Kayathlon.ie ISSUE #12
AUG-SEP '19
Your Home of Adventure Racing
COMPETITOR SPOTLIGHT: LUKE MCMULLAN
WE SPOKE TO RACE DIRECTOR GER GRIFFIN on page 8
QUEST 12.24. The Essential low down for first timers on page 8
GEAR REVIEW on page 26
BIKE FIT PHYSIO GOT THE MEASURE OF US
on page 11
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AUG/SEPT 2019
Contents
P.4 EVENT CALENDAR
13 Races reveiw. Time to get registered P.6 WE HAVE BEEN BUSY The season is in full swinmg and we have been busy. P.10 GEAR REVIEW It's hot out there so we put the Osprey Duro 6 Hydration vest to the test P.14 THE COALFACE We spoke to Race Director Ger Griffin about the challenges faced by putting on such a production. P.44 LAURA O'DRISCOLL IS BACK WITH MORE YOGA MAGIC
ACTION PACKED!
COMPETITOR SPOTLIGHT: LUKE MCMULLAN. HIS ACTION PACKED ADVENTURE RACING STORY WILL LEAVE YOU
Photo by CLEARSKIESAHEAD
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BREATHLESS
WE GOT BIKE MEASURED WITH THE BIKE FIT PYSHIO
QUEST 12.24: AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE FOR BEGINNERS
YOUR COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO TYRES
GEAR REVIEW: OSPREY DURO 6 HYDRATION PACK
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Adventure Race Event Guide
AUG/SEP CALENDAR Your essential race guide for August and September '19
THINGS ARE HEATING UP Well things are in now in overdrive with 13 adventure races over the next 2 months. No shortage of selection there. From the smaller community based races to Kayathlon.ie | 04
the big show productions, there is no shortage of selction here to choose from. AUGUST EVENTS First up on August 10th, is the Cavan Kayakarun. Now in its 10th year, this community based favourite will have The Home Of Adventure Racing
Photo courtesy of www.fotobymarti
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Adventure Race Event Guide
a lot of familiar faces at it. Next up is Off The Bloom on the 17th Aug. With a new course added last year, it was added to the Continental National Adventure Race Series. It will attract a lot of attention from those seeking series points. Boyne Adventure Race in connection with the Trim Salmon of Knowledge Festival rolls out on August 24th.
Next up is the much anticipated Quest 12.24 ultra Adventure Race on August 31st. Check out our helpful tips & tricks article in this issue. On the same day, the Bantry Bay Adventure Race takes on West Corks Islands, bays and peninsulas.
ROLL ON SEPTEMBER September 7th sees the Coalface Adventure Race and the Knockmedown AR. 2 excellent community based events. one week later Quest Adventure Series take on Lough Derg for the first time. This will be a full house no doubt and one to look forward to. Also that day the Ealu Lua AR take so Ballingeary in Co.Cork.
September 21st and another Adventure Race heavy weight comes into town, or Donegal to be exact with Gaelforce North. Donegal is full of great terrain that will push you to your limits. The following week, 28th Aug, another Ultra in Tuff Inish AR and also in Donegal will see you cover 132km. The same day you also have the Carlingford Adventure Race and Fearmanagh aka FEAR.
For full race breakdowns, head over to our comprehensive event guide at https://kayathlon.ie/events
in.com. Taken at Killary Gaelforce West
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From the Gang - What we have been up to!
We are loving the sun... It's been go go go the last 2 months of the year and man alive, have we been busy...Here is a pick of the stuff we have been up to! GAELFORCE WEST Greg had another craic at beating his old nemisis of 6 hours, and nipped in with 4 mins to spare. Fit to retire after that. RING OF KERRY CHARITY CYCLE A last minute decision but definitely the correct one. Now in it's 10th year, this charity cycle brings you 175KM around the Ring of Kerry. I had the best tour guide anyone could wish for... Ollie Kirwan. Knew all the best ice cream stops around the route. 24HR CONTINENTAL TYRES THUNDER RUN Padraig headed across the pond to take on this 24hour team trail running race. A huge contingient took part and the team finished a very respectable 35th out of 200 teams. RACE2GLORY Greg togged out for this great community based adventure race and even managed to bag a rare few National Series points in doing so. Kayathlon.ie | 06
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ALL SMILES AT THE KING OF GRESYTONES CHARITY RACE Greg Pictured with chief organizer John Glynn and 2018 World Female Ironman ChampionTessa Kortekaas.
PADDLE TIME Dave and Shauna, apart from numerous IMRA LL meets, enjoyed some relaxing kayak time, manging to get out to beautiful Dalkey Island. Definitely going down on the ever growing to-do list. KING OF GREYSTONES CHARITY TRIATHLON Greg took a dip into the world of triathlon at the end of July. The King of Greystones (Try-a-tri) to be exact and somehow landed a second place. A great day had for even charity, The Gavin Glynn Foundation where 40K Euro was raised by the overall event. Insert picture above to show/prove the rare piece of crystal Greg won ;)
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QUEST 12.24 ROUND 2!!!
HER
WATCH IT LIVE!!! - THERE WILL BE LIVE TRACKING AVAILABLE
RE WE GO AGAIN!
The bigger the challenge the greater the reward! In 2018 Quest 12.24 was everything they said it would be and more, they even delivered the weather. There was sweat, tears and thankfully not too much blood as the inaugural event took Adventure Racers from Sneem to the top Carrauntoohil, to Waterville, Ballinskelligs, Caherdaniel and along the Kerry way back to Sneem…crossing mountains, lakes, beaches…over some of the toughest cycling climbs in Ireland on a journey of a lifetime. Some went to win, some went to just finish…but all came away with one of the best experiences of their lives.
