Achill ROAR- Sat 11th Sept 2010

DogSlySmile

4 stars (good)

CKWPORT wrote: »

I'd say that finish is the same for both.

It will be tough alrite, but better for spectators at least.

Where did ya hear this? I cant see anythin about it on the site?

Mr Freeze

3 stars (average)

DogSlySmile wrote: »

Where did ya hear this? I cant see anythin about it on the site?

From the ROAR FAQ

Q) Can you give me a breakdown of the distances?
A) Approximate course distances and order of the disciplines are:
Sport Solo:
Short Run to Start of Swim
Swim 400m or Kayak 1300m
Run 8km
Bike 22km
Short Beach Dash to Finish (Run)

Expert Solo and Expert Relay Teams:
Short Run to Start of Swim
Swim 800m or Kayak 2600m
Run 16km
Bike 45km
Short Beach Dash to Finish (Run)

So its the same for both, and rumor has it the dash could be up to a km.

Wonkagirl

4 stars (good)

ah yuck, i hated the 'dash' at the end of GFW, hated every step! granted, the legs wont be in as bad shape after the sports in achill, but still..

havent lifted a leg since GFW, better get a few runs in this week.

GoHardOrGoHome

4 stars (good)

Woah! Don't panic people! I've no inside info. It was just idle speculation. Last year I think we were going to have to run down the beach and back but because the tide was in that was removed (I think!).

There probably isn't a dash to the finish other than getting through transition. I only said that in case people were deciding to use cycling shoes thinking that they wouldn't have to run in them after the cycle. They probably still won't! What have I started!

nerraw1111

4 stars (good)

Think I'll give this race a miss now with the news of the final sprint.

Cheers for the heads up Gohard

Mr Freeze

3 stars (average)

You will be missed Nerraw!!!

I think a dash along the beach to the finish will be a good addition, it will be much better if your bringing a few supporters with you and if the weather stays good, fingers crossed!!!

Peterx

There's one twin room available in the event hotel.

Wreck

4 stars (good)

GoHardOrGoHome wrote: »

Woah! Don't panic people! I've no inside info. It was just idle speculation. Last year I think we were going to have to run down the beach and back but because the tide was in that was removed (I think!).

There probably isn't a dash to the finish other than getting through transition. I only said that in case people were deciding to use cycling shoes thinking that they wouldn't have to run in them after the cycle. They probably still won't! What have I started!

I'm starting a petition to make sure there is one! Who's with me? :pac:

ThisRegard

4 stars (good)

Well I'm up for the last 1k run, but there's no way in hell I'll agree to it unless there's valet parking for the bikes at the end (or those little golf carts as has been suggested), I'm not walking all the way back up that beach with tired legs to collect my bike afterwards.

yop

4 stars (good)

ThisRegard wrote: »

Well I'm up for the last 1k run, but there's no way in hell I'll agree to it unless there's valet parking for the bikes at the end (or those little gold carts as has been suggested), I'm not walking all the way back up that beech with tired legs to collect my bike afterwards.

So you are going to go up trees (beech) when you are finished the run!!

Keep the run out of it, I have to change fricking shoes again if this comes in :cool:

thehamo

How much is the accomodation in the hotel? IM staying in a b&b but its a drive away....

ThisRegard

4 stars (good)

Got my first Achill Roar related injury yesterday. Was cleaning the bike and tuning the gears after it got filthy and battered in Gaelforce and as I don't have one of those fancy work stands I was holding the bike by hand as I was going up and down the gears making sure there was no rubbing. On the final check the rear wheel was spinning fairly fast, the bike went into a speed wobble and the spinning wheel came into contact with the back of my hand and wrist. I know have two big friction burns

Or do I put that down to Gaelforce knocking the gears out in the first place

snailsong

ThisRegard wrote: »

Got my first Achill Roar related injury yesterday. Was cleaning the bike and tuning the gears after it got filthy and battered in Gaelforce and as I don't have one of those fancy work stands I was holding the bike by hand as I was going up and down the gears making sure there was no rubbing. On the final check the rear wheel was spinning fairly fast, the bike went into a speed wobble and the spinning wheel came into contact with the back of my hand and wrist. I know have two big friction burns

Or do I put that down to Gaelforce knocking the gears out in the first place

Sorry to hear of the injury, it put me thinking of the various ways I have supported the bike to work on it.

