Unknown

28 November, 2009

Well, as Jim FitzHarris said "I'd heard of many makes of tractors, Massey Ferguson, Foden, John Deere, New Holland, but I'd never heard of Nudder Effing tractors. Thanks to trail running, I now know!" Shades of Tianamen Square as runners put their frail bodies to the test against mechanical behemoths. Thankfully all survived and came down with grudging admiration for a course that initially inspired the word doddle until it bit them in the legs on the way home.

Thanks to everyone for all their hard work in taking the entries, giving out the numbers, recording the times and marshalling James McFadden's well marked route over an interesting part of Wicklow. You all made the event a success despite all the problems.

Congratulations to Derek Coogan (30.04) who held off Gerry Brady (30.21) to score his first win on the hills, but we all must sympathise with the cards dealt to the doughty 15 year phenomomen Emmett Jennings who tripped and fell when in the lead. Dragging himself up, he recovered to finish in an amazing third place (30.34) just ahead of his brother Kian to the delight of their former Irish international mountain running mother Mary.

That was one family story and here's another. 1989 is a long time ago, but that was the year Richie McCauley made the Irish junior team for the World Mountain Running championships in the cauldron that was Die in the south of France. Richie was there last night, but only in a supporting role as his wife Jenny showed that he was not the only pair of fast legs in the family. She took the women's prize in 35.22 beating Orla McEvoy and Aoife Joyce.

That's enough from me but I'd like a race report from someone else - someone who actually ran the race. We've plenty of space on this website, if you've got the inclination!

------------

This call to the creative IMRA members unearthed a William Allingham fan - one James FitzHarris......

------------

?Up the airy mountain
Down the rushy glen,
We daren't go a-hunting,
For fear of little men;
Wee folk, good folk,
Trooping all together;
Green jacket, red cap,
And white owl's feather.?

Extracted from The Fairies by William Allingham (from Ballyshannon in Donegal no less).

These poetic words appear appropriate set in the context of the new trail route in the Glen of the Downs. I am not sure about the colours of the jackets, caps or even feathers but there was certainly plenty of colour on display in the starting line-up.

Douglas Barry, the now-moustachioed ?capo? of the trail league, is intent on devising new routes for this league to add to the existing repertoire of classic routes. So, a fine balmy summer?s evening saw over 100 eager runners gathered just north of the Glen of the Downs waiting expectantly to tackle the first of the new trail routes. We were not to be disappointed ? this route definitely has the makings of a classic in its own right.

After a brief introduction and some warnings to ensure that we did not get run over by any passing errant tractors, we were off. The route starts up a wide steep track which soon spaced the field of runners a little before turning into a long leafy lane through the trees. There were quite a few nettles along this stretch and next year?s marker might help us by bringing a small shears or secateurs to trim the most obtrusive of these to placate softies like me. From there, the route wended its way through the woodland, up hill and down dale, before descending quite steeply to continue alongside the main road through the Glen. At this stage, no doubt like many others, I believed that we were on the home run and a long flattish stretch would ensue. At this stage, the words of the Scottish poet Robbie Burns seem quite apposite:-

?The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men,
Gang aft agley,
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,
For promis'd joy!?

Just as we got complacent, the route turned slowly and inexorably upwards, and there followed a deceptively long, sinuous, enervating climb up through the trees to some ruins from where we eventually ended up back on the long leafy track where it all started. I, for one, was well winded at this stage but it was straightforward from here: we loped along this lane to the steep track and then home to the finish. Ironically, the downward track seemed longer and steeper going back than it had coming out! At the finish there was the usual throng of hot & happy runners clearly revelling in the after-race glow and discussing the merits of the latest addition to the league. It is certainly a fine run: the terrain is mixed but never too rough underfoot and it was very pleasant gambolling through the lovely sylvan setting with the evening sunlight filtering through the canopy. While there were no open country views, the overall effect was much more pleasant than a route through the sometimes dank and oppressive typical Sitka Spruce plantations with which we are more familiar. The only slight downside was the traffic noise close to the road but that was a minor irritant.

Your correspondent had a good run by his humble standards and finished in the top half of the field for only the second time this year. At the sharp end of the race, Derek Coogan took overall first place as well as being the first M40. In the pub afterwards, during the prize?giving (or Douglas?s ?lucky dip?) I saw that he was sporting a Laois shirt and sure enough, I now see that he belongs to North Laois AC. Runners from this club usually turn up for the Sugarloaf race and do very well. It would be great to see them more often. I wonder do they know of any possible routes in the Slieve Blooms that could form the basis for a weekend IMRA run?

Gerry Brady was second overall and took the M50 honours in a very impressive time. The third and fourth places were occupied by the Jennings brothers, Emmet and Kian. The first lady home was Jenny McAuley followed by Orla McEvoy and Aoife Joyce. In the vet categories, Seamus Kilcullen won the M60 and Mike Gomm the M70. On the ladies? side, the M40, M50 and M60 categories? laurel wreaths went to Mary O?Connell, Mary O?Colmain and Claire Walsh respectively. Well done to one and all.

We must record the customary thanks to all the volunteers who helped out in various ways thus making this a most enjoyable evening jaunt. Roll on Ballyross and Carrig!