I realise that I haven’t been my usual blogging self over the past whilst, but that doesn’t mean that its affected the Goal for 2010 which was completed with the Waterford Half Marathon on the 15th January 2011. This race was closer to a swim than a run and with the breeze actually physically pushing you along it wasn’t the easiest challenge in the world. Still it was the last event and I was absolutely determined that I was going to finish with a bang. And Im pleased to say that I did coming in in a time of 1.54.36 which is a new personal best for me taking a whopping three minutes off my previous best for the half. All in all I was pleased coming in 442nd out of 690 finishers. Its not a stellar performance by any stretch but giving the conditions Ill take it.

So that’s it for 12 twelve 12, I’ve done up a little spread sheet so that you can see at a glance the events completed during the year . All of these events were finished and I have posted results where available.

Im reliably informed that this amounts to 635.7 Km of racing. All in all Id have to say that the results are not exactly going to see me qualify for London 2012 but if Eddie the eel got in then why not me (come on OCI). It is somewhat unlikely that Ill be drafted into any national team at any level but the important thing is that Its done and Its something Ill always be proud of and Ill remember all the people who I met and who helped me on my way as well. The highlights for me would have to be completing Hell of the West after coming back from injury, it was a tough course and the conditions though dry were hot but that feeling of finishing is something Ill always remember. The low point would no doubt be pulling out of Limerick with the mind being willing but the feet saying no way Jose, and I suppose the strangest part was having to fight sylvester (the swan)to get my swim training in . Thanks a million to everybody for the words of kindness and I hope that I haven’t let anybody down because I didn’t mange to achieve the marathon but if its one lesson Ive learned this year its that I do not have a typical runners physique (or even a bad runners physique for that matter). Still Ill learn from my mistakes and ill try not to repeat them.

I’ve enjoyed myself no end a long the way so much so that I’ve joined Ennis Triathlon Club and I’m going to keep going and enjoy it along the way. My goal for this year is to complete a Half Ironman which is pencilled in toward the end of 2011. So that’s it folks aside from one small thing, and that is sponsorship. If any of you reading this wish to sponsor me or know somebody who might be interested then please forward them contact details for the blog. All money raised is going to Myasthenia Gravis and Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind.

I feel a bit teary eyed signing off 2010 was one of those years massive highs and massive lows as well, this goal and your support has kept me motivated throughout it all, so thanks for that.

Now for one last push, All of you that have sponsored me so far, many many thanks, those of you that held off and hope that Id keel over in the course of it sorry to disappoint and now its time for some cash please. Given the amount of time its taken me to actually wrap this up the original  mycharity pages are now defunct. however here is the new link for the guide dogs for those of you that would like to support them,

http://www.mycharity.ie/event/rory_clancys_event/

And for those of you that would like to support Myasthinia Gravis you can click this link,

http://www.mycharity.ie/event/rory_clancys_mga_12twelve12/

I appreciate all the comments and support throughout the year and so far Ive raised 280 euro give or take.

Many thanks to everyone for their support and dont be shy about spreading the word,

Peace out all,

Rory

PS I realise that its nearly 6 months since I finished this goal, well just to keep ye in the loop the evennts have continued albeit at a more manageable pace. At this point I have completed a couple of duathlons, an olympic distance triathlon and a 100K bike ride this year and the season is just getting properly started.

Ill start off with the Achill Roar.

I came into this event having done little in the way of training. Following on from a run in August I had again managed to put a bone out in my foot, this time in the right foot. Thanks to the help of the local bone setter I was able to run again. Still the preparation wasn’t ideal and I was a wee bit nervous. The Achill Roar is a mixture of an adventure race and a triathlon. The distances are closer to an Olympic distance than a sprint distance but it is harder than any Olympic distance that I had tried already. The distances were 800 Metres of a swim. Approximately 15Km of a run followed by 45Km of a cycle. Not too bad so.

