Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more

Outdoor Activities => Northern Ireland Hiking, Walking, Running, Orienteering and Geocaching => Topic started by: mregan on September 24, 2012

Title: Causeway Ultra, Marathon, half, 10k and Challenge walk
Post by: mregan on September 24, 2012
Who is doing what on Saturday?

Closing date tomorrow and I decided I will do the Half.  Probably not beat my PB but it will do for training for the wall.
Title: Re: Causeway Ultra, Marathon, half, 10k and Challenge walk
Post by: twentyclicks on September 24, 2012
Ultra - hamstrings are playing up. I may have to do some light stretching this week!
Title: Re: Causeway Ultra, Marathon, half, 10k and Challenge walk
Post by: mregan on September 24, 2012
Yeah remembered you where doing the ultra. If I get up early enough I might walk down and wave you's off. Think there is a big field doing the ultra. What time you due to start on Poetstewart strand do you know?

Best of luck enjoy it.
Title: Re: Causeway Ultra, Marathon, half, 10k and Challenge walk
Post by: seanc on September 24, 2012
Cant match names with faces but will be attempting half mar so good luck to all and i will be the rabbit in headlights :) at the start
Title: Re: Causeway Ultra, Marathon, half, 10k and Challenge walk
Post by: twentyclicks on September 25, 2012
pfft... I have no idea, I don't even know how I'm getting up there yet. Think it's 7 or 7:30.

I'll be wearing a yellow cycle cap as per usual, so feel free to introduce yourself if you pass me and have the breath!
Title: Re: Causeway Ultra, Marathon, half, 10k and Challenge walk
Post by: seanc on September 29, 2012
half marathom done -knee buggered great day and had pleasure of company of  Peter Ferris for last two miles he was doing ultra so could even moan about knee :-) again great day and will hope to run again next year hope all from forum had as good a day as i had and thanks for my lovely wife and girls for waiting for me all day and at finish !!!!!!
Title: Re: Causeway Ultra, Marathon, half, 10k and Challenge walk
Post by: mregan on September 29, 2012
What a day. Very tough conditions wind was blowin a gale in places. A few headlands it brought people to a complete stop.

Massive well done to Twentyclicks Craig was looking as fresh at the end as he was at the start. Even sprinted of and left me sitting and I was doing the half.

I finished in 1hour 55 by my watch. No sign of official times for the half yet. Love that race for the location. One day I might attempt the ultra but I need a a lot of training first.
Title: Re: Causeway Ultra, Marathon, half, 10k and Challenge walk
Post by: mregan on September 29, 2012
Official Time 2h05:22 no idea why the massive difference in my watch and official. Probably a cheap crappy watch  ;D ;D

Not a PB or close but a great race!
Title: Re: Causeway Ultra, Marathon, half, 10k and Challenge walk
Post by: mregan on September 29, 2012
Official time has been update 2:00:22 I knew something was wrong!
Title: Re: Causeway Ultra, Marathon, half, 10k and Challenge walk
Post by: twentyclicks on September 29, 2012
Ouch! Thanks mregan, but fresh would be the furthest adjective that springs to mind. It's just my youthful good looks  ;) The legs just wanted to give up by mile 25, but I banged a load of caffeine into me and numbness took over. Just got into a zone on the way back and blasted on with gritted teeth. Muscles really complained the last few miles but it was downhill and I had to beat the 7hr.
Much tougher than I thought. Wind had actually died down on the way back...earlier on I passed a guy measuring the gusts at near 50mph! Still, the beauty of the course made up for it. I had some magical moments throughout the day, and was on such a high on finishing.

I hope I was friendly if we were talking...or didn't pass too rudely: got a bit single minded at the end.
Our official time was about 1.5mins slower. I was 17th with 6:57:36  ;D 
Well done all, it was a beast.
Title: Re: Causeway Ultra, Marathon, half, 10k and Challenge walk
Post by: seanc on September 29, 2012
dont feel to bad now 2 hrs 42 and walked last 4 miles  :) :) :) :) next year >:( >:( >:(
Title: Re: Causeway Ultra, Marathon, half, 10k and Challenge walk
Post by: Simey on September 30, 2012
Well done guys on your races, what does an ultra involve?
Title: Re: Causeway Ultra, Marathon, half, 10k and Challenge walk
Post by: twentyclicks on September 30, 2012
Well done guys on your races, what does an ultra involve?

