Gael Force 2010 training for a big Lad

littlebug

Catweazle's spot on Motte.. Before I started running I lost a stone in 6 weeks. Once I started running it took twice as long to lost the next stone but I was changing shape and feeling great so as long as I was going in the right direction I was happy.

MotteDai

Yeah I am noticing a noticble body change alright, waist is down by 3 inch id say so all good, climbing croagh patrick tomorrow sonot letting up but much to do!

ronanmac

Good luck with the Reek!

Freshie

Hi MotteDai

I hope you don't mind if I join you on this to compare notes. A friend of mine in Waterford is talking me into doing the Gael Force West 2010. I've done minimal exercise for the last 4 years - it took a back seat to heavy work commitments/family. I know I need to get fit, it seems like a good target / challenge to achieve and there still plenty of time. I'm a big lad too 95kgs, 6ft and expect to lose 1-1.5 stone.

Jan: Started walking in Jan 30-60 minutes - 2-3 times a week
Feb: Moved to running
Mar: Just this morning was able to do 3k - 25minutes non stop

This will give you an idea of my startig fitness - so we may be able to spur each other on.

Freshie

MotteDai

Freshie wrote: »

Hi MotteDai

I hope you don't mind if I join you on this to compare notes. A friend of mine in Waterford is talking me into doing the Gael Force West 2010. I've done minimal exercise for the last 4 years - it took a back seat to heavy work commitments/family. I know I need to get fit, it seems like a good target / challenge to achieve and there still plenty of time. I'm a big lad too 95kgs, 6ft and expect to lose 1-1.5 stone.

Jan: Started walking in Jan 30-60 minutes - 2-3 times a week
Feb: Moved to running
Mar: Just this morning was able to do 3k - 25minutes non stop

This will give you an idea of my startig fitness - so we may be able to spur each other on.

Freshie

Welcome Freshie and fair play,

To be honest I need to re-kickstrart this whole thing. I had some personal things to deal with these last two weeks and they have stunted my progress..
I'd be about same level as yourself now.
Going to gym this evening and run tomorrow.. will update on progress then.. good to have a compadre

Freshie

Hi Motte Dai

Good to join you on this challenge. Think the training may be as tough as the challenge day.

Wasn't a great week for quantity with just one cycle and one run. Did a 15k cycle last Sunday - took about 60minutes and not as tough as the first day. Was annoyed that I didn't get out much in between so did a long run ast night - was able to do 40minutes none stop (3miles / 4.8k) the longest to date. Probably need to get this up to about 60 minutes over the next 3-4weeks ,what do you think? I find the running the toughest - how about you? Having said that there's not many hills around Kilkenny city so the cycle is not so bad at the moment. Did you see the million pound cycle event on TV last night - man those hills and at -15% with frost bite - will be thinking of this when it gets tough.

Freshie

MotteDai

No Idea what weekti is but I'll catch up shortly,
Currently 108.5Kgs with a target to be at 107 at thi stage but given we have gotten over st pats and a close stag I'm happyish
Went for a 4k last night and did it kinda where I was at about 26mins so starting back again solid. need to loose the other 8.5 Kg by Mid may which is the targtet and getting on Bike too..

The hills are tough on the circuit and so itll be well worth while doing some, Im considering the 1/2 Gael force in May to get a bearing but im a bit away from it yet maybe itll be a target, by next week Ill have decided..

MotteDai

Freshie wrote: »

Hi Motte Dai

Good to join you on this challenge. Think the training may be as tough as the challenge day.

Wasn't a great week for quantity with just one cycle and one run. Did a 15k cycle last Sunday - took about 60minutes and not as tough as the first day. Was annoyed that I didn't get out much in between so did a long run ast night - was able to do 40minutes none stop (3miles / 4.8k) the longest to date. Probably need to get this up to about 60 minutes over the next 3-4weeks ,what do you think? I find the running the toughest - how about you? Having said that there's not many hills around Kilkenny city so the cycle is not so bad at the moment. Did you see the million pound cycle event on TV last night - man those hills and at -15% with frost bite - will be thinking of this when it gets tough.

Freshie

To be honest building up with short amounts at the start is the best, i used to cycle a lot so Im hoping Ill come up to speed fairly quickly, but Ill be starting at the 10 to 15 k and staying at that for a month or so.. then uping it with a good 50 miler around the lakes and over half the course here in junish time. once able to do that the gael force cycle shouldnt be a prob. Whats the prob i hear is changing from running and then hitting bike..
So im concentrating on my worst the running.. some x country hill running will be in order too once I get the time (Best laid plans)
Ill be happy to be able to run the 12k and then be able to get on the bike and not cramp up like what happened to friends last year..

Anyway keep it up..great to hear your progress!

Bugsy2000

MotteDie / Freshie where are ye???

I'd been enjoying watching your progress, hope your still doing well. You'd come a long way in a short period of time, it was good to see.

Just a note on your last post. I did the Gael Force last year for the first time - first time doing any excercise in about 3 years. I used to cycle a few years ago so I concentrated on the running in training. Big mistake. Cycling is a big part of this race, with a few hills thrown in too. Try and mix up the training between the two disciplines as much as you can. I won't make the same mistake twice in that one.

Good luck, hope the training is going well.

Freshie

Hi Bugsy
Thanks for the note and advice. Still training but not as consistently as I should. Stepped it up at the weekend and got up to a 6mile run on Sun evening 1 hour 15mins. Knees were like an old man on Monday. Did an hour cycle last night. Note your advice re cycling - I have been taking the route exactly as you did - will change this now. How did you find climbing Croak Patrick

Bugsy2000

I live in County Galway so I'm never too far away from some mountains so I had some practice on hill running. But by the time I got to Croagh Patrick my legs were really suffering (note my not practicing enough on the bike ).

