Achill ROAR- Sat 11th Sept 2010

Dunebuggy · 13-09-2009 06:00PM

Enduro wrote: »

Well that was a very successful race. Achill was a sub-tropical paradise, and looked absolutely amazing. The whole day went really well.

Registration on Friday seemed to go very well. No problems getting all the bikes in place on saturday morning.

The swimmers had a definite advantage over the kayakers, and the doubles had a definite advantage over the singles. Not good for me!

The hill run was fantastic. The ground was still wet in parts, despite the good weather. A brilliant route.. along the beach, out over the sea cliffs, down to a saddle, and then climb to the peaks, a direct descent down the side of the hill and then back along the beach. A very tough run that had everyone walking in parts. One of the most enjoyable new routes I've run in a long time.

The cycle was a good road cycle. Lots of undulating hills, with one or two moderate climbs.

Some great performances from the boardies, particularly DaPope, GoHard, Dunebuggy, and of course the winner himself (2 minutes ahead of me after a great race all day) PeterX

Super Route around one of Irelands hidden Gems. One for next years Calendar. Interesting mix out there from the Kayak to the mountain to the road. .

Well Done to PeterX, Enduro and Go hard and Da Pope (not just on the Kayaking :-)) Hope you guys had a good night

toomuchdetail · 13-09-2009 06:17PM

4 stars (good)

Great event yesterday, I think we could have got great odds on suncream been part of the mandatory kit !!
Did the expert and found the run one of the most exhausting things I have ever done, really tough climb (use to road running/hills on roads etc) , 3rd last kayak out of water , Picked about 10 off on the run , passed 2 on the bike and that was me . Wanted to finish after the run due to cramp but struggled for 5k on the bike and then it wore off, so curiosity kept me going on the bike and I really did not want a DNF beside my name but looking at the time (about 4:50) maybe I should have .Climbs were tough on the bike .
Tougher, better and more enjoyable than GF .
Not at a stage in my life where I can do GF, half marathon and then Achill without a knock on effect but its a lesson learned.

Peter X, Enduro, Gohard and a few other of the elites here ,your in a league of your own and give us mere mortals something to aim for .Congrats as I know its not something you get off the floor and it takes a lot of work .
Well done to all especially Peter , i think they will either build a statue here in Mayo for you or just stop you crossing the Shannon to compete .

Well organised event with no B.S , just honesty with the competitor at the centre with everything from pre race emails to the after race chit chat . well done.

mymojo · 13-09-2009 09:04PM

really enjoyed the event...everything ran so well for competitors and everyone seemed to have a great day...the weather was a bonus! stunning. found the run very tough as wasnt expecting anything as hard as that:eek: since gael force i thought nothing cud compare but i was mistaken! really challenging..i thought it was gunna be a bit of off road but didnt know till registeration this meant up a mountain..fun fun! the bike was difficult after the run as most peoples legs were tired from the run...the initial steady climb away from keel felt like it went on forever but the same road coming home felt like heaven! the after party was a great idea and met lots of people who i hope to meet again...really enjoyed the event and will def be back next year to give it a go again

GoHardOrGoHome · 13-09-2009 09:16PM

4 stars (good)

What mymojo failed to mention is that she won!

Don't know where you were coming out of the kayak stage but you lead the run and held on for the bike section. Pretty good for someone who bought a bike (for/since Gaelforce) and bought a pair of mountain runners in the few days before the race.

See you at WAR in April!

Well done to mymojo and peterx!

mymojo · 13-09-2009 09:28PM

GoHardOrGoHome wrote: »

What mymojo failed to mention is that she won!

Don't know where you were coming out of the kayak stage but you lead the run and held on for the bike section. Pretty good for someone who bought a bike (for/since Gaelforce) and bought a pair of mountain runners in the few days before the race.

See you at WAR in April!

