Wicklow round - questions from abroad
| Author | Date | Message |
|---|---|---|
| Koopmans Bart | Apr 6 2017, 7:13pm | Hi all, Some questions from the flatlands :) I would like to get in contact with a wicklow-round runner. I'm planning an attempt this spring together with a buddy. 1. I'm wondering if there is a GPS track from the wicklow round so i can study the route? 2. Are there any specific maps from the area you advise? I would like to order them online. Last question: Is there someone who lives in the area and would like to get in touch for a recon? Most likely in may? Thanks a lot in advance! Best regards from Holland Bart |
| Gareth Little | Apr 6 2017, 8:58pm | Hi Bart, what's your email? Thanks |
| Koopmans Bart | Apr 6 2017, 9:10pm | Hi Gareth, bkoopmans@live.nl Regards, Bart |
| Koopmans Bart | Jun 9 2017, 12:27pm | Hi there, On june 12th (monday) we will arrive in Dublin. We will stay for a week and are planning a reconnaissance of the Wicklow Round (and hopefully if the weather is \'good\' we will give it a go). We will stay in Glendalough. Is there anybody who is happy to join us on the reconnaissance in the late afternoon on monday 12th or during the day in tuesday 13th june? Please contact me on bkoopmans@live.nl Regards, Bart (The Netherlands)', |
| Koopmans Bart | Jun 14 2017, 9:15pm | Giving notice that myself, Bart Koopmans, and Marc Weening will be attempting the Wicklow Round. We plan to set off on 2.30AM at june 15th. We'll be using a tracker so people can track the attempt. http://live.primaltracking.com/2017wicklowround17/?n=5 It is a supported attempted so will be getting food and drinks at various points along the route by our friend Jan Lucas. Due to the investigation and closing of the roads we had to make an alternative route. We'll see how that will work out. |
| Adrian Tucker RIP | Jun 14 2017, 9:51pm | Best of luck to you all with the attempt. A brave move at such short notice to try and find an alternative, brought on by an unavoidable disruption. Hope the alternative route works for you and doesn't create any problems. |
| Warren Swords | Jun 14 2017, 10:09pm | All the best lads Bart and Marc. Enjoy the attempt. Succes! |
| Jeff Fitzsimons | Jun 14 2017, 10:30pm | Good luck lads. Be careful not to wake the Gardai. |
| James H Cahill | Jun 14 2017, 11:51pm | Best of luck, have a great run. |
| Jason Dowling | Jun 14 2017, 11:59pm | Wishing you all the very best of luck on your attempt. To Bart and Marc, all the best with your alternative route. There'll be a few of us watching that with interest. Hope the conditions are good for you both. To Jan, I really hope that the roadblocks don't disrupt your little jaunt around the mountains. All the best everyone. |
| Lillian Deegan | Jun 15 2017, 12:30am | . Wonderful - Here's hoping everything works in yer favour lads. Good luck. |
| Paul Mahon | Jun 15 2017, 7:31am | Best of luck Bart & Marc. Not Ideal that detour near Sally Gap and having to avoid Glencree towards the end. Ye seemed well sorted in your last minute planning at Djouce last night and the weather looks kind for your Round so hope ye will be the first "Continental" folk to succeed in the challenge :-) |
| Paul O'Callaghan | Jun 15 2017, 7:48am | Enjoy the outing lads |
| Sam Scriven | Jun 15 2017, 8:57am | So far so good lads. Good luck for the rest of the day! |
| Jason Dowling | Jun 16 2017, 6:46am | Anyone have any update as to how the two lads done? Last I have is that they were at Tonduff in roughly 22:45 hours but the tracker has them nearly at the finish but hasn't recorded the times for PWS and Cloghnagun. |
| Pól Ó Murchú | Jun 16 2017, 7:18am | If you look at the points around Knocknagun it would put them there about 4:50. Tracker is set to not register any checkpoints after 24 hours but you can still see the track. No idea where they are now last coverage seems to be about 2 hours ago...Fair play to them for carrying on even when it was clear at sheepbank bridge that the 24 hours was out of reach. |
| Keith Mulvey | Jun 16 2017, 11:36am | A superb effort lads, well done on it. |
| Marc Weening | Jun 19 2017, 9:50pm | Recap Wicklow Round attempt Thursday 15th of June 2017 by Marc Weening and Bart Koopmans: * First of all, thanks to Garreth Little and Adrian Tucker for providing us information about the round, online and by telephone. It made our map studies in the Netherlands and our short period of time for recce much more usefull. *Thanks to Paul for (surprisingly) providing us with some food in Drumgoff and being a live contact person during our attempt with the Gardai about the tracks we could run and which ones were closed because of the crimescene. The crimescene (http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-40267768) affected our attempt in a big way because of the blocking of the R115 from Glencree to Laragh for both cars and runners. It affected us in the preparation as in the final route we ran. We should have started a day earlier, so we didn't have to stress about our plane the next day. At Tuesday the R115 was closed from Glencree to Laragh, so no crossings were possible for both the runners and for our crew members by car. Instead of running we were busy finding an alternative track to still run the 26 summits. As you understand runners from abroad don’t get a lot of chances to take this adventure. And the conditions and timing of the year was perfect, so we HAD to head out! So we did start of on Thursday the 15th of June at 2.28 night Time. The following adaptions to the round had to be made by us: # We started at parking lot Carradoo. Bit longer and harder to find a connection at night towards the normal route up to Kippure. # We couldn’t use the normal Tonolagee – Scarr track. Instead of the easy track to the waterfall had to make a 3-4km detour following Lough Brook to cross the R115 (which the Gardai allowed us to do so). # We had no aid station at GlenMacnass (80 km point). # We planned to take the downhill from Tonduff to Maulin and pick up the Wicklow Way to PW Seat. Because the R115 to Glencree was closed. In the darkness it was tricky with the cliffs after 100km done. I (Marc) made a navigation error and took the downhill to Ballyreagh Bridge. This was scatchy. But, to be said, it was much more a trailpart than moving over the asphalt part of 8 km up North. We’re not making excuses for not finishing under 24 hours. Above facts are a clarification about how things rolled for us in a serious adventure which need to be played by the rules and where you take the situation as it comes. Also in the unlucky case of a crimescene. Bart made it up to Tonolagee and had to quit after 76km. I (Marc) made the full round in 26hrs and 55 minutes. Over 120km and more than 7.000d+ covered. I finished at the road of Glencree, an alternative finishspot we cleared with Paul and Adrian. It feels like we ate a real nice pie but somehow the cream is missing. We’ll be back for that! We want to thank you guys / IMRA to offer this round. Which is an adventure at the most purest side of running. And a nice puzzle (especially for people from abroad) to work on! ~ Marc. |
| Pól Ó Murchú | Jun 19 2017, 11:29pm | Fair play lads! Great effort. |
| Sam Scriven | Jun 20 2017, 9:55am | Well done Marc, a brilliant achievement to finish it in the circumstances. Hopefully you will both be back soon. |
| Adrian Tucker RIP | Jun 20 2017, 9:19pm | A really great effort under the most trying conditions. I dare say it will go down in the history of the Round as one of the most challenging due to the rare nature of enforced detours and last minute decisions, and fair play to you guys for giving it a good try. Hopefully next time we'll have more time for discussion of the maps a few days in advance. |
| Paul Mahon | Jun 26 2017, 3:58pm | Great effort given all the obstacles in your way in terms of preparation and particularly execution of far less than optimal routes due to the ongoing crime-scene investigations. Was great to catch up with you and your super support team in Drumgoff and help where I could but for sure you will have to come back and get a clear run and eat that full Round Pie again soon :-) |
