Annacurra
Forum Messages
| Author | Date | Message |
|---|---|---|
| Mick Hanney | Jan 10 2013, 6:29pm | I'd appreciate if a laptop person could volunteer in advance for this. At least then I know I have a core non-running team in place and I can go about organising things locally - hall, pub, keys, prizes etc etc. Such things cannot be organised last minute. As a race director its difficult to get things fully lined up in advance if you are uncertain that you have a full team. And without a full team the event cannot take place. The same goes for the other Winter League events I'm sure. Thanks. |
| Colum McKeown | Jan 14 2013, 3:00pm | Hi Mick, I can volunteer as the laptop operator for this event. I haven't done it before though, would I be able to pick it up on the day? Thanks Colum |
| Mick Hanney | Jan 14 2013, 5:40pm | Colum - Ideally you would need to shadow someone in the role at an event first. Its a 2 person job at the start of the season so I'll add you as shadow laptop operator if thats okay. Thanks a million. |
| Stephen Perry | Jan 14 2013, 9:16pm | Mick really sorry but just got my flight details and I'm only landing in dublin at 14.50 that day so can't help out. Best of luck as its a great route . |
| Daniela Boehm | Jan 22 2013, 2:19pm | Hi Mick, I put my name down for laptop operator. I hope I haven't forgotten too much of it since last summer ;) |
| Mick Hanney | Jan 22 2013, 5:55pm | Much appreciated Daniella. |
| Mick Hanney | Jan 22 2013, 6:03pm | Needless to say we need other non running and running volunteers. A chance to get your volunteering in early in the season. Annacurra is a tough 11k route, so if you feel you are not up to that distance or you have an injury it might be your opportunity to help out. Thanks. |
| Niall Corrigan | Jan 23 2013, 10:14am | Hi, You can put me down as a running volunteer. Niall. |
| Mick Hanney | Jan 23 2013, 11:38am | Thanks Niall |
| Mick Hanney | Jan 24 2013, 9:11pm | Note: the course record mentioned in the race details is for a previous version of the route which was a fair bit shorter than the new edition. I'll be running the route this Sunday at 10am if anyone fancies a jog out. |
| richard kieran | Jan 26 2013, 2:07pm | Hi Mick, I'd be happy to be a running volunteer if you still need some! Richard |
| Mick Hanney | Jan 26 2013, 6:28pm | Thanks Richard, added you to the list. |
| Cian Friel | Jan 28 2013, 1:12pm | Hi guys, Id like to be a running volunteer, if needed! Thanks, Cian |
| Mick Hanney | Jan 28 2013, 1:20pm | Thanks Cian. Adding you now. |
| Cian Friel | Jan 28 2013, 8:12pm | Thanks Mick, can I be a running volunteer if possible? Cheers |
| Mick Hanney | Jan 28 2013, 8:18pm | Cian, I switched you to run. |
| Kris Dunne | Jan 29 2013, 11:25am | Can u put my name down as a running volunteer... it's my first time to volunteer so go easy on me please!! Kris |
| Mick Hanney | Jan 29 2013, 7:27pm | Kris I have added you to the list. However, I have 2 too many running volunteers. And not enough non-running volunteers. Ideally I would have 2 more non-running volunteers to assist with marshalling in particular. |
| Alan Kilbride | Feb 1 2013, 4:03pm | Hi, Do you know what time registration closes for this, it's a long drive down from Dublin ;o) Cheers, Al. |
| colin doyle | Feb 1 2013, 5:34pm | Hi Mick, What time do u want the volunteers to arrive at? Also if u get a chance can u stick up our individual roles as this will save you time on the day. Cheers |
| Mick Hanney | Feb 1 2013, 6:49pm | If you are registering new for 2013 try get their early. Registration will close at 11.45, but preferably we shouldn't be dealing with brand new registrations up to the wire. Colin - I'll post roles up later in the week. I'm 2 non-running volunteers short which makes full allocation of duties problematic. Colum, your role doesn't come into play til after the race, so feel free to arrive later or take in a run of your own if you arrive early. Runners can enjoy a warm up run around our new Coillte approved trail loop which is c. 2.25k in length. Map inside the front gate of forest and all signposted. Please try to car pool on the day. As I am using facilities provided by the local community I'd like to take a contribution per car of a couple of euros if you can afford it to go towards the local national school. And I'll say it again, please wear trail shoes as you'll be slipping around otherwise. |
| Christopher Dunne | Feb 1 2013, 7:55pm | Hi mick, if you need to change me to a non runner , that's no problem but if u could find a way to give me a job that I can run the course either before or after the race I'd appreciate it, I'l be travelling with one other runner from kildare. Thanks, Christopher |