Well done to mymojo and peterx!

haha thanks! yeah bought the shoes on tuesday and the bike on thursday...had to try look the part at least :P definately huge difference using road bike to a hybrid which is what i had up till now...but that cud have been a good thing because when it came to the cycle i was used to cycling a slower bike so i felt like i was flying yesterday at times when i had the new bike...its not a top of the range one(500euro bargain!?) but i love it already...was thinking i shud stick to the hybrid for training on to make my training tougher? or is this a bad idea? found it took a little while to get used to the dropped handle bars and brakes etc on the road bike but soon figured it out ( apart from when i got my foot stuck in the pedal and fell on my face at the bike check point yesterday:eek: which Gohard and the photographer bought witnessed! cringe! )

looking4ward to more upcoming days out

yop · 13-09-2009 09:41PM

4 stars (good)

Well done to everyone, have to say it was a great event, cracking course and the fact we got the results straight away and got sandwiches, fruit and water was a great plus.

Only did the sport section but the course was cracking with the different terrains and the cylce was class with the scenary (If you got 10 seconds to view it) was amazing!!

Well done to everyone for taking part and to the organisers for great event.
Our gang will be back again.

GF hold your head in shame.

SavannahRose · 13-09-2009 10:23PM

10/10 for Achill Roar. It was great. I did the Sports , first time doing anything like this. Found run bit tough going, I was glad to get on that bike. Did it half an hour quicker than I thought it would take me! Event was really well organised,my friends gave it a huge thumbs up too , we willd definetly be back next year! and might even look to do another adventure race if its those distances again, no way I'd be up to expert challenge. Achill is beautiful location too.

Excuseless · 13-09-2009 10:28PM

Achill Roar Results now up at www.roar.ie

Mr Freeze · 14-09-2009 10:05AM

3 stars (average)

Well done to the Achill Roar organisers, it was class, great routes and really well planned and executed flawlessly on the day, this was my second adventure race ever, and the organisation of it put GF to shame.

I only did the Sports route, as it was too soon after GF for me, I don't think I would have been fit to do the expert. I was glad I didn't do the expert when I heard that it was a tougher route than GF.

Will definitely go back next year and do Roar again.

dapope · 14-09-2009 11:51AM

I really enjoyed this event. Well done to the lads for setting a fantastic course. As a Race its definetly up there with GF but as an Event its got so much more. From registration right thru to the presentation of prizes it delivered. It didn't cost an arm and a leg either.

Well done to PeterX and mymojo!

Overall I had a good race. I did the "expert". Teamed up with GoHard for the Kayak and we got off to a flyer. I found the run very tough. The transition area lent itself well to spectators and the encouragement of the crowd was very much appreciated. I had a good cycle by my own standards but still got creamed by a few tri athletes and cyclists. Finished just outside the top 10.

Achill Roar we'll be back for more!

Sniipe · 14-09-2009 12:37PM

Yeah dapope, I agree with you on the transition area point. The start and end of all three parts ended up there. It was great to have the spectators set up camp there. I'm sure this event will definately be onwards and upwards. I'll definately be re-booking asap and ensure myself a place.

I came in 77th out of 97... which is not great, but I still enjoyed it. I've never done a triathalon and I've rarely run, I do do the odd cycle.

I have to ask this tho and hopefully someone will come back to me, I ate very little that day and I think it came against me.
I had porrige in the morning, then I ate a quarter of a power bar just on the start of the biking section. Otherwise I drank 1 litre of the orange powder stuff mainly on the run and couldn't stomach anything but water on the bike.
I had a friend on the race also and I would normally be 20%-30% faster, but I couldn't for the life of me catch up.
My theory is that the run messed me up big time and the food didn't make any difference?? I was constantly on the verge of cramping my calves. Those undulating hills were not expected and I didn't fare as well as I had hoped on them. I had a guy Ivan cycle with me a fair bit of the way. He was great company and a good climber, he was grinding low gears and I was spinning high gears and he was doing well. In the last 5k he pulled ahead.

