How to view the Isle of Man

12 May, 2018 - Mícheál O'Mullain

It is a long outing from Cork to Newcastle but the motorway makes all journeys North very forgiving these days. Signs were good as I parked up in Donard car park at about 11.

It was a new route this year and whilst I have been up on Donard on numerous occasions I had never descended the route by Thomas' quarry so whilst the weather suggested that navigation would not be an issue I was concerned about the warren of paths from the quarry to the bridge so walked up to quarry and back down to stretch the legs and have a look at the options through the forest. That walk made one thing clear....this was going to be a sweat fest with the heat.

Back down and into the Newcastle Centre to register. Great organisation as always by Newcastle A.C. Despite the weather full mandatory kit was directed which was a pain but so be it.

The start on Main Street Newcastle is atmospheric and the locals were out in force to cheer us off at 1400. Mindful of the earlier walk I took it handy for the first mile. It was a wise move as the pressure was soon being felt as we churned up through the forest to get to the open mountain and the Glen River path. I was reduced to walking on a few of the steep bits but soon reckoned I was settled into an upper mid table spot amongst the large groups of Newcastle A.C. , Mourne Runners A.C. and Murlough A.C. runners.

Soon we were at the trek up to the saddle and the hands on knees efforts began to continue all the way up by the Mourne wall to the top. Barcode scanned and told I was 107th at top and off we went around the cairn to charge off down the steep slope to the North East catching a glimpse of the Isle of Man out of corner of my eye.

Managed to gain a few spots on way down to the quarry the terrain being quite like charging down off Galtee.

The marshals at top of quarry were helpful the top of quarry itself would be very dangerous in bad weather.

And so off down through the forestry I had been up earlier. So much for my recce...in the heat of battle I took a wrong turn and ended up having to charge across the stream to get back on track.

I saw two ahead as the path eased off and whilst mentally calculating the level of effort required to reel them in I ended up splayed on the ground with grazed hands, hips and rib and number ripped off.....it just goes to show that the mountain is always ready to kick you. Suitably chastened and three places lost I tried to get going again to finish at a respectable pace.

Across the line in 1.26.53 which I was very happy with having earlier seen 1.30 as the possible high water mark for me today. Think about 100th or so in a field with a very high standard of northern runners.

I will be back. More from IMRA should attempt it... It is a great outing in its own right leaving aside the Irish Championship element!