gaelforce west 20/8/2011

thehamo

3 stars (average)

thehamo wrote: »

Q7 wrote: »

One of the guys in our group had to drop out due to injury. Free Double room available (we had it booked as a single occupancy, so would suit single person or a couple). Great location 2 minute walk to Westport town center. Call Mulberry Lodge B&B at 098-26117 or 087-0939473. Available for Friday and Saturday night.

Any idea how much?

Actually just took that room sweet deal saves me the torment of camping

Excuseless

And the runners have been declared !

Entry list and start times now up on GF website

Updated formguide HERE

trinewbie

Enduro wrote: »

Very good from guide there. Since I'm not racing I'll stick my neck on the line with my own predictions..

What I'd like to see (and sticking to what I think is possible)...

(1) Trinewbie
(2) PeterX
(3) Bruce Duncan

And what I what I think is more probable...

(1) Bruce Duncan
(2) Padraig Marrey
(3) PeterX

It all comes down to form on the day. Bruce is the huge unknown. Would be a shoe in on a longer race, or a more technical race. Peter and Padraig are usually very closely matched.

Eoin its a shame you wont be there yourself this Saturday, hopefully you will be down in Achill in September. Your second predication there lok good, buuuuut as we know , anything can happen in a multi sport race like GF>

I think there are a couple of things that will make the race at the front exciting...

- Each of the guys expected to be leading bring something different to the table: Some have unrivaled course knowledge, something that will be invaluable on the skelp and on CP, both ascending and descending. There seems to be a good mix of savage runners, savage bikers, all rounders, endurance specialists, short distance specialists.
- The fact that Bruce's prowess over the distance is unknown makes it tough to race him, we dont *really* know where he is likely to attack (an attack will be inevitable....:()
- WEATHER! changeable weather means anything can happen , bad weather will play into the hands of some and work against anybody who is not a great descender or who is in any way sketchy on the bike. Wet weather also increases the chances for the dreaded puncture :-\
- Speed versus endurance: It only takes 5% effort miscalculation on the first run to ruin the race, with several fast runners expected to lead out, there is the dilemma of whether to let them go and reel them later, versus sitting in with them and risking blowing up.


Tactics Tactics Tactics are the key for Saturday!

Fi H

robroy1234 wrote: »

thehamo - I prefer women coming to me on their hands and knees - but that is fantasy and wishful thinking. You will be ok, just be careful on the descent on the Reek and be extra careful on Skelp.

If you stay til the end this year I can guarantee at least one instance of this Luckily you didnt specify the condition of the women involved hahaha!

robroy1234

I stayed all the way to end last year, and the condition of women were no different to the condition of the men. The main difference however between men and women is that men have hairier legs (not all the time) and therefore massage can be a little more uncomfortable for them. It is far easier to massage smooth legs, thats why athletes and cyclists regularly shave their legs.

Fi H

You were gone when I got there... but that doesnt surprise me as it was very late Hoping to be earlier this time!

I always thought they shaved their legs for aerodynamics you learn something new everyday!

yop

Is that the physio tent thats said to be there this year? Plenty of volunteering physios there from what I hear.

Rinker

2 stars (poor)

Countdown is officially on for me. Everything packed ready to go for the journey west tomorrow.
Food plan is still under consideration. I reckon I'll take my first gel 45 mins into the race another after the kayak. I'll eat a banana when I get to the bike, another gel before the big hill, an energy bar once back on the flat and another gel approaching CP. 1 more gel at the top and another when I get back to the bike.
That's 6 gels, 1 bar and a banana over 4.5-5hrs. Overkill???

GoHardOrGoHome

Rinker wrote: »

Countdown is officially on for me. Everything packed ready to go for the journey west tomorrow.
Food plan is still under consideration. I reckon I'll take my first gel 45 mins into the race another after the kayak. I'll eat a banana when I get to the bike, another gel before the big hill, an energy bar once back on the flat and another gel approaching CP. 1 more gel at the top and another when I get back to the bike.
That's 6 gels, 1 bar and a banana over 4.5-5hrs. Overkill???

Yikes! Sounds like a lot of food to me. 6 gels?! I'll probably take 2 gels and maybe a banana over the course of the event. A good breakfast in the morning should get you through most of the day. I'll be going for a similar time to yourself.

If you're able to process that much food without your stomach rejecting it then go for it!

Based on your target time you'll probably finish the run in around 1h05 ( I think ). So taking a gel at 45 minutes and one at 74 minutes (kayak won't take you ten minutes) is pretty close together.

Q7

4 stars (good)

thehamo wrote: »

Any idea how much?

