Wicklow Way Relay - 21st May '16

KielyUnusual

Its almost upon us now so best start a thread for it

https://www.imra.ie/events/view/id/1354

I'm down for Leg 2. Recce'd the first 8-9k of it last week and I'm hoping it stays dry because there are some tricky little descents on it. Beautiful, scenic leg but I guess I won't have much chance to take it all in on the day . Looking forward to it though as I've always wanted to run this race since I first heard about it.

Who else is running this? I see at least one Boardsie is down as captain of one of the teams.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/33299050/Wicklow%20Way%20Relay%20-%20provisional%20team%20list%202016%20.pdf

Wild Garlic

Doing leg 2 again this year. Wonderful event.
Good to see a big jump in the number of teams compared to last year.

ThisRegard

KielyUnusual wrote: »

I won't have much chance to take it all in on the day .

Best part of doing the recces is having the time to take in the views and scenery. The hand over point from leg 2 to leg 3 has to be at one of the most scenic views in Wicklow, well on a clear day anyway. You can see all the way to Kippure and beyond in one direction, and Turlough Hill the other. I wonder if the coach loads of tourists stopping off to view the Guinness Estate are there to take in the Vikings village location.



If the weather stays like this it will be a dry course for everyone, apart from the climb through the trees at leg 6 which I think it basically up a small stream and mud.

demfad

KielyUnusual wrote: »

Its almost upon us now so best start a thread for it

https://www.imra.ie/events/view/id/1354

I'm down for Leg 2. Recce'd the first 8-9k of it last week and I'm hoping it stays dry because there are some tricky little descents on it. Beautiful, scenic leg but I guess I won't have much chance to take it all in on the day . Looking forward to it though as I've always wanted to run this race since I first heard about it.

Who else is running this? I see at least one Boardsie is down as captain of one of the teams.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/33299050/Wicklow%20Way%20Relay%20-%20provisional%20team%20list%202016%20.pdf

Wild Garlic wrote: »

Doing leg 2 again this year. Wonderful event.
Good to see a big jump in the number of teams compared to last year.

I'm down for leg 2 also. Did a recce yesterday at 8 AM (around when race leg will be starting). A little bit of dew on the short grassy down to the Glencree river at 3-4km. Apart from that, all dry. Tough leg!

Edit: Heres a list of past results on all legs. You can change leg no., gender etc at the top of the spreadsheet

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/33299050/WWR%202002-2015.xlsx

Peterx

TT racers are rumoured to have an excellent team. East Cork AC have a very fast team, doubts remain over their directional ability but they surely have to get it right eventually.
Rathfarnham WSAF (my team) have a good team but will probably require the other teams to be either running in the wrong direction or miss their start time, as has happened to us on at least 4 occasions in the past...
I am sure there are other fast teams out there.

I have the honour of trying to get to the handover for Demfad's 8am appointment with his destiny. That's our 2 vets done and dusted by 9.10am (hopefully) with our faster senior runners chomping at the bit to reduce any inroads I may have let open.
I ran leg 1 from Curtlestown to the start on Saturday after my wife ran Leg 3+4 in the proper direction. Bone dryness all the way. That may change before Saturday but at the moment it's racing flats all the way!

ThisRegard

Rumour has it that there was a Cork team, or members of, out running some of the course on Saturday.

Wild Garlic

ThisRegard wrote: »

Rumour has it that there was a Cork team, or members of, out running some of the course on Saturday.

That's true alright. They are still out there though.

demfad

Wild Garlic wrote: »

That's true alright. They are still out there though.

Incorrect. According to Sligo/Leitrim mountain rescue they are all safe and accounted for.

(not that I can talk)

Enduro

Jaysus... ran large chunks of legs one and two on Saturday out and back and didn't see too many runners out there. Are you lot all early birds or what!

PeterX, good luck getting Demfad to actually be at the changeover, and not nonchalently eating brekkie at home (No, it will never be forgotten ).

demfad

Enduro wrote: »

Jaysus... ran large chunks of legs one and two on Saturday out and back and didn't see too many runners out there. Are you lot all early birds or what!

PeterX, good luck getting Demfad to actually be at the changeover, and not nonchalently eating brekkie at home (No, it will never be forgotten ).

No chance this year. I'm spending the night in my sleeping bag under the barrier in Curtlestown.

DubOnHoliday

demfad wrote: »

No chance this year. I'm spending the night in my sleeping bag under the barrier in Curtlestown.

he would too!

demfad

DubOnHoliday wrote: »

he would too!

Worse case scenario is I'm woken by Peterx. But I've even got that covered as Ill be already in my running gear and wont have to change.;)

(In reality I have 3 staggered alarms and ill also be getting an external call. The last staggered alarm will be in my kids room which will have a release the baby beast effect (just a phrase).

Peterx

So it's likely to be wet.
In my best Mammy voice - be sure to arrange for dry clothes to be waiting for you at the finish of your leg. And possibly a hot drink. You will cool down very fast after a race effort and with the excitement of the continuing race and handovers you could get very cold.

Last minute transfer day always throws up some funny combos. The imra forum thread should be hopping today.

Peterx

Enduro wrote: »

...PeterX, good luck getting Demfad to actually be at the changeover, and not nonchalently eating brekkie at home (No, it will never be forgotten ).

He did it twice, so yes, difficult to forget. But not to forgive Demfad

Slogger Jogger

Leg 1 for me too. Chasing down PeterX as I can't see him having to chase me.

Don't see East Cork listed which is a pity. Would have liked to see them up amongst it.

Stablemaster

Looking forward to this, first race in a while

demfad

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

Leg 1 for me too. Chasing down PeterX as I can't see him having to chase me.

