Westport Sea2Summit Saturday 13th November

gercon

Hit the reek last Saturday morning for a first time climb. Fitness would be fairly average, done the shorter Roar event and signed up for the supreme s2s event. I found that fitness was not the real problem for me, rather muscle pain!! Lower back & calf muscle pain going up and the quad muscles coming down. My legs were like jelly when I reached the car park which I was supprised at as I do a lot of cycling. It will prob be 5-6 days before I can run on my legs again so this is a lesson learned for me. Will need to do some leg weights before the event to ensure this does not happen again. There is obviously muscles you use coming down that are not used in cycling, hense they need a few days to recover.

Made it up in 62 minutes and down in 37. Used my normal running shoes and was worried about lack of grip but the normal shows seemed fine for me. Saturday morning was fairly wet also. Don't think I'll bother investing in a pair of trial shoes as I prob won't use them again.

In summary for me, the muscle pain will get you before the fitness level will. That's my two cent...

woody1

4 stars (good)

went up on saturday as well, ive done it a good few times but this was the first time i did it after being on the bike, my lower back / hips / arse were fairly stiff as well ( so maybe its related to being on the bike ) but thankfully improved as the climb went on.. ran down and had no huge issue with it..
cycled back to westport and went for a 20 minute run...
the trail was in very good shape on saturday hopefully its as good on the day

ThisRegard

gercon wrote: »

Will need to do some leg weights before the event to ensure this does not happen again. There is obviously muscles you use coming down that are not used in cycling, hense they need a few days to recover.

I think you'd be better off doing as many steep hills and climbs as possible rather than weights to get your legs and body used to climbing. As you found out running on roads and cycling is different than mountain and hill running in terms of the muscles used.

conseng

gercon wrote: »

My legs were like jelly when I reached the car park which I was supprised at as I do a lot of cycling. It will prob be 5-6 days before I can run on my legs again so this is a lesson learned for me. Will need to do some leg weights before the event to ensure this does not happen again. There is obviously muscles you use coming down that are not used in cycling, hense they need a few days to recover.

I found the same thing on my first climb last week, legs were in bits from saturday until about wednesday (times almost exactly the same as yours). Climbed again on sunday having done a 65km cycle the day before and have had no leg pain or stiffness since so hopefully it was just a first climb thing.

TheEagles

conseng wrote: »

I found the same thing on my first climb last week, legs were in bits from saturday until about wednesday (times almost exactly the same as yours). Climbed again on sunday having done a 65km cycle the day before and have had no leg pain or stiffness since so hopefully it was just a first climb thing.

It must be a 1st time climb thing, i did it for the 1st time about 2weeks ago the day after a 45k cycle. i found it very tough on the lower back. it took the legs a few days to come round after it.

I did it again on sunday, cycled out from westport, did the climb, got on the bike and did the 35k cycle back into westport. that maaum hill is no joke, very tough.

But the hill doesnt last forever and its a pretty nice cycle once you get over the hill.

The climb was a good bit easier 2nd time round. it was very busy on the way back down so lost some time there.

glad i done it now so i kinda no wot to expect.

Oldlegs

.. to back out ? :eek:

I have been "encouraged" to enter this race, but managed to limit myself to the shorter event (and am dragging my brother along also)

General fitness is OK - (great 65km spin around the Sally Gap yesterday).

Running OK - especially for the relatively short distance.

Hill run (even for the short course) might have me in trouble with dodgy ankle (long story over a pint ...)

Our plan is to compete, complete and enjoy ourselves (especially later that evening).

Any suggestions/advice etc ?

See you in 2+ weeks

woody1

4 stars (good)

oldlegs you sound like you have a fair level of fitness certainly enough to deal with the shorter route... by the way i wouldnt call it a hill run as i would guess that most people will be walking up ( albeit as quickly as possible ) and maybe running down depending on their confidence in their ability to stop or not fall , except for the top guys but theyl be well out of the way by the time the rest of us get there..
i did all but the last 4k run of the shorter route last week at my own pace as a training run and i didnt find it too bad...and im by no means any more than average in terms of fitness..
but i really wouldnt like to be doing the long route..
id recomend getting one go in on croagh patrick before if possible ive climbed it a lot and i was surprised at how stiff i was at the weekend from what i presume is a combination of getting off the bike and climbing and trying to climb it a bit faster

