Gaelforce West 2015 & access to Reek

El Vino

I guess people will have seen the email changing their Wave times by 1 hour for Gaelforce and the cut off of 11.30 for climbing Croagh Patrick. I should still be ok - just but I would be gutted if I was to miss out. Also I see refund is not one of the options!

Downtime

El Vino wrote: »

I guess people will have seen the email changing their Wave times by 1 hour for Gaelforce and the cut off of 11.30 for climbing Croagh Patrick. I should still be ok - just but I would be gutted if I was to miss out. Also I see refund is not one of the options!

Ridiculous. Up at 3:45 in the morning for a 4:30 bus for a 6am start to face a 6 hour race. Sunrise is well after 6am also so it will be quite dark.

mfdc

It's crazy, reading the email I was stunned at "the local authorities" attitude. This in particular:

we were told that it was not a matter of health and safety but a “cultural and perceptual thing” and that if we continued to use the cone “there would be no race next year”.

They're really threatening to cancel the race, really? It's been going on for 10 years, how much money does it bring in to the area? Over a thousand participants, not including family... I know I'm paying for two nights accommodation and several meals out, along with a couple of friends. Why would they want to snub their nose at this money, for what possible gain? I'd love to know what the hotels and restaurants in Westport think of this. A "cultural and perceptual thing"... perhaps they should consider the perception they are creating for the people traveling to the event from around Ireland and abroad. The arrogance aswell at demanding the date be changed even though hundreds of entrants would have booked accommodation (and maybe even flights), for a date they had already approved.

I just can't get my head around it at all. This aside from the disgust at the fact that I'm going to have to get up before 4am.

woody1

itl be plenty bright, have started in the first wave twice ,both times its been bright , the sun will come up as your on your way on the bus..
yes its a pain in the ass getting up at that hour, ive been up at 3, to drive for an hour to westport to catch that bus.. but its part of the experience..and your finished earlier ..

sorry looks like ye are starting earlier, still should be bright, was tipping around at 6am last sunday and it was bright..

for cultural and perceptual read religous local priest giving out lately about athletes using the reek.. no mention of the thousands of
walkers that are on every year, walking does no harm apparently ,

personally i think they should be on the lookout for another mountain / hill to go up, change the course , and therefore avoid the hassle
and bull**** associated with being told what to do, what times, what dates etc..

prunudo

Got the email myself, glad I had booked the 3rd wave, still means getting up at stupid o'clock mind you.
It will be interesting to see if Sea2Summit get the same grief.

El Vino

personally i think they should be on the lookout for another mountain / hill to go up, change the course , and therefore avoid the hassle
and bull**** associated with being told what to do, what times, what dates etc..

I agree with this, I suspect this will be my last year anyway. Especially if I don't make it up CP. I can see that the mountain is suffering erosion and it is increasingly difficult to justify the extra traffic.

desertcircus

El Vino wrote: »

I agree with this, I suspect this will be my last year anyway. Especially if I don't make it up CP. I can see that the mountain is suffering erosion and it is increasingly difficult to justify the extra traffic.

If erosion is an issue for Croagh Patrick, then they need to ban pilgrims rather than worry about the 1-2% of annual users that climb it as part of Gaelforce.

opinionated3

Was already booked in for the first wave but now it looks like I'll be getting up around 3am to get fed and make the 4am bus. Not happy at all😕

radharc

I think you can see the attitude we are up against in the following article:

diarmaid-ferriter-refreshing-to-hear-priest-fulminate-against-sinful-excesses-of-sky-athletes

A sample? Ok so:

These ultra-runners may be super in fitness terms, but they are also selfish exhibitionists, not content with wrecking their own joints and family life through their constant long training sessions...

EC1000

radharc wrote: »

I think you can see the attitude we are up against in the following article:

diarmaid-ferriter-refreshing-to-hear-priest-fulminate-against-sinful-excesses-of-sky-athletes

A sample? Ok so:

These ultra-runners may be super in fitness terms, but they are also selfish exhibitionists, not content with wrecking their own joints and family life through their constant long training sessions...

Sarcasm?

ryan2111

EC1000 wrote: »

Sarcasm?

When I originally read the article I thought it was sarcasm, but given recent developments I'm beginning to think this "journalist" was actually serious

sconhome

EC1000 wrote: »

Sarcasm?

ryan2111 wrote: »

When I originally read the article I thought it was sarcasm, but given recent developments I'm beginning to think this "journalist" was actually serious

Given the context and sensitivity resulting from the recent out pourings of the clergy in the area for the Irish Times to produce something like this it is hard to see that it is sarcastic.

It appears he was attempting to be sarcastic but it falls flat on its face being in the Irish Times. Sarcasm belongs in the Waterford Whispers.



Having said that, it seems the clergy are seeking a new minority group to target with their pent up persecutions

prunudo

Does anybody know how long the final run from the bike drop to the finish line is. Can't find much detail on it?

Downtime

jvan wrote: »

Does anybody know how long the final run from the bike drop to the finish line is. Can't find much detail on it?

Its about 2-3k mainly though a wooden area, a couple of tree trunks to climb over, up and down hill - the last km or so is on gravel path. It's a tough finish if you have little left in your legs.

