The Mountain Race

19 July, 2020 - Mícheál O'Mullain

What a race! This is the one we have been waiting for. For those who have spent their years in the glorious company of the Reeks this is the event that does them justice.

It has the hallmarks and the possibility of being right up there with the Isle of Jura being of similar height gain and distance but being even more technical. No handy fire roads or trails here. Every step holds a potential twisted ankle or worse. Throw some grade 1 and 2 scrambles into the mix and beach boys need not apply.

Immense credit is due to Rob and team to keep this one on the calender...particularly given the year that is in it.

My brother Brian won the race. But enough of that...here is what it looked like from 26th place or so.....

Blarney....0800...weather less than ideal. Quick text to Conor Murphy to see what things looked like from Kenmare. “The same he said but it is supposed to clear...whether it clears 1km up is another matter”.

Off we go...cresting the county bounds and then realising not even Torc was clear. Torc! Thoughts turn to slick rocks on Big Gun and possibility of some bowel loosening scrambles in Salomons.

Cronins Yard 1000....it is 25 years since I have been there and can’t believe the number of cars and hikers...my memory being of 4 or 5 cars! I always park at Lisleibane as it is higher..less work. Today though I was conscious that I might be a pitiful sight at the end and the proximity of the car would be paramount.

Parked up next to Desmond Broaders and Aoife Fennell..nice Tesla lads!

Slick check in observing all Covid Protocol and tracker affixed we were in the waiting game.

Met Anthony Cornforth while waiting and he gave me a few pointers from last year. A tough nut...I knew that the start would be the last time I saw him.

1045....The field with the tent in it....Race briefing. Conor arrives in the nick of time having been thrown by the diversion near Beaufort. Another man who I will only see at the start.

Rob gives brief rundown with a “lads take it easy by the Big Gun as it will take us a long time to get you out of there with an injury”. Guffaw!! Any slip on the scrambles by the Big Gun is likely to require either a helicopter rescue and/or body bag. Ok...we will just have to be “careful”.

1100....we are off! Buff covering face for first 200m as per protocol... then 800m up the track we are off to the left on the mountain proper ..at this stage I look back and there are only about 6 or 7 behind me.

I see Brian bolting off left so I decide to follow with a group. 20 mins later and we are all spread out on the heaving, sweating, ball busting slope up Cruach Mhór. There is no easy way up this b..st..d!. As it gets steeper the fears of slick rocks become a reality so care is required.

1205 approx...Cruach Mhor...the grotto looms out of the mist...Brian Buckley grinning as he takes photos of runners in various states of distress.

The Big Gun ridge. In fairness a marshall was located giving general guidance. But it is a chaotic ridge and chaos ensues. “I’ll chance this path. Oh shit! Back up/down. Maybe if I go up here?. Oh! Well I can’t go back down now!”

I cut up left too early and had a deeply unpleasant few moves on slick rock while the abyss beckoned. Well it was 50 or 60 ft so it might as well have been the abyss. I did nearly start laughing though when I heard Mark Horvath swearing at a route choice just below me.

1220... Top of Big Gun...thumbs up to marshall and down over the squeaky bum rocks off the top of it to reach the path to Cnocnapeiste. Brian and the braver types of course bolt over the appallingly exposed ridge. Cowardly types...of which I am a fully paid up member...take the lower path to the left. Given the conditions I was not alone today. Soon settled in to a trot across the path until the sudden steep cut up to the right to the top of Cnocnapeiste. I was joined on this section by Mark Horvath and Colin Brennan...all the way down from Ballycastle with his son Oisin up ahead being one of the main contenders...fair play to them.

Up over Cnocnapeiste and on to runnable ground to Maoláin (where Mark charged on) and the first proper gung ho descent of the day. Conscious of the long day ahead I took it handy enough along here and on the trudge up Cnoc na Tine on which trudge I awarded myself a gel.

Charging passed the top of the ladder and on to the ascent of Corráin where Colin pulled away. Meantime as I navigated the mobs with Rongbuk Glacier levels of equipment I suddenly noticed my water crisis...Ah Jaysus.....

1340 approx...Top of the island....around the Cross and it clears for the first time. The full glory of the Caher ridge unfolds before me. Off we go...this is IC route so I know it well so definitely gained time on a few ahead until 20 mins later I was bounding up Caher West.

Now the charge to the lake...and water! This is a great descent..steep scree followed by run out ridge followed by boggy section to top of Hydro Rd by lake. Look up John Lenihan's times for when the IC race went this way and the mind boggles how he came down here so quickly.

1415 approx.... top of Hydro road. The marshal says “the first fellow through wore a singlet like yours”. Given that there were only two St Finbarrs about today Brian was obviously going better than he expected.

Trundling in under Skregmore before cutting up left it suddenly felt unbearably hot. I had to remove the t shirt under the singlet and take my chances with sunburn...my pain on 19th being the payback!

Going up Beenkearagh at this stage was real mind over matter as legs were fried. “I’ll have a gel. F..k the gel. Look those two behind me are gaining. I must go faster. I can’t. I should have done more training. A bar! I’ll have a bar. Ahh b.....ks the bar is down at bottom of bag under raingear...how did that happen? I am VERY ANGRY”

1525 approx...The 2nd highest...the summit here is way more impressive than Corràin...bleak, sparse..and no easy way up or down. Quick greeting to marshall and off across ridge following three others. Half way across I see Joe O Leary perched on the highest part of The Bones marshalling. “Down to the left but remember it is a looong way down if you slip” he chuckles. This is the crux of the ridge where the most dodgy pinnacles have to be skirted to the left. The main path goes a good bit down so I stayed closer to the ridge and edged my way across which gained a bit of time on those below. The rocks were dry at this stage so it wasn’t too bad even with tired limbs.

1445 approx....top of Carraun again. Once again around the cross and now for the full blast down to top of ladder. Even though the legs were fried I know this descent well so picked up a few places here.

A slow crawl up again to top of zig zags and then a blast down to the interminable track out and...we are done....and the beer thrust into the hand at the end was sweet nectar.

Congrats to all the winners....this is the one that puts the “mountain” into “mountain race”!