Lough Cutra Castle Gauntlet 2023

COURSE GUIDE

“What an amazing race! Two days later I am still smiling! Challenging, beautiful scenery, superbly organised so all you have to do is focussing on your race and enjoy every part of it.”

Mascha H

“Great event, extremely well organised. Detailed route maps and pre race video had all the information needed and the route was well marked.”

Colum B

Dear Competitor,

Signed up or thinking of signing up to this immense challenge? This guide will provide you with all the information you need about The Gauntlet at Lough Cutra Castle.

This race is named after three epic references, the protective glove used as a form of armour during historical battles and the two idioms ‘running the gauntlet’ (to run between two rows of adversaries) and ‘throwing down the gauntlet’ (challengeing someone to mortal combat).

Our goal is to ensure you have the best race experience possible and for your loved ones to have a great time supporting you along the route and celebrating with you in our festival village. We want you all to soak up the atmosphere, see the sights and make the castle grounds and the stunning surrounding countryside your playground for the day.

We wish you all the best for your training and pre-race preparations and we look forward to seeing you at the start line for a race to remember.

Brian Adcock Race Director

YOUR RACE INFORMATION

RACE INFORMATION

SWIM COURSE

The Gauntlet swim course is a 1.9km loop which circumnavigates Apple Island. Swim in not only Europe’s largest privately owned lake but one of the most beautiful lakes in the World.

LOUGH CUTRA CASTLE SUNDAY SWIMS

Race Director, Brian Adcock will record an online briefing prior to race day which will be shared on the Event Information page on our website. This short online video will detail course and safety details. If you are in a relay team, please ensure every member of your team has watched it.

Swim buoys will be placed at regular intervals round the course and will act as distance markers and also “sighters” for your swim. Wetsuits will be mandatory for this race. The swim cut off will be 75 minutes.

Safety is at the heart of the event – we have jet skis and kayaks manned by fully trained life safety representatives out on the lake for your swim. If you feel that you are in trouble please roll on to your back and raise your arm and someone will be with you immediately. Resting on the boat or kayak at any time during the race is acceptable with no implication on your race timings.

Swimmers will be manually and electronically counted into and out of the water for additional safety.

CYCLE COURSE

The cycle route is a 96k single loop which will take you deep into the heart of the world-famous Burren National Park. This one lap cycle will put you through your paces!

JUNCTIONS

All key junctions will be marshalled but please remember you will be riding on public roads not closed to traffic. It is YOUR responsibility to ride within the provisions of the Highway Code and give way where necessary.

OTHER COMPETITORS

Please be aware that we also have a standard distance races route taking place on the Sunday. This means some lead cyclists on the Gauntlet may be joined on the last 15km of their race by fresher legged competitors. These competitors will be wearing different coloured bib numbers and will be easily recognisable. For those of you who have raced before please note the movement of the first feed station on the map below.

RELAY TEAMS

Relay teams must ensure they pass the timing chip between team members during transition. This must take place adjacent to your bike location on the bike rack.

LITTER

Competitors must not drop litter out on the course. If caught littering you will be disqualified.

RESPECT FOR ALL

Please respect all other competitors, event staff and members of the public as you race.

CUT OFF TIME

The cut off time for the bike leg is 7 hours after race start. You will not be allowed to continue if you are not back in transition by then.

FEED STATIONS

There will be feed and water stations out on the bike course. Please see the fuelling page for more details.

CYCLE COURSE MAP

Once competitors have finished the swim eg, there is a 200m run to transition. The “Bike Out” is at the opposite end of transition to “Swim In” and takes competitors uphill onto the estate road.

CYCLE COURSE OVERVIEW

STARTING THE CYCLE LEG

On exit, the castle cyclists turn right and head north on the R458 (old N18) for 4K and into the centre of the town of Gort. Turn left in the market square and head West out of town for 1K before turning right onto the Corofin Road, the R460, opposite the supermarket. After crossing over the motorway continue for a further 1K before turning right towards Kinvarra. You will pass Coole Lough and Park on your right hand side before arriving in the small hamlet of Tierneevin. Turn right at Tierneevin church and continue west

towards Kinvarra. After a further 3K turn left (also signposted to Burren Yoga) and head towards the Burren proper. The first of the large limestone fields associated with the Burren will come into view…..a taster of what is to come!