Edit - just checked my Garmin from last year and it's less than 2k.

prunudo

Downtime wrote: »

Its about 2-3k mainly though a wooden area, a couple of tree trunks to climb over, up and down hill - the last km or so is on gravel path. It's a tough finish if you have little left in your legs.

Edit - just checked my Garmin from last year and it's less than 2k.

Cheers, I did it the previous 2 years but not last year so didn't know what the new route consisted of. My legs are shaking at the thoughts of it already!

agapantas

Hi all,
I'm getting ready for my first Gaelforce next week and am very excited but also getting very nervous about the time pressure now. I'm booked into the 4th wave so that only gives me 4 and a half hours to get to the Croagh Patrick cut off point! Could those more experienced folk help me out with a few questions??

1. How accurate is the estimated 1.5 hours from bus time to start time? Is it likely to be delayed at all?

2. The total distance for the Croagh Patrick part is 4.5km. How much of that do you have to run up to the cut off point?

3. Is the first cycle fairly rough or is it more of a road cycle?

Any advice appreciated!

helimachoptor

havent done GF in the last couple of years ,but the in laws are from mayo so have been up and down CP quite a bit, quite shocked by the email.

Assuming you need to be at the base by 11:30? if so that seems very early, the last time i did it i think it was half 1 (may have been been a bit later), if Wesport town council or whoever is making the decision ban GF they'll be shooting themselves in the foot, i'm sure it'll find a home somewhere else.

Again assuming most GFWs have about 2-3K going up, on a summers day you could easily get near that i'd imagine

desertcircus

agapantas wrote: »

Hi all,
I'm getting ready for my first Gaelforce next week and am very excited but also getting very nervous about the time pressure now. I'm booked into the 4th wave so that only gives me 4 and a half hours to get to the Croagh Patrick cut off point! Could those more experienced folk help me out with a few questions??

1. How accurate is the estimated 1.5 hours from bus time to start time? Is it likely to be delayed at all?

2. The total distance for the Croagh Patrick part is 4.5km. How much of that do you have to run up to the cut off point?

3. Is the first cycle fairly rough or is it more of a road cycle?

Any advice appreciated!

There was a delay with some buses in 2013 (didn't race in 2014), but I suspect that with the deadline for CP being so early the organisers will be working as hard as possible to make sure there are no delays.

I think I saw mention of the cutoff point being approximately halfway up.

The first cycle is almost entirely on road; there's a couple of kilometres at the end on a fairly rough track, but nothing unmanageable.

Downtime

agapantas wrote: »

1. How accurate is the estimated 1.5 hours from bus time to start time? Is it likely to be delayed at all?

2. The total distance for the Croagh Patrick part is 4.5km. How much of that do you have to run up to the cut off point?

3. Is the first cycle fairly rough or is it more of a road cycle?

1. The bus journey is only an hour or so, if even that. Gives you a little time at the start. In 2013 the bus driver went the wrong way which delayed things but the race started on time - I was in Wave 2.

2. You'll be doing well to run up any of it, you might be able to run from the bike drop to the base of the climb but it is tricky after that. It is about 600m from the bike drop to the bottom of the climb up CP.

3. The first cycle is fine, the roads are uneven, there are a couple of dodgy corners on the Sheeffry Pass so dont over estimate them or you'll be over the wall. You'll end up on the main road and turn left to head towards CP - this is rock and if it is windy, not fun. The second cycle is crappy early on but then on main roads.

El Vino

I suspect we will get away on time, 2013 the issue as already stated was one bus not observing the one way system and causing a bit of a delay.
The kayaks can also be a bit of a bottle neck but the organisers assure us it will be better this year, more kayaks and boats to bring them back etc.

I'm in the same wave as you and fully expect to make CP barring crap weather, injury or bike mechanicals. I've done limited enough training this year - well lots of cycling and very little running but I would expect to finish in sub 5 30 ish. best time is sub 5 hrs in 2013 but I'd trained properly for that.

Gaelforce is all about staying moving forward, eating and drinking as necessary on the move - mostly on the first bike leg.

agapantas

Great, thanks for the advice all. It's feeling a little more manageable now, If my timing calculations are any way accurate I should make it.
Good luck to everyone doing it on Saturday!

christy02

All checked in and in accommodation having some food.
Feeling nervous but looking forward to it as well

Good luck everyone.

Peterx

Wind direction is good, they have sourced more kayaks from the good friendly outdoor race community in Ireland, fleece top is good, beach looks Good. Dinner was awesome, pre race food has come up a notch on my usual standard of yesterday's pastamush. Lamb Shank how are you! Best of luck to everyone. The west is just the best

desertcircus

After failing to make it to the shoulder in 2013, I raced this year to prove a point to myself. Finished in a little under 6:10 - point made. Don't think I'll be in a hurry to sign up for another full-distance adventure race - I was fighting cramps from the kayak onwards, and hilly courses really punish ninety-kilo racers!

That said, it was superbly organised. No delay to the start, no delay at the kayaks, and the volunteers at every point were wonderful.

agapantas

Was a great day! Weather was perfect I thought and lovely atmosphere. Was fairly tough but I made it in 5.38 which I was very happy about. I lost so much time coming down CP, if I do it again I'll be doing lots more training for that section!