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Mealagh Valley, Bantry 10 mile 12/02/2012

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  • 19-01-2012 2:57pm
    #1
    the_hairy_onri
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18 ✭


    Looks like an interesting course. The organisers claim it has "everything but flat sections"...!

    Anyone done it before? Really looking forward to it. I love hills. Plus as long as I finish its a guaranteed PB as its my first attempt at the distance.


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    #2
    who the fug
    Registered Users Posts: 4,041 ✭✭✭who the fug


    There be three flat sections


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    #3
    TFBubendorfer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,340 ✭✭✭TFBubendorfer


    I did not notice any flat sections. "Tough course" would be an understatement. Extremely beautiful scenery, though.


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    #4
    who the fug
    Registered Users Posts: 4,041 ✭✭✭who the fug


    Here is a link to a gallery about it.


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    #5
    who the fug
    Registered Users Posts: 4,041 ✭✭✭who the fug


    TFBubendorfer wrote: »
    I did not notice any flat sections. "Tough course" would be an understatement. Extremely beautiful scenery, though.


    Trust me there are some flat sections there


    Did you go clockwise or anti clockwise around the valley


    Hats off to ever came up with the idea and best of luck to anyone doing it, I can feel the pain


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    #6
    TFBubendorfer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,340 ✭✭✭TFBubendorfer


    who the fug wrote: »
    Trust me there are some flat sections there

    I presume you mean the bits right at the apex of each each hill, as well as the very bottom between each hill? You know, where the road levels out before immediately dipping or rising again? :D
    who the fug wrote: »
    Did you go clockwise or anti clockwise around the valley

    anti clockwise

    A fellow runner (who posts on here occasionally) likened the noises I made on one of the early uphill portions to giving birth ....


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    #7
    who the fug
    Registered Users Posts: 4,041 ✭✭✭who the fug


    TFBubendorfer wrote: »
    I presume you mean the bits right at the apex of each each hill, as well as the very bottom between each hill? You know, where the road levels out before immediately dipping or rising again? :D



    anti clockwise

    A fellow runner (who posts on here occasionally) likened the noises I made on one of the early uphill portions to giving birth ....


    Suppose flat is relative

    Should have gone clockwise like the locals do, most of it would have been down hill that way :D

    Anyway good for you, walking it was bad enough , no way would you catch me running it


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    #8
    the_hairy_onri
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18 ✭the_hairy_onri


    So it is as tough as they say then. May pop over for training run before the race. Which way does the race go - clockwise or anti-clockwise? Is it easy enough to find your way around or is there unmarked turns at every bend in the road?! :)

    Some decent times from last year so considering the course.


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    #9
    who the fug
    Registered Users Posts: 4,041 ✭✭✭who the fug


    See this map here


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    #10
    Condo131
    Registered Users Posts: 1,442 ✭✭✭Condo131


    the_hairy_onri wrote: »
    Which way does the race go - clockwise or anti-clockwise? Is it easy enough to find your way around or is there unmarked turns at every bend in the road?! :)
    Anti-clockwise, i.e. keep swinging left. You are, as the name implies, skirting the valley. There are no other roads in the centre, so you can't go wrong. the first mile is very fast - the second is awful, after that, it's 'fairly ok' :rolleyes:, with a fast finish (if you've anything left!)


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    #11
    thebishop
    Registered Users Posts: 320 ✭✭thebishop


    Where are the hills:D. Jerry Forde zoomed around there the last 3yrs in his wheel chair without a bother on him.


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    #12
    Condo131
    Registered Users Posts: 1,442 ✭✭✭Condo131


    thebishop wrote: »
    Where ars the hills:D. Jerry Forde zoomed around there the last 3yrs in his wheel chair without a bother on him.

    :D:D:D:D.............I think that was on April 1st! LOL


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    #13
    the_hairy_onri
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18 ✭the_hairy_onri


    It wouldn't be any kind of a race without Jerry. A legend of a man.


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    #14
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Just entered it.

    Spoke to a few who said it's not that bad...but they enjoy nothing better than incorporating a few hundred metres of an ascent into runs anyway...so just don't trust them...


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    #15
    the_hairy_onri
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18 ✭the_hairy_onri


    How are people thinking of pacing this one. Its my first 10 mile race to start with so not sure how i'll go yet but add in the hills and i'm really uncertain. 5 mile PB is 30.49 so was thinking of aiming for 6.40 pace or something like that.


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    #16
    CorkRunning
    Registered Users Posts: 150 ✭✭CorkRunning


    Race preview now available at http://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2012/02/preview-of-mealagh-valley-10-mile-road.html ........a small bit hilly ;)


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    #17
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Mother of God. That was tough going.

    Lovely day, lovely spot, well organised - looked like a nice community effort - big spread laid on at the end. And a nice vibe about it, all the stewards very helpful and friendly. Thought the organising worked really really well, hard to squeeze all those cars and runners into that area, but they managed it. Water stations, bag drop, people out to cheer on runners, it had everything you could really want.

    But the hills, God the hills. Had been warned not to be fooled into thinking the head of the valley at the 5 mile mark would mean a nice run back down to the finish line, and to keep a bit in reserve for the hills in the return section. Scraped inside the 1.20 so happy enough with that, was never gonna get a pb out there. But def a great challenge, glad to do a tough one now, hope that'll stand to me over next few weeks.


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    #18
    the_hairy_onri
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18 ✭the_hairy_onri


    Well done everyone involved in running this. Great race. Helped by the sun but really well organised and nice atmosphere. Came in 1.04 something... pretty happy. Enjoyed the hills... just as well cos there was plenty!


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    #19
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    On again, the 10th February.

    http://www.bantryac.com/mvr_11.html


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    #20
    nellocono
    Registered Users Posts: 419 ✭✭nellocono


    Might give it a go this year in prep for the last hill in Ballycotton...:)


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    #21
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    On again this Sunday, must give it another go...but I can feel the pain already.


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    #22
    Cona
    Closed Accounts Posts: 591 ✭✭✭Cona


    Would you think it racing this provides a benefit ahead of Ballycotton 2 weeks later? I would imagine 2 weeks is plenty of time to recover from...


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    #23
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Cona wrote: »
    Would you think it racing this provides a benefit ahead of Ballycotton 2 weeks later? I would imagine 2 weeks is plenty of time to recover from...

    Wouldn't have the confidence to give any advice, but do know runners who will do both alright and use it for that purpose. But this is one hard 10 miler, it's a real sufferfest.


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    #24
    Cona
    Closed Accounts Posts: 591 ✭✭✭Cona


    [Deleted User] wrote: »
    Wouldn't have the confidence to give any advice, but do know runners who will do both alright and use it for that purpose. But this is one hard 10 miler, it's a real sufferfest.

    Ha. Sounds good to me, I'd say I will be recovered in time to give Ballycotton a PB attempt anyway!


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    #25
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Oh oh oh, it was tough. Felt completely flat for some reason and ended up about 30 seconds slower than my previous outing. But glad to have done it, it's one hard route and yesterday's weather made it even tougher.


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    #26
    Cona
    Closed Accounts Posts: 591 ✭✭✭Cona


    Yep very tough route but I enjoyed it I must say. Pity about the weather alright though. It was never going to be a PB but it will stand as a great training run. I would go back and do this again.


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