Art O'Neill challenge 2016

DubOnHoliday

Hatcho wrote: »

Wow - that's mad - I have the older Kanadia 6's and I found them great on the Glendalough Trail Run. Perhaps the inov8s and Salamons are much better than the latest Kanadias - I haven't tried either so cant give an honest opinion...

That makes sense ,cos I then read reviews saying the new shoe had gone backwards compared to the Kanadia 6.

Bugsy2000

For those mere mortals out there who have done this before (ie. those who won't be running the offroad section. ie. Not Enduro - no offense intended:p), what type of leggings have you worn for the off road section.

The road section is fine, that's just going to be like any other road race. But I have reccied from Checkpoint 1 to Checkpoint 2 previously I know that I won't be running a lot of it come race day & I'm assuming Checkpoint 2 to Finish will be similar (Hope to get up there soon). I'm looking at something like the Gore Windstopper running tights but I'm wondering will these be warm enough for the off road sections as I'm not likely to be moving too fast. Would I be as well off with just the windstopper shell pants with additional baselayers under for some extra warmth (Being someone who really feels the cold).

Cheers.

Mad Benny

I wore running leggings from ALDI last year and they were fine. I didn't feel cold. I did the hybrid.

Djoucer

Normal leggings should be fine. Basically, whatever you're wearing for training will do.

I've done in all weathers and normal leggings are fine. I think waterproof bottoms are part of the mandatory kit so there's an extra layer there to stick on if you get cold.

Bugsy2000

Cheers lads, for some reason I had it in my head that we needed waterproof & windproof bottoms as part of the mandatory kit. I see now its just waterproof required.

Mad Benny

Enduro wrote: »

Trail running shoes. Some wear road shoes until the first aid station and change to trail runners there.

Thanks Enduro. Do you wear merino wool socks?

Enduro

Mad Benny wrote: »

Thanks Enduro. Do you wear merino wool socks?

If the weather is crap enough I do. Full thickness mountaineering socks at that.

ThisRegard

Do the heavier mountaineering socks just not get weighed down when they get wet? I've a couple of pairs of Seal Skinz but only every wore them on the bike, the way I look at it is if I go in deep water, the membrane that tries to keep water out, will keep it in?

Hatcho

ThisRegard wrote: »

Do the heavier mountaineering socks just not get weighed down when they get wet? I've a couple of pairs of Seal Skinz but only every wore them on the bike, the way I look at it is if I go in deep water, the membrane that tries to keep water out, will keep it in?

Yep the Sealskinz are just as good at holding water in as they are at keeping it out. I've heard of some folks putting tape across the top of them to create a seal to prevent water ingress.

Bear in mind that I'm hoping to do the hybrid - (unlike you guys who'll be flat out from start to finish), my plan is to jog/walk the road section (30kms or so) in road runners and normal socks. At CP1 I'll change into Sealskinz and put on trail runners and gaiters. I find full on hiking boots too heavy and the trail runners are way more comfy over distance.

Enduro

ThisRegard wrote: »

Do the heavier mountaineering socks just not get weighed down when they get wet? I've a couple of pairs of Seal Skinz but only every wore them on the bike, the way I look at it is if I go in deep water, the membrane that tries to keep water out, will keep it in?

They get wet for sure, but I don't notice anything weight wise. That's not to say it doesn't happen though, just that I don't notice! The extra thickness of mountaineering socks is very good for protection, as well as the obvious warmth benifits.

Seal skinz over longer distances I decided long ago are a disaster (And I tested them out to multiday distance, as well as 24 hour (rogaine)). Never again. They are excellent for biking though, I'll give them that. I also had the ones with the seal around the top... They were even worse! Caused abrasion issues in the seal area. Taped Seal Skinz sound like a bad idea to me.

Hence my reversion to normal socks, with Merino mountaineering socks for more extreme conditions.

opus

Didn't get in this year, not sure if I'm relieved or disappointed

Best of luck to everyone taking part, hope the weather gods are kind on the night...

Bugsy2000

Anyone get to recce the off-road sections lately? I've been hoping to get up from Galway over the holidays but every time I look at the forecast there's either a rain or wind warning (or both) in place.

I'm happy with the route from Checkpoint 1 to Checkpoint 2 but still need to recce the last section. I'm assuming it's complete bog after the recent weather.

I know we'll have to deal with whatever the weather throws at us on the day (night) but we'll have others in the course plus the checkpoints as fallback, it's a bit different me heading up on my lonesome in bad weather.

W.B. Yeats

Myself and 2 of the lads did 1-2 on Sunday. To the uninitiated (me) it was very wet. Muddy and boggy in places but mainly surface water. The terrain is very bumpy but it's that regardless of weather. Hoping to do 2 to the end on Friday. Im not sure what I was expecting but on reflection it wasn't as tough as I expected - after 30 odd km running and in the dark it will be another story though I know. Getting a sense of the route in daylight was v helpful though. Particularly as there are a number of options to take on how to descend and make it to the fire road.

Djoucer

Route after cp2 is normally boggy
after Art's Cross and around the 3 lakes. Even in the summer.

It's like a boggy lunar landscape. Can be draining dragging your arse over peat hags.

