skinny word

2018 Westport Sea2Summit

noreply@blogger.com (The real McG) — Wed, 14 Nov 2018 15:17:00 +0000

It’s a great event…it must be one of the biggest in the country. I was just looking at the results there and there were 431 who started the longer event “Supreme”. There were 28 more on the “Supreme Short Course” whatever that was, and a whopping 1668 on the shorter “Spirit” event, so that’s well over 2000 participants...in early November…a great boost for Westport tourism! Just slightly more than half of the spirit were male..18 pages of results for male and 16 for female. In the Supreme, there were 65 women which is about 1 in 7. This female participation was a standout feature compared to most events I’ve been on. Great to see!

Anyway, two other members of the M&M Cycling Club made the trip with me - Redmond and Kieran - both recent veterans of our sortie to Malaga for some cycling in the sunshine. Kieran also did the Dublin marathon two weeks ago, delighted with his time of 3:57. He was about 4:15 in Limerick in May, so the extra summer training paid off!

Kieran collected us on Friday evening with his three bike carrier on his towbar and we set off after a horrendously rainy day into the West. We arrived and registered. I bought the mandatory safety kit for €10 - a foil blanket, a whistle, a heavy bleed bandage, and a Powerbar. That with a mobile phone, hat and jacket made up the required kit. I’m new to this mountaineering! I’ll bring me new whistle with me next time I go up a hill! Thankfully none of this was called into duty!
Off to the harbour next to park the bikes – a bit chaotic with lots of cars, bikes, people, darkness, rain, wind! A couple of poor creatures were going to stay out all night in that weather to do security on the 2000x1000 = €2m worth of bikes!

Now for the hostel….a strange experience. .. for €35 it was cheapish…but not too cheerful! The strange French receptionist wanted to put two of us in one room and one in another. We were accepting our lot and quietly asked if the place was full and she said no. So we asked if we could maybe stay in the same room and she said yes. Weird! There was a kitchen/dining area, so we asked could we get cooking the porridge there around 7 and she said no….doesn’t open till 8…and no…it’ll be locked! Bit peeved about the brekkie situation we went to Centra and got an oddball bag of food and drink…ham, cheese, rolls, bars, bananas, water, OJ, pasta, ready oats, yoghurt, hard-boiled eggs… a right feast. Found a Chinese restaurant and tucked into some pre-race-fuel. Two beers for me but the lads were on a serious mission and stayed pure! No fear of the food going off overnight at the hostel, seeing as there was no heat in the room! Hats on and off to bed after a long wardrobe session wondering what to wear for the race.

Morning! … Scoffed the breakfast about 6:30 in the room, beneath the “No eating in rooms” sign. More checking of weather forecasts which seemed to be getting better and less clothing was deemed necessary. Off to the hotel for the start line, relaxed in the lobby for 10 mins and out for the race brief and then we were off soon after Redmond’s couple of dance steps to “Move like Jagger”….he can’t! The man on the mike told us we had got a lucky break…there was a window of fine sunny calm weather for the next few hours with very little chance of rain! Sweet!

We were off in Wave 2 of 3 – the intermediates. Red had initially signed up months ago for Advanced wave and Kieran had gone for Beginner, but then we thought about it and decided Intermediate would be the most suitable. I think the fact that the lads changed waves seems to have messed up their timings…The times are correct but their positioning is way off.

We stayed together more or less for the first 4k run to the harbour along a greenway. I knew this was a marathon not a sprint, so sauntered along at a jogging pace. The site of Croagh Patrick looming 800m into the sky in the distance tempered any impulse to go fast. 21 mins for 4k. Hopped on the bike…the decision had been made by me and Kieran that the cycling shoes were staying in the car, while Redmond was going for a shoe-changing and carrying strategy. The bike felt great and I put the hammer down and did the short flat 8km spin to the Croagh Patrick car park. I passed by loads of people on the way…same reports from the other two lads….I was going nicely averaging easily over 30kph. Drafting was legal so I had been hoping to fall in with a group, but, there was just a different standard of rider (and bikes!) out there….I just kept whooshing by them! That’s a pretty positive feeling, but the better riders were all way ahead in the Advanced wave!

Next up… the main challenge….”The Reek”..as its known. 764m altitude. I jogged out of the car park and up the first bit of a tarmac’ed hill, then a nice set of steps. That was it then for jogging and tried to settle into a brisk walk, along with everyone around me. All in good spirits, laughing and joking..beautiful morning to be going up the hill! It took just under an hour to reach the church at the top, and it was a tough hour. I certainly lost time on the majority here….I stopped for breath two or three times, quick glance at the scenery, then pushed on. It was just like climbing stairs to the top of a skyscraper. It’s a steep first section, a shallower middle section and a steep final section – the cone – over very loose rock. Kieran caught up with me early on, we had a fairly quick chat but then he was a few steps ahead and then gone!

After about 20 minutes of climbing the first two competitors came scrambling down the hill side-by-side. They were some sight – I’ll never forget it - they were flying ….surfing through the rocks, with stones spraying up around them. It looked impossible that they weren’t breaking their ankles and I just couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Hard to judge how fast they were going…maybe about what you’d see in a typical 5km race. I think I caught them at a particularly strange section of underfoot conditions. When I went down that way myself an hour later, the rocks were loose and gave way under me, and I went through surprisingly quickly over that small section.

Pic here of the lead two guys on their way up.

Back to the climb….same old trudge, got to the top, touched the church and turned straight around after a just a few seconds admiring the view. Passed Redmond on his way up and he had enough time to tell me he had lost his phone on the mountain. Just a few minutes later he passed me on the descent…much more like a goat than I was. The missing phone turned up later in his backpack. The descent was hard and not really enjoyable in any way. The ligaments at the back of my left knee had got very sore and I couldn’t really bend that knee. When I got off the cone section on to flatter ground I tried to jog, but the left leg was like a dead weight…it just wouldn’t function like a normal leg, so I left if to the right leg to do all the ninja jumping and weaving while the left was like a pirate’s stump! I got through the final steeper part of the descent, with people passing me all the time.

However….back to the bike! Felt good and felt at home on two wheels!

Pic of T2

I proceeded to tear up the road on the flat section but met a guy walking the other way with his bike on his shoulders. I asked if he needed anything but didn’t really catch his reply… …I turned around offering him tubes but he said no…the bike was knackered! Ah well…unlucky! The route turned left off the main Louisburgh road onto a boreen towards what they call the Maum climb. First a 100m ascent at about 6-8%, …Not too bad but testing enough…I knew it was coming so just enjoyed it. Then a descent and a left turn, flattish for a little while, then the real tester…a series of short sharp ramps.

The event website had mentioned 25% in places, and I think this first ramp was what they were talking about. Very short though…maybe 50m long…Timed the gear change and had it in the very generous 32 teeth at the back and 34 at the front. (That rental bike in Spain only had 28 and how I missed those 4 extra teeth!) I got over that ramp while others dismounted and I took a certain pleasure in this and made it my mission to see this climb through. There was some advice the night before at registration that you might be better off walking up some of these ramps to save the legs, and fine advice I’m sure it was, but the blood was up and I wasn’t having any of it!

After this, the terrain was very “natural” for a few km..i.e. the road building process didn’t involve any earthworks…so up and down whatever lumps were in the way. A few were very sharp. The peak appeared, and this was the biggest challenge of all the ramps…Maybe 200m long..probably about 10-15%. I got over it by pacing the effort and it was a good feeling going over the top…marshals were handing out Wagon Wheel s, which were great!

The altitude at the top was 220m, and then on to the very fast and twisty descent. It flattened out a bit, then I settled into a rhythm and finally got into a group of three to take turns in the wind. This broke up but then found another lad from Donegal who was going very well and we paced each other for a few km. He dropped me when we hit a hill though, so back on my own. Most of the way back to Westport was great fun with good high speeds on lovely roads with a slight descent.. and passing riders all the way! Perfect!

However, there was one more run to do and my left knee just didn’t want to bend! I dragged the leg along for the first 2km before I finally felt things loosen up and I was able to feel like I was jogging again! I felt much better and a woman told me my buddy was just ahead…i.e. Kieran with the same club gear! I thought I saw him ahead and tried to track him down, but there was no acceleration available! Anyway, the jersey turned out not to be him and he was waiting happily at the finish line.

It was a very nice finish in the town centre with loads of people and hoop-la!

