Irish Mountain
Running Association

Mount Leinster

Forum Messages

AuthorDateMessage
Stephen BrennanJun 17 2010, 11:50amI'll be driving down from Donabate, via the M50 and M11 on the morning of the race and back later in the evening. I'm happy to pick up people along the way or in town. As the father of an old girlfriend of mine once said: "bad company is better than no company at all!" As I'm not on MYIMRA yet, my mobile is 0872415450 and you can call or txt. Stephen
Mick HanneyJun 21 2010, 12:11pmHi, Might try to a recce of Mt Leinster the Sunday before the race.. the day after the Lug race so pace will be nice and slow. Anyone interested let me know mickhanney at ireland dot com
Niamh O ceallaighJul 5 2010, 6:17pmMt Leinster this sat will be a great race. Highly recommended for those new to champ races. Easy to follow path, almost guaranteed sunshine in the sunny SE and always fabulous welcome of the porters.
Bruce ShenkerJul 5 2010, 10:18pmWith Graham and Jane as race directors we can have a throwback event(thats an american term when teams where there old kit from 20 years ago), I will be there in pink.
Caoimhe MuldoonJul 6 2010, 11:43amHi Is there an early start for this race?
cheers
Caoimhe
Jane PorterJul 6 2010, 6:11pmThere is no problem if anyone wants to start early.
Please note that in case of bad weather you may be required to carry a rain jacket. Weather forecast is good at the moment. Let's hope it stays that way.
Great to hear Brucie will be with us. Time to root out those old IMRA teeshirts!
Stephen BrennanJul 6 2010, 6:31pmThe car is full now... Sarah, Caoimhe and John have spots. Am on my way home tomorrow and will arrange pickup when I get back.
Fergal BuckleyJul 6 2010, 10:37pmAnyone else heading down Saturday able to offer a lift from Dublin? If so, I'd be interested!
Colm HillJul 7 2010, 12:39amDitto...
john greeneJul 8 2010, 10:43ammy car is out of action til next week if anyone is going from m50 or nearby, would appreciate a lift. thanks
niamh O CeallaighJul 8 2010, 11:07amHi,
If anyone is travelling by Bus Eireann to this race, I can collect up to 3 from the 10.40 bus in Ferns and drop back to Ferns after the race.
Niamh
08five 144five 2 0 nine

IMRA CommitteeJul 8 2010, 11:22amIn line with new IMRA policy, runners competing in any Championship race including the Mt. Leinster race this Saturday must bring the following equipment to the race and be prepared to carry it. The Race Director will decide on the day what actually needs to be carried, but there will always be a minimum of a jacket that must be carried.

Map of route
Compass
Whistle
Rain coat/ wind proof jacket
hat
gloves
food
water

Please ensure you have the above equipment with you at Mt. Leinster and all future Championship races.

Kind Regards,
Niamh O Ceallaigh
on Behalf of the IMRA Committee
Barry TennysonJul 8 2010, 11:59amStephen,Fergal... Barry Tennyson will give you a lift 087 2551489
Jane PorterJul 9 2010, 9:12amLooking forward to seeing you all tomorrow. We need a couple of volunteers:
1. First Aid
2. Summit Marshal
As per last year there will be sandwiches and finger food FREE! in the pub afterwards at prize giving.
Paul NolanJul 9 2010, 9:40amJane

I can do first Aid for the race.
See you in the morning
Paul
Bruce ShenkerJul 9 2010, 9:56amNeglected to bring a compass and gloves(amazingly I have the rest), I imagine I can forgo the gloves but if anyone has an extra compass they can lend on the day that would be great. Thanks.
Jane PorterJul 9 2010, 5:52pmCan supply the compass and gloves but don't think you will need either. We were up marking the top of the mountain this afternoon in heavy mist. Mostly you are following tracks except at the top. When you turn around to come down it can be difficult to know which direction to take. Hence we always mark it...easier than trying to find lost runners afterwards. Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.
Mick HanneyJul 10 2010, 5:05pmDespite challenging conditions Colm Hill won today's race in a new record time of 59:59 Dena Hogan was the first lady to finish. A great race.
Colm HillJul 11 2010, 4:30pmFun route. Be great if someone had access to a JCB or a logging truck and just destroyed the fire road - make it into a beast of a route.
The descent through the bog/peat hags/eroded track was fun!
(the term track is used very loosely)

