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28 November, 2009

2001 Leinster League
Scalp - Report by Diarmuid O'Colmain
The Scalp race on the 13th June 2001 was extraordinary. The presence of 109 competitors had even some of the old stalwarts like Joe and Vivian whose collective hill running knowledge knows no bounds scratching their heads to try to recollect a comparable turnout. Even the redoubtable Douglas Barry, back for his first competitive event for some time, could not remember a like event. To underline the broad appeal of mountain running, we had representatives of many categories including F50, F60, M10, M14, M15, MJ, M40, M50, M60 in addition to the main elite categories.
The big competition was in the men?s race. Oh, to have had an outside broadcast unit with helicopter mounted cameras to record the event for posterity. Luckily for you, your unworthy scribe had an out-of-body experience that allowed him to witness the events at first hand and you are about to be treated to a gripping tale of suspense and intrigue (well, maybe not intrigue - I?m getting a little carried away) that would hardly be matched in the annals of Finn McCool.
Simon Fairmaner, Hugh McLindon and Francis Cosgrave took off like wild things to secure pole position up the steep early incline. They surged up the hill at a rate of knots that would have done a greyhound proud. Even the resident feral goats (big, wild and hairy to you) watched from their eyrie in astonishment as our heroes breasted the hill and commenced the descent down Barnaslingan to the car park.
Francis, back for the first time this year, showed the effects of a long lay-off from the ultra-competitive Irish hill running environment and struggled to keep pace with the leaders from here on. Simon, who had held the advantage going up Barnaslingan, was overtaken by Hugh on the way down and this was to be something of a pattern for the race. Simon regained lost ground to the chimney only to be overtaken on the downhill section of the long track leading to Carrickgolligan.
Some of you may not know it but Carrickgolligan was once known popularly as Katty Gallagher after a young damsel in distress who, spurned in love, shrugged off this mortal coil on the slopes of the hill. Many of us, suffering in pain as we drag ourselves up this short but crucifying hill, have felt like throwing in the towel at this point also. But our leading men are made of sterner stuff. Up and down the hill in a jiffy, with Hugh slightly in the ascendance towards the end of this section of the race.
On the long haul back to the chimney of the old leadmines Hugh maintained the advantage. Then came one of the great moments of chivalry and decency that marks the friendly and sporting nature characteristic of our hill running community. Hugh took a wrong turn, intending to round the chimney again on the way back. (Really Hugh! Were you not listening to Vivian?s instructions at the start?) The sporting Simon who was about 7 metres behind, immediately shouted at Hugh who quickly corrected his course, only losing a few metres in the process.
Simon regained the lead up Barnaslingan from the carpark. At this point the goats had vanished for their tea and a bit of peace and quiet from the wild, hairy (some more than others!) mountainy men and women. From my lofty perch 50 metres above the action, I could see the pursuing pack strung out all the way back to Katty Gallagher with some brave souls embarking on the climb to the summit at this stage. More about the rest later.
At the top of the hill, Simon was in the lead and you might expect that would be the end of the story given the difficulty of overtaking among the trees. However, McLindon threw caution to the winds and flew down in a direct line, hardly deviating to avoid the trees, while Simon, less familiar with the terrain, took a slightly less direct route and lost ground. At the bottom, Hugh sensed the opportunity and bounded off the final mound just before reaching the track. Not to be outdone, the bold Simon leaped heroically but alas for him it just wasn?t enough and he came in almost literally on Hugh?s heels - so close as to defy the reactions of the timekeepers to do justice to his time. A Seiko timing instrument would have recorded the two leaders as being within a second of each other.
Even from his lofty perch, your correspondent could hardly keep track of the other sub-races on the night. The editor is also getting upset as I have far exceeded my allotted space (as I do with my running times in races). So just a few short comments about the ladies? race will have to suffice this week - someone else can take up the baton to do justice to the various other race categories on a future outing.
After the momentous excitement of the men?s race, the ladies? (or is it women?s?) race proceeded in a slightly more decorous manner. Beth McCluskey continued her unbeaten record but Una May (on somewhat more mountainous terrain) made a breakthrough in coming in ahead of Laura McGinley having conceded second best to her in a number of recent races.
I have run out of space but there has to be a special mention for the four brave 10 year olds. Brendan O?Reilly came in well ahead of the posse but the battle for second place between Cormac O?Neill, Jonathan Barry and Patrick Tunney was ferocious with all three finishing within a two second spread.
Finally, commiserations to Peter Dalton on a bad fall coming down Carrickgolligan which probably did not help his performance, in nevertheless, winning the Junior event narrowly from Jonathan Corrie and Aaron Shorten!
Note: In this thrilling race, the two leading protagonists Hugh McLindon and Simon Fairmaner were both under Francis Cosgrave's record. Hugh's winning time of 22 minutes 09 seconds sliced 35 seconds off the record set last year. Beth McCluskey's brilliant run knocked 15 seconds off her own course record in the dry conditions.