Thanks thehamo for taking that room - probably would have ended up paying something for late cancellation. See you there over the weekend. Q.

robroy1234

If there is a physio tent at the finish, I won't be there as I am not part of the organisers, but afterwards when you guys make your way back on the greenway into town I can meet up with anyone, just drop me a message. I live in the town so its no problem to give a proper check over.

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restoring this because the poster has assured me this physio and massage is completely free, and there is absolutely no charge for the service
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Rawhead

4 stars (good)

GoHardOrGoHome wrote: »

Yikes! Sounds like a lot of food to me. 6 gels?! I'll probably take 2 gels and maybe a banana over the course of the event. A good breakfast in the morning should get you through most of the day. I'll be going for a similar time to yourself.

If you're able to process that much food without your stomach rejecting it then go for it!

Based on your target time you'll probably finish the run in around 1h05 ( I think ). So taking a gel at 45 minutes and one at 74 minutes (kayak won't take you ten minutes) is pretty close together.

I would be aiming for 5 hrs and I will be doing pretty much the same with food. I am basing my fueling on a HIM and most plans recommend 1 gel before swim, a gel every half hour on the bike and in miles 3,6,9 in the run. 6 gels and 2 nutrigrain is my plan.
The body can only store enough glycogen for about an hour so the run will have pretty much exhausted that, from them on you need fuel. I'm not trying to influence anyone's plans, I just need fuel to keep going after an hour and a half.

Best of luck to everyone, stay safe and go like fcuk.......

Rew

3 stars (average)

In Westport since yesterday evening, beautiful day yesterday, pissing rain this morning...

Mr Freeze

3 stars (average)

Registered and dropped the bike out last night, its been nice here all week and its lashing today, hopefully it eases for us tomorrow.

Anyways, Best of luck to everyone tomorrow.

Rew

3 stars (average)

I need a last minute bike tube where is good in the town?

yop

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original post deleted, deleting the response too
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Mr Freeze

3 stars (average)

Rew wrote: »

I need a last minute bike tube where is good in the town?

Brehenys across from the Plaza hotel as you come into westport from the castlebar direction.

nerraw1111

Weather forecast is good for tomorrow. Met Eireann showing clear skies from this evening and the following 24 hours.

I just annoyed some nuns by moving their walking frames from my bike slot on the train. I'll tell them I'm doing the pilgrimage tomorrow to offset any bad luck coming by way!

Fi H

ask them to say a prayer for us!

Just packing the car now, good luck everyone!

TheTubes

4 stars (good)

Starting to feel the nerves a bit now.

I'll be in the 7am wave wearing black tri shorts, blue/white cycling jersey and maybe my boards.ie buff, give us a wave if you spot me

robroy1234

Good luck to all.

Curve Music

I had to pull out of this for a number of reasons, mainly INDIEPENDENCE and its after affects, but I'm starting to really get gutted that I'm not taking part tomorrow.

Good luck to all of you

Slogger Jogger

@RobRoy. Give the Gaelforce a go. A bit of practice on the bike and kayak and your made. You for one don't need much practice on the Reek.

LaHaine

4 stars (good)

Jaysus lads I drove first part if the cycle. Wasnt expecting any hills that big! And the surface is awful for the first few k. Fun times ahead!

ThisRegard

The road is in bits this year isn't it, and as you say the hill is much bigger and longer than I remember.

yop

ThisRegard wrote: »

The road is in bits this year isn't it, and as you say the hill is much bigger and longer than I remember.

1.8 miles of a hill from start to finish, one of the lads clocked it there

On the road before that, stay on the right hand side, the left is in pure muck.

Good luck to all, gutted I am not going for the 3 in a row

ThisRegard

Not sure I wanted to see the distance in cold hard figures !

Rew

3 stars (average)

All registered and bike dropped. We dropped the bike early enough but the tail back/queue was mental, wouldn't like to be trying to do it now...

Drove most of the cycle to the reek, jesus the road is in ****e most of the way. Great buz around the town, charity were doing it for (Tania McCabe Foundation) have about 150 in the race all starting together so good buzz going around.

Cheers Mr. Freeze got sorted, dropped into that place but he didnt have the tube size, ended up in the Westport Bike Shop and got sorted there. My mates bike had a rim melt down and he sorted him out as well so fair play to him.

Fi H

I thought the road surface was similar to last year really. Only clocked 1.3 km from bottom to top of big hill....that 1.8 miles must include the descent. The worst section is 7km in there is a stretch of unridable potholes for about 6km so a definite for right side of road :-) good luck and sleep tight everyone and dont forget the sun cream :-)

2 Wheels Good

Good luck all, for a few reasons not doing it this year and really missing it.
Look forward to seeing your report Fi!! Was really impressed with you last year!