Wicklow Adventure Race 18/6/2011

trinewbie

Enduro wrote: »

The real experts on that trail tell me that it landslided a bit over winter. Presumably the National Park will put all the pieces together again. If they don't, then all the better

True - Its in bits in comparison to its previous 'manicured' incarnation - Descent is even more enjoyable now though!

ThisRegard

4 stars (good)

Was there yesterday, it will be a very tricky and technical decent I reckon, very rocky and even walking we managed to miss the path down by the ruined buildings. It has the potential to take a lot out of the legs before people even get on the bikes.

Mr Freeze

ThisRegard wrote: »

It has the potential to take a lot out of the legs before people even get on the bikes.

Well it did that to me last year, sounds even worse now.

ThisRegard

4 stars (good)

Did you do expert last year CKWPORT ? Either way how did you find it ? Didn't do it at all last year and contemplating what level to do considering it's the first such race of the year I'll be doing and everything about this one will be tough.

Mr Freeze

I only did the sports last year!! I didn't find it too bad, spink was a killer alrite going up the steps, but once you got over that it wasn't as bad! That said I was feeling well tired going along the miners road, the heat that day was a killer, delighted when I got to the bike cause the cycle section wasn't too bad!

Graduating to the expert course this year, it's going to be all about pace for me this time, I don't want to burn out too soon! Hoping to do around 5hrs!

Training wise I'm doing any duathlon I can find and should have 3 or 4 done by the time WAR comes round!

seanie500

The Wicklow way 25k trail run on sat 26th March with IMRA is a nice warm up for WAR running sections.

It's a toughie but good to get that under your belt. Did WAR expert last year and it's the running that is the killer. - Doujce more so as you have already done one run and a tough cycle before taking on those steps!

Oryx

Gear Freak wrote: »

Signed up for WAR Sport in Glendalough. Really looking forward to it now. I'm going to try the Spink this weekend and if I have the stones I might try the cycle as well.

I'm not looking forward to the cycle out of Lough Dan.

Can anyone recommend the best way to get some paddle practice in?

Does anyone have any suggestions for food consumption on the day? Should i have a big fry up or just some celery?

Jen Kilbride is a great instructor based in Blessington. I think she has a site called evolution fitness or something? No, Im not shilling for her but she did teach me to kayak in a reasonable fashion.

Beforehand feed yourself well, but only on food youre used to. Whatever your normal breakfast is, but make sure to eat a good meal. Bring gel shots, or fuel bars and plenty of water to keep you going. Youre out a long time. The one and only time Ive ever bonked was on the final bike leg of WAR glenmalure. I hadnt eaten properly before the race, and boy, I wouldnt recommend that feeling of running out of fuel.

ThisRegard

4 stars (good)

Feic it anyway, logged on this morning with the intention of registering for sports but the distances involved looked that little bit too short regarding the running involved, do after reading through this thread again and despite not even throwing a leg over a cross bar this year I'm going expert.

Mr Freeze

Not Long now....only a few weeks, not feeling like I am ready for it yet to be honest.

What are people here doing regarding shoes for the day, Trail shoes all the way? or changing into cycling shoes for the bike legs?
I am gonna go with Toe clips and Trail shoes, as I don't want to have to carry my trail shoes with me on the bike legs if I changed.

Rinker

Definitely trail shoes all the way. I think if you're in any way prone to cramping you're better off avoiding shoe changing manoevers altogether. Also unless the route dries up over the next few weeks you'd be carrying mucky shoes after coming off Djouce.

Daithi BC

CKWPORT wrote: »

Not Long now....only a few weeks, not feeling like I am ready for it yet to be honest.

What are people here doing regarding shoes for the day, Trail shoes all the way? or changing into cycling shoes for the bike legs?
I am gonna go with Toe clips and Trail shoes, as I don't want to have to carry my trail shoes with me on the bike legs if I changed.

That's exactly what I'm doing. I can't be bothered carrying two pairs of shoes around with me on the bike, and there are five shoe changes needed if you go with the cycling shoes.

nerraw1111

Woefully ill prepared for this in terms of the cycle section. Heading out for first long cycle today.

Think I'm ok for the run, happy enough with imra winter races. Was out walking on Djouce yesterday. Saw a couple of lads training on it. Can't figure out the run loop though?

The start of the run doesn't appear to follow sleepers up but couldnt find the trail that bears right?

I'm going with trail shoes and clips. But best to do a test and see what'll be quicker. Some will be quicker with change of shoes and cycling shoes. But with War, you change shoes more often than GF or ROAR. there'll be a change of shoes at first cycle, then kayak (I presume there'll be a short dash), then again for the cat 1 cycle then Djouce then cycle.

GF you only change shoes three times

Rinker

nerraw1111 wrote: »

The start of the run doesn't appear to follow sleepers up but couldnt find the trail that bears right?

