Moxie Adventure Challenge, Sense the Adventure, Fitheads – Are supporting Kops4kidz, Make-A-Wish Foundation and The Tania McCabe Foundation in May 26th 2012 – Enter now and €7.50 per entrant goes to the charity of your choice!

Moxie Adventure Challenge, Sense the Adventure, Fitheads - Are supporting Kops4kidz, Make-A-Wish Foundation and The Tania McCabe Foundation May 26th 2012

Moxie Adventure Challenge, Sense the Adventure, Fitheads – Are supporting Kops4kidz, Make-A-Wish Foundation and The Tania McCabe Foundation Blessington, Co Wicklow on May 26th 2012.

The Day in The Garden

Moxie Adventure Challenge - Enter now and €7.50 per entrant goes to the charity of your choice!

Enter now and €7.50 per entrant goes to the charity of your choice!

Join visiting International
Adventure Racers from UK, France, and South Africa…the Irish National
Adventure Team as they prepare for the World series… and 1,500 other Irish
adventurers for the challenge of the season.

The Moxie Adventure course design is a joint collaboration between Total Experience the Irish events management business run by adventure racers and specialist Moxie course consultantBruce Duncan Team adidas TERREX the elite International Adventure racer.

The course – 1.5K Kayak, 30K Cycle and 8K Hill Run. The challenge is
capped at 1,500 competitors for all to fully enjoy the adventure.

No long drives, and no costly overnights, the Moxie Adventure challenge is ONE day in the garden.

The Fit Head Challenge – Sense The Adventure 7th April 2012

9.20 am and we’re all ready to set off – the weather looks ominous as the clouds look like they could open up at any minute! There’s a group of about a dozen of us setting off. All determined to complete the 30km of trail ahead of us. Some more than others, as one of the group had a bit of a late one last night & turned up for the trek having had just 3 hours sleep! This could be interesting!

We set off through Marlay Park and everyone is in great spirits, I can hear cries of “are we there yet?” from the messers at the front! Back packs full with fluid, food and extra clothing in case the weather changes. It’s about 2km before we reach the back entrance of Marlay Park, out the gate and we turn right down towards the M50 flyover. Once we get through the flyover we start our 1st climb of the day and it’s going to be a long one. About 5 minutes into the climb and the chat between the group has somewhat receeded. A clear sign that people are working the legs. We’re still on the road at this point and the road just keeps getting steeper and steeper…… We finally reach the 1st ridge and it begins to level off. I can see the relief on people’s faces!

Sense The Adventure -Fit Head Challenge 2012

We take a short stop and take on some fluids – some people start swapping clothing for jackets they were carrying in their bags – it’s very hot clambering up the hills! First hurdle over – we’ve about 1km before we start the next climb. The view from this point is stunning. The city is so close yet so far at the same time. Most of the group get the cameras out & discuss what they would normally be doing on a Saturday morning – taking in the view of the four walls of their bedroom!

Sense The Adventure - Fithead-Forest Trek

Sense The Adventure - Fit Head-City View

We hit the 2nd climb and manage about 400metres before we actually take another short break, again fluids, but this time we all grab a quick snack. Important to keep the calorie intake going on such a long trek – it’s going to be over 5 hours before we finish.  We push on and the climb just keeps going, one step in front of the next, with groans from a few! We finally reach a point where it levels off and the view of the city is superb – we start spotting the landmarks of the city – the Aviva Stadium, the Convention Centre glistening in the sun & the mass of green space over to the far left that we identify as Phoenix Park. One of the gang commented that the sea & view of Howth could have just as easily been somewhere in the Carribean! Maybe the exercise made her halucinate! But it was breathtaking. The Sun has come out and it’s perfect weather conditions for trekking.

The top of 3 Rock – we sit down and relax for a few minutes and take it all in. The view out to Howth is spectacular and the sea is reflecting the sun.

We soon begin our 3rd climb of the day and move up to the very top of 3 rock mountain. We reach the highest point of our trek and turn right and move completely off road – beautiful rolling hills and forest-covered mountains either side of us – civilisation suddenly feels much more out of reach, which is actually a nice feeling. The surface is tricky underfoot and you need to watch every step. The group is in good shape and we’re moving briskly.