To be honest out of the 2000 entrants last year probably only 100 or 200 ran the mountain section, the rest of us walked it as fast as we could. As bad as I was I still overtook a good few on the way up, its really just putting the head down and being stubborn at that stage.

Downhill is a different story altogether. I love it but some hate it. The top section of Croagh Patrick is very loose rock. There is a path which is cleared a bit but I tend to stay to the loose section. Keep your centre of gravity as low as possible (keep your legs slightly bent and lean back slightly) and run in a zig zag route down the mountain (try a straight line and you won't be able to stop yourself) Because its so loose, for every step you take you'll slide about 2 or 3 feet but as the rocks are large its nearly like surfing down the mountain. It takes a bit of practice but you can make up serious time here if you know what to do. If you can, try to get some hill running practice in, purely to get a feel for downhill running.

Freshie

Thanks a mil, really appreciate the tips - will stay in touch and update on progress.

Freshie

A friend of mine decided to organise a hike across the Cooley Mountains for his 40th last Saturday. What a training session 5 hours up and down mountains - burning thighs and knees. Must have been good prep for Croak Patrick also a eye opener how tough it was forcing yourself up those steep hills. Body still aching - hard now to get up and down the stairs at home. I must be getting there.

MotteDai

Bugsy2000 wrote: »

MotteDie / Freshie where are ye???

I'd been enjoying watching your progress, hope your still doing well. You'd come a long way in a short period of time, it was good to see.

Just a note on your last post. I did the Gael Force last year for the first time - first time doing any excercise in about 3 years. I used to cycle a few years ago so I concentrated on the running in training. Big mistake. Cycling is a big part of this race, with a few hills thrown in too. Try and mix up the training between the two disciplines as much as you can. I won't make the same mistake twice in that one.

Good luck, hope the training is going well.

Thanks for the prompt, unfortunatly training hit the wall, had to attend to some personal issues and unfortunatly they were significant enought to envelope all my last few weeks, so im back well off track, but going back next week and re-strarting..will update then guys.. getting closer now..

Bugsy2000

Good to see your getting back into it. I'm trying to ratchet up the training the last few weeks, found a lovely circuit where I can get a nice cycle & hill run in so I'm hoping to attack that one a bit (15mile cycle, 1.5mile hill run, 15mile cycle back home). I've also just bought a Nike + sensor & signed up for the Nike+ Boards Challenge (another thread on this website) It'll be interesting to see how I compare, the people on it seem to be of average ability the same as myself, not the ultra althletes that would be chalking up their runs on the '1000mile thread'

MotteDai

Right I have been away from boards for a while,

Back into training again. Training now soley foused on Gael Force, going for 10-15 mile cycles followed by some uphill walks or in between etc.. Using the reek and Owenwee as training ground and given they're part of the circuit I'm happy, stamina low but It should improve..

More to follow

Bugsy2000

Its hard to keep at it alright. I'd have a couple of brilliant weeks where I'm out 3 or 4 times for good sessions followed by two weeks where I'm struggling to get out once. Work commitments are killing me, but I'm still feeling a lot better prepared than last year. I can't believe how fast this thing is creeping up.

And I finally bit the bullet & bought myself a road bike. Went out for a few cycles with some lads who were on road bikes whilst I was on my hybrid. They were coast along taking it easy while I was busting my balearics just to keep up with them. Got a nice second hand Specialized (spotless) and they took my hybrid as trade in, ending up costing me about €300. Sweet.

Hoping to head to the reek tomorrow. Might see some GF heads up there - don't be too eager to pass me out as ye are running up that hill.

MotteDai

Good on yea, wont be out meself tomorrow, going fishing.. yea training has stepped up now i see a lot out on bikes etc around here, anyway head down and sure I'll walk the damn thing if nothing else..

coill100

Should see you there tomorrow, if you are around in the morning.
There is five of us doing the cycle and the climb if the weather permits.

MotteDai

coill100 wrote: »

Should see you there tomorrow, if you are around in the morning.
There is five of us doing the cycle and the climb if the weather permits.

Hope you did well, i tried it and found it hard so not ready, trying gain tomorrow evening.

Bugsy2000

Hi lads. Got on ok on Sunday. Went up & down CP twice (well, one & a half times really, I met a mate on the flat ridge when I was coming down so I went back up again).

I was happy enough with my time but I didn't stretch properly before going up, my thighs are in bits.:( I'm signed up for a 10k on Saturday & another one on Monday, I hope I'm able for them. My thighs are so bad I have to come down the stairs sideways one step at a time.

Plenty of Gael Force heads on the mountain. It looks like theres plenty of training going on for it.

How is everyone tackling the bottom half descent? Straight down through the gorse or taking the zig zag route?

coill100

Started off at Delphi at about 7am, dropped bikes and then dropped the a van at the base of the reek.
It was quite windy and there were a few showers along the way.
Route has changed this year coming up to the reek going through a fairly rough patch of bog road, lots of chips on this route. I would advise anybody that is doing gaelforce this year to give it the once over before the race. The reek it self was ok, we did it the zig zag route.
This is the way i will run it on the day.I did have the garmin on the day so will have to upload and see how we got on time wise.
Not to long left now, did i hear some one say under ten weeks!!!!!!:eek:

ronan1986

only 6 weeks left....


aaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggggghhhhhh

coill100

Hi motte dai
How is you training going?
Just over a week to go.:eek:

MotteDai

Well Guys/Gals

How'd you all do, I had to pull out for personal reasons and to much dissapointment. I'd love to hear how you got on however..

coill100

Not to bad 5:30
Had a problem with the right calf:eek: so i would say that i lost about 20min over all. Room for improvment on next years race.

MotteDai

Well done, thats a great time, aiming for next year alreay wow thats focus..fair play