My time last year for this event was around 5hours and three minutes so anything faster than that represented a positive outcome. The swim starts off in the local lake and unfortunately the lake is not that shallow. I had been through the same thing last year but its hard not to be frustrated when you have to wade half the course! In addition at the same time that your throwing yourself into the water smacking yourself off the bottom and regaining your feet the kayakers are merrily on their way. Still I got through it and it was out on the run. Have I mentioned the weather. It was a typical Irish Autumn day that is to say it was sunny with some showers, and when the showers came they did not mess around. We got one such shower as we headed out on the run. The run section is what sets the Achill Roar apart from other events. Its 15km but it takes in two hill climbs two beach runs and a wee bit of cross country stream crossing thrown in for good measure. I enjoyed it but the lack of training really told and I wasn’t feeling the love for all the hills. Still I got through it. One rookie mistake I made which I should have known better was to fail to bring enough water. In between the downpours the sun shone mightily and as a consequence when I got back as far as the transition I could have drank a couple of litres, which I duly did once I reached the bike. Only snag to that was that now I was out of water for the cycle. And what a cycle, there was a stiff breeze which aided us on the way out but even the pro athletes looked to be struggling coming back in. I was dying on the way out and I was definitely getting why they called this event the Achill Roar. I had visions of myself dying doing just that. In the end I just had to settle for the fact that I was going to finish it and not necessarily enjoy it , but finish it was the important thing. I crossed the finish line in 4 hours and 56 minutes. Ill be back again next year and who knows with a bit of training I might even be able to enjoy the fabulous scenery. My thanks to the support crew who came with me and had to listen to me whinging and moaning at transition and through out J

On then to the event for October.

The vent for October was the Galway Bay half marathon.  had done this last year and had enjoyed the route even though to be honest it was a bit hilly in spots. This year there were virtually no hills but they set up the route so that you doubled back on yourself. I hate running the same section of the route more than once. I find it very hard mentally. For longer runs I like to fool myself into thinking that I’m just getting from point A to point B and off I go. The start in this case involved going around the starting point then out for two laps of a 5.75 route. The wind was pretty much against us all the way out but it was mercifully flat. On the way back toward the start line we had to run out toward mutton island which may actually have been the hardest part of the whole thing because you were running away from the finish line again. I managed to barrel along all right on the first lap. Unfortunately running out on the second lap whatever reserves of strength I had left me and I was just struggling from then on. People I had passed earlier on left me for dead. It wasn’t a great feeling but  kept at it. I came home in 1hr 56 minutes which is about 5 minutes faster than last year. All told I was pretty happy with it. I’m not convinced about the course and think the old hilly one might be easier, more to see . Enough whinging out of me though. I was doing it for a reason  and that reason was waiting for me at the end. The Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind had brought one of their Clients and a Guide dog with them and they were waiting there at the end. It is really humbling when you see the work that they do and the profound effect that it has on their clients lives. I vowed to redouble my fund raising efforts.

Up until this point I have been holding off on directly asking anybody for money. I feel its hardly fair in the middle of the recession to be going with the hand out. However we are in the middle of a recession and services that the guide dogs and myasthenia provide are likely to find it even harder to raise funding. Some I’m issuing a plea if you have any spare change coins notes or barter, Id like to hear from you through the my charity links which are on the charity page of the website. Alternatively leave me a comment and Ill come and meet you. The totals raised at this point is 262 euro but I’m confident that I/we can do better. So if you know somebody who might be interested in what I’ve been doing and might like to sponsor me or find out more Id really appreciate you passing on the blog to them. Every little helps. Donations can be made using these links below.

http://www.mycharity.ie/event/12twelve12_mga/

http://www.mycharity.ie/event/12twelve12_guide_dogs/

Id like to thank everyone for their sponsorship to date and at this point the total of 262 euro. I’m reliably assured that there is more to come and I hope that I can exceed the 500 euro target which was set at the start of the year.

Looking ahead to the end of the year. I hope to wrap events up with two half marathons. There is a choice of three to choose from and Ill keep you all posted as I go.

That’s all for the moment ,

Rory

It seems hard at a time like this to get out there and do the miles but it is its own therapy. Ill update soon with details on the Achill Roar and Galway bay Half and the plan for the remainder of the year.

Until then peace out all,

Rory

The plan has gotten a little bit bent out of shape. July was supposed to be the Achill half marathon.

For obvious reasons my running is not where I need it to be just yet so I decided to add a few events instead of it.

