Short video report

12 May, 2014 - James H Cahill

A short video record of my day in the hills on the Vale of Glendasan http://youtu.be/2PAXuWH9tGQ

Vale of Glendasan race report by Ken Cowley

12 May, 2014 - Ken Cowley

It’s about time I wrote a IMRA race report giving James Cahill some credit for his navigational skills (and guidance), not to mention his fantastic Leinster Championships series of YouTube videos (links to which are available on the website), even if this latest one does show me appearing to get lost, ahem, on the Wicklow Way. And it’s great to see some videos circulating, the UK fell-running scene seems to be much more into filming the sport than we are, albeit I recognise it’s a sport which is hard to film.

Anyway, as I’m an ‘improving’ navigator, I would not attempt any of these navigation-required events on my own in conditions like yesterdays. Which, despite predictions to the contrary by our friends in the Met Office, were pretty foul. Heavy rain and high winds most of the time.

But, hey, it wouldn’t be an IMRA season without a few races of attrition and drama, and this one had all that and more. Despite its pretty name the Vale of Glendasan is a devil-ish and testing new 22km race route designed by Aidan Roe in some of the boggiest and muddiest terrain that Wicklow has to offer. For those who did the Circuit of Brockagh a few weeks ago, it covered somewhat similar ground, except in reverse, and with yesterday’s First Aiders more likely to be treating hypothermia than sunstroke. A tough race-route, yes, but one which we knew had some of the most spectacular mountain-running in the country, so a lot to savour.

The race got off to a bad start when a bit of early ‘geographical confusion’ in the grounds of the hotel (!) led to the early start for myself, James and Niamh becoming a ‘late early start’. So off we set up St Kevin’s Way at around 11.05. I’m sure we will all agree (from early starters to the elite) that the first hour or so of this race was difficult - terrible weather, and an energy sapping clamber up the side of Camaderry. From where, we were in to the worst of the cold wind and rain, but nice terrain on the meandering downhill/uphill run to Turlough Hill, around the man-made summit clockwise and then down to the Wicklow Gap car-park and some welcome refreshments from Aidan and his crew of helpers, Niall Rachel and Barry.

And that was the easy bit! Tonlagee is a mountain which is hard to love, and so it proved today, as we trudged up to the summit and then down in a south-eastwards direction through the mire that is ‘the bit between Tonlagee and the Brockaghs’. But it is a wonderful bit of wilderness, and in one or two brief respites from the poor visibility, we got views of the beauty of the region, glimpsing occasionally the Glendalough valley to our right and Scarr mountain to our left.

And indeed, maybe it would have been better to keep our eyes on the task in hand, as our little group of three runners proceeded to take a series of falls both on the slippy downhill from Tonelagee and in the bog-hole infested swamp at the bottom. Some of these falls were amusing, including our leader and cinematographer taking a most undignified ‘legs from under him’ tumble, yours truly having a close shave with a bog-hole/rabbit-hole, and both me and Niamh taking a few other mud-spattering dives.

Anyway, on we scrambled, shaken but not stirred, up and over the Brockaghs, seeing 3 or 4 of the race leaders (well done Zoran!) blitz by us in fairly quick succession. Quick, being the operative word! By now, quickness was no longer a word even remotely in my own vocabulary as I fell behind my companions somewhat, with my energy dissipating. Leading, partly, to my final fall of the day. This one was a big-ish fall, one of those mountain falls which knocks the stuffing out of you, and in this case also causing some serious pain to my right calf muscle.

In the absence of any witnesses or sympathy, I picked myself up and prepared to walk to the finish. Thankfully, the calf-strain seemed to ease a bit, and I was able to start jogging again, but (and I’m blaming the ‘trauma’ of the fall here!) I somehow managed to run in to Laragh village, rather than take the Wicklow Way (south) off the bottom of the Brockaghs. But, hey, I like Laragh!

