Dun Laoghaire Ironman 70.3 2019

The Noble Nudge

EDit wrote: »

Anyone here local to the bike route? Heard some rumors that several of the roads on the route have recently been gravelled and are ATM, quite dangerous...is this true?

Two sections so far...
One is on an incline from Glencree to south Dublin bored so wont effect you really be well bedded in..
Think the other one is just after Sally gap but iIve been avoiding it recently because of the chippings..(small enough sections anyway)

inorderofage

Hi. Does anyone know what the bike cut off times are. Not just the 5 hours after the swim but do they take you off at certain distances on the bike? Like If you don't make the 1st 20km in an hour. Like last year. Thanks

The Noble Nudge

The Noble Nudge wrote: »

Two sections so far...
One is on an incline from Glencree to south Dublin border so wont effect you really be well bedded in..
Think the other one is just after Sally gap but Ive been avoiding it recently because of the chippings..(small enough sections anyway)

Checked the sections you'll have 3 to contend with (so far)...
No descents so you will roll over them all pretty handy..
Two after Sally gap very short sections but you wont have any hassle on them and the last you will be climbing for the duration of it (a couple of KM at most Glencree out to Dublin border) so again well bedded in and not going to cause any grief.

EDit

inorderofage wrote: »

Hi. Does anyone know what the bike cut off times are. Not just the 5 hours after the swim but do they take you off at certain distances on the bike? Like If you don't make the 1st 20km in an hour. Like last year. Thanks

Tbh, even the total cut-off is not clear as it says 5:30 hours in the FAQs and 5:45 in the Athletes Guide. Last year, I believe they upped it to 5:45 because the cycle was seen as especially challenging.

In terms of any interim cut-offs, I’m pretty sure they only revealed those at the race briefings (last year)

TriFirst

Alistair Brownlee just announced he'll be competing in Ironman 70.3 in Dun Laoghaire this year ahead of the 70.3 world championships, very interesting. Hopefully he gets to swim this time.

TriNRun

Once I finish 1within 4:30 for the bike I think ill be ok, fingers crossed for no heavy rain, last thing I need is swimming in crap

Marty Bird

TriNRun wrote: »

Once I finish 1within 4:30 for the bike I think ill be ok, fingers crossed for no heavy rain, last thing I need is swimming in crap

I was only saying to the wife earlier with all the beach bans recently wouldn’t be surprised if the swim was cancelled due to water quality. Sandycove is closed now with the heavy rain. IM UK last year they were talking about cancelling the swim due to poor water quality.

TriNRun

Marty Bird wrote: »

I was only saying to the wife earlier with all the beach bans recently wouldn’t be surprised if the swim was cancelled due to water quality. Sandycove is closed now with the heavy rain. IM UK last year they were talking about cancelling the swim due to poor water quality.

heavy rain is all to common around these parts too so there is a decent chance of it happening with the type of weather we been having lately , it might be ruining the day out yet , no way ill get through the bike cut off times without the swim cushion

reidman

Went around it again today, weather was crap, rained on for the whole thing and wind was honking. I’ll be keeping an eye on the weather close to the race, haven’t been up there on the bike without getting wet. Downhills needed focus in the rain but no issues, the wind today would be problematic with disc wheels, no gravel or clippings of note, only on a few sections where you’re unlikely to be fast (entire course for that matter 😀). Decent pull up to roundwood from eniskerry, again up to lough tay, not too bad from there to the sally gap, and a couple more up to the lookout where you descend, and then the short but not fun anymore hill at turn to Johnny fox’s, it’s about 1k long, from there it’s gravy. Course doesn’t relent until the end, scenery amazing even on a crappy day.

paddydriver

reidman wrote: »

Went around it again today, weather was crap, rained on for the whole thing and wind was honking. I’ll be keeping an eye on the weather close to the race, haven’t been up there on the bike without getting wet. Downhills needed focus in the rain but no issues, the wind today would be problematic with disc wheels, no gravel or clippings of note, only on a few sections where you’re unlikely to be fast (entire course for that matter ��). Decent pull up to roundwood from eniskerry, again up to lough tay, not too bad from there to the sally gap, and a couple more up to the lookout where you descend, and then the short but not fun anymore hill at turn to Johnny fox’s, it’s about 1k long, from there it’s gravy. Course doesn’t relent until the end, scenery amazing even on a crappy day.

Ditto.. went around myself this afternoon. The 3rd time around in last 10 days and was rained on for each. Last 2 the wind has been in my face whole way up to Sally Gap too, which made for a slow aul slog. Just hope weather picks up next week a little.

On a plus.. no issues with roads and all the loose stuff is gone. That said there are random gravel traps along the route from where downpours of rain have washed it out onto the road. Would be good if they gave the route a final sweep next week but not holding out much hope on that.

efwren

reidman wrote: »

Went around it again today, weather was crap, rained on for the whole thing and wind was honking. I’ll be keeping an eye on the weather close to the race, haven’t been up there on the bike without getting wet. Downhills needed focus in the rain but no issues, the wind today would be problematic with disc wheels, no gravel or clippings of note, only on a few sections where you’re unlikely to be fast (entire course for that matter 😀). Decent pull up to roundwood from eniskerry, again up to lough tay, not too bad from there to the sally gap, and a couple more up to the lookout where you descend, and then the short but not fun anymore hill at turn to Johnny fox’s, it’s about 1k long, from there it’s gravy. Course doesn’t relent until the end, scenery amazing even on a crappy day.

I think thats the thing about it...it doesn't relent. I have cycled it 3 times now...and found it a real slog, mentally and physically. Its my first 70.3 and I expect I will be tracking to come in just under the time limit for the bike (hopefully).