Here check out the cool new graphs just uploaded to www.roar.ie now (nice for comparing yourself to someone else, the "position after leg" is cool

yop · 14-09-2009 12:58PM

4 stars (good)

Sniipe wrote: »

Yeah dapope, I agree with you on the transition area point. The start and end of all three parts ended up there. It was great to have the spectators set up camp there. I'm sure this event will definately be onwards and upwards. I'll definately be re-booking asap and ensure myself a place.

I came in 77th out of 97... which is not great, but I still enjoyed it. I've never done a triathalon and I've rarely run, I do do the odd cycle.

I have to ask this tho and hopefully someone will come back to me, I ate very little that day and I think it came against me.
I had porrige in the morning, then I ate a quarter of a power bar just on the start of the biking section. Otherwise I drank 1 litre of the orange powder stuff mainly on the run and couldn't stomach anything but water on the bike.
I had a friend on the race also and I would normally be 20%-30% faster, but I couldn't for the life of me catch up.
My theory is that the run messed me up big time and the food didn't make any difference?? I was constantly on the verge of cramping my calves. Those undulating hills were not expected and I didn't fare as well as I had hoped on them. I had a guy Ivan cycle with me a fair bit of the way. He was great company and a good climber, he was grinding low gears and I was spinning high gears and he was doing well. In the last 5k he pulled ahead.

Here check out the cool new graphs just uploaded to www.roar.ie now (nice for comparing yourself to someone else, the "position after leg" is cool

Same as you on the cramps, had one on the cycle. Not sure about the food thingy, like you I had porridge at 8.30am before the drive down, there I had 2 jaffas and a cereal bar and had 1 litre drink in my hand with NuuN tab to see if I could elimiante the cramps, but it only gave me a stitch 3/4 into the run.

So I think in my case its probably just still not used to a run and a cycle straight away.

littlebug · 14-09-2009 01:46PM

i've just been looking at the results to see if this is something that a lesser being such as myself could consider for next year but I'm afraid I can't make head nor tail of them

Would someone mind giving a run down of the (sports) course, what the run was like, elevation/ terrain/ times etc.
By lesser being I mean someone who can run a nice flat 8k in about 45 mins.

Sniipe · 14-09-2009 02:14PM

littlebug wrote: »

i've just been looking at the results to see if this is something that a lesser being such as myself could consider for next year but I'm afraid I can't make head nor tail of them
Would someone mind giving a run down of the (sports) course, what the run was like, elevation/ terrain/ times etc.
By lesser being I mean someone who can run a nice flat 8k in about 45 mins.

I guess those running times sound like what I do at the moment...anyway here is all the info you need. Route, terrain, my poor heart, distance: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/13236034
I didn't use the splits and I forgot to turn off the watch at the end which I think was 4hr 43min. (if anyone knows how to edit the garmin tcx file I'd be happy to hear - because simply removing the trackpoints and re uploading it to garmin connect won't even upload again)

Peterx · 14-09-2009 02:21PM

Anyone who can run 8k in 45 minutes will get around the sports course.

The pain and suffering you wish to inflict upon yourself will depend on how much training you put in.
Talking to a few runners after the race they nearly all cramped or suffered on the bike as they were unused to cycling and very unused to cycling after running.
The more training you do the better you will get to know how hard you can push, it's a fine line between feeling great on the run and going quick and then blowing up on the bike. In the sports event you're looking at between 1 hour 45 and 3 hours of effort depending on fitness (i think)

Peterx · 14-09-2009 02:34PM

The race was good, as expected the very good swimmers got away on the water stage but the mountain running remains a bit of a niche market with stalwart IMRA runners lapping it up and everyone else enduring it.
The beach/hillrun is fantastic, it would be a great race in it's own right and might possibly resurface in a revamped IMRA Connaught league one of these days.