THE BURREN MOUNTAINS

At 16K turn right onto the L4507 and head North West for 7K alongside the impressive Burren mountains, up close for the first time. At the end of this long straight road turn left onto the steepest section of the whole course, the L1014 and head up for 600m and

across the border into County Clare. A 4K sweeping downhill is followed by a sharp right at a t-junction and then a sharp left at a second t-junction. This is the main Kinvarra to Ballvaughan road, the N67, and caution should be exercised at this point. Please take in the view on this next 7K section as it is the last you will see of the coast on the course.

CORKSCREW HILL

At 36K you will enter the village of Ballyvaughan, home of the Burren Cycling Club. At the T-junction in the village centre turn left and begin the long steady Category 3 climb up to the infamous Corkscrew Hill which does a very passable imitation of an alpine col with its switchbacks and steep incline. The top of the hill is just under halfway and not long after you will turn left onto a minor road.

BURREN NATIONAL PARK

For the next 9K the route winds its way south and downhill on a relatively narrow road, through the heart of the Burren National Park, towards the village of Kilfenora. Turning left onto the main road, the R476 at 54K you will then head towards Corofin for 9K in an easterly direction passing the ruins of Leamaneh Castle en route. In the hamlet of Killinaboy turn left and head once more towards the mountains for just over 1K before turning right at a pronounced fork in the road. This is followed by 5K along a well made but single track road –please take great care on this section!

BACK TO TRANSITION

The next 7K is a fast section on the main Corofin to Gort road, the R460, and the last 2K passes alongside the beautiful Lough Bunny. Turn right at the crossroads (this is where you may be joined by standard distance competitors arriving from your right at the crossroads) at the end of the lough and join the L1010 for 4K heading south east before arriving at the village of Carrowcraheen and turning sharp left onto the newly resurfaced Tubber Road. At 80K pass through the village of Tubber itself and continue towards Gort for a further 3K and then turn right heading over the M18 once more and the Galway to Limerick railway line. After entering the village of Shanaglish with its impressive church, you will turn left, and after 2K on a narrow road section you will arrive at the old N18 again, directly opposite the entrance to the Triathlon Car Park on the edge of the Lough Cutra Estate. A further left and a quick dash due north for 1.5K on the R458 will see you returning to the main entrance to the castle before turning right (please be aware of oncoming traffic which should be held for you) and heading down the main drive and relative sanctuary of the transition area.

CYCLE COURSE KEY MILESTONES

Please take note of the following 10 key junctions/ points of interest on the cycle course:

5.7K

GORT TOWN CENTRE

Follow the Ennis Road (R458) into the centre of town passing en route under the railway bridge and over the river. Look out for the marshal and signage in amongst the town centre clutter (although things should be quiet in the morning). After turning left, continue 800m out of town on the Tubber Rd before turning a sharp right (opposite Supermarket) onto the Corofin Road.

23.5K

ABBEY HILL - CATEGORY 5 CLIMB

Follow the long straight road towards the coast until a T-junction and then turn immediately left and get into a low gear for a Category 5 climb to the top of your first Burren col, Abbey Hill. Only 600m of lung busting effort and you will be at the top! Take care not to overshoot and end up on the faster and busier N67 that takes the coast road to Ballvaughan.

36K

BALLVAUGHAN VILLAGE

Follow the N67 into Ballyvaughan and then turn left at the T-junction in the middle of the village. Beware of the locals heading to the village shop for their Sunday paper!

43K

CORKSCREW HILL – CATEGORY 3 CLIMB

Follow the N67 out of Ballyvaughan in the direction of Lisdoonvarna and then get climbing. There is a steady climb for approx. 6K which then steepens up quite dramatically as you approach the top. 4 serious switchbacks and then you are there! Beware motorists cutting the corners on the sharp turns. Feed Station 2 is just around the corner.

