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28 November, 2009

Winter League Three Maulin Paddock Lake, 1/2/04

A new route for WL3 from The Djouce Lake car park. Recently a young runner asked me why it was called the lake car park and I felt very old. There used to be a massive lake there (a man made lake, part of some ancient hydro-electric system) but after Hurricane Charlie ’86 the watercourse diverted and it dried up. The new route was necessitated by a traffic problem in Crone and a decision made by us to give the summit of Maulin a rest. Those hoping for an easier route as a result of these changes were to be disappointed.

As race day approached there was much discussion about a muddy section that causes problems in the summer, how much worse would it be in the winter. On Wednesday thing were looking up as that section was completely frozen over but a rapid thaw on Friday softened it up again but not sufficiently to alter the route. The 95 runners started off on a narrow track by the edge of the “lake” before swinging up through the forest, this section was on good track but seemed to go on forever at a steady gradient. Then through the feared “muddy patch” mercifully very short before breaking out into the open mountain side with Maulin to the right and Djouce to the left. Here runners had to brave the full force of a very cold wind but were soon hurtling downhill towards the Dargle River on a stretch which many found trickiest underfoot.

Once across the Dargle bridge expectation were for a very short steep section before entering the forest on Wicklow Way, did anyone else notice that the WW route into the forest had changed to much higher up the hill? Now out on to the Ride Rock track and the foolhardy sped downhill on the excellent zigzag tracks not knowing what was to come. Anyone hill running for any time in Wicklow knows about “Maulin Ride” (what about the trial race a few years ago when we went up it three times?) and kept plenty in reserve. Most peoples race was determined here, those wise who kept a little oil for their lamps were ok put those who had not suffered. I saw some novel running techniques on all fours. Once up the ride back across the Dargle and the shelter of the forest and a longggg run home. I think who ever measured this race, as 8.4 km needs to get his ruler out again.