BALLYHOURA WINTER MOONLIGHT CHALLENGE
| Author | Date | Message |
|---|---|---|
| Robbie Williams | Nov 6 2023, 8:08pm | Hi Guys Next instalment of this race is coming up on Friday 26th 2024. Entry is open for 200 runners from midnight tonight. As always we will aim for a dry, cold, moonlit night. It is the night just after the full moon so fingers crossed for good weather. Race momento and hot food served afterwards ! Thank you Ps: I’ll a accept any volunteers that want to help ! |
| Robbie Williams | Nov 6 2023, 8:09pm | Make sure to buy your 2024 membership before buying the race ! |
| Keelin Holmes | Nov 7 2023, 11:27am | Hi ! Is this on in January and what is the distance? Thanks Keelin ! |
| Robbie Williams | Nov 7 2023, 1:22pm | Hiya All details in calendar on site here Just change the year to 2024 |
| Colin Callanan | Nov 7 2023, 4:52pm | Great stuff, thanks for updating. Am I right in saying that the only cutoff is 2hr 20min to reach the 15km mark? And after that, there isn't a end-time cut-off? |
| Robbie Williams | Nov 7 2023, 5:57pm | Well you will be expiring cover then rest of the 13km in 2hours Remember these are volunteers who are runners , if people are really dragging they should take the early start. If people are down to a crawl we will need to get them off the course . |
| Marie Buicke | Nov 7 2023, 6:51pm | Hello. I am new to this. May I ask please is it ok to walk some of this course? What would be the average pace of this event. Just to give me an idea if my pace is up for it or not. I would have no problem starting early. Thanks. hoping I won’t have go crawl. |
| Colin Callanan | Nov 7 2023, 7:34pm | Robbie will answer better than I can but from what I've seen, most people do the 28km under four hours. Most people will be over 3 hours. Very skilled mountain runners would be close to or under the 3 hours. I don't think it's possible to walk it in under 4 but if you are ok running half of it, and your average pace comes out under 9 minutes per km, you'll complete it within the cutoffs (especially if you request an early start). I'm not sure this is a beginner friendly course, as it's at night time and there is some technical terrain in parts. I would say having navigation experience in the hills at night would be helpful, even though it's fully sign posted. Disclaimer: I haven't run this course so others would probably be better placed to answer your question :) |
| Robbie Williams | Nov 7 2023, 8:12pm | Right guys My main concern here is the volunteers being out on hills which is unfair The cut off will be very strict , and may even tighten it further as a few runners last year were over 5:30 hours If in doubt I would encourage you to do the 13km version or to at minimum take the early start, |
| Robbie Williams | Nov 7 2023, 8:13pm | Winners time 2:03, slowest approx 5:30 (but we’re early start ) |
| Marie Buicke | Nov 7 2023, 9:03pm | Thank you Colin and Robbie for your reply. I didn’t realise there was a 13k. I will give it serious thought. Thanks again. |
| Marie Buicke | Nov 7 2023, 9:17pm | I am going to do it on Saturday and will sign up on Sunday. If I feel I can make some handle on it within the time frame that is allowed. Thanks again. |
| Robbie Williams | Nov 7 2023, 9:19pm | Not a bother Chat then |
| Robbie Williams | Nov 23 2023, 3:28pm | Hi Lads This is now sold out. The entered amount says 299 but it is a glitch and there are 300 entered. We won’t do an list but there are still plenty of spots in the 13km event. Thank You |
| Jeni O'Regan | Nov 24 2023, 10:14am | Can you let me know if a space for the 26km comes available please? I had planned on signing up this morning but it is sold out. Thanks a million |
| Shane Carew | Nov 28 2023, 8:59pm | Hi all, could someone please recommend a head torch that can be used for this event? Regards, Shane. |
| Robbie Williams | Nov 29 2023, 5:31am | Buy a good torch like Petzl nao I have mine 10 years Cheap ones don’t allow you to run with confidence Seems expensive (maybe €140) but will last you |