The first of these took place in Cork.  The Vibes and Scribes Lee swim is an event that has been resurrected in recent years and which takes place in the centre of the city. The route goes from the Old Distillery yard down underneath all of the bridges and then up the other leg of the Lee. The total swim distance is 2Km. Being naive I thought sure how bad that should be a bit of a blast. I noticed alright when I told people I was doing it that they expressed various degrees of incredulity and not a few comments were passed regarding my general mental health and whether or not I had taken shots for typhoid, Hepatitis, Malaria etc etc. I shrugged it off as jealously and as I am wont to do continued on without necessarily giving it a lot of thought.

Things did not bode well as I walked to the start. Two Gentlemen of no fixed abode were sitting beside the river mesmerised by the way in which the light didn’t reflect off the water and wistfully watched as their now empty can of Linden village made its way to a salty watery grave, to join what looked like every other type of gunk that you’d care to see. I naively thought that maybe the earlier swimmers would have cleared a good chunk of the scum off the top of the water by the time I got in, I was wrong. The taste was something like Cod Liver Oil mixed with wheat germ and it looked the same. Going under the bridges was a bit of a blast but mostly I concerned myself with trying to swallow as little water as possible. Eugghhh.

Things did take a turn for the better when we turned up the second leg of the swim and I finished it in 44 minutes. A time that I wasnt too upset about. All in all I have to say I enjoyed it  and the hospitality afterward was top class. Id do it again but its like one of those things that you shouldnt really think too hard about or you will not do it.

On then to the next event which was a little bike ride in Meath. Now to be honest I’m not that strong a cyclist. I enjoy it and I do enjoy the challenge but unfortunately I do suffer from any awful case of being over-enthusiastic. This cycle was 100Km with cyclist who were also doing 160Km starting with us. There were proper decent fit cyclists floating about. And then there was me and my brother Michael. Michael has some sense and realizing the pain that was to come he set off at a decent pace. Not so yours truly. I set off with one of the man bunches and being tucked in at the back was being brought along at a very comfy 40km pace. This is awesome I thought it feels like no effort at all. (there was a reason for that). We reached 50km and I decided to pass the group. I had no sooner gotten ahead than the wind hit me. I stupidly had forgotten and gloriously underestimated the amount of shelter that I had in the peloton. No out on my own and burning energy at an awful rate I could only watch and pant as the Peloton swept past and dropped me out the back door. From then on it was pain and lots of it.

The only light on the horizon was the absolutely excellent food stands there were at 70km. I finished it but I can’t say it felt great. I’ve learned my lesson though for the next one. I swear.

There was another painful lesson waiting for me in the third event which was the Brian boru adventure challenge based in Killaloe in Clare. I had done this last year and I thought I was going to knock the socks off it. It just goes to show that some days you’re the hammer and others you’re the nail. From the start of the swim it felt awkward. Nothing I could put my finger on but it just felt strange. Same thing on the cycle even though I had been sensible about the training I still felt tense and had nothing in my legs. On then to the run. The run is horrible. If you’re in good form and feeling the love for running its a horrible run. On Saturday it was god flipping awful horrible. To compound matters and to explain the title my running vest which was white cut the flippin nipples off me and I started to bleed. So I had two rosettes of pink on my chest. Embarrassed isn’t the word. I was one grumpy bunny.

Still that was 5 days ago and looking back maybe I had lost sight of why I’m doing all of this. It’s not for me. Sure I personally enjoy it but I’m mainly doing it for the charities and so its more important that I finish with a smile on my face than finish first. It’s about completing not competing. Another lesson learned.

www.brianboruchallenge.com

Swim results

results and photos are available by clicking the links above though there aren’t any for the Meath cycle as they claimed it wasnt a race, Huh

I’ll leave ye with a funny story, or at least funnier than listening to me whine. The Meath cycle started at half 8 outside a hotel. As is normal for these events they had loudspeakers and a DJ to keep everyone motivated and happy, well nearly everyone. Apparently there had been a wedding in the hotel the night before and the phoned down to ask what in the name of all that was good and holy was going on outside the window. The Dj kind hearted soul that he was apologised over the loud speakers for all the noise and then started winding the crowd up again.