Technically anything longer than a marathon, but generally regarded as 50km (31mile) or more. They can be on the road, track, but the majority are trail races. Of course you can just go out and run one in training or for the craic... as many ultra-runners will do!

Yesterday's was 65km (40.4miles), just over 1.5 marathons. I recorded 1350m elevation gain, and supposedly burned around 6,500 calories.... it's a nice excuse for some tasty treats  ;D
Title: Re: Causeway Ultra, Marathon, half, 10k and Challenge walk
Post by: mregan on September 30, 2012
Craig that was me at 7:45am in portstewart then talking to you as I was running the half. I was feeling great until you took off down towards the causeway visitor centre. It was an impressive turn of pace so close to the finish. Was only today I thought I didn't say who I was LOL.

No worries about niceties on a run like that. To be honest though you were grand. Others I spoke to it was like talking to a brick wall and that wasn't ultra runners you guys have an excuse when in the zone.
Title: Re: Causeway Ultra, Marathon, half, 10k and Challenge walk
Post by: twentyclicks on September 30, 2012
Ah, we were loving the early morning support! Quite unexpected, but many thanks for popping out when you could have been having a nice pre-race lie-in!

I was chatting to so many people throughout the day, lots who knew me (my team-mate John was right when he said I should wear the same cap to each event). Unfortunately, I'm terrible with names, and I used to be good with faces, but it seems a change of clothes can pickle me now as well  ::)  Doesn't stop a good chat though when you're taking it handy.

I tried to use gravity/wind assistance to gain ground most of the day and it worked well. Pacing was also consistent and thankfully the body held together for it. Think my moving splits were 2:11, 2:20, 2:20 ish (plus aid stations), but the heart rate average went up more like 145, 155, 165.

Hope your legs recover soon enough, see you in person again!
Title: Re: Causeway Ultra, Marathon, half, 10k and Challenge walk
Post by: whoRya on October 01, 2012
What was the rough route?  I'm curious how it came to be 1350m of ascent, that is a fair day's walking in the Mournes.

Well done guys.
Title: Re: Causeway Ultra, Marathon, half, 10k and Challenge walk
Post by: mregan on October 01, 2012
So many people think a coastal route is flat.  I heard loads of people talking about doing this as it was flat.  They werent saying it at the end.

The ultra started on portstewart strand following the coast around to portrush and along the whiterocks beach.  First big climb is from sea level up to the road the road continues to climb up past dunluce then drops back down to almost sea level at portballintray.  It climbs around runkerry then drops to sea level at the causeway stones.  Climbing the steps from the stones to the top of the cliffs.  From the causeway all the way across to Ballintoy is climbing and descending.  I think I can remember 5- 6 sets of steps.  There was also a detour from portbradden up to the main road and back down to dunseverick harbour. 

 

Title: Re: Causeway Ultra, Marathon, half, 10k and Challenge walk
Post by: twentyclicks on October 01, 2012
Yes, overall climbing is less than the Mourne Way race, but it tends to be longer climbs whereas the Causeway is constantly up and down...compared to a road race, definitely not flat!

http://app.strava.com/runs/23493288 (http://app.strava.com/runs/23493288)
Title: Re: Causeway Ultra, Marathon, half, 10k and Challenge walk
Post by: mregan on October 01, 2012
How long do you recover after an ultra Craig? When do you run again?
Title: Re: Causeway Ultra, Marathon, half, 10k and Challenge walk
Post by: twentyclicks on October 01, 2012
Depends. Normally I can't even think about running for at least 5+ days. Using stairs normally tends to take 2 days, and another day or two for the muscle pain to go... but saying that, despite muscle pain, no stair trouble this time and I ran 4 miles to work this evening at a very slow pace. The 600g ribeye I had last night may have really helped!   ;D

I tend to be able to pedal the bike ok even the same day....not big efforts, but normal getting-about not affected.

I think more or steeper climbing seems to do the damage. Seven Sevens was even worse than the Mourne Way ultra. How about yourself... do you find the same, or are you in this 'recovery run the day after' club I hear rumours of?  :)
Title: Re: Causeway Ultra, Marathon, half, 10k and Challenge walk
Post by: mregan on October 02, 2012
The day after I normally feel grand. It's two days later I get the real pain. I have ran the day after a marathon in the past but not always. Standing for 5-10mins in the sea helped me the most I reckon. I am back running to and from work today but then I only done the half this time.