| Mick Hanney | Feb 2 2013, 9:52pm | Thanks Christopher, I'll take you up on that. I'll organise it so you get your run in. |
| Christopher Dunne | Feb 3 2013, 5:14pm | Thanks mick , what time do you need me to be there for. ? ? |
| Mick Hanney | Feb 3 2013, 5:52pm | Can volunteers please be at Annacurra Community hall at 10.30 Saturday next, except Brian (arrival near race start time would be fine). Roles as follows but we can be flexible as events dictate. Thanks in advance for your help. ROLE ACCEPTED RUN Role Race Director Mick Hanney No Deputy Race Director Brian O'Murchu No Registration oversight/finish line Deputy Race Director Paul Joyce No Marshall - top of hill First Aid Officer Brian McGuckin No 1st aid Laptop Operator Daniela Boehm No laptop Shadow laptop operator Colum McKeown No laptop help Helper Colin Doyle No year book sales. Finish line. Support for 1st aid if necessary Helper Richard Kieran Yes Collect money Race Marker Niamh O'Ceallaigh Yes Route marking Helper Christopher Dunne No Marshall - lower junction/junior turn Helper Cian Friel Yes 2013 numbers Helper Mike Jordan Yes new forms Helper Mikey Fry Yes race sign ins (check numbers / legibility) Helper Niall Corrigan Yes Race number check (with runner report) Helper Stephen Brennan Yes car park marshall Some of the running volunteers can help collect & sort numbers at the end and file them away, thanks. |
| Mick Hanney | Feb 3 2013, 5:53pm | The Yes and Nos are for running (volunteer) or not... |
| Colum McKeown | Feb 4 2013, 11:20am | Hi, Volunteering on Saturday and looking for a lift if there's anyone leaving from Dublin. Thanks Colum |
| Gordon Wilson | Feb 4 2013, 12:23pm | Hi Mick, do you need any more (running) helpers? |
| Mick Hanney | Feb 4 2013, 12:47pm | No more volunteers needed. I daresay the director for Troopertown and Maulin will be happy to have some. |
| Ciaran Keogh | Feb 5 2013, 12:30pm | Hi, Thinking of going along to this race which will be my first IMRA run. Currently running in Vibram fivefingers and wondering would they be suitable for this route? Anyone else use them for these races? I've run some trails in them before so don't mind if it's a bit rocky/slippy. Thanks! |
| Turlough Conway | Feb 5 2013, 2:09pm | Old Mohican proverb: He who go up mountain with 5 fingers sometimes come down hill with 3 fingers |
| Colin Doyle | Feb 5 2013, 2:24pm | @ Colum. I leaving from harolds cross/ leonards Corner at 9.10am if you want a lift down, txt me on 0863445554. |
| Turlough Conway | Feb 5 2013, 4:05pm | Ciaran, I belive some of the descents are slippy and steep. If youre new to hillrunning the tendency is to break. The sole in the vibrams wont hold if you do. Even a very skilled descender would risk coming a cropper in them. Also it looks like there is a very fast and hard downhill near the end. In full racing mode, Your form will deteriorate while tired: youll be slapping the ground hard on this section unless youve done very hard session on downhills wearing vibrams. I wouldnt want to do that without cushioning to be honest. There are minimalist enough shoes with soem cushioning that you might get away with: e.g. New Balance MTE101 Trail You wont get away with the vibrams on this race, even more so as its your first race and contains technical descent. A show with good grip and some cushioning is required i'd suggest. |
| Rene Borg | Feb 5 2013, 4:28pm | Ciaran, here's my opinion as someone who teaches natural running technique - we don't consider the Vibram FiveFinger shoe a running shoe (it's a cartoon foot that tends to tense up people's foot mechanics, not worse than most shoes, but still too much for our liking). We would only recommend it for other natural movement work such as crawling, climbing, vaulting, precision jumps, quadruped work etc. At the end of the day, what you can run in and on what is solely determined by your skill level and under what circumstances you can keep your perception on executing that skill at the highest level. Our teachers have run up and down Camaderry bare foot without any problem, so if they had asked me this question, I would say "go for it". Since i don't know your skill level, you need to compare what you have done in practice and training and consider that pace, terrain complexity and distraction elements will be high. Long way of saying you need a very high skill level to do it in footwear like that. A good compromise is a shoe like the VivoBarefoot Breatho, used by one of our own athletes during the last Snowdon race. It does not mess with your foot mechanics in any way but has both adequate protection and grip for almost any terrain for a runner with a reasonable skill level. A runner with compromised posture, poor foot mechanics or poor rhythm would find it difficult to complete a race like that in even such footwear, however. So you need to have a good understanding of your own capabilities. |