I
t And so it’s no surprise that for 2019 Quest 12.24 that there are a lot of returning warriors…. on 31st August there are times to be beaten, scores to be settles with the Devils ladder and Ballaghasheen Pass…they are back for the challenge! Joining them will be a whole new bunch of Adventure Racers, and each of those has their own goals too, they are chasing Paul Mahon’s or Killian Heery’s course records…or this might be the culmination of a year’s training…this might be a showcase event for a charity they are supporting…. they might just want to see how far they can push themselves….or they just might want to spend some time in the heart of the beautiful Kingdom of Kerry
QUEST 12.24
YOUR ESSENTIA Last year we experienced firsthand what this event had to offer…it was a day to remember, an unforgettable experience and many new friends were made. So is there any advice we can offer any first timer? At this point you should have you training on point and you should be on track for the big day….just 3 weeks away now! Join the Quest 12.24 Facebook group – This offers invaluable information and answers many questions you may have or provides a platform to get any questions you have addressed.
1. PLAN AND PACE YOURSELF This is not like your normal Adventure Race. It won’t be over in a few hours. Stick to the plan, never mind how quick the person beside is going….don’t worry about the ones going too fast at the start, chances are you’ll see them again before the finish. It's easy to get caught up in the action and bolt out of the traps. It's a long day and one that could be made even longer if you run out of steam. 2. SPREAD YOUR EFFORT LEVELS OUT. BE SMART
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AL GUIDE Familiarize yourself with the route and make a plan – Ideally you should have attended one of the Quest 12.24 training / recce days which introduced parts of the course. Don’t panic though if you didn’t, use the available resources on the Quest information pack and the website. Know roughly how long each stage should take you and plan appropriately. Use this to plan what gear you will use on each stage and what you need to pack in the transition boxes Transition boxes – You can pack transition boxes which the event organizers will have ready for you at key transition points along the course. Plan what you are going to store in each. Make a list, check it 5 times, tape the list to the cover of the box. It's better to have than not have but be sensible. The 35 litre box can only fit so much. See the blog on the Quest 12.24 website for suggestions of what you may need in the transition box. 3. NUTRITION - EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY ...then eat and drink some more – You need a nutrition plan for the day, we cannot stress this enough….you should know what you are going to consume and when you are going to consume it. Check out the blog on Quest 12.24 website which provides a great insight on how you plan for nutrition on a longer event. Make sure you stay ahead of the hunger and thirst. Pack lots of food, your taste may change during the race so pack a variety of high carb/cal foods 4. TEST YOUR EQUIPMENT 20 minutes into my first stage, I had mechanical issues, which put a further 20 minutes on my first stage. It messed with my whole plan, mindset and everything else. It changed the day for me. And not in a good way. It took me time to re-adjust and get my head back into the game. So service that bike, check your trail runners, test out that hydration vest and anything else you may potentially use over the day.
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QUEST 12.24
YOUR ESSENTIA 5. RACE WEEK TAPER TIME Training should be done, It's time to fuel up and rest. Plenty of carbs load and make sure you are getting plenty of sleep in the days leading up to the race. The likelihood, if you are a first timer or someone who generally gets a bit nervy, you won’t sleep too well the night before, so get a jump on that and try and get a few extra hours kip during the week…. A good sleep on Wednesday or Thursday night will have you in fine shape for the big day 6. STOP AND ENJOY IT It's easy to forget what you are achieving and where you are. Stop every now and then and look around, get your breath, sip that tailwind and eat then get moving again….don’t delay in transitions…keep moving…relentless forward progress. And have a chat now and again, no doubt your fellow competitor is in pretty much the same boat as you are!!! Thanks to our pals at Primal Tracking there will be a live tracker on each and every one of us. A link will be sent out to you in the days leading up the event. You can share this with your nearest and dearest so they can be part of your amazing journey too. It was announced that after this year, the next running of the race will be in 2021. We will see you there on 31st August…be sure and say hello Best of luck with the prep.
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AL GUIDE
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DOWN AT GER GRIFFIN | COALFACE ADVENTURE RACE DIRECTOR
T
he Coalface AR is now in its 3rd year and bring competitors to the wonderful Castlecomer Discovery Park inKilkenny. This year event is on Saturday 7th September and offers a choice of 2 routes, a 30km Challenge course and a 56km Sport route. We caught up with Race Director for The Coalface AR - Kilkenny Firefighter, Adventure Racer, and general all round good guy, Ger Griffin for a quick chat. Ger is a seasoned Adventure Racer and is a familiar face at events the length and breadth of the country. He’s a great supporter of the local community run events and also no stranger to the podium with most recent top Kayathlon.ie | 014
spots at The Folly AR, the Boyne Adventure Race, Tough Inish and has competed in most of Irelands adventure races over the past 10 years – including The Race in Donegal which sounds like he has unfinished business with!!
A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF
“Ger Griffin, Race director for The Coalface Adventure Race. My wife Dee does the marketing and keeps it all on track! I work in Kilkenny Fire Service which plays havoc with my training ambitions!”
HOW DID YOU START THIS ADVENTURE RACING CRAIC
“I got into Adventure Racing about 10 years ago. Loved the sense of fun, adrenaline filled, The Home Of Adventure Racing
T THE COALFACE Powered by Laharts Škoda
GER GRIFFIN | COALFACE ADVENTURE RACE DIRECTOR
on the edge aspect. Gaelforce Connemara Challenge was my first race, then Gaelforce West and of course the legendary Wicklow Adventure Race series quickly followed.”
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE RACE THAT YOU HAVE DONE
Favourite Adventure Race is Dingle Sport (short sharp and great craic). The toughest has been Donegal's The Race in 2016...have to go back. Best result has been 1st in the 12hr Tuff Inish last Oct 2018. It rained from start to finish but loved every second of it...hoping to defend title this Sept... As I get older (not slower) I am drawn to the longer endurance races. This is something I see among the more seasoned Adventure Racers...we are always looking for the next crazy challenge!”