I felt grand crossing the line and got the oul medal and we waited a couple of minutes for Redmond to finish. I think we all felt great and got the group photo and into the tent for some soup, bread and chicken/pasta stew. Great grub! We sat there for 15 mins taking it all in and taking a load off the legs.

Finally back to the hostel and tried to have a shower. The code on the door to the rooms and shower area had been changed overnight. The nice man in reception said no..why don’t you go across the road there to the leisure centre? We had asked the night before and the French one had said it would be OK. Not to worry, a gang of merry bearded young men on a stag party went in a minute later and we went in after them and cleaned ourselves up!

Bike pickup and off to Charlestown on a diversion to put Redmond on a bus to Dublin and ultimately Anfield (another story!). Me and Kieran dropped in on his parents in Curry and got well fed and watered. Home at 8:30 and asleep on the armchair by the fire moments later!

A great day!

S2S Supreme Course Race format

4k run
8k cycle
5k Mountain run (Croagh Patrick) at half distance(2.5k) and at bottom (5k)
35k cycle hilly cycle at (14K) and end of cycle
4k run with sea run (depending on tide times).
Total distance 56km

Here's my Strava log for the day...I just logged the whole thing as a run!

Climbing Great Gully Ridge

noreply@blogger.com (board tc) — Wed, 05 Jul 2017 22:36:00 +0000

Great Gully Ridge on Ben Leagh from walk in

On the nasty gorse sinkhole walk out we bumped into a lad who asked what I did on the top pitch, did I do the crack with the piton? I described to him. gesturing with my hands, taking the first crack, getting in a good #3 nut, stepping up into this barn-door bridge-ish feet with my left-hand, bottom fingers turned sideways, slotted under a hidden crack and my right arm pulling on an edge, moving my left foot up a bit and then moving my left hand up expecting an edge but only finding slopers...not enough for me to hold and jump my right hand up...climbing as we know it!

A perfect day! The couple of mistakes I made were inconsequential in the end. The plan was to meet at the car park for Baravore Valley at 8.30. I had not organised buying an OS map for the area and had the WhatsApp directions from a friend in my head "turn right into Glenmalure having travelled down the Old Military Road from Laragh". I left 10 minutes later than planned and arrived in Laragh at 8.30, as I came in I saw a brown sign for the old military road kind of half going to the right outside the Glendalough Green cafe. I pulled up and asked the waitress, who was just starting to say "we don't have...", was that the Old Military Road, pointing to the right. She said "Yes, thanks a million", no doubt relieved I was not jonesing for coffee, as she gripped her first smoke.

So I headed up the road, passing the first big lay-by after a few minutes where there were some cars stationed and I could see tents in the trees. The road kept going and going, a couple of hikers, more campers, a cyclist - a perfect road for that. Another 10 minutes and there was a lad at the back of his car with the hatch up, I rolled up and popped the question. "You are on the wrong road mate, this goes to the Sally Gap, head back down to the crossroad, turn right back into Laragh, past Lynhams, then turn right and follow the Glenmalure sign". Military road my ass, 30 minutes lost.

Glenmalure is a u-shaped glacial valley in the Wicklow Mountains in eastern Ireland, 250m higher than Glendalough, with this being the one road leading in or out, I turned right at the Drumgoff crossroads, with Glenmalure Lodge on the left, and took the road to the end where the Baravore Car Park was unexpectedly large. We left the car park at 9.40 having figured we walked up past the hostel. The warden was out in the garden and we queried about accessing Great Gully Ridge? "Keep on going, head up to the left, there are 2 lads ahead of ye", he called out, as we kept moving. This was useful when a couple of minutes later the road swung to the left with a path going on ahead.

So warm already, a guaranteed cracker of a day under the precious high-pressure spell. As we walked in the unsealed road into the heart of the Fraughan Rock Glen, another name for the valley, Colm told us about Michael Dwyer, who was a captain in the United Irishmen Rebellion of 1798. The area around us was a stronghold for rebels against the British due to its remoteness and inaccessibility but also relative closeness to Dublin. He held out for years in the hills with the British attempting to deny him shelter by severely punishing those suspected of harbouring his men. They assigned thousands of troops to Wicklow, and built a series of barracks as well as the aforementioned military road! Eventually, a deal was made but the British reneged on an agreement to give him safe passage to America and he spent 18 months in Kilmainham jail before he was sent to Australia as an unsentenced exile in 1805. However, he was stripped of his free settler status and transported to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania). In 1808 the Governor of New South Wales ordered that Michael Dwyer's freedom was reinstated. Amazingly, Michael Dwyer was later to become Chief of Police (1813–1820) at Liverpool, New South Wales.

As the road progressed into the valley it became more and more obvious that our route was up in the right corner, a relief with the left side in shade somewhat. It's marked Baravore Upper in the climbing.ie guide. As the unsealed road ended it was clear we need to cross the rough ground towards the base of the ridge, there was a slab with some water trickling down it that's better to cross lower than higher. We were at the base of the route at 11.00.

The route is HS, 4 pitches of 4a,3c,4b,4a and is described as 140m long on the climbing.ie route wiki. The system for grading traditionally protected climbs in Ireland is the traditional, two-part British \ Irish grade, a combination of the adjectival and technical grades. From the BMC site: "The adjectival grade [HS - Hard Severe] is the first part of the grade, and attempts to give a sense of the overall difficulty of a climb. This will be influenced by many aspects, including seriousness, sustaindness, technical difficulty, exposure, strenuousness, rock quality, and any other less tangible aspects which lend difficulty to a pitch. The second part of the grade, the technical grade [4a, 4b], is there to give an indication of the hardest move to be found on the route, irrespective of how many of them there might be, how strenuous it is, or how frightened you are when you do it." Comparing this to the USA where they have a single grade, the route is 5.6 from my experience.

David Flanagan's book Rock climbing in Ireland has a topo of the route and he has made these available: longer topo & closer topo. We used the former for route finding:

Dave Flanagan's Topo

I lead all the pitches, bringing 2 ropes, with Colm coming second cleaning the gear and Dave following third bringing the backpack. We only used one of the ropes for leading\belaying. I did clip one or 2 pieces into the 2nd rope to protect Dave when there was some traversing and he was being belayed on that rope. I ran out the 2nd pitch but still needed a 3rd scrambling pitch to set up a belay at the grassy wall described for the last pitch.

Tom on 2nd pitch

As we moved up the wall Art's Lough came more into view and the gorgeous weather made the thought of swimming across it all the more appealing.

Art's Lough from Great Gully Ridge

Taking snaps along the route got me thinking of a problem I never had climbing in the 90s and the first half of the naughties, what's a solution for carrying a camera phone when climbing? For multi-pitches, I used a small camera bag in the past clipped to my rack, but the camera always had a strap. Maybe a phone loop is an answer?

Dave & Colm on route

Dave Flanagan's 2012 blog on the route, describes three cruxes which are spot on, the first being literally at the start. I agree there is plenty of gear for all the cruxes. The exposure on the last pitch is outstanding and I wished it just kept going but it ended all too soon when another perfect belay spot materialised. There was about another 50m scramble up some grass, if you were to contine to the ridge top.

Colm found the abseil chain, I double-fishermaned the two ropes together and tossed them towards the narrow grassy gully. I ended up coming down a clean buttress, which must be the headwall area, it has a couple of 20m star VSs (D-for-Dog & Z-Backwards), which looked about right from abing down. The 50m rope barely got to the gully on the stretch. The orange rope would not pull! No tricks would get it loose. So it was out with my prusik to self-belay climbing up the corner. The 4 pm sun was catching us now and without a head scarf under my helmet, the sweat was literally streaming in rivers into my eyes, as I bridged up, with the sun block burning them as a result. I had to keep my eyes closed tight and trust those feet, feeling the prusik inching up. It's always great to have a reference and mine was The Maiden in Boulder's Flatirons in 1995 and having to "Kill the fear" and jumar with prusiks up a hanging free rope in the dark in order to free what ended up being a knot jammed on the other side of the lip. This time, it was easier, I reached a grassy bank and was able to traverse over to where I was above a point I passed between on the 2nd pitch where I knew there was another abseil point. I figured the rope had to pull from there and it did with some effort.

Great Gully Ridge looking down route

So talking to the lad we met walking out, I pulled out of my climbing gestures and said, yep, I backed off and climbed the crack with the old piton in it! It was exposed but felt very solid in comparison to the first crack 😀 The lads said most people go that way! Reading the UK Climbing log, one climber says the first crack is a VS finish, which feels about right for my rusty climbing skills, a good edge for liebacking he says...hmmm, not sure about that part! This lad still had another 15 minutes slog to the base, he had two women with him and he was leading having done the route a few time before. He was going to walk down via the head of the glen near the watercourse. It was 6.30 and he had a solid 4 hours of light left, you can't beat Irish summer evenings!