52–53K

KILFENORA APPROACH

Following a fast and steady descent on relatively narrow and quiet roads at just under 52K, you will approach road signage for Kilfenora – make sure you continue straight on following the triathlon signage and marshal in this location. On arrival at the main road, the R476, exercise caution as you turn left and head East for the first time.

KILLINABOY

Approaching Killinaboy just after 61K prepare for a sharp turn left onto a minor road. Travel 2K along this road then follow the marshal and signage to turn left at a fork in the road. This next section will be made one way for the triathlon but please keep your wits about you on this very narrow section of road lasting 4K. The third feed station is found here at 63K.

61K 68K

BALLARD

Sharp right turn at 67K at a T-junction followed by a sharp left turn just before 68K at a place called Ballard onto the Corofin to Gort road, the R460. Please listen to the marshal’s instructions as this is a fast and straight road.

79K

CARROWCRAHEEN

Just approaching 79K on a straight Burren road with limestone paving on the left and right, you will approach the hamlet of Carrowcraheen. Take a sharp left and left again after a few yards onto the Tubber Road, which if you followed it to the end would take you back into Gort. Enjoy the newly laid road surface!

85K

SHANAGLISH

Take care approaching the small hamlet of Shanaglish with its prominent church – you may well be passing as churchgoers are either arriving or leaving. A few yards after the church take the narrow road on your left and follow this for 1K before hitting the Ennis Road, the R458.

95K

BACK TO TRANSITION

At the Ennis Road you will see a garage on your left hand side and the entrance to the Triathlon Car Park straight ahead. This is right on the edge of the Lough Cutra Demesne Estate – nearly there!! Turn left carefully as this is a fast road and there may well be a lot of additional traffic arriving for the triathlon and continue for just over 1K until you get to the main entrance of the Castle.

THE ROUTE

A large proportion of the run route is off road with many competitors choosing to wear trail or multi-terrain run shoes.

PUBLIC SHARING PARTS OF THE ROUTE

Please exercise caution when running along all sections of the route as there may be other walkers, people on horseback and motorists using the same tracks, bridleways, paths and roads.

CUT OFF TIME

The overall cut off time for the Gauntlet race is 10 hours. This means that runners who have not started their 3rd lap 9 hrs after race start will not be allowed to head out around the 7km loop for a third time but will instead be directed down the finishing chute

LITTER

Competitors must not drop litter out on the course. If caught littering you will be disqualified.

RESPECT FOR ALL

Please respect all other competitors, event staff and members of the public as you race.

RUN COURSE OVERVIEW

LEAVING TRANSITION

After exiting transition, competitors head north onto the lakeside path that handrails the lake for the first kilometer affording an excellent view of the swim at various points.

THE DEER PARK

At the end of the lakeside path, competitors emerge through a set of wrought iron gates into, what was, the estate’s deer park. Now the reserve of a local farmer’s cattle, a well made road planeings path leads runners uphill through the park across open land with a good view of Lough Cutra Castle. The end of the deer park is signified by another large wall and set of wrought iron gates.

THE BLACK DRIVE

After running down theside of a fir tree plantation on a newly made road planeings track runners arrive at an estate road called the Black Drive. A kilometre along here sees runners arrive at the estate main drive, crossing over the cycle route, and then heading on tarmac back towards the Castle and surrounding courtyards.

THE COURTYARDS

CARROWCARRIFF

The next section is through beautifully kept national forestry paths and fire breks in a wooded area called Carrowcarriff. Passing the feed station at 3km in the middle of the woods, runners will emerge onto a local minor road before running a further 600m on tarmac and reentering the estate via a gate entry.

Arrival at the double courtyard signifies 1 kilometre to go to complete the first loop of the 7km course. Having passed through these historic buildings and after a tantalising glimpse of the Finish LIne and the Castle itself, runners descend downhill on a road planeings track before emerging on the plateau below the Castle that houses transition and swim exit. 500m to go and competitors will arrive at transition to being their second lap.