Great after race craic - thumbs up to Jane and Graham
aengus burkeJul 12 2010, 10:20pmIs this Colm fella for real?, he must have little to be proud about if he is happy to beat a 46 year, 53 year old and 46 year old,( 2nd, 3rd ,4th). People like you undue all the good work carried out by the organisers + genuine people that ran saturday, get a grip and have a bit of respect Colm, if you are running like Martin Mc Donald at 53 I might listen to you then. Aengus
Eoin KeithJul 12 2010, 11:01pmAengus, are you for real? That has to be one of the most stupid and ignorant posts I've seen on this forum in a long long time.

Speaking as a 40+ year old runner who has featured prominantly in quite a few of Colm's race reports I can tell you that the day I get annoyed with Colm's reports is the day that I stop featuring in them. And it's myself I'll be annoyed at when that happens.

Colm is a fine up and coming hillrunner with fantastic all round ability, and is a huge asset to the hill running community. His race reports are direct and honest. They're the best I've ever read on the IMRA site for illustrating the controlled aggression that is required to be successful at the top level.

Furthermore in the race report that you're reffering to, I doubt that colm could have shown any more true respect for Martin than to illustrate so obviously how Colm considered him to be a significant rival in the race.

Personally I think you owe Colm a public apology. And if I was the 40+ athlete you were referring to rather than Martin, I'd be demanding a grovelling apology for your lack of respect towards my running ability too.
Fergal BuckleyJul 12 2010, 11:24pmI think the people who undid all the good work carried out by the organisers on Saturday were those that ditched their cagoules up the track shortly after the start of the race. Most unsporting behaviour in my opinion.
Mick HanneyJul 13 2010, 8:57amResults now up - thanks Kevin.

Personally I really enjoy Colm's race reports. They are written in a personal, competitive style which may not be to everybody's liking. I'm sure he has the height of respect for his fellow runners but the written word can come across the wrong way sometimes, much in the same way as a posting on the forum can be picked up the wrong way. Please keep the reports (throughout the field) up.
Paul NolanJul 13 2010, 9:16amYouthful enthusiasm. Down with that sort of thing.
Eoin KeithJul 13 2010, 9:32amMy earlier posts was written before I knew the results. Having seen them, I now can't help but to concur with Kevin's assesment.

Aengus, out of interest, were you one of the runner's who Fergal saw cheating by abandoning their mandatory race gear?
Stuart ScottJul 13 2010, 10:51amTechnical suggestion:

When posting forum messages, how about a question like 'how would I like my post to be interpreted?' with answers ranging from 'tongue in cheek' to 'deadly serious'. I assumed Aengus was being sarcastic. On the other hand, it has made for another highly entertaining discussion! Any chance of a runners-up race report?

Ditching cags (if it happened) is pretty serious issue however.
PJ CarrollJul 13 2010, 12:32pmI will try to stick up a race report later on as I cant find the time to do it just now..But I must say I am astonished at some of the vitriol being bandied about here so freely and the allegations of cheating and unsportsmanship... Aengus Burke is a true sportsman of impeccable standards and honesty and we as a group of North Laois runners never ,prior to this race, heard of a stipulation to wear a jacket...I found one in my van before the race more used to work on a building site which is what I use it for,about 3 sizes to big for me, with lumps of concrete stuck to it. Not exactly conducive to running flat out up a stiff slope when compared to the tiny technical garment used by Colm Hill....The term cheating is a disgrace as from what I could see most of the top 7 or 8 finished in their singlets... Most, but not all, before anybody sees a hidden allegation here... We all faced the same mountain in atrocious conditions, equal and with no unfair advantages or favours sought or given.. Great race with wonderful work done by Graham at the top and Jane at the bottom..The after race refreshments were among the best I have ever received. Report to follow.......
Colm HillJul 13 2010, 12:49pmYes I am for real and you'll see me at the majority of open mountain races and orienteering races in the country.

Can you explain to me how I undid all the good work? I wrote a race report on what was going through my mind and my actions during the race - i always do it.