We were out of water! Colm gave me the last 10ml when I got down after the abseil saga. I was well thirsty after all that! My reference was a summer day in Eldorado Canyon with Matt, perhaps my favourite crag to climb in the world, getting down and driving to a gas station and drinking a straight bottle of Gatorade! I think this was worse! On the ridge, we had spotted the 2 climbers ahead of us cutting directly from the base to the road and we followed suite. Clearly, there is no path through and with the vegetation at a mid-summer high, it was not possible to avoid sinkhole drops in the gorse. Not an escape to the road to remember, most definitely climb with all your gear and walk out via the watercourse after you top out on the ridge and walk down to where it drops into the valley. Next time I would also walk in the same way we did, taking the road to the end.

Gorse walk-out marked - it does not look so bad from a height!

We called into the hostel desperate for water - it's pretty much is a simple Mountain Hut, with no running water or electricity. We could hear the Avonbeg River flowing at the back of the hostel and see their stack of 5L Bottles in the kitchen. The volunteer wardens very kindly brought us out some glasses, I drank 5 straight. They told us the hostel is now open in the summer months and every weekend through the year, staffed by volunteers.

The hostel was originally built as a hunting lodge and key historical Irish figures have spent time there, Countess Markievicz, Maud Gonne and her son Sean McBride, a founding member of Amnesty International and Nobel Peace Prize winner. Of course, Maud Gonne was W.B. Yeats's Muse, so Yeats also visited. J.M Synge owned the estate at one point and he wrote a play which was set in the house. It also hosted Irish presidents Eamon De Valera and Erskine Childers. It was donated to An Oige in 1955. The climbers ahead of us had stayed at the hostel the night before, an ideal choice for getting a proper early start on the route.

The Glenmalure Lodge was a perfect stop before the 2-hour drive home and this was my order for myself! A new reference point for thirst!

Mizen to Malin 2017

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 23 Jun 2017 20:54:00 +0000

Night 1: Leg 1: Mizen to Schull

Day 1: Leg 2 Schull to Tralee

Kevin 12:21

Kevin 00:22

Tough enough day today. 140km to Tralee. 5.5 hours saddle time, but over 8 hours from start to finish. Lovely weather, lovely scenery. Two significant climbs, Caha pass and molls gap, but each of those is not steep and fairly steady. Just long. While 6 of us did a longer spin two weekends ago, we all felt grand after it. Made us all think we were sorted. But, same guys, me included, have fairly sore tired legs after today...not good!

Not a whole lot of craic after dinner tonight... Lots off to bed early, those that stayed were pretty quiet.

175km planned tomorrow to get to Galway, so it's new territory there. Must go to bed!

Day 2: Leg 3: Tralee to Galway

Kevin 08:06

Heading out soon, heading for the ferry!

Kevin 16:05

Galway bay

Kevin 16.10

Gorgeous... That cycle from Lahinch to here in Kinvara [inland] was one of the best ever...

Conor 22:09

Good day today. Left Tralee at 8:30 and were well on target for the ferry at Tarbert at 10:30. A puncture for one of the two lads with disc brakes meant it had to be fixed so we barely made it. Got off at Killimer and headed for Cooraclare and to Quilty. It was Wild Atlantic Way to Lahinch from there with a good breeze behind us. Lunch was at one of the lad's mother's house. We were of again by 2:00 and made our way through mid-Clare, Ennistymon, Kilfinora, etc to end up in Kinvara by 4:00. Time for a pint and we rolled out of there to Kilcolgan. From there it was a bit of a grind to Galway city and we arrived here at 5:40.

Another big day awaits tomorrow!!

Preparation... And...nutrition! 😲

Day 3: Leg 4: Galway to Bundoran

Conor 20.10

Day 4: Leg 5: Bundoran to Malin

Conor 09:20

Getting there...

Conor

A few brief comments on yesterday's final stage. Kevin will have a different perspective as he is a fit as could be.

The grand plan was to be in the road for 7:00 so that we would be finished by 3:00 - it didn't work out that way. The start was delayed to try and avoid rain but we were all fairly wet by the time we got to Donegal town. Barnesmore Gap was a grind but beautiful, even in poor enough weather. After the descent to Stranorlar and Ballybofey, the tone was set for the rest of the day as long drags started to feature - a killer after three long days (unless you are Kevin). In fact Kevin matched one of the Athlone dudes, Michael, whenever he felt like it.

Ballybofey to Letterkenny was the worst of the weather so lunch at 10:45 was very welcome. Most lads did a near complete change of gear, especially top layers. Having that option highlighted the value of a support vehicle. From there to Buncrana was enjoyable as spirits were good. After coffee and the purchase of slabs of beer it was time to push on, on into a beautiful bog-land wilderness to Carndonagh. Sharon's sister, Michelle, gave us the lights as she passed us on the way to a call-out and Kevin had a lovely welcome from Maire and John McGeoghegan in Carndonagh who waited on the street to see us.

The last leg was really scenic as the sun came out for us. We rolled along the coast before turning inland and up (some more) short steep ramps. Once we were within 5km we could see the tower at the headland so we pushed on in great spirits. One final push was needed to cover the last 500m as the road climbed steeply to the finish line at 4:20. I'm glad it wasn't a climb that I knew about as it was, at a guess, over 10% with a few bends at 15%.

Cue great celebrations and relief and silly photos as we could finally say that the job was done.

It sounds silly, but the return journey framed the achievement for me. I broke each day down into segments and tried to avoid the thoughts of long daily distances. It took a long time to get home and that's what made me realise, "Christ, this was a huge undertaking!" I got to bed at 2:30 but really glad to have knocked it off. I'm sore today, but the memories will live forever and the legs will be fine tomorrow.

The last few minutes of Mizen to Malin captured on Adrian's GoPro here! What a relief to get up that last steep little hill and see the painted "Start/Finish" on the ground! Kudos to all the team!

That's the elation at knocking it off! Bloody great day!

678 km, c. 5,500 m of vertical ascent.

Amstel Gold sportive 2017

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 30 May 2017 09:03:00 +0000

Amstel Gold sportive

15 April 2017

150km and 1,600m of climbing

15,000 particpants

Back from the Amstel, I survived, Kevin thrived. He was something else.

Saturday didn't dawn well as gloomy early morning light was dappled with sporadic raindrops on the windows. The so-called Amstel Gold breakfast was inadequate, I doubt if it would have fortified a doggy for sitting in a window, let alone a body facing 7 hours or more on the saddle. We collected rented bikes from a warehouse and pedaled down to register. With all of that done, we rolled out at 9:30 in chilly, misty conditions.

The severity of the challenge became apparent as heavier showers punctuated the mist. With many parts of the route trailing through open upland meadows there was no shelter from a sometimes gusting but always present wind. The first foodstop came after 49 km, it was in a field that wouldn't look out of place in the ploughing championships. It was a low point as we stood around shivering while Redmond Burke fixed his second puncture. We literally had to get going before the cold paralysed is but some 30 mins later Redmond was fixing his third puncture. He eventually resolved the puncture trilogy and after we had completed two really good, even climbs we all met up again at the point where the borders of the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium meet. This social occasion included coffee, chips and Paul Quinlan warming his feet while trying to dry his socks at a very swanky open fire.

At that stage, with 82 km completed and a descent ahead I was feeling more optimistic. Little did I know that the sight of heaven and the finish was to require a further purgatory as short, jagged climbs with average gradient of 8% and ramps of double that signposted the closing 50 km. Kevin didn't put a foot down while I cracked and crumbled on three of them. In truth only one was a source of later reproach as I just can't do beyond 10%. Meanwhile Kevin crowned his day by passing multitudes in the Keutenberg, (the steepest hill in the Netherlands, average of 11% which begins with 22%.

We eventually came down into Valkenburg and swung left on to the iconic Cauberg hill, one last km at 7% with 12% shortly after it commenced. I was out on my feet but stayed in the saddle and ground it out. The last 1800m of flat was pure relief and a place that seemed so far away for so much of the day. After a quick beer we solved a transport issue by having some of us cycle back to Maastricht. I didn't care, it was a level road, one of the few I had been on that day.

