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28 November, 2009

Below are the results for the Kilmasogue Trail Race of the 11th August. The order of finishers is correct (unless some number was recorded wrongly) however because the lap top got wet the times other than the first few are made up. In most cases this accommodiation will improve that runners % percentage time. This is unfortunate but relying on electronic timing in such a downpour will periodically lead to these problems.

Report on race by Bruce Shenker

The trail race series was originally started to introduce road runners (or any new runners) to the joys of mountain running. While we now have so many mountain runners that it has outlived that purpose, the Kilmasogue trail race offered new runners the experience of some of the more interesting aspects of mountain running , like running in the lashing rain on slippery rocks when the mist is down and you cannot see 5 feet ahead (or see at all if you wear glasses)

Despite the weather 124 runners (including almost 20 first timers) jammed the starting area just past the second barrier and the grafittied sign that added ‘devil worshop and ritual sacrifice’ to the ignored prohibitions on bike and horseback riding in the area.

As usual , the soon to be expatriated , Paul Nolan forged to the lead of a group of 5 runners, including the very fast Italian visitor Adriele Prima. Just as the real climbing began the threatening clouds began to release their load, totally soaking anyone involved. The mist dropped down and visibility became non-existent as we scrambled up the rocks on the heavily eroded path of the Wicklow Way. The lead pack became just Paul and Adriele as they negotiated the rocky climb. Hazel Thompson also stretched her lead in the women’s race over Zoe Melling by climbing strongly through this section.

The fast, rocky and puddle strewn run from the Wicklow Way to the path from Fairy Castle was a surreal dash through the fog. Only runners directly ahead were visible and you never knew when it would end. The rain persisted making the rocky descent more treacherous than usual and though he is not experience in this kind of terrain and claimed he doesn’t like having to concentrate like this, Adriele said he kept his speed up because he said he was too scared to slow down.

The rain began to ease as we ran down the mountain road to the start. Paul maintained his lead to win his second trail race in as many weeks, with Adriel Prima second and first vet Eugene Coppinger third. Hazel got her first win , ahead of the apparently recovered from the weekend Zoe and the fast improving Aisling Coppinger overcame an untied shoelace to finish third woman.

There was a lot of wet stringy hair in evidence at the cozy Three Rock pub for the prizegiving where the highlight was the ecstatic Tom Galvin winning the toilet brush for putting the lie to the Tumbling Tommy nickname by remaining vertical throughout the race, despite the slippery conditions. Then where did the mud all over his back come from??