In an attempt to consolidate all the photo's from everyone's cameras, I set up a Gallery Site to allow the upload of photo's from our Chicago adventure. Picture's can be found here:
http://johnobrien.ie/photos/main.php?g2_itemId=597
Monday, September 15, 2008
Monday, September 8, 2008
You can get much farther...
"You can get much farther with a kind word and a gun wetsuit, bike and runners than you can with a kind word alone." Al Capone.
Date and Time: Sunrise, 24th of August 2008
Location: The south western shores of Lake Michigan
Temperatures: 22 degrees Centigrade
Chicago Illinois, also known as the Windy City, is the tallest city in North America. It’s not just the buildings that reach towards the sky but the expectations of the city’s sporting public. The Chicagoan is a very proud sports fan. After all, this city was home to the Bears of 86, the Bulls of 1990 to 1998. The White Sox of 2005 and the beloved Cubs of 1908! Now, on the hundred year anniversary of the Cubs last World Series, this baseball team has the best record in the National and American Leagues and is on course to bridge the hundred year gap. Will the Cubs finally bring the World Series back to Wrigley Field? Only Lou Pinella and his team have the answers! On this particular day, it’s not the Cubs, the Sox, the Bears or the Bulls that have the sporting centre stage. Monroe Harbour, Lake Shore Drive, the Museum Campus, Grant Park and Columbus Avenue form the staging area for the 26TH Accenture Chicago Triathlon.
Four days before, Team Crumlin departed Dublin Airport on route to compete in the biggest triathlon in the world. The journey, for most, commenced many months before with a commitment to raise funds and train to compete in an Olympic distance triathlon. Now, with four days to “D-Day” the expectation and excitement was starting to reach a climax. After a considerable amount of time spent in US customs we took off on route to O’Hare. Arriving in Chicago, there was immediately a sense of welcoming from everyone, especially the mad bus driver! The “locals” are a very hospitable people, especially towards the Irish. The Daly family has been running the city since before JFK was the most important Irish American. This is a city that always exceeds expectations and entices its visitors to come back again. The warmth of the welcome plays a huge part in the Chicago experience. For the duration of the Triathlon we’re based in the Chicago Hilton Hotel on South Michigan Avenue, which is also home to the Triathlon Expo. The first two and a half days in the city were spent acclimatising to our surroundings, the course and the wealth of advice available in the Expo... Now lets race...!
Date and Time: 7.45 am
Location: 15 metres off the west pier in Monroe Harbour
Water Temperature: 26 degrees centigrade
As there are over eight thousand athletes taking to the water between the hours of 6 am and 10 am, all start waves are packed to capacity with as little as four minutes between start times. The Chicago Triathlon swim is perfectly designed for spectators and very comforting for swimmers as the pier wall is never more than 20 metres away. Shane and I are both in the same start wave along with several other members of Team Crumlin. There is plenty of friendly banter and encouragement as we enter the water. The 90 seconds before the hooter sounds lasts a lifetime! Many thoughts cross my mind as I’m about to compete in my first Olympic distance Triathlon. Having played various team sports there is an unmistakable excitement and apprehension before the start of any match. When it comes to sport it’s the element of uncertainly and surprise which fuels the excitement. Maybe that’s why fans are so passionate about their perspective teams?!
On this particular morning, my heart is racing with adrenaline and excitement, but there is also a sense of accomplishment as we have already won! Reaching this stage of our adventure meant that we had completed our primary goal, to raise the money. Filled with apprehension of the unknown and a great sense of achievement, the swim start kick off is a flurry of splashing, boxing and kicking, while everyone jostles to break free from the group.
The first 350 meters of this swim is really all about trying to stay out of trouble and not loosing your goggles. Rounding the distance marker in front of the aquarium I finally get some space to get into a rhythm. For the rest of swim its all about the “little goals” (as discussed by myself and John in-depth in the war room!), reaching various markers, trying to keep a breathing routine, swimming in a straight line and still avoiding stray legs and arms. One of the reasons I particularly enjoy the swim is the “unknown” factor. For the most part, you’re at the finish line before you actually see it, especially, with goggles full of water! I have no shame in saying that I was never so relieved to be pulled out of the water at the end of swim by the girl! 450 metres to transition and part one is complete.
