Bill's Hill

30 May, 2024 - Rob Tobin

May is nearly out. The Leinster League is in full swing.
First Sugar Bowl, then Brockagh, now another midweek fling.
This one’s about Bill’s Hill, my league race number three
And adding to our mounting pile of mountain poetry.

Summer evenings still lengthen. So too do the courses.
Whether it’s for or against us, gravity forces
Knees to lift, legs to roll, elevation loss and gain.
I pore over race details. I study the terrain.

Runners file to Ballybrew. Race reg is a breeze.
Once chips have been scanned I feel nervous unease.
In the driver’s seat I sit ‘til the early start’s underway.
Questioning the merits of this latest league foray.

The main start amasses. I head out to warm my gills,
Hopeful of recovering my love for the hills.
Off gravel, into ferns, to a gap in the wall.
Bill’s Hill before us is towering tall.

I’m breathing on Liam’s ankles. Did I see a fresh tattoo?
When you’ve run the Wicklow Way maybe you can have one too.
Thick brambles, trippy tree stumps. This climb has it all.
Banjo Andy sings the Bee Gees. Sure we’re having us a ball.

We turn onto Nellie’s Way, that stairway to heather.
I catch up with Mr. Sánchez. He’s running another belter.
Turning left by Warren as he braves another summit,
I drop down towards Glencree, as fast as I could run it.

Mikey not here this week no race report no boom.
Liamo glides past me. He’s got that “va-va-voom”.
Hurtling towards Curtlestown, ding-dong we run downslope.
Rory makes a timely pass. I decline to scale the rope.

We run out of the blue and into the black,
As our eyes adjust, Liam leads the pack.
Out of the black and into more ferns.
Lungs and calves continue to burn.

We reach a stone wall. Conor sends us downhill.
The going softens but so does my will.
Through woods we descend to the third fire road.
Nothing left in the tank for a final dice throw.

Crossing the mat I feel a sense of relief
For Bill’s Hill had promised me nothing but grief.
I’m glad I climbed out of that strange pre-race funk
And gave it my all ‘til this challenge I’d sunk.