Athlone Flatline Half marathon 2016

noreply@blogger.com (board tc) — Sat, 17 Sep 2016 22:46:00 +0000

The last two years I have gone with the 1.45 pacer and lasted half way through the bog, to about the 9 or 10k mark, keeping the pacing balloon within sight. But the last half and especially the last quarter I have slowed and suffered. Those year's I had a modest 240k training done in the preceding 3 months but this year I had done just 160k, 70% or previous, but I was hoping having gone to the gym twice a week since November - for the first tine in my life - would stand to me!

There I was at the start and I met a lad I was planning on seeing but had not arranged, another Tom C, right by the 1.50 balloon. Tom was going out with them and see how he got on, ideal, the gun went and I set off, after a little bit I noticed Tom a stride ahead and I joined him. We got around some runners and into open space, I spotted the pace balloon ahead, grand. The Endomondo lady on my phone said 5.04kph for the first k and then 4.45kph for the 2nd, why were they going so fast? Checking the app as I write -which I have used to track my running for all my half marathon training the last few years - I set a PB for 3 miles at 23min 24 sec. Not my plan! The ks continued at just over 5min\k pace and at about 7k I asked someone why the 1.50 pacers were going so hard, I was told it was the 1.45! Bollocks - game plan out the window.

Of course, I felt pretty decent and started dreaming of breaking the 1.45 and surely 1.50 was in the bag to give me a PB. I got to 10k just over 50min, not too far off my 10k best made in my only running of that as a singular event. I was still 3 telephone poles off the 1.45 pacing balloon. Looking at Endomono afterwards, I did a PB for 1 hour - 11.88k. Coming out on the main road was at 13k and then there was a slight downhill for 2k before tucking back into the bog road. I targeted the road, but the pace was dropping down to 5.17kph at 12 - I can recover this. I hit the main road and where are the family, who've always been at the finish line the previous 2 years and I never saw them cause I was too far gone. This time, they are viewing from here and the finish. Looks like they've stationed themselves well up the road. 14k. 5.20kph. Where are they? I wave in the distance at the wrong group. Ahh, there they are! Great, cheers, nice buzz. "Jimmy is winning" I hear Cadhla fade in the distance. Memories of doing the Athlone Olympic tri 5 years before when it still ran and cycling this road at 30kph with Malie having made a poster and out at the top of our old estate. But that is only a memory as I write, as I run I am not able to think of anything.

Almost immediately after I pass them I feel myself dropping and slowly punters pass. They pass in the car on the way to the finish line and I am helpless. I tuck back into the bog. At this point last year I had a stitch, this year I chugged 600ml 2.5 hours before the race, 150ml 25 min before, 70-100ml (1 gulp is about 30ml) at the water stops at 3m, 6m and 10+m. I felt different, I knew I was stronger this time. But damn, I could not run faster, 16k, 5.33. 5k left and I just can't run faster, I want to stop. This is so bloody hard, why am I doing this? Never do this again. People are stopping and walking. I want to stop too. Whatever you do, don't stop lad. 18k, 5.59kph, I've felt myself go backwards, punters have been passing me and it's continuing. The road turns back in from the bog, will it ever end, 20k, 6.11kph. Last turn home straight, keep an eye out for the family, this time, Gawd damn it. There's Malie, there they are, awesome. She has her hand out, she wants to finish with me, great, I put my hand out but don't turn and make sure she grabs it and the moment is gone. 50m, I can sprint this, go, take 3 lads, just at the line I break it with some lad. I turn and it's Tom C, I have pipped him at the line, he shakes my hand.

Meters passed the line I sit down and don't move for 20min I think. Laura passes over the chocolate milk, I take the one for Tom C as well, where is he, I wonder when he'll come in, I must go down to the runner's exit and look for him. Can you find me a blanket, the shivers kick in, Laura has one brought from home, the ambulance lads's unwrapped this other one. Tony can you get me another cup of coke. I get up what seems like 20min later and am unsteady.

Eventually, I bump into Tom C, I've stashed his milk in Christine's bag after having it under my blanket all that time. He reminds me I pipped him on the line, I had blanked that. Tom C had won the M60 last year and beat his time by 7 or 8 minutes this year but a Trim AC runner came in at 1.39 and a Ballina AC runner at 1.41, leaving his title in tatters but he still had a podium finish! The results were posted on the fence, we finished 404 and 405th, me 1sec ahead in 1.53.48. Check out my "sic sprint" to finish (barely moving):

So a couple of minutes slower than last year. I have realised that there are no shortcuts in this game to the long road miles. Also, next time I'm going with the 1.50s pacer mos def! I also discovered a recovery secret - a 45min power nap in the afternoon :-)

It was the 5th running of the flatline, a brilliantly organised and run event which takes a lof of effort from the committee.

Meacan Déarg

noreply@blogger.com (board tc) — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 09:49:00 +0000

Carrot Ridge, Gleann Eighneach, Binn an Choire, Connemara,
370m Diff

Sunday 17 July 2016

So I picked up Matt at 8.30 in his hotel in Athlone, later than ideal but a good compromise with him just having arrived from Chicago the day before; we met Colm at 9.30 in Galway city. With a coffee stop and finding literally the only parking spot on the Recess Kylemore road we left the car at 11.30. We hiked in via sheep trails, following the river into Gleann Eighneach, having to cross this before hiking up to the hidden base of Carrot Ridge - a tough ascent carrying packs.

Matt insisted on hiking in flip flops (one of his trade marks) and one strap spit before reaching the base with him finishing in bare feet. I got a big shock when i opened my bag and found no climbing shoes, seeing them in my head in the side pocket of my climbing gear bag in my room where I swapped bags to a 45L :-(

We started up the route at 1.30 carrying 2 packs and with me and Matt swapping leads, Colm was in the middle tied into a 60m and 50m to Matt and myself respectively. The grade was run out Diff (5.3, maybe some 5.4) and I managed to lead fine in boots.

We had the whole valley to ourselves, it was incredibly peacefully up there with a distant sound of the river Inagh and the endless sheep. We ate lunch on a wonderful ledge up at the top of pitch 6 before the rain came in. We couldn't see the road or any signs of civilisation, proper remote, I haven't experienced much if any of that in Ireland.

The climb was 370m, climbing,ie says, on lovely quartzite and after 8 pitches the last 100m was a gorgeous 100m clean rock scramble. It's so special being high on rock after a step hike into the base. On the route there was an amazing view of Seventh Heaven (HS) to the west against the skyline (see this topo), a 8 pitch route with plenty of 30m 4b run out I'm told. I'll be dreaming about it!

We topped out at 5.30 with the last hour-ish in rain, the rain, which had finally blown in from the west, was not too bad and didn't ruin things. Then we had a nasty descent down a scree slope \ moving boulders. Matt hiked down in his climbing shoes down to the flat before switching to the ripped flip flop. With a bum knee flaring up for Matt it was close to 8 by the time we were all back to the car. Epic. Great to be alive.

Named Meacan Buí, Colm's brother, who lives in the Gaeltacht, told him that means parsnip and it should have been called Meacan Déarg!

I highly recommend this amazing mountain experience at our doorstep here in Ireland.

Lynam Lecture & Medal 2015 - Ines Papert

noreply@blogger.com (board tc) — Fri, 11 Dec 2015 18:01:00 +0000

Last night at the Edmund Burke Lecture theatre in Trinity College Dublin, Ines Papert got presented with the Joss Lynam Medal for 2015 by the Mountaineering council of Ireland, see their review of the night.

The Lynam medal was first awarded in 2011 and here is the complete lst of winners.

Ines Papert's account of her first ascent completed on Mount Asgard in Baffin Island was fascinating and included a 60k walk-in with intense river crossings.

She got into paragliding as she hates walking down. An excellent multimedia presentation. Gift.

Openwater Swimming: Great Fjord Swim & Coumshingaun

noreply@blogger.com (board tc) — Tue, 01 Dec 2015 00:01:00 +0000

It has been such a busy year between building our house and lecturing in the college that I did virtually no swimming training at all. Over the summer I managed 4 or 5 sea swims and that was it. Unlike the previous few years though I did not bother with the wet suit on those swims, enjoying that sweet spot after the initial shock is over and you acclimatise and getting out before the cold had time to kick in, maybe after 20 minutes.

I did my second half marathon in September, Athlone's Flatline, and on the Monday after I went for a lunchtime swim to give the body a stretch. It felt really good and I went back on Thursday for a proper 1k session. I was loving it and got in touch with one of my swimming mates who told me they had been going out to the lake all summer and were still going out. I joined them the following lunchtime giving my wet suit it's season debut.