Date and Time: 8.12 am
Location: End the rail for Wave 22 at the top of the transition area
Temperature: It’s getting hotter!
Fully fledged tri-athlete status cannot be achieved without becoming excited by Shimano gear sets, carbon fibre frames, aero wheels, Look Keo pedals and most importantly tri bars. To say we have had an education in cycling is an understatement! Big thanks to Mark McGarry :). On Friday before the race, I called into Cycle Village in Old Town to meet my new best friend, my Trek Tri bike. This piece of equipment was guaranteed to half my cycle time while convincing me to sell the car! 40 km to go... plenty of time for us to bond.
The heat from the sun was only just defused by the cool lake breeze blowing north to south along the lake front. Leaving the transition area on route up the north lake shore drive it hits me that I have never been so comfortable wearing green lycra! During the course of the cycle the green lycra suits are dotted all along the cycle track and are a welcoming and reassuring sign that we’re all in this together.
Having never cycled 40km before today, I’m not really sure how fast to cycle or how long this part of the adventure should take?! Rounding the 10 mark I catch a quick glimpse of Shane but despite all my shouting and abuse he is too focused to get distracted. After 20 km I have completed one loop of the circuit. On the second return journey up north I remember thinking how much I was enjoying this entire experience. Initially, the amount of training appeared somewhat daunting but looking back, I enjoyed every minute and so far all my expectations have been exceeded. Could this experience be recreated next year...?! Certainly at this stage I’m hoping so... but let’s see after the run! Back to transition and its time to test the jelly legs.
Date and Time: 9:30 am (John is about to enter the water, Shane is still having a duel with the elite cyclists!)
Location: Second pit stop in transition – Rail wave 22
Temperature: Too hot for the white Irish!
When John and I took part in our first “sprit distance” triathlon in Athlone, apart from the swim, our next biggest learning experience was the run. After getting off a bike the legs are just not cooperative. For me, the run is the most difficult part of any triathlon. It took me over two kilometres to feel like I was actually running. The full 10 km is a battle of endurance and will power. On the flip side the support along this running route is superb!
During the course of the weeks leading up to this event we had sought advise and tips from lots of experienced tri-athletes. Race preparation and energy replenishment are significant to race success. With this advice, I armed myself with the correct amounts of water, glucose drinks and energy gels... or so I thought! Now, one of the most important pieces of advice is never to try something new on the day of an event. “Make sure whatever you do on race day has been tried and tested in training”. During the bike section I took a couple of energy gels washed down with Gatorade. Once I started running, the over indulgence in sugar did not agree with my stomach. After 3 km a spectating family got a little more than they bargained for when I had to make my first emergency pit stop. If it were not for all the educational drinking sessions in college I would not have gotten back on the horse so quickly!
Less than a kilometre further into the run I had to make another emergency pity stop in the public toilets on the museum campus. Again, there were a few surprised spectators to see a green lycra suit leaving the running track. Two keys learning’s for next time, don’t eat and drink too much during the actual race. The first 5 km of the run were the most taxing, as I thought the 31st Street beach turning point would never come. The heat, the exhaustion, the muscle pain and the pit stops are all contributing to a substantial amount of discomfort. Again, the sight of the fellow Team Crumlin members serves to keep the legs going forward.
At one point I start to question whether or not it was wise to go flat out on the bike and the swim? But then again, this being our first Olympic distance event, its all unknown! On the back half of the run the legs are on auto pilot as I get another burst of energy and a now I have the cool breeze in my face. For the last two 2 km of the run I’m having a psychological “duel to the death” with a fellow competitor, John from NYC. Despite my best efforts we did not speak for the duration of the last 2 km but keep “eyeballing” each other. Two hundred metres or so from the line I jokingly suggested we have a sprint finish, only to see John take off at lightening speed! The jury is still out as to who won the sprint finish. The video would suggest that I might have been piped! It’s defo a case for the TMO. The slow motion reply will definitely tell a different story ;-) In truth, the most satisfying part of this experience is that we had won long before ever taking on Lake Michigan.
