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28 November, 2009

Well watered, rested and fed by the good folks in the Delphi Adventure Centre we car-pooled the few km over the road to Aasleagh Falls for the start of a new addition to the calendar -Ben Gorm.

Turlough Conway had done a fine job of crafting a route where none existed before and so 26 brave souls stood ready to road-test it, so to speak. With route marking from the summit down courtesy of Delphi backed up by Rachel and Mick on the ridge we were well looked after.

The race starts (and finishes) up (and down) a steep boggy tussocky slope with the picturesque Aasleagh Falls roaring away in the backround. At a more measured pace then the day before we picked our way up the first incline and gambolled down to the river for the big climb up to the ridge. Bernard, Eoin and myself were locked in formation ? nobody was getting away easily today. Turlough, the local cute hoor, was hanging behind a smidgeon and leading the others on a slightly more advantageous line to the waiting ridge marshalls. Bernard was on a mission and built a lead and held it to the summit marshal, Eoin did what Eoin does and rocketed off into a 50m lead in seconds but his internal compass was leading him astray right so after the briefest of consultations with my inner good/bad sprites I called him back on track. On the rocky ridge we found ourselves closing on him before he did it again, another injection of pace on an easier boggy section and past point Rachel we were all slipping and slidding down trying desperately to gain purchase and close/increase gaps. Back over the river and the final kicker climb found me wishing uselessly that the climb be bigger or that I be stronger or anything to bring him closer and then we crested the hill, I glanced behind, Bernard seemed well back so I concentrated on getting through the minefield of tussocks and loose barbed wire, I was falling down the feckin hill, nearly broke my little finger somehow didn?t, Eoin?s getting closer and then unbelievably Bernard has closed the gap and is on my shoulder like that boulder chasing Indiana Jones in the movie? how he descended so fast I?ll never know ? Eoin is still getting closer but the finish is getting very very close ? The new Connacht Champion finishes and then turns just as Bernard and I bounce off either of his shoulders in a dead heat finish. I have to say it was feckin deadly, pure class and what hill racing is all about. The three of us standing in the river chatting away and cooling over-strained legs as the rest of the field streamed in sums up the good feelings of the Irish hill-running scene.

Moire is also Connacht champ with two convincing wins and did John Brooks really run Croagh Patrick in 42 minutes???