John McEnri had the fastest descent off the hill and was having the race of the day until Padraig Marrey passed him on the very last corner on the bike for the final podium place. sickener:) That very scenario was playing itself out in my mind on the bike - I had visions of a chase group swallowing me up and a potentially very exciting mad 100m dash for the line ensuing through transition but luckily the gap was just a little too big although they were closing in, much like the death star heading for the wee moon of Endor:D I was surprised to see Enduro finishing second, the man just doesn't know how to quit, fabulous racing for a fella that should be asleep after the recent exertions of a mere 7 day AR race..
Young Karl was flying until he had a sudden and total bonk on the bike, he's a huge prospect though and only cycling about a year so he'll be the one to watch. Great to see fresh blood coming through and mymojo can take a bow here, super victory on her shiny new bike and runners!

The organisers can take a very big bow, lots of planning and precision execution of the plan were evident in everything they did. Size is a factor and smaller races can have a great atmosphere about them as this one certainly did. Chris Caulfield was the last man standing in the residents bar by the way.

littlebug · 14-09-2009 02:45PM

Sniipe wrote: »

I guess those running times sound like what I do at the moment...anyway here is all the info you need. Route, terrain, my poor heart, distance: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/13236034
I didn't use the splits and I forgot to turn off the watch at the end which I think was 4hr 43min.

Thanks Snipe, that's brilliant though the elevation looks a bit scary! It looks like you juts lay down for an hour at the end

littlebug · 14-09-2009 02:47PM

Peterx wrote: »

Anyone who can run 8k in 45 minutes will get around the sports course.

The pain and suffering you wish to inflict upon yourself will depend on how much training you put in.
Talking to a few runners after the race they nearly all cramped or suffered on the bike as they were unused to cycling and very unused to cycling after running.
The more training you do the better you will get to know how hard you can push, it's a fine line between feeling great on the run and going quick and then blowing up on the bike. In the sports event you're looking at between 1 hour 45 and 3 hours of effort depending on fitness (i think)

Thanks Peterx, this is definitely on my radar for next year. I'll dust off the bike and keep working on the hills!

yop · 14-09-2009 02:52PM

4 stars (good)

littlebug wrote: »

i've just been looking at the results to see if this is something that a lesser being such as myself could consider for next year but I'm afraid I can't make head nor tail of them
Would someone mind giving a run down of the (sports) course, what the run was like, elevation/ terrain/ times etc.
By lesser being I mean someone who can run a nice flat 8k in about 45 mins.

That would be my pace on an 8k run so you would be fit to do it, I finished in 2hrs 8 mins and came in the top 50 of the sports.
Cycling wise I would expect to do a 22km cycle in 45 mins on normal roads so that will give you an idea of where I am at

As Peter said the BIG thing seems to be the transition from the run to the bike, I struggled on the run but made up about 15 places on the bike even though I cramped.

But then I think I lost a place due to looking at the lovely beach and scenary around Dugort.

Thats your goal set now littlebug. But if you get in some hill running then you will be the stronger for it.

I am going to see if I can figure out how a newbie might begin with IMRA.

Peterx · 14-09-2009 06:05PM

John Shiels has some good photos up
http://www.pbase.com/forrest5000/roar2009

Wonkagirl · 14-09-2009 07:41PM

4 stars (good)

Well done again peter.. you legend. Saw you running on keem beach on sunday, ya mad ****er.. was hoping to stop you to get a few tips but you disappeared!

managed the sports solo in just over 2 hrs 20, pathetic but it's only my 2nd race ever.. gonna get myself a proper road bike for next yr, up the pace on the running, do the paddle instead of the swim and knock 25 mins off my time and win the ladies sports solo in 2010!!

absolutely loved every minute of it. the craic, the comraderie,the weather, the scenery, it was just fantastic. what an amazing part of the country. brian is an absolute scream and had me in stitches about 5 times during the briefing/prizegiving.. hilarious.

the swim/paddle was badly matched though i thought- the slowest paddlers were still faster than the fastest swimmers in the sports section..

