“Gaelforce West is the largest one day adventure race of its kind in the world. It is a multi-sport adventure race involving cycling, running, hiking and kayaking. The course of approximately 67km stretches from the stunning Glassilaun beach to Westport. En route there are some significant obstacles to cross, including Killary Harbour and the famous holy mountain of Croagh Patrick. It is important to note that you will get wet and dirty; you are running through bogs, along mountain paths and up Croagh Patrick!
These are not triathlons, marathons or a fun runs, they are adventure races!”
Well, while accurate, the above does not begin to prepare one for the challenge and the ruggedness of the course.
Friday involved driving up through Lenane and on up through Killary harbour for registration/bike drop. This is truly the most remote and beautiful part of the country I’ve ever seen. Mandatory pack included route map, whistle and survival blanket. Somewhat worrying – could we actually get that lost! Thankfully none were needed!
I undertook this challenge with a friend of mine, Joe, from Ennistymon. With staggered starts, our bus departed Westport at 6am – destination Glassilaun beach, roughly 40 minutes away. Waiting around on a deserted beach that early got quite chilly so we were glad to finally kick off. Even though I’d been waiting for ages, I still managed to be in the middle of removing my wind jacket when everyone took off! The start was from the beach line, up through various sand dunes. Thoughts of Saving Private Ryan ran through my head.
“You will get mucky and wet on the trail run”
13 km, Time 1h 22min.
I mistakenly read this as a “13 km run”. This middle section of this run was along the slopes of Killary, through all sorts of mud, rocks, the odd stray sheep and over stone walls etc. The sooner one accepted running inches deep in muck the better. It would have been lovely to take in the fantastic views of Killary alongside but I feared any lack of concentration might have resulted in slippage down near vertical drops into the fjord below! I so wish I had invested in trail runners for grip. My biggest mistake of the day - lesson learned. No bottled water or food were provided en route – only large storage tanks to fill up from at each transition.
Stage 2: Kayaking across Killary Harbour
1 km, Time 8 min.
This was the easiest, and shortest, section of the race, giving the legs a welcome break. These were 2 person kayaks but it didn’t help that my companion cramped up half way across!
Stage 3: Trail and Road Run
“This section is running through a bog. You are definitely going to get mucky and wet”
3.5km, Time 21min.
“Bog” was one word for it. And nearly all uphill too. Saw one poor lad lose his shoe here. More sheep. Mud run for sure.
34km, Time 1h 40min.
The majority of this was straight-forward road cycling with one longish pull in the middle. Fantastic views again. Provided a good opportunity for foddering. But the last section towards Croagh Patrick meandered uphill through a bog road, OK trail, barely fit for a track machine. “Small country roads” how are you! The local onlooking turf cutters surely though we were insane. I prayed my puncture resistant tyres would hold out, and thankfully they did. Mountain or hybrid bikes would have been better for these crazy off-road sections, but overall, the majority went with road bikes and that seemed the quicker option. I heard of one poor fellow who suffered 3 punctures in a mile. What luck!
Stage 5: Mountain Run/Hike “Croagh Patrick – the top section of this mountain has a lot of loose stones ...”
Getting off the bike and starting off up the side of the reek was sheer hell. Toughest part without doubt. My legs felt fine reasonable on the bike but quickly turned to jelly on foot. Now I know why tri-athletes go on about brick sessions! Water refilled, I stumped up along the “route”. The ascent had no directions but almost everyone followed a longer but meandering path. The route was not the normal Croagh Patrick trek from the car park. Instead we started from the side and joined the normal route about half way up. Very few ran up this section – certainly not me. On my way up I met fellow Crusaders Flan “I’m only an innocent boy from the village” Sheedy and Derek Clancy descending. Brief salutes in passing but recognising anyone among the lunatics was welcome.
The final section of the ascent involved the traditional cone climb - the steepest and most dangerous section. At the top I took a couple of minutes to gather my breath and take in the fantastic view of Westport Bay. I sipped my water but to my horror my Camel sack was empty!
Time Up Hill: 43min.
Back down, slowly initially, until normal common sense was replaced by the excitement of the descent. This was more like skiing on sliding rocks. The onlooking tourists & pilgrims openly – and correctly - questioned our sanity. Once off the higher rocky section, I took the shorter straight line route down to the bikes. Flan - what were ye thinking going that other longer route?! This was crazy stuff – running, slipping, bum sliding, whatever gravity dictated. Once the fear of ankle spraining diminished I just went with it...
Time Down Hill: 30 mins.
Stage 6: Cycling “There is an off road trail section that is 2 km long here. You will then cycle on to the end of Westport quay where you will drop you bike and jog to the finish line”
12km. Time: 43 mins
Back to collect my bike. I feared I would not find it in the field below, now littered with hundreds of semi-wrecked bikes, but luckily I stumbled upon mine quite quickly. Water refilled and off I went again. The off road section that followed, while short, was crazy. No way could it be cycled. Some parts necessitated carrying bike on shoulder. But the last 10 km back into Westport along coast road was much easier. We finally came through the crowds and some familiar faces at the finishing area only to realise we had to continue on another 800m or so, ditch the bikes and run back through no man’s land littered with rocks, netles and briars to the actual finish line. Finishing uphill along Carmody St. will never seem so cruel again! And still no bottled water even here. Just oranges, brown rolls and soup so thick it might have been stew!
Total time: 5 h 26 mins.
Overall winner’s time 3 h 33 mins – with 8 minute descent from Croagh Patrick. Probably paraglided down! 1718 starters. Last finisher 10 h 35 mins.
Summary:
Brilliant. Fantastic scenery. Great variety. Well organised. Very challenging but rewarding - once you realise it’s not your typical running and cycling lark! Participants receive a decent top and medal. Also map, water tanker stations with soup & bread on completion - and nothing more. A well prepared food and hydration plan, puncture resistant tyres and trail runners a must.
Would I do it again? Ya – reckon so!