I joined them again the next Wednesday and was buzzing from it now. The lake was a 8 minute drive and we were in the water 40 minutes at the most. I had been aware of the Great fjord swim the last few years and was aware it had gone back to the format of diving off a boat and swimming in rather than the lap format of last year. McG then mailed and said did I know about it and that was the spur. I said it to the 2 lads I was training with and they were both keen, one of them having done it before.

Lunchtime training in Lough Ree for Great Fjord Swim 2015

I had done the Coosan Aquaton the previous summer but prior to that my last open water race was the Dingle Olympic triathlon 2 years ago. I had been scared before that race and got bitten by a jellyfish swimming but felt that I had broken through and could survive out there. But I never went on to cement that. It was 2 weeks to the race so I just kept going at lunchtime. My goal was to get over any residual doubts of being afraid in open water.

I read or rather listened to my first audio book while training for the half marathon, The Rise of Superman which is a brilliant book about flow. On the Thursday session, 9 days before the fjord, I experienced flow swimming and I'm not sure I did again - though the race itself was close to getting there. The body was just moving, going though the routine and I was not thinking about it, a wonderful feeling I am struggling to articulate.

The fjord race was a dream event, the most fun event I've ever done! Because of an accident in a triathlon in England this summer were a swimmer went missing the great fjord swim were making tow buoys compulsory. We got the ferry out 2km up the fjord from the sleepzone hostel and jumped off the back of it.

The course had buoys every 100m and a bonfire on the beach we were swimming too but I saw maybe 3 or 4 buoys and never saw the fire smoke :-( What I did see were other tow floats and they kept me on course, so we guided each other really. I finished in 0:52:24 and was very happy, especially when I went into the exit tent and got some hot soup. I was surprised and delighted when McG told me on top of Diamond Hill the next day, after a hike in to die for conditions, that I came 38th, which was actually in the top 25%. After so little, though intensive training, I was chuffed.

4 weeks later I had a weekend trip to Waterford planned and when a Coumshingaun hike was raised, it was clear to me that this was a not to be missed chance to swim there! The last time I visited this most special corrie was to climb on one of the routes there in September 2009, previous times were invariable family trips with our first born before we moved away from Waterford.

Jumping off the boat in Killary I had no nerves just a desire to swim and even after reading the lone swimmer's blog post which starts off saying "My days of being an open water swimmer are over.", I was well up for the coum swim. I swam right into the back of it moving from the south west edge over towards the back. Knowing the rest of the group would be getting cold waiting I didn't go into the back corner - next time - but turned and swam back down the middle of the loch. I didn't see even one fish - it has some even though no rivers feed it. It's 800m long and I guestimate I did about 1300m. My feet were cold, hands just a little, but there was no thawing involved. I've been a lot colder after getting out of the water after a quick in and out on Christmas\New year's day.

Snooker Masters 2015

noreply@blogger.com (board tc) — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 12:35:00 +0000

Pre tournament odds for Shawn Murphy winning the Masters were around 18-1, that only left 5 players above him tipped to win - Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Selby, Neil Robertson, Ding Junhui, and Judd Trump.

World #11 Murphy beat world champions and world #4 Mark Selby 6-5 in the first round. He beat #12 Stephen Maguire 6-4 in the quarter finals, Maguire had beat world #7 Judd Trump in the first round. Next up was world #6 Mark Allen in the semis, he beat him 6-2.

Neil Roberston, the world #1 beat world #3 Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-1 in the semi-final, it was Ronnie's first Masters semi final loss after 10 wins. It was Robertson's third Masters final in 4 years but Shaun Murphy destroyed the world #1 6-2.

World #2 Ding Junhui should be next to join the triple crown club, he has to win the world championship to do that.

Matthew Stevens, world #21 has also to win the world to complete the triple crown. Stevens lost the final in 2000 to Mark Williams leading 14–10 at the start of the last session. He lost the 2005 final to Shaun Murphy from 10-6 up overnight. He is still only 37

In the quarter final against Marco Fu, Ronnie O'Sullivan claimed his 776th career century, taking him one beyond Stephen Hendry’s haul.

Ronnie has 2 more Triple crown events before he turns 40. My money on him is to equal Hendry's record by wining 3 more triple crown events. I wonder how many players in their 40's have won a triple crown event?

Remarkable triathlon podium streak ends

noreply@blogger.com (board tc) — Thu, 22 May 2014 11:26:00 +0000

The 3rd round of the 2014 World Triathlon series last weekend in Yokohama in Japan was won by Javier Gómez, 31, triple world champion (2008, 2010, 2013) and winner of all this year's races.

As usual the Brownlees and Gomez were in the lead group out of the swim and formed part of the front cycle pack. The bike course was over 9 laps. Kiwi Tom Davidson did a phenomenal job and bridged a large group over to the leaders, including Mario Mola (ESP) and Richard Murray (RSA). Both of these finished ahead of the Brownlees. Gomez and Mario Mola had an amazing sprint finish with Gomez just doing enough.

That brought to an end - after nearly 50 consecutive race - the podium streak of Jonathan Brownlee which dates back I believe to the 2010 European Championship in Athlone.

London will host the next round of the Series in Hyde Park on 31 May. For a change, the elite men’s and women’s races will take place over the sprint distance (750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run).

Swimming lessons 2010-2013

noreply@blogger.com (board tc) — Thu, 26 Sep 2013 17:20:00 +0000

In many places I have lived over the years I have looked for adult swimming lessons and was frustratingly never able to find them. I had it in my head that I wanted to learn to flip turn.

When we moved to Athlone in 2010 we discovered it was hosting the 2010 European Triathlon Championship 6 weeks after we came to town :-) Watching 2009 world & 2012 Olympic Champion, Alistair Brownlee win over the now current and three time world champion Javier Gomez was fantastic. Seeing regular people taking part was an inspiration for me to train and compete on the same course the following year.

Please install the Flash Plugin

Discovering the Athlone Regional Sport Centre and it's instructors has been one of the best things about living in Athlone. I have done their advanced lane swimming classes which runs in 7 Thursday night blocks 5 times, twice in 10/11 in preparation for my first tri and 3 times in 12/13 while training for my second.

On my first night in 2010 I told the instructor Dave I wanted to learn the flip turn. He said there were a few things to learn first! I still can't flip turn! I had read some of the total immersion book, borrowed from my brother, over the previous decade while self-learning freestyle. I had used the book principally for learning alternate side breathing and had not dived into the rest of the book in detail. It had not yet sunk in how technical a sport swimming is.

In advance of competing in the 2013 Brian Boru tri I went over my swimming lessons notes.

The personal feedback I got from the 2010/11 sessions was:

Breathing too rigid: body must turn as well as head to breath, head should stay completely still, only break over water enough to just catch a breath.
Relax the shoulders
Entry
- My left arm goes right over and enters the water outside my shoulder on the right, it should enter in-line with my shoulder.
- Can see bubbles when I swim as air passing through fingers, keep fingers tight.
- After 10 lengths, throwing my arms, which twist my legs, keep elbows high.
- after entry catch water and push back when extending hand back to hip.
Legs
- My legs are sinking & cycling in the water, straighten them and keep my knees down.
- Feet are straight so the block water, be long in the water.

From the 2012/2013 sessions:

Breathing: I am over-inhaling, so I am working too hard to compensate. I am gasping each time, breathe should be normal, if you breath too hard it tells your body it should be "panicking" as well.
Entry
- Keep fingers closed, together, be a spoon not a fork and knife.
- Hand is entering too late, I should not stretch my hand at the top of the water before entry. I am entering close to wrist, it should be entering between wrist and elbow of opposite hand. As a result my body is not as streamlined through water. I should enter at right angles and then glide under the surface longer. After entry, the hand should extend about 10cm under water (find a point between the malleable top water and the deeper stuff), before stretching.
- My left arm is pulling across and not doing a complete stroke. Imagine a centre line going through body and don't let hand/arm cross that.
Strokecount
- I am only doing half strokes, I should extend my hands and then brush my hip when I pull back.
- Normal stroke is one hand following the other but my cadence is too fast. The out of water stroke should be slower (no resistance) as it's slower under water.
- I am not extending enough in the water, I am moving my arms too fast.

My ongoing issues I need to work on are:

Leg sinking

I have a big problem with my legs sink and I have not been able to improve that yet. The ideal is the ankles breaking surface and with some splashing.

Entry

I am still struggling with my entry, I know I am going in too later and I struggle going in earlier.

