Unknown

28 November, 2009

<b>Three Rock Winter, Sunday 3rd February 2008</b>

Amazingly 130+ runners lined up for the 2nd winter league race of the year. Officially there were 6 DNFs on the day. That still leaves 130 or so in the WISIB (Wish I Stayed In Bed) category.

The registration was conducted in the strong wind and rain at Taylors. The imra volunteers doing a great job in difficult conditions marshalled by Rachel playing a blinder. Patience was exhibited by all and the process went well. Up to the car park we all ferried and most of us were recategorised to DNWTGOFTC (Did Not Want To Get Out Of The Car), but that we did with moments to spare to hear Rachel?s and Mike?s pre race instructions, just about, mainly drowned out I hasten to add by the force 9 gale.

Where is the imra tannoy when you need it?

Before the race the scene was almost one out March of the Penguins, with runners huddled in masses trying to keep warm.

The weather was to put it mildly in a word, brutal. Peter O?Farrell advised people in the car park that it was windy up there and to wrap up. Talk about saying the obvious Peter, although there were some brave or silly souls that didn?t wrap up.

According to meteireann the weather yesterday at Dublin Airport had winds averaging 37kph. I reckon you could double and triple that at times at the top of 2 and 3 rock. The temperature in the car never climbed above 4C ? and it felt cosy in the car compared to outside where there was a windchill in spades.

The advertised route had 310m of ascent and this lured in us innocents in when it was a harder 380m, but whats 70m between friends.
The advertised difficulty was a 6 (out of 10). If we had a weather difficulty of 5 (worse) to 1 (best) then this race became an 11. Some people took delight in the awfulness of the day. Eoin Syron had a wide smile on his face afterwards. Eoin ? you?re a sadist

If ever a race?s photos tells a story it is this one. John Shields refers to the conditions being very bad for the photographer too. Too true. Refer to the wet and wind swept runners (and bear in mind that this was on the downhill good bit). I won?t bore people with my own account of my run ? I remember a lot of rocks, a lot of wet, rivers of rain, rain which stung like needles, wind that blew you backwards (not fair on an uphill), wind that blew you sideways (not nice when you?re running parallel to a huge bog puddle) and wind that blew you forward (brilliant, but strangely rare). I vaguely remember seeing people crouched over crying for their mammys (okay so I made that up but it wasn?t too far from the truth!).

I?ve blacked out the bad bits of the race from my memory. The only good bit for me was the last 3 k of mostly adrenaline rushing downhill. Wow. Can you bottle that feeling please?

Eoin Keith of Setanta?s winning time of 41 odd minutes was faster than last year?s time. A fantastic achievement given the conditions. What does that say about the slackers last year? Joking guys!

2nd was Michael Kelly of Gowran with Alan O?Keefe of Crusaders 3rd. So Eoin continues his stranglehold on the men?s winter league division.

Aisling Coppinger continued her reign in the women?s race ahead of Aoife Joyce and Niamh O?Boyle. Aoife is ahead in the winter league women?s standings on account of her 2 races run.

Particular praise should go to the race markers, marshalls on the course (respect!) and those at the finish who had to deal with the majority of finishers without numbers on display for obvious rain and windswept reasons. Those numbers will be in great nick for the next race so. Dermot and other first aiders were kept busy too. Thanks guys.

And to those that ran yesterday please remember the commitment of yesterday?s volunteers and lend a hand at a forthcoming event. Its everyone helping out that makes this successful.

TEAM RESULTS

1. Sli Cualann 56 (Martin Francis 14, Cormac O'Ceallaigh 18, Mick Hanney 24)

2. Crusaders AC 60 (Alan O'Keefe 3, Jason Reid 11, Donough O'Keefe 46)

3. Rathfarnham WSAF 62 (Mike Long 15, Kevin Grogan 21, William Griffith 26)

4. Setanta 74 (Eoin Keith 1, Andreas Kusch 28, Sean Hassett 45)

5. GEN 174 (Alan Ayling 37, Joe Lalor 41
Brendan Doherty 96)

WOMEN

1. Crusaders 11 (Aoife Joyce 2, Niamh niCholmain 3, Eva Fairmaner 6)

<b>Overall WL Club Standings</b>
Available by clicking <a href="http://www.imra.ie/ad-hoc/WL2008cluboverall1-2.htm">here</a>

Gerry Brady

24 November, 2009

by Mick Hanney
Amazingly 130+ runners lined up for the 2nd winter league race of the year. Officially there were 6 DNFs on the day. That still leaves 130 or so in the WISIB (Wish I Stayed In Bed) category.

