Are you up to the challenge?
It might be hard to believe with the weather we’ve been having of late, but summer is just around the corner.
We wish we could take that as a cue to break out the barbecue and beers, but this is Ireland, where one season blends seamlessly into the next and we’re left with what often feels like February, all year long.
Regardless of the conditions, what summer in Ireland does bring is a plethora of great events for the more adventurous and fitness-focussed members of the population to endure and enjoy.
To save you the hard work, we’ve picked out ten great events all over the country coming up in the next few months.
They’ll all be taking place between now and the end of August and cater for everyone from first-timers to incredibly competitive animals alike.
Get marking that calendar.
TEAR 24 Adventure Race
Where: Lacken, Wicklow
When: Saturday 30 April – Sunday 1 May
What does it involve? You might be expecting to be up all night on the May Bank Holiday weekend, but this probably isn’t what you had in mind.
Pic via Facebook/Total Experience.ie
Five stages, including kayaking, mountain biking, trekking/hill running, orienteering, a ropes section and a sleep zone (for just two hours) on an unmarked course; it’s a good job you have to have a team-mate to help.
Tear 24 costs €299 per team of two. For more information, click here.
Blackstairs Adventure Race
Where: Rathnure, Wexford
When: Sunday, 1 May
What does it involve? A mixture of kayaking, running and cycling, participants can take on three, five or seven black steps depending on their ambition, experience and level of fitness.
Pic via Facebook/Blackstairs Adventure Race
Prices for the Blackstairs Adventure Race start from €45. For more information, click here.
Ireland Coast to Coast
Where: Enniscrone, Sligo
When: Saturday-Sunday, 14-15 May
What does it involve? It’s dubbed as ‘the toughest multi-sport race in Ireland and one of the toughest in Europe’ and we’re not about to disagree.
Pic via Facebook/26 Extreme
316 kilometres of running on beaches and over mountains, cycling along deserted roads and paddling along one of the longest sections of inland waterways in Ireland, before finishing in Newcastle in Down; you’ll be fit to sleep for a week afterwards.
Prices for Ireland Coast to Coast start at £180 (approximately €225). For more information, click here.
Hell & Back
Where: Newtownstewart, Co Tyrone, Bray, Co Wicklow
When: 21 May (Newtownstewart), 25-26 June (Bray)
What does it involve? One of Ireland’s most popular adventure races, it consists of a 10-15km run over hills and mountains and through rivers, lakes and swamps with some torturous obstacles to overcome along the way.
Clip via Gerard Kirwan
A messy experience at the best of times, we can only hope the weather provides some relief.
Prices for Hell & Back start from €58. For more information, click here.
Dingle Adventure Race
Where: Dingle, Kerry
When: Saturday, 11 June
What does it involve? Top Gear and Star Wars fell in love with the stunning surrounds of the south-west, but the scenery won’t be much consolation to those taking part in a gruelling physical test in Dingle in early June.
Pic via Facebook/Dingle Adventure Race
Participants have an option of three courses of varying degrees of difficulty – all of which involve running, cycling and kayaking. If you’d prefer a collective effort, there are 12 and 24-hour team events on the weekend of 2-3 July.
Prices for Dingle Adventure Race start at €65. For more information, click here.
Gaelforce
Where: Bunbeg, Donegal (Gaelforce North), Westport, Mayo, Killary Adventure Centre, Galway (Gaelforce West)
When: Saturday 25 June (Gaelforce North), Saturday 20 August (Gaelforce West)
What does it involve? A part of the adventure race circuit for over a decade at this stage, Gaelforce always attracts an elite field of competitors to the west and north-west.
Gaelforce North offers a choice of 64KM full & 45KM sprint courses in stunning surrounds in Donegal, while a new duathlon option this year caters for those who would rather avoid the water.
Pic via Facebook/Killary Gaelforce
The Gaelforce West course is the same mix of running, cycling and kayaking over 67KM in both Mayo and Galway; like Donegal, the scenery will be a welcome distraction for participants.
Prices for Gaelforce start at €75. For more information, click here.
Tough Mudder
Where: Oldcastle, Meath
When: Saturday-Sunday, 9-10 July
What does it involve? Much like Hell & Back, wearing your best white shirt to Tough Mudder wouldn’t be advisable, because not only will you be shattered from the physical exertion, you’re going to get very, very dirty while you’re at it.
Clip via Tough Mudder
Tough Mudder is known the world over and it’s known for a reason. Intimidating as it sounds, it’s an awful lot of fun too. You mightn’t think it when you’re blowing smoke during the 10-12 mile obstacle course, but you’ll be glad you did it afterwards.
Prices for Tough Mudder start at €105. For more information, click here.
Race2Glory
Where: Kiltimagh, Mayo
When: Saturday 16 July
What does it involve? A well-established and very well-run adventure race in east Mayo, it’s ideal for novices and competitive racers alike.
Pic via Facebook/RacetoGlory Kiltimagh
Those who don’t fancy taking on the full course – 40km of running, cycling and river runs – can go for the 20km sprint option, which was introduced last year.
Those new to the race should beware of the infamous ‘Spankers Hill’ along the course route; as a native of the town, your humble author can assure you it’s even more daunting than it sounds.
The price to enter Race2Glory is €49. For more information, click here.
The Beast of Ballyhoura Adventure race
Where: Ballyhoura Mountains, Cork, Limerick and Tipperary
When: Saturday-Sunday, July 30-31
What does it involve? Usually a 72-hour affair, the Beast of Ballyhoura will be a comparatively moderate 24-hour event for its tenth anniversary this year before returning to a longer format in 2017.
Pic via Facebook/The Beast of Ballyhoura
A doddle, right? Wrong. As you would suspect of a race with ‘beast’ in the title, it’s a monster of a non-stop team race over three counties involving running, cycling and getting very, very wet.
For more information on the Beast of Ballyhoura, click here.
Itera Expedition Race
Where: Killarney, Kerry
When: Tuesday – Tuesday, 16-23 August
What does it involve? What doesn’t it involve?
It’s a 600km behemoth of a team race that involves running/trekking, mountain biking, kayaking, canyoneering and some rope work over 4-5 days at the end of the summer.
If that sounds too daunting, there’s also a shorter option with a course that is only 300km, but organisers say that it is achievable and challenging to all levels.
For more information on Itera Adventure Race, click here.
Main image via Facebook/The Beast of Ballyhoura
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