Thats it from me folks. I’ll be updating as I go. Next up is one of the real chunky ones Gaelforce and that is going to involve blood and sweat but hopefully lots of fun too.

Peace out,

Rory

I normally dont post blogs about training because lets be honest it can be fairly boring to read about and 9 times out of ten not at lot happens except for some crying on my behalf.

Saturday  a couple of weeks ago was a training session that probably ranks as one of the most enjoyable that I have ever done. The plan was to do a 10K in Clarecastle but I decided to tag on a 50K bike ride and 1k of a swim. So far so good. The morning was fairly overcast but it wasnt raining so I left at about 9 o clock which would mean me being back in town in time for the 10K . The cycle out went okay and the swim went fine , I was back on the bike in time to be back in town in time for the run, slight problem though was it had started to rain.  I headed off anyway at this stage I was 25K from home so rain or no rain I had to keep on going. About 5K into the cycle the bloody back wheel blew. I hit a pothole that you could have drowned a small cow in .  Needless to say I was now screwed. I decided to run as far as home which was about 6 miles away and see if I couldnt hitch a lift into town again. The rain steadily got worse as I ran. Of course fate being as it was I arrived at home and there was nobody around. I thought about hanging about and grabbing a lift with my dad, I looked out at the sheets of rain and the 8.5 miles and decided that it wasnt much of a choice. Thats where the fun started, the rain was so hard that anywhere on the road there was an inch of water. This was great fun to splash through.

I got more than one look of pity and incredulity on the way back into town as I plodded along. The runners are absolutley spotless now and aside from the fact that they very obviously have about 400 miles done they look brand new.

in any case I arrived back into town and aside from the fact that the legs felt a wee bit tight overall the body felt pretty good.

One thing it proved fro me that it was time to get back onto the running scene.

Thats all for now and I promise I wont bore ye with anymore boring training stories.

Rory

You guys can now follow me on twitter by following elpigaro or equally be notified of updates through yahoo.

Now to business ,

As I said in the last post, things had gone pretty spectacularly off the rails in May and early June but the foot had just about recovered and I was starting to get back to my mission.

The first test of that was Hell of the West and No that isn’t an exaggeration.

The event was based in Kilkee along the prom. The sun was absolutely splitting the rocks on the day and the event was seriously well attended with a lot of serious triathlon contenders floating about. Many of these crazy people were even having a warm up 400M swim. Like I said serious contenders.

The race started off chest deep in water which was beautifully clear, even in 10 feet of water you could see the bottom. Its hard to describe what the swim portion of these events feels like but Ill try anyway. You know when your standing in a crowded bus or train and the door opens and everyone starts to get off, well it is that crowded and it is that cut-throat with a very very thin veneer of politeness over it all. Everyone seems to say This here is my water and if you swim behind me Ill kick you, beside me ill slap you and if your too slow Ill go over you. Like I said its a little bit crazy, broken noses are not uncommon. There is always one dope though, In our case it was the guy who decided that instead of swimming in a straight like he would swim across the pack, last I remember of him was seeing him get a smack on the head and hearing a yelp as he cut off one of the main competitors. Still after 250 Metres manners had been put on everyone and we continued on our merry way. The swim doesnt feel particularly hard and is probably my favourite part blessed with natural buoyancy as I am. We got out of the water after 1.5 Km struggled out of the wets suit and onto the bikes.

The bike ride got off to an auspicious start. Walking along the promenade was a New Foundland dog. They are such beautiful dogs. Anyway we headed north out of Kilkee and up toward Doonbeg. To describe the route as undulating would be being kind there was a bucket load of hills involved in it and the pace was fairly hot from the start. you dont really hear much out on the cycle except for that strange sound of the solid time trial wheels that the really serious competitors use. The wind was fairly stiff and by some stroke of fortune seemed to be in our faces the entire way. A misunderstanding involving a sachet of energy gel meant that my hands were stuck to the handlebars and as one hill after another came along I began to realise why it was called the hell of the west. I got back to the transitions and nearly fell when I got off the bike because the legs were not feeling particularly healthy.