TELL US ABOUT THE COALFACE ADVENTURE RACE AND HOW IT STARTED
“The Coalface was a simple desire to grow the sport in my own county. I wanted a race to challenge all levels, be based where competitors and families could have amenities. The Discovery Park was an obvious location. The Management are hugely supportive. I would love to have a kayak section but the Park lakes are too small (there are pedal boats but transition times would be a bit long). It’s not easy promoting a minority sport without big budgets so I like to support The Home Of Adventure racing
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DOWN AT GER GRIFFIN | COALFACE ADVENTURE RACE DIRECTOR
other community races where I can. We work hard to get in a few hundred hardy souls each year. The costs keep rising. We made a loss last year but on Race day when fellow racers have that wrecked but happy glow on the finish line it makes it all worthwhile! Also this year we got great sponsorship from Laharts Skoda garage and it’s given us the boost we needed to keep it all going.”
EVENT ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT IS NO MEAN FEAT AND TRYING TO JUGGLE THAT WHILE WORKING, TRAINING AND FAMILY LIFE IS NOT EASY! WHAT’S ON THE AGENDA RACE WISE FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS
– “The next 7 weeks will be Off the Bloom, Boyne AR, Quest Lough Derg and then the mighty Tuff Inish.” Ger recently photo'd with Aine O'Mahony at the Folly Adventure Race picking up top honors.
ANY TRAINING ADVICE FOR THE REST OF US ADVENTURE RACERS
“Mix it up. I do a lot of mobility and core gym work and I don’t sweat it if I miss a training session or even two!”
SOUNDS WORKS INDEED!!! SO WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR YOU, ANY DREAM RACE OR BUCKET LIST EVENT “I have my own private bucket list idea: Climb Irelands 10/12 iconic mountains in 10 days... cycling from one to the next...target 29,000ft or Everest equivalent....maybe next year! Anyone up for it?” Well you’d never know Ger, we just might be up for that challenge!!! Thanks for taking the time to chat… The very best of luck with The Coalface AR this year, hope it’s a great success…and best of luck with all your endeavors for the remainder of the year, no doubt we’ll see you at one of those events!! Kayathlon.ie | 016
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T THE COALFACE Powered by Laharts Å koda
GER GRIFFIN | COALFACE ADVENTURE RACE DIRECTOR
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AdvertiseHere
Email us for more details: info@kayathlon.ie Kayathlon.ie | 018
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OwnThisSpace
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Stay Hydrated
GEARReview: Osprey
HYDRATION: OSPREY DURO 6
HYDRATION | OSPREY HYDRATION VEST | DURO 6
THE STATS
H
Weight: 320gm Soft, well, ventilated areas Compartments: 3 Chest straps: Both side adjustments for left/ right-handed application 6 Litre storage compacity 4 stretch pockets Easy access zipper pocket Flexibility: Excellent Safety whistle 2 Trekking pole attachments
ydration pack. A vital component in every endurance athletes arsenal. Especially as we are now in the middle of a relative heatwave. Keeping on top of this, will keep you trucking for longer.
But it's not as easy as it sounds. Finding the right equipment apart from the hydration formula can be an absolute minefield. We went looking to see what was out there and after much market research, we noticed the guys at Osprey are hitting our markets hard with their challenging solutions. We grabbed the Osprey Duro 6 Hydration pack and put it through its paces. THE PRO'S As you can see from the outlined stats there are plenty of features to this back pack. Initially when purchasing the back, it was a toss up between the Duro 1.5 litre bag and the Duro 6 litre. The only difference after trying both on were the 3 additional compartments on the back. Other than they felt pretty much the same, fitting wise. So, one of the pro's of this pack was actually the fit. I stand at 6ft4, 85kg on a good day, so in other words, very tall and thin. Not an easy build to find a good fit for. I opted for the M/L (94-112cm) pack which fitted seamlessly. It has multiple straps around the pack to ensure a comfortable experience. Next up were the soft flasks. Or the engineering/functionality behind them. They are excellent. As run, I struggle with breathing consuming liquids either through flasks or bladders. This is very little effort expelled whilst using them. They house within each strap very tidily unlike some other hydration packs where they flap around out of control as the vessels empty out.
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Duro 6 Hydration Vest HYDRATION | OSPREY HYDRATION VEST | DURO 6
There is a very cool and accessible hidden zip compartment behind one of the said flask compartments. Perfect for a quick stop and selfie along the trails moment. I carried light loads and heavy loads whilst out on the trails and with the latter, experienced little jumping around of stored content through rough terrains. So nice compact storage. CUSTOMER SERVICE After purchasing the hydration pack, I noticed there was one strap missing or possibly I had lost it somewhere along the way. I contacted Osprey directly, no letting them know who I was, requesting a replace strap. Within 48hours, they delivered a set of them to my doorstep, without hesitation. A big well done. It's sometimes hard to get any sort of customer service without giving your life story. THE CON'S One of it's strongest points, is actually one of it's weakest. The 500ml soft flasks. While they are functionally brilliant, that lingering taste was prevelant in one of the two bottles. No matter what I tried, i could not get rid of it. It may have just been a faulty bottle itself, as the other one was perfect. No such dramatic after-tastes. No inner bladder provided. Which means you are limited to 2x500ml soft flasks. Not ideal for longer runs/hikes. There is a compartment provided for a bladder along with a neat area to feed the tubes through but bladder needs to be purchased separately.
CONCLUSION
As quoted by one of Ireland's top endurance athletes John O'Regan, "I'm using the Duro 6. It's a lot of pack for 320 grams...Didn't need a new bag until I tried it". And I would have to agree. It's a great hydration back pack. It does everything a hydration pack should and is very competitively priced too.
RATING
RRP: Eur 85.00.
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9/10
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COMPETITOR SPOTLIGH
WHAT IS YOUR NAME? Luke McMullan.
WHERE ARE YOU FROM? I’m from East County Down; home of the majestic Mourne Mountains. Newcastle is a small seaside town at the foot of Slieve Donard (Northern Ireland’s highest mountain) and I’ve been a member of the Newcastle & District Athletics club for about 15 years now. We’ve no athletics track local to us so the natural thing to do is to use the forest parks and mountains on our doorsteps as our training facilities. I’ve been based in Dublin for the last 5 years (and in London for the 3 years preceding that) but have always maintained my membership with the home club and even still enjoy going home once of twice a month at the weekends to train with the club and catch up on their local gossip and craic.