| james Shanahan | Feb 6 2013, 11:22am | Hi All, Just wondering can 2 newbies register on the day? I am a IMRA member although my friend is not. And also how much will it cost. Thanks in advance. James. |
| Mick Hanney | Feb 6 2013, 1:13pm | On the day registrations are fine. If you fill in the form beforehand or on the morning (we'll have spares) we'll get you sorted. A new reg costs €10, plus €7 for the race. The reg fee is good for the year. There is a discount for students, OAPs and umemployed. c. €5 (reg) plus 4 (race fee), I think. |
| Colum McKeown | Feb 6 2013, 3:50pm | Any other non-running volunteers fancy a run before the race on Saturday? Colum |
| brian mcguckin | Feb 6 2013, 5:07pm | yeah I'd like to run the course.. what time are you running it |
| Colum McKeown | Feb 6 2013, 6:27pm | @Brian as soon as I get down there probably. Getting a lift, leaving Dublin at 9.10am. Colum |
| Mick Hanney | Feb 6 2013, 8:40pm | Unfortunately the local pub isn't open at the moment. However, our school parents association has stepped in and they'll provide soup, sambos, tea, coffee post-race in the village community hall. I hope everyone from the race calls in after to enjoy some post-race craic and if you can please give a contribution towards the refreshments which will help the school. I'm indebted to the locals for helping our race out here. Thanks all. |
| Mick Hanney | Feb 7 2013, 7:40am | Route Overview - this will make more sense if you have the race map printed out so you get a sense of the twists and turns:- Starts at car park. Up a gradual trail ascent for c. 700m. Cross a back-road, and follow a slippy single track through woods to a fire road. Turn left and its a steady fire road ascent for about 1.5 k, then you break off left to a steeper rougher climb which will work the legs. This is the 1st of 3 main climbs and the junior turn point will be at this junction. When this climb levels out the going is made difficult by debris left behind from the last forest operations in the area. So its messy running for a few hundred metres, before you join a better defined trail. Then the fun bit. Veer left for the 1st descent with hopefully great views of the nearby mountain ahead of you. An acute turn right (and run and jump over a big puddle), before you veer right for the 2nd main climb. A narrow uphill version of the descent you've just done. Hang in there.. it doesn't last long. This section is narrow. Turn left at top. At the top the trail levels off a bit before you veer left again for the next fun descent. This part is very slippery so mind your footing. Good grip is essential! Nice views again. At the end veer right back onto a steady fire road ascent (last big climb,but its gradual). Only now do you reach the top of the hill proper. This will be marshalled. Great views if you had time to take it in. You are now at a cross roads. Take the immediate left turn and its a nice descent towards the water filled section. Decision here whether to try plough straight through the water (its cold, deep and longer than you think) or you can take a gap in the trees that is marked and pick your way in parallel to the trail before you escape back out onto the trail for a more technical descent with wet bits towards the end. Mind your footing in wooded section. Felled branches a plenty in there. Back onto a fire road you veer right, steady uphill, but its not a bad uphill. If you have a chance to look left and behind you might see Lug. You should definitely see Croaghanmoira and Ballinacor. You climb steady for about a 1k, before you veer left and its downhill all the way on fire-road (very fast) before you enter the tree section and trail bit you did at the very start. Finishing at Annacurra church car park. The finish is very fast. Try to keep something in the tank. Hopefully on the various climbs and descents people will get a chance to look around and you might see the field spread out ahead or behind you, which is a nice feature of the race. |
| Mick Hanney | Feb 7 2013, 12:04pm | Niamh - can you give me a shout please 086 8539554, thanks. Mick |
| Daniela Boehm | Feb 8 2013, 12:36pm | Hi, if any of the other volunteers (or anyone else wanting to head down early) want a lift: we'll be leaving Ranelagh around 9.20 (can pick up on the way) and have 3 seats available. You can reach me on zero86201six784. Daniela |
| Mick Hanney | Feb 8 2013, 8:49pm | Showers are available after the race in the GAA club which is beside the community hall. Or braver souls can go to the river. :-) |