FEED STATIONS

The Castle Race Series will be working with fuelling partner, Precision Fuel & Hydration to provide you with comprehensive food and drink stations.

ON THE BIKE

Each station will be preceded by a large container ready to catch your empty water bottles or litter. There will also be a large container approximately 50m after the aid station.

A feed station will be placed at 18K, 44K and 63K on the bike route.

A team of volunteers will have a selection of food and drink available for you including the following:

– PF 30 Energy Gels

– PF 30 Energy Chews

– Half bananas

– Pre-mixed bottles of water

– Pre-mixed bottles PH 1000

electrolyte drink

ON THE RUN

A feed station will be placed at the 3.5K point of the 7K loop. You will therefore pass this three times, once at 3.5K, again at 10.5K on your second lap and finally at 17.5K on your third lap.

In addition there will be a water station at the 2K point of the 7K loop which you will pass at 2K, 9K and 16K.

A team of volunteers will have a selection of food and drink available for you including the following:

– PF 30 Energy Gels

– PF 30 Energy Chews

– Half bananas

– Pre-mixed bottles of water

– Pre-mixed bottles PH 1000

electrolyte drink

- Jelly Babies (or similar)

- Flat coca-cola (or equivalent)

On your run you may well be joined by competitors from the shorter adult races that have started after your race start time. Do not be put off by fresh legged runners overtaking you (they will have different colour numbers on their vests) and keep following the signs for the 21K race rather than just following others as they may well be on one of the shorter 4K or 5K routes!

FUELLING & HYDRATION GUIDE THE GAUNTLET

Failing to fuel and hydrate appropriately is a leading cause of underperformance in long distance triathlons.

Your plan should focus on ensuring that you take in enough carbohydrate, fluid and sodium to fuel the work required and keep you hydrated.

BEFORE THE RACE Fuel

What to do

Hydration

What to do

- Your race pack will include a packet of our strongest electrolyte drink, PH 1500

- Mix it into 500ml of water and aim to drink it about ~60-90 mins before your swim start

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- This is known as ‘preloading’ and it can significantly improve your performance

- Finish your drink ~45 mins before you start to allow your gut to absorb it

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- Aim to carb load in the day or two before your event, to top off your stored energy (glycogen) levels

- Eat an energy gel in the final 15 mins or so before you start. This'll provide additional fuel to be utilised in the early stages and increase your focus and energy levels

Why?

- Carb-loading is a well-known tactic used by endurance athletes

- Think of your glycogen stores as the fuel you have in the tank before a long journey. The more you start with, the longer you can keep going before you need to top-up

- Simple carbs taken in the last 15 mins will hit your bloodstream around the start of the race, increasing energy availability just as energy use is ramping up in your body

- Drink the electrolytes in water you’d have drunk anyway so you don’t overdo it

- DON’T just drink lots of water before a race! You can end up diluting your blood sodium levels, increasing the risk of a race-ruining condition called hyponatremia (low blood sodium levels)

Why?

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- It’ll boost your blood volume, a proven way to enhance performance during intense exercise, especially in the heat

- It’ll help your cardiovascular system cool you down and deliver oxygen to your working muscles. This reduces fatigue and enables you to maintain your performance for longer

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- PH 1500 electrolyte drink is a very effective preloader as it contains 3x more sodium than typical sports drinks

- Preloading may also help you avoid cramp, which can be triggered by sodium depletion

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DURING THE RACE

The bike section offers a great opportunity to fuel and hydrate proactively in order to set up a strong run as most athletes find it easier to eat and drink on the bike than when they’re running.

For this reason it's common, and considered good practice, to ‘front load’ the ride with a higher hydration and energy intake than you aim for on the run.

Fuel

What fuel is available at the feed stations?

