The Beast Adventure Race 2026
Team Up For It
After taking part in last year's return of the famed Beast Adventure Race, Ireland's premier adventure racing event, I took some time to reflect on both my performance and the fantastic experiences I shared with my teammates last year. Following the race, I spent some time dealing with injury issues during the early part of the winter and wasn't entirely sure what the following season would hold.
Thankfully, as 2026 arrived, I managed to build some excellent training momentum. No small part of that was thanks to the fantastic community at Bandon Strength & Conditioning. Over the past number of months, I've established a brilliant routine, combining the cardio-focused Revelate classes with the expert guidance of Teddy and the team in the strength and conditioning classes.The 4 mornings a week of 5am starts over 5 moths truly paid off in terms of building a new me.
Strength training has always been something of a weak point for me. I've always loved endurance-based activities; getting out on the bike, covering miles on the trails, and spending long days in the mountains. However, at this stage of my life, now in my mid-fifties, I knew I needed to place a much greater emphasis on pushing, pulling, lifting and developing functional strength if I wanted to continue competing and enjoying outdoor adventures.
Alongside the gym work, I managed to accumulate plenty of mountain bike miles throughout the winter, often in atrocious weather conditions. There were also a number of enjoyable road bike spins and a bit of orienteering mixed in, all while continuing to manage some ongoing knee and hip issues.
One of my ambitions for this year's Beast was to race alongside a lifelong friend, Simon Evans. We had attempted several times to put together a team of four, but circumstances repeatedly got in the way and, for a period, it looked as though we would have to race as a pair.
Fortunately, in the weeks leading up to the race, things began to fall into place. We connected with Sinead Foley, whom we had briefly met at the Wicklow Adventure Race earlier in the year, and also teamed up with fellow Bandon Strength & Conditioning member Mikey Parnell, who brought adventure racing experience from his youth growing up in South Africa.
Despite having very little time to train together as a complete team, we entered the race full of enthusiasm under the name Team Up For It – a name that perfectly reflected our outlook on adventure racing and life in general.
Last weekend, The Beast Adventure Race got underway from Lynch Army Camp in Kilworth, North Cork.
We arrived on Friday afternoon with plenty of time to spare. As any experienced adventure racer will know, the hours before a major event are often spent obsessing over the smallest details. Food was organised, bikes checked, spare clothing packed, transition bags labelled and equipment repeatedly inspected.
Saturday morning arrived quickly. Following registration, we received our maps approximately ninety minutes before the start. This is always one of the most exciting periods of any adventure race. Suddenly, months of anticipation are replaced by reality as competitors discover what challenges the race directors have planned.
This year we were presented with eleven maps that required careful marking and route planning. It was a busy but enjoyable process as we tried to identify the most efficient way to move around the course.
An hour before the start, competitors were loaded onto buses and transported to Doneraile.
The race began at 11am with a short orienteering stage through the magnificent grounds of Doneraile Park. For Simon and myself, both coming from strong orienteering backgrounds, this section felt very comfortable. An interesting feature of the stage was that every team received a different map, eliminating any possibility of simply following another team.
From there we transitioned onto our mountain bikes and headed towards the southern side of the Ballyhoura Mountains.
This section brought particular enjoyment for Simon and me. We had spent much of the winter training in the Ballyhouras and knew many of the trails well. There was something immensely satisfying about descending through familiar terrain and revisiting places where we had spent countless hours preparing for exactly this type of challenge.
The route led us across a network of quiet back roads, forestry tracks and open countryside. Along the way, I enjoyed one of my most memorable moments of the entire race when I came face-to-face with a pine marten. We stood staring at one another for several seconds before it disappeared silently back into the woodland. Pine Martens are one Irelands most elusive creatures.
From there we cycled towards a hilltop checkpoint that proved problematic for many teams due to some mapping confusion. After losing a little time resolving the issue, we eventually located the control and continued towards a local primary school which served as a transition area situated at the western foot of the Galtee Mountains.
Having covered over 60 kilometres, this represented our first real opportunity to regroup. We refuelled properly, changed socks and clothing, reorganised equipment and prepared ourselves for what would become one of the defining stages of the race – a 35-kilometre mountain trek that would carry us deep into the night.
Although I have visited the Galtee Mountains many times over the years, I had never traversed the entire range, let alone in a race.
As we climbed higher and higher into the mountains, we were rewarded with one of the most spectacular sunsets I have ever witnessed. Golden light stretched across the entire Golden Vale, illuminating the landscape beneath us. We carried no phones or cameras, but the memory of those final shards of sunlight breaking through the clouds will remain with me for a very long time.