Mountain Rescue

Done the cycle trom the quay this morning,took about 1h 40.was a wet start but thakfully not to windy,got 1 shower just before the turn off on the louisburg road where it got pretty windy,maun was a bitch of a climb,legs hurt so much by the top,its 5 seperate climbs and after the 3rd you think ur at the top but the 2 hardest climbs are still to come,its gonna be fun after the run and reek:D,im hearing the top guys are gonna be around the 3h mark,thats just NUTS,il be really happy anywhere round the 4hour mark,hopefully just under it,

Slightly Bunkers

6 months of training and two weeks to go my knee swells up like a balloon!!!! Haven't been able to do anything on it for nearly 2 weeks now. I am begining to think that S2S is not going to happen for me now! Depressed!:mad:

woody1

4 stars (good)

nursing a man flu at the moment, hoping and praying itl be gone by monday or tuesday, tried to run last nite and it was a killer,

TheEagles

With just a week to go to the event i was goin to write in this mornin to see how people were gettin on with there trainin to date. but 1 or 2 seemed to have picked up injuries or hav the cold. would be a shame to miss it at this point.

how hav people found there trainin? during the week its hard to get long sessions in as you have to go to the gym to do most of it now and wait till the weekend to get out on the road for a good cycle or a good run.

looking forward to it now as this stage, weather ment to be very bad this weekend so could hamper outdoor trainin. so hopefully the weather next weekend will be pretty good...

woody1

4 stars (good)

yeah this week has been a complete write off for me, thankfully i did the whole course last weekend ( short ), most of my training has been at the weekends with 2 or 3 5 to 6k runs thrown in during the week along with a good bit of stretching and then trying to do as much as physically possible on saturday and sunday.. feeling somewhat better now, more hopeful to make it than i was a day or 2 ago..

fishboy1974

Doing the long course but have done little or no specific training since WAR Glenmalure at the end of September. Haven't been on a road bike since then but have been on Gym bike and a few spin classes, swimming 1/2 a week, football twice a week and 2 training runs [as have had shin splints] and did Glendalough Trail on Saturday last [15KM], not overly concerned by run stages [this could be foolhardy] Hope to get out tomorrow and Sunday [one long, one hilly] on bike as i feel this will be the really tough part of this race. Hoping that enough in the tank to carry me through. Looking forward to this now and Croagh Patrick will be a new experience so that should be fun:)

Best of luck to one and all.

TheEagles

woody1 wrote: »

yeah this week has been a complete write off for me, thankfully i did the whole course last weekend ( short ), most of my training has been at the weekends with 2 or 3 5 to 6k runs thrown in during the week along with a good bit of stretching and then trying to do as much as physically possible on saturday and sunday.. feeling somewhat better now, more hopeful to make it than i was a day or 2 ago..

How did you find the shorter course? are you doing the shorter course next weekend as well?

TheEagles

fishboy1974 wrote: »

Doing the long course but have done little or no specific training since WAR Glenmalure at the end of September. Haven't been on a road bike since then but have been on Gym bike and a few spin classes, swimming 1/2 a week, football twice a week and 2 training runs [as have had shin splints] and did Glendalough Trail on Saturday last [15KM], not overly concerned by run stages [this could be foolhardy] Hope to get out tomorrow and Sunday [one long, one hilly] on bike as i feel this will be the really tough part of this race. Hoping that enough in the tank to carry me through. Looking forward to this now and Croagh Patrick will be a new experience so that should be fun:)

Best of luck to one and all.

Have you not climbed croagh patrick before? its tough enough, but by the sounds of things the fitness levels are pretty high. Have you a time frame in mind to complete the full course?

woody1

4 stars (good)

i didnt find it too bad.. there was a bit of messing at the transitions as i had to unlock bike from car and pack away the rack and then the reverse later and locking/unlocking the bike at croagh patrick ( so total time messing around about 10-15 minutes , but you also get the benefit of a little break in there )
but i wouldve said i didnt kill myself and i got in around the 2.30 mark..
i turned bang on the start of the flat section of croagh patrick so if the turn off is further on thatl be a bit more time, obviously i didnt have the sea run or obstacle course to contend with and i think that will add significant time (I dunno maybe 10 minutes, allowing for tired legs and a bit of congestion ) and i think congestion on croagh patrick is gonna slow things down.. especially for anyone running down.. there was next to no-one there last sunday morning .. and the track can get narrow in spots so people will have to slow down
and it was a lovely day long range forecast says next saturday is gonna be windy and wet
so all in all .. i think 2.30 or bit below or above is achievable..
the last 4k was tough on the legs though.. just about managed a fast shuffle

woody1

4 stars (good)

sorry , yes i am doing the short course..

fishboy1974

Never been up Croagh Patrick, as for times depends on the dreaded cramp.