Sense The Adventure - Fithead-Fairycastle

We can now see into Wicklow from the back of 3 Rock. It’s just a stunning view. Plenty of smiles all round as we grab a few snaps. Next stop is the Fairycastle.

We’re now nearing the Halfway point and everyone looks in good shape. We reach the Fairycastle. We look over our shoulders and we can see the TV masts on the 3 Rock where we’ve just come from. It’s quite a trail.

It’s mainly downhill now and we’re moving at speed. No-one is showing any signs of fatigue at this point. We reach the back entrance of Cruagh Wood and decide to stop for lunch. We’re caught in a sun trap and I can feel my face burning from the Sun. The sandwiches are out along with some well deserved chocolate. We’re a little over half way now. A small climb ahead, viewpoint and then down to the Hell Fire club.

We come out of Cruagh Wood and move towards viewpoint. It’s road for a few Kilometres now. We get to viewpoint and there’s some much needed refreshment sought from the local Ice Cream Van! It’s the one time I saw one or two members almost jog! We gather for a quick photo, most of the ice creams are gone by the time the camera has been taken out. The smiles tell a story – people are enjoying themselves.

Down towards the Hell Fire club we go. It’s about 1km down and we move into the left and begin the last and final climd of the Challenge. This is where it begins to hurt. It’s a nasty climb. People begin to feel it. Eimear and Krista pick up big branches in the hope that they can use them as walking sticks to help them up the ascent, but it turns out it just added to the weight they were carrying up the hill, so they were quickly disgarded! Eimear looked in pain, but to be fair, she was out until 4am! A true legend….. We all reach the top and sit down and enjoy the view. The group checks out the Hell Fire club from the inside and out.

We take in the view from all angles of the Hell Fire club, seeing where we’ve come from and where we need to go. It’s all downhill now to Marlay Park. Not one person looks like they’ve just been walking for 5 hours.

The road down is windy but we’re moving a pace. It’s not long before we’re passing Mt Venus cemetary and soon after we’re walking in the back of Marlay Park!

We can all smell the finish at this stage. We finish up at the main house and just in front of another ice cream van! We’ve done it – the Fit Head Challenge 2012 is complete.

Sense The Adventure - Fithead-The Finish

Smiles all round, Mr Fit hands out the finisher medals along with the t-shirts. One final photo of the group is needed before the day is complete.

Well done to everyone who took on and finished the Fit Head Challenge 2012 (30km Trek).

Mr Fit!

Moxie Adventure Challenge TV Commercial – As seen on TV

Over 150,000 miles of adventure racing has inspired this TV spot!

Sense the Adventure and Total Experience present

Moxie Adventure Challenge – The Day in The Garden

26th May 2012 – Starts and ends in Tulfarris House on the shores of the Blessington Lakes and includes: 1.5K Kayak, 30K Cycle and 8K Hill run.

Limited places available – Book Now

Like Sense the Adventure on Facebook

Post Production at Lotus Media – TV commercial Music and Film created by Tony St Ledger © 2012 – Sense the Adventure.com

Sense the Adventure and Total Experience present Moxie Adventure Challenge 2012 – The Day in The garden

Sense the Adventure and Total Experience Present

Go Moxie!

Moxie Adventure Challenge, Saturday May 26th 2012

The Day in The Garden

Adventure Racing in Ireland has a new name, Moxie Adventure Challenge –
The Day in the Garden on Saturday 26th May 2012.

Blessington Landscape - Sense the Adventure - Moxie Adventure Challenge

Join visiting International
Adventure Racers from UK, France, and South Africa…the Irish National
Adventure Team as they prepare for the World series… and 1,500 other Irish
adventurers for the challenge of the season.

Bruce Duncan Team adidas TERREX

The Moxie Adventure course design is a joint collaboration between Total Experience the Irish events management business run by adventure racers and specialist Moxie course consultant Bruce Duncan Team adidas TERREX the

elite International Adventure racer.

The course – 1.5K Kayak, 30K Cycle and 8K Hill Run. The challenge is
capped at 1,500 competitors for all to fully enjoy the adventure.

No long drives, and no costly overnights, the Moxie Adventure challenge is ONE day in the garden.

Blessington Lake Drive and Ballyknockan - Moxie Adventure Challenge

Moxie Adventure Challenge – The Day in the Garden, is a one day adventure
event, designed with all the family in mind and like any event it is a
celebration, in this instance, of life in the outdoors. The event is recognised by
Failte Ireland.