- PF 30 Energy Gels. Each gel contains 30g of carbohydrate

- PF 30 Energy Chews, a mixture of Original and Mint & Lemon flavours. Each packet contains 30g of carbohydrate, delivered as 2 15g chews

- A selection of food and drink such as bananas (cut into thirds, about 9g of carb oper third), flat coca-cola (about 10g of carb per 100ml) and jelly babies (or similar, about 5g of carb per sweet)

What to do

- Use our Quick Carb Calculator to get an idea of how much carbohydrate you'll need per hour to perform at your best

- Many athletes racing The Gauntlet will benefit from higher intakes of 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour, perhaps even more than 90g, as long as the amount consumed doesn’t cause stomach problems

- An hourly intake of ~60-90+ grams per hour is not something all athletes can achieve immediately and it can take a bit of time to build up to this rate of consumption, especially if you’ve been prone to suffering from GI issues in the past

Why?

- When it comes to powering high intensity endurance exercise, carbohydrate is the main source of fuel used by your body

- Glycogen (stored carbohydrate) is a finite resource. 90-120 minutes of hard activity will generally deplete your stores enough to significantly compromise your performance. So, at some point, taking in carbs is necessary to maintain a high level of performance

Pro tips

- Time your intake of fuel on the bike to coincide with straight stretches of road or on a gentle downhill. This makes it easier to eat comfortably

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- If you prefer liquid calories on the bike, consider using PF 30 Energy Drink Mix in your bike bottles. It contains 30g of carb and 500mg of sodium per 500ml serving, so can provide some or all of your carb requirements, depending on the total amount that you drink

- Carry your own fuel on the run if possible. Gels/chews weigh very little and this approach allows you to use some you’ve properly tested in training. It also means you won’t accidentally miss picking one at a busy feed station and can eat them whenever you like

- Generally speaking, the more energy you can consume in the early stages of the run, the stronger you’ll be able to finish, so don’t restrict your carb intake if you’re tolerating it well

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- The higher the amount of carbohydrate you’re aiming to ingest, the more crucial ‘training your gut’ in the lead up to your race becomes

Hydration

What hydration products are available at the feed stations?

- PH 1000, a low-carb electrolyte drink containing 1,000mg of sodium per litre (~2x the sodium found in typical sports drinks)

- Water

What to do

- A middle distance race is too long to go without drinking, so you’re going to need to be knocking back a reasonable amount of fluids and electrolytes during the ride/run

- The aim is to try to avoid under-drinking to the point that dehydration hampers your performance, whilst avoiding over-drinking, which can lead to hyponatremia (low blood sodium levels)

- Your fluid/electrolyte intake on the bike needs to be adequate enough to set up a good run, not just to survive the ride!

- Most athletes will need to take in between 500ml and 1L per hour during The Gauntlet. The exact amount depends on the conditions, your own sweat rate and past experiences

- Most athletes find they can take in less fluid per hour on the run than they can on the bike, which should give you an idea of the kind of volumes you might be able to tolerate

- Experimenting within these guidelines, whilst learning to listen to your body, is the best way to work out how much you need to drink during a race

- On the day, factors such as your pace and the weather will influence what you actually need and you should adjust your intake according to how you feel as the race unfolds

Why

- Taking on board an appropriate amount of fluid and electrolytes is essential to maintaining your blood volume and supporting the cardiovascular effort you’ll be putting in

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150304075220.htm

- A 2015 study found that athletes who adequately replaced the sodium lost in their sweat finished a middle distance triathlon an average of 26 minutes faster than those who didn’t

- As well as maintaining fluid balance, sodium plays an important role in the absorption of nutrients in the gut, maintaining cognitive function, nerve impulse transmission and in muscle contraction.