| Cian Friel | Feb 8 2013, 11:19pm | Its a bit late in the day for this, but ill be leaving drimnagh at around 9:30ish. Call me if anyone wants a lift....0877548730 |
| Mick Hanney | Feb 9 2013, 3:09pm | Thanks everyone for a great race today, in particular to the volunteers. A huge thanks to contributions to the local school. Over €500 raised which is a fantastic result. There was a great buzz back in the hall after the race. |
| Liam Costello | Feb 9 2013, 3:35pm | Thanks to the race organisers for todays race. It was very enjoyable and perfect running conditions. And the soup and sandwiches were very welcome at the end. |
| Dermot Murphy | Feb 9 2013, 3:48pm | Mick, thanks for organising a great race today. You had a great set up in place - a very efficient volunteer crew, an enjoyable, challenging course, the hall worked a treat for registration and the soup and sandwiches afterwards, loads of parking and best of all, showers in the GAA club (a bit cold though)! Well done also to Des for his second win of the year. |
| Paul Joyce | Feb 9 2013, 5:27pm | I counted about 30 seconds lead Des had over second place Paddy at the summit. That's phenomenal descending to turn it into an almost 3 minute gap at the finish. |
| Mick Hanney | Feb 9 2013, 6:16pm | Thanks guys. Would be great to see some race reports. |
| Turlough Conway | Feb 9 2013, 6:21pm | Hi Paul. I think david Power was in second at summit, (you were at the true summit i think). but it looked like the gap was bigger, i would have thought at least a minute. Paddy or brian was third i guess. I saw des way ahead at the lake and the race for first was over, as far as i was concerned. Myself and david went wrong in the forest at the pool (lake). I ploughed through and nearly drowned. David took a line close to the pool and when we finally entered the forest we followed the markers the wrong way. The marking was spot on it was just a heat of the moment error. Nothing definate, but we may possibly have occupied the gap between 1st and second, without the diversion, but within 90 secs of des was unlikely as he was fastest up, down and flat as far as i could see. |
| Turlough Conway | Feb 9 2013, 6:24pm | Just to add well done to mick, volunteers and annacuragh community for a great event. Lovely day out. |
| Paul Joyce | Feb 9 2013, 6:27pm | Ah, that makes sense Turlough. You were 3rd at summit (and David second, my mistake). Incidentally, how deep was that pool? We may get you into Triathlons yet ;) |
| Mick Hanney | Feb 9 2013, 6:30pm | Did no one read my route notes :-) "and its a nice descent towards the water filled section. Decision here whether to try plough straight through the water (its cold, deep and longer than you think) or you can take a gap in the trees that is marked and pick your way in parallel to the trail before you escape back out onto the trail " I demarked the route this afternoon and the marking was brilliantly done. Thanks for the kind words. Good feedback makes you forget the hard work the next time the ask to organise it comes along. The route in reverse could be an option. |
| Daniela Boehm | Feb 9 2013, 7:02pm | Hi, just a word of apology to the junior 280 (while you were quick, it was probably more than 16secs ;)) and numbers 65, 364 and 48 - I didn't get your exact times as I had some laptop issues at that moment. If any of you have your own exact times maybe you could let the results secretary know and they can be adjusted. Thanks, Daniela |
| Cormac O Ceallaigh | Feb 9 2013, 8:12pm | Brillantly organized race.super hospitality afterwards and a welcome change from a dark old musty pub where the soup and sambo s would have been a patch on the ones dished up to us today. Great to support the local school. |
| David Butler | Feb 9 2013, 8:37pm | Hi, newly signed up member of IMRA still feeling the effects of my first mountain run. Would someone be able to send me on the link to join the MyIMRA section of the site. Cheers Dave. |
| Turlough Conway | Feb 9 2013, 9:05pm | @mick. Marking and directions perfect. Just a spur of the moment wrong turn. @Paul Enough water for a shark in there, had to wade through it. Mind you i waded throuugh my last triathlon too! |
| Mick Hanney | Feb 9 2013, 9:07pm | David, please post up your email address and I'll try invite you. |
| David Butler | Feb 9 2013, 9:14pm | Cheers Mick. speedybutler@yahoo.ie |
| Mick Hanney | Feb 9 2013, 9:18pm | sent. |
| Mick Hanney | Feb 15 2013, 1:36pm | Any budding race reporters out there? Des? It would be good to get a view from the front of the field. |
| Des Kennedy | Feb 16 2013, 9:43pm | Belated race report up now. Great job last week Mick and the crew! |
| Mick Hanney | Feb 16 2013, 10:02pm | Bravo Des, fine report. |