If your offended by my confidence that I wouldn't be caught on the rough part of the descent, thats because from past results I knew I was the fastest rough descender there.
Before every race I study the race route on maps, satlite images, old GPS routes, past times from people around me or if its only people behind me I compare %s and see what realistic time I could run.
Using that method I reckon I could clock 55min - been cocky (which you appear to think I am very)

If you actually read the blog, you would see that I was conscious of you guys gaining on me on the fire road. How does that show a lack of respect? In my head it shows that I have a lot of respect for the speed ye guys can run on the flat.

Contuining on the theme of respect. Did you bring any of the manditory kit to the race with you? If you had snapped your ankle had you any protection against the elements to get yourself down - its your job to do that, not mountain rescue. If I ruined the race, how can you justify dumping your kit at the first bend, completely ignoring the RD instructions and compromising your own safety and could have potentially made a serious accident much much worse. Id go as far to say as its blatant cheating.

Take a look at yourself before you start blaming a young runner who has more mountain experience yourself.

And please god I will still be running at the age of +70 just like Mick Kellet

Colm
Brían O'MearaJul 13 2010, 12:49pmI couldn’t find my jacket and had to run in some silage wrapping…. It's not so good on the old breathability..

On a more serious note, would it be worth exploring the possibility of allowing forum contributors the possibility of deleting their own messages, if they have posted something in the heat of the moment and later have second thoughts? Like a 'delete' button or something. I've seen something similar on other web forums (or should that be fora?)
Peter O'FarrellJul 13 2010, 1:00pmNo way to the delete button.
That's one of the best things about this forum.


Sounds like it was a class race though, one of these years I'll get to sample the legendary Jane+Graham roadshow on Mt. Leinster..
Mick HanneyJul 13 2010, 1:07pmI agree a 'delete' or 'edit' button would be good...

Just seeking to diffuse the disussion. I don't think we need to see accusations flying one way or another. I think yet again we see there needs to be clarity in the instuctions for races. In the race details for this race there isn't mention of a mandatory kit so you could have travelled down somewhat in ignorance of that. We have mandatory checks in other races and it worked well we just need to be consistent and clear in our communication. I nearly ditched my jacket at the start until the RD said it should be brought. In the end I was very happy to have had it. What wasn't said, and probably should have been, was that failure to finish with your jacket is a DQ result. These rules need to be stated in advance so people know.

Back to the race.. I applaud the guys results which were terrific on the day. The profile of this race improves year by year and hopefully next year we'll have more contention again for the top spot inc. Tom looking to reclaim his record.
Diarmuid O'Colmain (Moderator)Jul 13 2010, 2:01pmThe first two bullet points in the Summary of the netiquette policy (available above the name box when you Reply to Forum topic) read as follows:

Be respectful of all contributors
Delay your response if you feel very strongly about a matter

Regarding a Delete button, I do have a Delete button whereby I can delete a post. I am very reluctant to use this because deleting an individual post can destroy the sense of a thread. However, if a person feels that they have misphrased a post in a way that, on reflection, they feel could give offence, they can contact me about it.

Diarmuid oh87 24one3303 docolmain(at)gmail....

Forum Moderator
Stephen BrennanJul 13 2010, 2:32pmComment from a back marker - this was my third race and I have to say I really enjoyed it. The conditions and the little yellow flags appearing in the gloom all contributed to an unforgetable experience.

I'm in awe of you guys up the front of the field - you would have had time for soup and a sandwich waiting for me to finish if I hadn't started early!

One thing that's really striking about these races and the post race craic is the friendliness of everyone. I guess maybe we're all a bit mad to be running up mountains on a saturday morning when many are still in bed! I can't wait for the next race.

Martin Mc DonaldJul 13 2010, 3:30pmIn defence of Aungus Burke, He is referring to Colm Hill's race report in which it is clear that he is making a laugh out of the North Laois Runners. ("I resisted the temptation to laugh") An this is not the first time. Colm mabey you should use my glasses as 2 out of 3 of us were wearing Mountain running shoes. Another quote of yours ("i'll have fun at the top") Mabey if we were less handicapt you might not have so much fun at the top,I mean from 25-32 years older?

It'll be nice to see you compete against guys with no handicap...i.e Fresh 21 year olds. Just a word of advice Colm not a good idea to get compeditors rag up before a race.

