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28 November, 2009

Knockree Winter League race - Report by Joe Lalor
It just gets bigger and bigger. 94 runners turned out for Winter League 2 up Knockree yesterday. Crone car park did not know what hit it. Many thanks to all who made the effort to alleviate the traffic. Jane and Graham with their RV found the car parking space that can hold up to 10 cars just above Knockree hostel, maybe a few more will manage it next Sunday. There are still too many runners turning up on their own in cars. I know that sharing will not be possible for everyone, particularly those not travelling out from the city but could I guess that the vast majority would have passed through Enniskerry or Kilmacanogue and could arrange to meet someone there. Curtlestown (WL4) will hold no more than 20 cars and hill walkers will have bagged most of them.
As to the race itself. The mass start of 94 runners down the hill to the Knockree River made a spectacular sight as everyone tried to maximize their position before the inevitable jam across the single-track bridge. The steep grassy climb up through the Hostel field sorted out this logjam as the runners were strung out in inverse proportion to their over Christmas consumption. From the Knockree road there was a continuous grinding climb for the next 2.5 km before the summit of Knockree was reached. First to arrive was Eoin Keith shortly followed by Peter O?Farrell.
Having been on the summit as the runners arrived it was interesting to see later the finishing positions, there must have been some hairy overtaking on the narrow tracks on the very steep descent. First to arrive, in a time 23.49, was Eoin but no sign of Peter for several minutes in 16th place. After the very steep steps the trail veers to the left towards the river. Peter travelling at great speed continued straight on to arrive at the river but with no bridge. We understand Peter is helping Paul Mahon form a team for this year?s Wicklow Way Relay.
The vet. spot was taken by Adrian Tucker in 3rd overall with Justin May in close attendance. This category will be pretty competitive once Aonghus and Gerry Brady show up. There is no such closeness in the ladies category where Beth is in a field of her own with a 7th place overall. Pre season there was much talk about who would be kingpin in the M50 spot. Henny was back from injury, Bruce and Diarmuid are much improved, some others recently crossed the entry barrier, Ercus has not shown up and is rumoured to have retired but all of this did not take into account of the reappearance after many years of Maurice O?Hara. Maurice was 10th and I don?t think any of the above will be able to improve on that no matter how they train. Jane has a very competitive rival for the F50 title in Jean O?Neill, quite a bit back at the moment but catching.