terrible. Does anyone know of anywhere in Dublin that has compacted stone/gravel roads like the bike approach to Croagh Patrick, or a good trail that's properly hilly and messy?

You could do worse then doing every Wednesday evening imra race. www.imra.ie Cycling there and home afterwards if feasible is better again.
Gaelforce is over 60% running by time. You'll get through the bike stages on the day.
Cycling laps of the fireroad in Cruagh, including the section that leads down to the Tibradden exit has rough gravel/stony sections. On wet days cycling along the canal towpaths is good slippy fun.

Enduro

And if you're looking to match the feel of running up and down the top section of Croagh Patrick then the sugarloaf is probably the nearest match in the GDA.

Antoinette001

Hi, I'm doing GFW for the first time this year and I'm wondering what is sufficient combined training... I'm also training for the Ring of Kerry so I'm trying to find the balance between traing for both... at the moment I'm not doing any combined workouts at all and instead have my running and cycling on separate days... but going forward would the below be enough or should I incorporate more transisting in the week?


Monday - 7K road run, small hills
Tuesday - Pilates or similar - have neck issues so find this great
Wednesday - Trail run (Ticknock or maulin trail, something along the 10K mark)
Thursday - 30-40K cycle
Friday - rest day
Saturday - 40-50K cycle, 10 K trail run... this is split with cycling 25K, running the trail and cycling home..
Sunday - Rest or short cycle/run combo.

Ideally I'd love to do it in the average 6.5hrs however survival and completion are my main aims!

Antoinette001

Hi, I'm doing GFW for the first time this year and I'm wondering what is sufficient combined training... I'm also training for the Ring of Kerry so I'm trying to find the balance between traing for both... at the moment I'm not doing any combined workouts at all and instead have my running and cycling on separate days... but going forward would the below be enough or should I incorporate more transisting in the week?


Monday - 7K road run, small hills
Tuesday - Pilates or similar - have neck issues so find this great
Wednesday - Trail run (Ticknock or maulin trail, something along the 10K mark)
Thursday - 30-40K cycle
Friday - rest day
Saturday - 40-50K cycle, 10 K trail run... this is split with cycling 25K, running the trail and cycling home..
Sunday - Rest or short cycle/run combo.

Ideally I'd love to do it in the average 6.5hrs however survival and completion are my main aims!

If this should be posted somewhere else could someone point me in the right direction please...

Excuseless

If you can keep that sort of training up for the next 7 weeks you should be well placed to complete in a respectable time.

Always good to try some transition stuff but for sure you also need to do some run / hike work on steep hills up and running down at pace as the CP run is generally when a lot of folk come unstuck from their pre race plans and schedules.
As Enduro has said, Sugarloaf is the idea spot for this but round Ticknock then the trail straight off Fairy Castle and down the Boneshaker trail towards the city (Forest and lower mtb trails will be to your left) from the masts or follow the steep trail towards the Blue Light / coast with the forest on your right from the masts are both good too as you are in the area

On race day run at a pace you are comfortable with on the first run especially.
You should not be cream crackered at the end of this as many seem to be.
If you find you have plenty left in the tank then CP is the place to use it

Good luck with the training and the race

Peterx

Antoinette001 wrote: »

Hi, I'm doing GFW for the first time this year and I'm wondering what is sufficient combined training... I'm also training for the Ring of Kerry so I'm trying to find the balance between traing for both... at the moment I'm not doing any combined workouts at all and instead have my running and cycling on separate days... but going forward would the below be enough or should I incorporate more transisting in the week?


Monday - 7K road run, small hills
Tuesday - Pilates or similar - have neck issues so find this great
Wednesday - Trail run (Ticknock or maulin trail, something along the 10K mark)
Thursday - 30-40K cycle
Friday - rest day
Saturday - 40-50K cycle, 10 K trail run... this is split with cycling 25K, running the trail and cycling home..
Sunday - Rest or short cycle/run combo.

Ideally I'd love to do it in the average 6.5hrs however survival and completion are my main aims!

