Circuit of Avonbeg 24

29 May, 2024 - Brian Furey

That's my 4th time running this race. At the start going up the zig zags I followed Andy Keeling and Paul Mahon on a few of the shortcuts through the trees. They did seem shorter although alot more effort and steeper. Once passed the Zzs, I passed out Paul and took over the lead over to the lake. Main pack just slightly behind at this stage. Very early days yet. We missed the early path going up the ramp to Clohernagh. Myself and Paul. Meant losing a minute so had to work to get back to main bunch. Bernard had the lead at this stage with main pack just behind. I set off in chase for Bernard. Rest of group were happy to sit in at this stage. Something told me ld probably see them later anyway!
Climbing, climbing climbing, heavy mist and low visibility and light rain. Still climbing. Passed 4 hikers who were descending from summit who cheered me on. I was expecting still to have to run across the top a bit when the big stone monument came into sight close enough in front of me. Happy days.
I caught Bernard just after the summit of Lugnacoille and we ran off it towards camanabologue. Took 20 Deg then 330 Deg. All good.except still didn't find the track to Cinnow. Mist was heavy at this stage. Once mist lifted a few minute later could see we were over to the left off the path. Could see the group of lads there to the right running away. I'd made this same nav mistake the last time for this race too. Not quite as bad this time but enough to go from 1st/2nd to 8th.
Bernard reacted first and chased the group down. I also did but was behind and picking my lines.
Eventually i caught up to the back of the group going up camanabologue. From CB I followed Andy, Peter Bell and Bernard down the grassy descent to the trees off to the right. That was my plan anyways. Lovely descent. I passed Andy. Some quick words. Neck and neck with Peter and Bernard on the climb. I got to Conavalla first then Peter and Bernard appeared to my right as I contoured around to the start of the Lugduff ridge. My legs were starting to feel it now. Peter got a good line over towards this lugduff ridge. I followed him and then Ben appeared in front of us. He had stayed high over to Conavalla. I chased Ben with Peter just behind on way to Mullacor. It was long twist path , up and down, wet and boggy. Quick hello to Brendan Delaney on Lugduff.
Onto Mullacor, Ben had opened a good gap. I had a small gap on Peter. Ben went too far on mullacor to check for extra summit cairn. The summit point itself was only summit post. The little group of ?? stones were not there as photos I had seen the day before showed. Possibly buried into the bog. I made the same mistake as Ben and went on slightly. Peter got to summit while I was checking. From the summit I made a beeline for Ww path corner, lumpy ground followed by better ground. Jumped the fence then another nice but very steep descent. Reached fireroad first with Peter just behind. At this stage I was leading. However i didn't have much in the legs and Peter caught me quickly. Fair dues to Peter he had a stronger finish left. I finished it out in 2nd. It was all I had on the day. Great racing. If you gave me 2nd when I said back around 7th before camanabologue I would have taken it. John Bell and Ben came in later within 60 second so shows how close the racing was.
That's my first sub 3hrs in this race. And highest finishing position I've had in it.
Thanks Mick and everyone who helped out for the race. Lovely to have a cup of coffee and some refreshments afterwards. Good chats with everyone about the race to go with it.

Mafia Mick

29 May, 2024 - Peter Bell

This years IMRA races have been very up & down.
There was talk of where do old soleless runners go, straight to hell i say. I think thats where Liam Vines Annagh hill runners ended up.
Anyway enough of my terrible attempt at jokes.
It was Sunday morning and i just woke up to the sound of rain on my tent in Belmont after a night of BBQs & a tonne of chocolate cake. I had slept in a bit, so no time to waste. Packed up quick and headed off to pick up old Johnboy.
Mick gave his race briefing and set us off.
I didnt want to go out hard as i knew what was ahead. The leaders moved off ahead. I stuck to the zig zags to near the top & cut the last couple. I think you burn way too much trying to cut the corners early on, so i stuck to the easy running.
It was good running up to Lug. Nice decending, good lines taken & im back in the mix with a great group of legendary mountain runners {Andy, John, Brian, Ben, Adrian,Bernard & Paul} all closely packed . This was the most fun part of the race, bit of banter still fresh and a fair bit of tit for tat overtaking.
Andy Keeling takes a giant leap at speed off a rock/ peat hag only to end up waste deep in a bog hole. Ha Ha. I was now laughing hard whilst trying to maintain good focus on the ground ahead. Thanks to Andy the chasing pack was able to continue around the bog trap.
We summit Camenabologue and all part in different directions. Now its race on. Who has picked the best lines.
Bernard heads up Conavalla & has picked a great line. Brian now overtakes me with his strong climbing. Im no match for these two.
We summit Conavalla & Ben comes from the left & takes the lead. I didnt know Ben before but John tells me hes a top top runner with great nav. Turns out hes right, hes flying off ahead. Im barely hanging on to him & Brian. I know i might have a shot on the decent so i try stay in touch.
The two lads summit Mullacor, Ben has over shot the summit & Brian is unsure. I hit the post & tell Brian were at the top & off we go. Brian takes a better line to the WW. Ben cuts under but gets a bad line down.
Time to open up the legs now, forget what you have already covered & see it as a sprint to the finish 2k or so of glorious decending.
I catch Brian & its good fun all the way down. I hear branches braking in the forest, knowing a runner can pop out of the forest at any time & I dont know where John is but i know hes close, so i push hard to the finish.