Strokecount

My stroke count for 25m still is generally 30-32. The best I have managed is 29. This is way too much and means I am wasting energy. I should be able to reduce this to 24 with improved technique. Swimmers with excellent technique would do perhaps 18 strokes per 25m.

Breathing

I have breathing issues and mentally struggle keeping my head under water. Recently I read the Inner Games of Tennis, first written in 1975 it talks about switching off the thinking brain (self 2) and letting the body (self 1) uses it's memory muscles. It worked on switching off my brain to get through the Brian Boru mentally but in the long run this is no good for improving technique.

Back to reading the classic Total Immersion book and more lessons for me.

Brewers' Ryan Braun - drugs cheat

noreply@blogger.com (blocker blake) — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 20:52:00 +0000

Mixed emotions on Ryan Braun's drug suspension - obviously disappointed in someone that I admired - but delighted to see some action being taken by the sport. He got off 2 years ago (in his MVP season) on what was assumed to be a technicality - no doubt making the authorities more determined to catch him.

However the suspension is a bit of a joke - he'll miss the rest of the season - 65 games in a 162 game season. Brewers bottom of their division, already out of contention, no real impact.

Interesting reaction from the Brewers' owner - e-mail to all fans:

http://brewers.mlblogs.com/2013/07/30/a-letter-to-brewers-fans-from-chairman-and-principal-owner-mark-attanasio/

Even more interesting is that he's PAYING FANS TO TURN UP:

http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/brewersfansfirstvoucher.html

Desperate times......

Lug up Lugnaquilla

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 16 Jul 2013 21:03:00 +0000

Lugnaquilla - or just Lug - is the highest mountain in Wicklow. At 925m (3035 ft), it is also the highest peak in Ireland outside Kerry. In Scotland, it would qualify as a Munro. It's a serious enough mountain in winter, with avalanches and rescues in recent years, and options for ice-climbing on the North and South Prisons which guard the peak.

I first hiked up Lug in the late 90's, and was up only once since then, in January 2001. The latter was with Richenda, about 3 days after we first met. Tom, you were there too (as was Eoghan, and a few others). It was a seriously cold day, and no time to hang around on top. I don't think an exaggeration to say than minus 15 with wind chill.

Last week was the first time I realised it was possible to bike up Lug. With the seed planted, it seemed there was a bit of interest and in the end with not much planning (except a map, and knowing the route up and down) Paul and I met up with Andy in the beautiful Glenmalure valley last Sunday evening at 6:30.

We were ambitiously aiming for a 3 hour loop, but had lights (and one bivvy bag between three!) just in case. So, off up the valley, northwest - past the beautiful An Óige hostel, following the course of the Avonbeg river.

The first 15 minutes were probably the toughest of the whole circuit. It was seriously hot, like nothing I've experienced in Ireland (at that time of day). The terrain was gravel fireroad, slippy. On we climbed.

Looking back to Glenmalure valley.

Hot.

Harder than it looks. Andy, with Paul behind.

This sign clarified that mountain-biking is a prohibited activity. We took a left here onto a smaller trail, heading up towards Table mountain.

Up at 700 m. now, just like that. This is the boundary of the Glen of Imaal military range - "...do not touch any military debris, it may explode and kill you...".

Paul and Andy. Taking a breather here.

A gentle climb to Camenabologue, Lug is now visible.

Cairn at Camenabologue (758 m). There is a sting in the tail here though, as we dropped down over 100 m, and more climbing to follow.

A bit of carrying needless to say.

Check out those views - you could see every mountain in Wicklow from up here: Sugar Loaf, Djouce, Tonlagee, Mullacleevaun, Kippure, Turlough hill, Lugduff...

The cliff is the one of the faces of Lug, down to Art's Lough below.

Paul silhouetted.

More views...

...and the sunset.

The three of us on top. Still plenty of light, right?

Um, puncture.

From the top, it was flowing (whooping) downhill, leading to technical (less whooping) rocky downhill, and finally the zig-zags (super fast switchbacks - more whooping) back down to the valley floor, and a short ride back the road to the car. It was fairly dark by now, but we had just about gotten away without lights. A plague of monster midges here, like nothing I've ever witnessed - we were being eaten alive.

The stats: it took us four hours to get around, but my moving time was 2 hours 45, so there was plenty of hanging about, taking it all in. Average speed was a hopelessly slow 7.8 km/h (possibly explained by the ~900m. climbing).

This was a really special and epic spin, real mountain-biking (as in, we biked up and down a reasonably large mountain), and something I wouldn't have even contemplated a week ago. We were all very buzzed up, and to be honest despite the (nice) tiredness, it was hard to sleep that night. The conditions were absolutely pristine - this is normally a seriously boggy circuit, and we didn't even get a foot wet. This is clearly the best summer we've had in this country in decades. Are you making the most of it?

Ancient Brambles arête & the lost ring

noreply@blogger.com (board tc) — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 14:14:00 +0000

Rock Climbing is my favourite thing to do in the outdoors, the places it brings you, the freedom, the feeling of satisfaction are not really paralleled for me.
In 2009 I took a breath and realised I had not been on the rock since Easter 2006 when I spent an amazing five days at Pedraforca in the Pyrennes (including a benighting after climbing the stunning line circled in the picture).

Living in Waterford and hiking up to the amazing Coumshingaun I had been wanting to get up there climbing. I had a Saturday outing with Cormac in July to the excellent Ballykeefe Quarry in Kilkenny and then on a September Sunday I went up to the coum with Andy, where we fought through the typical rain and got up a 25m route on the south-facing cliff - Devices & Desires (HS 4B). Too many plans foiled by the weather, too little time.

Martin and I started hatching plans for Costa Blanca and that November we spent 3 prime days climbing there (including Penon d'Ifach pictured below).

I had not been on the rock since, going on 4 years. Over the June bank holiday weekend I brought my 6 year old on the climbing wall in Dingle, she flew up the 20m walls and loved it. Then I read McG's post about midweek night summer rides and I got inspired.

I started climbing outdoors through a beginner's climbing course in Dalkey quarry with the Irish
Mountaineering Club in spring/summer 1992. On that course I made a lad, Colm, and we purchased a rope and basic rack together. 2 years later I moved to the USA, before going we split the gear, buying a 2nd rope which Colm kept, with me retaining the original. I climbed all over with this rope until I dislodged a rock at Ti Point in New Zealand in 2000 which ended up badly damaging the rope at the half way point and ending up with 2 25m ropes. I still have the damaged piece:

Colm and I had briefly got back in touch last year over a phone call but I had not seen him in a long time. I got on climbing.ie which hosts a wiki for climbing in Ireland and I saw 2 small crags in Westmeath both near Castlepollard. With me in Athlone and Colm in Dublin I proposed we meet up at one, the Rock of Curry, and go climbing.

We arranged to meet up the evening of Wednesday 19 June which turned out to be a lovely evening. We eventually both found the little farmers lane described on the wiki at about 7.30. The crag looked impressive, especially for the Midlands, perched up there from the road and we started catching up on nearly 20 years as we got organised.

We could hear farm equipment on the go and we kept an eye out for the farmer to have a chat. It was not long before he came up to us, he was a nice lad but unfortunately there was no way we could climb there he said. I showed him the details of the crag on the web and he was unaware of previous climbing done there in 2010 & 2011. His stance was that with the crag and access being on his land, one sue would shut him down.

It's an unfortunate situation in Ireland where there are almost no public right of ways at all. I got the farmers details and have since talked to the Mountaineering council of Ireland's Access officer who is going to contact him and expects to put him at ease. So I hope to get back to the Rock of Curry this summer!

I remembered the 2nd crag in Westmeath and getting connectivity back in Castlepollard we found the crag was close by in Fore. The small outcrop is unmissable from the town being a 5min walk up behind the graveyard. In the summer evening light the gorgeous view from the base of the crag of the valley overlooked the old Benedictine Abbey ruin of Fore Abbey where St Feichín founded an Early Christian monastery around 630 AD.

Colm had brought his rope, it turns out it was the 2nd rope we had bought in 1994, which I had never climbed on, tonight was to be the first time. The climbing wiki describes 3 routes on the rock the first put up in 1974. It must have been after 9 when I tied in and started up this route in the middle of the buttress. Starting to climb, I noticed my ring and down climbed tossing it into the side pocket of my bag. The rock was solid but had some loose bits due to not being climbed on frequently. There was an obvious crux (hard bit of the climb) which I worked on for a while, on stepping up over the bulge it felt a bit loose and taking account of the time of the day and wanting to get something done I backed off.