On Saturday 26th, for one day in May we will pitch our adventure carnival by the
Blessington lakes in Wicklow, in the stunning garden of Ireland, and we invite
adventurers, friends and family to join us for a fun day in the garden.

Moxie Adventure Challenge Starts and Finishes at the spectacular Tulfarris House

The adventure challenge, partnered among others by Columbia and Power
Bar, starts and ends in Tulfarris House on the shores of the Blessington Lakes
and includes: 1.5K Kayak, 30K Cycle and 8K Hill run. The day in the garden,
including fun for adults and children, takes place alongside the adventure
challenge and as competitors cross the finish line they are rejoined by friends
and family for food and beverages.

For more Moxie – The Day in the Garden updates check out our media partners:
Sky Media, TV3, 3e, Associated Newspapers

Go Moxie – The Day in the Garden

Limited places available BOOK NOW www.moxieadventurechallenge.com

More information to follow on Sense the Adventure

Gareth Presch explores the art of adventure – The Art O’Neill Challenge 2012

The Art O'Neill Challenge - Sense the Adventure

10pm and we’re en route to Dublin Castle, the weather forecast for the night ahead couldn’t be better – clear skies and about 4 or 5 degrees. We arrive, and immediately the sense of anticipation is all around us. The tunes are pumping around Dublin Castle from the mobile DJ Trunk. I look around and everyone is grinning excitedly…for some reason! I think back 12 months and don’t remember last year’s event being so positive at this stage. I make my way inside and register, which is done in less than 10mins. The first hurdle over and I step outside into the courtyard of Dublin Castle - the crowd has suddenly increased dramatically. I decided a cup of coffee will warm me up and also do me the favour of keeping me awake – it’s a long night ahead.

The Art ONeill Challenge - Dublin Castle Courtyard

11.45pm I drop my heavy bag off at the drop off point in the Castle’s courtyard and head over to the front of the castle to hear the briefing – the usual safety tips and warning us all to be good to our environment (secretly hoping the environment will be good to us!). With the briefing over and spritiual words read to us by the organisers ringing in our ears, we all set off out the gates and head left towards Christchurch. Once at Christchurch we turn left and begin the long trek up towards Templeougue.

Dublin City disappears in the background

It never seems this long when I’m driving! As we walk through the streets of Dublin I can see quite a few bemused pub customers looking at us as we pass through…it’s late on a Friday night, so we’re in very different mindsets.

The Art ONeill Challenge - Sense the Adventure - Warriors!

There’s 9 in our group and we’ve decided to guide ourselves this year. Our pace on the road isn’t bad. We get to the back roads of Tallaght in under 2 hours. We’re moving well and our group has broken up into 3 groups. There’s a long steep climb up from Bohernabreena to the first check point at Kilbride. The skies are clear and the temperature is just about right. As we get up past the Dublin County Golf Club we look back and we see lights of Dublin City disappear in the background. It’s not long before we’ve reached Kilbride and Checkpoint 1.

We get to Checkpoint 1 in just under 3hrs 30mins. I look around and I can see 4 of the lads that started in our group of 9. That means there’s 2 to come in to join our current group of 3. I grab my main trekking pack from where it’s been left waiting for me. It’s time to change to the walking boots as I know it’s now that the Art Challenge really starts. Once I get changed and drop my small bag back into the drop off point in Kilbride I grab a cup of soup and the sandwich my wife kindly whipped up for me before I left, along with one or two brownies that she’d wrapped in tin foil for me to keep me going. The 2 lads have appeared so we’re back to 9.

After about 40 mins waiting at checkpoint 1, we set back off on our trek. We begin the slog up towards Black Hill. We’re beginning to move with purpose and we must pass at least 20 people on the way up to Black Hill. It’s a long and winding climb up but with the weather being so good my spirits are high – I have visions of last year – unbelievable snow & ice cold. I can remember the hardship that we experienced last year so I keep myself from getting carried away. Last year we got lost soon after passing Black Hill! So as we begin to move off the road on the final push up Black Hill we have a brief stop to re-group. With 9 of us together again we begin to move up the hill. It’s not long before the terrain turns from trail to just pure bog. We get to the top of Black Hill and begin to move along the ridge. It’s close on 6am – normally I’m tucked up in my warm bed at this time!