On to the run, aside from one 6.5 k run the week before I hadnt trained at all in 6 weeks and I knew that this was going to be tough,

Looking up the route I have to admit I nearly cried, for those of ye not familiar with Kilkee and the Dulicky road the route goes pretty much from sea level up to the height of the cliffs and that is no small climb. It then proceeds to drop a bit, lull you into a false sense of security and then bloody climb again. To make matters worse the elite athletes were running back down the hills against you as you finished.

I put the head down and kept going but it was one of the hardest runs I can ever remember trying to complete. There was absolutely nothing at all left in the legs. I struggled on and finished the 10 K in an hour, probably the slowest 10k that I have ran in a long time but on the positive side of things the hoof did manage to stay going and the pain wasnt atrocious.

My total time was 3 hours and 2 minutes which was a bit of a bummer because it would have been nice to finish it under the three hours but there is always next year and besides now I was back to full health.

That was a nice set up then for the jog in the big. This was an adventure race based in Corrofin , Galway and I wont bore you with the details of it but it involved 87.25 Km including a 10K run, two hill climbs 4 cycle stages and kayaking.

The jog was actually in a genuine bog complete with mossy holes, soft ground, and bog holes all in all a lot more enjoyable to running through it than working in it.

It was sore but very very enjoyable. We were haunted with the weather on the day as even though my old friend the head wind was back and stronger than ever the day was warm and dry. The scenery was absolutely amazing and the organisation of the race was superb. I finished it in 4 hours and 34 minutes and collapsed pretty much after it. One thing which struck me about Galway was the amount of big fat sleep cattle that were about. On any other event there would be lean slightly demented looking cattle who scrutinise you as you pass. In galway that wasnt the case they were stretched out sound asleep.

So thats where its at at the moment. I reckon Im pretty much back on track for 12 twelve 12. There is going to be some changes to the plan though because I have not gotten into the NYC marathon and Im not too sure if the hoof will hold up to a marathon. Ill be updating the plan page as I know more. I do know that there is a 2km swim on at the end July and there is a 100km bike ride the following day so im planning to tie those two together as one event. If you guys have any ideas let me know and if they sound crazy enough I might just do them.

Thats all for now though, peace out yall,

Rory

Well all it has certainly been a while since I posted last and looking back on it the mood wasn’t all that hopeful in the last one. A quick recap, the may event the limerick marathon had seen me damage ligaments in my left foot and push one of my toes out of place. Being an idiot I had gotten as far as mile 15 before it stopped me and so I had done a nice tasty bit of damage. Well nearly 7 weeks, 2 x-rays and three rounds of phsyio later I can tentatively say that I’m back.

I’ve been trying to keep up my fitness (such as it is) with cycling and swimming. This hasn’t been all easy as my old nemesis the swan has made a re-appearance and it may take some time before he forgets those threats that I leveled at him. Still the weather is so nice these times that it is definitely worthwhile braving his attacks for a swim. Im swimming about 1.5 to 2K per session and its not fast but it feels good.

The cycling seems to be coming on well as well, again I’m not particularly fast but I have the stamina and so far the legs haven’t let me down long may it last.

Now the bad news: well obviously I failed miserably to do the Limerick Marathon and I failed to be fit in time for the Dingle Adventure race. I also missed out on two 10k fun runs so I have a lot of catching up to do.

I have done a couple of small events to try and keep things ticking over. I did two legs of the Cope Galway Triathlon and that felt pretty good. My times were alright seeing me finish about 65^th in the swim 750M and 45^th in the cycle 20K out of 192 starters. The run would not have been possible though which was frustrating. Moving on then last week I did the An post Tour De Burren which was a 60K bike ride in North Clare taking in Ballyvaughan, Lisdoonvarna, Doolin and back to Ballyvaughan . The sun was absolutely splitting the rocks and the event was fantastically well organized . Myself an Michael my brother came in 7^th and 9^th out of 300 finishers in the 60K .All in all a pretty pleasing finish but to be honest I was happier with the ice cream which was provided at the end of the race. So those two events Im going to make count for May. That means I still have an event to do in June and what an event.

The Hell of the West is on Saturday the 26^th June in Kilkee. It consists of a 1.5K swim, 44k on the bike and then a gentle 10k gallop. If proof is needed that the foot is fit (or not) then this will surely provide it. Im not expecting anything from this event other than to make it through in one piece and to be able to say that 12twelve12 is back on track.