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HT - LUKE MCMULLAN So what can we say about our next racer to go under the spotlight. Although relatively new to the sport, his racing record is about as roller coaster as you can possibly get. Wins, DNF's, DQ's, stories of unheralded selflessness. It's all in there. Ladies and Gents, we give you Luke McMullan.
HOW OLD ARE YOU? I’m 30 years young ;-). It’s funny that I distinctly remember turning 17 and feeling old! But now that I’m 30 I feel like a babby, especially when turning up at these Adventure Races. Distance sport in particular favours the ‘more mature’ athlete, as it is all about the cumulative effect of years built on years of training. I remember hearing a quote (I think it was from Sean Kelly) that it takes 7 years of full time commitment to take your sporting potential to it’s peak, irrespective of what age you start at. I feel like I’m only starting to constructively take my sporting performances forward as of the past 18 months or so – so I am very much looking forward to seeing what this next decade has in store. Seeing the likes of Keiron Kelly race me to the line at Gaelforce West last year (at 48) and the likes of Roger Federer making Wimbledon finals aged 37, it goes to show the way sport is going these days. If you look after yourself, train in a healthy way, eat well, sleep well, and be sure that you are happy in your own skin and ensure you do sport for the right reasons (i.e. the fun coming first, performances second), the question of age becomes less and less The Home Of Adventure racing
important – if anything, it’s a disadvantage to be young ;-).
OCCUPATION I work as a Statistician/Actuary in the insurance market – so naturally I love playing with numbers. I also like to carry this skillset across into the planning and over-analysing of my own training and racing schedules and performances. It’s constantly a refinement and a learning exercise as to how your own body is reacting to certain types of training, diet etc.
WHAT IS YOUR SPORTING BACKGROUND? My sporting background is as long as it is diverse. My first sport was horse-riding, and I rode horses competitively from the age of 7 to 21, starting out in Pony Club and then moving into Eventing Ireland. As funny as it sounds, if it wasn’t for the horses, there is a good chance I’d never have got involved in all the other sports over the years. Through the Pony Club, we heard about, and got involved in a sport called Tetrathlon (which is a points based multi-sport Kayathlon.ie | 023
COMPETITOR SPOTLIGHT
LUKE MCMULLA competition combining the disciplines of pistol shooting, swimming and running with the horse riding), and is a derivative of the Olympic Modern Pentathlon (after adding in the fencing). So from the age of about 10, myself and my (super-) Mum used to drive to all corners of Northern Ireland going to competitions and training days. Come my mid-teens, I had become obsessed with the sport and it was all consuming – training most days with either the swimming club or running club, as well as competing across all corners of the UK and Ireland multiple times a year. This brought some great memories and
successes. Notable highlights include being crowned as British Team Champions in 2007, Irish Team Champions in 2008, and an individual Gold Medal at the British Championships in 2009. These successes contributed to selection onto the British Team for a Home International in 2008, and as Captain at an Away International in California in 2010, competing against teams from Ireland, Canada, the United States of America and Australia. Athletes I competed against at the time have since went on to compete at multiple Olympic Games. Coupled with this, I played Gaelic Football from Under-12 level through to Minor level. After giving up the horse-riding in my early 20’s, I quickly swapped the horse for a bike and went on to take part in Triathlons. My best results to date in triathlon have been a top-20 finish at the Standard Distance National Championships in 2018 and a 10h45 at Ironman Wales 2018 (22 minutes short of qualifying for the Ironman World Championships in Kona – I’ll be back to try again in the next few years!) Safe to say, sport has been a staple in my life to date. WHAT GOT YOU INTO ADVENTURE RACING? One name - Ann Horan! I had got involved in the South-Dublin based Orwell Wheelers and raced in their Thursday evening Club
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AN League races. After the last league race of the summer; doubling up as a Race and a BBQ Social evening, I got chatting to Ann and she was extremely enthusiastic about getting me involved in the Adventure Racing scene and joining her racing group. She had found out about my running background and with my recent cycling performances put two and two together and said the adventure racing was a nobrainer for me. Maybe it was the way she sold it, but I was totally game for giving it a lash even though I’d no idea about the details, it sounded great on the surface!
that makes us tick – be it music, theatre, dance, sport etc...
Ann is a tough cookie – and takes no prisoners. If I was going to do it, no less than straight into the deep end doing the Expert Races was allowed! She wasn’t for letting me dip my toes and enter any Sport races. I love that attitude. It’s infectious! We should all be aspiring to push ourselves to our limits and not taking the easy option, irrespective of what it is
I wouldn’t be so quick to dwell on this “bad luck”. The unpredictability of the sport of Adventure Racing is one thing that attracts me so much to it. It’s Snakes and Ladders throughout. The races are so long, are multi-disciplinary; everyone has different strengths and weaknesses and strategy also plays a big part in determining the overall standings at the end.
HOW MANY RACES HAVE YOU DONE? My count is at 9 races that I’ve toed the start line on. That doesn’t tell half to story though as I’ll get to explain later.
YOU HAVE HAD A BIT OF AN UPSIDEDOWN SEASON, AS FAR AS LUCK GOES, IT WOULD BE FAIR TO SAY YOU HAVEN’T GOT THE RUB OF THE GREEN…
COMPETITOR SPOTLIGHT
LUKE MCMULLA Predicting the podium is a punt at best – as I’m sure Padraig has realised in trying to come up with the (very enjoyable to read) form guides this year! :-) To quote the great Murray Walker: “Anything can happen in these races, and it usually does”! Crashes, punctures, wrong turns, mechanicals, sugar-crashes all add to the beauty and un-predictableness of this sport. It all makes for a great war story and de-ciphering session at the finish lines! Last year on my first attempt, I won Gaelforce West. Some might see that as a “first of many”, but I very much came back to Westport this year still basking in that win as I am very much aware that I might never win that race again given how hard it is to come out of the pack and put it together on the day. I look forward to the future wars in years to come and hope I can pip one or two more wins while at it!