Really I fancied the small arête 5 metres to the right which was unclimbed! I have only put up one route before, on the North Island in New Zealand, a chimney I christened Buzzing Web. This was a not so difficult climb but it felt great to be on the rock again. As I climbed the arête the vertical ridge became more obvious and would look more aesthetic if some gardening was done to remove the vegetation.

With the fine evening we were in shorts and getting to the top of the pillar it became obvious pretty quickly when I tried to go further that I was being ripped to shreds. With the night drawing in I decided to setup a belay station which we could abseil from slinging the pillar with a 5m corlette.

When I got home I added the climb to the wiki and called it Ancient brambles arête. The following day I missed my ring and that night went through my bag - absolutely gutted to not find it. Christine had given me this ring when we got married at sunset on a boat in Hawaii, this was not cool. Colm checked and it was not in his bag. I could not believe I had not hung it on some gear and just tossed it in the bag loosely and absent-mindedly. I took a half day on Friday and rented a metal detector and went back to Fore with all the family where we diligently spent 2 hours finding and digging up old beer cans and the like. We came to the conclusion that a cow had eaten it in the grass. When I found a story about a wedding ring being found in a cow when it was cut up 3 years after being sucked off the finger I was not too hopeful. We talked about heading back with a couple of detectors checking all the patties. Also, Christine since rang the garda station and tourist office.
You can see the detecting going on in the picture!

Last night I finally got to reorganising my gear nearly 2 weeks after the climb at Fore.

Sorting my second last piece, I was blown away so see sitting on the carabiner on one of the extenders my ring! Subconsciously old habits died hard and I must have slipped the ring on a carabiner when throwing it into the bag without even realising it.

McQuaid interview on Newstalk

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 20:35:00 +0000

Very edgy interview, and fascinating insight into his mindsight. Gilroy does a decent job, just keeps at him. Would love to see him referee McQuaid and Kimmage some day - I'd pay to hear it :)

Podcast is here (broadcast 23rd June).

Running

noreply@blogger.com (blocker blake) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:01:00 +0000

1. Running is a constant struggle. Niggling injuries. Difficult to get out the front door. Dour, tough training. Back / knee / shin / ankle pain. Frustration. Too easy to say no.

2. Running is gliding along a road. Pain – free. Head space, relaxing and enjoyable. Exercise but seems like little effort involved. Controlled. Easy. Pleasurable.

The difference?

Chi running. Did a course with Catherina McKiernan three weeks ago and I’m a convert. There have been times during and since the course when running seemed almost Zen-like, gliding along the seafront. Really relaxing. My attitude has completely changed from measuring distance and time to relaxing, concentrating on technique and enjoying being out.

In addition, you get to spend a day with a friendly, down to earth legend with an incredible passion for running. She is only too delighted to help everyone from experienced, top level runners to people who are starting out (generally the high side of 35 and carrying a few pounds J)

Check it out (€150 for the day)….

http://catherinamckiernan.com/DesktopDefault.aspx

Lebron James - Dunk block in Game 2 of the 2013 NBA Finals

noreply@blogger.com (board tc) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:44:00 +0000

Dunk Block in Slo-Mo

Granite

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 20:25:00 +0000

Long summer evenings mean the possibility of after work spins, and a few of us have been heading up the hills midweek, usually Wednesday (it's always dry on a Wednesday for some reason). I missed last week (Olympia). Thursday (30th) was a cracker, so I left work at 6 and within the hour was on top of Three Rock. Hazy views out over Dublin Bay, Howth, Lambay island in the distance. Always time to take in the views. Especially after that climb (450m.)

In my mind I'd worked out a route down while climbing, a track I hadn't done in a year or more, off the beaten track. So down I went, fairly tricky, which I knew, so careful. Rocky, then winding into the trees, and rocky again. A small spill, just landed on my side on boggy ground. Dusted off, then back up. Not really concentrating, so didn't "get going" properly (it was fairly steep), and I hadn't clipped in the left foot properly. A small bump brought me to a stop, and with the body-weight all wrong, I slowly went up on the front wheel. Slow motion, and (too relaxed) landed over the handlebars. Didn't really feel anything, so dusted myself off, and picked up the bike.

Only then noticed some blood. Lots of blood actually. Pouring from my forehead, on which I had inadvertently and unknowingly landed (the helmet took no impact due to the angle of the fall). No other symptoms or pain - I was clear-headed and didn't panic, but knew I had to act quickly and carefully. No-one was going to find me here in a hurry, even if I could explain where I was. I took my top off to stem the flow of blood (compression, right?). Somehow worried about blood on my shoes and on my bag. And the icebreaker soon to be soaked in blood.

So, now topless, holding the t-shirt to the wound, I walked the 10 minutes or so back up to the masts. It would be faster home this way. I phoned Richenda to fill her in (impossible to talk, kids all at full pelt - bedtime pending). A couple of Polish lads on top saw me coming towards them, I showed them the gash (they gasped of course - helpful). I was probably like something out of a zombie flick. Another lad came on the scene, army man - full first aid kit, put on his latex gloves, cleaned me up, bandage, tape - the works (I took his number, and rang him later to say all OK). Discussed if stitches needed (he thought yes) and if it would scar (ditto).

We worked out that the bike was in good nick. With barriers blocking car access to the mountain, I decided to find my own way down. Another phone call home to arrange a hospital trip. And down I went - gingerly. Cleaned myself up in the shower, changed, ate (I pretty much knew the wound was superficial - although somewhat woozier now). My Kiwi neighbour Adrian drove me to Tallaght emergency department. You really do see all sorts here. I was seen by the triage nurse fairly quickly - he took off the bandage, and knew I'd need stitches. Another 15 minutes to see a doctor. Clean-up job (he got stuck in), then the dreaded needle. Not too bad to be honest. A tetanus shot (you know where) just in case. God knows when I had the last one. A nurse cleaned up my knee and shoulder, and bandaged them - hadn't really noticed before. Back home within two hours. God bless the HSE (at least it wasn't post-midnight Saturday night).

I took Friday off work - I was very foggy for the next 24 hours, like being drunk and hungover at the same time. Pain kicked in some more that night, but nothing serious. Over a week later, it has healed quite well. And the sorest part of me now is the ribs (not bruised - possibly cracked?). Some hard lessons learned. I always ride with helmet, and within myself, but sometimes alone obviously (never at night though). Some of this will have to change. And I've bought a new helmet too.

Banff Mountain Film Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 16:31:00 +0000

Went to the Banff Mountain Film Festival last night. Each film was better than the previous, world class.

Here are the trailers for movies which played.

Wide Boyz - Two unknown English lads attempt to beat the best American climbers on their own turf, including an attempt on Century Crack, the toughest climb of its kind on the planet. 'Off-Width' (crack) climbers really are a different breed, hard nuts.

Strength in Numbers - Mountain-Biking in the Swiss alps, and local teenagers with incredible skills in an urban bike park in California.

Flow Hunters - White-water kayaking on the South Island's west coast, and Tree Trunk Gorge near Taupo.

Crossing the Ice - Highlight of the night. Two Aussies with little skills or experience attempt to become the first to hike from the Antarctic edge to South Pole and back, unassisted. A Norwegian starts out to do the same one day before them, so this is a race as well as a battle of survival. Gripping.

Being There - Skiing in Norway. Does what it says on the tin, incredible skills and scenery.

Honnold 3.0 - Alex Honnold attempts to free-solo 3 of the biggest walls in Yosemite (El Cap and Half-Done included). Crazy enough, except he aims to do it in 24 hours.

Lily Shreds Tailside - Super short, Lily is a Jack Russel. Just watch.

Ski Sunday meets Tom Burt

noreply@blogger.com (board tc) — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 21:46:00 +0000

Ed Leigh meet up with snowboard legend, Tahoe local, Tom Burt, on Ski Sunday this week. He came across as a legend should and it was amazing to hear that he has never repeated a line.

Unfortunately the bbc iPlayer for TV is still not usable outside Ireland without fiddling with your proxy. Set your series record for Sunday at 17.15.

Best bike routes in Ireland - Part 1: Sally Gap

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 15:48:00 +0000

I've always appreciated the amount of great mountain-bike trails on my doorstep. What I've come to realise more recently is the even more extensive network of mountain roads extending from home over the Dublin Mountains and into Wicklow, with a huge number of loops and permutations to be explored. A spare hour on a weekend afternoon is time enough to bike up Three Rock, over to Glencullen (the church where I was married), and back via Pine Forest/Tibradden in about an hour - and all ridable on my road bike (actually cyclo-cross, but anyway...). In forty minutes I can be up on the Featherbead (Military Road) which at nearly 500m. is even higher than the masts at Three Rock (by comparison, the Connor Pass near Dingle is 410m above sea level).

