Gaelforce West 21/8/10

Wonkagirl

God i dont know what distance it is ThisRegard.. if you live near dublin train on sugerloaf- similar shaley-type surface.. i plan on going up and down it twice this weekend..

I tried to find out the distance on CP (from a GF perspective) for you by googling.. didnt find anything, but DID find a suggested running plan:

''It's hard to advise exactly what you should be doing but in general terms you should be running at a low intensity for 5~10 hours per week, at a moderate intensity for 2~4 hours per week and also fit in one speed session and one hill session per week.
These two sessions are the key components as they stress your legs in unusual ways and hopefully you will adapt and grow stronger as a result. The speed could be Tuesday evening and the hill Saturday morning before your 4 hour cycle''

eh, where do they think we'd be able to fit in up to 14 hours running a week??? and then 4 hours cycling as well?? i have a job and a life!

Mr Freeze

Wonkagirl wrote: »

I tried to find out the distance on CP (from a GF perspective) for you by googling.. didnt find anything, but DID find a suggested running plan:

From the mountain rescue base to the church along the zig zag is 2.25km.

ThisRegard

Cheers Wonkagirl, was finding nothing myself regarding the exact distance.

When I first read that training plan I was thinking it was something you were recommending, I baulked at 10 hours a week, never mind 14.

Edit: Ah, cheers CKWPORT. I do remember you posted your Garmin route somewhere here before (I think it was you anyway), should have thought to look for that.

Wonkagirl

ThisRegard wrote: »

When I first read that training plan I was thinking it was something you were recommending, I baulked at 10 hours a week, never mind 14.
.

i KNOW, WTF?? they're basically suggesting 14 hours running, then a speed AND hill session AND 4 hours cycling? Like you'd need to only work part time AND give up drink and ALL other commitments to do that sort of training

i'm starting to panic now, at the moment i'm doing max 5 hours a week in TOTAL.. better up the ante and start doing big sessions at the weekend. have a charity lunch this saturday so that's this weekend gone as well as i'll be hanging on sunday and drinking all day saturday- dose!! will try and do sugar loaf on sunday regardless of the state of my head.

Mr Freeze

ThisRegard wrote: »

Edit: Ah, cheers CKWPORT. I do remember you posted your Garmin route somewhere here before (I think it was you anyway), should have thought to look for that.

Here it is if you want it:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/36041841

As for training per week, I do between 3 - 4 hours a week. Did 5 once or twice. Only want to do GF in 5hrs, not win it!

Peterx

Wonkagirl wrote: »

God i dont know what distance it is ThisRegard.. if you live near dublin train on sugerloaf- similar shaley-type surface.. i plan on going up and down it twice this weekend..

I tried to find out the distance on CP (from a GF perspective) for you by googling.. didnt find anything, but DID find a suggested running plan:

''It's hard to advise exactly what you should be doing but in general terms you should be running at a low intensity for 5~10 hours per week, at a moderate intensity for 2~4 hours per week and also fit in one speed session and one hill session per week.
These two sessions are the key components as they stress your legs in unusual ways and hopefully you will adapt and grow stronger as a result. The speed could be Tuesday evening and the hill Saturday morning before your 4 hour cycle''

eh, where do they think we'd be able to fit in up to 14 hours running a week??? and then 4 hours cycling as well?? i have a job and a life!

I wrote that:)
I talked some rubbish hey?
On the other hand running 8km~10km to work 3 times a week doesn't take any longer then driving to work for most folk. If you really want to do you will fit it in.
Even if you live in Lehinch and work in Galway you can drive to the outskirts of Galway and run the traffic heavy section into work - if you want too.
It gets easier when exercise becomes your life and your friends are your sporty buddies.

I also said a cyclocross bike is best and that's wrong too. A road racing bike with very sturdy tyres is the best bet.
I still think hillrunning with IMRA or NIMRA is the way forward though.

ThisRegard

I'm doing some of the IMRA Leinster League Wednesday races, if I only follow half your original plan posted above do you promise I'll be finishing near enough yourself

Peterx

Wonkagirl wrote: »

i KNOW, WTF?? they're basically suggesting 14 hours running, then a speed AND hill session AND 4 hours cycling? Like you'd need to only work part time AND give up drink and ALL other commitments to do that sort of training

i'm starting to panic now, at the moment i'm doing max 5 hours a week in TOTAL.. better up the ante and start doing big sessions at the weekend. have a charity lunch this saturday so that's this weekend gone as well as i'll be hanging on sunday and drinking all day saturday- dose!! will try and do sugar loaf on sunday regardless of the state of my head.

