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28 November, 2009

2003 Arup Leinster League Race 11

Sorrel Hill

- Report by John MacEnri

132 brave souls in attendance for this the 3rd last of the Leinster League races. Obviously no waning of interest!
Weather was middling but mercifully midge free. Gallant efforts were made in the attempt to ferry the masses to the race start from Zellers pub carpark, with Jane and Graham setting a new record for RV carrying capacity.
Race got under way a little later than usual, a delay that Hugh McLindon clearly felt needed to be reclaimed.
Hugh piled on the pace early on and never looked back, or if he did, it was merely to see just how big the gap was growing.
The initial forest track was a gentle lead in to what turned out to be slippier than expected ascent through the forest. Low branches flicking back from the runner in front you've just got too close to, being the major hazard.
A flying leap over the barbed wire fence at the top, a quick right, and out onto the easier open ground that leads to Sorrel Hill.
The drier weather recently meant that the open trail was less mucky than in previous years, leaving the indecisive with the problem of chosing the left or right side of the track.
Cloud remained reasonably high, so there was no cozy cloud cover to save you from the sight of how far it is to the base of the final steep ascent of Sorrel.
The leading pack had at this stage got a bit strung out, with Hugh McLindon a distant speck, Eoin Keith still trying the regain his start of league form giving chase but not closing, and a duelling trio of Aonghus O'Cleirigh, Keith Daly and Gerry Brady fighting it out but not threatening Eoin.
The final climb up Sorrel didn't change the picture much but at the turn Gerry was at the front of the trio followed by Aonghus then Keith.
The long trail back to the forest had far too much uphill bits for what's supposed to be the downhill half, but obviously suits some as Paul Mahon picked up a couple of places on this section to put him in 7th position behind myself.
The descent back down through the forest was tricky in spots and did claim at least one victim.
Having lost sight of the duelling trio before entering the forest, I can't say when Keith Daly put on his decisive spurt which landed him a well deserved 3rd place in the end. Eoin Keith comfortably held onto second place but was still well shy of Hugh McLindon at the final post.
Notable achievements elsewhere in the field were the excellant 8th place overall achieved by junior runner Rory McDonald, Joan Flanagan's winning of the female category and Jane and Gramhams hogging of the super vets category. Also Gerry Lalor claims to have had an out of body experience during the race but on closer questioning refused to say who's body.
Just 2 races left now in the LL, and a 3 way battle still to be played out for overall league winner position. Eoin Keith hanging on by his finger nails with a 1 point lead over Hugh McLindon but Vincent O'Sullivan on lower points needing to run just one more race to complete the requisite 7.

SORRELL HILL 9TH JULY, 2003 Report by Cormac Corrigan.

Dry; humid; misty on top; midge-less.

I must confess I hate this race. Watching it at the top of the forest cut was another experience however. This is the nearest I would get to the front runners and it was a sight to behold.
At this point Hugh McLindon had opened a fifteen metre gap on his pursuers who appeared in Indian file out of the mist. One thought of ?Gorillas in the Mist? in reaction to a number of the men (we all know who I mean). Thereafter, the runners just kept coming like buses, none for short gaps and then several all together. Two discoveries were apparent as I cast my eye over the masses. About half the runners stepped on the wire of the fence getting over, whereas the other half vaulted, hopped or lunged over without touching the wire. There must be material in there for a newspaper article (courtesy of Paul Cullen) or material for further study by that eternal student Gavan Doherty. The other observation of note was the number who didn?t follow the markings at the top and cut the corner through the forest (I have the names and numbers!) Anyway, back to the race. There appeared little significant change in positions by the time the front runners arrived to the finish. Hugh appeared as if he had been out for a stroll in claiming another victory. Eoin Keith (2nd) and Keith Daly (3rd) looked fairly untroubled by their efforts. Aonghus O?Cleirigh(1st 0ver 40) showed the strain in improving from seventh at the top of the forest cut on the way out to fourth overall. Gerry Brady (2nd Over 40) also showed the effort in chasing Aonghus home in fifth overall. Rory McDonnell was first Junior in an excellent 8th place overall. Watch out for him.
Graham Porter didn?t look his age when taking first super vet ahead of Sean O?Byrne and Ercus Stewart. Sean Lambe was 1st Over 60 and Mike Gomm sped past me on the track en route to another over 70 first place.

A large blanket could have been thrown over the leading women at the top of the forest cut on the way up. Joan Flanagan led from Laura McGinley, Emma Sokell and Joyce Mitchell. By the top Joyce had moved into third and was close to the leaders. She expressed her amazement afterwards at Joan?s descending skills which brought her home in 29th place overall in 51? 04?. Laura McGinley showed her absence from most of the league races has scarcely slowed her in coming home 2nd Woman 19 seconds behind. Joyce passed Emma to take a good third. Joan and Joyce were also first and second female Vets while Jane Watt, in a less dramatic finish than last week came home strongly first female super vet in 56? 29?, seventh female overall. Maura Higgins was the sole female over 60 finisher and Brendan O?Reilly was the sole M12 competing over the short course.

By all accounts, most competitors, particularly the first timers on this race, professed a good run and vowed to return. The run from the top of the forest cut to the bottom of the final climb took it?s toll on a number of competitors. Eva Mulleady and Padraic Hamrock displayed the true spirit of hill running by halting their own progress to carry the biggest casualty half way down the forest cut and then resumed their own race. I missed my only chance to beat them both. The highlight of the night was the sprint finish from the final turn between The Chairman (aka Vivian O?Gorman) and Johnny McElhinney, with the younger man winning by a short head.