So that’s pretty much all of my news, Id like to say well done to all the people that I train with and that are flat out at events of their own. These include events such as Salty faces 10k, Kilkee 10K, and Dingle adventure race and this Saturday a good share of them will be lining up to take part in the Clare 10K. So well done and above all thanks for the advice, sympathy and verbal abuse that helped me back on my feet,

Nuala, Kate, Rose, Michael, Brid, Marie, Simon, Clare, Annemarie and Lousie well done guys and I hope ye enjoy the race on Saturday. Ill keep ye posted.

That’s it for now,

Stay Comfortable and stay focused,

Rory

The great Limerick run was the first big event of this twelve month year. I chose Limerick because I went to college there and in addition its just down the road so I wouldn’t have to spend a loadt of time travelling which makes a massive difference when doing these events. The run is in its first year and comprises a full marathon, a half marathon and a 10K run all on the same day and all using some of the same routes. As a consequence there was a carnival atmosphere in limerick from very early on on the day.

There was a big group of people doing the event that I knew and it does make a difference when going to the start with people you know. The day dawned nice and dry at least which for Limerick is abnormal enough, it wasn’t too warm either , in short perfect conditions for a nice long run and I felt really comfortable lining up on the start line. The course in Limerick was like a walking tour of the city starting off by the peoples park heading down henry street along arthurs quay and then out past the trinity rooms and on out to castletroy. At this point I was running comfortably and I was behind the sub 4 hour pacers (in fact I was immediately behind them and was getting smacked on the head by balloons which were tied to them) I was running well inside my normal pace and was pretty confident that the legs and the fitness would hold up and I d finally be able to get the marathon monkey smacked into submission.. I continued on into UL and I had to pass out the pacers , the pace was a little bit too slow and I headed in around my old alma mater along routes that I first started running on , through the courtyard , past the nursing building across the living bridge and down by the river Shannon. All this time I was remembering all the runs early morning when youd have a thousand and one things on your mind and the run would help declutter and focus your thoughts. In short I was in the zone and I remembered distinctly why I first started to love running.

We headed back in to Limerick city by the river and the route was nice and flat, as we hit mile 11 it started to rain , but then it wouldn’t have been a run in Limerick if it didn’t rain. At this point I started to feel a little bit of tightness in my left foot but nothing at all strange about that. Normally on long runs you will get pain and usually it lasts half a mile and you run on through. By mile 13 though this pain had not gone away but had gotten worse. Every footfall was painful and it felt like I was pushing bone up through the center of the foot. I continued on and did the half marathon in  an hour and 55, not very fast but considering the previous few miles I was happy. At this stage though I was getting worried. As we continued on out the other side of the city heading toward young munsters rugby ground though at this point I was walkingt or rather hobbling. I eventually had to stop by a field with a horse. The horse seeing my plight came over to render first aid or at least emotional support. This was mile 14 or so and I didn’t think that I was going to be able to do the remaining 11. . Some really lovely people from St Johns ambulance bandaged up the foot and suggested I stay off it. I hobbled on naively thinking that this was still going to go. I literally got half a mile before I realised that this was not going to happen today. I took off the race number and made my way to an aid station.

To say I was disappointed is an understatement. All the miles of preparation, all the good wishes from family and friends and all the confidence which other people had placed in me I felt I had somhow let them down. This wasn’t to mention the two charties and the money pledged by my sponsors. I was loaded on to a minibus and brought back to the start line like a lump of beef.

There I waited as all my friends finished their respective events. I was somewhat low.

Id also like to say well done to those who finished including in no particular order

Annemarie, Marie, Kate, Roselita, Mikey Joe, Hugh. Louise, Clare, and Regina.

Id also like to thank the St Johns ambulance people and also all my friends who have listened to me giving out about my foot, brought me to A& E helped me to stop falling over on crutches and generally been fantastic. This blog will return to its more positive and upbeat tone next time out.

