On a Clear Day you can see forever..

06 April, 2025 - Peter O'Farrell

Stranahely Woods got amazing weather today for the second running of this great route. The distance and the difficulty are perfect for this stage in the season and kudos to the winners who both ran around in record breaking times.
Becky Quinn broke her own record from last year but had another close battle with Caroline Harney, 2nd again this edition. In third place with a strong run was orienteer Niamh O'Boyle.
On a clear day you can indeed see forever and most folk found the navigation easy as far as the final mountain top - Sugarloaf. Maybe too easy, maybe their guard was down............despite the clarity of the air..........the brightness of the day.........the bounce of the heather...... it remains impossible to see a finish line through a forest!
Once our intredid runners hit the serried ranks of Sitka.......well it hit back! Some ran the perfect line and others didn't, which made for many changes in position from Sugarloaf to the finish. At a navigation race it's a joy to see runners arriving from different directions and we had at least 3 approach lines to the finish box today.
Ben Mangan broke Enda Cloake's time from last year, Peter Bell was again 2nd and in third we had Andy Keeling with a distinctive approach to race prep - he ran 32km yesterday.
The volunteers were brilliant. Pavel at the gate, Bill and Ed on registration and kit check and Lillian on everything ensured I had nothing to do, which is how I like it. Ed and Pavel did a fantastic job of head twisting and results recording as runners arrived at all angles afterwards.
There's many the story throuhout the field so please consider writing your own personal race report - they add to the flavour of the event and if they are detailed enough will help intrepid explorers of Sitka in the future!
52 finishers on this route. we had 55 runners show up, 2 decided not to race and we had 5 volunteers. So about 60 folk. 44 cars and 1 motorcycle. So car pooling was not a priority and thankfully at the smaller weekend races with a biggish carpark it doesn't need to be.

See you at the next one! Once you go weekend you might never race a Wednesday again :)

Show me the way to the finish line

06 April, 2025 - Mick Hanney

Stranahely woods is another Liam Vines production and a great one at that. There is added dimension of red tape (not IMRA tape) to traverse when an event is open mountain and in an Army location. If anyone needs help with army negotiations in the future Liam is your man.
Thanks to the Army for allowing us run on their property.

I have not run on these hills before. Plans I had to do a recce were made and missed. A recce for a new navigation type route is always advised. I should have listened to myself.

A fine day beckoned. When you are driving over to the Glen of Imaal and the sun is shining and you can see all the peaks, its fabulous.

No early start today, we all lined up at 11 and with a countdown from Peter, we were off.

A fireroad start saw Ben Mangan, then John Bell stretch out into the distance followed by an elastic band of runners including Andy Keeling, Peter Bell, Gareth Little, Graham Bushe and others. Also prominent from the start were Becky and Caroline renewing their contest.

Off the fireroad and the hardwork started. A tough climb to Table Track Jn was made harder by a constant headwind. I made mediocre progress with a run, hike strategy and for most of the climb was in tow with Dan Morrough. Once we got to the top Dan had enough of my company and he stretched out a lead from me towards the line of runners ahead. The dry weather had made the ground very runnable, but the peat hags took a bit of circumventing and there was also some soft bog to suck at your leg on occasion.

Actual navigation wasn't needed for the majority of the race, much to the disappointment of the cohort of orienteers in the race, who pray for low cloud at these events.

To Lobawn where I neither gained or lost a place. Then left and veering off to Sugarloaf, again no change in position.. The downhill running across the bog was delightful. Then, actual nav, in my case, bad nav took place.

Map in hand, I thumbed the line off Sugarloaf down towards the maze of fireroads and forest. All was going well until I took a right instead of a left on a trail junction and added a chunk of time to what was a decent run. Realised too late I was heading for the yellow gate we drove in thru before registration and that I’d have a horrible fireroad run to finish. In retrospect that recce, or even a partial recce of the finishing section would have done wonders. Lesson! But, it seems from other runners, that many had mixed fortunes in the race to the finish line, which is what these navigation based events are all about. Its boring when everyone goes the same way.

Thanks again Peter and team for a lovely morning in south-west Wicklow. Very enjoyable. I'll be back to these hills to explore more.