I should also mention that I ran in to about 200 dogs on the narrow road up from the Brockagh resource centre, who seemed to be taking part in some sort of dog-event, an event which soon evolved in to a game of ‘let’s attack the tired IMRA runner’.

So, having had a somewhat ‘difficult’ race, not to mention adding an extra km or two, I managed to spectacularly NOT break 3.5 hours, and trundled over the finish line from the wrong direction, all captured on video - a walk of shame indeed!

Between that and all the falls I took, I was nearly thinking is it time to look for a different sport, maybe one that I’m better at?! Maybe (gasp) even go back to playing golf?! Yes, it was a tough day with a few people (wisely) even pulling out of the race at the halfway point, due to the conditions or other reasons, but at the end of the day it seems we all finished the event largely unharmed and in one piece, so I’m happy enough really and will definitely be back!

I’ll finish my report simply by saying a big thanks to everyone on the day for the logistics and the camaraderie that makes our sport so enjoyable.

Waterlogged

12 May, 2014 - Mick Hanney

I had mixed feelings about this race as the weather forecast wasn't great, but I've glad I gave it a go. Low cloud in Glendalough meant the peaks weren't visible. Not a good start. The odd shower of heavy rain wasn't helping. We were told that about 14 had started early. There weren't many more than that at the 12 noon start and some of the LC regulars like Bernard were nowhere to be seen. We started at the junction onto Kevin's way in Glendalough and the 1st couple of k were deceptively easy and flat (before the pain). A few of us led this out with Zoran prominent, but no one really taking out the pace. Once we started up the steps of the Miners village we were hit by the gale blowing towards us. Zoran started to stretch away from the field and he was first to take the left turn towards Camaderry. The path from here was quite messy and more a stream than a path in places. Wind was blowing hard. A mixture of jog and walk for me at this point. After a while people were taking a variety of directions towards Camaderry. The path was very indistinct but I was happy to stay on it as long as possible. Once off the path the going was very rough indeed. My leg disappeared into a hole in the bracken at one point and I was relieved to be okay. Dermot Murphy and another runner were ahead of me having taken a slightly different route. We were all heading in the same general direction which would take us to Camaderry main peak. The gale was still blowing towards us and rain was icy cold, nearly hailstones at one point. The feet were very cold from the watery ground. But all one could do was dig deep and make progress. Things improved after Camaderry peak. A peaty path opened out in the gloom ahead and it was reasonably good bog running until Turlough hill. We were instructed to head around the western side of Turlough hill. Along this section I made a place or 2 passing Dermot, but this seesawing of position would be a feature of my race. The section from Turlough to the Wicklow gap was fun. A bit of road, which I ran along the grass verge to give my mudrocs some traction, and some short-cuts through boggy sections. Dermot gained by taking a better short cut than me and at one stage there were 5 runners running in close proximity but in the gloom it was genuinely hard to make out who everyone was. A very brief but welcome pitstop at Wicklow gap for a sup of water, a few jellies and some banana, before the trudge up Tonelagee which was wetter than I've ever seen it. The 'path' to the top was completely inundated so my running was limited here but I wasn't losing much ground on the guys ahead. The one piece of homework I did in advance was to check my bearing off Tonelagee peak as the last thing I wanted to do was to run towards Glenmacnass. The top was very cloudy and my compass was a bit shaky but I was happy with my bearing and happy still to see silouettes of other runners ahead in the same direction. I was cautious on the top section coming off Tonelagee with rocky ground and bog holes a plenty. I was very happy to encounter the 'path' towards Brockagh. The paths were more streams throughout. Ahead there were 2 distinct runners and in due course I reeled them in and one of them was Dermot who had done a great ascent of Tonelagee. I was going well at this stage, no doubt helped by the sugar replenishment at the Wicklow gap. The cloud cover had lifted and the Brockage ridge opened out in front of you. Mainly downhill at this point the running was very enjoyable. More runners up ahead and it was nice to be able to chase them down. Passed by Ken in this section and soon after Niamh and James. At this time I had no idea where I was in the race but figured I was going reasonably okay to be ahead of Dermot. I knew Zoran and Alan Ayling were ahead but who else. I was careful coming off Brockagh to follow the Wicklow way yellow man toward Glendo. An incident free couple of downhill kilometres to the finish outside the hotel. Finished just before another big downpour. Was surprised and happy to be 4th over the line from the late starters and 1st M40 (I think) unofficially, but no category prize (eh, Aidan :-). Zoran, Alan then John Bell ahead of me. Dermot wasn't long after me. Winning time was c. 2:16. Afterwards tales of shortcuts, different routes of varying success and bog were swapped in the hotel over some lovely cake provided by Niamh. Great race in challenging conditions. The Leinster Champs races bring you to parts of the mounains other events don't. That is one of the things I like best about it.