Date and Time: 10:18 am
Location: Columbus Avenue – Accenture Chicago Triathlon 2008 Finish line
Temperature: The iced towels are the only reprieve from the 30 degree sun!
Crossing the finish line there is an overwhelming feeling of satisfaction and relief but also a slight regret that’s its all over in an instant! There is no time to feel exhausted as the trials and tribulations of the mornings adventures are shared by all. For the first time my sprinting partner, John from NYC offers a few words. Nothing profound but lets just say we have a mutual respect for each other!
Speaking of respect, I cannot finish without expressing my appreciation and admiration for both John O’Brien and Shane Galligan. When I first bullied the boys into accepting this challenge six months ago, they took a day or two to gather their thoughts. Since then, they have been unrelenting in their determination and dedication to fund raising and training. Their support for each other and willingness to jump into the unknown epitomises all the characteristics of true “Legends”! Lads – HUGE thanks for taking up this challenge and succeeding!
One of the beauties about any sport is that win, lose or draw it’s only a game. Its often remarked when a team loses or an individual fails to perform, that it’s not a matter of life and death. The most satisfying aspect of this entire experience is that we have helped to improve the lives of the patients and staff at Our lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin. This is one fat man signing off on our first adventure with the Lady ;-)
Friday, September 5, 2008
This is not the end...
“This is not the end, It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” – Winston Churchill
On Thursday April 10 I blogged
I'm putting this blog up for all to witness:
- I will raise this money.
- I will finish this race.
- Getting fit is just a bonus.
"You only lose if you quit" is my motto for this event and I am not going to lose this one.
So there I stood 4 months 14 days since this first blog entry, staring into the blue water of lake Michigan at the starting line of the 2008 Chicago Triathlon. Initially the Swim is identical to my much maligned Athlone Adventure. It was 375m south along the peer to the Aquarium before turning 375m north back to the starting line. Unlike Athlone however there was a further 750m straight swim from this point to the finish line.
“Small goals” that is the order of the day. Don’t look to your left, don’t glance northbound, stare straight ahead and get to the first 375m marker. The hooter went off at 9:33am on Sunday morning 24th August and I was underway. Only 51.5Km to the finish line.
The young one’s (Barry and Shane) started at 7:30ish that morning in wave 22. I was in Wave 49 out of 50 (joys of being old I thought). I was apprehensive about this as my goal was to take my time and finish when I finished. Now that I was one of the last to start, it meant I had to finish my race before the finish line was dismantled and before everyone went home.
One huge advantage of starting at the end was that I got the opportunity to soak up the atmosphere. The scenes around the starting line were amazing. I saw a few things that filled me with awe and gave me great belief in my ability to finish.
Getting into the water in the few waves before my 30-40 age groups was an 80 year old man, a large number (4/5) blind individuals, and a huge contingent of physically disabled athletes. One man in particular was head and shoulder above everyone for me. He was a double amputee just below the knees. He was lifted into the water and led the way in the swim when once his wave started. I later discovered that he had a specially designed tricycle type bike where the pedals come across his lap which moves using your arms. Subsequently he had specially designed prosthetic limbs to attach to his legs that allowed him to run the 10k. My dad once remarked to me that “adversity strikes everyone in life it’s how you deal with it is what makes you a man”. Here in front of me stood a real life definition of hope and overcoming adversity.
Once my race began I quickly discovered that my 4 weeks of essentially living in the Westin Hotel’s pool had greatly improved my swimming. I may have been going slowly, but I was moving in the right direction and wasn't swallowing half of lake Michigan.
After about 20m or so I came up on a guy who was really struggling. If memory serves his name was Fabian and he was a Chicago local. After my experience in Athlone when I was helped along by my fellow competitors, I felt it only fair to “pay it forward”. I stayed beside him and encouraged him from boat to boat (little goal to little goal) until suddenly we were half way through. At this point he said to me to continue on ahead without him. He said that he was "fine", was going to "rest here for a while" and he’d see me at the finish line. Reluctantly, I moved on ahead and finished the last 750m of the swim.
