Club results

09 July, 2017 - Rene Borg

Club results from Ballinastoe: Glendalough AC home first with 42 points ahead of Crusaders with 58. This moved Glendalough to 2nd in the table and within 48 points of Crusaders ahead of the last round. Glendalough would need a score of 23 to win the league IF Crusaders do not improve on their worst counter (44) – meaning the team honours is almost a certainty for Crusaders. Sli Cualann in third are carrying a ‘heavy’ 80 and could catch Glendalough by putting a 33 on the board. Rathfarnham can break into third spot by scoring 59 or lower if Sli Cualann fail to improve their points score as they are carrying a 160 score from Scalp.

In the women’s Le Cheile are 17 and 28 ahead of Setanta and Rathfarnham. Setanta will need a 14 score to improve their tally and win whereas Rathfarnham can take the title with a 37 score or lower – something they have already achieved 4 out of 5 times this season.

So all to play for at Bray Head.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2keevq9u9m5bxn0/LLOverall2017.pdf?dl=0

Well, some races may claim to have it all...

08 July, 2017 - Graham K. Bushe

I had run Ballinastoe twice before. I remembered it was long, there was a boggy bit somewhere, it had a twisty descent through the trees and second climb. The rest was brought back to me with a bang!
Like all the other LL races the evening starts with the usual meets and greets, sign-in, quick warm-up, head for the start line and see who else will be running. A few words from John our RD followed by a detailed course description by Eoin. Unfortunately I didn’t quite catch it all. Up the fire road, left, up some more through the cutting, onto the Wicklow Way, left, down to Patsy (turn right) loop back to Patsy and back the way you came. There followed a more detailed description of the ‘loop’ (the bit I didn’t quite catch.) The crowd was buzzin, the watches were beeping. Then in a flash we were off, to the sound of... What was that?
Anyway, we get into the zone, the usual gang in front and around. All going fairly well up and around to Patsy I was just a bit behind Sonya as we made our way along the twisty path. At the edge of one of the puddles she took a tumble, but she was mostly back to her feet by the time I got there. In a flash she was back up to speed. I was just trying to take it as it came, the twists, the bumps, the hollows, we crossed the fire road, and I had a flashback. The lumpy bumpy path through the remnants of old trees. A bit of a gap had opened up between me and the runner in front, and I didn’t seem to b able to make any gain. Then we get into the cover of the trees and it gets a bit easier. I start to get a bit of momentum and feel great. At some point I glance to my right and think there might be a better path so I dart across. I was right, for about 20m then I saw the trees in the way so I quickly darted back left, only to crash into the wire fence. That brainwave cost me a couple of places, but I was soon moving again. More twists, turns etc and we’re coming out onto a fire road with a marshal to guide us. But I’m confused; about 3 or 4 runners have come down the fire road. Where did they come from? We all get to the turn together and after some quick steps manage to filter somehow onto the track. Running in a tighter group now focused on the rough ground immediately ahead. I see a dark shadow and decide to step left as I contemplate shouting a warning I hear a thud behind me and someone asking “are you OK?” Ridiculously, and obviously too late, I still shout “Hole” anyway. On we go and the ground is merciless. No two footsteps land in the same plane. The next hole, I manage to see - and shout in time. However he fell into that one also. Turning onto the narrow path in the woods, I remember it is the start of the next long tough climb. I’m not sure how many were in the group and didn’t dare look back. Alan Ayling was just ahead. I decided to try and get the legs turning over. Eventualy we get up and over and were heading back to Patsy. Feeling OK and knowing what lay ahead. Then the descent begins. A few weeks before Warren Swords blazed past me at this section. I was coming down nicely when I heard someone approach quickly. I realized I had eased off a bit and tried to respond. It seemed to be working and the worst of the rocky bit was over. I pushed hard with the pressure building from behind and then went to follow the path left. Peter Bell said “It’s this way” as he shot past going straight on down the bank and under the low trees. What exactly did he mean before the race when he said he was tired after Fraughen Rock? Out onto the finish stretch and he is long gone; watch out John!
Wow! What a race. You name it, it had it! Rocks, mud, swamps, overgrowth, undergrowth, roots, branches, climbs, descents, twists & turns, rickety bridge, holes... and jellies at the finish line courtesy of Pat Foley.
Thanks again to RD John Fitzgerald and his team of volunteers.

Warren Swords

08 July, 2017

The Ballinastoe Beast was particularly nasty last night. Very tough underfoot conditions with the course taking chunks out of runners.

Certainly most difficult ground conditions on this course in recent years.

My plan was to hang onto leading group for as long as possible on first climb and then catch them on the technical and downhill sections.

Sat in around 8th place heading up the climb and felt relatively ok. Topped out in decent nick but took a while to get the legs turning.

Started gaining places after the stile and started pushing hard to see if could catch Barry and co. The ground conditions were fairly shite so was working hard. Previous years, you could recover a bit but the bog had me breathing hard.

Caught up with another runner and we ran together for a few kms. Convinced we were catching the leading group as we were moving fast.