Vale of Glendasan – Maike’s LC adventures – continued

11 May, 2014 - Maike Jürgens

Today, we set off on a route designed by Aidan Roe that was going up Camaderry, Tonelagee and Brockagh including a mandatory finish along the WW. Aidan had asked for rain beforehand and rain it did. For the early start, we headed of around 11.00 and were jogging along St. Kevins Way. I felt warm and confident. Once we had reached the old miners village the ground became very muddy and boggy and I found my first boghole of the day. Finding the trail veering left proofed more difficult than it looked on the map and I went uphill on sheep trails and what looked like river-trails. For a while, I could see some other runners climbing the hill but soon got disoriented and ended up crossing a stream what felt like 20 times. Eventually, I spotted the trail in the distance and from then on got to Camaderry East top just fine. It turned out, that cost a lot of time as most people had aimed straight for Camaderry. It was crazy winds on the ridge and I met Joe Lalor running towards me. Panic rising (was I going the wrong way? No, it was “turn right once you hit the trail on the ridge”). Joe was convinced he had to visit the East top and was not convinced otherwise. Oh well, I headed over to Camaderry and then Turlough Hill. Underfoot conditions were really wet and more of a jump-the-puddle game then straight forward running. I lost the trail quite a few times but surprisingly enjoyed running across the heather and grass so not to worry. And all of a sudden Turlough Hill appeared out of the clouds like a massive wall. Jogging around it, Joe caught up with me, we exchanged a few words and he told me he d gotten quite cold and probably had to drop out. Off we went down the road. A “well-timed” toilet break allowed me to end up just behind Joe so I could sneakily follow him down the shortcuts. I knew of their existence but was not quite sure of were exactly they hit the road. At the carpark were a few friendly volunteers with chocolate bars – I was freezing but in heaven. Going up Tonelagee was tough but I quite enjoy going uphill so nothing to worry. Once on top of the hill, I know I had to get a 90° turn compared to the trail I was on. My compass had a different opinion but was also not steady (was it the winds up Tonelagee?). A bunch of runners set off in the same directions I meant to go to so I set off. I was afraid of accidentally heading off towards the Glenmacnass waterfall and once the cloud lifted I figured I had gotten too far right and ended up on pretty rocky ground. I just about avoided falling into a hole as deep as me. Once this “scary” section was over the vision improved and I could see where I was going. I thought I was all on my own when I realised loads of runners around me. The section running over towards Brockagh was a bliss – surprisingly enjoyable and very little energy sapping bog (at least wherever I was). Once on top of Brockagh no other runners were in sight and I was plodding along at my own speed completing forgetting I was in a race, enjoying the views while I could. Just of Brockagh, I ended up in the now famous bog hole that, apparently, quite a few runners found, too. A few junction insecurities down of Brockagh, squeezing through the gate, find the WW and – oh no, A HILL. Where did that come from? Oh well, off we go. A few more ups and downs and I was back at the hotel. Last one back apparently but I did not care as with these tough conditions it was nice enough to finish at all. And I have no idea how long it took me – as a “weirdo” runner I do not carry a watch.