The steep climbs soon reminded us why this event is called The Beast. Knowing how much distance we had already covered, while also knowing how much still lay ahead, added another layer of challenge.
Before long darkness arrived and head torches came out. We moved steadily through peat hags, across rough ground, over countless climbs and descents. As a blue moon rose above the mountains, I noticed changing cloud formations and realised that fog and mist would soon become a factor.
As the blue moon rose, I quickly realised that the cloud structures were changing and that we were soon going to be immersed in fog and mist, which proved to be the case. From there on, we spent a significant portion of the next few hours firmly on the compass, measuring distance, taking accurate bearings and carefully monitoring our position. We were delighted that our navigation remained accurate throughout this section, as any mistakes would have resulted in a significant loss of time.
There is something uniquely rewarding about travelling through mountains at night. The world shrinks to the small pool of light cast by your head torch. Features that seem obvious during daylight become difficult to identify, and every navigation decision requires concentration and trust in your teammates. Despite the conditions, Team Up For It worked exceptionally well together. Simon's navigation experience, Sinead's determination and positive attitude, Mikey's strength and steady pace, combined with my own experience, allowed us to keep moving efficiently throughout the night.
Eventually, after many hours on foot, we completed the mountain stage and descended to the next transition area in Cahir. We were tired, but morale remained high. Adventure racing has a remarkable way of simplifying life. Your world becomes focused on very basic priorities: keep moving, keep eating, keep drinking and keep making good decisions.
After changing into fresh clothing and replenishing food supplies, we set off once again, this time for a 18k Kayak stage on the River Suir. Early morning sunlight soothed us on our way. We weren’t too happy at the 800 metre kayak carry at the end of this stage, but it just had to be done, it was the same for all teams.
After a quick transition in a cosy community hall we were back on our mountain bikes. Over 50 kilometres lay ahead with the clock ticking towards the time cut off. The Knockmealdown mountains revealing spectacular views across the countryside. While fatigue was undoubtedly beginning to build, the last few hours provided a significant psychological boost. We knew that every kilometre completed was bringing us closer to the finish line. We had one 5.5 k long climb that really tested us all. I needed food and fast at the bottom of this and thankfully those calories hit my system just in time. It is a rare breed of person that enjoys climbing on a bike, thankfully I am one of those people.
The remainder of the race continued to challenge us with a mixture of mountain biking, navigation and physical endurance. As is often the case in adventure racing, there were moments when we felt strong and efficient, and other moments where progress seemed painfully slow. Yet throughout the race there was never any doubt about the commitment of the team. Everyone continued to contribute positively, support one another and maintain a sense of humour when things became difficult.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of the weekend was the camaraderie that exists within the adventure racing community. Whether at transition areas, on remote mountain tracks or crossing paths with other competitors, there is a shared understanding of the challenges involved and a genuine respect between teams.
Crossing the finish line after such a demanding course brought a huge sense of satisfaction. Not because of our finishing position, but because of everything that had gone into reaching that point. Months of training, early mornings, wet mountain bike rides, strength and conditioning sessions, orienteering events and countless hours spent preparing had all contributed to a memorable performance.
Personally, this year's Beast meant a great deal. Having spent part of the previous winter dealing with injury concerns, there were certainly times when I wondered how much racing I would be able to do going forward. To find myself back on the start line, fit, healthy and enjoying the challenge alongside a fantastic group of teammates was something I deeply appreciated.
A huge thank you goes to Simon Evans, Sinead Foley and Mikey Parnell. We came together as a team only a few weeks before the event, yet quickly developed the trust and teamwork that adventure racing demands. Every member of Team Up For It played an important role in what was a thoroughly enjoyable and successful weekend. 7th place overall out of 17 teams was a really solid result for us and one I am very happy with. The winners and podium placers are some serious athletes.
Thanks also to the race directors, organisers, marshals and volunteers whose efforts make events like The Beast possible. The scale of organisation required to deliver a race of this complexity is immense, and the experience they created for competitors was exceptional.
As the aches and pains gradually fade and normal life resumes, the memories of sunsets over the Galtees, moonlit navigation through mist-covered mountains, encounters with wildlife and the shared challenge of covering huge distances with good friends will remain.
The Beast once again delivered everything that makes adventure racing special: challenge, uncertainty, teamwork, resilience and adventure.
And if there is one thing I have learned from years of participating in events like this, it is that no matter how tired you feel crossing the finish line, it usually doesn't take very long before you start wondering where the next adventure might lead.
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