We begin to seperate at this stage and in my group there’s 4 of us. We’re moving at a decent pace and we’ve passed Group 2 of the guided groups at this stage. We can see Group One in the distance and begin to follow them. Soon we recognise the Valley we went through last year before Checkpoint 2 – the only difference this year is that it’s 7.30am and last year it was 9.30am! We follow the markers of the route and we soon reach the forest …out of the bog and onto a trail.

Dublin Sunrise-Sense the Adventure

8.20am and it’s just after sunrise - we reach Checkpoint 2. I’m chuffed. I remember last year we didn’t get to Checkpoint 2 until 11am. We’re moving well. Soon after, 3 of our group get into Checkpoint 2. We decide we’ll hold on and move as a group. A bowl of porridge down us, and a cup of coffee to warm us up, and we push on. We’ve waited around 35 minutes at Checkpoint 2 but no sign of the other lads.

The views are spectacular as we move up towards Art’s cross – it’s daylight now, so the head torches are off and we feel a bit better under foot now that it’s no longer a guessing game. Our group has now gone from 7 to 5. Last year we went left up the trail towards the cross but this year we decide to go right – we thought it would be easier, big mistake, it’s not! The climb up is long and steady and soon we’re in 1′s and 2′s. The conditions underfoot are extremely wet. The slog is really taking it out of the legs.

We reach what I think is the peak only to realise we’ve another 600 metres or so to go! My heart sinks, but I push on. Soon we’re at Art’s cross.

Art O'Neill 1592 -Sense the Adventure

I’m feeling good. It’s around 10am on Saturday morning – I’d usually be getting up. We wait around and get a few photos and move on as we begin to feel the cold snap. We set off towards Glenmalure… and the final push. It’s a long stretch, with visability at about 30 meters, that brings us up and down through bog marshes before we hit the valley that leads us into Glenmalure and the finish. As we get off the marsh and move down the valley we’re all moving with a spring in our step because we realise we’re nearly there. Off the marsh and then it’s all downhill. There’s 5 of us together as we move down the winding path and into the finish. I remember the route from last year and I remember the pain I was in. It’s a completely different journey this time as I feel good. We cross the line at 11.45am and we’ve completed the course in around 10hrs 30mins. We’re all well chuffed with that.

The rest of our group come in 2 hours later and we all meet at the local pub for a beer before getting the bus back to Dublin – the feet are pounding a bit, feeling tired from being awake through the night, but nothing compared to last year. I feel relief more than anything at this stage. On the bus I can see it’s taken a lot out of people as there’s little or no chat, but you can also get the sense of acheivement for everyone on board. The Art O’Neill challenge is a serious event and is well managed and well run. Just felt a slight bit of disappointment that we didnt get a medal for our efforts, it’s always nice to have a momento after such a hard slog! But at least we have the (painful) memories!!

Art O'Neill Challenge -Sense the Adventure - Cheers!

Well done to all who finished the Art.
January 2012.

Gareth Presch
January 2012.

Click HERE and Follow Sense the Adventure – Bring your adventure to life.

Kops 4 Kidz first training session at the National Boxing stadium

The Kops 4 Kidz first training session at the National Boxing stadium. The event takes place on friday the 10th Feb 2012 at the Wright Venue Swords. Tickets will go on sale soon. To donate please email kops4kidz@gmail.com – we need your support as monies raised through sponsorship,donations and ticket sales all go to St John’s Ward, OLCHC. So come on and support this great cause.

Kops 4 Kidz 

donate | live | share | sponsor

soundscape and film created by Tony St Ledger for TTV © 2011

RNLI 10km Reindeer Run 4th December 2011

RNLI - Sense the Adventure

So after the marathon I’ve decided to work on my pace. It’s Sunday morning and the rain is coming down along with some strong winds, I’m just about to start the RNLI 10km run in Marlay Park.