The Military road leads to the Sally Gap, a mountain crossroads in the middle of Wicklow (or middle of nowhere perhaps - there isn't a house that I know of within 5 miles). It too is nearly 500m elevation, and is often closed (and the scene of mountain rescues) every winter. Straight on is Laragh & Glendalough, right brings you to Blessington and its lakes, and left is the beautiful road past Lough Tay, Luggala and towards Lough Dan (past Ballinastoe).

The map above (full route here on MapMyRide) describes the route as 48.8 km, with 727 m. total ascent, and it is this loop I biked on the 1st July this year. I'll let the pictures do most of the talking.

Pine Forest - 4.5 km from home; 250 m elevation (home is 100 m); 20 minutes.

Top of Cruagh Road nearing the junction with Military Road, this section has an alpine feel (350 m; 7 km; 27 min).

Looking down from the Featherbed into Glenasmole valley and the Bohernabreena reservoirs.

The lane (Bog Road) in the picture - heading towards Kippure mountain - marks the boundary with Co. Wicklow (486 m; 11 km; 40 min).

Bog cotton beneath Kippure.

Sugar Loaf in the distance.

After a nice descent, it's a steady climb again to Lough Bray Upper. The cliffs behind are home to nesting Peregrine falcons which I've seen up here during summer hikes. The road keeps climbing now to the highest point of the day at about 520m.

Man and bike at Lough Bray Upper (470 m; 17 km; 60 min).

This humble stream is actually the beginnings of the mighty Liffey - a muddy hike upstream will bring you to its source (maybe another day).

At the gap (486 m; 22 km; 1:15 on the clock)

Turn right towards Blessington for a fast descent into the Liffey Valley (not the shopping centre thankfully).

This may be the Liffey.

As might this...

Very green up here. A right turn at Kippure Estate and the road climbs again to Ballinascorney...

Grass in the middle of the road says it all.

Keep out. Kilbride army camp, and military ranges (480 m.; 36 km).

This river flowing out of the Bohernabreena reservoir is (I just discovered...) the Dodder which I ride alongside to work every morning.

Back to civilisation at Firhouse breaks the spell somewhat, but it's a fantastic loop - at any time of year - with inspiring views and little traffic. Home for a well-earned lunch in just under two and a half hours, average speed for the day was 20km/h.

Road biking is of course a very different buzz from mountain-biking, and I'm very lucky to live somewhere where I have great options for both as the mood takes me.

Game On

noreply@blogger.com (blocker blake) — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 21:54:00 +0000

Tonight is game 1 of the World Series and already proving to be one of the most fascinating post seasons in recent years. San Francisco came from 2-0 down to beat the hot favourite Cincinnati Reds in 5, then found themselves 3-1 down in a best of 7 against the reigning champions Cardinals before taking the series 4-3. That's 6 elimination games in a row they have won.

Tigers on the other hand took the Yankees 4-0 after making hard work of overcoming the A's (they were 2-0 up before winning 3-2). So, they're well rested and are starting game 1 with their top pitcher and some of the best hitters in baseball in Cabera and Fielder.

Giants on the other hand, are taking a necessary gamble on an inconsistent Zito on the mound and very erratic scoring. Should be a fascinating matchup, everything points to a Tigers win, but Giants just don't know when they are beaten.

Lance....

noreply@blogger.com (blocker blake) — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 22:28:00 +0000

Essential Radio this evening - David Walsh and Paul Kimmage on Off the Ball

http://soundcloud.com/off-the-ball/paul-kimmage-on-tonights-off

Started reading some of the reports on various websites and then stumbled across this and spent the last 2 hours reading testamonies......

http://cyclinginvestigation.usada.org/

Lot of extracts have been covered in the media - but Tyler Hamilton's affadavit is just incredible. It's fantastic that all the evidence is published and people can see what was going on.

Would never, ever usually do this - but ended up making a small contribution to the Paul Kimmage defense fund:

http://nyvelocity.com/content/features/2012/paul-kimmage-defense-fund

How the UCI have the nerve to be taking a case against him is beyond me.

Powerscourt WAR 2012 (Part 4)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 20:43:00 +0000

The route to the finish brought us past Ballinastoe (MTB park) and opened out to gorgeous vistas of Djouce and the Wicklow mountains on the left. It was more like a time-trial now, although with long straight roads you could still see people stretched out far ahead. Reeling them in was slow going but I did pass a few before the final 2k climb into the estate and up to the finish line.I do like a good climb, so I managed to overtake a dozen more in the final haul, including the tri-guy who'd passed me earlier. Tri-bikes really aren't made for climbing.

Around the final corner and very chuffed to see Richenda, Ruby and Aster there cheering me on. Turns out they had just arrived, and I was literally the first person they'd seen cross the finishing line. Timing!

One final sting in the tail, as I was half-jokingly accused of cheating - my finishing printout showed that I'd missed the tag point at the start of the Sugar Loaf run. "Have you been a naughty boy then?" was how it was put. It was all fine in the end, I just had to describe the location, and they took me at my word - just one of those things, but my brain was a bit like scrambled egg at this stage, and it wasn't quite the finish I had in mind with Richenda and the girls standing there beside me.

It was a scorching afternoon, and as hunger kicked in we relaxed in the sun while I savaged the sandwiches, coffee and fruit on offer. From there we wandered over to Powerscourt Gardens for the rest of the afternoon, sharing it with hordes of tourists. It really is a stunning location though. And to cap it off, we had an early dinner al fresco in the café. Including dessert. I felt I earned it.

Next day I found out I'd finished 21st of the 228 who'd entered the Sport. My goal had been to finish in the top 10%, and this was the first time I'd ever come so high (in relative terms). Only one girl finished ahead of me, so maybe next year's goal is to go one better.

April 2013 for the Glendalough WAR - surely enough notice for ye, who's up for it?

Powerscourt WAR 2012 (Part 3)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 20:36:00 +0000

The chase was on. While the others had a leisurely (and safe) descent to start the race, I was going like the clappers from the off, but soon decided better to take it handy or the race would really be over before it began. Out of the estate and onto the main road, the route settled into a slow, steady climb towards the mountains. My kind of road. Soon I was passing backmarkers - these lads looked like they were going to be out for the day. Sunday drivers.

Not knowing exactly how many were in my wave, I still thought it would be good incentive to count those I passed. Knocking them off fairly quickly, 10, 20, 30... over 50 by the time I reached the foot of the Sugarloaf for the first transition. Off the bike, and a fairly flat road run to start. Grabbing some food on the hoof - energy bar, wine gums and a gel. Yum.

The lane became a boggy field, and the race was really starting now. Not passing others so frequently anymore, maybe another 10 - 15 or so before the very steep and rocky scramble to the summit. One guy passed me here, he seemed to be a descent hill-runner, so I tried to stay with him. I would end up catching him at the start of the kayak leg. Trying to run each step, but it was really hard in parts, everyone was walking the last part - must be 40-50 degrees, it's a fairly savage mountain for its modest height (501m). Clocked in on top, and then straight down, giving myself a few seconds to take in the views - it was a stunning day, and I was really hot now (wondering if I should have worn short sleeves).

Careful now coming down the rocky part - even using hands at times, and wondering if the bike helmet would have been useful here! Finally back to softer ground underfoot, and able to ramp up a bit. I was soon back on the bike, somewhere less than 45 minutes for the run, happy enough. The next leg to Roundwood was pretty uneventful - 9k, very flat and straight, and able to get into the high gears. One lad passed me here, he was on a tri-bike and fairly moving.

Arrived at Vartry lakes to find the hill-runner I'd seen earlier already sitting in a kayak, so I was able to just jump in the back and we were off with no fuss. Tom from Kilkenny was an Army man, training for a 4 week climbing trip to the Himalayas next month. Very sound fellow, a good chat all the way around, and enjoying the relative tranquility of this part of the race.

We were finished in about 15 minutes, even passed a few others, and then back on the bike for the 15k bike leg to the finish. I passed Tom and pulled away - he'd mentioned he only started bike training a few weeks before. It was head down now, but there was plenty of up and down in the remaining miles, and also traffic to watch out for. The hard work was done and it was a good feeling to know that the finishing line was now within reach.