I have trained on several other hilly routes with similar elevation but found them much easier as they had many sections of rolling road interspersed with tough climbs. The 70.3 route is just a grind the whole way around.

Wind direction I think makes a difference. Two of the times I have done it there has been a head wind all the way up to Sally gap and up through the feather beds..makes it really tough. The other time I have done it, the wind has been at my back on those sections and it was much more enjoyable.

You are right though, the scenery is stunning all the way round, and varied throughout.

dickidy

Does anyone know hoe much (scoops ) enervit they put into the bottles on course.
Last year I had my own gels with me and mixed it with the water on the course.
I am just trying to figure out how much I need to take in on the bike.

Thanks

TriNRun

Looks like about 1300 entrants this year, doesn't bode well for the future of this event

rodneyr1981

TriNRun wrote: »

Looks like about 1300 entrants this year, doesn't bode well for the future of this event

How does that compare to last year? Seen posts for final 100 entries so assumed it had big numbers

TriNRun

rodneyr1981 wrote: »

How does that compare to last year? Seen posts for final 100 entries so assumed it had big numbers

dunno, numbers dwindling maybe due to the hard climbs

EDit

rodneyr1981 wrote: »

How does that compare to last year? Seen posts for final 100 entries so assumed it had big numbers

Around 1200 finishers last year with around 400 DNS/DNFs

peter kern

EDit wrote: »

Around 1200 finishers last year with around 400 DNS/DNFs

You need to account for 20 % no showes
So more like 2000.

EDit

peter kern wrote: »

You need to account for 20 % no showes
So more like 2000.

Are the no shows not the DNSs?

TriNRun

Looking like the weather will be toasty, time for a change of wheel plan, deep rims and slick tyres

ChickenBalls

https://www.yr.no/place/Ireland/Leinster/D%C3%BAn_Laoghaire/long.html

Looks positive - good luck all, won't be doing it, maybe next year thou.

peter kern

EDit wrote: »

Are the no shows not the DNSs?

good question and to be honest i oeverread your dns and just read dnf

for elite itu races dns means picekd up the race number but did not start the race .

1 in 8 was a DNF (167 / (1207 Finishers + 167 DNF + 3DQ)
so that would mean dns means paid for it did not register

so i looked it up
and from this we can say the number already dropped for the race when in dublin 2400 in result list 2015, 1900 2016 , 1500 2017
so not only the course

TriNRun

peter kern wrote: »

good question and to be honest i oeverread your dns and just read dnf

for elite itu races dns means picekd up the race number but did not start the race .

1 in 8 was a DNF (167 / (1207 Finishers + 167 DNF + 3DQ)
so that would mean dns means paid for it did not register

so i looked it up
and from this we can say the number already dropped for the race when in dublin 2400 in result list 2015, 1900 2016 , 1500 2017
so not only the course

any year could be the last one

TriFirst

Anyone hear how this went. I know Brownlee blew the field away as expected averaging over 30km ph on the bike which is ridiculous. Apparently the swim was shortened to 800m for the age groupers because of fog though

rxchxy

Brownlee finished ten mins ahead of 2nd place in the end.

Fog came from no where really, pros and about 100 age groupers got out on the 1900m course but then entry into the water for the AGs was paused. Definitely the right call as you couldn't even see the first buoy, would'be been a nightmare for the kayakers out on the water if anyone got into difficulty. The fog didn't lift for awhile and the majority of age groupers did a shortened course of 950m, with the first ones only going into the water at about 8am. Happy to get any swim in as at one stage there was talk of the swim being cancelled completely

TriNRun

It was very misty on the mountains also, they may have thought twice about the race going ahead if they knew how misty and foggy is was to be up there. I see one stretchered off in neck brace, nearly came off myself due to a poorly position bollard I only seen at last minute , glad to get off that bike in the sun

Marty Bird

It was a shame for the swim it was perfect condition in the bay to swim. At one stage there was talk of the swim been cancelled thankfully we got a half swim 950m. The changes to the bike course made it a little faster this for year for me. The visibility on the gap was so poor some people really do take so many chances when descending for an extra couple of seconds. Great performance from Chris Mintern I said before had he would place top of the Irish. He was only behind ABL on the swim exit super super performance.

efwren

My first half ironman distance and really enjoyed it.

A real shame for the swim as its my strongest discipline. By the time the swim restarted the fog had pretty much cleared but I guess they could run the full swim distance as the roads in Wicklow had to be re-opened at specfic times.


Found the organisation superb throughout.

Knew I was going to be back of the pack so took it very handy for the first 90 minutes on the bike. know the course well so knew where the struggles would be.

Was suprised at how many cyclists passed me on the drag out of kilternan working very hard. Likewise on the hill up to powerscourt .

Not suprised then the number of cyclists I passed who were walking then coming from Roundwood up to Lough Tay.

One thing that really annoyed me was some of the walkers were way out towards the middle of the road, one was pretty much hogging the middle of the road.

Personally didnt have any issue with the fog, its common sense really to ride with some caution in the conditions.

Run was a slog for me found it hard to get any pace in to it. The athmosphere however in Dun Laoghaire was fantastic. It gives you a real lift when you come down the narrow streets at the end of that tough bike route to the cheers of the ground and into transition. My feeling leaving it was that its a fantastic location for the event, and the run route allows spectators get to see the runners several times.

I'd certainly do it again.

TriNRun

I would think it's unlikely to go ahead in the same format next year due to dwindling numbers, only 1600 entered this year according to the announcer , who knows how many DNS which would reduce the participants further

peter kern

TriNRun wrote: »

I would think it's unlikely to go ahead in the same format next year due to dwindling numbers, only 1600 entered this year according to the announcer , who knows how many DNS which would reduce the participants further

Did the contract run out this year?

niallo32

peter kern wrote: »

Did the contract run out this year?

No, next year.