What a race!!! To spend the day having fun racing & battling IMRAs finest makes for the perfect Sunday. Your whole focus is on the mountains ahead, nothing else.

Back at the finish line all the runner gather with great chats about the race. Mafia Mick cracks open the home bakes. I take one, they are like little peat hags in a buscuit tin. I take a bite and bang im high as a kite. These cocaine coffee cakes could have been handy pre race not post race.
Go back 24 hours to the Hanney ranch in Wicklow's back country, the Hippos are grazing in the garden. Mick, Mary Berry & Pablo Escobar are hard at work creating the cocaine coffee cakes.
Its a success, Pablo & Mary head off for a pint ( rest of the story to follow). Mick packs up & gets ready for the morning race.
True story.

It was a brillant day out with a great spread at the finish. Really enjoyed it. Appreciate all the people volunteering to allow us to race. Mick did a great job race directing.
Looking forward to seeing you all again on the hills.
p.s cant catch me Johnboy. Ha ha ha

whoops

27 May, 2024 - Maike Jürgens

When the calendar initially came out, I didn't think I would be able to run the race at all as it seemed really long (despite having completed it in a reasonable time in the past). But alas, I felt stronger as the year went on and considering Mike wasn't going to do it, I figured I might as well.
Following lively cut-off discussions, that gave me the title Mathe Maike (thanks Cut-off Clancy :D), I was regretting my decision to sign up while driving down looking at the weather, considering I still had a very snotty nose and was tired from playing our summer concert. Further regrets were added upon seeing all the midges at the start line that were incredibly awake and hungry. Sign up was quick and kit-check was speedy considering I argued that my bag was so big and heavy it would contain all the kit (and more).
Huddled into the car to hide from the midges (not very successfully but I will spare you photos of all those red bumps), it was suddenly close to 10 and time for the warm up jog to the start line. Quick photo while Mick was trying to talk route and safety and off we went at 10 on the dot. I had to stop 5 m in to fix my sock (great start with a wardrobe 'malfunction' that early on). And we jogged up the fireroad. It was hot and humid and I had to stop and remove a layer so was behind everyone. Caught up with Stephen and we shuffled up the fireroad together. The rocks were incredibly slippy and slidy even though they were small and I was wondering what it would be like later on. I felt I was slower than last time (and post race analysis showed I was 3 min slower on this segment than last time) - more training to do.
Then we went up the 'short cut' and it was mucky and slippy but not too bad overall. Getting wet feed brought relief.
Just before exiting the forest, a branch didn't agree with my route choice and I splashed into the muck - to which Stephen replied - sure you are all right, aren't you (it was actually quite sore). Jogging over to the lake, visibility was surprisingly good. We jumped through the heather, touched the water and made our way to the ramp. I had to stop to retie laces (and there was a few more occasions of this so maybe I'll eventually use Stuart's favourite item ever- the good old duct tape).
From Clohernagh onwards it got progressively more misty. I lost my running mojo a little but enjoyed the mist and cool and was just plodding along. Nearly missed the top of Lug but thanks to some not so excellent but present pacing skills looked to my right at just the right point in time to figure I was about 50 m left of the top. Jogged over, put on a layer and jumbled off towards Cannow with careful navigation to make sure I wasn't missing any turns or trails. Visibility was non-existent until dropping low after Cannow. I had forgotten Camenabologue was another climb such was the extend of my preparation this time around - oops. The trail left me at this stage leading to great frustration and wasted time trying to look for it and being mad at myself for loosing it but it only dawned on me after a chocolate bar and reaching the top that maybe the track was only there intermittently.
From Camenabologue, I decided to go to Table track and the try and stay high-ish going over to Conavalla. After sampling the local river water (bit brown but who cares?) I climbed Conavalla and saw two people further to the right. From discussion afterwards, it appeared at least this year the direct line from Camenabologue was faster than staying high (according to Alice about 15 to 20 min).
I fell a few times here, nearly breaking my leg once but had enough forward momentum to not fall into the whole.
Made sure to touch two cairns at Conavalla and then was stumped by how unrunnable the ground felt going over towards the ridge towards Lugduff. At this stage I was thoroughly sick of my brain re-playing 'Mission Impossible' for me on a loop (it finally changed to 'Lord of the Rings' when I couldn't got back to sleep at 2 in the morning).
The track wasn't very followable, there was 2 hikers out referring to the route as 'a bit mucky'. Then climbed towards Lugduff expecting a short downhill after. It was raining now but I wasn't bothered putting on another layer. Sure it will stop soon. Brendan was very cheerful and off I went to be overtaken by 3 of the main starters. A big thunder gave me a bit of a fright and quickly made a decision to descend immediately if I saw lightning.
No lightning was seen and I climbed Mullacor. Alice had given me a shurtcut bearing but I just wasn't bothered anymore and just wanted to stay on the track. My legs felt surprisingly strong on the downhill so I probably hadn't left enough out on the hill but sure who knows. Rocks down the 'tunnel of love' were incredibly slippy so I was careful with all my rock clipping throughout the day.
Lovely spread at the finish.
Thanks Mick and team.
To more training.

