Gaelforce Dublin: Gear for raceday etc

Bladeserver

I was getting new tires for my bike yesterday off the gents in CS and I spoke with Mick. He rode the course previously and mentioned not to go out hard on the first cycle as there is a big climb (10-12 minutes) literally just as you go off. His advice was to keep your cool and save your juice for the second cycle as it's tough.

Just said I would give a heads up to anybody mentally planning the race!!

Best of luck to everybody doing it.

Whyner

Yeah I did it and it's pretty steep.....I can see lots of people getting off their bikes there....hopefully doesn't turn into a bottleneck

Whyner

In between bikes

I’ve got a Giant TCR (34/50) with 25mm Conti 4 Seasons and got a loan of a Giant TCX SLR 2 (36/46) with 33mm Mud Wrestlers

Was going to go with the CX but now I’m thinking of just putting flat pedals on my TCR

Any thoughts?

Bh13

I'm planning on using CX bike with clip in shoes and carry runners in small bag while on the bike, bit of a pain but hey.

Bladeserver

Whyner wrote: »

In between bikes

I’ve got a Giant TCR (34/50) with 25mm Conti 4 Seasons and got a loan of a Giant TCX SLR 2 (36/46) with 33mm Mud Wrestlers

Was going to go with the CX but now I’m thinking of just putting flat pedals on my TCR

Any thoughts?

I took off my clip ons and am using the orginal pedals on the bike. I'm a size 13 so carrying those in a back pack isn't viable. :pac:

fletch

Whyner wrote: »

Perfect, I'll rob that plan, ta

eek...Hope my plan didn't feck up your race. I had presumed we could grab a quick drink after the kayak. I was gasping for a drink after the kayak...luckily I had a few gels with me.

First cycle was tough...had difficulty getting grip even on the roads. It was so steep that I had to stand out of the saddle but when I'd do that, the back wheel would start spinning. Can't say I enjoyed the "cycle" through the muddy fields. Was glad I used my 10year old hybrid commuter bike.

Some fast descents after that but in the back of my mind was the lack of grip experienced earlier on the ascent so I was relatively cautious.

Kayak went well...run up Kippure was disappointingly flat as hill running would be my strongest discipline of the race. Final climb on bike up to the R115 was proper tough.

A bit messy with traffic around Kiltipper. I stopped at a red light at a left turn as there was a Garda car waiting and allowed the guy behind me to make up some ground. Frustrating.

Also the marshals at the end weren't sure where the dismount line was. I watched at the end as some dismounted at the entrance and others cycled on to the bike racks.

My best result in any adventure race, finishing in the top 5 so I'm delighted. (Although there was a notable absence of the big names)

I was also told I'd gone the wrong way by a marshal as I was running back to the bike beside Bohernabreena...seemingly we were meant to return on the opposite shore but I didn't see anybody else coming back that way.

Really enjoyable race.. .lovely food and fleece after it.

Whyner

Super stuff fletch, that' a great achievement

I won't go into too much details as it pains me to think about it. I got 4 punctures and had to get collected 6k from the finish line. There was almost tears

Onwards and upwards...

fletch

Whyner wrote: »

I won't go into too much details as it pains me to think about it. I got 4 punctures and had to get collected 6k from the finish line. There was almost tears

:eek: Sounds awful! Which bike and tyres did you go for in the end?

Maybe when you get over the trauma, you might share the details?

Homesick Alien

fletch wrote: »

eek...Hope my plan didn't feck up your race. I had presumed we could grab a quick drink after the kayak. I was gasping for a drink after the kayak...luckily I had a few gels with me.

First cycle was tough...had difficulty getting grip even on the roads. It was so steep that I had to stand out of the saddle but when I'd do that, the back wheel would start spinning. Can't say I enjoyed the "cycle" through the muddy fields. Was glad I used my 10year old hybrid commuter bike.

Some fast descents after that but in the back of my mind was the lack of grip experienced earlier on the ascent so I was relatively cautious.

Kayak went well...run up Kippure was disappointingly flat as hill running would be my strongest discipline of the race. Final climb on bike up to the R115 was proper tough.