1. I tied two pieces of string to the ceiling of the shed at strategic spacing. Hang up the bike by the saddle and handlebars. Good for cleaning, you can take the wheels off.

2. I discovered the car bike carrier from Aldi hooked over the bench vice in said shed. Hanging the bike on this was steadier than 1 above if i had to use a spanner.

3. Bike storage hoist, 6.99 in Aldi. Fixed it to the ceiling, effect similar to 1 above with height ajustment.

Of course you could just get a bike stand...

Wonkagirl

4 stars (good)

Good practice to do it without a stand- you've no stand when you're out in the wilds of Achill and you get a flat

Speaking of which, i havent lifted a leg since gaelforce- not so much as a 2km run have i done. Going for an 8k-er tonite, not sure what way to handle my training from there- i mean is there any point in doing much between now and achill? the tapering business for GF did my head in. it must be very annoying for people who do tri's weekend after weekend? how do they cope, or do they just do some short runs during the week and use each tri as their 'main session'?

seeing as how i'd only doing sports in achill, i'm not tapering this time.

ThisRegard

4 stars (good)

snailsong wrote: »

Sorry to hear of the injury, it put me thinking of the various ways I have supported the bike to work on it.

My original plan was to shove a broom between two wheelie bins and hook the saddle over that and work on it that way. But of course once I began I saw that as unnecessary work and I'd be quicker without. Lesson learned.

Wonkagirl, I'm the same, but I think I'll just work away like it's a regular week.

snailsong

For punctures I've about 30 years experience of the turning the bike upside down method, however if I need to clean the bike in an emergency in Achill I'll be screwed;).

I was on holiday in Wicklow the week after GF so I was back on the bike by Tuesday. Got in a few shortish cycles (44k, 25k, 25k) and a couple of steep 5k trail runs. This week I did my fastest ever 8k run on Monday and my fastest average speed on the bike over a 32k route. I reckon GF came a few weeks too soon for me with all the interruptions in my training due to illness and injury. I'll try to get in a good run and a long cycle at the w-end and taper from there. I'll try to do it just like GF without the mistakes. Still I have to envy those doing the sport version, it would be like a lap of honour after GF.

snailsong

By the way, ThisRegard, I bought two of those bike hoists in Aldi since they were so cheap. I'll give you the second one if you want it. You'll need a ceiling to screw it on to obv. Pm me and we'll meet up at the roar or whatever, I don't want anything for it.

Wonkagirl

4 stars (good)

snailsong wrote: »

Still I have to envy those doing the sport version, it would be like a lap of honour after GF.

haha! love it.. yeah, i have to say, i'm really looking fwd to it- the sports will feel like a doddle after GF. I'm most looking fwd to really getting into a good stride during the cycle- I lived in constant fear of further 'surprises offroad bits' during GF

Sounds like you're in a good place anyway snailsong. I did an 8km run last nite, slow enough but i'll go hell for leather now for the rest of the week, i'm gonna do 8km/20km brick sessions every day until next Wednesday, then take thurs/fri off. Probably madness, but that's the way i roll.

ThisRegard

4 stars (good)

snailsong wrote: »

By the way, ThisRegard, I bought two of those bike hoists in Aldi since they were so cheap. I'll give you the second one if you want it. You'll need a ceiling to screw it on to obv. Pm me and we'll meet up at the roar or whatever, I don't want anything for it.

That's a great offer snailsong, thanks. Unfortunately my little shed, badly weathered as it is, wouldn't support a kids bike never mind an adults. Anything like that will have to wait until I eventually get around to getting a concrete shed. Thanks again though.