Circling that Avonbeg

27 May, 2024 - Alice Clancy

The plotting for this one started a little earlier than most…Maike and I had been eyeing it up, as a tester route for our various endeavours…Maike for the Rogaine…me for the Galty Crossing.

Logging onto the race page during the week, my heart sank…the cut-offs had been posted, and they were pretty much physically impossible for me to achieve despite my attempts at training…and possibly for a good few other ‘normal people’ runners too.….A brief and polite (I hope) forum discussion later (sorry Mick!), comprising of Maike’s statistics, lures of home-baking, a bit of band-wagon-ing, and Cut-off Clancy and Mathe-Maike were back in business with the post to entry ratio on the race and possibly a few heartrates considerably elevated. (Sorry Committee, next time ill email i promise!)

After staying up half the night to learn how to bake again and with some sort of an edible lemon-drizzle cake sitting in the back seat, I pulled up in the nun’s roller skate that serves as my car to Maike’s house early. We had both decided to take the early start to spare the volunteers and stay comfortably within the cut-offs….hellos and goodbyes from Matthew and Róisin and we were off, talking our way through the route to the sound of excerpts from Maike’s orchestra’s concert the night before. Aptly enough the theme tune from Mission Impossible played as the silvery sunlight that had been glinting off the M50 promptly disappeared behind some dark clouds as we crossed the border into Wicklow. The cloud hung ominously low to the hills as we headed down into the Glenmalure valley. Everything below the cloud was beautifully green and glistening in the drizzle…..Hmmm there’s definitely going to be some nav involved alright.

Pulling into Ballinafunshoge, a curious sight awaited….campers were hurriedly packing up, while Mick and Jody, who evidently had both taken the veil since I last saw them, were setting up registration….the air seemed thicker than usual and a creeping sensation started in my hairline….‘F*CKIN MIDGIES!’ A bellow from our Races Co-Ordinator Extraordinaire Liam clarified things while doubling as an appropriate good morning greeting. Ah. Yes. The midgies. We had one lovely warm midge free summer weekend, and now they are here until the winter. Clouds of them settled happily around the kit-check with no real respite in the car either….could we do an early early start and get the hell out of this midge infested carpark?

10am could’t have come soon enough, and 6 determined and fiercely competitive ( ;-) Eoin) early starters were off! The midgies thankfully fecked off as we ran up the zig-zags to Arts Lough. I pushed as hard as I could having recced this bit recently. I took the fire road then firebreak option, deciding that the direct line probably wasn’t worth it so early in the day. I hate fireroad. I hate it because there is space and time for the mind to wander….I started doubting myself, thinking that I really should be at home, applying for my mortgage like a good little capitalist instead of trying to do this, something that I clearly am not made for….but those thoughts went the way of the midgies once I hit the rougher ground before Arts Lough and started to focus. One of the things I love about running on the open mountain is that you can’t really think about anything else….all of that usual ‘shoulda woulda coulda’ that preoccupies the mind has to leave it unless I wanted to ‘shoulda woulda boghole’ or worse…..

After a quick dip at CP 1, shouts of greeting to the other early starters taking various lines through the bouldery heather, I started up the ramp to Cloghernagh. Into the thick cloud, I soon found myself on my own..Compass out, I reassured myself of the direction, and continued. Suddenly the first summit cairn loomed out of the mist. Yay!!! Then it raised its head and looked at me. Ah. The sheep cairn. Although used as a valid way-marker by Stuart on the Wicklow Way Relay, I decided not to take this option and stuck with the compass…..finally, a cairn made of stones this time revealed itself, CP 2!! Delighted!!

Taking my bearing, I followed the track to Lug as far as I could….the cloud got thicker and thicker……it dazzled and dizzied….obviously there was sun somewhere above, but it was bouncing off the cloud below. It felt eerie and brought me right back to a whiteout in the mountains in Lesotho a long time ago….back then I had no mountain knowledge whatsoever and had cleverly tried to outrun the cloud….running directly towards the border with South Africa and a rather beautiful, if severe 1500m drop….It’s funny how random memories of routes and mountains and situations worm their way into your head at times like this….pushing the rising panic aside, I slowed down to a walk and looked around. Plenty of sheep, a bit of a shape of the grassy ramp - and a clear rise in front of me. Ok, so if i just keep going up I can’t go wrong. Compass out in front, eyes squinting, onwards. I almost bumped into the stones at the top before I saw them. Success! CP 3!!!!

