What Next?

Whelo79

Hi Folks, as the thread title suggests I'm looking for ideas on what to do next. I like taking up activities/challenges and I am looking for ideas on what to do next. So far in the last few years I've done the following:

Half Marathon
Hell and Back
Walked The Wicklow Way
100Km cycle race
MMA fight
CrossFit Competition
Quest Achill Adventure Race

Does anyone have any other suggestions on challenges that are possible in Ireland? A full marathon is out of the question (my knees are beat up) and I almost drowned when in my late teens so I'm not too keen on anything which has a lot of swimming, although I suppose that would be a major challenge in itself.

Thanks in advance for your ideas.

tunney

Whelo79 wrote: »

Hi Folks, as the thread title suggests I'm looking for ideas on what to do next. I like taking up activities/challenges and I am looking for ideas on what to do next. So far in the last few years I've done the following:

Half Marathon
Hell and Back
Walked The Wicklow Way
100Km cycle race
MMA fight
CrossFit Competition
Quest Achill Adventure Race

Does anyone have any other suggestions on challenges that are possible in Ireland? A full marathon is out of the question (my knees are beat up) and I almost drowned when in my late teens so I'm not too keen on anything which has a lot of swimming, although I suppose that would be a major challenge in itself.

Thanks in advance for your ideas.

15:xx 5km
<32 minute 10km

More challenging than the rest of the list

mloc123

Wait and see what the latest fad is in 2019 I think.

S_D

Gael force west?

mossym

The Race.

that should quell your hunger

Whelo79

tunney wrote: »

15:xx 5km
<32 minute 10km

More challenging than the rest of the list

Good ideas but I'm a bit long in the tooth for those lofty targets (39 next month)

I like to be somewhat competitive in each goal I set myself but I am never going to be troubling top competitors.

mloc123 wrote: »

Wait and see what the latest fad is in 2019 I think.

Helpful, thanks :rolleyes:

S_D wrote: »

Gael force west?

I did look into this but It's very similar to Quest so I'm looking to try something different. Thanks for the suggestion though.

mossym wrote: »

The Race.

that should quell your hunger

Very very enticing but I think it would be too much on the knees. I'll leave that type of road running distance to the thin lads who don't have to take heavy striking impact through the ankles and knee joints.

Keeks

https://donegalatlanticwayultra.com/

Kurt.Godel

Whelo79 wrote: »

(my knees are beat up) and I almost drowned when in my late teens so I'm not too keen on anything which has a lot of swimming, although I suppose that would be a major challenge in itself.

I think you've answered your own question there. Learning to swim is one of the most satisfying challenges anyone can undertake, its non-load bearing, and opens up a whole other aspect to life. Now should be a good time to begin as a lot of pools/clubs will be starting their winter blocks and several should offer beginner lessons.

Whelo79

Kurt.Godel wrote: »

I think you've answered your own question there. Learning to swim is one of the most satisfying challenges anyone can undertake, its non-load bearing, and opens up a whole other aspect to life. Now should be a good time to begin as a lot of pools/clubs will be starting their winter blocks and several should offer beginner lessons.

You could be right. But don't get me wrong, I can swim. I can do a few lengths in a pool and I've snorkled in Thailand and swam in the Mediterranean jumping off a boat. I am however slightly nervous when I know I'm going into water where my feet can not touch the bottom and I don't like being out of my depth for too long.

I might look into something like the liffey swim, although lots of other people splashing about around me might unsettle me. Building up my confidence in swimming will help with that I suppose.

Thanks folks for the suggestions, food for thought.

f@steddie

You have to qualify for the Liffey swim by competing in other open sea races throughout the year. It's not really a race I'd recommend for beginners / weak swimmers as it can be against the tide, is quite long and there's no wetsuit to help you.

Although if you start now, learn and put the time in there's no reason why you couldn't be ready for next year. You would have to join a club. More information here: http://www.leinsteropensea.ie/

tunney

Whelo79 wrote: »

Good ideas but I'm a bit long in the tooth for those lofty targets (39 next month)

I'm 39 last month and those are my goals for 2019 - and I am coming from two years doing nothing.