Wreck

4 stars (good)

Hurt my quad last night anxiously waiting to see how quickly it heals! I'll be devastated if I miss out on Achill.

snailsong

Wonkagirl wrote: »

haha! love it.. yeah, i have to say, i'm really looking fwd to it- the sports will feel like a doddle after GF. I'm most looking fwd to really getting into a good stride during the cycle- I lived in constant fear of further 'surprises offroad bits' during GF

Sounds like you're in a good place anyway snailsong. I did an 8km run last nite, slow enough but i'll go hell for leather now for the rest of the week, i'm gonna do 8km/20km brick sessions every day until next Wednesday, then take thurs/fri off. Probably madness, but that's the way i roll.

Brick sessions were what I lacked for GF. I'll try to get 1 or 2 in at the weekend, then a run and a cycle midweek.

trinewbie

4 stars (good)

snailsong wrote: »

Brick sessions were what I lacked for GF. I'll try to get 1 or 2 in at the weekend, then a run and a cycle midweek.

Too late for a brick session IMO, no benefit in time for Achill...Some short snapy session until mid next week would be the order of the day, too late for endurance work .... then feet up....maybe an hour easy spin spinning an easy gear on Thursday ..A bit of transition work could be useful.

Dont forget how important quick transitions are, personally I am the king of terrible transitions...It might take you 6 months of training to improve your running by 1 minute over the distance, but a single hour of transition practice could save you that minute.....

Wonkagirl

4 stars (good)

trinewbie wrote: »

Too late for a brick session IMO, no benefit in time for Achill...Some short snapy session until mid next week would be the order of the day, too late for endurance work .... then feet up....

I'm not sure i agree with you- but i'd be interested in hearing what others think. I did my longest ever run (tulfarris10) 2 weeks prior to GF, i felt it was a massive benefit to me for GF, others told me it was too late, i'd be better doing a fast 5k rather than a slow 10miles. I think 2-3 brick sessions (say 1 tonite, 1 sat, 1 tues of 5km and 20km) would stand you well for achill.. what do others think?

i'm going to train on as normal anyway, i dont think a serious taper is required for the sports anyway. if you tapered mad for all of them, you'd never get any training done. what do others think?

as for taking 6 mths of training to improve run by 1 min- jesus if i was seeing that kind of slow progress i'd lose the will to live! unless of course you're an elite- then i can see where you're coming from.. it only took me 3 weeks to improve my 5km time by 2 mins for instance- but then coming from 25 to 23 is hardly anything to be shouting and roaring about, i'm sure it'll take me a lot longer to get it down from 23 !

ThisRegard

4 stars (good)

I think brick sessions are always useful, I find them very good for conditioning the legs. I haven't done any since before Gaelforce, had a heavy leg session Monday and yesterday and I already feel the pain. Whereas if your legs are used to doing this right up to the event I think you'd be the better for it.

Mr Freeze

3 stars (average)

Brick sessions are excellent for conditioning the legs for thes races. But anyone who has gf done and is doing sports in achill, your work is done just tick over till achill...

Contrary to that advice, myself & another 2 boards users are doing a half marathon on Sunday so we'll be in a right state for achill!

ThisRegard

4 stars (good)

So who's doing what, maybe you can quote the following so we can keep track of fellow boardsies.

Expert:
ThisRegard
nerraw1111

Sports:
CKWPORT
Wonkagirl

Mr Freeze

3 stars (average)

Expert:
ThisRegard
nerraw1111

Sports:
CKWPORT
Wonkagirl
Yop
TooMuchDetail
Mountain Rescue
elchupanebrey

Added the lads I know!

snailsong

Well, when it comes to knocking 1 minute off the run I guess some of us have more room for improvement than others. Thats you and me both, Wonkagirl. Looks like we'd have a close race over 5k. That said, I wasted about 10 min faffing around at the bike transition in GF. CK, I was really tempted at the half marathon, but you can only do so much. I'll try to make it down to the finish to cheer, laugh, jeer at everybody.

ThisRegard

4 stars (good)

Only 2 foolhardy suckers so far for expert !

My mind says expert but not sure my body agrees ! Felt tired last night, I'll do a long run between now and Saturday and get a tough cycle in but I probably won't make the final decision until registration.

trinewbie

4 stars (good)

I dont agree with big bricks/long runs the week before a big race personally, as OP said, your work is (should be;)) done by now. Wonkagirl your probably right a big taper wouldnt really be needed for the sports race, but I wouldnt be doing too any intensity work in the 2 days before...Just my 2c.

