MESSY MAULIN

19 March, 2017 - Barry Murray

The finally to the winter league and was really looking forward to this race. Its a classic course with a mixture of climbs, single track, quick descents and some fire trail for the runner legs.

A soggy rather than soft morning. Warmth peaking through the misty clouds. I knew the course was going to be fairly wet. Still was waiting for my x-talons order to arrive so again I was in shoes not ideal for the conditions.

Off we went on the first section of climbing that leads us up to the steep grassy bank. The numbers for the race weren't huge, I think only 60, but there was a good crew of front runners with speedy Ian Conway leading the charge. I opted to sit back and as per usual tucked in behind Bernard.

Once we got to the grassy bank, I caught back up with the front pack. The climb up is a real killer. Vertical almost and slippy wet grass. I trudged by Warren and Mickey and closed in on Gerard and Bernard just ahead of me. The section of single track that brings you up to the summit is one of my favourite places to run around the area. First , you can run, which I like to be able to do ! Second, there is a lovely ridge with a view overlooking Chrone. However, the day that was in it, was the wettest I've seen the track. It was literally a river. Plus there was a mist falling so you had to just look down and concentrate.

As we approached the summit, I was just behind Gerard and Bernard not far ahead. John Bell greeted us with a cheer and off we went on the descent. I knew it from the year before, and remembered that it keeps to the right of the wall. However, as I got to the first bit of tape on the wall I noticed the front group of 5-6 had jumped over the wall and were heading in the wrong direction. I kept to the course and could see Dermot Murphy ahead of me who had made a fast start. Next Warren and Mikey descended right behind me and we exchanged a few words about just keeping going.

Warren skipped by me and once we got to the single track we all picked up the pace. We caught up with Dermot just as we made the left turn off the mountain. Warren, myself and Mickey just ploughed ahead. I was right behind Warren and we were moving at a fast pace. He nearly face plunged at one stage but managed to recover well and stay upright. Mickey nipped by me on one of the sharp downhill bends but then fell off the pace a bit with his race legs a little rusty . So it was just myself and Warren pegging it on the twisty section through the ferns/tree's. One little turn I took too fast and the 2 legs went from under me. I hit the deck hard but just bounced back up. Both the lads, Warren and Mickey, shouted to see if I was okay. Knew it was just some "cosmetic" damage so just kept the pace up with Warren. I was literally on his heels and we just avoided collision with 2 mountain bikers. I knew we came out on the Wicklow Way but for whatever reason, didn't remember the right turn up that takes you around and back down on to the Wicklow Way. Nor did either of us see the taping. I still don't know how we ended up missing this. But this seemed to be the theme of the day.

Anyways, onto the Wicklow Way and the surreal race was Warren leading, me behind him and Micky a bit further back. After Annagh hill the previous week I was glad to be able to have some proper fast running terrain. As we approach the steep climb off the Wicklow Way, myself and Warren were neck and neck. I just put my head down and hands on the knee's, and passed Warren slowly before we got to the top.

We took a right and I knew we had a straight section before we take another right down the gulley. I tried to push the pace and get away from Warren as I knew the slippy gulley would play in his favour. I was also still feeling a little demotivated in that here I was racing for 1st when I knew that at least Ian, Bernard and Damian would be ahead of me at this point.

So we hop off the firetrail and we're tumbling down the slippy descent. Warren soon skipped by me and I just trotted down trying to keep my balance. Out onto the fire road at the bottom and I couldn't see Warren. I couldn't see Mickey behind me so I just kept my pace up and got back to the finish. I was second to finish and Warren was first. Mickey then came in a few seconds back in third. But I knew we were just waiting for the stewarts debate.

In "Bernard" fashion, myself and Mickey warmed down by jogging back up the course. We saw Dermot coming in who shouted that we had missed a turn. We weren't sure what he was talking about. Then runners started coming from all angles. Some started coming down the forest track that we went up at the start. ~Back to our theme for the day.

So at the finish line, the stewarts debate involved examining a map of the course . Dermot pointed out were myself, Warren and Mickey went wrong. It was clear for me once I saw it but still don't know how we missed it. For the others who hopped over the wall after the summit, they knew it was off course. Then it appeared that some had run straight by the right turn for the last gulley descent and hence ended up coming down through the tree's. There were probably a few other wrong turns during the race too.

A damn shame overall because its a great course and would have been a great race. And ironically, I can't remember any thing like this happening the previous year. In an ideal world we would have more marshalls but we can't really blame anyone other than ourselves. Following the guy in front of you and running with your head down is not good mountain running. The day that was in it made this more difficult to avoid.

So I won't be cashing in my 2nd place voucher. I'll stick it in lost property ;-)

Maulin Winter

19 March, 2017 - Gill McLoughlin

It was damp and drizzly on the journey down to Crone car park and I was thinking maybe I should have given this one a miss, not being particularly fond of the rain, however once there it didn’t seem so bad, with an occasional bit of sun even peeking through the clouds. Lillian Deegan gave the description of the race and with a thumbs up from Miriam Maher on laptop we were off.

While trudging up the long grassy slope I remembered Lillian’s description at the start where she said "it gets steep and then it gets worse" and I couldn’t help wondering was this the steep bit or the worse bit? I had done this race last year but had managed to wipe some of the details from my memory. A welcome relief from the uphill slog was when someone pointed out the view behind us complete with full rainbow and it was definitely worth taking a moment to take in the view and then it was on up again. Sometimes it’s easy to forget to take in the views when you are concentrating on where to put your feet but I always think it’s worth taking a moment when you can.

