Maike's 4th LC adventure

21 June, 2014 - Maike Jürgens

Carlingford – foxes rock – leinster championchip.


Alan Ayling designed this race in an otherwise rather undervisited area by imra-races. We set off in a full car (smallest people get the middle seat) and sort of arrived late for the early start. There were 3 other early starters and we set off at 11.17 for the early start. Off we went along the road following the yellow marker. This was the only mandatory part of the route. A little chitchat and we reached the grassy bits and the gate. From there it was free route choice – yay. Visibility was fantastic so the compass (and all other weather gear) stayed in the bag for the whole race. While running across the grass (and around the fern) I picked out my route up Slieve Foye and for once didn’t doubt myself and just followed it. Steep but lovely. Once at the top I saw the cairn but it looked like it had some interesting decorations and I couldn’t spot the summit marshal so maybe the real top was somewhere to the side. Running around a bit I decided the decorated place I saw first must be the top. Getting closer I realised the “decoration” was a summit marshal and a backpack. A short chat and then off I went along the ridge loosing height gradually. A bit further along I thought I could see Ravens Rock but it looked so close. To make sure, I checked the map what felt like 20 different ways and then figured I was right. So I kept going. And then hit a 2.5 m drop. Ooops. Ah, there is a bit of a “step” halfway down. Grand. The lakes were now in front of me to the left so I kept going, keeping them to my left all the way and then moving across towards the north side of Ravens Rock. From here I could see the next summit marshals, no bother getting to Foxes Rock. A sip of water (and a few more), half a bar, a good chat and I was on my way back. Same route but I wanted to avoid the 2.5 m drop so I stayed low a bit longer and was going for a grassy ramp and whoops I saw the first man going up there (and disappear really quickly). Back at Slieve Foye same trouble of finding the top again despite Bernard Fortune being right in front of me 5 m from the top. Silly Maike. Chat with the summit marshal and then deciding on a route down. I tried to follow the walkers trail down but kept loosing it, then a bit further down met a few walkers and saw all the way the trail was going and decided to drop down the side of the hill anyway. It was grassy enough most of the way apart from a rocky stretch I had to cross. And there are sooo many more trails here than on the map. Then I remember the Táin way went along some sort of fence so I figured I d be safe enough just going downhill until I hit that fence. Open gate, walk through, spend ages closing the gate. Now it was waymarkers all the way to the finish. Gareth Little caught up with me on the road, Damien McParland not far behind. It made me put in some more effort for the last stretch. And home. Jaffa cakes and water. Pity it was over so quickly, great day for a race but great area to run in, too. Thanks to all volunteers, race director Barry Moore and Alan Alying for designing the route. And thanks for lovely company in the car and the lift.