Croagh Patrick 24hr Challenge

Slogger Jogger

Don't see a thread for this yet? Mods feel free to move to events.

Padraig Marrey is looking to put a team of people together to break the record of Croagh Patrick ascents in a 24 hr timeframe. A trial will be held to whittle down contenders. Further details here:

http://www.runireland.com/articles/reek-24hr-challenge-training-day

jeffontour

Tempting.....

ThisRegard

There's none here but I stuck one in the Outdoors pursuits forum the other week but it hasn't received too much interest, will probably garner more here.

pablo t

jeffontour wrote: »

Tempting.....

Very tempting indeed jeff. how long does it take the average joe to do 1 up and down( i have never been there so just wondering)

Peterx

Here's the results page from the recording breaking IMRA race day, which is for one ascent:)
http://www.imra.ie/events/view/id/251/tab/results

John Brooks - up and down in 42 minutes
Last finisher up and down in 97 minutes

The average winning time varies between 44 ~ 48 minutes most years.

Multiple ascents will be incredibly tough on the body. If you could maintain a laptime of 97 minutes you'd manage 10 ascents with mini breaks all the same!

Slogger Jogger

Peterx wrote: »

Multiple ascents will be incredibly tough on the body. If you could maintain a laptime of 97 minutes you'd manage 10 ascents with mini breaks all the same!

Go for it Peter

donothoponpop

Peterx wrote: »

Multiple ascents will be incredibly tough on the body.

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

Go for it Peter

I noticed that too. A freudian slip from Mr. Traction?

jeffontour

Peterx wrote:

Multiple ascents will be incredibly tough on the body. If you could maintain a laptime of 97 minutes you'd manage 10 ascents with mini breaks all the same!

I'm still sickly interested.....

PositiveNegativ

The climb will be savage, the descents will be worse.
The short distances might be the only thing favorable about this challenge.
I've done 5500m climb in 20hours, it hurt... but only after I(we) stopped.:D
Another 3400m :eek:

Mac Cormaic

what a time to come down with a leg injury. it would be an adventure in itself to just run up and down the hill 3 times. well struggle up and down it anyway lol

Slogger Jogger

PositiveNegativ wrote: »

The climb will be savage, the descents will be worse.
The short distances might be the only thing favorable about this challenge.
I've done 5500m climb in 20hours, it hurt... but only after I(we) stopped.:D
Another 3400m :eek:

A lot less distance though for your team of three.

jeffontour

Timing of it will not suit me I think, I might head over for the trial anyhow for some group therapy.

funandfit54

If I only was few years younger I would go for it....
Good luck!!!

Peterx

Joe Feeney551M5061:34
Mick Kellett
222M6078:06
FunandFit54, you can do it.

Mick Kellet is no spring chuck and he does it in 78 minutes.
Whatever about the Padraig Marrey challenge why not challenge yourself to making the start line of the IMRA Croagh Patrick event and giving Joe Feeney another contender to his M50 race?

snailsong

I think i read in the Mayo News that Padraic reckons 12 laps is possible. sounds to me like an excellent oppertunity for injury, running down the cone, extremely fatigued, in the dark...I might try to be on the reek on the day though, perhaps keep the pace for one climb. Fair play to him for ambition.

Enduro

snailsong wrote: »

I think i read in the Mayo News that Padraic reckons 12 laps is possible.

Without a shadow of doubt its do-able. I'd put big money down on my own ability to do it (not right now... but at good fitness and injury free). Someone like Padraig, with his super-strong cyclist's quads will be in an excellent position to do it. I reckon it's the descending that would cause most people problems. That's were running ability tends to die first in hilly ultras.

dermCu

Enduro wrote: »

Without a shadow of doubt its do-able. I'd put big money down on my own ability to do it (not right now... but at good fitness and injury free). Someone like Padraig, with his super-strong cyclist's quads will be in an excellent position to do it. I reckon it's the descending that would cause most people problems. That's were running ability tends to die first in hilly ultras.

I have no doubt that the Euduros and Padraig Marreys of this world could do it. I would however be suprised and very impressed if a group of 10 could be recruited and trained between now and June/July to do it 12 times. Not impossible but they would need to be a pretty good group. 12 times in 24 hours leaves very little margin for error. I have some past experience with this challange and found it to be great craic. I wish these guys all the best and hope they enjoy it as much as I did.

donothoponpop

dermCu wrote: »

I have some past experience with this challange and found it to be great craic. I wish these guys all the best and hope they enjoy it as much as I did.