Happy out, I turned around and tentatively headed back down through the cloud, hopefully hopefully in the direction of Cannow/Cinnow. Out on the saddle and heading north to Camenabologue, the nav was tricky. I hadnt been up here in a long time. There was a path of sorts that kept disappearing, the cloud was thick, visibility minimal and I was going really slow now, desperate not to go the wrong way and getting cold. I stopped to put on my jacket, and as I checked my compass, Niall bounded by me. Fantastic! Someone else is here!! Then Louis popped up out of the cloud and we ran along towards Camenabologue within eyesight of each other which reassured me immensely and speeded me up! the ground was slippy, wet, trail intermittent….I kept track of distance and direction as much as I could….rounding a bend and starting to descend, too much I thought, were we heading down into the wrong valley?…..I called out to Louis running somewhere ahead in the cloud….and then miracle of miracles, the cloud started to thin….and clear….and before us, Camenabologue appeared, with a clear track up it…..wooop!!!! Somewhat less enthusiastic about Camenabologue half-way up the climb I turned to look at where we’d run from. The cloud was unfurling, revealing the way we’d come and freeing itself from below the summit of Lug…those lucky main starters would not have to deal with the white out! Grr.
Curses aside, I pushed and pushed up the hill, as the cloud disappeared. I made the cairn about 4 mins over the 2h15m cut off that had been assigned the main start. CP4!! Jaysis, was I glad I didn’t have to face being turned down table track!

Niall appeared and promptly disappeared down towards table track in front of me….I perked up and spying Conavalla to my right, resplendent in the sun, my conservative route plan of following table track went out the window…now I wanted to have some fun!!! I took a sharp right at a peat hag and dropped over the ridge, headed directly for Conavalla….Angela (she’s from kilmac you know) and her remark one day out on a run as she observed my pace popped into my head: ‘it’s mountain running Alice, not mountain walking’ . Noted Ange. I stopped walking and started running, bounding (or so I’d like to think) down the side of Camenabologue, which was surprisingly runnable, handrailing the forest, hitting table track, then veering off it towards the river and through some rather large heathery peat hags, running by deer, deep swampy bog holes, sun beating down the whole way. I stopped for a drink at the river and then it was up, up, up to Conavalla…..I tried to eat at this point but couldn’t. Everything was starting to hurt, but I really really wanted to get up there and see the line to Lugduff before the cloud came back. I kept looking out for other runners, but no one seemed to be on the mountain….A lucky line in the peat hags brought me directly up to the Cairn and over the summit and before me the wide boggy ridge towards Lugduff framed the Glendalough and Glenmalure valleys either side of it. Woop! CP 5!!!

Now I started to really push. There was no cloud, no need to navigate beyond looking ahead…. It had turned into a beautiful day….I wanted to see what I could do….I was curious!! As I heaved myself through the peathags something started to twinge…what the…? Creeping it’s way up my left thigh was this strange and then very unpleasant pulling sensation….nooooo! cramp!!! (Cramp is such an innocuous name for it…. It felt horrific!) I slowed to a walk, rubbed it, drank electrolyte, prayed to whatever God there is and as it lessened a bit, I hobbled on…back to a walk. Sorry Ange.

Cursing and hobbling, but enjoying the spectacular views all around me and the warm sun on my face, something moved to my left…more deer? No - it was the main start, with Peter Bell leading a motley crew of runners on a merry dance through the peat hags on his way to victory in the men’s race….. Something settled, the pain in my leg subsided and I started to jog, pushing on up to Lugduff. Andy K fresh from his Brockagh banjo triumph breezed by me sometime around then, making it look easy. I tried in vain to keep him in sight as I picked the way through the occasionally visible path but eh, no, not possible! Heading up up up on the second last climb of the day I started to feel like I might actually be able for this….the sight of Brendan marshalling at the top was a very very welcome one!! CP 6!!

Paul passed me full of the chats. Chatting being beyond my abilities at that point I waved and slogged on, making it down to Jody, another very welcome sight, 6 minutes before the cutoff if I had done the main start…phew, still tight. Noted for next time. Looking up, I pushed up Mullacor the last climb of the day. The cairn arrived quickly, and then beyond it the post marking the actual summit (YAY CP 7!!!), and then I was turning around, taking out my compass one last time to take the line off the top towards the Wicklow Way…..as I did I could see the cloud boiling and reforming over Lug, and somewhere behind me the sound of thunder, and the heavens opened. The drama of the weather, the sheer wild beauty of the surroundings and the feeling that I had done it, I had managed to find my way around this route, mostly alone sort of overtook me at that point. I had been reading Deirdre O’Gorman’s very moving race report of her incredible 100mile Beara odyssey the night before. What she wrote about the why - why we do this, suddenly clicked with me and I started crying. If anyone is still reading this (doubtful!) you might not understand - on the face of it there were lots more epic runs and route choices than mine on the day and amazing athletes like Deirdre have far more truly inspiring tales to tell! But for someone like me, scared of heights, bogholes, getting lost, of feeling stupid and doubting myself far too much, being able to do something like this is incredibly meaningful….and I felt very very grateful to all the volunteers who had made it possible…..but eh….I’d gotten a little ahead of myself….a sharp pain in my left leg brought me back to earth as I slipped on the stones down to the fireroad. Ah hello IT Band my old friend. Ok. The run is not quite over yet, back up the (emotional) truck there Alice.