Daithi O’Shea is just about to start the race when I realise I’m right up the front…. usually I start mid pack but anyway we’re off and I start off with two lads and one lassie in a blistering pace, after about 600 metres the two lads begin to move slightly away from me as the first km is a steady climb. We’re about 800 metre’s in and no-one has passed me! I’ve just passed the first girl. I say to myself, let’s try finish in the top 15 and I’d be well happy with that. The trail takes us up past the dog area in Marlay. After the dog area the trail levels out. 2km in and I’ve got two lads running with me, one makes a comment that the race started early and with that he takes off in pursuit of the leading men. I just keep my pace up and I’m joined by another competitor. We begin moving swiftly downhill towards the children’s playground and around the tennis courts at the back of Marlay. We soon cut through the middle of the Park and we’re again moving quickly down towards the main house in Marlay Park.

Gareth Presch strides on in the RNLI 10km Reindeer Run

We come over the half way mark and we’re at 20mins and 30 seconds, not a bad pace, I’m hoping the second lap we can go slightly quicker. I’ve now got a name from my companion, “Alan”. We begin to push each other and it’s great, I certainly wouldn’t be running at this pace if I was on my own. My plan was for a sub 45min time. We get up past the 6km mark and then it levels off again, I’m just looking forward to the down hill section that’s coming around the bend. We’re pushing hard at this point and I’m thinking to myself, a group is going to come by me any minute now! 8km in and I’m beginning to feel the pace but I keep it going as we come through the trees of the park and move again towards Marlay House. Alan shouts, “1km”, I’m thinking thank god!  I’m also thinking we might actually break the 40min mark. I keep pushing and then I see the finish line, Alan shouts again, “There’s the finish line”, all I can think is thank god!!! We sprint for the line and we cross the line together, my wife Krista is cheering and comes straight over to congratulate us and informs me that I’m 5th. I check my time, 40mins 50 seconds. Didn’t break the 40 minute barrier but it’s a PB for myself. I shake Alan’s hand at the finish line and thank him for pushing me all the way around. No doubt I’d have finished a few minutes slower if we hadn’t been racing!

It’s the Santa Dash next Sunday in full costume on Clontarf beach.

HO,HO,HO…….

Gareth- Presch

Gareth Presch

December 2011

“is he winding me up!” – Dublin City Half Marathon 2011

Dublin City Half Marathon 2011 adidas_Sense the Adventure

So, I’m at the start line with 8,500 other competitors all thinking the same, get through this and maybe the marathon is doable on the 31st of October 2011.

The excitement at the start line is fantastic, everyone really looks like they’re here to enjoy the run.

I see Eammon Coughlan (Olympian and World 5,000m champion) before the start and just seeing him gives me some inspiration right before the OFF!

Off we start and I’m soon heading past the famous Phoenix Park monument, the first few minutes of any run is hard going. My training has gone well so I’m confident of getting around the course. One mile down and a quick look at the watch and it’s taken me over 8 minutes, it’s been slow as the crowd is huge and is taking it’s time in filtering out along the road ahead. Running is gripping the nation and I can see why. This event is about getting out there and embracing the freedom of running. Plenty of smiles to be seen all around and the spectators are out in force. It’s great to see. Thankfully the weather is holding up too!

2.5miles in and we pass the ordanance survey offices and I know the route from here is pretty much downhill for about two miles so I begin to just slightly up the pace. My whole plan for the day was to use this event as a stepping stone to kick start my long training sessions for the marathon.

The pace picks up again on the downhill between 3 and 4 miles but I hold back and don’t get carried away. It’s a long run and I don’t want to get over exert myself too quickly.

We hit the 4 mile mark and I begin to climb up the winding roads before we’re on the downward slope of the Military Road. The legs feel good but again I don’t want to get carried away so I just keep in my zone.

We have a small climb before we come onto Chesterfield Avenue where I stop and have a drink along with an energy gel. I’m 40minutes into my run and the body is holding up well. I pass the world record holder for running backwards Garret Doherty (Donegal) and I have a quick conversation with him (something along the lines of… “is he winding me up!”) before moving on. Hat’s off to him as it’s some feat running the half marathon backwards – it’s difficult enough going forwards! But, it did give me an idea!!!

I move on and head up Chesterfield Avenue and around the Monument before heading back down towards to city. It’s not long before we turn left and move up the back of the Dublin Zoo (probably where we should all be doing this run) and onto the long North Road, we get to the Aras and I take another gel. Once I get to the 10 mile mark I know it’s all downhill from there until the 12 mile mark. I again refrain from getting carried away and keep to my plan of just keeping to the one pace all the way round.