There's no need to panic, you are doing plenty of training to get you through the race.
The thing with more training is you can do the race more easily. A fit person taking 5 hours has a much easier time then a less fit person taking 7 hours for the same course - and they will recover quicker. It's a win-win!

Peterx

ThisRegard wrote: »

I'm doing some of the IMRA Leinster League Wednesday races, if I only follow half your original plan posted above do you promise I'll be finishing near enough yourself

YES*

*I tend to hang around the finish for a while soaking it all in so you and I WILL be very close when you finish:D

ocnoc

Wonkagirl wrote:

''It's hard to advise exactly what you should be doing but in general terms you should be running at a low intensity for 5~10 hours per week, at a moderate intensity for 2~4 hours per week and also fit in one speed session and one hill session per week.
These two sessions are the key components as they stress your legs in unusual ways and hopefully you will adapt and grow stronger as a result. The speed could be Tuesday evening and the hill Saturday morning before your 4 hour cycle''

I like your style Peterx.
I see your forgetting your weekly/bi weekly beasting with IMRA. Or does that count as your hill session?

Wonkagirl wrote:

i KNOW, WTF?? they're basically suggesting 14 hours running, then a speed AND hill session AND 4 hours cycling? Like you'd need to only work part time AND give up drink and ALL other commitments to do that sort of training

Do you want to win or only dream of winning?
Its not WTF, its HTFU

c montgomery

Peterx wrote: »

YES*

*I tend to hang around the finish for a while soaking it all in so you and I WILL be very close when you finish:D

lol, very good.

On a side note peter there was a guy in the wicklow roar that looked alot like you, so much in fact that i was delighted when i was able to keep up with him and finished a couple of places behind him (about 2 min in time). I was disgusted when i checked the results to find it was someone else. I thought i was after keeping up and holding my own with a multiple GF winner.

Thinking about wearing a peterX disguise at GF to see if looking like you makes you go faster:)

Wonkagirl

Peterx wrote: »

I wrote that:)
I talked some rubbish hey?
On the other hand running 8km~10km to work 3 times a week doesn't take any longer then driving to work for most folk. If you really want to do you will fit it in.
Even if you live in Lehinch and work in Galway you can drive to the outskirts of Galway and run the traffic heavy section into work - if you want too.
It gets easier when exercise becomes your life and your friends are your sporty buddies.

I also said a cyclocross bike is best and that's wrong too. A road racing bike with very sturdy tyres is the best bet.
I still think hillrunning with IMRA or NIMRA is the way forward though.

You're right, i CAN fit it in if i want to.. thanks for the kick up the hole:) Fitness never rests! I did it in 6 hours last yr with very little training, so really want to aim for 5 hours this yr.. i know that's childs play to you peter, but i'd be like a pig in **** if i managed to do it in 5!
Right i'm off to run up ticknock lads, laters!!!!!

g0g

Thanks for the replies to my earlier questions. I can't find the "Thank" button, but that may be because I'm a new enough user!

One more question regarding bikes. I'm asking this here rather than bike forum as it's specific to this event...

Am picking up my bike tomorrow finally and see talk here about getting better wheels/tyres. Is "28c / Maxxis Detonator / 700c" something I'm going to need to change? Sorry to sound clueless but I'm a newbie so don't have much of a clue....

thehamo

hey, just a question regarding the cycle, what are the inclines like in the GFW? Would there be major hills that you kill your self going up? Like up in Howth for example (if anyone knows it). I've been cycling home from work twice a week, distance of 30km and pretty much a constant incline, tho nothing major. Managing to do in in 1 hour 15 min, but just want to know if I need to train more on the up hills?

Cheers muchly!

toomuchdetail

thehamo wrote: »

Would there be major hills that you kill your self going up?!