YOUR HEROICS AT THIS YEAR’S GAELFORCE WEST, WHILE STILL BEING IN STRONG CONTENTION FOR A PODIUM SPOT ARE STUFF OF LEGEND, CARE TO TELL THE REST OF COMMUNITY WHAT WENT DOWN? I’ll not to into too much detail here – there is a race report floating out on the ether there for anyone interested in reading what went down. To give away all spoilers from my closing paragraph: “Gaelforce West was another crazy, but amazing racing experience. After everything that happened across the course of the day; blitzing the first run with Shaun and Barry, kayaking through the wake of the speed boat, crashing with Barry, the leg burn up the Sheeffry Pass, seeing Shaun crash, managing to avoid him and then making sure he was ok, the legs cramping the whole way to Croagh Patrick, the fun Cyclocross section Kayathlon.ie | 026
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AN bridging back across to Sebastian after he had dropped me, losing that ground to Sebastian again on the way up the Reek, but passing him out again on the way down, being in 2nd with only a few kilometers to go into Westport, and coming away with a close run to the podium. It's not your typical Saturday morning :-).”
WHEN/WHAT RACE?
WAS
YOUR
FIRST
Gaelforce Dublin (17th February 2018) on my 29th Birthday - was my first ever Adventure Race and it was a memorable one! I surprised myself and beat the previous year’s National Champion Killian Heery by attacking him on the final bike leg up over the Featherbeds into the Dublin Mountains (I know those roads well and generally count myself very lucky for having such great training facilities on my doorstep)! I should have retired then as Killian has enjoyed some payback later in the year – but it all makes for a bit of craic ;-).
FAVORITE RACE? This is a very tough one to answer. I love pitting myself against the ‘big hitters’ in the ‘big events’. I enjoy being a small fish in a big pond. As such, a favourite race The Home Of Adventure racing
has to have that ‘National Series vibe’ to it to be in consideration here. I’m going to sit on the fence here and say it is a threeway toss up between the Dingle Adventure Race, Gaelforce West and Quest Killarney. Each has their own in-race jewels. I also really like the people from these organisations who run these three races. Noel O’Leary, Ollie Kirwan and the girls in the Gaelforce office are all fun, friendly and infectious to be in company with and definitely adds that extra layer of gloss to taking part in their events.
IF YOU COULD DESIGN YOUR OWN RACE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Haha, everyone is going to hate me here. But my answer would be for a monstrous profile of up and down continuously (no flats at all), both on the bike and run. One of my favourite French words is dénivelé – which translates to lots of elevation changes! So if I was to design a course – it would have beaucoup de dénivelé! :-)
WHAT INSPIRES YOU? I’m not sure that inspire is the right word, but there are many things that give me that drive to get out of bed early in the mornings to get the training in: 1.
The general love of sport (and the Kayathlon.ie | 027
COMPETITOR SPOTLIGHT
LUKE MCMULLA physical and mental benefits it brings with it). I love my shot of dopamine in the mornings – it beats caffeine ;-) 2. The love of the outdoors and of nature 3. The physical fitness challenge (and the fact that it’s not easy) And for the racing weekends: 4. Getting to surround myself with positively minded, upbeat, fun and game people. 5. Being all engrossed by ‘the buzz of the race’ during the event. 6. Getting to visit and race around many beautiful locations in our country. Collectively, I think sport has a power to heighten our happiness and enhance our purposefulness that I think is needed in a world seemingly dominated by what I consider to be unauthentic social media posts. Sport and Adventure Racing gives real life experiences with real people worth spending time with.
WHAT’S THE PLANS FOR THE UPCOMING CALENDAR YEAR? Well we’re in August now so the year is now half up. The ‘Minor’ goal for the year
was to enjoy the Adventure Races and try and sneak a win or two if possible – similar to last year. The ‘Major’ goal for the year was to excel in the Mountain Running season. I’ve had a constructive (and memorable!) year winning the IMRA Leinster League title and now have my eyes set on trying to gain selection onto the Irish Team for the Mountain Running World Championships. I have a trial race to negotiate in a couple of weeks so all eyes are currently on that. Aside from that, I have the last two Quest races (Lough Derg and Killarney), and a full Winter Cross-Country season to look forward to, and even see if I can take a pop at some PBs over 5 and 10k this Autumn. Loads of life left in 2019 to enjoy and look forward to!
WHAT WOULD YOU CONSIDER YOUR STRONGEST DISCIPLINE…RUN, CYCLE OR KAYAK? Haha, I’m surprised you even included the kayak in that question! Definitely not the kayak after capsizing the thing in Dingle! Even though it cost me a podium spot, I do love the fact the kayak can cause such great shake ups in Dingle - it adds extra spice to the race. As for the other two sports, it very much
AN depends on what I’m focusing on at the time. This year my running would be much stronger as I’ve been focusing on it this year. But I also fancy my ability to out-climb almost anyone on two wheels when I’ve a good 12-week training block in the legs. The beauty (and frustration) about being an amateur athlete working full time is you’ll never be as fit as you’d want to be across all sports. So it’s always going to be a juggling game.
RUNNER OF CHOICE? Asics are the only brand that seem to fit me right and I don’t get any feet problems with. I remember doing a running workshop with Catherina McKiernan when I was about 15 and she referred to Aasics as “the runners runner”. That quote as always stuck in my head since in terms of brands. I have always considered brands like Nike and Adidas as “Sports Fashion” aimed at the masses so have always avoided.
BIKE OF CHOICE I ride a Trek Emonda as I got it on an end of season sale. But I honestly have no affiliation to bike brands. As long as your race bike is kept in good condition and is
close to 7kg, you’re not going to be underequipped on the race day against any of the other ‘big hitters’.
WEEK BEFORE RACE...WHAT DO YOU DO? The day before the race day is always a day off (and always involves lots of driving) but otherwise the week leading up I like to keep a good balance of easy aerobic runs and easy spins. If it was a major goal race for the year, I might take two days off before the race day, but otherwise I like to train easy up until the Thursday before.
