Unknown

28 November, 2009

It is hard to think of a more perfect hill run than the Ballybraid run. You get a chance to loosen up with a 2k run up a smooth track and then burst into open mountain with a remnant of a track on the toughest climb up to the top of Mullacor. Then a muddy track leads to the Ballybraid ridge, one of the most scenic spots in Wicklow as you meander up and down on high ground leading to Derrybawn Mountain above Glendalough. The trip backs requires a climb through heather, but is on a very narrow track, that leads to the main track and the route back to the start. Its 13k of real racing with only the climb to Mullacor requiring any real walking.

To add to that we had a mostly sunny day, interrupted by some wicked showers every once in a while and a larger than normal crowd of 59 runners, with 6 visitors from the Harrogate Harriers and Athletic Club from Harrogate in England swelling the ranks. Chris Miller from Harrogate surprised the usual frontrunners by leading right from the start. Though he missed the turn at the shed made famous by a hurting Graham Porter in previous years, the Irish hospitality shone through and he was directed on the proper trail onto the open mountain. Miller was followed by Kevin Keane, Eoin Keith and Irish Orienteering champion Andrew Quin, visiting from Sweden, who made up a lot of time on the descent from Mullacor. Bob Lawlor built up a big lead in the M40 category and the M50 race seemed to be decided on the climb to Mullacor as Joe Lalor made a strong surge to pull even with Henny Brandsma.

The route from Mullacor to the ridge proved more muddy than many suspected and many a walking group was surprised by mud caked runners approaching at high speed. The turn around was well manned by former world masters mountain running champion Robbie Bryson and many times Leinster woman's winner Joan Flannagan. After finishing the ridge and climbing through the heather to Cullentragh, the speed merchants get a chance to stretch out on the track to the finish. Chris Miller was able to maintain his lead, but Eoin Keith got the better of Kevin Keane on the run in for second place. The finish was very close as their was only 10 seconds between the first three finishers. Bob Lawlor was an easy winner in the M40 category and the very fast closing Aisling Coppinger won in the woman's category ahead of the stronger every week Roisin McDonnell who was first in the F40 category.
I was very fortunate in that, after running shoulder to shoulder, about 200 yards ahead of me from Mullacor, with the race for first in M50 surely to be between them, Joe and Henny took a wrong turn on the way back and I was able to win the M50 category. Mick Kellett outsprinted his friend and climbing partner Charlie O'Connell to win the M60 in a rousing finish and Mike Gomm was first in the M70 category.
Unfortunately Cormac O'Ceallaigh wrenched his knee along the ridge and had to walk back , but Bernard Fortune, just back from Rome and featured prominently on RTE's coverage of the Pope's funeral, was able to get his truck up the road to make his return to civilization much easier. In addition to the thanks to Bernard, a special thanks to Brendan Doherty and Eva Fairmanner for doing such a good job with the results that they were easily posted before the Leinster-Munster kickoff.