Last of the Summer Fern

12 August, 2024 - Barry Murray

My annual pilgrimage to Wicklow for a Leinster League race coincided with the last race in the series this year and it did not disappoint. There is always good banter in the lead up between myself, Mikey and the Bell boys.... and this year , it looked like Mikey was in the best race form of the lot of us. He picked me up from Ashford and we picked up former LL champion (but now semi-retired) Peter at Roundwood. Unfortunately, older brother John is showing his age with a wear and tear injury and was resigned to photographer for the evening.



As mentioned, nice base to have registration in. Myself, Mikey and Peter then trotted off for a warm up. Conditions were perfect for the race, dry and fresh as opposed to muggy and humid which I remember from many other Brockagh and Trooperstown summer races. With the new route there was plenty of anticipation and I was happy it was a course that had a bit more meat on it than the previous routes.



RD Alice set us off and it was a nice steady pace up the forest path. It was then a case of constant climbing and jostling for position on the single track. At the first summit we swung left and Mikey nipped by me. Seconds later it was Peter O Farrell who nipped by me so the race was on. We all opened the legs on the first downhill section and I was able to pass both back as we hit an incline. I stayed ahead of Mikey but Peter overtook me again and thats how the rest of the race played out more or less. The course was great with plenty of twists and turns, forest sections and bushwhacked fern lined tracks. I was feeling pretty good and tried to press on but all I saw for about 5k was Peter O Farrells back . He still knows how to pace himself and the gap stayed at about 20secs between us. We finally reached Trooperstown Hill and I enjoyed the scree descending although it was made trickier with all the early starters. Peter pulled away from me as expected and the next target I had was Iosac as we approached the mtb trails. This was a fun section too although hard to overtake and hard to make ground on people. I didn’t manage to catch Iosac either but crossed the line feeling good and an enjoyable race. Mikey came in neck and neck with G Bushe sprinting like it was a 100m olympic final. Peter Bell was somewhere further back , reminiscing the days when he was LL champion.



The river cool down was nice and then it's always great to gather after for the well-earned beverages and prizes/raffle. A great new course , as Peter O Farrell mentioned, probably more suitable for early starters earlier in the season. Perhaps less bushwhacking would be needed too. Well done to RD Alice and crew.

Trooping

09 August, 2024 - David Power

Ten memories from Trooperstown.
1. Music makes you smile. The bodhrán player hanging out of a branch. Jean on her tin whistle (or was it a violin?) Andy's banjo. A Coillte cello.
2. What goes up must come down. The loose rock on that climb is not for the faint hearted coming back down. I lost a minute to the flying Liam Mooney in that section.
3. Winter or summer, it's always different. Never the same.
4. The mountain rescue base is a lovely building for registration. Lucky volunteers, no midges or wind to worry about.
5. Aforementioned base would be a great spot for a race after party.
6. Thanks for the shout Daniel. I went wrong at the back of the course, so IMRA camaraderie brought be back on track.
7. A giant fern maze had been cut through by Niamh agus a chlann. We were like children in there.
8. Barbed wire fences were softened up with some nice soft wrap to save our jiggly bits and fingers.
9. Where were the camera crew? I only saw John Shiels up top.
10. The cooldown dip in the Inchavore river was just lovely. Alice definitely didn't mention taking a dump in her pre-race instructions. It's not the Seine people!

No iron maiden

08 August, 2024 - Mikey Fry

Last but not least it’s the last Leinster league show down Barry’s up from tractor land John’s farting around taking photos on the coarse and Pete’s along for the ride Alice tucks us off up the old fire road we’re all running nicely nobody flying off today right at the first musical ride we spread out nice tunes on the way twists and turns Barry goes by I stick with him up the steep section we’re all suffering hit the top I pass Barry and fly down through the trail towards boots heavy breathing behind me opens up Peter goes by with Barry hit boots down into the back end of nowhere lovely chopped trails down here I managed to keep Rory off my tail for a while but when the light came back he passes with a few I go hard thinking it’s the top but it’s way across to way and sorry tim and I have been passing each other on and off so many times it’s ridiculous eventually hit the top again we fly down the steep descent I’m so wrecked it slowed me down hit bottom flying through trails Graham tries to pass on a bike jump and snots himself he’s ok he’s still behind me it gets by I keep up with him and on the final descent through forest and I just managed to sneak by him nearly knocking him over boom onto last sprint and it’s pay back first Carrick years ago I wasn’t letting him past great job dude fall over the line nice chats super dip in river off to pub food chats no chocolate what the fudge thanks again Alice and crew for an amazing finish to the league…Gooday mikey
And thanks too Alice for letting us have a dump in the river:))))))

Best Course yet

08 August, 2024 - Peter O'Farrell

I've partaken in many iterations of a Trooperstown race - since 2007 according to this very website- and tonight's course was the best - best by far and also by the extra kilometre or two to link the various sections.
As I didn't lose sight of my feet in thick fernage, as I didn't duck my head in dark forest and as I didn't get lost in the perfect marking I mentally uttered thanks to an amazing effort and amount of work done by various members of the Niamh and Cormac family and their friends in finding, cleaning, pruning and tidying up the route.
The hard climb up to the main peak was rewarded by fantastic fastish running on flattish ground over to the second peak and the new (to me anyway) sections after that were an absolute pleasure.
Onto the racing and once I got my little leggies going I had a great time. My one simple mantra initially was "be like Robbie" and so I determined to run every single step. This worked well, I got very warmed up on the big climb and then had good battles with Mikey and Barry and Tim and various others. Brilliant course and my only suggestion would be to have it a month earlier as darkness wasn't far away by the end for some.
The cooldown in the warmish river afterwards was the cherry on top and my happy carpooling car was super happy going home as Ronan beat his nemesis this week :)

Mick Hanney suggests you might consider racing Ballinedin on Sunday!