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28 November, 2009

Results scroll below report
<a href="http://www.splitsbrowser.org.uk/splitsgraph.php?eventId=1577">GRAPHICAL DISPLAY</a>


The 5th Wicklow Way Relay was again this year held in very warm weather, most coped with the conditions quite well, but inevitably a few suffered. As the years go by there are fewer going astray or missing their changeover. As laudable as this is, it spoils it for us spectators but there is always the few to keep us amused.
Up to Drumgoff it was a very tight race with four teams within 1-2 mins., with Rathfarnham with a slight lead but from there on as the ambitious ran for the second time they pulled away and won well by 9 mins. This was a very popular win by Rathfarnham, ably managed by Fidelma Ayres who came so close to winning last year. This was the first time a team of 8 won outright, proving wrong all those who said that an elite team of 5 would always prevail.
Another notable success was team ?Hanover? who lived up to their name of this year ?Under 10 hours or Bust?. I believe they are loosing their lead out runner, Johanna Wieferig (whose pace I could not live with this year). We wish her well with her running wherever it takes her. Another team, ?Saturn?, failed to live up to their name. They had hoped to ?run rings around? their rivals, ?Gerry and the Pacemakers?, but followed them into third place even though they had 3 best legs, consistency as Rathfarnham would say is the key.
There were many great runs but ones that caught my eye were. Mick Byrne?s great leg7 (76:52); John Fitzgerald just back from a long injury had a great run on leg 4. Irish orienteering champion Ailbhe Creedon had a very good run on leg 8 and in general ladies hill running seems to be on a rising curve. Graham Porter was returning to form on leg 5 (in my view the hardest leg taking the climb and the time of day into account). Speaking of leg 5 Philip Brennan was quoted, as saying that he never realised that leg 5 was so hard and would not be doing it again. Philip?s memory is slipping, he said pretty much the same thing after climbing Mulacorr from the other side on the last Wicklow Mountain Marathon.
There were 28 teams, mostly of 8 runners. There were many changes since last Wed., most due to injury, but I suspect also a few tactical ones. The final start list was posted on the site at 11.30 on Friday night but the one certainty on the day was the Ajax runner (on either of their teams) who turned up would not be the one who was on the team sheet. A new feature this year was that at most changeovers there was a mini mass start when the number waiting dropped to five. The runners in the mass starts seemed to enjoy this as they started out as part of a group. The over fifties team managed (just) to stay ahead of the mass starts. This brought the teams to Shillelagh earlier however you will notice that the results sheets have been adjusted (a nightmare) to reflect these early starts. So your teams overall position may NOT reflect the order they arrived there.
A large crowd arrived in Shillelagh to see the runners finish, get their team photo. taken and enjoy the sunshine. The usual, with no home to go to, stayed over and camped on the green. Something new I learnt there was what a bicycle tent was. No, it is not a tent for your bike rather a tent that is held up by a bicycle. The wheel supports the front and the rest of the frame the other end. Yes, I know 4 pegs would also do this but it would never keep 20 people in conversation for two hours.

'The Way To The Wicklow Way' - by Cormac Conroy

This was it, the day we had waited for. A glance at the clock and its now 5am and I?m still sitting at the kitchen table looking at the bowl of porridge in front of me, there is just no way I can bring myself to eat it. The nerves had started yesterday. It was time to meet Cormac O Ceallaigh and Darren Gallagher who were also running for Wicklow Electrical Way Teams.

All was going according to plan until just before we reached Lamb Doyles and ?BANG we hit something on the road. The front tyre of had blown out, we all jump out of the car ready to do a Ferrari pit stop, when Cormac calmly says ?Lads I have NO jack?. ?This is no time for joking ?, I replied ? the race starts in 40 minutes.? ?Seriously I have no Jack ? was the reply!

Saint ?Joe Lalor ? just happened to be passing at the crucial time and without a second thought Darren and Myself jumped into the back of his car and abandoned Cormac on the side of the road.

It was a great relief to get to the start. The welcome sight of the friendly faces including Martin Francis and Dessie Shorten, who helped me relax with the usual bit of banter and crack even at that hour of the morning. We compared twisted ankles, tooth aches, groin strains and any other excuse we could come up with in advance of the imminent start. The race started bang on 7am and it was a relief to be racing.

Thankfully Gerry Kinsella was able to rescue Cormac when he eventually found his Jack under a couple of cases of water and a load of goodie bags, and ensured Cormac made it back in time for his start of leg 2.

Thanks to all the athletes on both teams who gave 110% on the day and Diarmuid Mc Donnell who ran himself into the ground and gave blood for his team, he has the cuts and bruises to prove it!





Results
<a href="http://www.imra.ie/ad-hoc/leg106.htm">LEG1</a>
<a href="http://www.imra.ie/ad-hoc/leg206.htm">LEG2</a>
<a href="http://www.imra.ie/ad-hoc/leg306.htm">LEG3</a>
<a href="http://www.imra.ie/ad-hoc/leg406.htm">LEG4</a>
<a href="http://www.imra.ie/ad-hoc/leg506.htm">LEG5</a>
<a href="http://www.imra.ie/ad-hoc/leg606.htm">LEG6</a>
<a href="http://www.imra.ie/ad-hoc/leg706.htm">LEG7</a>
<a href="http://www.imra.ie/ad-hoc/leg808.htm">LEG8</a>
<a href="http://www.imra.ie/ad-hoc/Total06.htm">Team Total</a>