How many ascents did you do dermCu? What's optimal, run, run/walk, or walk?

dermCu

donothoponpop wrote: »

How many ascents did you do dermCu? What's optimal, run, run/walk, or walk?

9
Compared to all you mountain goats I'm just a plodder so I might not be best equipped to advise what's optimal. For me I'm happy to fast walk all day.

donothoponpop

dermCu wrote: »

9
Compared to all you mountain goats I'm just a plodder so I might not be best equipped to advise what's optimal. For me I'm happy to fast walk all day.

9 is fantastic! I only hang around the faster goats hoping their scent will rub off on me. One of whom yesterday said he reckoned walking would be the only way to go- too risky cramping the legs from running downhill.

Peterx

I think 12 is attractive to Padraig from the oul maths of it. something like 11.7 ascents is equal to the height of Everest.

9 ascents is savage DermCu. If you have a report of it up on da interweb you might be good enough to link here?

Training a standard group will be the hard challenge I agree although the 3 ascents in 5 hours will sort it out very quickly.

The easy way is to get Eoin Keith and the likes of him to the start line and keep them supplied with food for a day.

dermCu

donothoponpop wrote: »

9 is fantastic! I only hang around the faster goats hoping their scent will rub off on me. One of whom yesterday said he reckoned walking would be the only way to go- too risky cramping the legs from running downhill.

Thanks. Unless you are one of the aforementioned mountain goats there are lots of reasons why walking is a good way to go. Cramping is certainly one of the big reasons. Having said that its a bit of a unique challenge so there are numerous ways you could approach it.

Peterx wrote: »

If you have a report of it up on da interweb you might be good enough to link here?

Thanks Peter. I never did a full on report for it. I think I sent out a summary e-mail after the event to people who donated to the fundraising effort. I'll see if I can find a copy of that.

Just to be clear in case anyone gets the wrong idea - it wasnt a solo effort. There were 2 other guys climbing, a brilliant support crew and whole host of people who made great contributions.

mo_bhicycle

Anybody go to this?
If so, how was it?

Mr Mago

mo_bhicycle wrote: »

Anybody go to this?
If so, how was it?

I was there.... enjoyable but tough. Quads are still sore and finding it impossible to go down even a few steps today.
Weather didn't help... the wind half way up was fierce and the rain and cold made conditions tough.
It can only help towards the record attempt tho.
Padraig looking at at least one more training day - 7 climbs... date to be announced.
I thought I had plenty of training done (mostly for triathlon) , but nothing can prepare your legs for the pounding they get on the descent.
Times (approx)- 1st - 1hr 20 2nd - 1hr 30 3rd - 1hr 50 (Changed shoes and socks at start of this) 4hr 41 in total

snailsong

How many showed up? I might have gone for a look see if it didn't clash with the Westport 5k. I know of at least one who opted for the road race over this when they saw the weather.

GoHardOrGoHome

Was this the 3 ascents in 5 hours initial test?

@Mr Mago - did you ease up on the third ascent/descent because you knew you were well within the 5 hour "limit" or were you shattered at that stage?

Sounds mad. I'd love to attempt the 24 hours. Where is the bottom? Do you go down the steps? Do you go down to the main road?

What time of day will the 24 hour start? I would have thought maybe 9pm would be best. Get the darkness "laps" done when you're alert because you'll need the benefit of daylight when you're getting drowsy?

jeffontour

GoHardOrGoHome wrote: »

What time of day will the 24 hour start?

8 pm from what Padraig said to me when I was inquiring.

Mr Mago

GoHardOrGoHome wrote: »

Was this the 3 ascents in 5 hours initial test?

@Mr Mago - did you ease up on the third ascent/descent because you knew you were well within the 5 hour "limit" or were you shattered at that stage?

Sounds mad. I'd love to attempt the 24 hours. Where is the bottom? Do you go down the steps? Do you go down to the main road?

What time of day will the 24 hour start? I would have thought maybe 9pm would be best. Get the darkness "laps" done when you're alert because you'll need the benefit of daylight when you're getting drowsy?

Record attempt going to start at approx 8pm. Best time to let body clock adjust.
Didn't really ease for the 3rd descent... kept up tempo to see what time could finish in.
The route went all the way to the entrance to the car park from the main road, and around the church at the top - we had a timekeeper in a van in the car park registering each ascent/descent.

mithril

Would you take poles with you to transfer some of the effort to the arms on the climb and balance on the descent?

My first attempt on the Reek a few years back was fast because I came down it head first.