Hobbling out into the fireroad, the pain subsided and off I set off running once more towards the switchbacks. Becky sprinted by, an IMRA legend comfortably on her way to yet another victory in the women’s race, she is some runner. Heading towards the Tunnel of Love, an almighty crash out of the forest behind me scared the bejaysus out of me. WTF? Ah no, only Liam V who had taken a more ‘direct’ line off Mullacor, and who promptly started quizzing me on the finer points of the cutoff times as we started down the stones. The pain was now starting to draw all my attention quite urgently. I waved Liam on so I could howl in privacy, and then my whole left thigh seized up into an almighty cramp. I grabbed it, Hobbling, limping, slipping trying so hard not to make it any worse. Tunnel of Love my arse….tunnel of searing pain more like….I tried stopping but that just seemed to exacerbate things so pressed onwards. The tears were now tears of pain. Then I started laughing, thinking of how I’d thought the hardpart was done coming off Mullacor! Hobbling, cursing, crying, laughing I kept going through the zig zaggy bits to the waterfall, and then…delight of delights, the little orange cones of the finish and Mick came into view…..The finish!!! Yay!!! I crossed it (just about) within the the 4h 30 limit set for the main start….

A beautiful sight awaited…a table laden with sandwiches, cake, crisps , chocolate and hot pots of coffee!!! Mick and Clare know just what you need after a run like this one…..Both legs now cramping in harmony with each other I collapsed on the grass. Clare got me sorted with coffee and her and Becky talked me through the finer points of nutrition and how to stave off the dreaded cramp. Getting advice from these runners, both of whom inspire me so much meant a lot! The sun came out and midgies be damned there was some lovely post race chats, deciphering route choices, planning next adventures and sampling the delights of the pre race baking efforts. The chocolate brownies in particular were delicious!!

A huge thank you to Mick, Jody, Clare, Sile, Declan and Brendan!! Volunteering and RD-ing a weekend race like this is incredibly time consuming, and we are all very grateful to you. For me, races like this are what make IMRA such a brilliant organisation - an epic challenge on the hills in a beautiful setting, encouragement, camaraderie and advice galore, and lovely chats and food at the end, all impossible without dedicated volunteers who have given up most of their weekend and our hardworking Committee who give up far more behind the scenes to make it all possible. Thank you All!

To anyone thinking of aiming for this next year - go for it!!! The Nav challenges in the Autumn, Stone Cross to Lug relay in Sept, Glacier Lake relay and Dargle 4 peaks in the Spring provide lots of useful stepping stones towards taking on a race like this. Also recces are key. As is midgie repellant, and, dare I say it the motivation of a finely judged Cut-Off.

What a great adventure

27 May, 2024 - Angus Tyner

Being an orienteer, the typical long orienteering courses I do are 60 to 90 mins long and even in training I don't often do 2hrs+ runs. So the likes of the Circuit of Avonbeg is way beyond what I am accustomed to.
I did this in 2013, and at that stage it was the longest run I had ever done, and I have only done anything equivalent once or twice since.

The orienteering calendar is getting quiet and this was a free weekend, so providing the weather was agreeable, I decided to give it a shot. The weather that I didn't want was hot or a storm. Anything in between was fine and the forecast looked really good from my perspective.

The pre race entry issues were cut offs. 4 Hrs. This was my target but I could be over if I was slowish. I thought I was likely to be quicker but I could be dnfed if I wasn't. So I had to consider the early start?? Am I really getting that slow? Thankfully the cutoff was extended to 4.5hrs. So regular start it would be. And in fact the finish cutoff was removed altogether.

On to the day. Sorted out the kit and figured I could use running belt if the waterproof leggings were not mandatory. Got a lift with Niall in time for the early start. It was certainly cloudy....with midges! Wow, quickly signed in and back to the car. Plenty of time to sort myself out. Tape the ankles, contacts in. Decided to bring Harveys map because the route was on centre fold of the east west map.

3 aspects of my route choice were decided beforehand. I had arm-chaired recced using maps and satellite. The zigzags at the beginning looked like a no brainer to try cutout. Straight route to Conavalla (last time I contoured) and take old wicklow way route down through woodland from Mullacor. (last time I went straight through wood to fire-road)

24 of us assembled at the start. Add to that the 6 earlier starters, a field of 30. A quick brief from Mick. Enjoy, be safe, marshals and cutoffs. I didn't think the latter being an issue.

We were off and within the first km, I was lone ranger. I went straight on at the first switchback and ascended straight up along side a stream. The satellite view had a visible gap in the trees and this joined up with the path that most if not all of the field would take after the zigzags. What I found was a bit of a path up. There was a bit of ducking under branches and with it so steep some scrambling up on all fours. The main issue was keeping the heart rate down.