If this should be posted somewhere else could someone point me in the right direction please...

As Excuseless has said that all looks good and you should have no bother. If your personal circumstances allow I would do more on the Sunday, a 3 or 4 hour cycle or a 90 minute run. Not both
If that's too much you could do less on the Thursday. Those longer runs and cycles at the weekend give great endurance, and are fun in Wicklow

opinionated3

I have also entered this event for the first time. I'm only returning to running this year since retiring from football a few years ago. I am doing a lot of road running and can currently run roughly 10 miles with relative comfort. I am also doing some running on steep mountain trails that are close to where i live. Where the website states that the croagh Patrick run is 4.5 km is that up to the top or up to the top and back down again? ? This is the part that is worrying me the most. So far i am getting painful calves when i do the trail running. Is it extremely steep up the reek? ?

christy02

First time doing GFW also although have done similar races in past.
Is a road bike suitable for the surfaces?
Assume that you would need to carry the bike some of the way?

ThisRegard

A decent set of tyres and a road bike is the best option. And depending on your bike handling skills the whole course is doable without needing to get off and carry. The worse part is just after Croagh Patrick and you may have to get off there anyway if you come across a group walking and in your way.

Enduro

opinionated3 wrote: »

Is it extremely steep up the reek? ?

By Irish standards yes. But it's still Ireland.... mountains here aren't that high, so they can't have long sustained steep sections.

Peterx

opinionated3 wrote: »

I have also entered this event for the first time. I'm only returning to running this year since retiring from football a few years ago. I am doing a lot of road running and can currently run roughly 10 miles with relative comfort. I am also doing some running on steep mountain trails that are close to where i live. Where the website states that the croagh Patrick run is 4.5 km is that up to the top or up to the top and back down again? ? This is the part that is worrying me the most. So far i am getting painful calves when i do the trail running. Is it extremely steep up the reek? ?

Croagh Patrick up and down is extremely difficult and without a doubt the hardest section of this race. It comes near the finish when you are already tired and has sustained sections of steep loose scree.
Lap 4 here http://www.strava.com/activities/19471302/laps

It is a 3.6km round trip straight up and down or slighter longer taking the zig zag path.
You can help your calves in the lead up to Croagh Patrick on the bike section by using proper cycling shoes or at the very least having deep toeclips that have the ball of your feet over the axle of the pedal, this transfers some of the cycling effort from your calves to your quads.

It would be better for the race and the environment if the zig zag path was mandatory but that is not the case.

ryan2111

Another first timer here. Am I right in thinking that the climb up Croagh Patrick starts at the mountain rescue centre?

Enduro

Peterx wrote: »

It would be better for the race and the environment if the zig zag path was mandatory but that is not the case.

It would be better again for the environment if all races could leave CP alone at this stage, as the environmental damage really awful. The track main path up needs some big work done on it.

woody1

ryan2111 wrote: »

Another first timer here. Am I right in thinking that the climb up Croagh Patrick starts at the mountain rescue centre?

yes, youl finish the cycle with the mountain rescue on your left, so youve come across the bog road to get there.. and then the climb up cp starts there

ThisRegard

And take note of where you leave your bike. Not sure if they have racks there now or you still lay them in the field but it can be hard to spot yours when so many have come and gone when you've been climbing.

woody1

as of last year bikes lying on side in field, in lines, so might be getting a bit more organised, if you can, take a second to remember where you left it ..

ryan2111

Thanks for the info. Going to head up to Westport sometime in the next few weeks for a recce of the reek. Was thinking of doing some of the cycling route as well. How safe would the bike be left at the mountain rescue?

woody1

lock it ? more than likely be grand, i locked it there last year when i was doing a recce..

ryan2111

woody1 wrote: »

lock it ? more than likely be grand, i locked it there last year when i was doing a recce..

Lol...should have expected someone to tell me to lock it

hardCopy

I saw some fuss on the GFW Facebook page. What's changed on the Reek route?

christy02

Wave times gone back by 1 hour. Some mass on cp and do have to summit by 11.30 or they will turn you around on the shoulder.