MORNING OF RACE...WHAT DO YOU DO? I would say I’m still learning on this one. I’m still playing with my nutrition and warm up plans and definitely haven’t mastered them yet. Barry Cronin is a good person to lean on for advice on this sort of thing. He’s been around the block for many years and has that growth mindset as well of trying to refine what is best and works for him.
ANY RACE SUPERSTITIONS? Haha - I’m a scientist and a statistician.
COMPETITOR SPOTLIGHT
LUKE MCMULLA No wool over these eyes! Put in the consistent hard work over a few months leading into the race and you’ll do well!
palm!). Hence the assessment from Barry Cronin: “I’m like a finely tuned sports car, either boom or bust!”
ANY EMBARRASSING MOMENTS YOU WISH TO SHARE?
POST-RACE...DO YOU YOURSELF, IF SO, HOW?
The crowning jewel of my embarrassing moments so far in my Adventure Racing career has to be my epic fail/capsize at this year’s Dingle Adventure Race. I entered the kayak in 3rd place having given my everything on the preceding 10k Road Run; Gary Scully (just ahead in 2nd) was veering off course and Shane Scully (in 1st) was caught in the currents and facing the wrong direction! I remember saying to myself “I can still win this race”! Less than a few minutes later I was head over heals underwater and ended up losing 10minutes as a result, dropping down to 6th! I’m glad to have provided some entertainment value to the rest of my nearest competitors though. ;-)
I’m normally exhausted after the race and need a couple of hours kip after a nice hot shower to be reinvigorated prior to the evening activities. This normally involves eating out with the gang for the weekend before heading to the local pubs or nightclubs for a night out. These nights out are well earned! I put no limit to the amount of calories to be absorbed on these evenings, with the local craft beers being my favourite means to replenish those expended energy cells!
As an aside, while not necessarily an embarrassing ‘moment’, my Adventure Racing record is far from one to be proud of :-)! Outside of the big wins at Gaelforce Dublin and Gaelforce West, my resume otherwise includes: 2 DNS’s, 1 DNF, 2 DQ’s, 1 Puncture, 1 Kayak Capsize, as well as the Crazies of Gaelforce West this year (which I could maybe summarise as ‘2 Crashes in 1 Race’). That’s some record to have on my first 9 adventure races (face
STRANGEST THING SEEN ON A RACE
YOU
SPOIL
HAVE
There is a clear winner here: Gaelforce Dublin 2018 (my first ever race). There were ‘Prancing White Horses’ dancing through the field of racers on a narrow road in the Dublin foothills. I had finished my run for the day and during the initial section of the last cycle you had to overlap the runners going in the opposite direction on the road. So between the two-way traffic of racers, there wasn’t a lot of space to try and avoid some horses
AN
overly-excited at taking part in their first Adventure Race! :-)
MOST BEAUTIFUL SCENERY? We have so much beauty packed within such a small landmass here in Ireland. My three favourite Adventure Racing locations mentioned earlier, as well as my own playgrounds of the Mourne Mountains in Down and the Sally Gap/ Featherbeds in Wicklow represent my highlights reel thus far.
Outside of Ireland, I’ve also been to
Nepal in two separate years, having hiked both the Annapurna Circuit and to Mount Everest Base Camp. The scenery and culture there is absolutely worth experiencing for anyone with a love of nature and mountains.
HYDRATION/GELS? DO YOU USE THEM? DO YOU USE ANY PARTICULAR BRANDS? I’m a big fan of Dextros Energy Tablets. They’re tasty, dissolve easily in your mouth, are full of quick-release sugars,
COMPETITOR SPOTLIGHT
LUKE MCMULLA and are kind on the stomach. Gels are a sticky mess and feel like half the pack goes everywhere but in your mouth – and you hear lots of stories of people who’s stomach doesn’t agree with them. In terms of hydration, I always go for 50:50 Lucozade Sport:Water in my sports bottles on the bike. When racing over long periods of time, you need your water and you need your sugars. So I feel this mixture best addresses this need. I find Lucozade Sport on it’s own too thick to stomach when racing hard. I’ve also learnt to carry a small bottle over the long mountain runs to sip as I go. Racing up and over the likes of Croagh Patrick or Mount Brandon mid-race is too long to go without supplying your body with the energy and hydration top up’s.
ADVICE FOR ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS? I think the key is to have that growth mindset. Don’t get caught up on results early on (I still don’t get caught up on results – maybe I will in a few years but at the moment I still feel like I’m learning and maturing as an athlete and shouldn’t be expecting to win anything. If I do it’s a massive bonus!). Aim to tweak and constantly improve your training load and intensity year-on-year (view it high level – Strava or Garmin Connect can be good for putting an annual number on things). Also - do it because you find it enjoyable. If you find you love the training, the improvements/results will come. You should be putting a lot more energy into getting into a good routine (the bread and butter) with your weekly training than over-thinking a race on the horizon. I’m also a big fan of the 80:20 rule. 80% of your training should be aerobic volume based (steady, tipping along, and enjoying your surroundings), and it can be supplemented by that harder 20% by means of a hard session or a club league race every week. If you’re pushing yourself on every training session, you’re going to burn out. I also like to get my training done and dusted in the mornings before work when everyone else is still in the land of the dreaming. It’s one of the very few times in the day when nobody is going to ask you to do anything/meet up etc. I love the solitude of the mornings and enjoy listening to the sounds of the birds and enjoying the views of the Dublin Mountains before any cars are on the road. Kayathlon.ie | 032
The Home Of Adventure Racing
AN
SATURDAY 25TH APRIL 2020
CYCLE IRELAND’S MOST DRAMATIC LANDSCAPE ALONG THE
WILD ATLANTIC WAY AND
55KM
120KM
+
GETTING MEASURED
ON YOUR BIKE
THE IMPORTANCE OF
C
an I have a show of hands please. I include myself in this by the way. You go and buy a brandnew shiny bike. You wash it more than your first-born child. You make sure the chain is pumped and the tyres oiled to the nth degree. It looks fast. You look fast. But are you maximizing its true potential? Are you getting the best return for your effort? Most likely not. Well, my hand is firmly raised to all of the above. But what am I missing? Bike measuring. I had gone for 3.5 years, never having gotten my bike measured and fitted to my...ah hmmm...athletic build. I was expending
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much sought-after energy and not being the most efficient I could be in the saddle. So, I took the trip to BikeFit Physio in Cork and met up with seasoned adventure racer John Phelan, and he put me through my paces. Before we even looked at the bike and its setup, John gave me a full physio assessment. At first, I thought what has this got to do with the height of my saddle, but as it turned out, this would prove pivotal in the success of the fit out. My ankle and right leg have suffered over the years through an old injury that never recovered and as a result I was over-compensating The Home Of Adventure Racing
F BIKE FITTING on my left side to make up the deficiency of the right. John ran through numerous strengthening and flexibility exercises to help bridge the gap between left and right. So, it was up on the bike time. Literally camera, lights and action. The high-tech equip-ment was top of the range. You could see why there was such a big draw from the top ironman triathlon contingent to services like this. From the initial set of tests, my saddle position was wrong, my handlebar height was off by a considerable amount and shoe cleats needed adjustment. We endeavoured over a few more rounds of adjustments and analysis to try and get closer to that golden ratio. It was not all doom and gloom though, my actual pedal rotation action was in a good place and with help and a few pointers from the boss, we sorted out any inconsistencies there. I feel since my visit to Bike Fit, that my overall cycle efficiency levels have definitely improved and it is something we would recommend you get done, be it with John Phelan or elsewhere. I went on down to Kerry in the following days and completed the Ring of Kerry 175km and also toured South West Kerry for a few days too. With one or two minor adjustments, I believe I have found my goldne ratio.