I pass the 12 mile mark and I still feel good so I decide to just open the legs slightly, we then hit the hill on the way to the finish, it’s a real test but I feel strong all the way up. I get to the top and ease off and get back into my stride. I pass the 800 metre mark and I can hear the MC encouraging people to get in under the 1hr 40 minute mark, I still hold off. Then I get to about 500 metres and I just go for it, full speed ahead. The legs feel great and I’m moving well, I really push hard as I want to get in under the 1hr 40minutes mark.

Dublin City Half Marathon 2011 - Sense the Adventure

I cross the line and look at the watch, my heart rate is at 187! But more importantly my time is around 1hr 38mins. I’m delighted; I’ve knocked 4 minutes off my previous half. I feel great and I’m excited now about the marathon. Roll on the 31^st October 2011!!!! J

Gareth- Presch

Gareth Presch

September 2011

Gaelforce West 2011 Sense the Adventure

Gaelforce West 2011 Sense the Adventure – Now Live on You Tube – Subscribe to Gaelforce Sense the Adventure TV – NOW

http://www.youtube.com/user/Gaelforce4Adventure

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and sensetheadventure.wordpress.com

All the latest film and news updates on Gaelforce Events are here

Thanks to all the Gaelforce Athletes.

Special thanks to

Killary Adventure Centre, Mary Walsh, Chartered Physiotherapists In Sports,

Ronan Redmond, Mayo Mountain Rescue, An Garda Síochána, Civil Defence and all the volunteers,

Garry Cahill for high speed cameras and the people of Westport.

Gaelforce West is in the bag – Gareth Presch is Sensing the Adventure.

Sense the Adventure - Subscribe NOW

So, firstly I have to congratulate all the people who took part in Gaelforce West at the weekend and hats off to Peter O’Farrell and Emma Donlon who won the race with a very impressive performances.

Racer 240 with Ronan Hartnett (4hrs 22mins and first over the line for the foundation - and it was on a MTB), Alan McGovern, James Sixter, Enda Grogan, Gareth Presch and Emmett Grogan

Especially those who took part on behalf of the Tania McCabe Foundation (over 100 competitors), some of which had never done an adventure race before. Well done to all.

Beach Start Sense the Adventure - Gaelforce

With an early start on Saturday it was a welcome relief for everyone leaving Westport for the beach in Carrickduff that the rain was holding off! I was starting at 7am so the pick up was 5.30am.  On the bus you could get a sense of anticipation building, plenty of positive energy around but also the nervous energy was to be seen. Once we got off the bus we had a short walk down to the beach. Like everyone I was asking myself have I done enough training to get around the course? What will the conditions be on the course? Will I make it around without getting the dreaded puncture?

About 400 metres from the beach we waited for the elites to come by at 6.30am. They where off 30 mins before our wave and when I seen them coming up the road I  could see why they are the elites. Once they passed we began making our was down to the beach. I felt good. The girls at physiofusion  ( www.physiofusion.ie ) had got my legs feeling great and I had done quite a bit of training over the last 2 weeks. We get down to the beach and make our way to the start line. I’m again going to be tipping around the course with my mate Alan.

The air horn goes off and we’re away, the first 10 minutes of the course is a climb and we struggle to get our second wind. I pop an energy gel at this stage to give me a kick. Once we break the hill we begin moving swiftly down the hill and in towards Killary little bay before we’re hit with another climb up towards Killary Bay. We get around the bend and we begin to make good ground towards the kayak section. The conditions underfoot are tricky on this section and I loose one of my runners while running through a bog! Runner back on and we get going again. After about 9km I see the kayak section but I know it’s still another 20 minutes or so away. At this point I take a gel on. We get off the trail and back onto the main road and begin moving towards Killary adventure centre, before moving back off-road and back onto a bog trail. It’s all downhill now to the kayak, so we push on.

Kayaks - Sense the Adventure Gaelforce West 2011

We get to the kayak section and have a quick drink and set off on our kayak. Alan jumps in the front and I’m in the back. We get a migthy push from behind and next minute we’re underwater! We’ve toppled over in the kayak. The water is very cold and as I pick myself out of the water and back onto the kayak I don’t want to experience that again! The kayak section goes slow enough as every stroke we take to the left seems to leave the kayak unstable, so we nurse our way across the bay. Off the kayak, and we start up the bog and onto the road for delphi, I’m looking forward to the bike at this stage.