| Denise Barrett | Nov 29 2023, 6:19am | Hello - I tried to sign up for the 28km race last week -but - got a confirmation that I had signed up for the 13k - of course I thought I had selected the incorrect race so I repeated the process selecting the 28km race - but again - I got a confirmation that I had signed up for the 13k race - I didn’t know how to contact organiser till I saw Robbies response here this morning - Robbie are you in a position to advise me please? |
| Robbie Williams | Nov 29 2023, 10:15am | The 28km has been closed for over a week so it’s not on the purchase list at all Only the 13k is. The 28km sold out so did u pay twice for 13km ? |
| Sorcha Kearney | Nov 29 2023, 11:23am | Hi Shane. I got a Petyl Swift in the sales. Good light and not too many confusing settings. Wouldn’t have as much battery life as the Nao but fine for a shorter race like the Challenge |
| Denise Barrett | Nov 29 2023, 12:42pm | Hi Robbie thanks for getting back to me -the 28k race it is still on the IMRA site - but when added to basket the basket says no entry added - last week when I added it - it was there and I paid and checked out - when I checked my entry it said 13k. I assumed I had made a mistake and added the wrong race. So i repeated the process taking care to add the 28k race to the basket - and checked out. Again when I checked out with the 28k in basket - the confirmation was for the shorter race. No problem if that was a glitch - and the event is sold out these things occur. I was just trying to figure out if I have an entry for the longer race - So yes I have paid for 2 entries plus 2 annual memberships. I think you’ve pretty much answered my query - which was ‘do I have an entry for the longer event?’ I’m assuming no. I ended up with 2 entries for the shorter event as I thought I had made a mistake on the entry - so I tried again - then realised there was a problem. Thanks Denise |
| Robbie Williams | Nov 29 2023, 3:50pm | I will have a look And ask IT dept. If you have an entry for a race it should block you from buying another, providing you have logged in under your own name |
| Robbie Williams | Nov 29 2023, 3:54pm | You are down for the 13km one time as much as I can see on the entries .. I have asked IT to check payments You defo are entered in the 13km now anyway . |
| Denise Barrett | Nov 29 2023, 4:13pm | Thanks I would send a screen shot of my two entries if it helps? Can’t attach to this message - the payment ID is 7**56 for 1 entry and plus annual membership plus ID 7**57 for 1 entry plus membership (the membership was added automatically) |
| Robbie Williams | Nov 29 2023, 5:42pm | Just mail Any detail to me robbie DOT williams AT IMRA DOT ie |
| Andy Keeling | Dec 14 2023, 7:18pm | Can anyone advise on what's the best map to get for the mandatory kit for this race? |
| Kevin Broughton | Dec 14 2023, 11:46pm | Andy OSI map 73, but there’s also this that you could download and print https://visitballyhoura.com/assets/files/Ballyhoura-Way-Maps-1-8.pdf The map is a new requirement I think, maybe Robbie can clarify if a gpx map on watch is acceptable (as was the case for another race last year) or if it must be a paper map in future? |
| Kevin Broughton | Dec 14 2023, 11:52pm | I’m surprised there’s no headtorch on the mandatory kit list for this one ……although I suppose it’s pretty obvious one will be needed! |
| Robbie Williams | Dec 15 2023, 11:34am | Special prize if you can do it without the torch |
| Andy Keeling | Dec 15 2023, 1:23pm | Thanks Kevin. |
| Brendan Condon | Dec 19 2023, 2:57pm | Hi Robbie, I have had the same issue as Denise Barrett. I went to register for the 28km because it said 299/300 places taken, so in a rush I added to basket and paid thinking I got the last available spot. However, it turns out I'm now registered for the Dash race. My payment ID is 76974. I don't want to do the dash race. Can I be added to the to the waiting list for the 28km or else can I be issued with a refund as I it was never my desire to do the 13km. Regards, Brendan |
| Ronan Johns | Dec 30 2023, 1:13pm | Was hoping to the dash race with a friend and between figuring out if we were both free the event has disappeared. Would love two spots if they become available! |
| Robbie Williams | Dec 30 2023, 1:51pm | Lads this event is sold out weeks I’m afraid |