From reading here re difficulty of cycle 2 and times people have posted going up and down Croagh Patrick prob around the 4.30 mark but if cramp sets in could be over 5hrs:(

anoh77

hey, signed up for this too, the shorter version, first adventure race, looking forward to it, but the weather could make it very tough. Covered the course last weekend, didnt find it bad, but be interesting to see whats involved in the sea run and the obstacle course, could reduce the final run to a fast(ish) walk!

joe1982

4 stars (good)

anoh77 wrote: »

hey, signed up for this too, the shorter version, first adventure race, looking forward to it, but the weather could make it very tough. Covered the course last weekend, didnt find it bad, but be interesting to see whats involved in the sea run and the obstacle course, could reduce the final run to a fast(ish) walk!

I think the obstacle coarse is something to do with cargo nets and it will take about 1 minute to cover, But for the likes of yourself on the sea run could be a problem because high tide is at roughly 10am and it will mostly affect those doing the short course and the elites, Id say anyone later than the 4 hours will have little or no water to run through,:).

pgibbo

The final press release for the event can be read here.

TheEagles

Just a simple question guys? with the event startin at 9 ish and leaving your bike in the transition area around 7.30 / 8. If you were having your breakfast at 6.30 would people recomend eating again before the race??

Oldlegs

http://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/Westport/forecasts/latest

Very windy night on Friday, but saturday morning is due to be reasonable - as in, only light rain, and light wind.

So I take it that my sun tan cream will probably not be required

TheEagles

Oldlegs wrote: »

http://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/Westport/forecasts/latest

Very windy night on Friday, but saturday morning is due to be reasonable - as in, only light rain, and light wind.

So I take it that my sun tan cream will probably not be required

That weather forecast doesnt seem to bad, some showers no harm, and little or no wind is great. was hoping it wasnt goin to be a gale force wind..

Excuseless

TheEagles wrote: »

Just a simple question guys? with the event startin at 9 ish and leaving your bike in the transition area around 7.30 / 8. If you were having your breakfast at 6.30 would people recomend eating again before the race??

Generally you should be ok with having a decent breakfast about 2 1/2 to 3 hours beforehand.
Important to do as you might normally do before races and training to avoid upsetting the stomach as you might be trying to pile gels and the likes into yerself as the race progresses tho I think more solid stuff like energy bars (Nutrigrain raisin or oak baked elevenses are favourites of mine). Better to eat early on rather than waiting until you feel hungry.
With bars and gels don't try new stuff on the day that you have not used in training.
Keeping hydrated that morning and not having a heap of pints the night before is also generally accepted good advice tho the latter is often hard to keep to in a town like Westport

Weather looks like it might be a bit of everything but it is the Wild West:eek:

See you down there :cool:

TheEagles

Excuseless wrote: »

Generally you should be ok with having a decent breakfast about 2 1/2 to 3 hours beforehand.
Important to do as you might normally do before races and training to avoid upsetting the stomach as you might be trying to pile gels and the likes into yerself as the race progresses tho I think more solid stuff like energy bars (Nutrigrain raisin or oak baked elevenses are favourites of mine). Better to eat early on rather than waiting until you feel hungry.
With bars and gels don't try new stuff on the day that you have not used in training.
Keeping hydrated that morning and not having a heap of pints the night before is also generally accepted good advice tho the latter is often hard to keep to in a town like Westport

Weather looks like it might be a bit of everything but it is the Wild West:eek:

See you down there :cool:

Cheers for that, a good breakfast to get things goin and as you were sayin something small a bit before.

Yes the pints will have to wait till saturday nite!!!!

Slightly Bunkers

I have had to officialy pull out of S2S! Six months of training and fastest reek times in recent weeks and now I have to sit it out!!! Damn knee!!:mad:

Best of luck to you all and I hope there will be a year 2!!!

woody1

4 stars (good)

jesus hard luck man....

TheEagles

hey, unlucky... thats a tough one.

pgibbo

TheEagles wrote: »

Just a simple question guys? with the event startin at 9 ish and leaving your bike in the transition area around 7.30 / 8. If you were having your breakfast at 6.30 would people recomend eating again before the race??

Just an FYI on race day nutrition - Padraig Marrey has posted some pointers on this on the Sea2Summit Facebook page.