The cycle was the most enjoyable part of the entire triathlon. 10Km out of the city on Lake Shore Drive, 10Km back to Chicago and then “rinse and repeat”. Now I’m no writer and no words I can put down here can describe how incredible the Chicago skyline is, so I won’t even try. After a slow swim, I blitzed the cycle and posted a fairly respectable time IMHO. Towards the end however as the Chicago Sun reached its high point and the mid day heat kicked in (80+F), I slowly began to wane. My arms and legs were burning and I was unsure if it was the Sun or the lactic acid that hurt more.
2h 54Mins into the triathlon and I was two thirds there. Now with the swim and bike completed, came the hard part. All that was left now was a leisurely 10K run in the Chicago heat to the finish line. The run itself was 5K south along the lake front and then back the same way to the finish line. This to be honest, was the longest part of the entire event for me. Three things stood out for me in this section that will stay with me for a long time.
1st was the Chicago people. I cannot in any way explain how it feels to be cheered from start to finish along this 10K route. One group in particular amazed me. About 2K into the run while I was getting water a family of 5 stopped me and asked what Team Crumlin was (it was written on the front of our tri-suits)? I explained that there was a team us out here doing the event and that we had all raised money for a children’s hospital in Ireland.
50mins later as I reached the same point on my return to the finish line, all 5 of them were still there waiting to cheer me as I passed. As I turned the corner a little up ahead, I looked back and saw that they were leaving the area. I couldn’t believe that someone would wait nearly an hour, with kids, in that heat, just to cheer a complete stranger.
2nd was when I passed Fabian on the return leg of the run. I was delighted that he had made it through the swim and was about 20mins or so behind me. He waved and shouted see you at the finish line.
3rd and finally was the run to the finish line. 2 fellow Crumlin team members Janet and Stephan ran out the course to meet me and ran with me that last few meters before my sprint/dash/stumble over the line where the majority of the team were waiting to celebrate as the last member of the team finished the race.
And yes thankfully the finish line hadn't been dismantled yet...
So here I am at the end of the 1st leg of my journey. 4 months 25 days later I stand proudly in front of you all as a fully fledged Tri-athlete.
I posted a personal best time of 4hours 30mins, but more importantly:
Roll on Chicago 2009…..
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Chicago Triathlon Video Blog
3 Fat Men Video Blog 1 - Intro
3 Fat Men Video Blog 2 - Transition
3 Fat Men Video Blog 3 - The War Room
3 Fat Men Video Blog 4 - The First Wave
3 Fat Men Video Blog 5 - Swim Finished
3 Fat Men Video Blog 6 - Cycle Finished
3 Fat Men Video Blog 7 - Finished Finished
3 Fat Men Video Blog 8 - Packing up
3 Fat Men Video Blog 2 - Transition
3 Fat Men Video Blog 3 - The War Room
3 Fat Men Video Blog 4 - The First Wave
3 Fat Men Video Blog 5 - Swim Finished
3 Fat Men Video Blog 6 - Cycle Finished
3 Fat Men Video Blog 7 - Finished Finished
3 Fat Men Video Blog 8 - Packing up
Official Results
The official times and results are in. Click on the images below for more details.
Barry O'Sullivan - Time 02:33:05
Shane Galligan - Time 03:02:30
John O'Brien - Time 04:30:15
Barry O'Sullivan - Time 02:33:05
Shane Galligan - Time 03:02:30
John O'Brien - Time 04:30:15
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Tracking the Process of the 3 Fat Men!
For anyone who would like to track our process for the Chicago Triathlon please click on the following link and register! http://triathlons.accenture.com/Chicago/default.aspx this will send alerts to an email of your choice.
When you get to the athlete selection process type in our first names and last names.. all of us have “Dublin” after our names!
Our Details on the site are as follows:
Shane Gilligan BIB 3778 (Yes we know it is misspelled on the registration page)
Barry O'Sullivan BIB 3851
John O'Brien BIB 8521
Updates will also be automatically updated on this blog as they are sent out.
When you get to the athlete selection process type in our first names and last names.. all of us have “Dublin” after our names!
