Art O'Neil challenge 2017

Djoucer wrote: »

It can get very icy.

Usually, roads are ok up until Stone Cross. Paths after m50 can be a bit icy/frosty. Climb to stone cross is grand. Road is grippy. From stone cross, the road can get very icy and slippery. You can usually run up the middle or on verge but can be a bit dicey. Some of the downhills can be a bit sketchy.

I expect it to be frosty as soon as you take the turn for stone cross based on previous years. Once you take the short cut through the private lands, roads are Ok.

If it doesn't rain too much tomorrow, it shouldn't be too bad.

Same experience from 2015. Climb from cross to the road highpoint was steep and slippy where compressed by cars. So a fair bit of jumping from middle to verge and back. The descent on the road had a few black ice patches but could still run fast with a few hairy moments.

As in 2015 I have a bit of a footwear dilemma due to the road conditions. In that year I opted to wear my trail shoes for the road section. Grip was nice to have but I was hobbled by CP1: knees, hips, ITB all cramping. I don't think I could live with that again so wearing road shoes with a bit more cushioning. However, they have poor grip at the best of times. Thankfully I discovered something called razor-siping and spent last night customizing the soles of my runners with a stanley knife. Will see how that one works out for me :rolleyes:

glasshopper wrote: »

Big question for me now is what to do tomorrow night before the start. i might register first, then go drop off the car at sandyford luas. otherwise there's a lot of hanging around. is there somewhere in the castle to stay warm and relax between 11 and 1am?
what do people do? register earlier and go to the cinema or?

That worked for me previously when I lived close to town. Register and bag drop at 8. Home to sleep for a few hours and then back in at 12:30 for a 2am start.

Am living out of town now so will head in at 10:30 to register and wait around. You will find plenty of floor space - a little chilly in there IIRC, but no problems.

Best of luck to everyone tonight!

I'm both disappointed & relieved (if that's possible!) not to be taking part

Congrats Djoucer, I'm amazed at the times of the top 5, I completed it in a guided group for Leg 2 and 3 and found it very heavy underfoot particularly coming down to the finish from Art's Cross.

Unbelievably well organised event, looking forward to next year if I'm lucky enough to get a spot again.

I was a newbie doing AON this year. It's probably the best event i've ever taken part in. Had no navigation experience at all so spent a few hours online in the weeks leading up to the event learning how to use a map and compass.
The roads after Stone Cross were pretty icey alright but you could run without too much bother on the very edge of the road on either side.
Up on the mountains it was all snow, one of my toes is still a bit numb from the freezing even 2 weeks later!! I lost my map shortly after the start of the last section but luckily had recce'd the route a few weeks previous and had taken a mental note of a few compass bearings (the actual bearings were wrote on my lost map) so eventually found my way.
Great great great event, can't say enough good words about it.
I Snapchat storied (Few pics but mainly videos) the event and uploaded it to YouTube to give a few friends of mine an idea of whats involved. YEP...most of them think anyone who does it is completely barmy after watching it :-) haha!!!

Yep that's me. I couldn't post the link up. Some journey. An amazing experience!!

thespeed03 wrote: »

Here we go again, it's finger crossing time, many trying again???
Price has gone up a bit but in fairness it goes to a good cause so i'm not too bitter about it. What's peoples thoughts?

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1000!! so far up 300 from last year...was hoping to take part....

The timeline for getting prepared is tight this year so was a bit on the fence myself but have managed to book some time off over Christmas in the hope of doing recces if getting a spot, gonna be an intense 7 weeks if I do!!

The full GPS route from Dublin Castle to the finish in Glenmalure. Mind you, it's my own recorded track.

thespeed03 wrote: »

The Noble Nudge wrote: »

Has anyone a gps or strava file for it to have a look...

Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/831759930 The last 5km is missing as my watch dies but you are on the way to table track (the home stretch) there so nav is not needed for it, you're pretty much home :-)

What is interesting...If you go in to my Strava Link, view the fly-bys, look for someone called Shane and you will see how it can go drastically wrong in the mountains.

Do the Challenge from your armchair:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ga2QlFOOp4

Another club Art O'Neill Challenge outing in 2017:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQ7-waDXlI8

The Noble Nudge wrote: »

Can you change what you sign up for as in running to a hybrid or vice versa....
Sitting on the fence still....

I think you can change from the Ultra to the Hybrid but not the other way around. Think the Ultra has more spots available but more people apply for the Ultra so it's a bit of a catch 22.
My advice.....If you are entering go for the Ultra. If you can get a couple of recces done it eases the uncertainty, and at least you can drop back to the Hybrid if you don't fancy the ultra in the week leading up to it.

thespeed03 wrote: »

I think you can change from the Ultra to the Hybrid but not the other way around. Think the Ultra has more spots available but more people apply for the Ultra so it's a bit of a catch 22.
My advice.....If you are entering go for the Ultra. If you can get a couple of recces done it eases the uncertainty, and at least you can drop back to the Hybrid if you don't fancy the ultra in the week leading up to it.

Ah it was more a training over Christmas type thing...
What to do