In order to run the open mountain, one must first find the open mountain

13 August, 2023 - Rob Tobin

https://www.strava.com/activities/9638888380/overview

I was last at Arderin in August 2020, when the brevity of a late afternoon hike from Glendine Gap to the cairn almost seemed a dishonest way to bag two county tops in one attempt. To make the effort seem worthy of the achievement, I suggested heading east into woods and thus started a longer counterclockwise loop. I was navigating freely, without maps at first, before long without phone signal and finally battery. Sure it did me no harm before, I thought. Reckless, I know. Stupid, yes. My improvised loop would take in countless falls into bog holes, encounters with wild deer, a small waterfall and falling waist deep between felled trees in cleared woodland. For too long, fire roads were elusive. I knew we were lost, but I was too proud to turn back and retrace our steps. Three hours and eight kilometres later we arrived back at Glendine Gap tired and tested. On many occasions since I've had to qualify my spontaneous suggestions with the promise that "It won't be like Arderin all over again.".

Having acquainted myself with the course map and profile ahead of this race, as I set out downhill from Glendine Gap towards the start line this morning I felt I was suitably prepared to make amends and I would finally put the navigational ghosts of Arderin past behind me. Gaelan gave a comprehensive briefing - Bog Monsters and all - and as the clock passed eleven o'clock we were released into the woods. We struck out along a grassy single track. Barry Minnock ran in front from the start and I had Liam Mooney on my shoulder. Liam jumped by me after about 800 metres. As the single track widened to a winding, undulating fire road at 2kms, the gap had already been stretched to 100m. Two men from St. Michael's AC soon caught up and we would play cat-and-mouse with one another over the next 4kms. I last spotted Liam's red shirt in front around the 3km mark, before reaching the first road crossing and I reckon that was the last any of us saw of the podium.

Across the road, our trio started out uphill along fire road which levelled out with a right turn at the top of a short climb. I had it in my mind that we were due a left turn soon afterwards, and the course would generally continue upwards and counterclockwise after we'd crossed the road. We sped downhill along fire road, eventually taking a sharp right. It was around this point I realised we hadn't seen a shred of ticker tape for some time. The two St. Michael's men reached a public road before me and at this stage we knew we'd all gone wrong. It was like Arderin all over again. There must be some magnetic anomaly in that valley.

We turned back and retraced our steps uphill, picking up a handful of runners who'd similarly been running downhill and turning right when everyone else was climbing and turning left. We were almost back at the top of the first climb from the road when we spotted a steep bank on the right hand side, decorated by a few lengths of red and white ticker tape. All in all, our love of fire road, running downhill and taking right turns had come at an additional cost of 3.5kms distance and 100m climbing.

With 8kms run and still only a stone's throw from the bottom of the course, I was glad to finally get off the fire road and scale this muddy bank. I relished the next section, running up through a grassy firebreak before sidestepping into woods to dodge around and over some of the promised Bog Monsters. I would soon succumb to one of these monsters, falling face first and elbow deep. They don't mess around, these boys. We turned left out onto a fire road which rose steadily and then it was out into another grassy firebreak, this one falling away steeply to the right. Several big Bog Monsters. Several big falls. It was along this firebreak, about twenty minutes after picking up the markers again, when I finally started catching up with and picking off a few runners who had adhered to the marked course.

The open mountain section was glorious from start to finish. The going was good to Clear Lake but then deteriorated rapidly. The trail here wasn't technical - it was agricultural. Heavy underfoot, with muscles in my lower legs I didn't know I had pulling as I pushed myself along what must be the softest county line in Ireland. I took my chances with the terrain and continued moving up through places, eventually catching and passing Conor O'Farrell and Tommy Galvin among others. Even with the physical demands of extra distance and climb and all the falls, the final road crossing seemed to come up quickly and from there, only there, did I finally know what the course demanded of me. Crossing the carpark I spotted Mick Hanney, who had been a fellow member of the low fire road expedition and who I then figured must have decided against the long, long course. As I pushed uphill towards the finish I met Liam Mooney, Conor Nolan and then Liam Kenny, each making their respective ways down from the cairn. I cursed the hill as I ran up towards Ailbhe, whose Arderin jibes will live on in our house for another year at least. Thankfully upon reaching the cairn today I could stand over my effort to bag the two county tops in one and there was no need for further diversion on this occasion.

Thanks to Gaelan and volunteers for organising a superb event. A well-marked course with stunning scenery and challenging terrain. Whenever Arderin next appears in the race calendar I'll be back in hope of finally overcoming my demons.