Don't see East Cork listed which is a pity. Would have liked to see them up amongst it.

Perfect leg for you after the marathon training. Weather seems to be holding up. Pity about East Cork. They were starting a tradition there.
Should be a great day nevertheless.

DubOnHoliday

I hope its a great day for you all. Best of luck!

demfad

DubOnHoliday wrote: »

I hope its a great day for you all. Best of luck!

Leg 2 was not easy going today. Last update was TT racers 30s behind Rathfarnham at Glendalough. TT racers went wrong on leg 3 as did Rath on lg 4. Rath will have 1 min time penalty. TT racers had both females and vets already ran and with their last male on leg 8 likely to put -8 mins on the Rathfarnham runner it looks like its theirs to lose.
Anything can happen though....

KielyUnusual

My God, that was horrific. Those climbs on leg 2 just seemed endless and impossible to get any sort of rhythm going. I enjoyed the descent down to Lough Tay but the rest was just slogging it out and resisting the constant urge to stop and walk (or perhaps just stop all together ).
The atmosphere and the camraderie was class though but will need to select a different leg or do some specific training if I ever give this a lash again.

Team is lying third with one leg and a bit to go. Hon da Cru!

demfad

KielyUnusual wrote: »

My God, that was horrific. Those climbs on leg 2 just seemed endless and impossible to get any sort of rhythm going. I enjoyed the descent down to Lough Tay but the rest was just slogging it out and resisting the constant urge to stop and walk (or perhaps just stop all together ).
The atmosphere and the camraderie was class though but will need to select a different leg or do some specific training if I ever give this a lash again.

Team is lying third with one leg and a bit to go. Hon da Cru!

There is a lot of climbing. Strong lads (e.g good climbers and/or cyclists) do very well because they can push for all the climb duration. A steady recce or two would see you right.

Rathfarnham 10 min lead start of leg 7. Brendan Murphy up for TT racers. He is Pirahna so can climb. Is he a Cru man also? He should do well on the leg but if he starts chasing too early he might lose time.

KielyUnusual

demfad wrote: »

There is a lot of climbing. Strong lads (e.g good climbers and/or cyclists) do very well because they can push for all the climb duration. A steady recce or two would see you right.

Rathfarnham 10 min lead start of leg 7. Brendan Murphy up for TT racers. He is Pirahna so can climb. Is he a Cru man also? He should do well on the leg but if he starts chasing too early he might lose time.

Aye, he's a Cru man too. Ran 15.30 in the Bob Heffernan last week so definitely in form.
The Cru team have 5 minutes on 4th and 11 minutes behind TT Racers towards the end of leg 7.

demfad

KielyUnusual wrote: »

Aye, he's a Cru man too. Ran 15.30 in the Bob Heffernan last week so definitely in form.
The Cru team have 5 minutes on 4th and 11 minutes behind TT Racers towards the end of leg 7.

Barring mistakes you have 3rd. Any mistakes ahead and ye are in position to pounce also. Anyone can go wrong on leg 7...ahem.

You looked strong coming in. I intended to say hello and introduce myself but got caught chatting.

demfad

KielyUnusual wrote: »

Aye, he's a Cru man too. Ran 15.30 in the Bob Heffernan last week so definitely in form.
The Cru team have 5 minutes on 4th and 11 minutes behind TT Racers towards the end of leg 7.

You actually had an excellent run there. Brought your team from 7th to 4th and 3rd fastest on the leg. Based on that you'd be easily able to run sub 70 next time.

Slogger Jogger

Last I heard we were holding 8th coming into leg 8. All to play for.

TT racers went wrong on leg 6 and lost a chunk of time. Lots of go-wrongers today. Recce and recce once more...

demfad

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

Last I heard we were holding 8th coming into leg 8. All to play for.

TT racers went wrong on leg 6 and lost a chunk of time. Lots of go-wrongers today. Recce and recce once more...

Good going and well done on leg 1. Win for TT racers. Murphy had a stormer on leg 7. Rathfarnham kept it close but clearly the strongest team won. Well done to them. Some serious running on leg 8 right now I imagine.

KielyUnusual

demfad wrote: »

Barring mistakes you have 3rd. Any mistakes ahead and ye are in position to pounce also. Anyone can go wrong on leg 7...ahem.

You looked strong coming in. I intended to say hello and introduce myself but got caught chatting.

Ha, easy to look strong when the last mile is all careening down the side of a mountain.

Unfortunately, we had an eight minute lead going in to the final leg but our last runner ended up going a fair way off so we finished fourth. Thems are the breaks in the WWR, I guess.

Peterx

Congratulations. Good to see a plan work out and the plan was to win. A very strong team and able to absorb time lost with nav errors and still win by over 2km.
Ahh it's just a great race. So easy at race pace to go wrong, on a leg you know blindfolded at recce pace. Amazing stuff.
I doubted myself once on leg one, and I would have thought beforehand I could give you a step by step and turn by turn account of the leg from my armchair!
Well done to all who pushed on, a special mention to Derek Hunter on leg 1 finishing like a rocket with a suspected dislocated shoulder - and only then asking for first aid.

Edit - get well soon Derek, a broken arm.

Slogger Jogger

Peterx wrote: »

...a special mention to Derek Hunter on leg 1 finishing like a rocket with a suspected dislocated shoulder - and only then asking for first aid.

Fair play indeed. He had a great time injury or not. Wonder where it happened. Prince William Seat descent perhaps, as to do a hill climb and descent with that injury would surely set you back some time.

Slogger Jogger

Ironbridge photos here,
4 seasons in 3 hours.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mickhanney/sets/72157666201263873