We grab our bikes and change shoes for the bike leg to Croagh Patrick. We’re under the 2 hour mark at this stage so we’re on target for a sub 5 hour mark time. We set off on the bike and soon begin our climb towards Tawnyard lough, the legs and body still feel good. We’re on the bike and get half way up climb with the lough on our right hand side. Alan gets a nasty cramp. I jump off the bike and get the tiger balm out of my bag. I rub the balm in and stretch out Alan’s calf. We soon get going again and reach the top of the climb. There’s a quick descent and we’re off toward Drummin. I get to Drummin and I look behind. I can’t see Alan! I stop and a wait and take on a gel and a drink. I begin to think that Alan may have had a puncture so start cycling back the way I’ve just come. To my relief Alan comes around the corner. He had another cramp. I quickly turn around and we push on towards Liscarney. Once we get to the main Westport to Galway road we can see Croagh Patrick in the distance to the left.

Gaelforce West 2011- Sense the Adventure

We soon turn off the main road and start moving up the road towards Croagh Patrick. The road soon turns to trail and I’m praying all the way to the bottom of Croagh Patrick that we don’t get a puncture. Luckily we don’t, and we arrive safe and sound at the base of Croagh Patrick. We’re just over 3 and half hours in, and I realise we will struggle to get under 5 hours. Croagh Patrick is a tough climb and we start by taking a gel and some energy drink at the base. We move up the right hand side of the Mountain and follow the trail. Once we get up onto the first ridge, the climbs turns into a real battle of attrition. We keep pushing on. We’re two thirds of the way up and I see two lads in their bare feet!!! I can’t believe my eyes to be honest. I get over the shock of that and move on towards the summit. Alan asks me if we’re near the top at this stage, and we are, to his relief. We get to the summit and I have a quick look around and the view is spectacular. Alan needs water so I ask the cameraman on the summit if he has any fluid. The generous cameraman helps us out and Alan gets a drink, and we begin moving down the mountain. We’re making great time down the hill but have to be careful as the conditions underfoot are tricky. Once down near the first ridge we go right and go straight down the mountain. Saves us a few minutes at least.

Sense the Adventure - Gaelforce West 2011 Downhill Cycle

Once we get to the bikes I know we’re on the home stretch. I still feel good but I know that ahead of us we have a tricky cycle into Westport and I’m still praying that we don’t get a puncture. We set off from the base of Croagh Patrick and it’s not long before we’re back off the road and onto the trail. We get a few kms into the trail and we begin moving downhill. It’s at this point that we get off our racers and walk down the trail, it’s just too rough for our racers. The trail soon runs into tarmac and we’re back on the bikes. The pace picks up and we then come out on the main road into Westport. We’re nearly there, one last push and that’s another one in the bag, I think to myself. We soon arrive into the finish area and drop our bikes off. There’s a run of about 800 metres ahead of us. We can soon see the finish line after coming around the final bend.

Alan McGovern and Gareth Presch complete Gaelforce West 2011 for The Tania McCabe Foundation

We’ve done it….and we cross the line together. That’s the Connemara Adventure Challenge, Gaelforce North and now Gaelforce West in the bag, one more left in November to complete our task of doing all four Gaelforce events in 2011. It’s been a great adventure.  The training over the last few months really did pay off.

After crossing the line we see Tony St Ledger (Gaelforce – Sense the Adventure ) at the finish line. We get a quick photo and a short interview for the website with him that will be availble on http://sensetheadventure.wordpress.com/ and the Gaelforce website in the coming days. I’ll also be working with Tony to upload some of the footage I took while we were out on the course, so keep an eye out for that in the coming days.

Alan McGovern and Gareth Presch with John Shortt Powerbar Ireland - Gaelforce West is in the bag

That’s Gaelforce West 2011! Again, thanks to all who competed in the event on behalf of the Tania McCabe Foundation (http://taniamccabefoundation.com/) and to everyone who has supported theFoundation, it is very much appreciated. I’d also like thank the guys at Cycleways (www.cycleways.com ) for all their help with getting my bike sorted for the race.

Turf Guy - Sense the Adventure

Keep up the training and keep on sensing the adventure.  The focus moves on to Turf Guy 2011 in November! Might do the Dublin Marathaon as a warm up!!!

Yours in training,

Gareth Presch

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