We then somehow went awry in the heavy forest and drifted left into almost impenetrable mess of trees. Copped on quick enough and bushwhacked towards the tape only to see a group of 4, including Alan and Graham, emerge in front of us, capitalising on our mistake.

Across the first road and down that horrible gully. Took a tumble here only to fall down a hole 10 seconds later despite Graham's warning. Looked up to see one of the group leap over my head. Took a nasty bang to the shin.

Crossing the bridge and there was now a group of 5. Graham upped the pace and broke away on climb through forest. I felt he was going too early and decided to bide my time, there was still a lot of racing left.

I tucked in behind Alan who kept the pace high on the steep climbs before emerging on fire road. Alan and I managed to break away from the group and the chase for Graham was on.

Across the stile, I decided it was time to make my move and overtook Alan.

Was making ground on Graham but he upped the pace and was able to hold me off. Great tactical race. Probably left a bit in the tank but fine line.


Sent from my iPhone

Ballinastoe Ballistic report

06 July, 2017 - Barry Murray

Variety is the spice of life and this course had it all. A meandering maze with bog, forest, roots, rocks and semi erect fences. What this doesn’t allow is for you to get into a groove. You’re twisting and turning at every footstep and the gradient is changing every few yards.

Even with all the good marking and tape, it was easy to take a wrong turn. The race lined out the runners on the first climb. A nice steady warm up. I had the usual heads just ahead of me, old croney Mikey, Pat, Michael and on John Bells heels. Up on to the Wicklow way and I started to push the pace a bit to catch up with the front pack. But then the meandering began. I had the lads just 50m in front of me but just couldn’t make the ground up as we hopped and skipped. Landed waist deep in a bog at one stage. Through the tree’s and I just lost sight of the lads in front so was back to following the tape. First time for me doing this course so it takes a bit more concentration finding your way. John Bell was just behind me and he kindly directed me forward. You’re bouncing over all sorts of terrain, and like I said, never getting into a groove, so it was hard to make headway.

I knew we had another big climb left so on the first ascent I pushed the pace to try and catch up with the lads ahead. John was saving himself for Croagh Patrick so he didn’t join me. I caught Nelius and then thought, right, old croney Mikey and the lads are next. But I lost sight of them through the ups and downs through the tree’s. Up back over the Wicklow Way and you then are on the big descent. Again, hard to make ground even here as for most people, it’s a gravity type pace that takes you down. Bloody long auld descent, felt actually longer going down that going up !

No one to catch and Neilus and John a bit back behind me so it was a steady cruise along the firetrail to the finish. Sort of a weird race but really enjoyable. The diversity of the leinster league races is great. Keeps the learning going.

Beers for recovery after and then hit the coast for a sea dip to wash the middgies and cuts down.

Thanks to John Fitz , course marker and gang for another well organised mini running festival. Full running festival this weekend in Mayo, see you there.

The stoe

06 July, 2017 - Mikey Fry

The good old stoe

So we've been missing the usual Greg Byrne super amazing reports and now Barry's seemed to be on form with his reports .....
So at the start line eoin went through the route and I think we all were falling asleep whilst being eaten by the lads I don't think anybody could r would be able to remember all this ding dongs turns etc...but an excellent marked coarse hats off to his time and effort well done:)
So the duck sounded I think it's johns favourite tool he brings around to keep himself amused when he gets lost in the mountains....
And off we go up the as we were heading up the fire road it was just Michael in front of me and I was wondering when I was going to be passed it was pat and unknown to me sorry who passed me halfway up the first steep climb so I decided to keep up with them but passing them again on the little downhill at the famous Bernard jumping the fence which is broken now ....
This is where the fun begins a proper mountain run with bogs water trees ambushing you at every turn...
So I went after Michael who I could see a little bit ahead of me through the madness there one place I thought I'd gone wrong where the tree branches were literally on the ground and I'd said to myself surely we can't go this way so I just went right a little and cut back across to when I saw the tape I suppose having done this coarse quite a lot of times I was familiar enough so I new what was to be expected...
As we headed just out of the lord of the rings forest I was just behind Michael
And managed to pass him on a tricky down hill were a little further on I fell into a huge hole getting out I shouted at Michael to watch the hole kind of funny he fell into it as well luckily we live to laugh about it also he nearly got stuck in the bridge his foot breaking through which I actually did last year:) so I pressed on trying to make a gap from the lads behind I could feel which I new would probably catch up when we started to make the uphill climb where Michael passed me and disappeared off and I felt all alone then pat and unknown passed me so I made huge effort to keep up with them up this last hard slog ...(Barry the old grandad still some where lurking behind)
So we were all pushing hard together back around before final decent I was falling back a little from them but had a good feeling I'd get them on the decent which I did and when I hit the fire road I pushed as hard as I could but unfortunately they both passed me just before the finish line:( well done guys super running so 4th for me very happy for a super tough race.....and the jelly's at the end is probably being the best thing you could have after a race like that thanks pat for them I hope everyone got some...
Thanks again john and Brady bunch for making it such a super one..gooday
Yum yum BBQ bray head swim chats sweets:)