A bit messy with traffic around Kiltipper. I stopped at a red light at a left turn as there was a Garda car waiting and allowed the guy behind me to make up some ground. Frustrating.

Also the marshals at the end weren't sure where the dismount line was. I watched at the end as some dismounted at the entrance and others cycled on to the bike racks.

My best result in any adventure race, finishing in the top 5 so I'm delighted. (Although there was a notable absence of the big names)

I was also told I'd gone the wrong way by a marshal as I was running back to the bike beside Bohernabreena...seemingly we were meant to return on the opposite shore but I didn't see anybody else coming back that way.

Really enjoyable race.. .lovely food and fleece after it.

I had exactly the same experience of the first climb. Out of the saddle and getting wheel spin due to a combination of slick roads and the steepness of the climb. Also was on a ten year old hybrid bike. The off road bit was very tricky. Few times I got stuck and had to dismount and run to a relatively flat bit to try get going again.

Homesick Alien

I enjoyed the race and had my best result in an adventure race but I have to say some of the organisation was shocking. I was doing the 29km distance and I was near the front of wave 1 and half the race marshals didn't seem to be expecting me. When I asked what way I should go for the sprint distance I was sent the wrong way for 2km before I doubled back. There was no sign posting when there was a split in the two courses which led to a lot of confusion. On the kayak stage I ended up sharing with someone doing the longer distance which shouldnt be allowed to happen! When I crossed the line in a photo finish with another guy there was no one there. Had to grab a medal from a box on the ground and the MC was obviously taking a tea break. It was all a bit anticlimactic.

What made it disappointing was that this is Gaelforce not some shower of cowboys. Hopefully they've ironed out these issues foe next year.

fletch

It also wasn't very clear where to mount/dismount at Tallaght Stadium.

fletch

Pictures -> http://www.clearskiesahead.com/f276323538

MojoMaker

Homesick Alien wrote: »

What made it disappointing was that this is Gaelforce not some shower of cowboys.

You're giving them far too much credit.

The Noble Nudge

Ended up got an entry....took the winter bike with a change of ratios..which killed me!
Route changes, no water....seemed to be lacking atmosphere at the finish but hopefully it will be better next year.

Homesick Alien

MojoMaker wrote: »

You're giving them far too much credit.

Perhaps. It was my first Gaelforce event so I just expected it to be well run.

Bladeserver

Homesick Alien wrote: »

I enjoyed the race and had my best result in an adventure race but I have to say some of the organisation was shocking. I was doing the 29km distance and I was near the front of wave 1 and half the race marshals didn't seem to be expecting me. When I asked what way I should go for the sprint distance I was sent the wrong way for 2km before I doubled back. There was no sign posting when there was a split in the two courses which led to a lot of confusion. On the kayak stage I ended up sharing with someone doing the longer distance which shouldnt be allowed to happen! When I crossed the line in a photo finish with another guy there was no one there. Had to grab a medal from a box on the ground and the MC was obviously taking a tea break. It was all a bit anticlimactic.

What made it disappointing was that this is Gaelforce not some shower of cowboys. Hopefully they've ironed out these issues foe next year.

I thought it was really well organized for my first adventure race. Maybe it was different on the shorter distance. I do agree on the atmosphere though!!Very anti-climatic. I think because there was no spectators allowed on the course people who had families etc might have just told them to stay back. Usually spectators would make the day out of it but for this event I finished, grabbed food and bailed.

I really enjoyed it though all the same.

fletch

Bladeserver wrote: »

I thought it was really well organized for my first adventure race. Maybe it was different on the shorter distance. I do agree on the atmosphere though!!Very anti-climatic. I think because there was no spectators allowed on the course people who had families etc might have just told them to stay back. Usually spectators would make the day out of it but for this event I finished, grabbed food and bailed.

I don't think the time of the year helped from a spectator perspective. While spectators weren't allowed on the course, a lot of it was on open public roads so would have been easy for spectators to follow a competitor.

I felt it was well organised, save for a lack of clarity around the bike mounting line and the return run to the bike being on the opposite side of the reservoir compared to the map.