Wonkagirl · 14-09-2009 09:06PM

4 stars (good)

Peterx wrote: »

John Shiels has some good photos up
http://www.pbase.com/forrest5000/roar2009

any idea what the link is for the 'sports' pics- that the 2nd photographer took?

notsobadinc · 14-09-2009 10:04PM

ya fair play to all that took part and volunteered. class weather and scenery...gf is a real let down in comparison-take the technical t-shirts for instance at 15 quid while gf was 85 and you got a cheapo cotton job... peterx enduro and co did very well.
i did achill with my bro and although we are newbie's to this as gforce was our first outing, we are estatic about taking part in more upcoming events.
we were chatting to gohard and dapope on sat night-(great times lads, especially dapope-do cavan people know of your ability...)but they mentioned the art oneill ultra race in january 2010 so it sounds like the next outing for us.:rolleyes:
i have some experience of road running but am now less interested in it as the buzz i get from the hills is far better and more challenging but i really struggle on cycling-i was drained on the bike on sat-anyone know of a way of quickly increasing endurance on the bike...help appreciated:o
also can anyone of any ability join imra and are all the races wicklow based

Slogger Jogger · 14-09-2009 10:24PM

imra is welcoming to anyone of any age or ability. If you look at the imra runners list you'll see all sorts. The majority of races are in the Dublin / Wicklow area, but there is a strong imra Munster contingent with races throughout the year there. Theres races elsewhere on the calendar around Leinster, over in Connaught (Croagh Patrick) and lots of races up north (check out the nimra website). The imra website is award winning and a fabulous resource, something you can spend ages on at a time looking at photos, results and race reports.

Sniipe · 14-09-2009 11:17PM

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

The majority of races are in the Dublin / Wicklow area, but there is a strong imra Munster contingent with races throughout the year there. Theres races elsewhere on the calendar around Leinster, over in Connaught (Croagh Patrick) and lots of races up north (check out the nimra website).

yeah, only 2 events that I could see in connaught, one on CP and then another the day / weekend before it (can't remember) - Connaught championships

dapope · 15-09-2009 12:33AM

notsobadinc wrote: »

we were chatting to gohard and dapope on sat night-(great times lads, especially dapope-do cavan people know of your ability...)but they mentioned the art oneill ultra race in january 2010 so it sounds like the next outing for us.:rolleyes:
also can anyone of any ability join imra and are all the races wicklow based

They know nothing thank god

The IMRA races are a great way to prepare for this sort of thing. This was my first year back doing IMRA runs for a few years now and it certainly wet my appetite for endurance events.

KOLICHIYAW · 15-09-2009 10:31AM

notsobadinc wrote: »

-anyone know of a way of quickly increasing endurance on the bike...help appreciated:o
also can anyone of any ability join imra and are all the races wicklow based

My cycling was pretty rubbish last summer - but got a lot better through the winter by getting a turbo trainer and doing a winter season of cyclo-cross - improved handling, technique, endurance & made getting back on the tarmac feel like a breeze!

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=15805

http://www.cyclingulster.com/documentation/CI_Calendar_2009-Final.xls

peteg · 15-09-2009 10:43AM

Well done to the roar team. Great race in a great location, it was every thing GF was not,bikes racked on solid ground not bog, starting and finishing in the same area,great for viewing, a long race for the hardcore racers or a shorter race for those who wanted some thing easier or racers new this type of thing.Well done to Dean Gillespie only 16 who finished 4th over all in the sport event.
[

Excuseless · 15-09-2009 01:00PM

On behalf of the ROAR Team just to let ye know that all the feedback to info@roar.ie and here on board.ie is appreciated.

We had some matters not quite 100% - Sports water section "Fair Match" and positioning of the Sports mid bike check point near the bottom rather than the top of that twisty descent on the same side as the cyclists were the main ones from feedback.
I think these were seen as minor blips by some and not at all by others but for sure we will be working on getting those right for next year.

We worked hard on putting on a good event right through from planning, registration, racing and partying and it is great to get the 100% positive feedback since.

Here's to another ROAR and more

Mr Freeze · 15-09-2009 03:39PM

3 stars (average)

The info and graphs on the splitsbrowser site linked from the Roar main page are great.

Nice touch lads again.

Achill ROAR- Sat 11th Sept 2010

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