More likely to kill yourself coming down them !!!! Haven't been in Howth in a while so cant compare but a 1 steady climb of about 2k and one tough climb of about 1200m if I remember correctly .
CK is the man who might be able to answer in more detail.
Couple of hairy downhills that are not for the faint hearted ..

toomuchdetail

g0g wrote: »

Am picking up my bike tomorrow finally and see talk here about getting better wheels/tyres. Is "28c / Maxxis Detonator / 700c" something I'm going to need to change? Sorry to sound clueless but I'm a newbie so don't have much of a clue....

Bike looks like a nice fit between mountain and road bike , only need the toughest tyres you can get for puncture resistance, armadilo/gatorskin etc, the bike store should know, dont go for the knobbly version as the will slow you down on the road, smoother the better.

Wonkagirl

thehamo wrote: »

hey, just a question regarding the cycle, what are the inclines like in the GFW? Would there be major hills that you kill your self going up? Like up in Howth for example (if anyone knows it). I've been cycling home from work twice a week, distance of 30km and pretty much a constant incline, tho nothing major. Managing to do in in 1 hour 15 min, but just want to know if I need to train more on the up hills?

Cheers muchly!

There's one MOFO of a hill alright, but to be fair, it doesnt go on for that long- maybe 2km or something- a large % of people were off their bikes walking it last yr- then there's a gentle enough incline up to the base of croagh patrick which goes on for about 4km- that one will be grand anyway.. maybe stick with what you're doing, throw in a steep hill every now and then, and try and get the current time down under 1 hr 10?

here's me doling out the advice and i havent had my arse on a bike in 2 months:rolleyes: My new giant rapid is winging it's way as we speak tho..

Wonkagirl

Right.. after getting a kick up the arse by PeterX this week, i went out for a run this morning.. ah jaysis, i was in bits. I normally train in the evenings. it just wasnt happening for me at all. i did about 5km and it was a REAL struggle.

Starting to think now that i should do more morning trainings, as obviously we'll be setting out early for the GFW, or was it just a bad day for me today? that happens sometimes.. god it was disheartening though- i was planning on doing 10km and incorporating some hills- not a chance, did 5km on the flat and it was a struggle.. would hate that to happen on the day just cos i didnt do enough morning time training!

so what say you , morning v evening training??

coill100

I don't think it matters so much.
By the time that which ever wave we go out on, you will be quite awake at that stage.
Did the new bike route last weekend, the new bog section is quite tough.
There are lots of chips on this route and i would recomend that you steer well clear of other racers if you can.

ThisRegard

I was always an afternoon/evening person athletic wise and found that trying the same routine first in the morning was a struggle. However once I did a couple of early mornings it was no bother at all, just like running any other time of the day, it was probably because I just wasn't used to it.

Then again you could just have been having one of those off days we all have.

Wonkagirl

ThisRegard wrote: »

I was always an afternoon/evening person athletic wise and found that trying the same routine first in the morning was a struggle. However once I did a couple of early mornings it was no bother at all, just like running any other time of the day, it was probably because I just wasn't used to it.

Then again you could just have been having one of those off days we all have.

yeah i'm going to do at least 2 morning runs a week from now on- it could easily have been an 'off' day (did a lot of circuits this week so i guess my legs were tired) but i definitely think it was because i wasnt used to morning exertion..

between now and GF i'm getting up an hour earlier every morning and either doing a cycle OR a run- was thinking gym twice, run twice, cycle once.. i'm not doing NEARLY enough based on peter's suggested training. by getting up an hour earlier i'd be getting 5 hours extra training in a week- then long sessions at the weekend and bootcamp twice a week

ah here i'll be in bits

spurscormac

Collected the new bike yesterday, very happy with it.

Corratec Dolomiti

Just went for a quick 5 mile spin as I have to go away for the day shortly. There is simply no comparison between it and a MTB

Will have to get out for a combined run and cycle tomorrow - though not too much as I have a 10k race on Monday night.

Will be commuting daily, 25k round trip, so that should help the legs get used to the bike, then get a longer spin in at the weekends.

Not sure when I'll get the chance to look at the bike route & the reek, might have to wait til a couple of weeks beforehand.

Youngatheart

Hi,

I'm new to Boards, new to Gaelforce, and new to serious training at this stage of my life! I don't train enough, but am fit enough to run 10K in under 50 minutes, and 5k in just over 24 mins. I try to get out for a 7k run 3 or 4 times a week, and 25-30K cycles at weekends. I swim about 3 times a week as well - 800 - 1000 metres in a pool per session. I'm trying to increase the training load between now and August 21st. Am I realistically able for this? (Medically I'm fine, according to my doctor!) What would a realistic time target be for someone like me? I'm not out to break any records - I'd just like to finish in a reasonable time for a 53 year old!