Our Details on the site are as follows:
Shane Gilligan BIB 3778 (Yes we know it is misspelled on the registration page)
Barry O'Sullivan BIB 3851
John O'Brien BIB 8521
Updates will also be automatically updated on this blog as they are sent out.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
"Great Scott"
8th of the 8th 2008, D-Day for the 3 Fat Men and a Lady... Would we reach our fund raising target? Would we be fighting fit in order to attempt an Olympic distance triathlon? Just like Doc and Marty in "Back to the Future III", we had reached the "point of no return!" As Doc and Marty were trying to propel the steam train to 88 miles an hour over a cliff edge, we had one more fund raising event to reach our magical figure of 10,000 euro! Was the Deloren ever in doubt of not saving the day for Doc and Marty?! Well in true Hollywood fashion, we are seriously delighted and thankful to announce that we have conquered one massive element of this event and reached our fund raising target!
This entire experience has been a huge learning curve for all three of us. As little as four weeks ago, we had over 8000 euro to raise and neither myself nor John had taken part in a paddling competition... let alone a triathlon. The true project manager, had completed 2 sprint triathlons and was keen to share his learning’s :-) Four weeks on and two weeks from Chicago, we have experienced so many ups and downs, but ultimately great satisfaction in the sum of the achievements we have accomplished. Our experiences in Athlone and the great success of the table quiz are all well documented below. Our final fund raising event was held in Kilkea Castle Golf Club and it was major battle of the titans...
People travelled from the four corners to take part...This has very much been Wexford’s year on the football field, and the wizards were respectful of the opposition but quietly confident! The Rebels might be going through a transition period but who who write off The Peoples Republic, especially on Kildare soil?! The Lilies are never more dangerous than on their home track as they had an in-depth knowledge of the course? After Limerick’s whirlwind year last year would the Limerick lads still be competitive? The Dubs... apparently this is their year?! And the A team from the wild west openly fancied their changes! Then there were the mixed teams who put aside country/county rivalries to compete together for the greater good! Oh and there was one frustrated Kiwi who had a little difficulty transferring his tag rugby skills onto the golf course! The scene was set, the oldest continually inhabited castle in Ireland, provided the backdrop and the bag pipes added to the sense of occasion. Thankfully, the weather was absolutely perfect. Splashes of sunshine on a blue and white sky with a light breeze and not even a suggestion of rain!
The general consensus was that the course was long but fair. Water comes into play on 8 of the holes and there are 5 par Fours over 400 metres in length. The 17th and 18th are particularly exciting with the castle in the backdrop. Huge credit must be given to the grounds staff and the management at Kilkea for their assistance and support in helping to make this event a great success. There was a quiet confidence about the teams as the returned to the clubhouse. As the last team came off the 18th, just after 8:30, the scoring calculations began to ascertain the winner! The wining teams and scores were as follows:
Position | Team | Captain | Score (Gross) |
1st | Wexford Wizards | Colin Browne | 61.0 |
2nd | MS | Dave Burton | 63.2 |
3rd | EuroRoute Logistics | Tom McCarthy | 64.4 |
Closest to the Pin: Mick Long (Wexford Wizards)
Longest Drive: Ray O’Brien (Limerick Lads)
The foundations have been set for a repeat event next year, with serious bragging rights at stake! From myself, Shane and John we would like to express our appreciation and gratitude to all who gave up their Friday’s to travel to Kilkea and taking part in this fund raising event. Ultimately, as expressed by Shane during his excellent presentation speech, our goal is to generate as much money as possible for The Children’s Research and Medical Foundation. We have speedily acquired a thick skin when it comes to begging for money and we have also unearthed a few hidden talents along the way... John discovered a brand new style of open water swimming.. what this space, he will be advertising lessons very soon! Shane is an authority on the rules of a Golf Scramble and he is particularly excited about growing his own green once he gets a back garden! On a serious note, we have all been touched by the support and generosity of our colleagues, friends, family and complete strangers! We cannot express enough, our gratitude to everyone who has helped us reach our fund raising target. During the course of the last couple of months, collectively and individually, we have all hit a wall at various times, trying to reach our target. Having seen the light at the end of the tunnel, and experienced the highs and the lows we would gladly go through it all again, safe in the knowledge that every cent is helping contribute to a fantastic cause. Thank you again... And now for a little paddle, leisurely cycle and a short stroll.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Titanic Swim
Anyone who knows me and my family pretty well have discovered that myself and my Dad were both cut from the same block. We have a lot in common from our taste in movies to our ability to have an interest in watching any type of any sport.