I reached the main path, which was where most would turn left up though the tress. Here I met Liam..standing, looking at his map confused. He had taken an even earlier Zigzag shortcut than me and then bailed out. We continued up to Art's Lough. Chatted, not about cutoffs though. Touched the water, only about 2 mins slower than in 2013. Headed to the ramp. The sun made an appearance. Not welcome tbh! Liam started pulling away as we approached Clohernagh. I could see Graham ahead. A bit of a breeze was very welcome as it was muggy. On the way to Lug, I could see Liam catching Graham and then pass him before they disappeared into the cloud. Visibility dropped to 50m or less as I rounded south prison. I did catch glimpse of Liam and Graham heading away from the summit and shortly after the summit cairn came into view. I climbed up to touch the trig point. Exchanged quick pleasantries to a few others there and started to head downhill. Rounded north prison and continued.

A short time later I realised I should really be on a path. I stopped, extracted the compass from my back pocket. Mmm heading NW into Glen of Imaal, rather then north. Corrected and started heading north. Only for the same thing to reoccur 2 mins later. WTF is wrong with my internal compass. I did find the indistinct path without the need to do any extra climb, so it was not much of a diversion.

A different issue started happening and this would remain for the rest of the journey. I had put in contact lens so I can read the map, but with the mixture of rain and sweat in my eyes, this was dramatically affecting my ground vision especially on any technical descents and slowing me down a lot. Liam and Graham were long gone, and it was a bit of a relief when another runner caught up with me and I could hear others behind. It was reassurance that I didn't realise I would welcome that I was on the line I needed after the slight detour. We had descended below the cloud and most of Camenabologue was visible. Took a gel for the ascent and reached the cairn and marshal in good spirits. This was the first time checking my watch since Art's Lough..and OMG, I was a bit shocked to only beat the cutoff by 15 mins. I would have been so pissed off if I was timed out. I hadn't realised how tight this was.

I had to refocus, which took a while. The direct line to Conavalla. Down to the forest corner. Steep grassy descent. Could be taken fast with good vision. Once I rounded the forest, the slope of Conavalla was in good view as was the heather and grassy areas. I picked a grassy line that stretched to the top to aim for which conveniently started at the left side of a lone copse on the other-side of the Avonbeg. There were a few hags to negotiate but I managed most of the way to table track and the Avonbeg without need to clamber up and down. Refilled the bottle with brown water and started the ascent. This was drama free. There was a group about 10 mins behind me, but otherwise I was alone. I reached the summit plateau at a cairn. Touched it and noted this is certainly not the top. Saw another cairn, also not the top! Continued east going near what appeared to be the highest point.

The cloud was well above so the lie of the land was very clear with Corrig/Lugduff/ Mullacor ridge obvious. However there was a boggy hag area in between. I managed to to get through this reasonably well and hit the ridge path. This seem to filter in and out of view. I caught up with Maike and we chatted briefly, which included cutoffs....took my 2nd gel and was delighted to meet Brendan on Lugduff. I told him I was in good form and continued with blurry vision toward the Wicklow Way crossing. Some rain had started which I welcomed as I enjoyed the cooling effect. Mullacor looks steep from here, but looking at the map, it's only about 100m climb and I was feeling good. I had been catching glimpses of Graham since before Lugduff and I was closing.

Wow, that was a surprise to hear thunder close by. And a bit of a panic on whether I should abort and head for lower ground. A quick look around me and it didn't looked extremely ominous, so decided to continue

Reached the summit cairn and continued across the rough ground to the summit post. Checked the compass to head towards old Wicklow way. The first bit was very tussocky and couldn't make the progress I was expecting. Got through this to the steeper ground and after a couple of near falls on the steep slope with blurry vision, I slowed to walk/shuffle. A fence? I don't remember this. Got across and reached the slabs of the old Wicklow way. The top part was fine but 2 slips of the slabs lower down made me avoid the rest.

The home run was uneventful apart from taking care on anything technical or with rock slabs. I didn't really feel the love in the Tunnel but did enjoy seeing the car park and the IMRA flags and cones of the finish.

A fantastic spread with great coffee. Thanks to Mick and other volunteers so that the privileged 30 could have our fun.

I have comparisons of this with my 2013 circuit with respect to route choice which I will set out in a separate report.

Don't mention the Cut-off

27 May, 2024 - Mick Hanney

A race directors week, condensed
(noting the no. of times gear is mentioned)

Pick up race gear.
Unload race gear at house. Household not impressed.
Update event
Shout out to volunteers
Try calculate cut-off
Update event
Weather check
Re-calculate cut-off
Update event
Recce start of race
Cut off feedback
Emails
Update event
Do some event marketing and nudges
Recipe decisions
Shopping
Contact volunteers
Cut-off a cut-off
Prepare sign-in list
Prepare race briefing
Weather check
Bake
Load race gear
Drive to Glenmalure
Unload race gear
Registration
Midge Battle
Chats
Briefing x 2
Start x 2
Coffee
Cake x (many)
Chats
Photos
Finish line
Chats
Prizes
Runners all accounted for
Load race gear car
Very tempted to call into lodge for a pint
Prep Results
Enjoy the reports
Transfer the race gear
Rest!