Once above the long grassy slope it was onto the single trail around to the west of Maulin and up to the summit. The trail here was a river and there was no chance of avoiding the water so it was just plough on through. It was nice to be able to run a bit here after the slog up the grass. Up and over the summit and into the downhill, seeing a few people take minor slips along the way. Vivian O’Gorman was ahead and shouted out that the sharp left was coming up and then it was zig zagging down the forest trail, passing hikers and mountain bikers along the way, before the sharp right and uphill again, across and down a steep, slippery slope. Getting to the bottom of this before meeting the Wicklow Way a bunch of runners popped out from the left having evidently missed the previous climb. It seems they were not the only ones to make that mistake.

On along the Wicklow Way and time for a quick glance to the right to take in the view of Powerscourt waterfall from Ride Rock. I knew there was one more climb to come and I remembered this one from before. I wanted to run at least a bit of it but the legs said no and I pushed on up walking with hands on thighs. A right turn at the top onto the fire road and back to running now, I almost missed the turn at the gully. I took several spills on the way down this slippery slope and then it was back out onto the fire road and to the finish line, delighted to have made it down in one piece.

A thoroughly enjoyable run, despite the conditions.

And the moral of the story is…

18 March, 2017 - Dermot Murphy

And the moral of the story is…
I was looking forward to the final Winter/Spring race, as it a route that suits me well and I usually do pretty OK in. However, “stomach issues” on Thursday night/Friday morning (which I will not elaborate on) meant I was feeling quite weak and tired on Friday, so all enthusiasm was dampened by Saturday morning (dampened by the weather as well!). However, as I needed to pick up the gear anyway, I made the trip up and decided to have a go. The warm up really helped and was suddenly I was up for it again at race start. I like the start of this race, as you are into hard climbing straight away. Ian Conroy took off at the start and quickly disappeared into the distance. A lone runner stayed in second (I think this was Damian McParland) with a tight group consisting of Gerard Moloney, Ben Mooney, Mikey Fry, Warren Swords, Bernard Fortune and myself stayed together until the steep grassy section. When we reached the bottom of the grassy section, Gerard and Ben nearly missed the turn, but plenty of shouts quickly got them back on route. Ian had disappeared at this stage, but we could see Damian a short distance ahead. Ben climbed strong up this section, with me tucked in behind and everyone else in close attendance. At the top of the grassy climb, the positions largely stayed the same up to the top of Maulin – I was feeling good at this point but I am not as good descending…

It was coming off the top of Maulin that the series of alternative routes began. The marking had us staying on the Maulin side of the wall, but for some reason, a number of runners crossed the wall. The marking was sparse along this section (and intentionally so) so I am not sure why people crossed the wall – perhaps the downhill path looked more runnable and enticing. I don’t think this error made much of a difference as while it may have been more runnable, it added a little to the overall distance. I got to the zig zags on the forest trail (or should that be the deforested trail ?) just ahead of the lads, but Barry Murray, Mikey Fry and Warren Swords had soon passed me out (Ian, Damian and Ben were presumably still the first 3 at this stage). It was along this trail that the second major alternative route occurred, and this one was much more significant than the first. A number of runners – including Barry, Mikey and Warren missed the turn back up the Maulin ride – in fairness to the lads, they were in a very tight group racing hard. Bernard, who was passing me just before the turn up the Maulin ride and nearly missed the turn himself, but I was still close enough to give him a shout at this stage. The turn was well marked, but I think you would need to be looking at for it, and many people went wrong here by simply following the runner ahead. There was not much marking further up the ride, and Bernard expressed a doubt if we had taken the right turn. But more marking at the top, sending you on the correct path had his confidence restored! Coming back down the wall, I was conscious the Bernard was just behind and it was difficult to pass on this section, so I was happy to let him pass. When we arrived at the trail, another runner joined in from my left, having also missed the Maulin ride. I informed he had missed a turn, and in fairness to him, he doubled back to run the proper section. But a number of runners throughout the field made the same mistake.

So it was then onto the fast running on the Wicklow Way, and I could see a number of runners ahead of me, all of which had missed the Maulin section. Nothing to be done at this stage, they were too far along to double back and too far ahead to call back anyway. Back up the Maulin Ride (I think everyone made this turn) and I try to make up ground on the lads ahead. Suddenly Ian Conroy comes flying past me – the only person flying up this climb – so I realise Ian made an error that cost him time at some stage. A right at the top of the Maulin ride and then down the fireroad. I see the turn to the right ahead for the gully, but a load of the runners missed this turn (major alternative route choice three) so all the lads who had passed me on the Maulin Short cut were now on a significant, longer detour. Both Bernard and Ian also missed the turn as well so I was back ahead of them at the finish. I called out to the nearest person the correct route and steamed on ahead. Near the end of the gully, I hear someone fast approaching, who turns out to be Damian. It seems he had taken a wrong turn at some stage as well, but one which had cost him time. A fast run in to the finish and I am surprised by the lack of finishers at this stage (I had not realised Damian, Ian, Bernard, Ben and Gerard had all gone wrong at various stages). As the runners came in, it soon became obvious the many people had taken at least one of the alternative routes (and a few had taken alternative routes not identified in this report!). It all meant the I ended in 5th, my best ever result in a winter league race!, but that was down to others making mistakes. I think the route was adequately marked, but that is very easy for me to say as I am very familiar with the route and would be comfortable running it without the markers.

But the moral of the story is… Follow the Goddam markers and not the runner in front!