Slan go foill people ,

Rory

For a couple of years now I’ve been swimming (weather permitting, the thing was frozen for a good chunk of 2010 so far) in a lake at home called Gort Glas. It’s a Kidney shaped lake with an island in the centre of it. The width of it is about 600 Metres. I normally swim across it and my swimming partner Guinness, normally swims to the centre and then chases bubbles in the water. Well seeing as the triathlons are going to start in earnest shortly and there is a decent swimming component in that I decided two weeks ago it was time to get back into the water. I should explain at this point that the water was just a couple of degrees above freezing and even the local cows were looking at me with a “Man are you outa your mind” expression as I managed to coax my wetsuit on and dived in. The cold was excruciating, not so much on the parts covered by the wetsuit but on my face, and particularly in my ears it was like somebody holding freezing metal against my skin. But it had to be done so off I splashed. I did have to coax/threaten the dog into the water but once in he seemed happy enough until the arrival of the swan.

This swan and I have history, its not the first time he’s tried to throw his weight about (literally on the lake) last year whilst swimming he spent a happy ten minutes trying to dive bomb me. Myself and Guinness had gotten as far as the island and I swam on to the other side as normal. When I turned and came back, no amount of threats or platitudes could convince Guinness to get back into the water and in a couple of minutes I could see why. Gliding serenely with a malevolent glint in his eye around the island came my buddy the swan. My first reaction was to pray a little bit. He had wintered well and was looking big and sleek and strong and to put it mildly ticked off. He launched himself across the lake toward me leaving me no option but to retreat to the centre of the island to plan my next move. Bearing in mind I was about 300 metres from either shore and I had to convince the dog to get back into and then stay in the water I was left with no option but to go on the offensive. I launched myself out of the water trying to make myself as large as possible (very difficult task that) and released a stream of hissing, stones and invective in the general direction of the problem. This gave the swan some pause and he backed off to reconsider, however as soon as the dog put his paw back in the lake back the bugger glided. At this point I was nearly hysterical what with the effort of the swim initially and then the stress of dealing with the local navy and the cold water I may have made various threats against the swan which would have amounted ultimately to him suffering multiple compound fractures of his long and graceful neck if he didn’t remove said neck from my reach. I also chased him and he beat a retreat. I eventually got the dog back into the water and he and I swam what must have been a world record to shore. One final postscript, as I swam away and checked over my shoulder for my white nemesis I noticed a fishing boat with a lone fisherman gliding out from behind the island. God only knows what he heard or what it must have looked like from his perspective. In any case all of the above served one vital purpose, I was now ready to do WAR.

WAR or the Wicklow Adventure Race took place on the 17^th of April and was based in the really picturesque village of laragh which is in the heart of the Wicklow Mountains. I was doing this event with my brother and one of his work colleagues James both of whom are no strangers to these crazy events . The event itself started off at 8.30am for myself and my bro and the weather was absolutely gorgeous. It was warm at half 8 and as the sun climbed it got nice and toasty. To give ye an idea what the event was about here’s a rough summary,

Stage 1 Spink Mountain Run, Distance 8.75 Km , Climb 575 Metres

Stage 2 Cycle Glendalough to Lough Dan, Distance 15km, Climb 165 Meters

Stage 3 Kayak  Lough Dan, Distance 2 KM ( actual distance 4-5 Km) Climb 0 Meters

Stage 4 Cycle Lough Dan to Djouce , Cat1 Climb, Distance 8Km, Climb 284 Meters

Stage 5 Djouce Mountain run, Distance 9.5 Km , Climb 450 Meters.

Stage 6 Cycle Djouce to Glendalough , Distance 29Km, Climb 114 Meters, Descent 438M

I’m tired even from typing that. The event itself was a little bit more strenuous. I wont bore ye by describing each of the stages in detail but Ill just relay some of the high and low points.

The first run was fabulous with the legs being comfortable and fresh we had time to take in the scenery . Myself and Michael stuck together as James had gone off in an earlier wave. The run itself was quite steep and for most of the climb you were reduced to hiking up the path. The way down though was tougher with the track giving way to a rocky mountain path where you ended up having to pick your own way through the rocks to safety. On then to the first transition stage and out onto the bike. This was pretty uneventful the climbs were not too severe but it quickly became apparent that Michaels bike wasn’t going to make it as the back wheel was wobbling all over the place. we battled on and got as far as the Kayak stage.