And as for Eoin Keith, Are you for real? ("His race reports are direct and honest") and ("the best i've ever read")... Come on Eoin, When did this guy show me respect not that i wanted any...It seems the only reason you are supporting this guy is because he gives you the bit of praise after races. And another thing Eoin don't lump me in with the O40 because there is a marked difference between O40 and 050 as you will know when you reach 50.

And just to correct Gerry, that was my 4th hard race in 8 days.
And we are just fine without the delet button, thanks.

My thanks to Jane and Graham for another well organised event.
Martin.
Jane PorterJul 13 2010, 4:30pmOn the forum relating to this event there was an entry from the IMRA committee stating what was required for championship races.
Map of route
Compass
Whistle
Rain coat/ wind proof jacket
hat
gloves
food
water

As race director I decided to only enforce the jacket wearing/carrying rule.
Though it was wet it was not particularly cold or windy at the start but I had heard from Graham that it was very windy and much colder up on the ridge. I had brought a number of spare jackets with me and loaned them to runners who did not have one (until I ran out of jackets!) There were a few people who complained about being forced to carry a jacket.Everyone on the startline had a jacket of some sort..either wearing them or carrying them. A few minutes after the start we checked and found several of these garments discarded along the track. We checked to see who had a jacket with them at the finish line. The following people finished without jackets:
Aengus Burke
Martin McDonald
PJ Carroll
Martin Monaghan
Hugh Kinsella

I am glad that none of these people got lost or injured on the mountain. Please remember that these rules are for your own safety. They are not there to annoy you. Lets make it the same for everybody.

Thanks to all of you who came to the race on such a miserable day. Mad people that you all are you seemed to enjoy it in some perverse way!
Hopefully next year the sunny south east will live up to its reputation and that there will be more attempts at the record.
Kevin DuffyJul 13 2010, 4:49pmJust curiosity raised by the thread; why the distinction between having a jacket and wearing the jacket? In the event that you're knocked cold, or get hypotermia, or just get confused and start making bad choices, the jacket in your hand/around your waist is about as much use as the jacket in the ditch after the start.
Colm's report suggests a fall that left him dazed - only slightly worse a fall and he was an unconcious runner, in bad weather, on an open hillside, in a singlet and shorts. His confusion after he got up and before he fell a second time could have added in that he was all those things and off course with no map etc. to relocate himself.

IMO, if conditions are bad enough to invoke the rule on carrying gear, they should go all the way to using it from the start. DQing a runner who abandons a jacket and absolving one who carries it but doesn't use it when conditions suggest it would be a good choice, looks like a rule-serving exercise. I realise there are issues of choice, the freedom to make mistakes, self-reliance and all, but if they're important, then the choice to throw the jacket in the ditch, freely making a mistake and relying on yourself to get back safely has to be respected too.

Kevin.
Stuart ScottJul 13 2010, 5:02pmWell having the jacket with you means a fellow competitor/hillwalker can try to keep you warm until help arrives. And if they don't have a jacket either, mountain rescue will just end up with two hypothermic patients!

Re choices, I don't see how anyone can make an informed decision about conditions at the summit unless they've already been up there. Therefore the RD's decision must be respected (and it's not one they would've taken lightly either).
Turlough ConwayJul 13 2010, 5:48pmI like Diarmuids rule about the deep breath before posting.

Apparently on fora people get more agitated, perceive more slights and are more agressive than in everyday meetings. A general comment not specific to this thread.

I have huge respect for young Colm whos a great lad, even though he'll never beat me again once i return from the Dark Side to full time hill racing next year. Huge respect also for the Laois boys and girls. I know PJ and Derek, who wasnt racing but am well aware also of the running exploits of Martin and Aengus.