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TYRES - ALL Y YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO TYRES
F
or any Adventure Racer one of the most important things you use is your bike‌and one of the most important components of your bike is the tyres.
Tyres are your only, and very small, contact with road. It’s important to have a stable and predictable tyre in all conditions especially in Adventure Racing where the conditions and road surfaces can at times be less than favorable. When you are hurtling down a backroad in Connemara, Kayathlon.ie | 038
Crolly, Laragh or through The Black Valley at 70kmph the only thing that is separating you from the road is a few mm of rubber, when you are rounding a corner descending the Conor Pass or down off Knockalla you are relying on those few mm of rubber to keep you upright and stuck to the road. As Adventure Racers we tend to be presented with mixture of tough geographical conditions in our races and our tyres need to take all those stresses and strains in their stride.
The Home Of Adventure Racing
YOU NEED TO KNOW
By Padraig O'Connor
YOR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO TRYES
Choosing the right tyres is essential, they can help with ride comfort, increased grip and better rolling resistance. There are many things that can go wrong with a tyre…. you can get a puncture for example and a puncture can mean many things to different people…. a puncture which takes 5 minutes to repair can be the difference between 1st and 20th place, for someone that can’t repair a puncture it can mean you are stranded… or it can just mean you are at the side of the road doing something you don’t want to be doing (maybe in the lashing rain). Things can get more serious than a puncture though if your tyres are worn or damaged, loss of control though reduced / no grip or the handling not reacting how you want it to could cause an accident potentially injuring you or others. Let’s have a look at the main categories of tyres…there are 2 main types - Clinchers and Tubulars
CLINCHERS
The Home Of Adventure racing
Clincher tyres are the tyre most of us are familiar with and can be found on the vast majority of road bikes. They are shaped a bit like a horseshoe (or U shaped) and have a bead along the edge which clinches to the rim of the wheel and hence where they get the name. This bead is held in place by the air pressure in the tyre. Sometimes this bead is made from kevlar and this is then called a folding tyre….when the bead is made from wire then it’s not foldable so it’s called a rigid tyre. The folding clincher tyre is a little more expensive usually as it is lighter but costs more to make. Relatively new to the road bike scene are tubeless clincher tyres. These have been around the mountain bike scene for a while but are becoming more popular in road bike tyres now. They look very similar to tubed clinchers but the bead design is a little different and they are designed to fit to the rim very tightly (note: the rim must be a tubeless compatible rim, check the spec on your wheel) and be they must sit completely air-tight (note: this usually involves a special type of rim tape and a tubeless valve). Tubeless tyres do not need an inner tube. A sealant liquid is put in to the tyre to plug any small holes and splits and this reduces the chance of puncture and in particular the ‘pinch’ type puncture a normal clincher may get (where the inner tube is ‘pinched’ by the tyre hitting a stone or pothole for example and causes a puncture). Tubeless tyres are said to give better rolling resistance and also run at lower pressures, improving grip, comfort and control.
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TYRES - ALL Y YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO TYRES
TUBULARS
Tubular tyres are not very common and tend to only be used mainly by professional riders. The tyres are mounted on special tubular specific rims. Tubular tyres still use an inner tube but it is sewn into the tyre rather than sitting separately from it like a clincher, so tubulars have to be stuck to the wheel with a special tape or glue. The biggest issue with these is the lack of everyday functionality…changing a punctured tubular is not easy, especially at the side of the road in the rain. You can't just change out the inner tube for a new one like you would with a clincher, you would need pre-glued tubular tyre, which you obviously wouldn’t be carrying. You can however ride gently on a flat and maybe get home as the tyre will stay on the rim and you can continue to ride without losing control so this is a big advantage for the professionals and those racing
TYRE SIZE
Road tyres normally come in three widths: 23c, 25c and 28c - this number refers to the width of the tyre at their widest point (in mm). A larger width tyre offers better comfort, grip and a lower rolling resistance. Up to recently 23mm was standard but now 25mm tyres are the norm….and many are riding on 28mm. While 25mm is probably the best compromise between comfort, weight and performance, if like most of us you are riding rough roads (which is probably most Irish roads) or you’re not built like a pro cyclist (most of us fit in this non pro category) then 28mm tyres would be a better choice. Ensure your tyre is pumped correctly…the recommended PSI value will be on the side of the tyre wall…if you are using 25mm/28mm then you should tend to use the lower end of this.