I’m not too sure if anybody reading this has ever been one part of a two person kayak team but suffice it to say it can be quite stressful, especially if you get mixed up about where your actually going and especially if you both happen to be getting tired and slightly dehydrated at this point. We had plenty of power but very poor direction and as a consequence not only did we manage to ram another Kayak but id estimate we covered double the distance. I’ve never been so pleased in my life to be back on dry ground. Give me a swim over that any day.

Stage 4 I had to challenge on my own. Michaels bike had finally given up the ghost and he was returning to Glendalough. This stage wasn’t very long but it was very steep. It was also the scene of some of the best marshalling that I have seen in a long time. One of the Marshals stood at the crossroads picking his nose and generally looking disinterested and then at the very last minute put his hand out to one side. I kept my cool but the momentum was gone and I was facing into a long climb followed by a long steep climb.

Its probably best not to describe too graphically the pain that followed next, suffice it to say there was swearing, praying and thoughts of crying before I got to the top. When I racked the bike at the third transition I never wanted to see the bloody thing again. On to the second hill run. This time the ascent was every bit as steep but there was no lovely boardwalk to help the by now shattered legs. At this point it was just a case of keeping the head down and keeping going.

The final cycle was fun, with such a long descent it was possible to get some real speed up and I particularly enjoyed overtaking a car on one of the windy sections we came on then into Glendalough and the finish line was in site. I finished in a time of 6.01 , it wasn’t great but I enjoyed the stuffing out of it and Id say Ill be back as soon as I sufficiently forget the pain of this year.

So that’s it folks, 4 events done and only eight to go. The next event is hopefully a full marathon but Ill update ye on how that goes shortly. Thanks again for all the support.

Rory

Well Good Friday this year saw a different sort of purgatory for many people who were taking part in the third and last of the Naas Duathlon series. A total of 130 brave and possibly slightly crazy people took to the start line in weather that was inclement at best and downright diabolical at worst. This was the re-run of  the cancelled February event and in the days leading up to it , it was touch and go as to whether the event would get the go ahead at all. Snow on the Monday and Tuesday made the prospects extremely poor. Howver the day itself dawned wet windy and sans snow so the event was on.

Its hard to describe in any meaningful terms the buzz that you get when doing something ever so slightly crazy. The rain seemed to be coming horizontally as I got geared up for the race. All around me competitors were trying to explain to themselves why in the name of all that was good and holy they had elected to forsake their warm beds and journey as far a Punchestown for this. Attempting to get warmed up was a balancing act, going out too early and thus having to stand around waiting for the start would mean standing around being cold and wet, and not warming up would mean fairly poor performance.

The time arrived and we were off. Once we actually got running it wasn’t so bad. In fact the poor weather made it a little bit more enjoyable as spectators looked on incredulously wondering why anyone would go out for a gallop on such a day. The first run went well and we were through the first transition and out onto the roads. The cycle route at this point I am well familiar with having completed it twice before. I had the benefit of a new bike for this race which did make a significant difference, however the gear system was acting up having been bumped during transportation and that meant I couldn’t select 2^nd, 3^rd or 4^th. As a result I was either in very high or very low gear which was somewhat frustrating. The roads were wet and muddy and though I didn’t realise it, I and all the other competitors were getting covered in a fine layer of muck, therby increasing the crazed look of all competitors.

Off the bike and into the last run, At this point I had a few friends, ie people whom I had been passing and being passed by during the cycle. One lady in particular from the trilogy triathlon club made good her escape and passed me strongly at the start of the run. At this point of the race it was just a case of putting the head down and finishing, only two miles to go, on I plodded. Finished the race with a bit of a sprint and crossed the line in one hour and 16 minutes , two minutes slower than the second duathlon but then the cycle route was longer this time around. Out of 129 finishers I managed 69th so naturally enough Im thrilled with that. Thanks to all the people on the road who kept me motivated and chasing them.

Just a word on the organisation, throughout these events the marshals the referees and the course directors have been absolutely fantatstic and the overall organisation of these races as been very impressive and Id like to say a big thank you to them for making the first three vents of 12twelve12 very enjoyable.

So that’s it for now, next event is the WAR Wicklow Adventure Race and that is on the 17^th of April. If I thought the last one was muddy this one promises to be on a whole new level.

All the best for now,

Rory