Becky Quinn

27 May, 2024

Circuit of Avonbeg
Circuit of Avonbeg – doesn’t always appear on the calendar but when you know you know and it’s a hidden gem, never a big crowd but lots of returnees. I’ve raced it a couple of times, first was cut short due to bad weather, disappointing but at the time I was happy to descend to safety and the other in full sunshine with uninterrupted visibility, spoiled us. Last Sunday I drove out (yes I know but I have carpooled to others and even cycled to one so I feel ok about this one) cloud cover was down on Lugnaquilla, didn’t look too bad and was hopefully going to lift before the off but no matter I had done a good recce and knew the route……
After a very necessary quick reg and kit check I slightly guiltily retreated to the car and left the unbelievable happy volunteer crew and Mick to be feasted on by the midges.
Quick warm up and 24 of us set off up the track - after a bit Liam Vines ducks off left and is away on a Liam Vines adventure, will he be seen again.. who knows. I scoot up the track and come up to Paul Mahon with small map in hand… really.. already I mean the track is fairly obvious but he’s really sussing it and looking up ahead and next gone…mmm nope stick to the plan and I stay on the fire road nice and safe..early days… first zigzag and suddenly all hell breaks loose and there are runners bailing off the track in front and behind and scrabbling up the hill and suddenly I’m left on the track, nope sticking to the plan, I jog up the track and next thing Graham Bushe pops out in front, definitely gained on that cut up and next thing he’s off again scrambling up a rocky section. Ah hell not today buddy so I follow up and we scramble up the hill for a bit and pop out at the next zig zag and on fire road again just before my planned less adventurous short cut which we both take and not the only ones there is someone else in here too scrambling away until we all jump out onto the last section of fire road and then the sudden left up onto the soggy path to Arts Lough - two weeks ago this was dry but today it’s sloppy and wet and the legs are already starting to feel it. Too soon but I have a target up ahead and I gain slightly on this section and follow him out onto the open section down to Arts Lough (turns out to be Zoran). He finds a path I have never spotted before (I normally hug the fence line a good deal longer, but this is better). I follow him down to the lake to be greeted by the lads led by Paul Mahon, full of the joys for leading the pack, as they hop and jump over the heather on their way back. I make hard work of getting to the lake dip a hand in and then turn around to make hard work of getting back, there is a path I know there is, eventually find it and look up to the “ramp” and it’s a great sight, all the front runners up ahead makes the nav here really easy and I make some ground here, must look out for the right hand turn off the ramp and up to Clohernagh but remind myself I can’t really miss it because eventually you run out of track and crucially I’m on the track and looking up visibility is good for the moment. Up up up, climb, scramble, check, making progress, climb, jog, climb, check, getting closer confidence boost jog 10 hike 3 jog 10 hike 3 making good progress now stay on the track, Zoran stays a bit right I think it’s easier to stay on the track, it’s sloppy but easier going than the heather. Pop out on top to see the Clohernagh cairn and start looking for the track over to Lug, Zoran spots it first and is away I follow and catch up we run along together and make good progress, we swap leads a few times which gives each other a break from checking the track (stay on the track stay on target!!!) eventually I start keeping left so I don’t miss the track veering off to the left up to Lug and into the cloud, clear as a bell in good vis but easily missed now. I scan back and forth don’t miss the track don’t miss the track. Vague line appears and it’s going up so I take it and it keeps reassuringly going up and the Lug cairn looms out of the cloud, a comforting lump of rocks, tip it and turn and start running down , now here is where your day can go to crap very quickly - after slogging to this stage you just want to let rip and run downhill fast but in this vis you can end up running to nowhere. NEED to find the track don’t need compass bearing yet just zig zag back and forth and I’ll find it. Easy peasy in good vis but a little harder in this cloud so over and back and Zoran is doing a bit of that too I keep him in sight and I think he’s a bit too far left so I come right and find the track and relief - this is my track there are many tracks like it but this is mine (it’s weird what phrases pop into your head on these runs) and it’s great fun now zipping down, clearing rocks and jumps and sloppy patches, wet patches and avoiding the deeper looking sloppy wet patches, skipping around hikers take a slight detour but Zoran relocates and I trek back over and slot in behind him and we soldier on until the base of the climb to another sloppy slog of jogging and hiking. I take a peek behind and spot someone coming on fast, darn. Finally get a bit of solid ground and get proper running legs going and at least look the part running toward Camenabologue, greet the marshall and take a direct right off the track and descend diagonally down to the trees, next thing spot Zoran and then Liam Vines both flying downhill direct route, they are further to the left…mmm stay on target. We all cross the track and into the hag field before the river. There is a full-blown conversation going on to my left, I’m starting to feel rubbery legs so take a gel, and a good slurp of carbo drink and cross the river and start, you guessed it the slog up to Cunavalla. Now here’s the thing - I have come at this peak from lots of different routes