SUMMARY
Safety is paramount, a puncture may be inconvenient but you don’t want to crash and potentially injure yourself or others. Don’t skimp on tyres…they are all that separate you from the road and saving yourself €20 on a cheap crappy tyre just isn’t worth it in the long run. There is a huge variability in how long a tyre will last (so many factors at play), can be Kayathlon.ie | 040
The Home Of Adventure Racing
YOU NEED TO KNOW
By Padraig O'Connor
anything from 1,000km to 10,000km. With so much variability it's important to know how to check for tyre wear and replace when appropriate. Some manufacturers will specify a distance range but depending on the road surface, the overall load, riding conditions and tyre pressure, tyres may wear prematurely, so use the recommendations as a guide and trust your judgment if you think it's time to change them. A lot of the new tyres out now will have wear indicators in the form of small holes in the centre of the tyre to indicate the amount of tread left. Once you can no longer see the dots, your tyre is well and truly worn. As a rule, if you can see the puncture protection belt or the casing of the tyre, it's time for a replacement but please please don’t let it get that far. One of the first signs the tyre is wearing is a squaring off of the tyre through the centre (flat top). Invest in a premium tyre….we ride on Continental GP4000 / GP5000 25/28mm and have been for several years, we find these the best in terms of grip, puncture resistance and durability. For the winter we ride Continental GP 4 Seasons and Gatorskins. While we recommend these and use them ourselves, the really important thing is to have a premium tyre on your bike, it might not be Continental, but make sure that it’s a premium brand and is fit for purpose and not worn or frayed in any way….check the wear on the tyres, make sure the side wall is not damaged. Cheap and bargain basement is not the way to go when it comes to tyres!!!
10TH AUGUST 2019 TO BEGIN YOUR ADVENTURE
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YOGA FOR LAURA O'DRISCOLL | 2018 FEMALE NATIONAL SERIES CHAMPION (EXPERT)
yes, this helps us engage with the physical balance, but on a deeper level it allows us clear our mind of the ‘chitta vritti’ or monkey thoughts, and allows us be truly in the moment. According to Jim Murphy, performance coach, the amateur athlete has 3 to 4 times the amount of thoughts as the elite. Clearing the mind of clutter, of random, often negative thoughts, is one of the largest obstacles in an athlete’s path.
I
n a previous issue, we examined Tree Pose and all its magical benefits-one of these being that of enhanced focus and balance, using what is referred to in yoga as, ‘drishti’ or point of focus.
This is where we fix our gaze on a stationary point, be it an object, an extended finger tip, our belly button, and,
A
B
A. Standing pose – Feet together, toes spread, rooted To ground. Engage legs, core, press hands together. Roll open chest drawing shoulder blades together down the spine. Chin tucked slightly to release neck B. Hands to hips. Root left leg, bend and lift Kayathlon.ie | 044
In order to explain how yoga can benefit the mind, I will describe a sequence which not only allows us achieve balance through core engagement, correct hip alignment, strengthening legs, stabilizing ankles, opening chest, and lengthening spine, but it also teaches us focus, because without this focus we will inevitably fall.
C
D
right leg until knee is in line with hip. Check both hips are level. Foot engaged. C. Hands reach to sky, hugging the arms to the ears but drawing shoulders away from ears. The Home Of Adventure Racing
THE ATHLETE
By Laura O'Driscoll
YOGA FOR ADVENTURE RACES | PART 3
D. Upper body extends forward as right leg extends back, engaging the glute. Engage the core for a nice long spine. E. Return to C F. Cross right leg over left resting right ankle just above left knee, drawing open the hip and engaging the right glute. F
G. Hands to heart. H. (Added variation) Slowly sit back into a half chair pose, keeping a long spine. Engage left quad to stand and feel a lovely release into left glute. I. (Added variation) If close to floor rest finger tips on floor to enhance the glute stretch and hip opening. J. Back through G, C, A. To be done both sides, 3-5 breaths per pose.
G
So, what can we learn from this sequence outside of the physical?
OPTIMISM V PESSIMISM “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t – you’re right” Henry Ford.
H
I notice that the yogis who tend to fall out of this sequence, although physically able, often allow their mental limitations control what their physical potential could be “My balance is woeful” “ I have no core”, “My ankles are too weak”. The mind is a lot stronger than the body, and controls all of our movements, so when we believe we can, eventually we will.
DO NOT BE AFRAID TO FALL If we fall out of a pose what is the worst that can happen? I
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YOGA FOR THE ATHLETE
By Laura O'Driscoll
LAURA O'DRISCOLL | 2018 FEMALE NATIONAL SERIES CHAMPION (EXPERT)
Remember one time long long ago we could not walk? But then we tried. And we fell. Again. And again. But eventually we stood. Soon after we waddled, which became a walk. And eventually we ran. So maybe our hill climbing has seen better days, but the more mountains we climb, and the more times we fall, the stronger we become.
LISTEN TO THE BODY Although the mind may be stronger, the body is our best teacher. Notice the imbalances, where it is easier on one side over the other, where one leg extends more. Body awareness and noticing these subtleties is difficult when we are constantly grinding out the miles. It is through the slow controlled movement practices, like yoga, that we can notice these imbalances, acknowledge them and deal with them before they become an injury.
EMBRACE CHANGE Rather than resisting the pose, for fear of falling flat on your face, embrace the new. If we resist change we will never improve in our sport. If we constantly follow the same training regime without noticeable improvement perhaps its time to change. Try a new training program, a coach, running style, go more off road, jump into the sea, whatever floats your boat
INNER FOCUS When you lose concentration in this sequence and the mind wanders, you will fall. In fact you might not even start the sequence if you cannot shut out the background noise. By focusing on your drishti point, engaging your core, controlling your breath and avoiding negative self-talk, the sequence becomes yours. Focus on what you can do in that moment. And in a race, keep this inner focus, not distracted by your opponents, and you will always surpass your goals big or small!
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YOU GOT TO LOVE THESE LONG SUMMER EVENINGS IN THE HILLS
A FINAL FEW WORDS
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