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28 November, 2009

Conditions could hardly have been more idyllic as 177 runners started out from Laragh on the 10th race of the Leinster League. The evening was warm, underfoot conditions were firm and best of all, Paul Nolan was somewhere in the French Alps, resting on his laurels after wrapping up another Leinster League title last week.

He missed a fantastic race though, not that anybody complained (least of all your humble race reporter) - his absence allowed everybody to move up a place in the results table and ensured that the early pace was rather more civilised than has recently been the case.

The field remained tightly bunched until it reached the S-bends where the incline began in earnest. Gearoid Towey had a fine ascent, staying close to the lead until roughly the halfway point. Here Richard O?Donnell assumed chasing duties and was less than 20 seconds behind your humble race reporter by the time we reached the Summit of Brockagh. Within 500 metres he had taken the lead, which was to be traded a number of times before matters were finally settled less than one kilometre from the finish line.

The winning margin was a mere 22 seconds, proving that the remaining four league races are very much up for grabs. Gearoid Towey continued his upward trajectory in the results table to take third place, a comfortable 2 minutes ahead of Eoin Keith (who suffered from the effects of Rogaine victory a mere 3 days earlier)

Mike Long was in Norway last weekend, running a marathon through the forests near Oslo and obviously had not quite recovered from the experience by the time he set out to mark the course. Instead of bringing the runners up to Brockagh East, as is customary for this race, Mike?s markers continued due west and didn?t turn around until an extra 3 km had been added to the course. The extra bit took the runners directly into the mid-summer evening sunshine so you could not actually see where you were going, With the endless delay before seeing any returning runners, one wag was heard to mutter, "We are never coming back, they sending us off a cliff into oblivion." Happily, Mike's co-conspirator, Alan Cox was on top of the real Brockagh to send us home and everyone should be commended for staying on their side, no head on collisions occurred on the long east/west passage.

The extra distance did nobody any harm however, except perhaps Tommy ?Tumble? Galvin, who went over on his ankle on the return leg. Tommy is not a man to let a mere severe sprain get in the way of his ambition to run every single race on the Wednesday night IMRA calendar however, and he doggedly limped to the finish, with his record, if perhaps not his ankle, intact. Will Tommy be able to maintain the streak on the treacherous Tibradden course next week? tune in for the answer.

Beth McCluskey was a comfortable winner in the woman?s category, beating Una May and Hazel Thompson in to second and third respectively. Laura McGinley, was third overall woman and won the F40, ahead of Roisin McDonnell and Fidelma Ayres.

James Alexander continued his impressive season, finishing second behind Ben Mangan in the M14 category. Niall Ewen won the junior men?s category.

American runner Anna Brousell, on holiday with her family, finished second woman overall and won the FJ category and El Presidente Jane Porter won the F50, despite complaining that she was not fit enough for Mike Long?s extra long course.

Naomi de Lasa won the F14 category and Mike Gomm showed everybody how it?s done in the M70 category. Danny Toye was the first M60 home by a comfortable margin and Bruce Shenker looks to have the M50 title wrapped up in his testimonial season.

John Farrelly won the M40 and finished a very respectable 6th overall. First F60 home was Caitlin Bent.

Those with good local knowledge went for dip in the swimming hole near Laragh after the race. Most however sought refreshment in Lyman?s hotel where the banter continued well towards midnight. If only every race could be as idyllic.