The registration was conducted in the strong wind and rain at Taylors. The imra volunteers doing a great job in difficult conditions marshalled by Rachel playing a blinder. Patience was exhibited by all and the process went well. Up to the car park we all ferried and most of us were recategorised to DNWTGOFTC (Did Not Want To Get Out Of The Car), but that we did with moments to spare to hear Rachel's and Mike's pre race instructions, just about, mainly drowned out I hasten to add by the force 9 gale.

Where is the imra tannoy when you need it?

Before the race the scene was almost one out March of the Penguins, with runners huddled in masses trying to keep warm.

The weather was to put it mildly in a word, brutal. Peter O'Farrell advised people in the car park that it was windy up there and to wrap up. Talk about saying the obvious Peter, although there were some brave or silly souls that didn't wrap up.

According to meteireann the weather yesterday at Dublin Airport had winds averaging 37kph. I reckon you could double and triple that at times at the top of 2 and 3 rock. The temperature in the car never climbed above 4C ? and it felt cosy in the car compared to outside where there was a windchill in spades.

The advertised route had 310m of ascent and this lured in us innocents in when it was a harder 380m, but whats 70m between friends.
The advertised difficulty was a 6 (out of 10). If we had a weather difficulty of 5 (worse) to 1 (best) then this race became an 11. Some people took delight in the awfulness of the day. Eoin Syron had a wide smile on his face afterwards. Eoin you're a sadist

If ever a race's photos tells a story it is this one. John Shields refers to the conditions being very bad for the photographer too. Too true. Refer to the wet and wind swept runners (and bear in mind that this was on the downhill good bit). I won't bore people with my own account of my run ? I remember a lot of rocks, a lot of wet, rivers of rain, rain which stung like needles, wind that blew you backwards (not fair on an uphill), wind that blew you sideways (not nice when you?re running parallel to a huge bog puddle) and wind that blew you forward (brilliant, but strangely rare). I vaguely remember seeing people crouched over crying for their mammys (okay so I made that up but it wasn't too far from the truth!).

I've blacked out the bad bits of the race from my memory. The only good bit for me was the last 3 k of mostly adrenaline rushing downhill. Wow. Can you bottle that feeling please?

Eoin Keith of Setanta's winning time of 41 odd minutes was faster than last year's time. A fantastic achievement given the conditions. What does that say about the slackers last year? Joking guys!

2nd was Michael Kelly of Gowran with Alan O'Keefe of Crusaders 3rd. So Eoin continues his stranglehold on the men's winter league division.

Aisling Coppinger continued her reign in the women's race ahead of Aoife Joyce and Niamh O'Boyle. Aoife is ahead in the winter league women's standings on account of her 2 races run.

Particular praise should go to the race markers, marshalls on the course (respect!) and those at the finish who had to deal with the majority of finishers without numbers on display for obvious rain and windswept reasons. Those numbers will be in great nick for the next race so. Dermot and other first aiders were kept busy too. Thanks guys.

And to those that ran yesterday please remember the commitment of yesterday's volunteers and lend a hand at a forthcoming event. Its everyone helping out that makes this successful.

TEAM RESULTS

1. Sli Cualann 56 (Martin Francis 14, Cormac O'Ceallaigh 18, Mick Hanney 24)

2. Crusaders AC 60 (Alan O'Keefe 3, Jason Reid 11, Donough O'Keefe 46)

3. Rathfarnham WSAF 62 (Mike Long 15, Kevin Grogan 21, William Griffith 26)

4. Setanta 74 (Eoin Keith 1, Andreas Kusch 28, Sean Hassett 45)

5. GEN 174 (Alan Ayling 37, Joe Lalor 41
Brendan Doherty 96)

WOMEN

1. Crusaders 11 (Aoife Joyce 2, Niamh niCholmain 3, Eva Fairmaner 6)

Overall WL Club Standings http://www.imra.ie/ad-hoc/WL2008cluboverall1-2.htm