Better to do something fast and properly then slowly and half arsed. Unless of course its about bragging rights down the pub than actual effort and achievement.

cjt156

Whelo79 wrote: »

So far in the last few years I've done the following:

Half Marathon
Hell and Back
Walked The Wicklow Way
100Km cycle race
MMA fight
CrossFit Competition
Quest Achill Adventure Race

Which of these did you actually enjoy. I mean the training, putting in the time, seeing improvements, feeling your body change, accomplishing some goal that you hadn't thought you could reach when starting?

Maybe finding the one thing you love and excelling at that would be more of an achievement than adding to a list?

Pmaldini

tunney wrote: »

I'm 39 last month and those are my goals for 2019 - and I am coming from two years doing nothing.

Better to do something fast and properly then slowly and half arsed. Unless of course its about bragging rights down the pub than actual effort and achievement.

great to hear you're getting back to training Tunney, i am presuming the injuries are beginning to settle at last, i hope you log your progress here as i would follow with interest, i have lofty goals myself running wise for next year, not sure how attainable as i am closer to 50 than 40:( but sure i'll give them a lash anyway

griffin100

Whelo79 wrote: »

You could be right. But don't get me wrong, I can swim. I can do a few lengths in a pool and I've snorkled in Thailand and swam in the Mediterranean jumping off a boat. I am however slightly nervous when I know I'm going into water where my feet can not touch the bottom and I don't like being out of my depth for too long.

I might look into something like the liffey swim, although lots of other people splashing about around me might unsettle me. Building up my confidence in swimming will help with that I suppose.

Thanks folks for the suggestions, food for thought.

Try a pool based tri, good for novice / nervous swimmers.

Whelo79

tunney wrote: »

Whelo79 wrote: »

Good ideas but I'm a bit long in the tooth for those lofty targets (39 next month)

I'm 39 last month and those are my goals for 2019 - and I am coming from two years doing nothing.

Better to do something fast and properly then slowly and half arsed. Unless of course its about bragging rights down the pub than actual effort and achievement.

Good to hear you are coming back from a long lay-off with high targets. What's your previous experience here though? 

My quickest 5k is just under 20mins and my 10K is 45ish (last year). They are always done as road running, so dodging people and traffic. I've never attempted same around a track. I'd love to achieve your targets but I think it would take a very long time (if even possible) to get me down to those times.

Whelo79

cjt156 wrote: »

Whelo79 wrote: »

So far in the last few years I've done the following:

Half Marathon
Hell and Back
Walked The Wicklow Way
100Km cycle race
MMA fight
CrossFit Competition
Quest Achill Adventure Race

Which of these did you actually enjoy. I mean the training, putting in the time, seeing improvements, feeling your body change, accomplishing some goal that you hadn't thought you could reach when starting?

Maybe finding the one thing you love and excelling at that would be more of an achievement than adding to a list?

The gym based work (which led to the CrossFit competition) is the most enjoyable for me currently. It's a nice small gym, nice people, great atmosphere. I have been doing that regularly for over 2 years now 3-5 times a week. But there is nothing I could take up at this stage that I think I could 'excel' at. I hold my own in the challenges I enter and compete as hard as I can as opposed to just taking it handy and aiming just to finish (Quest top 50 out of 500, without much specific training to be fair. CrossFit comp 7th overall and placed 1st in one session. MMA fight trained 5 days a week for 6 months and won my fight). I'm just looking for new challenges and new experiences at this stage. 

Thanks again for the input and suggestions, they are much appreciated.

woody1

have you any interest in the new long multi sport races.. quest 24, gaelforce has a long one now, 12 hour cut off i think ,
or something like the coast to coast, from enniscrone to newcastle co down, in either 1 or 2 days, mostly cycling, but a fair amount of kayaking and running in it as well