You always know there are tough racers in the field when the North Laois colours are there as wll as young Hill. By the sounds of things the next race they're out will be no different!

aengus burkeJul 13 2010, 6:11pmHello, Aengus here, sorry if I caused so much controversy as I had no intention of doing so. Firstly I would like to apologise to organisers for discarding my top, it was a silly thing to do, I done it not to cheat but did not feel comfortable wearing it and did not think of risk of injury. Secondly I do not wish to take from what was a wonderful day. I am relatively new to mountain running and have being made very welcome, especially by Gerry, and any races I have run so far have being organised brillantly.Just some points annoyed me regarding Colm,s report. Firstly I have being involved in sport for 35 years between soccer and athletics and have never made fun of my fellow competitors or have anyboby do it to me before, and I can assure you I am far from a sore loser. Secondly I think these races are not about the people at the front, every one involved from the people taking registrarion, the people who marked the course, to the last person home all deserve credit. We are all taking part for the one reason- the love of the sport. I wiil not be posting any more as it is not my style and was childish of me to get involved, but I felt Colm,s report offending. Regards, Aengus Burke.
Alan AylingJul 13 2010, 6:21pmKevin Duffy wrote:
"IMO, if conditions are bad enough to invoke the rule on carrying gear, they should go all the way to using it from the start."

Gotta disagree there, buddy. The conditions at the start of that race were damp, humid even, but windy and overcast with showers on and off. Not the sort of conditions in which most of us wanted to wear a jacket. At the top it was significantly colder as you might expect. The time you'd be glad of the jacket, especially if you got very tired or started feeling the cold badly, or maybe picked up a bit of an injury. Very different from the conditions at the bottom. Which is where the choice comes in, wear the jacket or carry it. Forcing people to wear the jacket is not reasonable. I take your point about a bad fall and unconciousness, but from a risk assessment perspective what is really the likelihood of this?

For what it's worth, I'd say Jane made exactly the right call - carrying or wearing jacket compulsory, but map, compass, whistle not compulsory as the route was so well marked.

Not sure the forum is the right place to start introducing rules about gear. On the events page (or in both places) would be better if possible. In time, it'll be well known to everyone what the kit requirements for championship races are, but for now it's not hard to see where the confusion can come from.

First class event from Jane & Graham and the craic was mighty as ever. A bonus to have Brucie there too. Food after the races - definitely a winner!
Colm HillJul 13 2010, 7:40pmI didn't mean to offend anyone in my post - i just deleted it.

I did not mean to poke fun, slag, insult, degrade whatever your having, anyone! I never would. I have helped out on nav courses and training courses for juniors, i am not one to degrade anyone regardless of ability (my younger brother not included of course ;) )

I wrote down my thoughts as best as I could remember from the race - its what I always do.
In a race, half the battle is in your mind and about having confidence in your own ability. I just made confidence and told myself the same thing enough times so that I would believe it.

If you are so deeply offended by my report send me an email off forum and I'll tell you exactly why I said whatever your having a problem with.

Colm
Kevin DuffyJul 13 2010, 8:50pmAlan Ayling wrote; "I take your point about a bad fall and unconciousness, but from a risk assessment perspective what is really the likelihood of this?"

Hiya Alan, from Colm's report, likelihood was close to happening and that was to someone who says he wouldn't be beaten over rough ground. He also describes being somewhat, perhaps even very confused after falling and having a second fall not long after. It does seem an unlikley chain of events, but a plausible one in that it wasn't far off happening, that a runner takes a fall, ends up dazed, goes well off course, falls again and the idea of someone coming behind them finding them to use their jacket is a remote one.

Even as I type that I'm saying "what are the odds...?" and of course you can't legislate for everything, but Colm didn't even initially realise he'd fallen, so maybe the odds aren't so long.
That said, I wasn't there on the day and didn't see the conditions, so I'm speaking in the abstract and you have the drop on me in both experience and seeing the day as it was.

Keep her lit mate, if I ever get the knee fixed...please collect my barely clothed body as you pass me face down in the heather....

Jaysis, hope I get this maths question right.
PJ CarrollJul 14 2010, 12:05amWrote a good long report but when I pressed save it said access denied..Stayed up to do it, and its gone on me. Will try again if I get time. Dont know why it said access denied
Mick HanneyJul 14 2010, 8:13amI got that problem before. Don't know why. Best thing to do is do a report separately i.e. in Word, save it, then copy and paste the text over to the report so you don't lose your work.
martin monaghanJul 14 2010, 9:15pmPJ enjoyed your race report and tough battle with yourself,mt running is relatively new to me hopefully we' meet on a start line soon.Just to clarify i'm not a farmer it's just a nickname.