I wonder if you started at the wrong car park? There are 2 close by each other. Its not the car park closest to the end of the sleepers. You should enter Ballinastoe woods (at the wicklow way map) and continue straight on the main forest track. About 1-2 km in theres a junction and you need to keep left, after that continue on until the path turns sharply to the right. At that point you'll see a wooden gate in front of you which leads you out of the forest onto the open mountain. After that its a matter of following the trail. Hope this helps.

nerraw1111

Cheers Rinker. That makes sense. I know the sign you're talking about. I went left at that junction and onto sleepers. The MTB trail sign convinced me it was the wrong way.

Just back from 50km cycle via Kilakee road. Torture. Legs were gone at Sally gap and suffered all the way home.

elchupanebrey

I'm halfway between cleats and clips-and I don't mean one of each. I'm a bit worried about the cat 1 cycle. I've ordered a pair of cleat covers so I wouldn't have to change shoes at the kayak transition, that'd save a nice bit of time.

Q7

I'm going with cleats - the distance in the cycles will def outway the time it takes to change shoes. Anyone know how long the transition is between the bike drop and the kayak start? Is it possible to run/walk in cleats or even in socks to avoid having to change into running shoes again?

elchupanebrey

it was a couple hundred yards last year on mostly gravelly road iirc. I think there's a grass verge to run on but not too sure.

Mr Freeze

Q7 wrote: »

I'm going with cleats - the distance in the cycles will def outway the time it takes to change shoes. Anyone know how long the transition is between the bike drop and the kayak start? Is it possible to run/walk in cleats or even in socks to avoid having to change into running shoes again?

Garmin link here Q7, http://connect.garmin.com/activity/30353892
As you can see its about 400metres to the shore from the transition.

There is a grass verge too as elchupanebrey rightly pointed out, so easier to run in with cleats.

I am still sticking with trial shoes for the whole thing, not mainly for the time I will save in transition, but the hassle of carrying shoes with me on the bike, I prefer to travel light. I tried it out one day in training, and I had my trail shoes strapped to the my backpack, I was quite uneasy, constantly checking if they were still there.

mfdc

Q7 wrote: »

I'm going with cleats - the distance in the cycles will def outway the time it takes to change shoes. Anyone know how long the transition is between the bike drop and the kayak start? Is it possible to run/walk in cleats or even in socks to avoid having to change into running shoes again?

I did it last year - clip clopped over to the lakeshore in my road shoes and did the kayak in em, it's a bit of a walk but not too long and definitely doable.

I don't recommend it though! Road shoes at least have no grip at all on the bottom, and my feet were sliding all over the place in the kayak. Couldn't brace myself at all. The main problem though is keeping the feet dry - I almost managed it, until we had to hop into the water about 2m from the end to drag the kayak back onshore :mad: Didn't have a sock change and got huge blisters before the end.

This year... I dunno what I'm gonna do. Might just leave the shoes at the shoreline, or maybe even go barefoot from the bike over. Definitely packing a small towel and sock change though!

elchupanebrey

it couldn't be any worse getting the feet wet in cycling shoes than getting your runners wet could it? A bit of contemplation still to do on this matter. We were talking to Paul Mahon at the duathlon in Castlebar on Saturday, I should have pestered him for some tips.

Mr Freeze

Cycling shoes mightn't allow for drainage like a runner would!
That's all i can think off anyways!

nerraw1111

Best to plough straight into the water rather than dancing around it. In my experience, it is impossible to keep feet dry on kayak section. Never really an issue, wouldn't waste any time with a towel and change of socks.

Enduro

Last year I wore trail shoes all the way, with clips/cages on the bike pedals. No changes. Way too much hassle and time involved in changing shoes. I can't remember seeing any other lads at the top end of the field changing either (which doesn't mean none of them did... I just don't remember seeing or hearing of it). Just plough into the water and don't worry about it. Wear quality shoes and socks that fit properly.

fluboy

Does anybody know if they have chnged the Djouce run and if so, what changes have they made?

Rinker

Finally took the bike out of the shed and did my first training session. I'd forgotten the variety of places where you can hurt after cycling. On the plus side I cycled the hills between Lough Dan and T3 without getting off to walk which I could not do this time last year and its fantastic weather to be in the hills. Hopefully this will inspire me to keep going now.

DogSlySmile

3 stars (average)

Havent signed up for this yet but Im looking forward to doing the sport category. I have heard that the run up the spink is on railway sleepers ????

Does this mean that people will have to run up in single file or how has this worked in the past???

Cheers

Mr Freeze

Ya it's single file up spink!

There are videos on the WAR page from last year showing the run!

elchupanebrey

If you're hoping to place high up in the race you'd want to be towards the front of the field going up the sleepers or you won't make the ground up after. That's what I think anyway.

nerraw1111

The sleeper part isn't till the descent off Djouce so field should be spread out by then so won't be too packed. There are parts where you can step off and pass.

Looking forward to it altho touch and go with calf injury but should be ok by race. Doing plenty of cycling instead which is needed. Hopefully cycle most of the course at weekend.

elchupanebrey

There's sleepers on the spink run too, ain't there? Steps up the hill, and it's not easy pass people out going up them unless someone steps aside. For the sport race you wouldn't want to get stuck in traffic here, hard to gain time after.