All suggestions gratefully welcomed!

Mr Freeze

Wonkagirl wrote: »

so what say you , morning v evening training??

I find early morning training tough, as in straight outta bed, quick stretch and out the door for a run around 6:30ish before work! I tried that a few times last year training for GF, and I found my legs a lot stiffer, and I didn't get as good of a run in.

I think its better to get up, have the breakfast, and an hour later hit off training, normally on a Saturday or Sunday, training at 9 I feel sound. Week days, I always train in the evening now.

Can't train at the moment anyways, going mad, have a knee/hamstring injury, done feck all in the last 2 weeks.

@ Youngatheart

Those times are sound, all I would change is do some hill running, go for a bit longer on the runs and cycles, and on the weekends, try a run then a cycle, just to get the legs used to that feeling of going from running to cycling.

@ spurscormac

Nice Bike!

Wonkagirl

jeekers young at heart, how would you classify yourself as not being fit, running 10km in 50 mins??? most 53 yo prob cant even run 1km!! you sound fit to me

i agree with CKW, get a bit of hill training in.. both on foot and on the bike. if you live in dublin or wicklow get out and climb lugnaquilla at the weekends, if you live in the west hit croagh patrick, munster- mount brandon..

the thing about GF is that you can do it in your own time- people do it in 3hrs 40, or people do it in 11 hours.. most people fall in around 6hours or so- but for a first timer, your main aim will be to get over the line with a smile on your face and no injuries.. that was my aim last yr- this yr i'm hoping to knock an hour or so off my time (from 6 hours 17 to 5 hours 30 or less)- but having said that i've yet to start training properly- am about the same level of fitness as you more or less (24 mins/50 mins) but am 20 yrs your junior!

@CKW- hope the injury heals quickly.. could you do some swimming?

Mr Freeze

Wonkagirl wrote: »

@CKW- hope the injury heals quickly.. could you do some swimming?

No, I can't swim! Well I can a bit, but am crap, I need to get lessons this winter to do it properly.

Will try a 40k cycle with the local club tomorrow, chance a 5k run on Thursday to see how the legs hold up, if they are ok, there is a 5 mile road race on sat night to finish off the worst months training this year!

Youngatheart

Thanks Wonkagirl & CKWport! That's encouraging. I know I'm fairly fit, but there's a big difference between running for an hour, or cycling for a couple of hours, and doing GFW - with CP in the middle of it all!

Thanks for the advice - now if I could only start taking it...!

spurscormac

Didn't get out for a long cycle at the weekend, but got to do the 10k last night in very hot conditions.
Also started to commute today, so will hopefully get the miles up that way and get a few brick sessions in at the weekends.

Won't get anything done between July 9-24 due to the wedding & honeymoon, but will just have to bring my running gear with me to keep some level of fitness up.

Gonna have to find some hills out there to help me cope with the reek.

@CKWPORT - cheers, very happy with the bike so far, will spend the next couple of weeks commuting and then look at getting the tougher tyres after I get back.

ThisRegard

spurscormac wrote: »

get a few brick sessions in at the weekends.

I had no idea what a brick session was until I read the thread in the main forum yesterday. Turns out I had my first one last week, 13k cycle, 1 hour running etc, 13k cycle home afterwards which was half up hill. My legs weighed a tonne after I got off the bike and took ages to get into my stride. I've done a few since and I've been much better, heaviness of the legs has gone and can get into it more or less immediately. That said I was tired this morning.

Oddly for the West Wicklow ROAR I had done nothing similar and didn't feel too bad for the run after getting off the bike, probably because I spent the first bit of it bloody walking !

snailsong

CKWPORT wrote: »

Can't train at the moment anyways, going mad, have a knee/hamstring injury, done feck all in the last 2 weeks.

Also going mad, havn't run for more than a mile or so for six weeks due to knee injury. I can cycle ok but need to resume running obv. Doing first GF at 40 (if knee gets sorted). Not making much progress with physio. Is there anyone you'd recommend? I'm also in westport.