Cp2 to open mountain is usually ok. Couple of kms of fireroad. Gets a bit wet once you leave fireroad and as you approach the bottom of the climb.

Cp1 to 2 can be very wet and cold. Terrain is more solid, not particularly boggy as it's covered in heather.

A lot can change till the race. Sub zero temps make it easier to run.

Once over Arts cross and onto table track is mainly stoney. It's fast if a awkward to run on. It's like a river after heavy rain but runnable.

Avril2010

I got out on all but the section from Art's cross to 3 lakes, both times my friends who joined were tired so I didn't get to go as far as I'd liked. Would like to try a final stab at it (or any other open mountain section) on Sunday if anyone is heading out and would like company.

The storms lately have not made for easy training at all!

gavkm27

Anyone else tried to download and upload the GPS file to gps? It was sent in an email as the one on the site isn't working,but put it on my gps and nothing

gavkm27

Enduro wrote: »

They get wet for sure, but I don't notice anything weight wise. That's not to say it doesn't happen though, just that I don't notice! The extra thickness of mountaineering socks is very good for protection, as well as the obvious warmth benifits.

Seal skinz over longer distances I decided long ago are a disaster (And I tested them out to multiday distance, as well as 24 hour (rogaine)). Never again. They are excellent for biking though, I'll give them that. I also had the ones with the seal around the top... They were even worse! Caused abrasion issues in the seal area. Taped Seal Skinz sound like a bad idea to me.

Hence my reversion to normal socks, with Merino mountaineering socks for more extreme conditions.

Couldn't agree more! Sealskinz are terrible,make my feet bake and blister.
give up the idea of dry feet,it's Ireland,find the nearest puddle and get wet.I wear Injinji liner sock and a normal trail sock,don't have gore tex trail runners as they hold water too easily,i want them to wash through.First time in AON,coming up for a recce next week from Galway

Bugsy2000

Cheers lads. Gonna head up from Galway myself tomorrow morn to recce CP2 to finish. At this stage I think we're going to have boggy ground no matter what.

I'll park up at CP2 & do an out & back. Depending on time I'll do as much as I can of CP2 back to CP1. May spot a few of ye up there?

Bugsy2000

Well that was an experience.

I'm glad I went up now. I wouldn't fancy experiencing that maze of peat hags around 3 lakes for the first time in the race at around 6 - 7 in the morning. I'm officially renaming that area the 'Jedi Mindf!ck Fields'. I reckon the reason Art's Cross is where it is is because Art saw what lay ahead of him & said 'Feck it, I've had enough, I'm staying here!'

I'm glad too we're not tackling the climb to Art's Cross in reverse, I was coming back from Barravore & the descent from Art's Cross was lethal. It was dry when i was climbing it earlier but even with a light mist later on it was like descending through a river. I was like Bambi on ice coming down, took a few nasty tumbles, was sure i snapped my knee at one stage.

Enduro

Yeah, it's as tricky a place as anywhere to be looking for a small target. Great nav practice. But remember you're not looking for a small target. You just have to traverse accross it keeping a general southern bearing and hit the rather large target of Glenmalure valley. So while you can easily go off the ideal course, it should also be trivial enough to get to the end point despite that.

DogSlySmile

I was out recceing CP1 twice over the weekend. Was blessed with the weather! No wind and no rain on both days! You picked a good time to come up, Bugsy2000

Dont forget the AON info event is on Tuesday at 20:00 in Great Outdoors.

Gravale

Would anyone be travelling down to the finish at Baravore from Dublin (maybe a member of the set-up crew) arriving around 7am (or even earlier) on Saturday morning? I have this mad idea to start there and do the route solo in reverse. I'll have plenty of people to greet on the way back to Dublin Castle. Don't worry, I've done the route 30 times already, mostly solo.

DogSlySmile

Best of luck to everyone taking part tonight/tomorrow! Hope you all had a good nights sleep because thats the last we'll get until Saturday.

Weather is looking pretty good. Very cold but no rain and perhaps only a small dusting of snow (fingers crossed!)

Enjoy the well earned pints in the Glenmalure lodge tomorrow:D

opus

Very best of luck, must admit I'm a little jealous

inigo

Enjoy!!

RacoonQueen

Have fun folks. Be chilly tonight!

UM1

Good luck folks and am not sorry im not doin it

ThisRegard

Weather like this is probably the best type to run up there other than in summer time. The ground should at least be firm in most places and not a horrible boggy mess like is usually is. Well I prefer is anyway.

Mad Benny

Results are up.

http://www.redtagtiming.com/

Thanks to the organizers and volunteers for another excellent event.

DogSlySmile

ThisRegard wrote: »

Weather like this is probably the best type to run up there other than in summer time. The ground should at least be firm in most places and not a horrible boggy mess like is usually is. Well I prefer is anyway.

Wrong! :eek: On the mountain section there was 2 ft of snow to work through. It looked solid but when you put your foot down you broke through the upper crust of frozen snow and sank down into the softer stuff. Running was almost impossible on a lot of it. That's my third AON and it was definitely the hardest.

Congrats to all who got trough it. Phenomenal time by the winner in those conditions.