- Hydration is, of course, particularly important during longer events, when your net sweat losses can really mount up. That's especially the case if it'll be hot on the day

Pro tips

- Drinking from cups at feed stations can make it tricky to work out exactly how much fluid you’re consuming. As a rough guide, half a standard paper cup will give you ~100ml of water

- Squeeze aid station cups across the top to form a slit to pour water out of. This’ll reduce the amount that gets spilled

- It’s often faster overall to walk a few paces through feed stations to ensure you get enough fluids on board, rather than trying to drink from cups whilst running at full speed

- Consider carrying some blister-packed Electrolyte Capsules in case you run out of sports drink during the latter stages of the bike or run. Swallowing 2 capsules per 500ml of water you consume would deliver the same ratio of electrolytes to fluid as a bottle of PH 1000 from the feed stations

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CHECKLIST FOR ADJUSTING YOUR INTAKE

Signs you may need to drink more include:

- Feeling thirsty/dry mouth

- Heart rate drifting upwards when compared to power output or effort

- Tight, twitchy or crampy muscles Signs you may need to drink less include:

- Feeling bloated

- Feeling water ‘sloshing’ in your stomach

- Peeing too frequently

Signs you may need to increase your energy intake include:

- Hunger

- Attitude or mood deteriorating

- Craving sugar

Signs you may need to decrease your energy intake include:

- Feeling/being sick

- Bloating

- Upset stomach

TRY THE ON-COURSE FUEL/HYDRATION IN TRAINING

"Nothing new on race day" has always been solid advice.

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Grab a Castle Race Series Taster Pack to thoroughly road-test the on-course fuel and hydration before your race.

Don't forget to use the code CASTLE to get 15% off your first order.

QUESTIONS?

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hello@pfandh.com

Book a free one-to-one video call with a fuelling expert at Precision Fuel & Hydration or email hello@pfandh.com

SPECTATORS VIEW

Many of you will be bringing spectators to watch your herculean efforts. This is our recommendation for your supporters, based on a 6 hour race completion time.

07:30

Chill out and grab some breakfast in the Festival Village area whilst taking in the atmospheric sounds of the castle piper, Gerry Broderick.

08:00

Watch the swim start of the race and then wander in a northerly direction up the lakeside path so that you can see your competitor round Apple Island.

12:00 – 14:00

You can watch the run from anywhere you like on the 7K route. The Castle and immediate surroundings provide the best backdrop for photos. You are welcome to walk any section of the run, but please just be careful to stay to the side of the tracks and give way to any competitors on narrow sections. The lawn directly in front of the castle is a great spot to watch the finishing straight and you are welcome to run the last 100 yards with your competitor, particularly if you have young kids.

08:30 – 09:00

Make your way back to the castle lawn so you can watch the frontrunners exit the water and then cheer on your competitor as they emerge from the cold waters of the lake. There is a good grandstand view of the transition area at this point.

09:00 – 12:00

Make your way out onto the cycle course in your car and head for the 43K point which is on the N57 and the fabled Corkscrew Hill, Ireland’s answer to an alpine col. If you have the time go and visit Father Ted’s house in the Burrenwww.fathertedshouse. com before heading back to the Castle to catch your cyclist as they get off their bike. Alternatively, particularly if you have small children, stay and enjoy the atmosphere at the castle. There will be free bouncy castles, live bands and much more on offer.

14:30

The prize giving ceremony is scheduled for this time on the main stage in the Festival Village.

14:45 – 17:00

The children’s races start at 1500 and this provides a great spectacle and inspiration for younger children. In addition, more live music will play continuously throughout the afternoon.

TIPS

The athlete tracking system can be found in the information tent adjacent to the Finish Area which will tell you where your athlete is on the course. We can recommend the Gallery Cafe in the middle of Gort, which is right on the Market Square.

PRIZE MONEY & REWARDS

PRIZES, AGE GROUPS & PRIZE GIVING

The open category podium winners will receive a trophy along with prize money with each winning male and female receiving the amounts shown below.

There will also be Age Group trophies for Senior (18-39 years), 40+, 50+ and 60+ first places.

The prize giving will take place in the event village during the afternoon of race day.

EACH COMPETITOR WILL RECEIVE

– Bespoke Gauntlet technical t-shirt.

– A well-earned warm meal on completion of the race. (This can be claimed by entering the Gauntlet competitor’s marquee and presenting the wristband worn during the race).

– The opportunity to shower in the Castle Courtyard showers.

– Bespoke medal.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

We look forward to seeing you on race day and wish you luck for your final preparations. If you need further infomation please visit our website: castleraceseries.com