Tapers are a personal thing and what works for some wont work for others....

Anyhow...
Expert:
ThisRegard
nerraw1111
trinewbie

Sports:
CKWPORT
Wonkagirl
Yop
TooMuchDetail
Mountain Rescue
elchupanebrey

GoHardOrGoHome

4 stars (good)

Expert:
ThisRegard
nerraw1111
GoHard

Sports:
CKWPORT
Wonkagirl
Yop
TooMuchDetail
Mountain Rescue
elchupanebrey

That's three schmucks signed up for expert. Sometimes I think entering the sport would be a good idea but I don't think I'd have the basic speed to take advantage of the shorter course. Now if they could have a long run and a short bike section that would suit me down to the ground!

snailsong

trinewbie wrote: »

I dont agree with big bricks/long runs the week before a big race personally, as OP said, your work is (should be;)) done by now. Wonkagirl your probably right a big taper wouldnt really be needed for the sports race, but I wouldnt be doing too any intensity work in the 2 days before...Just my 2c.

Tapers are a personal thing and what works for some wont work for others....

Anyhow...
Expert:
ThisRegard
nerraw1111
trinewbie

Sports:
CKWPORT
Wonkagirl
Yop
TooMuchDetail
Mountain Rescue
elchupanebrey

Added the lads I know!

I'm sticking with my plan to do expert too. If I'm not back by dark somebody in out looking for me.

Wreck

4 stars (good)

Expert:
ThisRegard
nerraw1111
trinewbie
GoHard
Snailsong


Sports:
CKWPORT
Wonkagirl
Yop
TooMuchDetail
Mountain Rescue
elchupanebrey
Wreck (injury permitting)

Wonkagirl

4 stars (good)

snailsong wrote: »

That said, I wasted about 10 min faffing around at the bike transition in GF.

In the name of jesus what were you doing for 10 mins, did you have a shower, shave, and a cuppa??:D You must have changed your shoes clearly, but still..

i'd say i was definitely less than a minute in and out- helmut on, bike off rack, gone..

Head The Wall

4 stars (good)

Expert:
ThisRegard
nerraw1111

Sports:
CKWPORT
Wonkagirl
Yop
TooMuchDetail
Mountain Rescue
elchupanebrey
Head The Wall

Waiting to see how 4 weeks of training will stand me. Here's hoping, 1:57 to beat from last year.

ThisRegard

4 stars (good)

Just let me fix that for you Head the Wall, your post missed a few people

Expert:
ThisRegard
nerraw1111
trinewbie
GoHard
Snailsong


Sports:
CKWPORT
Wonkagirl
Yop
TooMuchDetail
Mountain Rescue
elchupanebrey
Wreck (injury permitting)
Head the wall

That's a decent crowd of us so far,

thehamo

Went for a cross country run in the phoeinix park lastnight, made sure to get in a few hills and managed 8km in 55minutes. Not bad for me really considering my chunky legs aint made for distnace running! Just back from a 50km cycle there (nearly killed about 3 times in the process). Managed that in 2 hours. Will do the same up until Monday next week, one or two brick sessions and then kick back until Saturday. Thats my plan!

Expert:
ThisRegard
nerraw1111
trinewbie
GoHard
Snailsong


Sports:
CKWPORT
Wonkagirl
Yop
TooMuchDetail
Mountain Rescue
elchupanebrey
Wreck (injury permitting)
Head the wall
thehamo

pbull69

4 stars (good)

Did my 1st run in 4mths tues nite..... bring on achill

Expert:
ThisRegard
nerraw1111
trinewbie
GoHard
Snailsong
Pbull69


Sports:
CKWPORT
Wonkagirl
Yop
TooMuchDetail
Mountain Rescue
elchupanebrey
Wreck (injury permitting)
Head the wall
thehamo

yop

4 stars (good)

Great crowd for sure!