from the hag field, you never quite get the same climb up and this time it’s not great but not too bad. The guys seem to have an edge so maybe found an easier route through the hags but I’m starting to gain, I check every so often, yup definitely gaining this is a nice boost so I slog harder, level, cool go harder. Then I lose sight of them and get drawn left going left of a big hag bank, if I had of stayed right of it (looking at the route afterwards) I would have popped out just at the cairn as it was, I popped out just as Zoran broke around a hag and found the first cairn to the left of the main one…who knows. We all tipped both cairns for good measure, Cunavalla done, now for the really hard bit, there is nothing for it here, this is a proper open mountain run fest, Zoran stays well left, Liam follows me and soon passes and fairly dances across the heather with no bother, also to my left. I clip a rock and skip around a bit with the sting from it and when I look up he’s gone, that’s what happens. I follow some deer tracks where the running is a bit easier and they just up and disappear every so often, do deer have wings or something how can these tracks just stop!!. Down hags and up hags around hags looking for the track , there is a track really need to find it and when I do I doubt myself - is it just going to fade out - but it’s going the right way and it’s flat and is that an INOV8 print I see, oh the joy I have found it and am away and around the next hag I spot Zoran and a little further on Liam, how did they get from being left of me to ahead without me seeing (on the back of a flying deer maybe) but this is great I can really start running with two guides to follow and because I don’t have to constantly worry about losing the track I’m making up ground fast and the gel has kicked in and I’m heading for home and I feel great and then I splatter full on face plant into a large puddle soaked down the right side but no harm done and up and go again not too much ground lost, nice soft landing, good as falls go. We start climbing Lugduff, Liam has a good lead but I think I can get Zoran so I push on. Up and over Lugduff - Hi and thanks to Brendan - - but when I look down Liam and Zoran have pored on the gas and are flying downhill again this section is very fast so am away as fast as the legs will go but not making much dent on their lead hit the boards and meet Joe marshalling then start up Mullacor and the guys are coming back again, right, last climb of the day legs are hurting but I realise it’s a “good hurt” it’s a joyful good hurt!! I’m hurting in all the right places where I should be hurting and the bits that were giving grief all winter are quiet. I am so freaking happy with this - push hard and try at least win the race to the top (doubt the guys even knew of this mini race). Jog 10 hike 3 jog 10 hike 3 and I get past both, keep going they’ll have you on the down just get as much ground as you can dig in slug it out really tired now but nearly there see the first cairn no good need the post see the post it’s across some sloppy ground lungs fine heart fine legs gone it’s been a long week but just a bit longer please. See the post, a guy comes running back towards me and we agree this is the summit and away over the edge might as well give it a bash down going diagonally as fast as I can but no good Zoran has caught up - wait is he wearing his jacket, where did he get the time to put it on, is it an attempt at camo because he has been a lovely yellow target all day - and left me, I catch him at the fence but he’s away again then down the stone steps on the WW, they are wet and the Inov8 Ultra with the lovely big lugs that were great in the slop are bloody lethal on the wet rocks - and I’m shagged so I stick to the outside and pick my way down it seems so slow and it is as I get passed by Ian? as I tip toe gingerly down until the fire road and then I get a second wind - lets go, squeeze the last bit out of it see if I can make up a bit again and I start to, Zoran and new guy Ian in sight (jacket off again, it's magic) no sign of Liam gone on another adventure maybe . Spot Alice who gives great encouragement on the way by - am really happy for her she has just the run in to do now - only a bit to go now myself. Closing in, around the bend and take the right down the miners way almost get to Zoran before he goes down the tunnel but bugger more slippy rocks and I chicken it and pick my way down back onto fire road and the lads are gone, I go again and hear someone bashing away behind and it looks like Liam cutting the corners…brave guy, it’s a real mess in there…don’t want to get caught now so renew effort to get down the trail as quick as I can and pop out at the waterfall and greeted by Mick and the gang with a buffet laid out. It’s raining so no midges and it’s bliss. Sile and Clare are handing out lovely coffee and the post-race analysis starts. Mick interjects with chocolate cake and home-made cookies scones sandwiches, and I stuff as much stuff as I can politely take into me. Runners keep coming in with smiles and whoops and claps of well done. These are the races where finishing is the reward, the mini victories within the race nobody else knows about or even cares about, first to a certain CP or beating a cut off, gaining 10 seconds on a sneaky short cut no one else has tried. The body tingling with hopefully a good hurt at the end and the epic feeling of having gotten around more or less to plan. A great day out on the hills with a great bunch of people and facilitated by a smaller bunch of volunteers suffering alternatively the midges and the rain. Well done to everyone on a great day out.
Mick already suggesting going anticlockwise next year, those in the know, know, but finding out will be epic. Maybe a free choice - go either way - now that could be interesting.