He was once asked if he could swim to which he replied, "Of course I can swim. I can swim just like a stone"; another thing we have in common.
So when I started training for the triathlon back in May swimming more then 2 laps without stopping was something I had hoped to be able to do. Now 3+ months later I can swim 30-40 laps without stopping. That said what is my problem? Well after my much publicised Titanic-esque swim in Athlone, I realised that swimming the breast stroke was not going to work in open water. Thankfully (unlike the Titanic) I get a second chance at that voyage.
I eventually got back in the water about 3 weeks ago to get ready for my Race in August (which just happens to be 2 weeks tomorrow). I've been there pretty much every day since I arrived in Seattle. I'm back swimming my 30 laps (breast stroke) without any issue. However my challenge is to do that same swim using the crawl. This is something I have been unable to do since I began training.
Time is running out and the nerves are are starting to get to me. Lucky enough persistence does pay off and today I turned a corner, I managed to do 10 laps using the crawl without any pain or exhaustion. Only for the fact I just finished a 30 lap breast stroke swim prior to this I feel I could have continued. The plan now is to get back in the water tomorrow and do those first 30 laps using the crawl.
Next stop is Kirkland and into the Cold water of Lake Washington....
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Pub Quiz Review and Results
Go raibh mÃle mÃle maith agat, Dziekuje bardzo and a massive thank you to everyone who attended the Pub Quiz at McSorley's last night. We would also like to say a huge thanks to the Michelle and the staff of McSorleys in Ranelagh. McSorleys kindly waived any charge for the venue and covered the cost of the DJ as a donation to the Children's Hospital.
Overall the night was a tremendous success and we raised over €2,300 in Aid of Crumlin Children's Hospital.
Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin is a National Referral Hospital for seriously ill children from every part of Ireland. It has the responsibility of providing the best possible treatment and care for each child.
To maintain the highest standards and to improve services, each year supplementary funding must be raised to purchase high-tech equipment and fund important research projects. Your support also helps in smaller but just as important ways. It allows for something as small as the purchase of a cake and to have a birthday party for children who may be in the hospital long term. It can pay for something as simple as a plug socket (for charging a mobile phone) in the local houses where parents of the children are staying overnight. It is your generous support that will contribute to these endeavours.
As it was with our Triathlon in Athlone you can be as prepared as possible with pens, answer sheets, post its for the table numbers, a wonderful Excel sheet (for team details, table numbers and scores) and backup copies of Questions and Answers; but its not until you jump into the freezing cold water of the Shannon River that you realise how deep it actually is.
After a slow/late start the quiz finally kicked into gear and we got through all 7 rounds in a relatively respectable time. The rounds contained 10 questions each and each round was a specialist round.
Round 1 - TV & Film
Round 2 - Sex and the City
Round 3 - General Knowledge
Round 4 - Lyrics and Music
Round 5 - The 90's
Round 6 - The Simpsons
Round 7 - Sport
Scoring wise 5 rounds came it at a relatively similar score with an Average Score of 7/10. Not surprisingly the Sex and the City Round and the Sport Round were the 2 lowest scored in with a average of 5.6 for SATC and 5.3 for Sport.
From the answers we received on a surprising number of sheets we believe that it is prudent that we clarify a few items.
John O'Brien did not/is not any of the following:
1. Shoot JR
2. Appear Topless in Sex and the City
3. Score the winning drop goal for either the Lions or South Africa
4. Cartman's Father
5. Gollum's Real Name
6. Weigh 13 tonnes, is 9 feet in diameter, and is named after Sir Benjamin Hall
(I took personal insult to this one LOL )
7. Mulder and Scully's supervisor
The raffle took place towards the end of the night and the results can be found here: http://3fatmenandalady.blogspot.com/2008/07/raffle-winners.html
Finally we would again like to express our sincerest gratitude to everyone who attended the event and supported us in raising much needed funds for the Children's hospital. On behalf of everyone involved. THANK YOU.
The results of the table quiz itself are as follows:
Overall the night was a tremendous success and we raised over €2,300 in Aid of Crumlin Children's Hospital.
Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin is a National Referral Hospital for seriously ill children from every part of Ireland. It has the responsibility of providing the best possible treatment and care for each child.
To maintain the highest standards and to improve services, each year supplementary funding must be raised to purchase high-tech equipment and fund important research projects. Your support also helps in smaller but just as important ways. It allows for something as small as the purchase of a cake and to have a birthday party for children who may be in the hospital long term. It can pay for something as simple as a plug socket (for charging a mobile phone) in the local houses where parents of the children are staying overnight. It is your generous support that will contribute to these endeavours.
As it was with our Triathlon in Athlone you can be as prepared as possible with pens, answer sheets, post its for the table numbers, a wonderful Excel sheet (for team details, table numbers and scores) and backup copies of Questions and Answers; but its not until you jump into the freezing cold water of the Shannon River that you realise how deep it actually is.
After a slow/late start the quiz finally kicked into gear and we got through all 7 rounds in a relatively respectable time. The rounds contained 10 questions each and each round was a specialist round.
Round 1 - TV & Film
Round 2 - Sex and the City
Round 3 - General Knowledge
Round 4 - Lyrics and Music
Round 5 - The 90's
Round 6 - The Simpsons
Round 7 - Sport
Scoring wise 5 rounds came it at a relatively similar score with an Average Score of 7/10. Not surprisingly the Sex and the City Round and the Sport Round were the 2 lowest scored in with a average of 5.6 for SATC and 5.3 for Sport.
From the answers we received on a surprising number of sheets we believe that it is prudent that we clarify a few items.
John O'Brien did not/is not any of the following:
1. Shoot JR
2. Appear Topless in Sex and the City
3. Score the winning drop goal for either the Lions or South Africa
4. Cartman's Father
5. Gollum's Real Name
6. Weigh 13 tonnes, is 9 feet in diameter, and is named after Sir Benjamin Hall
(I took personal insult to this one LOL )
7. Mulder and Scully's supervisor
The raffle took place towards the end of the night and the results can be found here: http://3fatmenandalady.blogspot.com/2008/07/raffle-winners.html
Finally we would again like to express our sincerest gratitude to everyone who attended the event and supported us in raising much needed funds for the Children's hospital. On behalf of everyone involved. THANK YOU.
The results of the table quiz itself are as follows:
| Team name | Team Captain | Table Number | TOTAL |
| Frans Taggers | Fran | 23 | 64 |
| Brain Trust | Tommy Mulholland | 28 | 62 |
| Don't have a clue | Mark McGarry | 15 | 59 |
| The Nine Testicles | Martin McCaul | 2 | 58 |
| Captain Fantastic Unlucky | Michelle | 14 | 55 |
| The Bad Eggs | Joe Diamond | 3 | 54 |
| Ceol | Orla Gordan | 11 | 53 |
| Cunning Stunts | Amanda Browne | 1028 | 53 |
| the biggest c's | Shetland Pony | 1030 | 53 |
| Lilly Whites | Big Baz | 1031 | 53 |
| The Tools | Hillary Murphy | 10 | 52 |
| la Rejection | Craig Souman | 24 | 52 |
| Are You Amarter Than a 10 year old | Marcus Mahon | 29 | 51 |
| The noddy apprentice society | Dave Mulpetter | 1029 | 51 |
| | Katie's Team | 4 | 50 |
| The 4 Anna's | Anna G | 6 | 50 |
| Kenga | Bridge Mynes | 17 | 50 |
| No Name | Johnny | 25 | 50 |
| | Ruth Curran | 1 | 49 |
| Tommy Rocks | Cillian Feore | 12 | 49 |
| Its not a Flat it’s an apartment | Barry | 20 | 49 |
| Brain Donors | Rachel Holland | 27 | 49 |
| Fenian Architects and Indonesian Lawyers | Marcus | 26 | 47 |
| | Mj Quinlan | 9 | 45 |
| FAIL | The Best Man | 21 | 45 |
| Jobs Lot | Carolyn | 5a | 43 |
| Crap! | Sully | 13 | 42 |
| The Brainiacs | Nigel | 8 | 41 |
| The Smurfs | Aoibhion | 7 | 36 |
| | natalie | 5b | 36 |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