What we cud to make us stand out is put a B or someit somewhere on our race numbers so that we know who is a boardsie Then again some might not want to be identified lol

Have to beat 2hrs 8 min from last year, see if I can get sub 2hr now and that would make me happy.

Chances are though if u see some flute on his back off the bike with cramps it will be me.

Then again got my supply of Dhyrolte (spelling) so few sacks of that into me when I get onto the bike

Rinker

Expert:
ThisRegard
nerraw1111
trinewbie
GoHard
Snailsong
Pbull69
Rinker


Sports:
CKWPORT
Wonkagirl
Yop
TooMuchDetail
Mountain Rescue
elchupanebrey
Wreck (injury permitting)
Head the wall
thehamo

Feck it you're only middle aged once!:D

Fi H

Expert:
ThisRegard
nerraw1111
trinewbie
GoHard
Snailsong
Pbull69
Rinker


Sports:
CKWPORT
Wonkagirl
Yop
TooMuchDetail
Mountain Rescue
elchupanebrey
Wreck (injury permitting)
Head the wall
thehamo
Fi

Count me in....if you see someone coming over the finish line as yee all head to the after party....that will be me

knipper

Havent run more than 3K in 3 months due to extremely persistent ITB probs so will walk most of the run but will give it sox on the bike/Kayak!!!!
Expert:
ThisRegard
nerraw1111
trinewbie
GoHard
Snailsong
Pbull69
Rinker


Sports:
CKWPORT
Wonkagirl
Yop
TooMuchDetail
Mountain Rescue
elchupanebrey
Wreck (injury permitting)
Head the wall
thehamo
Fi
Knipper

thehamo

Have you tried a foam roller knipper? I bought one the other day and its been like a miracle cure for all my ails!

knipper

I only ordered one wednesday waiting for it to be delivered its last chance saloon time.
Doing all kinds of crazy stretching and core strenghtening every day for months, its a little better but cant seem to manage more than 4K which is still better than the 2k I was doing.
Looking forward to Achill anyway few pinties afterwards and lookin to beat my inevitably poor time next year.
First race of any type so will love it anyway for the novelty.
Cheers for the suggestion lets hope it does the trick.

thehamo

No bother, it really is great. I was havin terrible trouble with my back. Tried the roller on my it band and hay presto pain free for the first time in 5 weeks. I was also getting terrible pains in my knees from running and it hasn't happened since I've been using it. Only caveat is it hurts like he'll! But well worth the pain!

TomD101

Hey,
I can't make it next weekend and have a Sports Entry available if anyone is interested?

ThisRegard

4 stars (good)

Was looking at this vid of the event

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E50-1N2dvmA

And at 1.04 it looks like the 'swimmers' can actually run about half way across the water, anyone swim this last year ? You can see how far they can walk out at 2:54 too.

Wonkagirl

4 stars (good)

yeah i did the swim last yr, the dash to the water in the wetsuit was a DOSE, it was the hottest weekend of the yr. if weather is the same this yr, would advise against wetsuit, there wasnt an ounce of cold in that lake.

i would guesstimate from recollection you can 'run' about 1/3 of it- once it gets over waist height you're as well to start swimming

it's very 'loch ness'y- lots of long horrible seaweed swimming around you ankles

chose kayak this yr:)

ThisRegard

4 stars (good)

I have to say after looking at that vid I'm looking forward to it now. Did a 9k run last night and was quite slow and started getting hotspots on my feet was a bit miserable at the end of it, especially when I was thinking on race day that I'll be doing twice that, on a bloody mountain.

Wonkagirl

4 stars (good)

ThisRegard wrote: »

I have to say after looking at that vid I'm looking forward to it now. Did a 9k run last night and was quite slow and started getting hotspots on my feet was a bit miserable at the end of it, especially when I was thinking on race day that I'll be doing twice that, on a bloody mountain.

what exactly do you mean by hotspots? muscular pain, or blisters or what?

i often get burning on the balls of my feet- i used these during gaelforce on the soles of my feet, found them brilliant

http://www.compeed.ie/bgdisplay.jhtml?itemname=callous

pads for the balls of your feet basically