‘Knock ME Down’ Adventure Challenge – September 8th 2018
Booking is now open at https://bit.ly/2m4h6y2.
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Following the success of the 2016 & 2017 events, we are very much looking forward to the Knock ME Down Challenge 2018 which takes place on Saturday September 8th around the scenic Knockmealdown Mountains. This year we have added an extra challenging event Knock ME Down MÓR – with added running and cycling routes.
Note: Both the Knock ME Down Challenge and Knock ME Down MÓR events are now SOLD OUT. There are a limited number of replacement places remaining.
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This multi-disciplinary event involves Cycling, Running, (or walking) and Kayaking. As multi-sport events go, this is well suited to anybody with a reasonable level of fitness. The entire course is on well marked roads and forestry tracks so getting lost will not be an issue. The start and finish of the challenge is at the GAA field in the village of Newcastle, not too far from the towns of Clonmel and Cahir, Co. Tipperary. You can find an outline of the course below.
Sign-In on the morning of the event will be 30 minutes prior to the starting time slot you choose. Starting time slots are available in 10 minute intervals from 9am for MÓR and 9.30am for Challenge participants. There are changing and shower facilities available at the GAA grounds.
The breakdown of the Challenge event is as follows:
• 15km Cycle from Newcastle to Kilballyboy Wood car park/picnic site on Vee Road outside Clogheen
• 2.5km run/walk from Kilballyboy Wood to Bay Lough
• 0.5km kayak around Bay Lough
• 2.5km run/walk from Bay Lough to Kilballyboy Wood car park (different return route)
• 15km Cycle back to Newcastle
The breakdown of the MÓR event is as follows:
- 4km Loop Run out of and back to Newcastle
- 15km Cycle from Newcastle to Kilballyboy Wood car park/picnic site on Vee Road outside Clogheen
- 2.5km run/walk from Kilballyboy Wood to Bay Lough
- 0.5km kayak around Bay Lough
- 2.5km run/walk from Bay Lough to Kilballyboy Wood car park (different return route)
- 33km Cycle via the Vee and Mount Melleray back to Newcastle
Here’s the route for the standard Knock ME Down Challenge (we don’t have a map for the MÓR route, but it includes most of the Challenge route in any case):
Get Ready, Get SET……….GO!
Knock ME Down Challenge Event Description:
At 9.30am the first 12 competitors will be set off on their bikes. At 9.40 the next 12 will begin the challenge, and so on until all competitors are on their way. Time slots are available on a first booked, first served basis – when a time slot is fully booked it will become unavailable on the system. You can book up to 8 participants at a time. If you do want to book in groups but are booking separately, try to book later time slots as these book more slowly.
You must have appropriate footwear for the event and a proper cycling helmet must be worn for the cycling section. The type of bike used is up to you. With all cycling on tarred surfaces, a racing bike will probably be the fastest, while a mountain bike with off-road tyres probably being the slowest! It’s your choice but it must be road worthy at the very least!
The Bike Part
After the first 15km cycle you will be at your first time point which is located in the Kilballyboy Wood car park/ picnic area along the Vee road outside Clogheen. There will be bike stands set up here where you simply hang your bike by the saddle on a bar and off you go on your scenic 2.5k run to Bay Lough lake. Don’t worry about your bike, there will be plenty of marshals at this location to keep them safe (and there will be a service vehicle available should you have any mechanical difficulties.) There is also a water stop at each changeover point.
Up At The Lake…..
The 15 minute interval starting time slots are to avoid a time delay waiting for Kayaks at the Bay Lough section. All Kayaks and associated safety equipment will be provided by the Knockmealdown Active team. Everybody will get a single ‘sit on’ Kayak to paddle around the lake. There will be floating markers placed around the lake which you will have to stay inside. Local folklore dictates that the lake is bottomless. You may also need to keep a lookout for a lady called ‘Petticoat Loose’ who, if the stories are to be believed, will come up out of the lake and pull you under……. So best keep as close as you can to the edge, just in case! If anyone gets in trouble out there we have a Cahir River Rescue team on standby so there is really nothing to worry about. If you really don’t fancy the Kayak section you can skip it entirely. On doing this you will get the slowest Kayak time on the day, with another 10 mins added to cancel out any advantage you may gain with all that extra energy saved! The Kayak section should take, on average, about 7 minutess to complete.
What Goes Up………
As you get out of your Kayak… with your hands crying out for a break, its time to get back onto the tracks and start your run/walk back down to the Kilballyboy Wood car park. It’s a different track down so keep following the signs and follow instructions from the friendly marshals.
Home Straight
Once you get back to the Bike Park at Kilballyboy Wood, you have the satisfaction of knowing that you now have a 1.5km descent towards Clogheen to look forward to before you cycle the remaining 13.5km of a generally flat road back to Newcastle. Here you will have your final ‘Dibber’ point to finalise your time for your entire Challenge and you will be given your time and place in the event at that time.
At the Finish
A cool-down massage will be available for all competitors, along with shower facilities and changing rooms. So you’ll have no excuses when heading to GAA Hall. Here you can enjoy a well earned BBQ and maybe sample a refreshing beer from our event sponsors, the ‘Eight Degrees’ brewing company, while you await results of other competitors.
Knock ME Down MÓR Event Description:
The Knock ME Down MÓR event has all of the original Knock ME Down Challenge event but with an added running route at the start and an extended cycling route at the end.
Start Times: For obvious timing reasons, the MÓR event takes the first two time slots at 9am and 9.10am.
At the Start: Before the first cycle, MÓR participants will take a 4km loop run out of Newcastle and back to the GAA hall.
From here the participants will then undertake the full Knock ME Down Challenge route as far as the Bike Park at Kilballyboy Wood.
At the End: On leaving the bike park, instead of turning right and heading back to Newcastle, participants will turn left. This road travels upward over the picturesque Vee, past Baylough, on to the former Cats Bar. Here there is a left turn, climbing past Mount Melleray to the crest of the hill over Newcastle. The event finishes with a breathtaking descent back to Newcastle village.
Tickets for the event are €65 each.
